Rowena felt the crushing embrace of the outer area of the Forbidden Waters as she plummeted deeper, the dim glow of the crimson sky fading into complete darkness. The pressure wrapped around her like a tightening fist, the silence absolute.
She did not flinch.
Narissara glided effortlessly ahead of her, her eyes glowing faintly, cutting through the shadows like distant stars. Her long, flowing garments rippled, merging seamlessly with the ocean's endless void.
Rowena followed in sharp, precise movements, her raven hair billowing like spilled ink in the currents. They descended further, the waters growing colder, darker. Then, without warning, the shadows moved.
A serpentine figure lunged from the gloom, a massive Wicked Leech, its elongated maw lined with rows of needle-like teeth. Its slimy black skin reflected no light, making it almost invisible until it was too late.
Narissara didn't falter.
With a flick of her wrist, dark tendrils erupted from her hands, weaving through the water like liquid shadows, wrapping around the leech's writhing body and snapping it in two.
A sudden, sharp pulse in the water signaled another attack.
Rowena turned, her crimson eyes locking onto three more that shot toward her with blinding speed.
Without hesitation, she extended her hand, her veins pulsing as her blood ignited—a devastating explosion of crimson detonating in the depths.
The force of the blast sent ripples through the water, a shockwave of carnage, the heat momentarily boiling the abyss around them. The creatures stood no chance, their obliterated remains dissolving into the void.
Narissara spared her a glance, feeling surprised by the ease at which she took down those three creatures. Even she who knew how to fight these creatures couldn't have done it with such ease. Did she get stronger despite recovering from serious injuries just recently?
But then she shook away that thought and gestured forward.
Rowena followed.
They fought their way through the murky depths, shadowy abominations lunging from unseen trenches, but neither faltered. Narissara's dark water coiled and crushed, while Rowena's volatile blood erupted in bursts of destruction.
Usually, she would feel alive when fighting, but now, no matter what she did, her heart just continued to become heavier.
After what felt like hours of swimming through the unrelenting darkness, Narissara suddenly stopped.
Rowena hovered beside her, her expression cold but questioning.
Narissara pointed toward a vast rock formation, where an enormous crevice lay open like the mouth of a sleeping titan. She turned to Rowena, her voice resonating through the water, a talent only her kind possessed.
"We stop here."
Rowena narrowed her eyes, but Narissara continued before she could object.
"The Cursed Wraiths are most active at night. If we push deeper now, we won't make it out. We need to wait. We are lucky we didn't come upon one yet."
Rowena stared at her for a moment before nodding once. She was not one to argue without reason.
Narissara waved her hand, and the waters obeyed.
The darkness within the cave parted, swirling upward into a massive water bubble, shimmering with a faint azure glow. It stabilized, creating a pocket of breathable air within the abyss.
Rowena floated inside, finally feeling the weight of exhaustion press upon her as her boots touched the rocky surface of the cave floor. She inhaled deeply, her first true breath since they dove into the Forbidden Waters.
Narissara entered the bubble, the water parting effortlessly around her as she stepped inside.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
The sound of dripping water echoed in the vast cavern, accompanied by the distant groans of the deep, creatures lurking just beyond their reach.
Rowena sat down against a jagged rock, resting her arms over her knees, her face blank, detached, but her crimson eyes held a storm of emotions buried deep within.
09:36
"That doesn't change the fact that he killed my father, our people in the past, and slept with our enemies," Rowena countered, her voice dropping to a whisper, as if saying it aloud would solidify her own anger.
Narissara exhaled through her nose, crossing her arms.
"You are right. What he has done in the past can't be changed."
She paused before adding in a quieter tone, "But as a senior who has lived for a while, I've learned that people can change and that not all humans are evil. Just like how I have changed and how some of these humans don't want to fight the good ones among us. Isola briefly tells me from time to time that she has met humans who sympathize and understand us...especially how we have to literally fight and kill to survive."
Rowena's eyes flickered toward her in curiosity.
Narissara's expression turned somber, reflective.
"He may have been a Hunter who had taken a vow to annihilate demons like us, but something must have happened for him to have a change of heart. Maybe after living a new life as a demon and meeting you, he could have come to understand and care for us."
Rowena's breath hitched just slightly.
"You are the first woman he fell in love with," Narissara went on, her voice gentler now.
"Isola always tells me how much Asher cares about you—to the point he would even go to the depths of Tartarus if it meant keeping you safe. She is better at knowing one's true self more than any of us. That is why I am confident that Asher's love is true and boundless to those he cares about. Isn't that why you also fell for him?"
Rowena's lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
Narissara's gaze softened even further.
"A man like him is very rare to see in a world like ours."
Rowena's hands trembled.
She knew that. She knew that more than anyone.
Yet she mumbled, almost too softly to be heard, "It still doesn't make it hurt any less..."
Narissara sighed, stepping closer, placing a gentle but firm hand on Rowena's back.
"Even though we started off on the wrong foot, and our kingdoms went to war with each other, you are like a daughter to me now. You should know that Asher is the one who taught me, Isola, and our people that people can change."
"We carried so much resentment toward your kingdom that we didn't stop to think that we were going to war against people who weren't responsible for the massacre of our ancestors and trapping us in darkness."
Her gaze sharpened as she looked back at Rowena.
"So even if it isn't exactly the same, he is no longer the Golden Prince. He was literally given a second chance to become a better person. You don't have to feel guilty for loving him because you fell in love with the demon named Asher, not the Hunter who killed your father due to a quest."
Rowena's breath hitched, her vision blurring slightly.
Narissara gave a soft, wistful smile.
"Take it from someone who has a lot of regrets... I never gave Isola the love and care she deserved out of misplaced beliefs and archaic traditions that almost made me lose her. I also was never able to properly express my love towards my husband...I regret it more than I ever thought now that he is no longer with me." Narissara said as her eyes flashed with a doleful light before she turned to look at Rowena and added, "I don't want you making the same mistake as I did."
Rowena blinked, her chest tightening.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Rowena had no words.
The weight of Narissara's words settled over her like an anchor, sinking into the depths of her heart.
"I don't know what to feel or think now...It hurts to think..." She finally admitted in a low voice.
Narissara nodded with a look of understanding, "I know. I know I can't tell you to forgive Asher because he did wrong you. But I hope one day you will be ready to understand why he did it and get some closure. What you do after that is up to you, and no matter what choice you make, it will be the right one."
Just realized we crossed 800 chaps :O
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