At that moment, I tried to hold onto the rope, but I was too slow. His hand reached for mine—desperate, trembling—but it was too late. I felt it. Cold. Wet. And real.
The creature had grabbed me. Dragging me down.
Below the surface, it wasn't just water anymore—it was something alive. Something evil.
And just before I was completely swallowed by the depths, I looked up. From the corner of my eye, I saw Raiden. His face twisted in fear, in helplessness. The villagers were screaming, running, dragging their children inside. The sky turned violet, as if even the sun was afraid.
It looked like water, that thing, but it wasn't.
It was a demon.
The dragon tried to land but couldn't. The surface was covered in dead fish, floating like lost souls. The boat rocked helplessly as people shouted, trying to help—yet frozen by fear. I started to panic, flailing as the creature dragged me deeper.
Then suddenly, it let go.
I was thrown upwards like a ragdoll, shot ten meters into the air. For a moment, I was flying. I saw the sky, the faces, the shadows, the sun... and the demon's face.
Then—
**The fall.**
I hit the water like a ghost returning to its grave. So cold. So still. Everything in the water was silent.
Everything so calm.
Everything... too calm.
And then came the voice.
> **"FIGHT."**
> **"DON'T RUN."**
> **"YOU ARE NOT THE ONE WHO RUNS."**
> **"YOU ARE THE ONE WHO FIGHTS."**
But I couldn't move. I was freezing. The cold made time disappear.
Then the voice screamed—
> **"YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE LIKE THIS!"**
> **"DAMN IT, GET UP!"**
> **"NOW!"**
Suddenly—hands. Pulling me out. Warmth. Air.
Men from the messenger ship were grabbing me. I saw Raiden kneeling beside me, his voice shaking. "Eloula! Eloula!"
I was alive. But I couldn't think.
Then one of the men said something that burned into me:
**"He only attacks in the water. The boat is safe... but if he catches us, no one survives. He has killed everything out there. Everything."**
Raiden nodded. I was lying on the deck, breathing but numb. My thoughts spiraled.
> **"THAT VOICE IS RIGHT."**
Raiden shook my shoulders. "ELOULA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?!"
I stood up slowly. "I will defeat him. As long as I can fight, I will."
I turned to him. "Take the boat. Go."
He looked at me, worried. "I'm coming with you."
He reached for his sword—but I saw his leg. He was still injured. If he fought now, he'd die.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. Then I **kicked** his leg. He fell back into the boat with a surprised grunt.
I stood up, drew my sword. The boat rocked beneath me. I **kicked it** with all my strength.
"GO!" I screamed.
The voice returned—calm and fierce.
> **"RUN INTO THE WATER."**
> **"AND STAB."**
I didn't hesitate. I dove.
The demon was waiting.
It surged up, ready to strike—but I was faster. I stabbed my sword deep into its long, serpentine body. It screamed, its voice like breaking glass, and wrapped itself around me.
Then—*up again*. We flew through the air together, locked in combat. It held me tight.
I twisted my body, pulled out my shield, and **stabbed its head**. It shrieked and shook, loosening its grip. I fell again. The fall felt unreal, like I was slipping between worlds.
But the demon wasn't done. It caught me once more, furious. It threw me high—**higher than ever before**—its mouth wide open.
**It wanted to eat me.**
But that... was the plan.
Back when I read Raiden's book, I found something. A spell. A sword spell that could **detonate from within**. I remembered every word, every stroke.
As I fell into its mouth, I clutched my sword tighter.
**Darkness. Stench. Heat.**
I tried the spell.
Nothing.
Panic.
**The voice:**
> **"STAY CALM."**
I took a breath.
One more try.
The sword began to glow.
Brighter.
Hotter.
Almost unbearable—
> **BOOM.**
Light exploded. Pain, pressure, heat—it all vanished.
The mouth opened. I flew out, carried by the force.
Was I dead?
No.
I was alive.
I saw the water. I saw the light. I surfaced, gasping. The demon crashed into the sea, lifeless. The splash created a wave that carried me toward the shore.
I was floating.
Eyes closed.
Then—
> **"SHE LIVES!"**
Raiden.
He ran. Grabbed me. Held me like I was made of glass.
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I was too tired to cry.
Raidne looked at me with his eyes as if he wanted to say something but couldn't get it out.
Then he said angrily, ELOULA, WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT, THAT YOU PUSHED ME, YOU COULD HAVE DIED.
I lay in his arms, his spirit again, a kind of deja vu.
The sun was shining again and it shone through his dark hair.
I didn't know, even though I didn't know him but also had deja vu, he became more and more important to me, otherwise I wouldn't have done it.
He said, "Are you okay?"
I answered weakly, "No, everything's fine."
He breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he said seriously, "Don't do that again, alone, we have to fight together, otherwise only one of us will get out alive, or no one will."
I nodded and started to smile.
He cares about me.
Someone cares about me...
But I felt that the story wasn't over.
Our path to the rain of memorys is long and dangerous.
Then the thought came to me about the voice that answers.
She had helped me a lot, and I hope she will continue to help me and reveal the potential that I have.
Raidne wanted to help me get up.
But it was at that very moment that I lost consciousness.