I slip into the dark green water right behind my beautiful human.
But unlike her, my entry isn’t silent—it’s marked by a splash far louder than I’d like.
Too late to fix it now.
I try to move, to follow her lead, but my limbs are stiff and uncooperative.
Damn it. I’m putting my Dedicated Soul in danger.
Gritting my teeth, I force my battered body forward. Inch by inch, I manage a few feet—just enough to stay afloat in the lukewarm water.
Out of habit, I dip my head below the surface for a quick look at what’s lurking underneath.
May the Currents protect us.
A swarm of small yellow tendrils glides through the water, graceful and hungry, reaching for anything that drifts too close. And then I see it—something massive, moving with slow, terrifying purpose. That’s the one. The creature that laid the giant egg on the sand bed. Or one of its kind. Either way, it could swallow us whole.
A jolt of adrenaline surges through me, just enough to push forward, to catch up with Ileana as she nears the edge of the platform.
Relief hits me hard when I see her climb onto the mound, grimacing as she brushes off the writhing, man-eating tendrils.
I’ve got maybe fifteen feet left—and I can feel it. The big one’s noticed me. The water stirs around me, too much to be coincidence. This is going to be close.
When I finally reach the edge, the look in Ileana’s eyes says it all—panic, fear, and something else: she’s not letting me die here.
I press my palms to the rough surface and push with everything I’ve got. It’s not enough.
But then she’s there—her arms under mine, hauling me up with everything she has.
We collapse together, sprawled out on a bed of slimy leeches… but we’re out of reach. Safe—for now.
I sit up, gasping, and watch the sea giant sink back into the depths, just inches from our fragile refuge.
Well… that was way too close.
"I’m landing. Stay right at the edge!"Wingo informs me.
Seconds later, my beloved SIL glides in and touches down gently on the cramped surface of the flat islet. I just hope those disgusting slugs don’t eat through composite materials—because if they do, we’re in trouble.
Ileana helps me to my feet as the access ramp begins to lower. This nightmare is almost over. And not a moment too soon.
Limping, we drag ourselves toward the base of the SIL’s launch ramp.
A single, precise shot slams into the ground—just inches from my feet.
I look up—and lock eyes with Noviosk.
He’s straddling a short-range flyer, hovering just above the water, maybe sixty feet out. Through the transparent spherical cockpit, I can see the fury in his eyes. He wants us alive, obviously. But he’ll kill us before he lets us escape.
A second shot lands in front of Ileana’s feet. Message received.
He grins, baring his canines. He knows he’s got us. If we board the SIL, he’ll blast it out of the sky—no hesitation. And Wingo will die with us. Worse, Wingo can’t take manual control to fire back. He’s helpless.
Damn it. This day just keeps getting better. Carnivorous slugs, a sea monster the size of a shuttle, and now this smug Srebat bastard.
“May the Currents drag you under!” I shout, fist raised, as Noviosk watches with amusement.
Ileana glances at me, worry etched across her face—then turns sharply toward the sea, alerted by a strange sound.
