Destiny Towards Uncertainty

When Leah first felt the icy touch of frigid water brushing against her toes, she couldn't help but squint her eyes in disbelief. It was as if she had been abruptly thrust into a world far removed from her own, a place that bore a semblance to heaven, at least in her fleeting imagination. But, to her dismay, any illusion of paradise quickly crumbled.

Beneath her, an abrasive and unsettlingly cold surface pressed against her stomach and face, sending shivers down her spine. She summoned the courage to pry her eyes open, half-expecting to find herself amidst a congregation of other souls who had also crossed into this ethereal realm.

However, what she encountered was a stark departure from her expectations. The moment her eyes barely cracked open, they were met with a disconcerting sight. Stretching out before her was a vast expanse of solid, obsidian darkness. The overwhelming absence of light, even more profound than the night sky, sent a chilling sensation coursing through her very being.

In this eerie, lightless abyss, any person harboring even a hint of nyctophobia, the fear of darkness, or megalophobia, the fear of colossal and imposing entities, would have been plunged into a state of terror so profound that it might have proved fatal in an instant. Leah's gasp of realization punctuated the unnerving reality she now found herself in—a world that was decidedly otherworldly, yet far from the heavenly vision she had initially entertained.

Despite its dark surroundings, she possessed a surprising clarity of vision in the depths. This unique sight was partly due to the luminous yellow halo radiating from above in the sky, allowing her to perceive the hidden world beneath the water's surface.

The submerged lost city unfolded before her eyes, mirroring the precise depiction the researchers had constructed through their readings and predictive models. However, their representations fell short in one aspect: the towering sculptures that served as shelters for larger aquatic creatures during the city's submerged phase.

These colossal structures, overlooked by the researchers, stood as towering homes for the underwater denizens. Time had weathered these sculptures, rendering them fractured, and overgrown with mosses, seaweeds, and an assortment of lush green underwater flora.

Leah glanced around, searching for any sign of the other passengers who had been on board with her. Instead, all she could discern in the vast expanse around her was an eerie darkness punctuated by the scattered remnants of the ship. It was as though she had been inexplicably transported to this desolate place, isolated from anyone else who might have been with her.

Feeling a peculiar weight on her left hand, she lifted it, only to discover a gleaming silver cuff dangling freely. It seemed to have detached from whatever it was previously secured to—most likely the chair she had been seated in. Despite the wreckage and the apparent impact, she realized with surprise that she wasn't injured at all.

"Leah whispered 'Aiden,' her voice barely audible as she clutched her top tightly over her chest. He was nowhere to be found, lost to her in this desolate moment, leaving her feeling isolated and alone once more. Previously, his absence hadn't caused much pain, as he wasn't a significant part of her life. But now, having known Aiden and then losing him, the thought of coping with this loss felt daunting.

Yet, there was no time for mourning. Leah found herself still alive after some impactful event, shielded by some unknown forces. She realized she needed to move forward, not just for survival but for herself. Maybe, in this journey, she could rediscover not only herself but also those she had lost. So, despite her stumbling steps, she pushed herself forward, taking her first uncertain strides into the uncharted path.

The island she found herself on was no ordinary place—it held significance beyond anything she had ever known. Her only guide was the knowledge she had acquired from a book, a beacon of hope that pointed towards a destination that promised answers and perhaps a reunion with all that she held dear.

"In the heart of the earthly seas, where land meets a watery embrace,

Lies a locale encircled by seven visages, seven fingers skyward grace.

To shield the golden halo that hovers high above, they stand,

Within the chamber where the head of the supreme does rest, hand in hand.

There, concealed within the grounds where the great ruler's laid to rest,

The gates to the otherworldly await, a treasure chest."

Leah vividly recalled a phrase she had come across in a book. Intrigued by the possibility that this phrase might guide her to the place she sought, she repeated it to herself, hoping for some direction.

Leah strolled through who knows how many moments, lost in a dreamy daze. The sun, draped in a yellow halo, cast its glow around the island, cocooning it in a serene capsule of time. Time itself seemed to stretch, ambling at a pace that left Leah questioning whether it was day or night.

Her stomach growled, a reminder that hunger and thirst were her unwelcome companions. Yet, the desolate landscape offered no respite. Sculptures and dilapidated houses, adorned with seaweed and moss, stood as the only witnesses to the passage of time.

Barefoot, Leah navigated the chilly, rocky terrain, the cold seeping into her feet, turning them a shade of bluish. Amidst the quiet, a familiar voice echoed, calling her name. "Leah… come back." Ignoring the plea, she continued her solitary journey. Aiden's voice persisted, a haunting refrain, but Leah resisted the urge to follow. The sound seemed to shift, teasing her from different directions, a trick her own mind played on her.

With each step, she shook her head, trying to dispel the haziness that clouded her vision and the dizziness that threatened to overtake her senses. 

As she kept exploring, she came across big sculptures of people. Next to them were smaller ones pointing up. But some of the smaller ones were broken, so it was hard to figure out where they were supposed to be pointing in the sky.

Leah found herself in a captivating place filled with both beauty and secrets. Broken sculptures scattered around added a touch of mystery. Standing there, she tried to figure out the hidden clues suggested by the partially visible directions hinted at by the sculptures. "Seven fingers skyward grace. To shield the golden halo that hovers high above." In a hushed tone, she whispered to herself while carefully examining the seven figures before her. Though they appeared fragmented, she could discern a pattern — they were arranged in a circular formation. It seemed as if these statues were positioned to watch over something, and the smaller ones accompanying them extended their arms outward, pointing towards a radiant yellow halo.

As Leah absorbed the scene, a realization struck her: the answers she sought might lie within the center of this arrangement. It became clear to her that venturing into the heart of this circle could potentially unveil the mysteries she sought to unravel.

Disregarding the rumbling in her stomach, she sprinted toward the center, desperately attempting to satiate the hunger of her curious mind. The idea of sacrificing herself in her little world didn't faze her; all she needed was to escape this confining island. Leah couldn't help but burst into laughter, sounding almost maniacal, as the very words from the entire book now unfolded before her eyes.

She was so close to figuring out the answer she'd been searching for. But then, as she was getting excited, she started to slow down. Suddenly, she wondered, "If I do find the answer, will things change?" Doubts started creeping in and messing with her excitement. It hit her that no matter what, it seemed like her fate wouldn't budge. The heaviness of this impending doom hung over her thoughts like a gloomy cloud, casting a shadow on her quest to understand.

However, Leah found herself in a predicament with no room for second thoughts. She stood amidst seven statues, realizing that retracing her steps to normalcy was an impossibility. Undeterred, she resolved to dig, despite lacking any tools for the task. Nearby lay several shattered pieces of the statues, among which she selected a sizable fragment to begin her excavation.

In the midst of the statues, Leah encountered a challenging obstacle—the stubborn presence of a thick layer of fat moss. Undeterred by the absence of proper equipment, she used the large fragment to scrape away the moss and began digging deeper into the ground. The mud beneath proved stubbornly adhesive, sending a burning sensation through her palm. Yet, with unwavering determination, she pressed on.

As if the universe itself disapproved of her actions, thunder began to grumble ominously. The loud sound momentarily shook Leah, but she quickly regained her focus. Rain soon joined the cacophony, further complicating her digging efforts. Undeterred by the downpour, Leah persisted, her clothes becoming saturated as the surroundings took on a haunting ambiance with intermittent thunderclaps.

Under normal circumstances, this desolate place might have been mistaken for a haunted island, capturing the attention of curious onlookers. 

There it sat, right in front of Leah's eyes, a mysterious object that didn't resemble a key, book, or treasure chest. With a sudden realization, Leah identified it as a pouch and eagerly picked it up, only to be met with disappointment. The pouch was empty, covered in mud, and on the verge of decay. A wave of frustration swept over her as she couldn't believe she had taken such risks for nothing.

 In her distress, Leah couldn't help but question the validity of her previous interactions with the man who had saved her life in the mall. Were the tales of books, scriptures, and keys just fantasies? Was this the end of her quest? Frustrated and disheartened, she vented her emotions by hitting the mud and letting out a cry of despair.

As if nature itself responded to her turmoil, heavy rain poured down on Leah, as if the clouds were releasing their anger. Suddenly, a bright light illuminated the scene, followed by a thunderous sound that echoed through the air. In an instant, Leah found herself on the ground, struck by lightning.