The water trembled as the massive serpent coiled around the sunken ruins, its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Emma and Rahi. It moved with terrifying grace, its dark scales rippling like liquid shadow.
Emma's lungs burned as she hovered in the open water, her heart hammering. The Sapphire Stone pulsed from the altar below, its deep blue light illuminating the ocean floor.
But between her and the stone—stood the Guardian.
A deep rumble echoed through the water, shaking the ruins. The serpent opened its mouth, revealing rows of jagged teeth, and then—
It attacked.
A powerful swipe of its tail sent a shockwave through the ocean, sending Emma tumbling backward. She barely managed to dodge as a piece of stone debris shot past her, disappearing into the abyss below.
Rahi grabbed her wrist, steadying her. His silver eyes flicked toward the pedestal.
"We need to get to the stone!"
Emma didn't need to be told twice.
She kicked off the ruins, swimming toward the altar as fast as she could. But the moment she moved, the serpent twisted its massive body, blocking her path with its tail.
Then—its eyes glowed.
A sudden whirlpool formed around them, the water pulling them downward with terrifying force. Emma struggled, but the current was too strong.
Her vision blurred.
The ocean around her began to shift, the ruins flickering between past and present.
And then—a voice.
"Do you seek the Sapphire Stone?"
Emma's mind filled with visions—a great kingdom, a powerful queen, and a stone that once controlled the tides themselves.
She gasped, realizing the truth.
The Guardian wasn't just a protector.
It was testing her.
Emma reached for the Ruby Stone at her waist, but something stopped her.
"Not fire," the voice whispered. "Water bends not to flames, but to understanding."
Understanding.
Emma clenched her fists. If fire couldn't work… then what could?
She looked toward the Sapphire Stone, its light swirling like an ocean current.
And then it hit her.
Water was not meant to be fought.
It was meant to be guided.
Emma stopped struggling. She let the whirlpool carry her—not fighting it, but moving with it.
The moment she let go of fear, the current shifted—turning from a trap into a path.
The Guardian stilled.
And then, the Sapphire Stone responded.
A pulse of blue energy surged outward, calming the sea around them. The whirlpool faded.
Emma's feet touched the altar as the stone lifted itself into her palm.
The moment she grasped it, a wave of power rushed through her.
The ocean answered her command.
The serpent's gaze softened. It lowered its massive head, retreating into the shadows of the ruins.
The trial was over.
Emma had passed.
__________________________________________________________
Rising from the Depths
Rahi swam toward her, his expression a mix of shock and approval.
"What the hell just happened?"
Emma smiled, holding up the Sapphire Stone.
"I listened."
The water around them shifted, now calm under Emma's presence. The path back to the surface was clear.
They had what they came for.
Now, it was time to face what came next.