Chapter 58: Water
As I stood there, the weight of the ancient power I had just glimpsed was almost too much to comprehend. Those visions of the Demon Gods left me in awe, but they also left me with a lot of thoughts.
'What should I do next?'
As the crystal pulsed in my hand, a deep rumbling shook the chamber, causing me to stumble. The ground beneath me split open, revealing a chasm that seemed to lead into the abyss. Water began to rise from the depths, flowing into the chamber with an almost sentient determination.
"What!"
Panicked thoughts raced through my mind. Although I could swim, the thought of drowning in this mysterious place was terrifying. I had to find a way out, and quickly.
Splash...
With the water level rising steadily, I looked around the chamber, desperately seeking an escape route. The walls were too smooth to climb, and the chasm was growing wider, swallowing up the space I had been standing on. My heart raced as I realized the water would soon submerge me entirely.
Huff...
I took a deep breath, steadying myself for the inevitable. When the water finally reached my chest, I knew I had to act. I couldn't let fear paralyze me; I had to take control of the situation, just as the Demon Gods had controlled the elements.
Splash...
With the crystal still in my hand, I dove beneath the surface of the water, determined to find a hidden passage or an opening that would lead me to safety. The water was murky and filled with swirling currents, making it difficult to see clearly.
My hands brushed against the stone floor, searching for any irregularities. I felt the etchings of the elemental symbols - fire, water, earth, and air - as if they were guiding me. Then, my fingers traced a subtle groove in the stone, leading in a specific direction. I followed it, praying that it would lead me to a way out.
The water around me grew colder as I swam through the twisting passage. My lungs began to ache for air, but I pushed on, fueled by the need to survive. Just when I felt like I couldn't hold my breath any longer, the passage opened up into another chamber, this one filled with air.
"Ughhh..."
I gasped for breath, relief flooding over me as I resurfaced, clinging to the edge of a stone platform that had risen above the water level. The chamber was still dimly lit, and the water continued to rise, now covering most of the chamber floor.
As I caught my breath, I scanned the room for any signs of an exit. The walls were adorned with intricate engravings, much like the previous chamber, but there was something different about this one. The engravings seemed to tell a story, a narrative that might hold the key to my escape.
Rumble...
The chamber's trembling intensified, a reminder that time was running out. I couldn't let the rising water trap me here. I studied the engravings, searching for a clue, a pattern, or anything that might point me in the right direction.
Then, it struck me - the engravings depicted a journey, a path that wound its way through the elements. Fire, water, earth, air - it was all there, and the path seemed to converge at a certain point on the wall.
The point where all four elements met, forming a nexus of power.
With newfound determination, I swam over to the spot where the engravings converged. I reached out and pressed my hand against the stone, feeling the energy coursing through the walls.
The chamber, however, remained still, as if waiting for something more.
"The crystal..."
Looking at the shimmering rock in my hand, I realized that it was the key to unlocking the chamber's secret.
Click...
As I inserted the crystal into a perfectly carved crevice on the wall, a mechanism was set into motion.
The water began to recede, draining out of the chamber through hidden channels. The floor also slowly emerged, revealing a pathway that had been hidden beneath the water.
I could smell the musty, earthy scent of the newly exposed pathway, a scent that filled me with hope and dread at the same time.
"I don't want to repeat this ever again..."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone