Page 69 of The Divine Shallows
Elyria noted the water level rising at an alarming pace, exacerbated by the relentless downpour summoned by Kerrick. The rain hammered down mercilessly, the drops striking the surface of Elyria’s skin harshly. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she attempted to peer through the deluge, but the sheets of rain remained obscuring her vision. With the water now reaching her waist, the raft she had fashioned began to float. Pressing down to test its stability, she confirmed it could support her weight. With a heave, she hoisted herself onto the wooden surface, finding her balance on the raft that extended no more than four feet around her.
Was this Kerrick’s performance? Summoning torrential rain and flooding the arena? His control over the elements was impressive; Elyria had no doubt he could unleash even deadlier, more destructive manifestations if he so chose. There wasn’t even so much as a flicker of fatigue from the Driftmoor warlock’s aura. Was this the standard for all the divine candidates? It was becoming clear just how formidable an elemental Kerrick truly was. Could he escalate this rainstorm into a full-blown monsoon? How much devastation did he plan to unleash?
These questions swirled in Elyria’s mind as the arena transformed into an extension of the Swyn Sea enraged in the midst of a tempest.
Anxiety coated her emotions as she grappled with the uncertainty ahead. She had little insight into the capabilities of these fey, knowing next to nothing about them.Fool,Elyria cursed herself for not delving deeper. Even if she couldn’t train at the Spires, she could have at least familiarized herself with her rivals’ abilities.
Balancing on her makeshift raft amidst Kerrick’s intensifying rainstorm, Elyria battled the wild, tumultuous waves threatening to engulf her. Beneath the deluge, she struggled to discern the other six candidates. How long could Kerrick sustain this tempest? As she scanned the area, she counted:one... two... three... four... five... Wait, five? There should be six. Who am I missing? Oh, right—Kerrick. His absence from the surface signaled his likely presence beneath the water’s depths. Elyria reminded herself to remain vigilant with the Driftmoor candidate lurking below.
A torrent of magic rippled through the arena, triggering Elyria’s attention.Who was that?A tall, sinewy, dark-haired figure caught her eye—Lynora. Elyria observed as she channeled an impressive amount of magic, her aura pulsating with energy. Lynora began rapid incantations that caused Elyria to tense.Is she really going through with this?
Elyria narrowed her eyes, watching as Lynora summoned something substantial—but what?
Her thoughts raced to recall information about the Blackbane sorceress. Fey from Erimead specialized in evocation magic, capable of amplifying existing phenomena, emotions, actions, and so on. They could even augment another warlock or sorceress’ magic. The strongest among them could even summon spirits or banish creatures to other planes. Was Lynora truly powerful enough to evoke such a significant force as she felt now?
In response to her question, a gateway materialized above the arena, causing Elyria’s skepticism to morph into caution. Positioned approximately twenty feet in the air, the gateway expelled a colossal silhouette that plummeted with a deafening shriek into the arena’s dark abyss. The impact of the creature crashing into the water was so forceful that Elyria was catapulted from her raft, her body plunging into the water’s embrace and engulfed beneath its waves.
As she collided with the water’s surface, a surge of shock rippled throughElyria. This was nothing for which she had prepared. The unfolding reality shattered her preconceived notions of the ritual. What was transpiring was completely unorthodox for theVitus. The ritual was meant to be an orderly showcase of individual talents, meticulously honed over months for the Moon Goddess’ observation.
But this was different. This wasn’t a mere demonstration. It was really combat.
This is what they wanted?Elyria’s temper swelled at their crass strategy.Fine by me.She felt her body being tossed in all directions underneath the waves. Darkness surrounded her as she fought to orient herself underwater. She spotted a faint glow of feylight from above and propelled herself in that direction. The faster she swam, the more likely she could avoid whatever Lynora summoned into the arena. With each powerful stroke, she ascended, breaking the surface with a gasp of relief as air filled her lungs. Her snow-white hair clung to the sides of her face as she swiveled around in the water, scanning for one of the rafts. It appeared that she wasn’t the only one who was disoriented by the chaos that now engulfed the flooded arena.
“Elyria! Over here!” Sylas’ voice pierced through the relentless rain.
She turned towards the sound of his muffled voice, spotting him on a nearby wooden raft with his arm extended towards her. Despite the raging storm, he skillfully guided the raft in her direction. Her reservations about Sylas lingered, but being on the raft was far preferable to being in the water. With some effort, Sylas maneuvered the raft close enough for her to grasp his arm, hauling her up onto the unsteady wooden surface.
“What in the seven hells did Lynora summon?” Elyria shouted over the pounding rain, struggling to maintain her balance on the choppy waves.
Sylas offered a steady hand for Elyria to hold onto. “She’s summoned a blood-eyed eel!” He yelled back, his voice barely audible over the downpour. “It was Kerrick’s idea to summon something we could use our magic on instead of just showcasing our abilities!”He cursed under his breath. “I knew this would be too dangerous. I tried to convince them not to!”
A massive shadow emerged from the dark depths, accompanied by wild cheers from the spectators. Elyria tensed as she beheld the sight before her. The monstrous blood-eyed eel breached the surface, its head thrashing wildly as its fierce jaws snapped with fury. Its sleek body shimmered with shades of tawny browns and burnt oranges, blending in a sinister pattern. Towering over them, the blood-eyed eel possessed vicious spiked fins along its spine, its build nearly twice the size of a firedrake.
Elyria couldn’t halt her mind from analyzing the recent events. The summoning of such a massive entity by Lynora must have depleted a significant portion of her magical reserves, if not nearly all of it. Elyria found herself woefully unprepared for the plans the other candidates had devised. She clenched her teeth.It’s no matter.She’d have to adjust to the reality of the situation; she was no stranger to adaptation—she’d done it all her life.
From an indistinct direction, Elyria swore she heard Kerrick’s maniacal laughter. Suddenly, his lapis-blue hair flashed into view, and he materialized before her. She observed the contours of his body, now covered in translucent, prismatic scales. The sleek armor-like plates enveloping Kerrick’s form seemed almost invisible, like a thin layer of glass armor. Though she recognized these protective scales as common for those of merfolk heritage, she was intrigued by them. Her gaze shifted to Kerrick’s outstretched arm, hovering above the water while a surge of magic emanated from his downturned palm.
Elyria watched as something took shape in his grasp, gradually elongating until a jagged spear materialized in his grip. Understanding dawned on her. Kerrick manipulated the sand carried in by the flooding seawater, fashioning a weapon from countless grains of eroded rocks and minerals.
With heedless abandon, Kerrick propelled himself forward withastonishing speed, aiming for the undulating head of the blood-eyed eel. His strike found its mark at the creature’s unsuspecting neck, coating the tip of his spear in blood and drawing a harrowing screech from the ambushed beast. Swiftly, Kerrick retreated beneath the murky depths, leaving the blood-eyed eel to writhe and thrash in search of its blue-haired assailant.
The spectators in the audience began chanting and hollering Kerrick’s name. Elyria observed the spectators thrusting their fists into the air, some pressing eagerly against the magical barrier as if it could grant them a closer view.
Her eyes darkened at the sight of their ecstasy.Barbaric.
Her focus snapped back to Kerrick as he emerged from the waves once more, brandishing his forged spear and driving its jagged tip into the neck of the monstrous eel. The spear tore through the creature’s sheeny hide, extracting another agonizing screech. Before Kerrick could retract his weapon and seek refuge, the blood-eyed eel expelled a noxious, coppery substance from its throat, spraying it in his direction.
The foul substance struck Kerrick’s upper torso and outstretched arm, clinging to him and sizzling as it made contact with his skin. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air as Kerrick cried out in agony, clutching his injured body as he tumbled back into the water.
“Kerrick!” Iva’s scream pierced the arena as she called his name from above. The lavender-haired sorceress plummeted from the skies, diving headfirst into the waters after him.
Moments later, Iva resurfaced, dragging Kerrick’s limp form above the waves. He groaned in misery as she pulled him to safety, seeking refuge on Lillia’s nearby raft. Together, they hoisted Kerrick onto the raft. Elyria winced at the sight of his injuries. The acid spray from the blood-eyed eel had ravaged his flesh, leaving his upper chest and shoulder marred by scorched wounds. Large chunks of muscle had been eaten away, exposing bone, fat, and tendon.
Iva’s urgent yell caught Lillia’s attention, and she nodded inunderstanding. While Iva remained crouched over Kerrick, Lillia swiftly turned to face the monstrous eel.
Despite the violent rocking of her raft, Lillia’s aura was steadfast as she tucked her tight brown ringlets behind her ear and focused her attention on the beast, raising both of her umber arms above herself and her comrades. Though Elyria could not see it, she could sense it immediately. Lillia conjured an ironclad barrier around herself and the other candidates to shield them from the looming danger. Lillia was an abjurist sorceress by nature, sworn to House Mirthwood, she possessed the unique ability to create and dismantle powerful magical wards and barriers—some potent enough to prove lethal if breached.
With the shield firmly in place, Lillia turned her gaze toward the blood-eyed eel. The creature, relentless in its pursuit of Kerrick, screeched and lunged at the trio. Its mangled jaw collided with the shield, but upon contact, a pulse from the magical ward sent the beast hurtling backward, flung ten feet into the waves as it released an enraged shriek.
