The surface of Yang Lake shattered as Daniel and Ayra burst upwards, gasping for the warm, humid air of the Yang region.
The sudden shift from the cold, crushing pressure of the depths to the open atmosphere was a dizzying, painful shock.
Their lungs burned, their muscles screamed in protest, but they clung desperately to the strange, black metal chest, their legs kicking weakly as they paddled towards the devastated shoreline.
Lia, who had been watching the water with tense focus, rushed to the water's edge, her A-Grade Staff of the World Ash glowing with a soft, welcoming light that cut through the gloom.
Nyx, yipping with pure relief, darted back and forth along the sand, her shadowy form a blur of frantic energy, her tail wagging wildly.
"You're back!" Lia exclaimed, her voice filled with a profound relief that momentarily cracked her usual serene composure.
"We were getting so worried! The water… it's so dark. And you found… oh my..."
