Divinity

--- [Alex’s perspective]

After walking for a while, we’ve finally made it back to the entrance.

Just like before, there are three doors and nothing else.

It didn’t appear like anything had changed either, but the moment we all stepped outside, the door in the middle disappeared.

I guess the way to find the boss is to complete whatever challenges are beyond those next two doors as well.

“Where do you want to go next?” – Alex

“I don’t think it matters.” – Lett

She shrugs and opens the door on the right.

Yet again, there’s a long hall inside.

We make our way to the other side, and when we finally reach the real room, the hall closes up behind us.

This is where the similarities end…

There’s a large pool of water stretching deeper than the light can reach.

If this is anything like other room, we’ll have to make it to the bottom…

But who goes…?

Me?

Her?

Both of us?

I’m faster than her; that is true both on land and in water.

Assuming we can hold our breaths equally long, I will be able to swim down farther.

But…

Her teleportation ability very well might make up for that.

It’s generally not suited for travel since she can’t teleport very far, and she has to imagine exactly where and how she’s teleporting, giving it a small delay.

But this isn’t as big of a problem under water…

There is no terrain to navigate, she just has to go downwards.

Additionally, her swimming speed is way lower than her running speed, but teleportation is always teleportation.

The downsides of using her teleportation to travel quickly are all severely reduced.

The more I think about it, the clearer the answer becomes…

She should be the one to go down there.

But it’s her ability after all, maybe I’m missing something.

I should check with her to make sure…

“So-” – Alex

“I’ll do it.” – Lett

“…” – Alex

Okay…

I guess that answers it…

“With my specialty, I’ll undoubtedly get much deeper than you could.” – Lett

“That’s what I was thinking too. Good luck…” – Alex

--- [Lett’s perspective]

With no time to waste, I take a deep breath, filling up my lungs to the brim with air before diving into the dark waters.

I immediately start teleporting downwards as quickly as I can.

It doesn’t take long before it’s completely dark…

The pressure builds up and becomes more and more intense the deeper I get.

Without BDM making me tougher, my body would have been crushed long ago…

I start hearing some strange noises, but I can’t make out what they are, or what is making them.

The biggest problem however is not the water pressure, or the creepy sounds…

It’s breath!

I’m almost out, and I have no idea how much deeper I need to go.

It could be 10 meters, it could be 10000; it’s simply too dark to tell the difference.

I wasn’t prepared for how deep it would actually be…

I’m sure I could have gone faster if I really tried…

I need to get back up and catch my breath before it’s too late.

I’ll do better next time.

The moment I start teleporting upwards, strong currents swirl the water around in every direction.

They’re powerful enough to drag me with them, flipping me around many times over and completely disorienting me…

The light from the ground doesn’t reach this far, and I can’t tell up from down anymore…

Shit!

What the fuck am I gonna do?!

I can’t breathe!

As the panic sets in, the tiny amount of air I’ve got left is being used up that much quicker.

Just then, I feel something wrapping itself around my ankle, dragging me down with it.

It startles me, and in an attempt to scream, I only exhale the air left in my lungs.

I’m out…

But now I know which way is up!

With no hesitation, I teleport upwards as quickly as I can, but the currents get even more intense and even more chaotic.

I…

I can’t get up…!

I feel the sea creature’s slimy and gross limbs wrapping around my ankles yet again, but instead of using my specialty to go back, I instead teleport right towards it.

It won’t be long before I drown, and it’s impossible to go back up, so I have to take some chances…

It’s too dark to locate it, so I’ll have to let it come to me.

Suddenly, I feel it take a bite out of my left shoulder.

The sharp pain, the blood loss, and the lack of air all make me almost pass out, but I persevere!

I grab the creature and start ripping it apart.

It tries to hold me down and eat me, but I’m easily able to get away with very short distance teleports.

It wraps its tentacles around me one last time, but I finally manage to rip a large chunk of its brain out, instantly killing it.

The grip loosens, and they fall off me before I even have time to teleport away.

I feel my consciousness slipping away, and instinctively try to breathe in.

The water fills up my lungs and the worst terror nature can produce is all I’m left with.

Just then, as all hope is lost, the water vanishes.

The deep dark pool of water I was stuck in, the water that filled my lungs, and even what my clothes and hair absorbed, leaving me completely dry.

I gasp for air, and almost pass out from my incredibly high heart rate alone.

But…

I’m fine…!

I survived!

When Illian beat that demon looking thing, all the fire disappeared, and the hallway opened back up.

The same was true here…

It was what I hoped for, but if it wasn’t the case, if there was some other condition to clear this trial, I would have been dead…

A giant spiral staircase comes out of the wall, and I hear Alex hurriedly sprinting down them.

I’m just going to rest for a minute until he’s here…