Ned felt the fatigue boring his very veins like the razor-sharp spikes of the Kruthiks. And as if it wasn't enough, the pressure on his head tingling like it wanted to burst out.
Ned tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids were heavy as a rock. Instead, he focused on his senses. His ears caught dripping water, then splashing, then ripples.
Aside from the deep underwater current, the surface of the lake was calm.
So why the splash? And ripples? Ned thought.
Then, after he lifted a finger, he heard a voice.
"Ned!"
Wasn't soft but swift. Wasn't sweet but piercing. Wasn't boring but pleasant. Her voice was like a dagger in the hand of a careful assassin.
"W-who… "
Ned opened his eyes. His face was stern but wasn't paling anymore. Although lacking in energy, his mana was gradually increasing due to the thick mana surrounding him. It helped to keep him in a steady state.
