The sky was alive with chaos. Dark clouds churned like a swirling vortex, casting shadows across the battlefield. The once calm waters now seethed with violent waves, and the guardian of the sea, the ancient protector Nereus had encountered, rose higher from the ocean's depths, its form twisted with anger.
Nereus stood frozen, his eyes wide with terror as he watched the impossible creature take shape. It was both magnificent and horrifying, a being made of water and shadow, its glowing eyes locked onto him with a gaze that sent chills down his spine. The sea trembled at its presence, as though the entire ocean was an extension of its wrath.
Victor, by Nereus's side, took a step back, instinctively reaching for his gun, but Nereus caught his hand.
"No," Nereus said, his voice hoarse with fear. "Weapons won't stop it. This is something far beyond us."
Victor's jaw clenched, his eyes flickering between Nereus and the towering entity. "Then what do we do?"
Nereus's heart pounded. He could feel the ocean's power surging through him, but it wasn't his to control anymore. He had chosen land, chosen Victor, and now the sea was claiming what it had lost. The balance was broken, and the guardian had come to restore it, no matter the cost.
Trident's forces, who had begun their attack just moments earlier, were now caught in the same storm. The mafia soldiers scrambled on the shore, shouting orders and retreating in panic as the guardian's massive form began to move, its watery appendages lashing out at the ships and the coast.
The ships rocked violently, some capsizing in the towering waves. Screams echoed through the air as men were thrown into the sea, dragged down by the fury of the ocean.
"We can't just stand here!" Victor shouted over the roar of the storm.
"We need to do something, Nereus!"Nereus turned to Victor, desperation in his eyes.
"I have to face it. This is my fault, and it's me the guardian wants."
Victor grabbed Nereus by the shoulders, his grip firm but full of urgency.
"No, you're not doing this alone. We'll find another way."Nereus shook his head, his chest tight with emotion.
"There's no other way. The guardian won't stop until the balance is restored. I have to go to it, or it'll destroy everything."
Victor's face hardened, his hands tightening their grip. "I won't let you sacrifice yourself."
Tears pricked the corners of Nereus's eyes as he cupped Victor's face.
"I won't be able to live with myself if I let the ocean destroy you. I love you, Victor. But this is the only way."
For a long moment, Victor said nothing, his eyes burning with determination and helplessness. Then, finally, he pulled Nereus into a fierce embrace, holding him as though he could protect him from the ancient force bearing down on them.
"Don't you dare leave me," Victor whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Promise me you'll come back."
Nereus pressed his forehead to Victor's, his heart breaking. "I'll do everything I can."
With a final glance into Victor's eyes, Nereus turned and ran toward the water. The wind whipped through his hair, and the rain lashed at his skin as he approached the edge of the shoreline.
The guardian's massive form loomed before him, its eyes glowing like two burning suns, waiting.Nereus dove into the sea, the cold water enveloping him instantly.
As he swam deeper, the familiar sensation of the ocean's embrace flooded his senses. It was still a part of him, no matter what choice he had made.
But this time, it wasn't a comforting presence. It was angry. It was demanding.The guardian's voice echoed through the water, filling Nereus's mind. You broke the balance, child of the sea.
Now you must face the consequences.
Nereus pushed forward, his body moving with a strength he didn't know he still had.
"I know," he thought back, his mind reaching out to the guardian.
"But I chose love. I chose a life on land. Isn't there another way to restore the balance?"
The guardian's glowing eyes narrowed, its massive form shifting in the dark water. The balance is sacred. It cannot be broken without cost. You belong to the ocean, Nereus. You always have.
Nereus felt a surge of anger. "I belong to myself! The ocean doesn't own me!"
The water around him surged violently, tossing Nereus back as the guardian roared. You are a child of the deep! The land was never meant for you!
Nereus struggled to regain his balance, his mind racing. The guardian wasn't going to listen. It was bound to its duty, bound to restore the balance by whatever means necessary.
But Nereus couldn't give up—not when Victor and so many others were at risk.Desperation clawed at Nereus's chest as he swam forward again, his body burning with the strain of pushing through the roiling currents.
He could feel the ocean's power rising, swirling around him, as if testing him, waiting for him to submit.But Nereus wouldn't. He couldn't.
With a final burst of strength, Nereus pushed himself closer to the guardian.
"I won't let you destroy them," he thought, his voice firm despite the fear coursing through him.
"I won't let the ocean take everything I love."
The guardian's form flickered, its massive head tilting as it regarded him. For a moment, the water seemed to still, the fury of the storm calming ever so slightly.
The silence stretched between them, and Nereus's heart pounded in his chest.Then prove it, the guardian finally said, its voice like the rumble of distant thunder. Prove that your choice was worth breaking the balance.
Nereus blinked, his mind racing.
"Prove it? How?"
The guardian's form began to dissolve, its body merging with the water around them until it became indistinguishable from the ocean itself. Face the trial, child of the sea. If you succeed, the balance will be restored. If you fail… all will be lost.
Before Nereus could ask what the trial was, the water around him exploded into motion. The currents surged violently, dragging him down into the depths, farther and farther from the surface.
Panic gripped him as the light above faded, the darkness closing in.He didn't know what was coming next, but one thing was clear: his fight had only just begun.
And this time, it wasn't just his life at stake—it was the fate of the ocean, the land, and everyone he loved.