As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow across the water, Aria pointed ahead. There, just below the surface, a shadowy outline began to take shape. As they drew closer, the dark silhouette of a ruined city emerged from the depths, its towering spires and broken walls shrouded in the water's eerie glow.
Lontis was a city of legends, its architecture unlike anything Lena had ever seen. Crystal towers, their surfaces cracked and faded by time, stretched toward the sky, while the ruins of once-magnificent bridges arced over the water, now half-submerged. The city was both beautiful and haunting, a reminder of a past long lost.
"The Stone lies at the heart of the city," Aria said, her voice low. "But it is not alone. The creatures who guard it are drawn to the power of the Stone. We must move carefully, Lena. One wrong move, and the waters will rise to swallow us whole."
Lena nodded, her heart racing. She could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on her. The stakes were higher now, and failure would mean more than just losing the Stone. It would mean losing Elandra—and perhaps her world as well.
Aria guided the boat to the edge of the sunken city, where the water was darkest. As the boat drifted into the shadow of the ruins, the temperature dropped, and the air grew thick with the scent of salt and ancient magic.
"Stay close," Aria instructed. "Follow my lead."
Lena followed, her eyes scanning the depths below. The water was clear but deep, and she could barely make out the shapes that lurked beneath. Dark figures moved in the shadows—some large, some small—but all of them exuded a sense of danger, their eyes glowing with the same eerie light that illuminated the ruins.
As they reached the base of the largest tower in the city, a sudden movement in the water caught Lena's attention. A massive shape darted out from the shadows, its body sleek and serpentine, its scales shimmering in the water's glow. It was a creature of legend—an Abyssal Serpent, its long body coiling around the remains of the tower.
"Do not make a sound," Aria whispered. "The serpent guards the way to the Stone."
Lena's breath caught in her throat as the serpent's gaze turned toward them. Its eyes were like pools of dark water, unblinking, its jaws wide enough to swallow them whole in an instant. The serpent hissed, sending ripples across the surface of the water.
Aria's voice was steady, though there was an edge of urgency. "Lena, the Stone is just beyond the serpent's reach. We must move quickly, but quietly. We cannot defeat it without the power of the Stone. We must outwit it."
Lena nodded, her pulse racing. The serpent was impossibly large, and she could feel its presence pressing on her mind, trying to draw out her fear. But she couldn't let it overwhelm her. She had come this far, and the Stone was so close.
Aria motioned for Lena to follow as she carefully maneuvered the boat closer to the serpent. The creature's eyes never left them, but it did not strike. Aria whispered a quiet incantation, and Lena felt the water around them shift. Slowly, they drifted past the serpent, moving like shadows across the surface.
The Stone was just ahead, resting on a pedestal in the heart of the ruined tower, its light flickering like a beacon in the deep. But as they drew closer, the serpent coiled, ready to strike.
Lena felt the Veil within her stir, the power of the Stone of Fire still fresh in her mind. She reached for the Veil again, focusing all of her energy on the creature before them. The air seemed to hum with magic as she raised her hand and sent a pulse of water magic toward the serpent, not to harm it, but to create a wave strong enough to push it back.
The serpent hissed in fury as the wave crashed into it, but the creature hesitated, as if understanding Lena's intent. For a moment, there was stillness, and then, to her surprise, the serpent slithered backward, retreating into the depths with a final, lingering glance.
With the path clear, Lena and Aria made their way to the pedestal where the Stone of Water rested. It was a smooth, translucent gem, pulsing with a cool, calming light. As Lena reached for it, she felt a surge of power course through her—this was the Stone of Water, the second piece of the puzzle, now within her grasp.