The Damned Demon

804  The Devil's Hollow

The inky darkness of the deep waters stretched around them, an abyss without end. The eerie glow of the mana-infused ocean flora barely provided enough illumination, casting faint, wavering lights that flickered like dying embers in the void.

Narissara floated upwards from where she had been resting, her long hair flowing gently with the water's current, her gaze settling on Rowena, who still sat silently, eyes distant, body unmoving.

"I still feel guilty that I am bringing you along instead of letting you rest," Narissara finally said, her voice softer than usual, though it carried the weight of unspoken concern.

Rowena blinked slowly, her crimson eyes shifting toward her.

"You can still head back," Narissara continued, tilting her head slightly. "It isn't too late. Other than for Isola, I hope it's not because you are doing this as some sort of punishment for what happened. You gave your everything to protect our kingdoms and our people. Fate just wasn't kind to us... it never was."

Rowena exhaled slowly, her breath almost lost in the vastness of the deep. She then pushed herself up, her movements slow but graceful, as if she had been carved from ice that refused to melt.

"When I woke up and remembered what I lost, I felt I didn't deserve to live on while my people suffered and died," Rowena admitted, her voice cool yet burdened with something heavier than grief—regret.

Narissara said nothing, allowing her to continue.

"I let down everyone, including my father."

There was a long silence before she spoke again, "But then I remembered there are still people, especially two lives that depend on me," she murmured. "The growing child in my womb... and Isola, who almost died saving my life."

Narissara's gaze softened.

"I already lost Ceti, who sacrificed her life to let us survive." Rowena's voice wavered, a rare break in her usually unshakable demeanor. "That's why I can't lose Isola too."

Narissara nodded solemnly.

"It means a lot to see how much you love her," she said, her voice carrying genuine gratitude.

"My child never received the love she deserved for most of her life. So it makes me happy to see her receiving it all at once and more."

Rowena lowered her gaze, unreadable emotions flickering in the depths of her crimson irises.

Narissara slowly drifted forward, watching her carefully.

"I just hope you won't hold it against Isola for hiding things from you," Narissara added, her tone filled with quiet understanding. "She didn't want to hurt both of you."

Rowena remained silent for a moment before giving a slow, thoughtful nod.

"I have already realized it's not her fault," she admitted. "She did it for him."

There was an unspoken bitterness in her voice, but also an exhaustion that made Narissara exhale through her nose.

Rowena then glanced at Narissara, her eyes narrowing slightly. "But… you seem okay with everything I told you. What do you truly feel?"

Narissara didn't react immediately.

"I still cannot bring myself to believe that humans are capable of sympathizing with us," Rowena continued, her expression cold, unreadable yet carrying an undercurrent of resentment, especially when she remembered all the atrocities she and her people suffered because of humans, "Not after everything I have seen."

Narissara gave a slow nod.

"You are right. It's hard to believe," she said honestly.

She looked upward, watching the shifting shadows of the ocean above, her arms crossing over her chest.

"Maybe it was easier for me because, unlike what you and your people had to go through, my people and I spent most of our lives deep under the water without coming upon any humans. Maybe that's why our perspectives are different. Maybe...that's why Isola was able to understand Asher's past better."

She then let out a slow breath.

"But that doesn't mean humans aren't evil or cruel. They are like what you believe. A lot of them are, and I hold the same anger and resentment towards them as you do. A lot of my people have already died to them." Narissara's own hands curled at her sides.

Rowena's expression remained unreadable, but her fists clenched slightly.

"But just like how there are good ones among us, there are good ones among humans as well," Narissara continued, "Isola wouldn't have talked about them if not for knowing their true nature. I would like to believe Asher was one such human, even though he was considered the harbinger of death for our kind. At least… he is now one of the good ones and on our side. If he had lived on as a human and did what the angels wanted him to do…he would have grown into a threat we wouldn't be able to face. Thank the devils for bringing him over to our side."

A heavy silence settled between them.

Rowena looked away, her expression darkened by thought, by emotions she was still struggling to untangle.

Narissara watched her for a moment before finally sighing, understanding that time was the only thing that could mend such wounds.

"Let's go," she finally said, her voice turning back to its usual, firm command, "It might be safer now, but we could still come upon a horde of Cursed Wraiths."

Rowena pushed aside all thoughts, straightening herself as she gave a nod.

Without another word, the two floated off from the ocean floor, their forms gliding through the deep, resuming their perilous journey.

Not long after,

The deep waters grew eerily silent as Rowena and Narissara drifted toward their destination. The ocean's natural light dimmed into an unnatural twilight, the very water around them thick with an ancient stillness. They had been swimming for what felt like hours, the crushing weight of the abyss pressing in from all sides, yet surprisingly no Cursed Wraiths had appeared except for some other monsters.

Rowena, her eyes piercing through the darkness, glanced at Narissara. The latter's expression remained unreadable, her gaze locked ahead, as if she were leading them toward something forbidden.

09:11

Dark, jagged stone jutted outward from its edges, worn and cracked by the relentless tides of time. The entrance pulsed with an unsettling energy, the water here colder, heavier—thick with the weight of something ancient.

Inside, dark, glowing vegetation clung to the rock walls, illuminating the cave's interior with an ominous, blue-green glow. The vegetation pulsed faintly, as if feeding on the lingering energy within the cavern itself. The deeper they went, the more Rowena felt astonished by how ancient everything around her was.

Narissara finally broke the silence, her voice a whisper against the vast, empty sea, "We're safe here."

Rowena gave her a questioning glance.

"The Cursed Wraiths never dare approach this place," Narissara explained, her tone laced with a mixture of reverence and caution, "Even they fear what was left within these walls."

A water bubble suddenly formed around them, Narissara weaving it effortlessly with a flick of her hand. The pressure of the sea vanished inside the shimmering dome, allowing Rowena to finally breathe without restraint.

Rowena exhaled deeply, her voice calm but sharp as she asked, "This is it, isn't it? The mythical Devil's Hollow?"

Narissara nodded, her hair floating like drifting threads in the dim light.

"My ancestors found this place long ago," she admitted, her gaze traveling toward the cavern's depths. "It was here they came upon the tombs of two ancient Devils... and the Elixir of the Ancients."

Rowena's expression remained impassive, yet she tilted her head slightly in thought as she remembered the things Moraxor had told her once,

"The Elixir of the Ancients... the very thing that allowed your people to survive in these waters?"

Narissara nodded again, "It's the only thing that can save Isola now."

Rowena narrowed her eyes. "But you told everyone else we were here for a special herb."

Narissara's gaze darkened, "That was a lie. The Elixir is one of our most heavily guarded secrets. Only the royal bloodline of my people knows of it. Even my warriors believe we are here searching for something else. Moraxor revealed it to you and Asher because we had no other choice to ensure peace between our kingdoms."

Rowena studied her for a moment before nodding in understanding, "I suspected as much," she admitted, "This Elixir is more potent than any Deviar. It makes sense that you wouldn't want others to know about it. But is it still here?"

Narissara shook her head, her expression hardening, "Moraxo didn't tell the whole truth," she said with a look of hope, "There is still some left... but we never dared return here because of the Cursed Fiends and because we didn't want to use it unless we were desperate enough. Sadly...things have become quite desperate for us now. Other than wanting to save my daughter, Isola is the future of my people. Without her...they won't survive."

A tense silence passed between them.

Then Narissara straightened her posture, her eyes filled with an unyielding resolve.

"Even if someone told me there was none left, I would have come anyway."

Rowena watched her closely.

"Isola doesn't have much time, and I refuse to let her slip away."

Rowena held her gaze for a long moment before giving a slow nod.

"Then let's not waste another second," she said coolly, the weight of their mission pressing upon them both.

Narissara turned toward the yawning darkness ahead, her fingers flexing as she prepared herself.

"We need to go deeper," she murmured, her voice quiet but firm. "To the bowels of the cavern... and quickly get out of here."

And with that, they moved forward, descending into the heart of the Devil's Hollow.

Ohh...

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