In a dark void space, it was as if everything within had been devoured. It seemed this dark space had no end, no roof, no floor. But from a crack in the upper part of the void, as though the roof had split slightly, light streamed through. The light cast onto the ground, where a wrecked ship lay. From inside the ship, a faint sound of a child crying could be heard. As you got closer, the sound became clearer, though it was as if the void was trying to devour the voice. If the white space echoed the voice throughout, this dark space tried to consume it. But the cry grew clearer the closer you got to the light projecting from above.


    Nowhere in the white space, Nur walked as though there was a tomorrow. He was tired—exhausted. His mental strength, which had been holding him up until now, was rapidly draining. The hopelessness in his eyes was overwhelming. A tear, almost ready to fall, seemed on the verge of escaping, but he held it in. He couldn''t give up yet, not until he got out of this place.


    "I''m tired... I don''t think I can go on," he thought to himself. "Food... water... I haven''t had any for... I don''t know how long. This space... this space is eating me alive. Why? Why... why am I suffering like this? I don''t care anymore. Just get me out of here. Someone... anyone... I don''t know anymore. Please."


    He dropped to his knees, eyes filled with tears. He looked up at the endless light above him, clasped his hands together, and murmured a name—one he hadn''t spoken in so long.


    "Please... Please let her be safe. Please keep her safe. I won''t ask for anything else. Please, Creator."


    The blood on his clothes should have dried long ago, but it hadn''t. It remained fresh, despite the long time that had passed. He was in the middle of this endless space, in tatters and a pathetic state. Such an uncool character.


    He opened his eyes again, tears still blurring his vision. Through the haze of his tears, he saw a black blurry spot in the distance.


    "Huh?" he sniffed, wiping his nose. He tried to clear his eyes, looking deeper into the distance.


    He couldn''t make sense of what he was seeing, but there was something stirring inside him.


    He wiped his tears away completely, staring at the spot.


    "What''s that black spot?"


    He sniffed once more and, driven by a newfound hope, he stumbled toward it, though his body felt as though it were being weighed down. His feet, his hands, and even his head seemed heavy, making every step a struggle. Sweat covered his body, and his tears wouldn''t dry. His limbs began to feel the strange sensation of moisture—like the air around him was becoming damp.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "It''s getting heavier... Ahh, my body... I''m almost there..."


    The black spot didn''t seem to get any closer, no matter how hard he tried. It remained a distant dot, mocking his efforts. Even though he had been running for what felt like an eternity, he wasn''t any closer to it.


    "It feels like I''m underwater..." he thought.


    Splash. A faint sound of water filled his ears. His body sank, but then he emerged, coughing and gasping for air.


    "Where am I? How did I end up here? I was..."


    A loud scream tore from his throat as the realization hit him. He was in the middle of an ocean that stretched out into an endless horizon. The water was dark and deep, the kind of ocean that made him fear what could be lurking beneath the surface.


    Akhira, who had always feared dark waters, could feel his sanity being tested. The fear of the unknown, the fear of something invisible yet ever-present, gripped his heart. The kind of fear that could drive a person mad.


    For a person who had never been afraid of water, this was a different feeling altogether. The vast, dark ocean surrounded him, and the thoughts flooded his mind.


    "What will happen to me now? Will something come and bite me from below?" He dipped his head into the water and peered into the depths.


    It was pitch black. And yet, he couldn''t shake the feeling that something was watching him from the dark, something with eyes that pierced through the deep water.


    Panic gripped him. He started swimming, but it wasn''t easy. His body was exhausted, and swimming in the deep ocean was far different from the clear pools he was used to. Akhira wasn''t much of an athlete. He could barely swim, and his stamina was nonexistent.


    The sound of splashing filled the air as he struggled to move through the water. His breathing became shallow, his chest tight.


    "No... No!" he screamed as the water flooded his lungs, choking him.


    He couldn''t stop now. Something—he didn''t know what—was chasing him from below. He had to escape, but his body was giving up. His heart raced, his muscles burned, and his mind was breaking.


    His heart thudded painfully in his chest. His legs and arms felt like they were no longer his own. He was losing it, unable to hold on any longer. The only thing that had kept him going until now was his sense of responsibility, the promise he had made to find Taliah. But now, his human limits had been reached.


    Akhira stopped swimming, floating in the water. His eyes were empty, devoid of any hope. The despair had consumed him completely.


    "No more. I can''t," he whispered. "If it wants to, let it eat me."


    His body and mind were overcome with fear, and he began to cry. His gaze drifted to the vast expanse of the ocean, but then, he saw something. The sky above was blue, and the sun shone brightly, casting its warm light on the surface of the water. The sight was peaceful, a view that could soothe any soul.


    "Yeah... this end... isn''t so bad. At least I''ve faced my fear. And this view... it''s a worthy last scene," he thought.


    He closed his eyes and floated on the surface of the ocean, letting the waves carry him.


    But then, he began to think. He had been swimming for so long. Yet, whatever creature had been chasing him had never caught up. In fact, it seemed like it had been a while since he had heard or felt anything behind him.


    He opened his eyes again, seeing the vast ocean and the bright sun above. The water had cleared, and the storm clouds that once threatened had disappeared. Everything seemed peaceful.


    "I''m too scared to look into the water again," Akhira thought. "But I can''t just let this fear control me. For Taliah, I have to try."


    Taking a deep breath, he dipped his head into the water once more. His heart pounded as he expected to see something monstrous lurking beneath him.


    But when he opened his eyes, there was nothing. The ocean was calm, clear, and peaceful. There was no danger.


    For the first time in a long time, Akhira felt a surge of courage. Whatever fear had gripped him before, it was gone now.


    "For Taliah," he said to himself, closing his eyes again. "I''ll keep going."