The dimly lit chamber was filled with an oppressive silence as Moraxor sat across from his daughter, the weight of his thoughts and the gravity of the situation pressing down upon them both.
Isola's vacant gaze seemed to pierce through the space in front of her, a chilling reminder of the innocence that had been shattered just days before.
Moraxor's heart ached as he recalled his wife's decision to expose their daughter to the grim reality of their world, a move that he had been unable to prevent.
With a heavy sigh, Moraxor mustered the courage to address his daughter, "Isola, my child, I never wanted you to find out about Lira that way," he confessed, his voice strained with regret.
"I'm truly sorry that you had to experience such pain. Lira's entire family had died to the Cursed Wraiths, and she had no choice but to venture out to survive and also because it was her turn to contribute. She didn't tell you to not make you feel sad," Moraxor knew how much Lira meant to Isola and he also wished Lira didn't meet such a fate, though he wasn't surprised.
As he spoke, Moraxor noticed the subtle tremble in Isola's eyes, but she remained silent, her expression vacant.
Drawing a deep breath, he continued, "Now that you know what kind of world we are trying to survive in, it's time for you to understand that being the savior of our race isn't a simple task as you thought so far. When you grow up and reach a certain age, you will have to…sacrifice your life...forever leaving this world. That is the only way our guardian would help us because of how pure and special your bloodline is."
Moraxor felt as if a huge weight was lifted off his chest. He had always wondered how and when he would break the truth to her. He had tried his best to keep her safe from the truth, hoping to wait till she was mature enough to decide. But now, there was no choice.
Feeling the overwhelming heaviness of his words, Isola's lips began to tremble as tears glistened her sapphire blue eyes.
Moraxor hesitated for a moment before offering her a choice, his voice gentle yet firm, "But I want you to know that you have a choice, Isola. If you don't wish to become the savior of our people, I won't let anyone force you into it. I want you to choose your own destiny."
Isola's eyes remained blank, the gravity of the decision that lay before her settling like a heavy stone in her chest.
For a moment, her gaze seemed to tremble, as the haunting image of Lira's mutilated body and the hundreds of other corpses of her people flashed in her mind – each memory seemed to coalesce into a single, inescapable truth: that the world she knew was a place of pain and suffering, where the lives of her people hung in the balance every single day.
With each passing moment, Isola's resolve began to strengthen, fueled by a fierce determination that she had never before experienced. She recalled not only the pain she felt but the fear in the eyes of her people, the desperate cries of the fallen, and the countless sacrifices that had been made in the name of survival.
And as she considered the possibility of a future free from such horrors, a sense of purpose began to blossom within her.
"What will happen to us, to everyone…if I choose not to become a savior? I want to know the truth…" Isola asked in low, soft voice.
Moraxor was a bit surprised by her question, but he took a deep breath and answered, "We will survive in the immediate future, but…we may not survive beyond 50 years. At most 100 years if we are being optimistic."
Drawing a deep breath, Isola met her father's gaze with a newfound sense of conviction.
"Father," she said, her voice steady and resolute while making a firm expression which a 7 year old shouldn't be making, "I…I want to become the savior of our people."
"Isola…" Moraxor was a bit taken aback as if he wasn't expecting such an answer from his little girl.
"I don't want our people to suffer and die. I want us all to be happy and live without fear. With my help…it can be made possible, right?" Isola asked as she met her father's gaze, hope glinting in her glistening big eyes.
Moraxor was about to ask her to reconsider but seeing her determined expression and her teary eyes, he was unable to say anything for he knew she had made up her mind and wouldn't waver.
As the words left her lips, a sense of clarity seemed to settle over Isola, as if a hidden strength had been awakened within her.
…
A 10-year-old Isola returned to her home, her body battered and bruised from the day's training.
As the Midnight Maiden, the burden and responsibilities she carried was as heavy as it could get. To make sure her sacrifice wouldn't disappoint the Kraken when the time comes, the pressure was on her to get as strong as possible within the shortest time and bring out the full potential of her bloodline.
As she limped through the halls, wincing with every step, she could feel the weight of her people's expectations pressing down upon her, a burden that seemed almost too much to bear. But she was determined to never give up.
As she turned a corner, she came face to face with her mother, Queen Narissara.
Narissara's gaze fell upon Isola's injuries, her eyes narrowing with disapproval, "It's been several days in a row that you've come back with injuries from the same lessons," she said coldly, her voice devoid of warmth or concern, "You must work harder during your training, Isola. Our people's hope and every sacrifice they make is for you. It is your duty not to take it for granted. Don't disappoint me next time."
Isola's heart ached as she looked into her mother's eyes, searching for any sign of the compassion she so desperately craved.
Instead, she found only steely determination and unyielding resolve. With a pained smile, she nodded her agreement, trying to stifle the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.
"Understood, Mother," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.
As she watched her mother turn and walk away, Isola knew her mother had always been like this, but even then, there was always a sliver of hope that she might show some concern in her eyes.
But maybe it was nothing but a naive hope when even her father has grown distant over the years.
…
The day a 15-year-old Isola was appointed the leader of her own squad was one she had eagerly awaited.
The excitement bubbled within her like a long-lost friend, ready to embrace the camaraderie she had longed for since childhood just like the one she shared with Lira.
As she stepped into the training hall, a group of young men and women around her age stood awaiting her arrival.
"Everyone," Isola began, her voice confident but warm, "I know I am the chosen one and everything, but when we train together, I want you to treat me as an equal. No excessive formalities, please. We're all here to learn and grow together."
The squad members exchanged glances, their faces a mixture of excitement, uncertainty, and awe, "Yes, Your Highness," all of them replied in unison, bowing deeply.
They were still reeling from disbelief and the excitement of getting to be in a squad led by the Midnight Maiden herself! She looked even more beautiful and enchanting up close while being so powerful despite being around their age.
Isola sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of disappointment seeing how they were doing exactly the opposite of what she said. All these years, everyone would treat her formally while being distant, making her unable to form any real connection with anyone.
Lira was the only and last person she truly had some connection with.
But she felt maybe her new squad just needed some time to get used to it.
However, among them, one girl had a radiant smile and an infectious enthusiasm that instantly captivated Isola, making her feel like she might discover a connection with her she had been yearning for.
"Princess Isola!" Seyra called out, beaming, "I'm so excited to be part of your squad! I've heard so much about you, and I'm really looking forward to learning from you and fighting alongside you. I promise I won't let you down."
Isola couldn't help but smile back, "I'm glad to have you with us, Seyra. Let's do our best to protect our people together."
Over the following weeks, Isola and Seyra began to form a friendship during their brief moments of respite. For the second time in her life, Isola felt the warmth of true friendship and was hopeful to have a close friend she could confide in.
Isola also formed a bond with the rest of her squad after completing a few missions together, forming trust and confidence in each other. They ate, trained, and fought together, making her feel like this squad was an extension of her, and she grew to care about them all.
She personally trained and made them stronger, making her feel proud of them as well.
But not long after, on a fateful day, while leading her squad on a mission to gather vital resources, they found themselves ambushed by a horde of Cursed Wraiths.
Their twisted forms emerged from the darkness, a dreadful sight that caused the bravest among Isola's squad to tremble in fear.
This was the first time Isola's squad were facing the weakest Cursed Wraiths, and just at first glance, they could see how they were the embodiment of nightmares, their ghastly forms defying comprehension.
Their sinewy, elongated bodies, wreathed in ethereal shadows, twisting and contorting in unnatural ways, allowing them to glide through the dark waters with a haunting grace.
Their skin, the color of a moonless night, was covered in pulsating veins that shimmered with an eerie, malevolent energy, hinting at the immense power that resides within.
The faces of the Cursed Wraiths were a dreadful sight to behold – sunken murky black eyes that burned with an insatiable hunger for life, and a gaping maw filled with row upon row of razor-sharp teeth, designed to rend flesh from bone with brutal efficiency.
They could see why their elders always say that encountering a Cursed Wraith was a fate to be avoided at all costs, for their insatiable hunger for blood and life leaves nothing but death and desolation in their wake.
But despite their best efforts, Isola's squad were quickly overwhelmed, and one by one, her squad members fell to the monstrous creatures, much to her horror.
These Cursed Wraiths were young and weaker than the truly powerful ones, and yet her squad struggled. It only went on to prove how even one of these young Cursed Wraiths was too powerful.
Isola fought with all her might, her heart pounding in her chest, as she desperately tried to protect her remaining comrades.
But her heart clenched as she saw the bodies of her comrades floating down to the dark sea bed, their blood mixing with the eerie waters. She realized she was too late and fought even harder to protect the only one left alive - Seyra, who was fighting behind her.
She unleashed everything she had, and thanks to her powerful bloodline and talents, she was able to vanquish them…or so she thought.
"Princess, look out!!" A desperate cry pierced through the chaos from behind.
Isola's heart leapt into her throat as she whirled around, only to witness the horrifying sight of Seyra trying to shield her, letting herself get ensnared in the clutches of the last remaining Cursed Wraith, which had been hiding all this time, waiting for the perfect opportunity.
Its wicked teeth sank into her neck, tearing out her throat in a gruesome display of brutality.
"No!!" Isola's voice cracked, her heart shattering as she watched Seyra's lifeblood seep into the water, painting the darkness crimson.
Summoning the last vestiges of her strength, Isola looked at the monstrous creature, her fury igniting a torrent of power that surged through her veins.
"Just die!!" With a chilling scream that resonated through the abyss, the body of the Cursed Wraith exploded into a gruesome burst of blood before it could even let out a sound.
"Seyra!" Isola cried out, rushing to her side, hoping she could still save her life, only to grab a lifeless body in her hands, her gray eyes still frozen in terror.
"No…no…why did you do it…" Tears streamed down her face as she held Seyra's body, the life snuffed out of her far too soon.
She thought she had forgotten how to cry after Lira's death, but it seemed as if she had yet to get used to the pain of losing someone.
In this harrowing moment, Isola realized that everything around her was fleeting and fragile in the face of their cruel reality.
She now understood even more why her people and even her mother depended on her so much. Her sacrificing herself was the only solution to change the fate of her people.
And the pain she was feeling now only seemed to make it harder for her to become who she was supposed to be.
..
A few days later, Isola walked towards a grove, her heart heavy. The water around her felt like they were closing in on her, a physical manifestation of the emotions suffocated inside her.
She looked up at the vast expanse of inky blackness, occasionally interrupted by the faint, luminescent glow of plants and small creatures that have adapted to the harsh conditions.
She knew far above, the light from the mystical sky remained elusive, unable to penetrate the crushing depths.
Her mind wandered to the stories Lira had once shared with her – tales of places filled with tall, majestical structures which the surface world calls a 'tree', vibrant cities, and distant lands, filled with fascinating cultures and people.
She longed to explore those places, to experience the world beyond the confines of her underwater kingdom.
With a heavy heart, she mumbled to herself, "Why did you tell me about those wonders, Lira, if you knew I would never be able to experience them? What purpose did those beautiful lies serve?" She knew she could never fulfill her dreams, for her fate was sealed by her destiny.
As she stood there, surrounded by the darkness of the sea, a sad smile crossed her face as she began to sing a wistful melody, the melody carrying her dreams of a world filled with people she loved, sunlight, open skies, and boundless horizons – a world she would never know.
…
The memories began to fade back into the recesses of her mind as Isola, in the present, revealed to this trapped sailor why she let herself be a sacrifice.
She didn't know why she remembered all that, but it felt like a bittersweet reminder of the reasons she continued on this path.
Asher's piercing gaze locked onto Isola as he processed the weight of her revelation.
He couldn't help but feel surprised to learn that this Kraken was nearing the end of its lifespan and had actually gained its freedom with the help of the Umbralfiends years ago. It purposefully played along all these years because Isola promised to sacrifice herself to let the Kraken use her life force to give birth to its offspring.
Apparently, the Umbralfiends first offered to give it freedom in return for being their guardian again. But the Kraken wasn't interested in freedom since it was at the end of its lifespan, and so it demanded a perfect sacrifice to give birth to its offspring.
Asher could understand why the Kraken would make such a demand since it must have been quite desperate to continue its bloodline. This made him wonder if her bloodline was really that powerful and special for even the Kraken to need her?
This was a bit of shocking news, and he felt that her dedication towards saving her people was quite admirable and tragic. Not everyone would prepare themselves to be a sacrifice since childhood.
He couldn't help but remember a certain someone from his past life as he thought about Isola, making his gaze absent momentarily.
But he shook away those thoughts as he focused on the present situation.
If the Kraken gives birth to its offspring, the Bloodburn Kingdom will surely be doomed!
It was already a huge pain in the ass to deal with an old and dying Kraken, let alone a young one, even if it might be weaker.
He had to get her off that cocoon before the Kraken finished draining her life force.
But he first wanted to know if it would work. And so he said with a heavy sigh, "I…I don't know what to really say. I find your devotion and loyalty towards your people admirable, but…this doesn't feel right. I feel like your life isn't supposed to end like this. What will happen if you come out of that cocoon now?"
