Ascension of the Ocean’s Goddess

Merilla couldn't shake the memory of the deep one's voice. Its mocking tone haunted her thoughts, replaying repeatedly as though etched into her mind.

Even after the others returned to their training, Merilla found herself distracted. Once a source of reassurance, the Codex now felt heavier in her hands. Its glow dimmed as though reflecting her inner turmoil.

Kaelina's words echoed in her mind: You're not ready to face them alone.

But the pull of the abyss was growing stronger.

"Lost in thought again?" Renar's voice broke through her reverie.

She glanced up to see him floating nearby, his trident resting across his shoulder. His tone was light, but his expression held a trace of concern.

"Something like that," she admitted.

Renar swam closer, his movements uncharacteristically subdued. "Look, I get it. You're carrying the weight of this whole 'chosen one' thing, and it sucks. But you're not alone in this, okay? You've got me, and you've got Kaelina. Let us help."

Merilla offered a faint smile. "Thanks, Renar. I mean it."

He grinned. "Anytime. Now come on—Kaelina will skewer us if we're late for training."

The training sessions became even more intense after the encounter with the deep one.

Kaelina pushed them harder, relentlessly teaching them advanced techniques. Merilla improved faster than she thought possible, her movements becoming more fluid and instinctive.

But as her skills grew, so did her questions.

One evening, after Kaelina had dismissed them, Merilla lingered in the sanctum. She stared at the runes, their glow faint but steady, as though waiting for her to ask the right question.

"What aren't you telling me?" she whispered.

The Codex pulsed faintly in response, but no answers came.

Kaelina appeared behind her, silent as a shadow. "The Codex isn't a book of answers, Merilla. It's a guide. The rest is up to you."

Merilla turned to face her, frustration simmering beneath the surface. "Then guide me. Tell me what I need to do to be ready."

Kaelina's gaze was steady. "You need to trust yourself. The Codex chose you because it saw something in you that you might not see yet. But if you let fear and doubt control you, you'll never unlock your true potential."

Merilla clenched her fists, her voice rising. "I'm trying, but every time I feel I'm making progress, the abyss pulls me back. How am I supposed to fight something I don't even understand?"

Kaelina's expression softened, and she touched Merilla's shoulder. "Understanding will come with time. For now, focus on the fight ahead. The deep ones won't wait for you to be ready, but that doesn't mean you must rush into their grasp."

Merilla took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "You're right. I'll keep training."

Kaelina nodded. "Good. Rest tonight. Tomorrow, we'll face the Trial of the Abyss."

The Trial of the Abyss was a test, unlike anything Merilla had faced before.

Kaelina led them to a hidden chamber deeper within the sanctum. Its walls were carved with intricate symbols that glowed brighter than the runes in the main cavern. A large, circular pool shimmered in the chamber's center with a dark, swirling energy.

"This is the Abyssal Mirror," Kaelina explained. "It reflects the trench's power—and of your own fears. To pass the trial, you must face what lies within."

Renar frowned, gripping his trident tightly. "That doesn't sound ominous at all."

Kaelina ignored him, focusing on Merilla. "You'll go first. The Codex will guide you, but the fight is yours alone. Do not underestimate the mirror—it knows your weaknesses."

Merilla nodded, her heart pounding as she stepped forward. The Codex pulsed in her hands, its light growing brighter as she approached the pool.

Taking a deep breath, she plunged into the Abyssal Mirror.

The water was cold and darker than the trench itself. Merilla's senses felt dulled, and her movements were sluggish as she swam through the void.

Then, out of the darkness, a figure appeared.

It was her.

Or rather, a twisted version of herself. The doppelgänger's eyes glowed with an eerie light, its body wreathed in shadowy tendrils that writhed and twisted like living currents.

"You think you're strong enough to stop us?" the shadow-Merilla taunted, its voice a distorted echo of her own. "You can barely handle your own fear."

Merilla tightened her grip on the Codex, refusing to let the creature's words shake her. "You're not real. You're just a test."

The shadow laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Real or not, I know everything about you. Your doubts, your failures, your fears. You can't hide from me."

The doppelgänger lunged, its movements unnervingly fast. Merilla barely had time to react, raising her staff to block the attack. The force of the impact sent her reeling, her mind racing as she struggled to counter.

The shadow fought with an uncanny familiarity, precisely mirroring her techniques and exploiting her weaknesses. Every strike reminded her of her own insecurities, her doubts manifesting in physical form.

"You'll never be strong enough," the shadow hissed, striking again. "The deep ones will crush you, and everyone you care about will fall because of you."

Merilla gritted her teeth, channeling the Codex's energy as she focused on the currents around her. She created a vortex to trap the doppelgänger, but the shadow broke free quickly, its movements fluid and unrelenting.

"You're wasting your time," it said. "You can't defeat what you refuse to face."

Merilla paused, the shadow's words striking a chord. It wasn't just a taunt—it was the truth.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. The Codex pulsed in her hands, its warmth steady and reassuring.

"I'm not afraid of you," she said, her voice steady.

The shadow smirked. "Then prove it."

Merilla closed her eyes, focusing on the Codex's energy. She let the currents flow through her, her movements becoming fluid and instinctive. When the shadow attacked again, she didn't block or counter—instead, she redirected its energy, using the current to throw it off balance.

The shadow faltered, its form flickering as Merilla pressed her advantage. She struck with precision, each movement guided by the Codex's teachings.

With a final, decisive blow, the shadow dissolved into the void, its taunting laughter fading into silence.

Merilla emerged from the Abyssal Mirror, her chest heaving as she gasped for breath. The Codex pulsed faintly in her hands, its light steady and reassuring.

Kaelina nodded in approval. "You passed."

Renar looked relieved, though his expression quickly turned to concern. "Are you okay?"

Merilla managed a weak smile. "I'm fine. It wasn't easy, but I did it."

Kaelina's gaze was steady. "The trial isn't just a test of skill—it's a test of will. You faced your fears and overcame them. That's what makes you worthy of the Codex."

Merilla nodded, her resolve hardening. The trial had been difficult, but it also showed her the strength she carried within.

And she would need every ounce of that strength for the battles ahead.