Thaumiel still wore that familiar grin as he gazed at the closing portal, but this time, something was different in his eyes. Previously indifferent and nonchalant, they now shimmered with nostalgia and yearning.
Kaelos stood behind Thaumiel, observing him in silence until he finally sighed.
"My liege... are you sure about this? Are you certain it's the right thing to do?" Kaelos whispered, lowering his head.
Without turning around, Thaumiel let out a soft chuckle. "I'm sure of it. Besides, it's a wonderful gift. one he created himself. I have faith that this time he will return!"
"And when he does..." Kaelos's hand clenched into a tight fist, causing the Chaos Hall to tremble.
Space cracked around them as black holes formed near Thaumiel. The hall echoed with terrifying screams that sent chills down one's spines, while an apocalyptic pressure descended upon the void.
Above them, stars exploded like brilliant fireworks; massive fissures split the sky open as if heralding the end of the universe.
"...and when he comes back," Thaumiel continued with a sinister glee, "those old geezers will pay a million times over!"
His eyes turned pitch black like swirling nebulae, cold and terrifying as ancient ice.
Kaelos kept his head lowered, afraid to meet Thaumiel's gaze. He suppressed all his aura as if wishing to remain undetected.
---
The sound of waves crashing against the shore mingled with birds chirping and the faint scent of salt wafting through Raizen's senses.
"Hmmmm...!" He let out a soft groan as his eyelids fluttered open. Instinctively shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight streaming down on him, confusion washed over him.
"Why do I smell sea salt?" Raizen pondered aloud before slowly adjusting to the brightness around him. When he turned to survey his surroundings, shock gripped him speechless.
"Wait... what the hell? Am I in the middle of the ocean?" Panic surged within him as he realized he was surrounded by an endless expanse of blue water both astonishing and terrifying.
Suddenly aware that he was sinking, Raizen snapped out of his shock and began paddling frantically to stay afloat.
Fortunately, knowing how to swim saved him from disaster.
As he looked around in confusion at nothing but endless water stretching before him, frustration bubbled up inside him.
"Who would just drop someone off in the middle of an ocean? This is unethical!" He shouted up at the sky in exasperation.
After calming down somewhat, Raizen chose a direction and embarked on a long swim.His arms and legs burned with fatigue; swimming against relentless waves while choking on seawater proved challenging.
This unexpected predicament was far from what Raizen had anticipated; surely Thaumiel could have dropped him somewhere more favorable instead of here, this felt utterly unreasonable.
After what felt like an eternity of swimming against relentless waves, being battered and gasping for air, Raizen was utterly exhausted. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face had taken on a ghostly pallor.
"What kind of pathetic body did that guy give me? I asked for a strong Greek god physique, not this weakling frame! Damn it, my arms and legs feel like they're on fire!"
Raizen grumbled through clenched teeth as he fought to keep moving forward. He knew he needed to escape the water quickly; glancing at the sun's position reminded him that sunset was approaching.
This place felt like an entirely different world, one fraught with danger and he shuddered at the thought of what monstrous creatures might emerge from the depths when night fell.
"Please don't let me end up like Sunless in Shadow Slave! I'm not ready to face Carapace Scavengers!"
At this point, Raizen found himself praying as he continued to swim despite his overwhelming fatigue.
After several hours of alternating between swimming and brief rests, hope flickered when he spotted an island in the distance.
"Yes! Finally, my salvation!" Raizen couldn't contain his excitement as he swam faster. Although the island appeared close, it took him another two exhausting hours before its features became clear.
As he neared the shore, something caught his attention,a sudden rush of water behind him. The sound grew louder and more menacing. When he turned around, terror washed over him as his complexion drained of color.
"Sh...shark!" His heart raced violently against his ribs; panic coursed through him like ice water.
Spotting the shark fin slicing through the waves toward him, Raizen wasted no time. He summoned every ounce of remaining energy into his limbs and propelled himself forward with astonishing speed. The distance between him and the shark rapidly diminished as it closed in on its prey.
In that moment of sheer adrenaline-fueled determination, Raizen didn't feel tired at all; instead, strength surged within him. After three intense minutes of swimming, he could finally make out trees and boulders lining the beach ahead.
His spirits soared as he swam harder than ever before. With one final burst of energy, Raizen leaped from the water onto solid ground and sprinted away from the shoreline.
Turning back briefly, he saw the shark circling just meters offshore before it dove deeper into the ocean's depths and vanished from sight.
With that sight behind him came a wave of relief,only to be swiftly followed by overwhelming exhaustion crashing down upon him like a tidal wave. He crumpled to the ground on his back; chest rising and falling rapidly while pain radiated through his body.
He lay on his back, chest rising and falling rhythmically, his face as pale as a ghost. His eyes were red, lips white, and his entire body ached with intense pain.
This was possibly the second time he had come close to death. Technically speaking, it was the first time he had actually died,which was why he found himself in this predicament.
Raizen's gaze was fixed on the sky as he cursed bitterly, "What kind of god are you? How could you land me in a place where I almost died?"
His chest continued to rise and fall like ocean waves; he didn't want to get up at all,he felt utterly exhausted. The scene around him was peculiar: a scrawny figure lying naked on the beach, skin ghostly pale. It was both disturbing and oddly humorous.
A gentle breeze brushed against Raizen's skin, causing him to shiver as he instinctively covered himself with his hands, feeling a flush of embarrassment.
Thankfully, this island appeared deserted; otherwise, he wasn't sure how he would handle such an embarrassing situation.
After lying still for an hour without moving an inch on the beach, Raizen finally forced himself to stand up.
He knew that in his current state, relaxation was not an option; he needed to assess his surroundings and map out a plan.
This place felt dangerous,he needed to find shelter before nightfall. If darkness fell while he remained vulnerable like this, things could turn dire quickly; nighttime brought out many predatory creatures.
As Raizen stood up, his legs trembled beneath him but he steadied himself and surveyed the area. To his left lay the vast expanse of the treacherous blue ocean; to his right stood a dense forest. In front and behind him stretched soft white sand that seemed endless.
After scanning the surroundings briefly, Raizen ventured into the forest. Moments later, he found himself walking on soft grass surrounded by towering trees.
The air carried a mix of sea salt and fresh greenery while birds chirped above him amidst occasional roars from unseen beasts.
Cautiously navigating through the forest, Raizen used a large tree leaf to fashion makeshift clothing around his waist for modesty,it made him feel slightly better,and held onto a sturdy stick for protection as he moved forward.
"Hmmm! That's strange," Raizen thought suddenly. "Why is my body no longer aching? I actually feel somewhat strong!"
To his surprise, the crippling exhaustion was already fading,replaced by deep, thrumming energy he didn't recognize. Was this the new body Thaumiel promised?.
He looked down at himself with newfound appreciation. "This body isn't so bad after all!"
Eagerly searching for drinkable water and something edible to quell his hunger after everything he'd endured
Just then Raizen paused in place his ears twitched slightly, a chilling sensation crept over him as if someone were watching from behind.