A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

Erik snorted with disdain, before hugging the tentacle tighter, and blasting it with both frost aura and ice maker at the same time.

The icy energy coursed through the tentacle, spreading rapidly. The water around them chilled even further, the cold seeping into the Kraken's flesh.

He tightened his grip, muscles straining against the immense pressure, and unleashed burst after burst of icy energy. The water around him froze, crystals forming in the currents.

The kraken screeched a low, rumbling moan that vibrated through Erik's bones. Its pain resonating through the water as it thrashed violently, trying to dislodge him. But Erik held fast, even as the world spun around him, the sense of up and down lost in the disorienting darkness.

"Let me show you the mistake you made!" Erik roared in the depths. His voice was dampened by the helmet, and swallowed by the water, but it resonated with power. Raising both hands, he pulled his warhammer from the dimension inside him and gripped it tightly.

Then, he brought it down on the kraken's frozen limb with devestating power.

Although the water made it difficult to properly swing his hammer, his strength was more than enough to make up for it, ensuring his hammer was still a better choice than his fists.

A deep rumble reverberated in the dark, ocean depths of the Guinean Gulf when his hammer struck home. Cracks spread from the point of impact, jagged lines of destruction splintering across the frozen tentacle.

The kraken screeched in pain and thrashed wildly, its massive body twisting in the water, sending shockwaves through the surrounding currents.

Erik was thrown about like a ragdoll, but he held on, teeth gritted, his focus unyielding, despite the diziness threatening to spread. 'Just… a few… more…!' he snarled inwardly, while raising the hammer again, each strike driving deeper into the ice, each blow resonating with the kraken's anguished cries.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Finally, the frozen limb shattered. Shards of ice and flesh were sent spinning into the water.

Erik was free, but the battle was far from over. The kraken screeched and flailed even louder, now with one fewer limb. Erik quickly shook his head to get rid of feeling like his brain had just gone through the dryer, before tossing his hammer back into the dimension, and focusing back on the kraken.

Erik could still see Seraphina, her form limp, battered, and entangled in the beast's grasp. Her sword was gone, lost to the depths, but her resolve was not.

Once again, Erik propelled himself towards Seraphina, as he still intended to save her before getting out of there. His movements were swift and powerful despite the drag of the water. The metallic webbing between his fingers and the icy constructs between his toes, backed by his strength, propelled him with unnatural speed. He cut through the water like a spear, closing the distance to Seraphina.

He almost reached the tentacle holding Seraphina, but its flailing was making it hard for him to get to her. He grumbled in frustration, but finally decided to simply take the same action as before. He charged up his frost aura and ice maker, before heading directly for the steadier base of the tentacle.

Unfortunately, just as he was about to grab it and start freezing this one as well, the kraken made a smart decision. It fled.

A jet stream of bubbles suddenly burst out of the underside of the kraken's body, and it surged away from him, the water churning with the force of its retreat. "Shit!" Erik cursed as his face distorted behind the helmet.

For a moment, he watched the retreating kraken with a complicated expression. The creature was not only heading away from him, but also going deeper, and Erik couldn't help but hesitate.

Seraphina wasn't family. He liked her, she was important to Emily, and letting her die here would almost certainly turn her father in the Council against him.

He also still had plenty of ways to get out of here quickly, if it came to that. Pressure, cold, and lack of oxygen also weren't much of a problem for him, and if worst came to worst, he could always retreat into his dimension. It would leave the portal to it in the middle of the ocean's depths, but at least they'd be alive. Anything else could then be figured out later.

Yet, the risk of continuing wasn't minimal. And he had his entire family to think about, because with his death, Elora would quickly follow, and the dimension would collapse, along with everyone in it.

Suddenly, a hesitant voice sounded in his head. "Master…" Emily began softly. She and the others were currently watching from inside his dimension, where the walls of the central room could be turning a 360-degree viewing room. "I—" she continued but was quickly interrupted by a snarling Erik.

"Fuck it!" he cursed, and went in pursuit of the kraken, and its prey. He didn't know if Emily wanted to plead with him to save her friend, or if she wanted to tell him it was okay to let her go, but either way, he didn't want to hear it.

Your journey continues at empire

Emily's voice alone had made up his mind already.

Unfortunately, the kraken's jet propulsion was faster than him, and despite Erik's immense speed, the squid-like creature was gaining on him.

"Erik…!" Elora's alarmed and concerned voice echoed in his head. "I know there's plenty of reasons for you to save her, even un-emotional ones, but do not get our family killed over her! Do you hear me?!"

"I know, my little Ember" Erik answered calmly, but with immense grit. "Just trust me. I'd never get us killed over someone who's not family."

"You know I trust you, my love," Elora exclaimed helplessly. "But you are clearly slower, and the deeper we get, the more danger there will be! Not only do we have no idea what's down there, but pressure will continue to increase!"

"Just give it a second," Erik answered with determination, and without taking his eyes off the enemy. Despite her anxiety, Elora decided to wait, but she pushed her omnisense to its limits to spot any dangers around them.

Currently, they were already deep enough that sunlight didn't reach them at all anymore, and the only light was the sigil on Erik's helmet, which was squarely pointed at the kraken in front of them. He knew that light would also act as a beacon for any more dangerous sea life, but he had to keep an eye Seraphina's abductor.

He was waiting for something.