The Witch's Relay

Chapter 60: The Deep Dark

After the sudden fall I hit something cold.

In response to the unexpected, I gasp and take a deep breath in- only to realize one terrible fact.

I can't breathe.

When I inhale a cold liquid fills my lungs and I get the urge to cough.

When I fell I hit water. And now I don't even know what way is up. All I see is darkness.

Frantically I try swimming up, but after several seconds I realize that either this direction isn't up, or I'm too far down and need to swim deeper.

Faced with drowning, my mind speeds up so much that time itself seems to slow down. My ears are beginning to feel pressure, which means I'm deep, so I must have swam down.

Desperate for oxygen, I swim even more frantically than before, taking the chance that the opposite direction is up.

With every stroke I feel my lungs wanting to explode. The cold water filling my lungs is stinging, but I hold in the urge to cough, knowing that the moment I do, I'll lose the last of the tiny amount of air I have left, and then I'll never come up.

A light suddenly lights up over what has to be the surface, to the left of me. Realizing that even now I'm only swimming sideways up, I readjust my course and burst out to the surface.

Despite finally having direct access to air, since my lungs are filled with water, I still can't have it, and instead I explode into a coughing fit whilst desperately trying to stay afloat, my mind growing fuzzy.

That is when someone grabs onto my shirt from behind and begins to haul me backwards, and then finally onto a rocky ground.

I still can't quite see who it is, but they flip me onto my stomach and begin to press on my back, forcing out the remaining water out of my lungs, and allowing me to breathe in oxygen.

Seeing that I'm recovering, whomever saved me leaps back into the water with an echoing splash.

I twist around and force myself to sit back up. And I'm able to assess my situation.

I'm completely alone, and sitting right next to the edge of a large pool. In the air, illuminating the massive tavern is a pale yellow orb, just like the one that Linda casted previously. The cave is not entirely dark however even without the spell. In the distance, on the opposite side of the cavern, is a red glow, but it's too far for me to discern what it is.

Suddenly I remember what is going on, and realize how dire the situation is. Someone, presumably Linda, casted the flare spell and pulled me out of the water, and then jumped back in.

The others are nowhere to be seen.

Another light then appears deep in the water, allowing me to make out another shape making its way toward the surface.

I try to stand up and jump into the water, but instead slip and crash onto my side, activating another coughing fit. It doesn't matter how much I want to help. I'm not yet in a state to do so. I'll just get myself killed.

The figure emerges to the surface, and I am able to make out who it is.

Linda is holding an unconscious Heather. "Kade! Help me get her up!" Linda yells in a shrill voice, gasping for air.

She pulls Heather towards the stone edge as quick as she can until I'm able to grab onto her, and then immediately dives down again.

I check Heather's vitals as quickly as I can once I struggle to pull her up. She isn't breathing, but her heart is still pounding weakly.

Just like Linda did to me, I flip Heather onto her side and pump the water out of her until her natural breathing reflexes kick in again, causing her to take a loud gasp, but she still doesn't wake up.

Just then Linda reemerges, and I'm about to call out to her and ask her about the situation, when she once again takes a deep breath and desperately dives down again.

Wait.. No.. Nonono! Vanessa!!

I glance back at Heather and hesitate on what to do. She's fine. And with the light above the surface, I should be able to dive at least once. At the very least I should be able to help Linda if something bad happens to her.

I make up my mind and leap back in. Linda just saved two of us. I have to do whatever I can.

I take a couple deep breaths and dive back down into the cold and dark. Had it not been for Linda's light, this would have been impossible. But because of both the orb in the deep and the one above the surface, I'm able to see two figures making their way back up.

One, Linda, who is pulling an unconscious Vanessa up as fast as she can.

In the water, every second counts. Just a few moments can be the difference between life and death, and regardless of how powerful a mage Heather or Linda may be, once you're truly gone, nothing can bring you back. That is a lesson Heather gave me a long time ago.

I swim down as fast as I can, and grab hold of Vanessa and Help Linda pull her back up. Nearly at the surface however, Linda's frantic moments suddenly stop and she begins to sink.

No!! I can't grab them both!! Still at my limit from nearly drowning, I just barely pull Vanessa back up to the surface on my own and begin to pull her towards safety.

Halfway to the ledge, I glance back and despairingly see her sink deeper and deeper. By the time I've saved Vanessa, Linda will be beyond my ability to save.

Suddenly however, from the ledge a blueish light flashes, and Heather leaps into the water and makes her way towards Linda.