Resonance of the Abyss

[Vesna]

"That still doesn't change the fact that I'm a pathetic loser, who lost everyone and everything close to her, because of her own cowardice and incompetence."

I woke up from my dream, gaining my consciousness back from the dreamland. I could feel the tear swelling in my eyes but I couldn't open them for some reason.

I tried struggling, trying to break free from my restraints but couldn't generate much strength.

I was tied up pretty strongly, the substance tying me was strangely liquid, gooey in a sense, slightly dense.

My struggles continued, wriggling around, mumbling as loud as I could, trying to get anyone's attention.

Last time, I was floating around in that running water, that was the last thing I could remember.

.…..

After a long and exhausting hour or so passed. I heard a faint sound of something crackling, with a whoosh sound my binding broke.

When I finally opened my exhausted eyes, I noticed that I was falling down from quite a long distance at that too.

Bracing myself for impact, I curled up into a ball.

Instead of falling straight down, someone cushioned my fall holding me in their arms.

Slowly moving my head, the person who saved me came into my view….Azrael.

The very guy, who fought with me, because of whom I wandered around all alone in the slums.

It felt strangely comforting putting blame on someone, for something committed by me.

"Princess, care to move. I have a child to take care of too."

Noticing that I was still in his arms, I hurriedly got away from his embrace. I was not embarrassed or anything, such things are common in fights, one shouldn't be conscious of small stuff.

"Child? What child?"

"It's this guy."

He showed the baby, draped in the same clothes like the ones in the cradles above. He was strangely happy, holding the baby, caressing it.

"Is it a guy?"

"Actually, no, it doesn't matter either way to me anyway. Now, that I found you. Let's go back above, Kaltain should be waiting."

I nodded in response. After stabilizing I started observing the surrounding area, strangely it was the same place where I took the dip.

Wait a minute! Wasn't I wearing my swimwear just now? Huh, and this just guy ignored that fact.

I really didn't care if he held me or what not, but seeing me in my swimwear was different. I was literally wearing a bikini. Any girl would be conscious of her body.

Ignoring the scuba gear, my body was still very visible. He even held me, what!!!!

Rather than being embarrassed, I was offended that he wasn't conscious of me. Even though I knew that I was a gorgeous lady, with an hourglass figure.

Him being so nonchalant even after holding me with bare minimum clothing was disrespectful. It hurt my pride a lot as a woman.

I threw those depressing thoughts in my mind's gutter, and changed my clothes back to my casual attire.

"You are really attractive, I just noticed it. Don't take it as I'm a pervert, I just don't pay attention to beauty that much. Still, I know when to admire it."

Yeah, he really didn't pay attention to beauty. I could faintly guess that he was telling the truth.

Because the compliment he gave me was nothing else than a stunt to not hurt my pride.

He being strangely compassionate was nice…But this also confirms that he has some history in the slums, the reason for his outburst at the entrance. Those weren't his innate thoughts, they were formed by experience.

"Before I forget, there was water here. Like a whole water system, not just a pond. Any idea where it went?"

"I guess…I do, and I really don't want it to be true."

His voice seemed awfully sullen, something must have happened while I was daydreaming. Don't tell me history would repeat itself again…No…No!!!

"Don't worry, it's not your fault. We should go back above the surface fast."

There was a hurry in his voice, which he couldn't hide. I took my stance to propel myself up.

But he stopped, grabbing my waist. "This will take a lot of time, I will float us up there. Just hold tight.."

A faint mumble escaped my lips. "You should be the one holding tight.."

He seemed embarrassed, finally noticing what he did.

"I'm sorry.. I was hurrying and didn't pay that much attention."

"Just forget it, let's go."

While we were floating, I noticed, I was at the exact same place where I dipped. The water just disappeared without a trace, it even trapped me in the process.

There were still signs of it, the area was sunken quite a bit. The water was considerably deep, looking at it now.

We took the same path through which I had come, the same hill of corpses. Azrael didn't pay any attention to it, he was as nonchalant as ever.

Sometimes I really think that he is a hundred or so years old. He acts like a grumpy old man with a lot of life experience.

Reaching the surface we were greeted by an awful scenario. Making me relive my own deep seated trauma.