The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, painting the sky with shades of deep orange and purple. The warm breeze carried the salty scent of the sea, and the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore was a welcome constant. This was Bali—paradise, or so it seemed. For Nadia, an underwater videographer from Jakarta,Indonesia- it had become her second home. The thrill of diving in some of the world's most beautiful and mysterious waters had never worn off.
But today felt different. Nadia had always been drawn to the unknown, the things not yet explored. Her passion for underwater photography had taken her to many parts of the world, but Bali held a special place in her heart. This time, she was diving in a remote area off the coast, far from the well-known tourist spots. It was an area known for its untouched coral reefs and old shipwrecks. The local dive guide, a seasoned veteran named Budi, had promised that this dive would be one for the books.
"We're going to explore an old wreck today," Budi said, his voice echoing in her ear through the diving mask's communicator. "It's not far from here, but most divers avoid it. Some say the place is cursed."
Nadia laughed, the sound muffled by her mask. "Cursed? I'm not scared of a few old stories."
Budi chuckled too. "I didn't think you would be."
The dive team was small: Nadia, Budi, and two other divers, Rudi and Siti. The water was crystal clear, and the visibility was perfect. As Nadia descended into the blue depths, the pressure of the water seemed to push away the distractions of the surface world. Everything was quiet except for the sound of bubbles escaping her regulator. She could feel the weight of the ocean around her, but it didn't feel dangerous. It felt… peaceful.
But as they reached seventy feet, something changed.
Budi gestured to the wreck ahead. The ship was a ghost of its former self, half-buried in the sand, its rusted hull twisted and jagged. Coral grew on every exposed surface, and schools of fish darted in and out of the wreckage. But there was something about the ship that unsettled Nadia. Something off.
"Let's explore it," Nadia said, her voice tight through the comm system. Her curiosity, however, overpowered any instinct for caution.
The group swam towards the wreck, and Nadia couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. The water, despite its beauty, felt oppressive. She glanced around at her team, and for a moment, they all seemed to move in sync. But then… a shadow passed beneath them.
Nadia stopped mid-swim. "Did anyone else see that?"
The others paused, scanning the water around them. "What do you mean?" Budi asked, his voice calm, though there was a slight edge to it now.
"I thought I saw something move—something big," Nadia replied, her eyes darting around. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was out there, lurking just beyond the reach of the light filtering down from the surface.
Rudi, the other diver, shrugged. "Probably just the current, messing with your vision. Let's stick together."
Nadia nodded, but the unease in her chest didn't fade. The wreck grew larger as they swam toward it, its rusted remains towering above them like a forgotten monument. They began to circle it, exploring the periphery. But something about the ship was wrong. The air felt colder. The water was too still, despite the usual current.
Then, it happened. Nadia was just about to take a shot of the ship's battered hull when something massive and dark loomed beneath her, faster than she could react. It was a blur—something with limbs, tentacles, or something else entirely.
Before she could react, Budi was yanked down by an invisible force. "Budi!" Nadia screamed, but her voice was swallowed by the water.
Nadia's heart pounded as she frantically reached for her comms, but Budi's signal was already lost. Her mind raced. What was that? Panic was beginning to seize her, but she pushed it back. Stay calm. Stay calm. There has to be an explanation.
But the wreck didn't offer any comfort. The ship, which had once been so majestic, now seemed to hold secrets, ancient and dark. Nadia had heard stories about this area—the locals spoke of ancient sea spirits, of guardians that protected the ocean from intruders, of Nyai Roro Kidul, the Queen of the Southern Sea, a powerful entity said to claim the souls of those who ventured too far into her domain.
Nadia's breath quickened, and she swam frantically toward the surface, trying to pull herself out of the cold grip of the ocean's depths. But the shadow followed her. It wasn't a figment of her imagination. It was real. And it was coming for her.
She kicked harder, her fins propelling her upwards, but every movement felt slower than it should have been. As she reached fifty feet, the shadow was right behind her. She could feel it. Her pulse raced. Her body screamed for air, but the shadow wrapped itself around her leg, pulling her deeper.
A voice. Her mind was filled with whispers. Not in words, but in feelings—come back. The words didn't come from anyone she knew. It was the ocean itself, speaking to her in a language of ancient fear. She fought, kicking harder, but the pull was too strong. She was being dragged under.
No. No, this can't happen. Not like this.
In the distance, she saw the faint outline of Rudi's bubbles rising toward the surface, and in a desperate bid to save herself, she reached out. Her hand found his, and in one final burst of strength, they both kicked upwards, rising faster and faster. They reached the surface just as the shadow beneath the wreck finally released its grip.
Gasping for breath, Nadia was pulled into the boat by Rudi, her heart still racing. She could feel her pulse pounding in her ears, the feeling of the ocean's icy fingers still gripping her.
Rudi didn't speak at first. He just looked at her with wide eyes, as if trying to comprehend what had just happened. Nadia, too, was silent, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and terror.
"What the hell was that?" Rudi asked finally.
Nadia could only shake her head, staring back at the dark, calm ocean. There was no explanation. But the terror that gripped her heart told her everything she needed to know.
Something ancient, something old and forgotten, had stirred beneath the waves. And it had wanted them.
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