"Damn it… they're depending on me. Another burden I have to carry."
I swing my body again, this time needing a huge arc so I can land both feet on the arrow.
"Come on, come on. I'll regret this forever if I fail."
Swing after swing, the decision comes closer.
Just a few more arcs. I have to throw my legs forward and land on it.
Bartra stares at Hiro, frozen by what he sees. He stops attacking the tentacle in front of him.
"BARTRA, DON'T DROP YOUR GUARD!" Oliver shouts.
A massive tentacle slams down toward Bartra.
"NO!"
—BRUAK.
Bartra is smashed hard, pinned beneath the tentacle. He collapses instantly.
"GRIZZ AND GRUZZ, DON'T LET UP! PROTECT THE MAST!" the captain shouts, losing control of the helm.
The ship thrashes harder. Hiro's success is all that's left—either he ends this, or the ship sinks.
Tentacles tighten around the hull, and the giant octopus is halfway to pulling the ship completely under.
"COME ON, HIRO! END THIS!"
Swing after swing, I have to decide. My legs—my legs must land on that arrow. If I miss, it's all over.
One last massive swing. My legs must launch forward—one swing, ONE MORE SWI—
"Hpft—" I succeed—no, I don't— my foot slips. My grip loosens. I fall.
"HIRROOOO!" Rose screams from the ship.
Everyone watches Hiro fall.
Grizz and Gruzz drop their guard; both are struck by a massive tentacle and collapse.
Santiago has no bullets left. He clings to the ship's rail as a tentacle slams him off his feet.
More crew are thrown overboard, crushed, or swept away.
Everything is over. Hiro falls and—
—BAAM.
Hiro hits the ocean.
Oliver grits his teeth.
"DAMN YOU… YOU BASTARD!"
He charges, slashing wildly, cleaving a tentacle fully for the first time.
Rose lowers her bow, only a few arrows left.
The captain can't control the helm anymore; he lets it go. The ship tilts, wrapped in more and more tentacles.
Oliver stabs his sword into the deck to anchor himself as the ship begins to flip. Rose, the crew, the captain—they all slide and slam into the railing as the ship tips.
Hope dies instantly.
But unbeknownst to them—
—BLASH.
I burst out of the ocean, grabbing a tentacle. My axe is in my right hand.
I start sprinting up the impossible slope of the tentacle—how I'm not falling, I don't know.
My run grows faster, the angle steeper, the grip unreal.
I climb and climb until I reach the upper tentacle.
No pause. I sprint toward the eye. Only a few dozen steps. Just—
I run as fast as I can, my right hand gripping the axe tightly.
"The eye… the eye…" I mutter, breath ragged.
Just a few steps left.
One huge leap will land me on it.
"HUAAGH!" I jump, soaring above the great octopus.
"GET LOST, YOU BASTARD!"
—SWAK.
My axe slams deep into its eye.
The ship, still tilting, begins to even out as the tentacles loosen. I did it—but only one eye is gone.
I look back toward the ship—toward Rose.
She rises, grabs her bow, draws an arrow—
—SPLASH.
The arrow lands cleanly in the second eye.
The octopus convulses, releasing the ship completely.
Bartra is freed from the tentacle's grip.
So are Grizz, Gruzz, and the remaining crew.
The captain regains control of the helm.
Oliver stands, speechless.
I can't go back.
All I can do is cling to the octopus as it loses balance.
It will fall soon, crashing into the sea.
I close my eyes. I have no strength left.
But then—again—the darkness turns into a vision.
It shows me what I must do: when the octopus falls, I'll float for a moment, then I'll swing my axe and cut it cleanly in two.
The vision shows the future again.
—SWAK.
Its head splits in the vision.
I open my eyes.
The same moment is happening now as I fall—
I smile faintly.
Both hands gripping my axe, I let myself drift toward the octopus.
I swing, cutting through its flesh with impossible ease, splitting it open as light spills through the opening.
—SWAK.
Its head is cleaved in two.
I twist midair and watch it happen, smiling faintly, before the ocean rushes up at me.
"So what I saw… was the future?" I whisper as I fall.
The crystal floats in front of me, still hanging from my neck, glowing from within, turning the darkness into light.
I understand everything.
"Thanks to this crystal… right."
—DUAK.
I hit the ocean.
Sink.
Light fades.
Sight fades.
Darkness takes everything.