'If something attacks you… ha, as if I'd have the strength or time for that. Haaah… I'm dead anyway.'
Kalm mocked her deadly-sounding words inwardly, laced with that same disarming simplicity she always carried.
With all the strength he could muster in his small arms, veins bulging, Kalm gritted his teeth and clung tightly to the sleek black boat — as if holding onto a priceless gem about to slip through his fingers.
The waves slammed against the sides, tossing the boat left and right as if to toy with it. Slowly, the water began to rise in angry ripples, splashing against Kalm's face and soaking his entire body in icy cold.
*"Ooooh, perfect. As if dealing with Kalystra's childish mystery wasn't enough... now I have to deal with a raging river trying to eat me alive…"*
He scoffed silently, eyes fixed on Kalystra's back.
The delicate woman didn't seem the least bit worried. Unbothered. As though the chaos around them was beneath her concern.
Her body remained perfectly still, unwavering atop the boat.
From the dense mist rising off the water ahead, a small crimson shape leapt out — dark red with glowing blood-hued eyes and a mouth full of jagged fangs lined in three rows. It resembled a leech, grotesque and vicious, no longer than a grown man's palm.
But its speed was terrifying — almost beyond what the eye could track.
It lunged straight at Kalystra's face, its gaze wild with a hunger for blood, fangs gleaming with malice.
Kalystra's right hand rested calmly on the hilt of her beautiful white sword. With a small, calculated motion, she tilted her head slightly toward her left shoulder, and the leech zipped right past her — narrowly missing — then darted past Kalm and fell into the river behind them.
A shiver crawled up Kalm's spine at the strange sound beginning to rise around the boat — not just one, but hundreds… no, thousands of low humming noises surrounding them from every direction.
He heard the splash and hiss of countless things leaping from the river and diving back in at high speed.
His heart pounded, his breath caught in his throat as the waves struck him again. He clung tighter, eyes straining to see through the thick white mist that now enveloped everything like a ghostly fog.
Then — a sharp gasp escaped him as he felt life nearly leave his body.
A red leech shot past his cheek — just an inch from sinking its fangs into his left side.
Its low, eerie hiss made his skin crawl, and the look in its eyes was pure, unfiltered madness.
*"Aaah… crap. Crap. Not again…"*
One leech, then a second, third, fourth… passed the boat in long, unnerving leaps — each accompanied by a spine-chilling sound.
There were thousands of them, from all directions.
The tiny boat had drifted into the heart of their swarm, and the moment they sensed human life aboard, they abandoned whatever purpose they once had… and turned their attention to the fools who dared show themselves.
*"Why the hell are they even here…? Oh. Right. Because I'm here…"*
He cursed silently.
Kalm's expression darkened as he gripped the boat with his left hand, forcing his fingers to curl so hard they turned red.
His right hand moved instinctively to the hilt of his black sword, ready to draw it the moment one of those things lunged at his face again.
It was a reflex — born of no real training or knowledge on how to deal with such a situation.
Kalm didn't even know how to wield a sword properly.
There was a decent chance he might cut himself by mistake…
Or worse — lose his footing and drop the weapon into the raging river, lost forever beneath the depths. That would be unfortunate… and likely anger the beautiful woman beside him.
Kalystra glanced over her shoulder at him, her gaze thoughtful…
Then smirked with playful sarcasm.
*"Not knowing how to swim… That's truly unfortunate, little Kalm…"*
She tilted her head again, and another cluster of leeches zipped past her, splashing back into the water.
Then, with one swift motion, she unsheathed her white blade. Its edge gleamed with silent majesty as it cut through a group of the creatures with flawless precision.
The wind seemed to sing as it rushed to meet the speed of her strike.
She elegantly swung the sword, flicking the blood off its edge, then returned it smoothly to its sheath in a graceful motion.
She spoke calmly:
*"Even those who can swim will die if they fall into *this* river. Just hold on tight for now. You'll die if you fall… or if you try to stand. Wait for the right moment to act, and use your brain before your muscles."*
Despite the gravity of her warning, her expression remained unfazed.
Serene.
As if her personality shifted during combat — turning cool and dangerous, focused and unwavering.
Kalm stared at her in awe, eyes filled with silent plea, as though begging her to do something — anything — to save them from the rising horror.
Then he returned his right hand to the boat's edge, ready to draw his sword when the time came.
Kalystra raised her right hand, and from her shadow flowed numerous dark tendrils — like black ribbons, ancient and deep.
They obeyed her call, gathering slowly until they formed a dome of dark energy above the boat — thin but unyielding.
Thin arms of shadow extended like claws, gripping the boat's edges.
Then, slowly, the dome began to descend, meant to shield them from the assault…
But just before it fully enclosed them, Kalm felt a searing heat burn through the palm and back of his left hand.
He felt blood rushing out of him like it was being sucked away by force.
Before he could react — a stifled scream tore from his throat.
A vile leech had sunk its fangs into his hand.
Its jaws pierced deep into his flesh, burning pain shooting through his nerves…
And not a single drop of blood spilled.
**"Aaaah… you disgusting little worm…"**
Kalm didn't even know what a "worm" really was or whether it counted as an insult — but he didn't care. All he wanted was to rid himself of that cursed pain.
He shook his left hand several times, then slammed the leech's body against the boat's edge with all the strength he had. The small vessel rocked slightly from the force of the blows.
But his eyes narrowed in fear when it proved useless.
Instead of falling off, the leech tightened its bite, becoming even more savage — as if it intended to rip the flesh right off his hand.
Kalm's body began to weaken. His vision blurred, and his energy drained slowly... the blood loss was taking its toll.
Then, while he was still dangerously close to the boat's edge, several more leeches jumped through the shadow dome — just before it finished sealing.
One sank its teeth into his left shoulder.
Another clamped onto his right elbow.
A third dug its fangs into his right side.
The pain was hellish. He gasped in horror as a chilling cold took over his limbs. He could feel death creeping toward him… little by little.
Kalm wasn't beyond a normal human. He was just a teenager — and having so much blood drained from him had pushed him to the edge.
He couldn't even lift his arm to draw his sword in time...
And just as his eyes began to close, his body about to collapse, his mind searched for anything — anything at all — that might save him from this nightmare.
Then, flickering in the corner of his vision… golden letters appeared:
**The Voice of the World – System Interface**
One of the listed items was labeled: *Siren Whistle.*
From the name alone, it sounded like something capable of producing loud — possibly terrifying — sounds.
That kind of power might just buy him a few precious seconds… enough to confuse the damned leeches and either kill them or throw them off.
Kalm forced himself to focus on the golden text.
He concentrated hard on the list of items available.
There were two.
**\[The Bard's Shield]**
He ignored that one entirely, channeling everything into the second:
**\[Siren Whistle]**
**Type:** Tool
**Rank:** First Tier
**Description:** A small, elegant whistle capable of producing a distinct and resonant tone for all who hear it.
**Enchantments:**
* **Primary Spell:** Emits an extremely loud and high-pitched whistle sound, able to confuse and stun monsters from Tier One to Tier Three momentarily, inducing fear.
* **Secondary Spell:** Consumes no essence when used. However, its effect is weakened upon the second use.
Kalm gasped, coughing up blood as his lungs spasmed.
His skin began to pale rapidly, his complexion turning sickly… as if life itself were slipping from his body.
The blood loss was becoming critical — reaching a life-threatening point.
And the cursed leeches… didn't even seem full yet.
Even if they were, they didn't appear willing to let go of their prey until it was fully devoured — flesh and all.
That made things… very bad.
The *Siren Whistle* was his only chance.
But he didn't know how to summon it.
*"Come on, you damned thing… show up in my hand already… damn you, and damn them too…"*
Kalm concentrated hard, calling the tool in his mind — even cursing aloud in desperation, something that wasn't like him at all.
Then… his eyes widened, brightened with hope.
Tiny golden stars flickered in the palm of his right hand.
And from the void — it appeared.
A black whistle materialized in his grasp.
It was the length of a finger, as wide as two fingers, with three openings:
One at the mouthpiece, another large circular hole at the front, and a final, smaller hole in the middle of its back.
Kalm raised the whistle to his lips, sucking in as much air as his lungs could hold.
*"Please let this work… farewell, you filthy water bugs…"*
With everything he had, Kalm blew into the whistle —
his life hanging on the sound that was about to ring out.