Chapter 6: Beneath Silent Waters
Days passed after the fall of Vibrae.
But Elden Hollow did not return to normal immediately.
The river still frightened people.
Even though the deadly creature had been defeated, many villagers refused to step near the water. Fishermen whispered among themselves whenever they passed the shore, speaking quietly as if the river itself could still hear them.
Some believed Vibrae had been the only monster.
Others feared it had only been one of many.
Still, life slowly began moving again.
Boats returned cautiously.
Fishing nets were repaired.
Trade resumed little by little.
And everywhere Richard went, people stared.
Not with pity anymore.
With curiosity.
Respect.
Even fear.
"The boy who killed Vibrae."
"The fisherman's apprentice."
"The river survivor."
Richard disliked the attention.
He never answered whenever people spoke about the battle.
But Rook seemed to enjoy it.
The dog walked proudly through the village with its tail raised high whenever someone mentioned its name.
Lara laughed the first time she noticed it.
"You've created a monster."
Richard glanced at Rook.
"Too late to fix that now."
Rook barked proudly.
As fishing slowly returned, another strange thing began happening.
Parents started bringing their sons to Richard.
At first, it was only one boy.
A thin fourteen-year-old named Daren whose father awkwardly pushed him forward near the riverbank.
"My son is lazy," the man admitted. "Teach him discipline."
Richard blinked.
"I'm not a teacher."
"You survived Vibrae."
"That's enough for me."
Before Richard could refuse properly, the father walked away.
Daren scratched his head awkwardly.
"So... what do I do?"
Richard stared.
"…I don't know."
Then another boy came.
And another.
Within days, five adolescent boys followed Richard around the fishing grounds.
Some wanted fishing lessons.
Some wanted strength.
One only came to feed Rook scraps.
Richard eventually gave up asking why.
"Why are they following me?" he asked Lara one evening.
She smiled faintly.
"Because people respect strength."
"I killed one creature."
"The creature everyone feared."
"That's different."
"Not to them."
Richard taught them quietly.
How to repair nets.
How to row against currents.
How to work before complaining.
He never tried to sound wise.
Yet somehow, the boys listened.
One afternoon, Richard noticed a younger boy struggling with heavy baskets.
Before he could help, another mocked him.
"You're too weak."
Richard stepped forward.
"How does insulting him help?"
Silence.
"If he's weak, help him become stronger."
The older boy slowly bent down and helped.
Nearby fishermen exchanged glances.
"He talks older than he looks," one muttered.
As days passed, more villagers openly thanked Richard.
One afternoon several fishermen approached.
"We should repay you."
Richard immediately shook his head.
"I only fought because we were hungry."
"We still owe you."
"Then feed your families instead."
The fishermen looked at one another.
Then quietly placed a wrapped package near him.
"For Rook."
Rook immediately stood.
Richard stared.
"…You planned this?"
Laughter spread through the riverbank.
Later that evening, while repairing nets, one boy finally asked:
"Were you afraid fighting Vibrae?"
Richard paused.
Then answered honestly.
"I was terrified."
The boys stared.
"But you still fought."
Richard tied another knot.
"Being afraid and running away are not always the same thing."
Even Lara's father silently listened.
Because once again—
Richard sounded older than he should.
That night rain fell softly over Elden Hollow.
Richard sat awake inside the shed.
His shoulder still hurt.
Rook rested near the doorway.
Then the visions returned.
A massive throne room appeared.
Golden pillars stretched endlessly.
War banners moved slowly.
Fifteen captains stood silently.
At the center—
A sword.
Golden.
Radiating light.
Someone touched it.
Their clothing transformed into flowing golden garments.
Richard froze.
Because the person near the sword looked like him.
Older.
Colder.
A king.
Then the vision changed.
Fire.
Smoke.
Screaming.
Palace walls stained red.
A silver-haired woman crying.
Then darkness.
Richard woke violently.
Breathing hard.
The visions were becoming clearer.
Longer.
More dangerous.
Far beyond Elden Hollow—
beyond provinces and mountains—
stood the Celestial Kingdom.
Fifteen provinces.
Fifteen captains.
One emperor.
And beneath the palace—
an ancient sword waited in silence.
But something else had awakened too.
Deep beneath rivers and oceans—
an underwater kingdom stirred.
Dark coral towers rose through endless waters.
Sea warriors moved between glowing structures.
At the center sat a queen upon a throne of sea stone.
Broken Vibrae scales floated before her.
"A mortal killed Vibrae?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The court murmured.
"That beast destroyed fleets."
"Even sea hunters avoided it."
The queen raised one hand.
"Bring me the Ancient Book of the Seas."
Guards disappeared and returned carrying a chained ancient tome.
The advisor opened it carefully.
Dust drifted from ancient pages.
He searched.
Then stopped.
His expression changed.
"Your Majesty…"
"Read."
He swallowed.
"In the Age of Tides there existed a king who conquered land and sea."
Page turned.
"He subdued merfolk kingdoms."
Another page.
"He defeated sea clans."
Another.
"He forced underwater rulers into submission."
Silence filled the hall.
Then the advisor read one final line.
"Even Vibrae bowed before him."
The queen narrowed her eyes.
"The mortal?"
The advisor looked between the broken scales and old writings.
"He matches prophecy markings."
The chamber became quiet.
Then the queen stood.
"Find him."
"To kill him?"
"No."
A small smile appeared.
"Bring him to me."
Night returned to Elden Hollow.
Rain tapped softly against wood.
Richard finally slept.
Rook guarded the doorway.
Then shadows emerged from nearby waters.
Three sea figures stepped silently onto land.
Their tails shifted into legs.
One removed a crystal bottle.
"Dream Elixir."
Silver mist drifted over Richard.
His eyes opened slightly.
Everything blurred.
"A dream…"
The sea people nodded.
"It worked."
Richard thought he was dreaming.
When water covered the floor—
dream.
When walls disappeared—
dream.
When fish floated through air—
dream.
When strange figures carried him beneath dark waters—
still dream.
Rook suddenly woke.
It barked loudly.
One sea warrior trapped it briefly with flowing water.
When Rook escaped—
Richard was gone.
Morning came.
Lara walked outside.
The shed door stood open.
Rook paced anxiously.
"Richard?"
Nothing.
Only wet footprints.
Leading nowhere.
Meanwhile—
Richard opened his eyes beneath glowing waters.
Massive pillars surrounded him.
Sea guards watched silently.
He rubbed his head.
"…Am I still dreaming?"
A voice answered.
"No."
The queen stepped forward.
"We have waited a long time for you."
Richard sighed tiredly.
"My dreams are becoming strange."
Far above the sea—
Lara searched.
Rook searched.
And beneath silent waters—
Richard had unknowingly returned to a kingdom his past self once ruled.Chapter 6: Beneath Silent Waters
Days passed after the fall of Vibrae.
But Elden Hollow did not return to normal immediately.
The river still frightened people.
Even though the deadly creature had been defeated, many villagers refused to step near the water. Fishermen whispered among themselves whenever they passed the shore, speaking quietly as if the river itself could still hear them.
Some believed Vibrae had been the only monster.
Others feared it had only been one of many.
Still, life slowly began moving again.
Boats returned cautiously.
Fishing nets were repaired.
Trade resumed little by little.
And everywhere Richard went, people stared.
Not with pity anymore.
With curiosity.
Respect.
Even fear.
"The boy who killed Vibrae."
"The fisherman's apprentice."
"The river survivor."
Richard disliked the attention.
He never answered whenever people spoke about the battle.
But Rook seemed to enjoy it.
The dog walked proudly through the village with its tail raised high whenever someone mentioned its name.
Lara laughed the first time she noticed it.
"You've created a monster."
Richard glanced at Rook.
"Too late to fix that now."
Rook barked proudly.
As fishing slowly returned, another strange thing began happening.
Parents started bringing their sons to Richard.
At first, it was only one boy.
A thin fourteen-year-old named Daren whose father awkwardly pushed him forward near the riverbank.
"My son is lazy," the man admitted. "Teach him discipline."
Richard blinked.
"I'm not a teacher."
"You survived Vibrae."
"That's enough for me."
Before Richard could refuse properly, the father walked away.
Daren scratched his head awkwardly.
"So... what do I do?"
Richard stared.
"…I don't know."
Then another boy came.
And another.
Within days, five adolescent boys followed Richard around the fishing grounds.
Some wanted fishing lessons.
Some wanted strength.
One only came to feed Rook scraps.
Richard eventually gave up asking why.
"Why are they following me?" he asked Lara one evening.
She smiled faintly.
"Because people respect strength."
"I killed one creature."
"The creature everyone feared."
"That's different."
"Not to them."
Richard taught them quietly.
How to repair nets.
How to row against currents.
How to work before complaining.
He never tried to sound wise.
Yet somehow, the boys listened.
One afternoon, Richard noticed a younger boy struggling with heavy baskets.
Before he could help, another mocked him.
"You're too weak."
Richard stepped forward.
"How does insulting him help?"
Silence.
"If he's weak, help him become stronger."
The older boy slowly bent down and helped.
Nearby fishermen exchanged glances.
"He talks older than he looks," one muttered.
As days passed, more villagers openly thanked Richard.
One afternoon several fishermen approached.
"We should repay you."
Richard immediately shook his head.
"I only fought because we were hungry."
"We still owe you."
"Then feed your families instead."
The fishermen looked at one another.
Then quietly placed a wrapped package near him.
"For Rook."
Rook immediately stood.
Richard stared.
"…You planned this?"
Laughter spread through the riverbank.
Later that evening, while repairing nets, one boy finally asked:
"Were you afraid fighting Vibrae?"
Richard paused.
Then answered honestly.
"I was terrified."
The boys stared.
"But you still fought."
Richard tied another knot.
"Being afraid and running away are not always the same thing."
Even Lara's father silently listened.
Because once again—
Richard sounded older than he should.
That night rain fell softly over Elden Hollow.
Richard sat awake inside the shed.
His shoulder still hurt.
Rook rested near the doorway.
Then the visions returned.
A massive throne room appeared.
Golden pillars stretched endlessly.
War banners moved slowly.
Fifteen captains stood silently.
At the center—
A sword.
Golden.
Radiating light.
Someone touched it.
Their clothing transformed into flowing golden garments.
Richard froze.
Because the person near the sword looked like him.
Older.
Colder.
A king.
Then the vision changed.
Fire.
Smoke.
Screaming.
Palace walls stained red.
A silver-haired woman crying.
Then darkness.
Richard woke violently.
Breathing hard.
The visions were becoming clearer.
Longer.
More dangerous.
Far beyond Elden Hollow—
beyond provinces and mountains—
stood the Celestial Kingdom.
Fifteen provinces.
Fifteen captains.
One emperor.
And beneath the palace—
an ancient sword waited in silence.
But something else had awakened too.
Deep beneath rivers and oceans—
an underwater kingdom stirred.
Dark coral towers rose through endless waters.
Sea warriors moved between glowing structures.
At the center sat a queen upon a throne of sea stone.
Broken Vibrae scales floated before her.
"A mortal killed Vibrae?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The court murmured.
"That beast destroyed fleets."
"Even sea hunters avoided it."
The queen raised one hand.
"Bring me the Ancient Book of the Seas."
Guards disappeared and returned carrying a chained ancient tome.
The advisor opened it carefully.
Dust drifted from ancient pages.
He searched.
Then stopped.
His expression changed.
"Your Majesty…"
"Read."
He swallowed.
"In the Age of Tides there existed a king who conquered land and sea."
Page turned.
"He subdued merfolk kingdoms."
Another page.
"He defeated sea clans."
Another.
"He forced underwater rulers into submission."
Silence filled the hall.
Then the advisor read one final line.
"Even Vibrae bowed before him."
The queen narrowed her eyes.
"The mortal?"
The advisor looked between the broken scales and old writings.
"He matches prophecy markings."
The chamber became quiet.
Then the queen stood.
"Find him."
"To kill him?"
"No."
A small smile appeared.
"Bring him to me."
Night returned to Elden Hollow.
Rain tapped softly against wood.
Richard finally slept.
Rook guarded the doorway.
Then shadows emerged from nearby waters.
Three sea figures stepped silently onto land.
Their tails shifted into legs.
One removed a crystal bottle.
"Dream Elixir."
Silver mist drifted over Richard.
His eyes opened slightly.
Everything blurred.
"A dream…"
The sea people nodded.
"It worked."
Richard thought he was dreaming.
When water covered the floor—
dream.
When walls disappeared—
dream.
When fish floated through air—
dream.
When strange figures carried him beneath dark waters—
still dream.
Rook suddenly woke.
It barked loudly.
One sea warrior trapped it briefly with flowing water.
When Rook escaped—
Richard was gone.
Morning came.
Lara walked outside.
The shed door stood open.
Rook paced anxiously.
"Richard?"
Nothing.
Only wet footprints.
Leading nowhere.
Meanwhile—
Richard opened his eyes beneath glowing waters.
Massive pillars surrounded him.
Sea guards watched silently.
He rubbed his head.
"…Am I still dreaming?"
A voice answered.
"No."
The queen stepped forward.
"We have waited a long time for you."
Richard sighed tiredly.
"My dreams are becoming strange."
Far above the sea—
Lara searched.
Rook searched.
And beneath silent waters—
Richard had unknowingly returned to a kingdom his past self once ruled.