Moments passed that seemed longer than moments. Justin could see the destruction caused by the cythraul's spirit-bombing of Esthean far below. It looked like he was going to land right in the middle of it. He was going to sail over the water, miss the pool, and crash down into the stone buildings.
His body tumbled. He flailed his arms, trying to adjust, but water was everywhere. His open mouth caught a mouthful of water and he coughed, still flailing, somersaulting as he went. As his body turned, he spotted swirling, white water. He straightened out, straining to enter feet-first.
In his panic, he did not have the presence of mind to take a deep breath before going under, but it would have been a futile gesture, anyway. The impact and sudden pressure of water enveloping him forced all air from his lungs. A great bubble came out of his mouth, and all he knew was chaotic, slamming turbulence as he desperately tried to swim for a surface that seemed impossibly distant.