31. Maw's of the Beast

The wooden golem slowed its approach, its massive limbs parting the water with steady, rhythmic splashes.

In front of them loomed the titan, a living mountain that towered into the sky. From this close, its sheer size was overwhelming.

Every step it took sent tremors rippling through the ocean, creating waves large enough to toss entire ships like toys. The group held on tightly as the golem rocked with the shifting tide.

"Every step it takes... it's like the ocean itself is trembling in fear," Wuxian muttered, his usually calm voice tinged with unease. He tightened his grip on the golem's wooden frame, his gaze fixed on the impossibly large creature.

Amiyan frowned, his sharp eyes narrowing. "It's not just the steps. Look at its size—how does it even stand without being crushed by it's own weight?"

Elliot remained silent, his gaze locked on the distant citadel atop the colossus's back. The citadel called to him, a magnetic pull that made the roar of the waves and the shaking of their platform feel distant, muted.

Wuxian noticed his silence. "Elliot? You still with us?"

"Yeah," Elliot replied quickly, blinking as though waking from a trance. "I'm fine. Just... trying to figure out how we're supposed to climb that thing."

Amiyan smirked faintly, the tension in his jaw softening for just a moment. "Why don't you fly up there, martial artist? I've seen you leap higher than rooftops. A mountain-sized turtle shouldn't be a problem for you."

"Funny," Wuxian shot back, "but unless you've got a magic wings hidden in your dimension pouch, I think we're all stuck here on the water."

"Maybe the golem can climb?" Elliot suggested, though his tone lacked confidence.

"Climb what?" Amiyan countered, pointing at the titan's leg. "Its skin looks tougher than steel. The golem would splinter before it made it halfway."

"Besides, look at those massive waves it creates with each step. We'll drown before we get near those legs." Wuxian added.

The banter paused as the waves around them grew unnervingly calm. The air shifted, a sudden silence enveloping the world like a suffocating blanket.

"Huh? Why'd it stop?" Wuxian asked, his voice low, his hand instinctively moving toward his weapon.

Elliot's stomach twisted. "I don't think it stopped."

The three looked up, and their breath caught in unison. The sky was gone, replaced by an enormous shadow. Above them, a vast, gaping hole descended—a maw large enough to devour entire fleet.

"It's the mouth!" Amiyan shouted, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

"Move!" Wuxian yelled, his usual composure shattered as he grabbed Elliot's arm and pulled. The golem rocked violently as they scrambled to find an escape.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Amiyan yelled, panic lacing his words. "It's going to eat us!"

"Wait!" Elliot shouted back, though he didn't move to run. His gaze was locked on the descending mouth, his heart pounding.

"Elliot, what are you doing?!" Wuxian grabbed him again, his voice frantic.

"Let it take us," Elliot said, his voice startlingly calm despite the chaos around them.

"What?" Amiyan snapped, his eyes wild.

"Trust me," Elliot said, stepping forward. "We need to get inside it. This might be the only way."

Wuxian hesitated, his grip tightening. "Elliot, you're out of your mind."

"Maybe," Elliot admitted, meeting his gaze. "But it's the only way forward."

The air grew thick as the titan's mouth closed around them, and the world plunged into darkness.

Elliot's gaze remained steady. "I can feel it. The citadel's call... it's not just from above. It's from within. This is how we get there."

"That's the worst plan I've ever heard!" Wuxian protested, but his voice cracked as the titan's mouth grew impossibly close.

"Trust me," Elliot said, his tone firm despite the scene.

The titan's jaws snapped shut, engulfing them in darkness.

The descent was pure chaos. The golem, caught in the relentless current, was sucked into the titan's maw like a leaf in a raging torrent.

Shadows swallowed them whole as the thunderous roar of water drowned out every other sound.

"Hold on to something!" Amiyan shouted, his voice barely audible over the deafening cascade.

"Hold on to what?!" Wuxian's panicked shout was edged with hysteria, his fingers clawing at the golem's slick, shifting frame.

The world became a nightmarish blur as they were pulled into a living abyss. The walls of the titan's throat were damp and pulsating, their grotesque texture sickeningly alive.

The air reeked of decay and salt, an oppressive, cloying stench that made breathing a struggle.

Elliot's voice rang out, raw and urgent. "Hold tight! Don't let go!" He clung desperately to the golem's surface, the rough bark offering little grip as they hurtled deeper into the monstrous darkness.

The walls closed in, slick and humid, as if the titan itself were trying to crush them. A sickening, squelching noise accompanied every jolt and turn.

The sound of rushing air and seawater screamed in their ears, punctuated by Amiyan's strained shout. "This is madness! We're not going to make it!"

The golem lurched violently, its branches snagging on the fleshy walls with a stomach-churning rip. The sudden impact sent them tumbling, colliding into one another as they were thrown like rag dolls.

They finally came to a halt. Silence followed, deafening and suffocating, broken only by their soft groans and labored breaths.

"Ugh... You're heavy. Elliot, get off me," Wuxian groaned, his voice muffled under the weight of Elliot's body.

Elliot blinked, disoriented from the fall. "What?" He shifted slightly, only to realize the "soft landing" he'd felt was decidedly not the ground beneath him.

"You heard me," Wuxian huffed, his tone a mix of irritation and amusement? "I'd appreciate it if you stopped using me as your personal cushion."

"Personal cushion?" Elliot chuckled, pushing himself up, though his face still held that awkwardly sheepish look. "My bad. But hey, you're surprisingly comfortable. For a martial artist, you're softer than I expected."

Wuxian snorted, wiping a hand across his face to clear his bangs. He accepted Elliot's outstretched hand with an exaggerated sigh. "I thought heroes were supposed to land on their feet. Guess you missed that part of the training."

"Hey," Elliot shot back, grinning despite the chaos, "At least I didn't scream like you did."

"I didn't scream!" Wuxian replied quickly.

"Sure you do," Elliot teased, raising an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure I heard you yelping back back there."

Wuxian crossed his arms, clearly trying to maintain some semblance of dignity despite the laughter in his eyes. "I don't recall yelping."

"And if I did, maybe it's came out of being pancaked under your heavy backside," Wuxian muttered, still trying to sound offended but clearly fighting a grin.

"Not sure how to feel about that," Elliot said, shrugging theatrically. "I've been described many things, but having a heavy butt wasn't one of them."

Before Wuxian could retort, Amiyan called out from the darkness. "If you two are done flirting, we have a bigger problem. We're inside a giant monster!"

Amiyan's voice interrupted their banter, pulling them back to reality. "This is no time for jokes, you two. Do you see where we are?"

"I see... darkness and... more darkness," Elliot grumbled, his voice turning serious.

Wuxian squinted into the pitch-blackness. "You think the titan's insides are *this* dark on purpose, or is this just bad interior decorating?"

"Are you always this... lighthearted in the face of danger?" Amiyan asked, his tone a mixture of annoyance and disbelief.

"Sorry... I'm just trying to lighten up the mood," Wuxian responded with a wry smile.

"We need to find a way out." Amiyan muttered, his voice low. "I'm not sure how much of this I can take." He paused, glancing around.

"Right," Wuxian said, "We can't just sit here and let it digest us. Though, I'm sure we'll make an excellent snack."

Amiyan shot him a deadpan look. "Not funny."

"I mean, who knew? Maybe all this time, I was secretly a delicious treat." Wuxian said, his grin stretching wider.

"Yeah, I'm sure your *martial artist muscles* would've been a delicacy," Elliot teased. "Not sure how It'd fare in the 'gourmet' category, though."

"I'm sure they'll fare well. They're perfectly marinated." Wuxian shot back.

"Yeah, in titan's saliva and gastric juices," Elliot said, "That doesn't exactly sound so appetizing."

The mood was suddenly interrupted as Amiyan scrambled through the murk, trying to keep his bearings. "Guys, we need to focus. Come. Let's stick together."

But before they could respond, Amiyan froze. "Elliot, are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Elliot's head whipped around, suddenly alert. "Yes. What's wrong?"

Amiyan's voice shook as he spoke. "Oh... It's just your hand felt very cold.*"

Wuxian's face paled, his usual confidence faltered. "He's right. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

There was a heavy silence.

"What?" Elliot asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "What do you mean? I'm not holding anyone's hand..."

Amiyan's blood ran cold. "You're messing with us."

"I'm not." Elliot's voice was firm, but a tremor lingered beneath.