Quick Escape

June couldn't see where he was going, but he could still make out his sense of direction. If he simply gilded forward, they'd move past the haunting Sea Maidens, and hopefully be in the clear.

'I can do this.'

From the looks of it, the Sea Maidens weren't able to harm him physically, only mentally.

This gave him a chance to get past them. All he had to do was not succumb to the ear-piercing whispers that had only grown louder.

Wincing, June yelled:

"Gemm!"

Unfortunately, he got no reply.

Stopping for a moment, he used his hands to check if Gemm was still aboard, which she was. However, she wasn't squirming any longer, nor was she moaning from the pain.

She was just still.

'Is she…'

Shaking his head, June discarded such thoughts. He hoped that wasn't the case, and she had simply passed out from the weight of the pain.

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

The voices continued, each one louder than the next. Gritting his teeth, June continued rowing as best he could. His mind felt heavy, and his skin crawled, but he ignored it all.

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

'Shutup!'

He could feel chills on his skin, lifting the ends of his hair and sending an unpleasant feeling through his soul.

'Wait…'

At that moment, June realized something — something that sent a warmth through him, quelling the unease that threatened to consume him seconds ago. Without hesitation, he called upon his Runic Web. 

Although he couldn't open his eyes, he didn't have to.

The Runic Web was a part of him now, becoming a consciousness that existed alongside him, allowing him to navigate through it without vision. Soon, June summoned the [Pendant of Sorrow] and continued rowing.

Immediately, he felt a soft string wrap itself around his neck. With it, the flimsy weight of a pendant dangled.

June recalled the description of the pendant — specifically, its charm.

[Pendant Of Sorrow]: This Pendant allows thee who wears it a small immunity to mental and spiritual attacks from the blessing of a dying wish.

He should've equipped it the moment he arrived within the Ark. Nevertheless, he had done so now.

It didn't take long for the voices to wane under the charm of the Item. However, it couldn't fully nullify the effects of the Sea Maidens.

'Still, this is more than enough!'

Feeling a new sense of motivation, June hurried forward.

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

A voice rang out once more, but severely weaker compared to before.

Not only had the voices been nerfed in terms of number, but also in weight.

They weren't as ear-piercing or menacing compared to before. They had simply devolved into whispers that both failed to bring him pain and affect his mind. 

He could hear the motion of the Sea Maidens moving through the water, some more restless than others, but they did not attack.

June kept his eyes shut tightly despite now wearing an item that granted him partial immunity to mental attacks. After all, he could still be susceptible to the cursed gazes if not the voices of the Sea Maidens. 

He wasn't willing to take the risk.

Over the next few minutes, June just rowed without stopping. The oar smoothly glided through the deep waters, and the Sea Maidens presence grew further apart from them.

Eventually, he created a far enough distance where the whispers completely subsided. 

But before he opened his eyes, he waited a bit. After a few long minutes, he then very cautiously opened them. He was still fearful, and Gemm's warning remained echoing within his mind.

After he managed that, he took a wary look around before letting out a sigh of relief.

'I… did it.'

Once again, there was nothing but the distant fog and close by water surrounding them. 

With a gulp, he took a look at Gemm. She was sweating profusely, but other than that she was breathing. She had only passed out, thankfully.

'What now…'

He took another look around, this time searching for a sign of the Hidden Temple or any land that would allow them to rest. But there was nothing. 

Despite having traveled only a short distance, they had ventured deep enough into the fog that the surroundings were mostly enshrouded. That, and several new whispers lingered, likely emanating from the fog itself.

'Crap.'

He couldn't do much else but hope that wherever he went, there would be land — or something.

So, he continued onwards. In time, Gemm would awake, so for now, it was up to June. Luckily, he was still aware of his sense of direction, so he knew he was headed east.

The only problem — apart from him being responsible for both their lives — was how June would manage to find shelter before nightfall. The thought of traveling through the fog during the night didn't sound like the brightest of things… and would likely get them killed. June wanted to avoid that, if possible.

Thankfully, he had quite a bit of time to do just that.

The feeling of holding someone else's life in his hands brought an unwelcoming weight that threatened to crack him, though. But he tried his best not to let it bring him down. If anything, it made him more determined.

Clearing his throat, he continued rowing ahead. For a few seconds, that is, before he suddenly crashed.

"C-crap!"

Due to the fog, he hadn't seen the stone structure that stood in his way until the last second.

A bit dazed, June calmed himself down before taking a closer look. It was tall, that much he knew as he craned his neck to see it stretch far above the fog, like a mountain rising into the clouds.

'Could it be land..?'

June wondered to himself, hoping that was the case. He took a glance at Gemm for a short moment, and then moved around the structure, looking for an opening or spot of some kind.

Upon moving further, he soon realized the stone structure was not land, but rather a statue of sorts — at least partially. He couldn't properly discern what he was looking at, but the more he moved around it, the clearer the picture became.

To him, it seemed like a mountain — only, adorned with a statue. 

Moving closer, he soon saw the design of a weathered stone mouth and face, as well as a single arm reaching out into the distance that couldn't be missed. All of it was jutting out, resembling the face of a woman carved by the hands of nature itself, seamlessly integrated into the rocky spine of the mountain.

It was both beautiful, yet unsettling.