Fire [Part 2]

Cold.

The water was so cold.

It clung to Aziz like a second skin, leeching away warmth and strength. Above him, fire raged across the river's surface, its light flickering faintly in the depths.

Yet, despite the heat of the flames, he felt as though he couldn't move. Something was wrong. He could feel it deep within—something had shifted, broken.

The connection.

It was faint now, thinner than a thread. The tether that bound his internal energy to the Divine Snake had never felt this weak. He didn't understand why, but the truth was slowly piecing itself together. Something had happened to the Divine Snake.

The last time he had died, the cycle of revival had shortened to mere minutes. Now, submerged in this abyss, the connection was almost nonexistent.

The Divine Snake was dying.

Why?

Aziz didn't know. Perhaps if he'd gone to see the Divine Snake sooner, he could have found answers.