The Crown's Seduction-Chapter 43: Swallowed Whole by the Sea

Taking in a deep breath, Mineah looked around through the darkness as she tried her best to regain her bearings. She was currently out at sea, and she could tell that her own energy reserves wouldn't be enough to keep back most of the biggest waves with the rate of exertion she was currently having to do.

"I have to be quick," she muttered to herself as she waded through the unnaturally calm waters around her. "I can't keep this up for long."

With another deep breath, Mineah stretched out her palm in front of her. Digging in deep, she called forth a spell that would at least get her out of the icy waters.

"Ice…"

With but a single word, a stream of blue energy erupted from her palm, blanketing the area in front of her with enough cold air for the water to become ice. After a few seconds, she now had a half-decent platform that she could climb onto.

Nodding to herself, Mineah hoisted herself up the block of ice, her body straining from exhaustion as she felt her strength leave her. It would seem that she had already stretched herself from just that one spell alone, even if it was already the one spell she was good at.

'I still have a few more spells left in me,' she mentally tallied. 'I just have to make them count.'

Looking around, the streaks of lightning filling the sky gave her just enough light to make out what exactly was happening around her. Beyond the small patch of calm seas that she had made for herself, what lay beyond was a sea of chaos as waves and howling winds clashed against the temporary barrier of calm she had made for herself.

And even beyond that, she could make out a few Shadow Knights fighting against the Sirens themselves. Lightning and vortexes clashed against the power of Luis and the rest as they held the beasts at bay, seemingly keeping them away from her small barrier as they positioned themselves to protect her.

"Mineah! Where are you?!"

Her eyes lit up as she looked up. To her surprise, Alexa was still flying above her general area. She wasn't completely in her mist form, but it was enough for the older woman to keep flying.

"I'm down here!" she called out.

"Mineah?!"

She couldn't help but smile as Alexa landed on the small patch of ice she made for herself. But while she was happy that the older woman was fine, the fact that the mist coming off her seemingly sparkled with electricity made her doubt that all would be fine.

"Are you alright?" she quickly asked.

"I-I've been better, but we need to get out of here," Alexa quickly replied even as she twitched from the leftover electricity running through her body. "I wasn't directly hit by that strike earlier, thankfully, but I'm still feeling its effects."

Mineah nodded as she let Alexa position herself in front of her. Taking on the same position she once did before they took off earlier, she grabbed onto the older woman in anticipation of their flight.

"Alright…" Alexa breathed out. "Let's hope I can still do this…"

Preparing herself, Mineah closed her eyes in anticipation of the strong winds coming her way. Only, nothing happened as she felt her feet still firmly on the ice block.

"D-Dammit… I'm too weak…"

"Aunt Alexa?"

"I still need… Nghh…"

To her alarm, Alexa kneeled in front of her, the mist around her finally dissipating as she fully reformed back to her original body. Mineah quickly moved to support the older woman, ignoring her own exhaustion in favor of providing help to the one person that truly helped her these past few days.

"I'm… I'm sorry…" Alexa weakly sighed. "I need a moment… Just… let me rest…"

"Alright," Mineah firmly nodded.

Standing up, she looked around at the barrier still protecting them from the Sirens. Sure enough, she could already see the cracks forming from the constant barrage of waves, and it was only a matter of time before they completely collapsed.

"I have to keep them up…"

Stretching both hands out, Mineah poured out what little energy she had left to reinforce the barrier. And for a while, it worked as the calm seas around her kept them from drowning in their icy depths.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to last.

"N-No!"

With a loud crash, Mineah felt her barrier shatter, the feedback from its failure almost making her pass out right then and there if it wasn't for Alexa catching her body.

"Y-You have to leave," Mineah weakly whispered to the older woman. "Y-You can still fly, right?"

"And leave you here to die? Are you insane?" Alexa scoffed.

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Before Mineah could even retort, a massive wave was already upon them as it crashed over the small patch of ice they were standing on. Immediately, she felt her body being washed away from Alexa as they got separated, the last words she heard being the older woman's all but panicked screams.

Lacking in strength, Mineah didn't even have the energy to move her limbs to swim back up to the surface. Try as she might, her body refused to respond.

Her lungs burned as she quickly took in water. She knew she was drowning, but she was utterly powerless to stop it now.

'I-I'm going to die now… Just like that, huh…'

To think that her death would come not with a blood moon, but from being swallowed whole by the sea… She was prepared to die, but not like this.

Once more, she thought of her dear friends and family, and as she sank into the sea, another image filled her thoughts as she felt herself starting to drown. One that she had barely interacted with, but had clearly already wormed his way into her heart.

'Nikolai… I didn't even manage to capture your heart…'

With one last chuckle, Mineah allowed herself to sink into her failures… Only, the last sensations she felt were not one of the dark cold. But instead, it was one of warmth as a familiar voice called out to her.

"Mine…"