It took him a moment, but Nereus soon realized that this wasn't just the simple act of a kiss—there was power in it, a deep, healing energy that flowed from her to him.
At that moment all of his wounds began to illuminate with a pale green light before they then began to mend in an instant. Next, the fatigue and pain that had threatened to overwhelm him faded away, replaced by a surge of vitality that reignited his strength. And most surprisingly of all, the sea essence within him, which had been nearly exhausted, replenished rapidly as if he had tapped into a limitless wellspring.
Nereus pulled back slightly breaking their kiss, before staring at her in awe and disbelief. "H-How…?"
She only smiled, her expression serene and knowing, as if she had always known that they would survive.
Feeling her confidence bolstered him, and for the first time since the chamber began to collapse, Nereus felt hope.
"Change of plans, we're not going to die here," he declared, his voice filled with newfound resolve. "Not today."
With the Spatial Pearl clutched tightly in his hand, Nereus concentrated, channeling his revitalized sea essence into the artifact. At that moment the pearl pulsed in response, its radiant lavender glow intensifying as it activated.
WHOOSH
In a flash, both Nereus and the girl vanished, disappearing into the pocket dimension housed within the pearl.
But still, the pearl, now imbued with Nereus's will, began to move through the air, squeezing through the narrow gaps between the rocks that blocked their escape.
It slid effortlessly between the crevices, bypassing the debris that would have otherwise trapped them forever in the collapsing chamber.
SWOOSH
And with a final surge and flourish, the pearl forced its way through the last barrier and shot out of the maze, free at last.
Outside the maze, the tension was palpable but also colored by a gray haze of melancholy.
The entrance, where the Vorteesi Sect members and waiting families swam, had grown eerily quiet after news of each of the participants' demise reached the outside world. The bonded Soul Pearls that every participant had, had already displayed the shocking revelation that several contestants had perished, their deaths rippling through the waiting crowd like a tidal wave.
The families of those participants, some aided by sympathetic guards and comforting attendants, understandably so soon made their exits swiftly after receiving the unfortunate announcements. As such the crowd of onlookers had thinned considerably in comparison to those present when the contestants were entering the maze, but the onlookers still numbered in the low thousands
"Arghhh watch out you're in the way!"
"Holy depths I see the light! W-We actually made it out haha!"
Ruth and Rave were the first to emerge from the maze's depths, their bodies battered but their hands clutching the glowing essence crystals they had fought so hard to obtain.
"Oh wow! But of course the amazing dual affinity sealockes Ruth and Rave Nyx were the first to make it out!" congratulated one sect member.
"Clear a path! Make way for the 1st and 2nd place contestants!" declared another.
"To make it out ahead of everyone?! I bet they're definitely the most powerful of the lot, our Vorteesi sect is truly blessed!" yet another couldn't help but remark.
The moment they stepped out into the open, the sect members erupted into cheers, rushing to greet the victorious twins. It was clear to see that the sect was filled with pride and jubilation at their return.
But amidst the celebration, there was an undercurrent of unease.
Among those gathered was Avriel Caerule, head of the Caerule clan with his son Dante. Avriel's face was a mask of barely contained grief and fury, his eyes dark with the knowledge that his son, Devran, was gone.
He had felt something was gravely wrong even before the moment the Soul Pearls had displayed his death, and now he swam among the crowd, silently mourning the loss of his eldest, his heir.
He had come to the maze hoping to see his son return victorious, only to be greeted with the cold, hard truth of his demise.
"I'm so sorry for your loss Avriel." one sect member lamented.
The sect elders had all offered words of condolence and sect master Kano had even offered to personally escort him home if the festivities proved to much to bear, but they did little to ease Avriel's pain.
The water around him crackled with barely restrained power and volatile sea essence as he clenched his fists, his grief giving way to anger as he cast dark glances at those who had survived.
'He should still be here!' he raged inside.
Meanwhile the twins, Ruth and Rave, were too busy basking in the glory of their victory to notice, but the tension was undeniable.
As the cheers for the twins began to subside, Triton and Jonny emerged next, both of them visibly shaken and worn from their ordeal.
The moment they were recognized, a fresh wave of applause and celebration greeted them, their families and sect members rushing forward to embrace them.
"No way is that the Vanderbilt boy and the Earendil bastard! I can't believe they managed so well in this trial" a sect member 'congratulated' in disbelief.
"Who would've thought our Vorteesi sect would produce not one, but two dark seahorses this Inner Core cycle!" said one sect elder with eyes as wide as saucers.
"You did it!" Triton's mother exclaimed, pulling him into a tight hug.
"I'm so proud of you my boy" said Jonny's father Richard with a huge grin on his face.
But even amidst the praise and relief, Triton and Jonny couldn't hide the worry etched on their faces. They scanned the entrance desperately, their hearts sinking with each passing moment.
"Where's Argent?" Jonny asked, his voice tinged with dread.
Triton, his expression dark, shook his head. "He was right behind us… H-he said he'd be right behind us…"
The reality of the situation began to settle in, and both young mermen felt a crushing sense of loss.
'T-There's no way he didn't make it out...right?' Jonny grappled internally in disbelief at at the darkest possibility. He knew that Argent's Soul Pearl was still intact which meant he was still alive but that didn't bar the possibility that he was trapped within the collapsed inner maze forever.
At that moment his shoulder slumped before his eyes began brimming with tears as the possibility that Argent hadn't made it out became all too real.
Triton, usually so composed, was equally devastated, the weight of their friend's potential sacrifice heavy on his heart.
Not far away, Beatrix and Brutus, members of the Vorteesi sect who had long harbored jealousy and disdain for Argent, exchanged secretive side eye glances. The absence of Argent sparked a quiet, unspoken satisfaction in them—a competitor removed from their path and a secret successfully kept hidden.
Kano on the other hand had a current countenance that was in stark contrast to his wife's, he swam silently apart from the others with a face that shown as a mask of disappointment, but deeper down, storms of regret and shame raged in his mind.
As the crowd began to murmur and the celebratory atmosphere faded, Triton and Jonny were lost in their grief, unable to comprehend the reality that their friend might be gone forever.
And then, just as all hope seemed lost, a bright, radiant light emerged from the entrance of the maze.
The crowd gasped, their attention snapping back to the dark opening as the glowing figure of Nereus swimming out into the open. In his hand, Nereus held an essence crystal, its light reflecting off his determined features.
"Argent!" Triton and Jonny shouted in unison, their despair turning instantly to elation.
They rushed toward him, their relief palpable as they saw him standing before them, whole and victorious.
"I-Impossible! The Nyx bastard made it out too!" a shocked sect member 'congratulated'.
"By the depths this here elder had eyes but truly could not see the seamount Tai!" exclaimed one elder in disbelief.
"Oh yeah he's the third dual cultivator discovered in this lot right? No wonder he made it out!" another elder added haughtily.
Nevertheless the crowd erupted once more, this time with genuine, heartfelt cheers that echoed across the seascape.
But Nereus, despite the overwhelming welcome, remained calm, his thoughts still focused on the young sea serpent girl with the mysterious healing power, now safely hidden within the pocket dimension of the Spatial Pearl.
'I'll have to deal with the problem her existence outside of the maze presents as well as delve into the specifics of that strange healing ability at some point, but atleast for now she's safe and hidden...' he mentally sighed in relief.
As the sect members and families swarmed around him, Nereus allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.
All that mattered right now is that he had survived, and so had she.