---
*Chapter Eight: Beneath the Still Waters*
The next morning, a fog rolled in thick and heavy over the Ping River. The sun barely pierced through the mist as the team made their way toward the *Wat Sai Nam*, the hidden shrine beneath the water, known in old texts as the *Heart of the River God*.
They walked in silence, weighed down by both tension and tiredness. After the theatre spirit's release, they all knew they were closing in on something ancient. Dangerous. And watching.
Only Jun's voice broke the quiet. "Wat Sai Nam was sealed off during the Ayutthaya period. The river monks believe it protects a power too old to name."
Dao walked beside him, uncharacteristically quiet, their fan clutched tightly. "Spirits here don't whisper. They drown you."
Lek glanced up from his map. "So how do we even get in?"
Tawin didn't answer. He kept walking, face unreadable.
Mark stopped at the river's edge. "We're not going in through the front."
Jun turned to him. "You know a way?"
"I've been here before," Mark said. "During one of my first missions. There's a submerged passage beneath the dock ruins."
Jun's brows lifted. "You've been here and never told anyone?"
Mark didn't answer. His jaw tightened, and he turned away.
Jun stared at him, but said nothing.
Dao, watching from the side, murmured under their breath, "Secrets. Everyone's got them."
---
The Descent
The river was colder than expected, even in Chiang Mai's heat. The old dock was half-rotted, covered in algae and forgotten offerings. Beneath it, a stone archway lay just beneath the surface — a tunnel carved long ago.
They dove in, holding charms to protect their breath and light their way.
Mark led.
Jun followed, swimming close, eyes flickering with anxiety and awe.
The tunnel twisted like a serpent under the riverbed. At one point, the passage narrowed so tightly that even Mark hesitated.
Behind them, Lek muttered, "If I drown in a haunted underwater tunnel, I'm blaming all of you."
Then, finally, they surfaced into air — an *underground chamber*, massive and echoing, with water cascading down its walls in slow, sacred trickles. In the center stood a shrine of *jade and coral*, ancient and pristine.
Mark climbed out first, helping Jun up after. Their hands lingered a second too long.
Dao rose next, flipping wet hair out of their face with flair. "I feel like a cursed mermaid."
Tawin emerged silently, shaking water from his sleeves.
Lek pulled himself up last and sat hard on the stone. "So where's the monster?"
---
A Quiet Danger
There wasn't one.
The chamber was… calm.
Too calm.
Jun stepped forward, hand hovering over the seal carved into the jade shrine. "It's not damaged," he whispered. "This one hasn't been touched."
Dao raised an eyebrow. "Then why are we here?"
Mark scanned the chamber, eyes sharp. "Because someone wants us here."
Just then, the seal *cracked*.
A single line split the jade altar down the center. A rush of cold wind blew through the chamber — unnatural, piercing.
Jun stumbled back.
From the shadows beyond the shrine, *a cloaked figure appeared*, robes soaked, face hidden behind a river mask.
"Welcome," the voice rasped. "You brought the light… now let it drown."
The figure raised a hand, and *the water surged*.
It wasn't just a wave — it was alive. Water shaped like arms, like ropes, like faces screaming in silence.
---
The Flood Fight
Mark lunged first, blade flashing in the dim light.
Tawin was next, striking with the flat of his daggers, slicing at the animated water limbs.
Jun stood still, hands forming glowing sigils mid-air, trying to counter the flood's enchantment.
Dao threw talismans that hissed in steam, but the water kept coming.
Lek was swept off his feet. "I take back what I said! THIS is worse than the theatre!"
The masked figure didn't move — only watched.
Then they turned to flee.
Mark snarled. "Tawin! With me!"
The two chased after the figure, disappearing down a stone hallway.
Jun's chant reached a crescendo. A dome of light burst around him, pushing the water back temporarily.
Dao helped Lek up. "Remind me never to follow Mark into tunnels again."
Jun knelt at the shrine, eyes narrowed. "This wasn't a real seal breach. It was bait."
Dao frowned. "To separate us."
---
A Wound in Trust
Down the corridor, Mark and Tawin pursued the masked intruder. The passage twisted, then opened into a vaulted chamber of statues and broken prayer bowls.
The figure stood there, waiting.
Tawin froze. "Trap."
Too late.
The doors slammed shut behind them, and *sigils lit up* around the room.
Mark raised his blade. "Show yourself."
The figure removed their mask.
Mark's eyes widened. "You—?!"
Mark looked at him then. "You shouldn't be near me. This is getting worse."
Jun didn't move away. "And if I stay, what happens?"
"You get hurt."
Jun shook his head. "Mark… I've been hurt before. But I've never regretted staying."
Mark looked down, tension tightening every line of his body.
Jun reached up, gently placing a hand over Mark's chest. "Let me in."
For a moment, nothing.
Then Mark covered Jun's hand with his own.
"I'm trying."
---
Unseen Eyes
High above, from a rooftop across the street, the villain watched them through a crystal mirror.
The image of Jun and Mark together shimmered in the dark glass.
"They're getting close," the villain murmured. "Time to test their bonds."
A shadow stepped behind them — the *true traitor*, face obscured.
"They trust you," the villain said.
The traitor nodded.
"Then it's time you use that trust… to break them."
Want me to continue right away?
But before anything else could be said, the figure vanished in smoke.
Tawin looked at Mark, uneasy. "You recognized them."
Mark didn't answer. His fists clenched. "We need to get back. Now."
---
Hidden Motives
Back in the seal chamber, Jun was still kneeling at the altar. Dao and Lek stood guard, tension humming in the air.
Mark and Tawin returned, soaked and grim.
Jun looked up. "You saw them?"
Mark nodded. "Just a puppet. No real power. But someone's orchestrating this."
Dao stepped forward, brow furrowed. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Mark met Jun's eyes… then looked away.
Jun frowned. Something was off.
"Mark…"
But Mark didn't answer.
---
A Soft Moment in the Dark
Later that night, back in the guesthouse, Mark stood alone in the courtyard, blade sheathed at his back, eyes on the stars.
Jun approached quietly, wrapping a shawl around his shoulders. "You're cold."
Mark didn't look at him. "I'm fine."
Jun stepped closer. "You're lying again."
Silence.
Finally, Mark spoke. "I recognized the figure. A hunter who vanished three years ago. I thought they were dead."
Jun's eyes widened. "You knew them?"
"I trained with them," Mark said, voice rough. "They were one of the best. And… they betrayed us."
Jun's breath caught.
To be continued