The sun was bright, but the usual morning energy was missing. The cultists moved with their familiar calm, chatting quietly as if nothing had happened. But the visitors — us — we were different. Quiet. Edgy. We barely exchanged words, each lost in our own terrifying dreams.
Breakfast was served, eaten in silence at the communal table. The villagers watched us closely, their eyes calm but unblinking.
After the meal, we were led toward the Black Lake again. The morning air was breezy, but the lake remained unnervingly still, its dark surface reflecting nothing back.
The cultists gathered around the shore, beginning a soft chant. We joined hesitantly, feeling the weight of the ritual.
There was no escaping it. The King's call had begun.
The chant grew soft and low, blending with the morning.
Suddenly, the surface of the Black Lake began to ripple — slowly at first, then spreading out in gentle waves.
One by one, the items we had thrown in the night before started to rise from the depths.
My coin I had given floated up, darkened and scratched as if it had aged years beneath the water.
The jars, the carved figures, the bundles — all came back to us, carried by the lake itself, as if the water was alive, deciding what to return.
The villagers reached out, catching the offerings.
"The King remembers," the woman whispered, her voice barely audible over the quiet lapping of the water.
A strange weight settled in my chest — heavy.
As we stood by the shore, the items—our offerings—were gently lifted from the lake's dark depths, resting before us. The old woman from the village approached quietly, her eyes calm but filled with knowing.
"These tokens carry more than memory," she said softly. "The King's blessing binds you now. Through what you gave, he reaches inside your mind. You will hear his call in dreams, see his shadow in the corner of your eyes, feel his breath when the wind stirs. You can see what the King sees, dream what he dreams, and hear what he hears."
Hana swallowed hard. "What... what does that mean for us?"
She smiled faintly. "It means you are no longer just visitors. You belong to him — in ways you cannot yet understand."
A chill crept along my spine as I glanced at my coin, its surface now faintly shimmering.
"Be wary," the woman warned. "The link is both a gift... and a chain."
The woman's gaze drifted back toward the lake's glassy surface. "If you want to experience it yourself, go by the lake at night. You will hear his breathing—soft, slow, and deep. The King slumbers beneath the black waters, but even in sleep, he listens."
She paused, then added quietly, "But remember—don't drink the lake water. The King doesn't like that."
Andrew scoffed, "Breathing? What, like some giant underwater monster snoring?"
Hana shivered, crossing her arms. "It's not just some story, Andrew."
Josh rubbed the back of his neck, glancing toward the lake. "I don't know… hearing the King's breath? That's creepy as hell. But it makes sense with all this weird stuff happening."
Lexi leaned closer, whispering, "If it's true, then we're living with something far bigger than us."
I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the woman's words settle around us. "So… if he's slumbering down there, what happens if he wakes up?"
Andrew shook his head, trying to break the tension. "Alright, enough with the spooky stories. We've got a long day ahead. Let's just get through this morning ritual and figure out what's really going on."
Hana's eyes stayed fixed on the lake. "You don't get it, Andrew. This isn't just some ritual. This King… he's watching. Even if he's asleep, he's aware."
Andrew blinked, confused. "Huh? What the hell are you talking about?"
Josh frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, Hana… are you feeling alright? You sound… different."
Lexi glanced nervously between us. "I don't know, but… she might be right. There's something off."
I took a deep breath, my voice low. "Last night, I saw him. A shape—massive, like a mountain lying beneath the water. It stretched so far I couldn't see the edges. He wasn't close, but not far either. Just… watching. It felt like he's so huge that the lake is just his resting place."
Andrew shook his head, trying to laugh it off, but it came out hollow. "Come on, that sounds like some horror movie crap. A giant monster sleeping under a lake? Seriously?"
Josh ran a hand through his hair, eyes darting nervously toward the water. "I don't know, man… I can't shake this feeling that we're way out of our depth here."
Lexi swallowed hard, voice trembling just a little. "It's like the whole island is holding its breath… waiting for something."
Hana stared at me, her gaze intense. "You saw it because the King let you. He wants you to know."
I looked back at the lake, the dark water almost calling to me. "And if he's really watching… what happens when he wakes up?"