The water was colder than it looked, glowing in a gentle hue.
Akamir hit the surface hard, dragging Zaina close to him as they plunged beneath.
For a moment, everything went still and then the pressure of the fall knocked the air from his lungs, but something else caught his attention.
The water shimmered faintly, not with light, but with a low hum of energy that crawled along his skin.
It only took him a second to notice it was Liquid mana.
His body reacted instantly, warmth pushing into his limbs, flooding his veins.
He tightened his grip on Zaina and kicked upward, dragging her along with him.
"Get to the shore!" he shouted once they surfaced.
Viros came up next, gasping, followed by Luca who sputtered and wiped his eyes.
Lyselle surfaced moments later, arms flailing, her eyes wide.
"The water!" she gasped. "It's—"
"Mana," Akamir cut in, already swimming fast toward the shore. "Don't let it seep in too much. you will die from mana poisoning."
