Rick sat quietly on Scylla's back as the purified megalodon ascended to the surface. The Guardian swam effortlessly through the corrupted waters, which no longer affected her purified form.
As time passed, the bioluminescent glow of Meridia Citadel diminished gradually until it vanished into the darkness below.
Yet, Rick couldn't shake the feeling of failure.
He had really failed at something important for the first time since he got to Zorathia. He had fought a lot of corrupted creatures, beaten a demon king, tamed dragons, and made real connections with five mature women.
They had managed to overcome every challenge through their stubbornness, creativity, or sheer determination, all thanks to his influence and decisions.
But Nerissa rejected him... not with anger or violence, but with the calm finality of someone too broken to accept salvation.
