𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲. . . sim jaeyun ✔

𝟬𝟰𝟯; an escape into the night

❝ SACRIFICE... 𓏴 ♡

ᶻ 𝘇 𐰁 . . . SECRETS ARE A SACRIFICE ❜ ⸝⸝

⊹ . ◌ ༚ ˳ ✿⠀﹒⠀ ꙳ .

🖇·˚ ≋♡

THEY SLIPPED AWAY FROM THE FOREBODING KEEP, the eerie passivity of the sirens unnerving in its own right. Mizuki couldn't shake the strange sensation coursing through her veins — a mixture of relief and emptiness, as if a piece of her soul had been torn away. She couldn't quite articulate it, but she knew deep down that the pain she had endured was the tether connecting her to the kraken's heart, severed in the wake of her mother's demise.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Mizuki found herself free from the oppressive weight of the curse. The constant presence of the kraken's essence had vanished, leaving her feeling strangely liberated.

'How do we plan to depart?' Mizuki inquired, her voice steady as she stood tall, no longer reliant on Jake's support. 'They control the ship.'

'I scouted the area beforehand,' Jake replied, his gaze fixed on the horizon. 'The witch had a vessel of her own.'

Following Jake's lead, Mizuki turned her attention to the other side of the island, where a smaller ship lay anchored — a far cry from the grandeur of their previous vessel, but a means of escape nonetheless.

'It may not be as swift as our former ship,' Jake conceded, 'but it will suffice for our purposes.'

With a simple gesture, Jake extended his hand, inviting Mizuki to join him on the ship. Without hesitation, she placed her palm in his. Together, they stepped onto the vessel, their footsteps echoing against the wooden planks of the dock.

Once aboard, Jake wasted no time in setting their escape in motion, swiftly preparing the ship for departure. Mizuki joined him in the frantic activity, lending her aid where she could amidst the relentless assault of rain from above.

As she gazed over the edge of the ship, Mizuki's gaze pierced the murky depths below, where the ocean churned with unseen terrors. Even in the relative safety of the shallows, the water seemed to hold secrets too dark to fathom.

'Remove the gangplank, and we'll make our escape,' Jake instructed, his voice urgent with the need for haste. 'We must hide within the storm's embrace.'

Mizuki needed no further prompting. With deft movements, she removed the gangplank, their departure now imminent as they were swept into motion by the relentless force of the storm.

Drawing closer to where Jake stood at the helm, Mizuki couldn't shake the gnawing sense of apprehension that gripped her heart. 'Will the ship withstand the fury of the storm?' she voiced her concerns aloud.

'We will weather the storm,' Jake reassured her, his tone unwavering in its confidence.

'Why are you doing this?' Mizuki couldn't help but question, her curiosity tinged with skepticism.

'You already know,' Jake replied.

Mizuki shook her head, unconvinced. 'I do not believe your motives stem purely from altruism,' she countered, her suspicions lingering like a shadow between them.

'Let me prove it to you, Mizuki, please,' Jake implored, relinquishing his hold on the ship's wheel to fully face her. Stepping closer, his hands cupped her cheeks with a desperate tenderness. Despite the torrential rain, Mizuki could sense the sincerity in his gaze, a vulnerability that belied his stoic facade. 'Every action we've taken, every choice we've made—it weighs heavily on my soul. I've tried to bury it, to convince myself that you were merely a casualty in our struggle. But deep down, I know the truth. You're not just another pawn in our game.'

Mizuki's breath caught in her throat, her emotions swirling like the tumultuous sea surrounding them. Stepping toward the ship's railing, she sought solace in the rhythm of the rain, its relentless assault a stark contrast to the turmoil within her.

'You bear responsibility for my plight,' she acknowledged, her voice laced with bitterness. 'And that burden is yours to carry. But I—' She paused, grappling with the conflicting emotions warring within her. 'I cannot hold you in the same contempt as the others.'

Turning to face him, Mizuki extended her hand in a tentative gesture of reconciliation. Jake's expression softened, a flicker of relief crossing his features as he accepted her outstretched hand.

'I will endeavor to make amends,' he promised earnestly.

'Then you best get to it,' Mizuki replied, a hint of wryness softening her words as a tentative smile graced her lips.