Trapped In Elysium: A Virtual Reality Nightmare-Chapter 62: Relief

The deck was heavy with grief. A silence hung in the air, broken only by the creaking of the sails and the gentle lap of calm waves—as if the storm had never happened. The remnants of chaos were still scattered across the ship: broken barrels, tangled ropes, soaked planks... but none of that compared to the feeling of loss that sat deep in everyone’s chest.

Sophia hadn’t moved from the spot where she last saw Liam vanish beneath the waves. Her knees hugged to her chest, tears streaming silently down her face as the wind played gently with strands of her golden hair. Eleanor stood beside her, a strong hand resting on her shoulder, eyes glassy but voice steady as she whispered soft reassurances, though her own heart ached just as much.

Even Sera, who normally held her composure well, stood a little apart from the group, hands shaking slightly as she stared out into the endless sea. Her lips moved slowly, as if muttering a silent prayer—or perhaps trying to speak Liam’s name but unable to form it.

It was the dwarf who finally broke the silence, his voice sharp and cold.

"I’m sorry for the loss," he said bluntly, "but this doesn’t change the mission. Liam or not, we still have a task to complete. We can’t lose sight of that."

Heads turned sharply, eyes filled with disbelief.

Sera looked at him like she’d never seen him before. "You can’t be serious..." she whispered.

"You greedy bastard!" Jason roared before anyone else could respond. His fists flew before the dwarf had time to blink—he tackled him to the deck, fists slamming into the dwarf’s shoulder as the others rushed forward to pull him back.

"HE JUST DIED!" Jason bellowed. "HE DIED TRYING TO SAVE SOMEONE!"

The dwarf grunted beneath him, managing to shove Marcus off with a curse, "I didn’t say I didn’t care! But we have a job to do, or we all die for nothing."

Marcus pulled Jason back, face grim. "That’s enough," he said, though the fire in his eyes showed he wasn’t any less angry.

Captain Ander hadn’t spoken a word since he watched his daughter slip into the ocean. He was slumped at the helm now, gripping the wheel with white knuckles, eyes red but wide open—staring, but not seeing.

Finally, he turned to his crew, voice gravelly and low. "Take one of the boats. Search the water. She might be alive. Liam too. Just... try."

The crew hesitated, but nodded, knowing it was more a plea than a command.

"I’ll go," Marcus said suddenly, stepping forward. "I’ll go with them."

Jason looked at him, surprised. "You sure?"

Marcus didn’t even look back. "I can feel him," he muttered under his breath. "I don’t know how... but I can feel him. Like a thread that hasn’t snapped yet." Jason immediately followed him.

As the small boat was lowered into the calm sea, Sophia’s quiet sobs echoed softly. Eleanor knelt beside her now, arms wrapped around her, rocking gently as if trying to keep her grounded.

No one dared say it, but the thought lingered in everyone’s mind: Was there really still hope? Or were they clinging to a ghost already gone?

The air was still thick with a low fog, curling above the calm sea like silent ghosts. Even though the storm had passed, the silence it left behind was just as haunting. Visibility was low, and the sky remained a dull gray, masking the sun behind dense clouds.

Captain Ander had ordered every available hand into the search. Von, the towering, burly guide with the grim expression, didn’t hesitate. Without a word, he and his two silent companions took one of the smaller boats and rowed out into the misty waters, their presence like shadows against the low light.

"Fan out. Watch closely," Von said in his deep gravelly voice, more to his men than anyone else.

Farther off in another boat, Marcus sat forward with his eyes scanning the endless ocean. He squinted into the fog, every second dragging by like an hour. The air felt thick with expectation... and dread. Then, suddenly—he saw it.

"WAIT—THERE!!" Marcus shot to his feet, nearly tipping the boat. "I see something! I FUCKING SEE HIM!!"

Jason almost dropped his oar, spinning to look in the same direction. Faintly, in the distance, barely distinguishable through the mist, was a large piece of wood—barely floating—and two figures slumped over it.

"ROW! ROW FASTER!" Marcus yelled, grabbing the oars himself and paddling with all his strength, water splashing over the boat’s edge.

Von’s boat wasn’t far behind. The moment he caught sight of the scene, he didn’t hesitate.

Without a word, he stood, bracing his legs, and then leapt clean off the boat like a cannonball, making a massive splash that sent ripples across the quiet sea.

Liam, barely conscious, raised his head sluggishly at the sudden noise. His arms were still draped over the drifting plank of wood, and Mariel lay motionless across it as well. His limbs were numb. His muscles had long given up, only adrenaline had carried him this far—and now even that was gone.

He blinked once, and suddenly Von was in front of him, emerging from the water like some kind of sea creature.

"Got you," Von grunted.

Before Liam could say a word, Von grabbed both him and Mariel under each arm like sacks of grain and began kicking powerfully toward Marcus’s boat.

"Liam!" Marcus screamed again, leaning dangerously over the edge to reach for them.

Von reached the boat and with astonishing strength, hoisted both of them up, one at a time. Jason and Marcus helped haul them in.

Liam collapsed inside, breathing hard, water pouring from his mouth and nose. He clutched Mariel weakly, trying to turn her toward him. She was still breathing—barely.

Von didn’t stay a moment longer. He simply gave Marcus a curt nod and turned, diving back into the sea like a ghost disappearing beneath the surface.

Marcus stared after him, wide-eyed, panting. "That guy’s not normal..."

Liam lay on his back, blinking at the gray sky, his chest rising and falling quickly. His skin was pale, lips almost blue, but his eyes held life. He turned his head weakly and smiled at Marcus.

"You... owe me a drink," Liam muttered.

"You absolute bastard," Marcus said, grinning despite the tears in his eyes. "You fucking did it."

The boat turned and began the slow row back toward the Sea Phantom in the distance. Behind them, the mist slowly began to part, like the sea itself was letting them go.

Back on the ship, the silhouette of the returning boats drew everyone to the deck. Sophia stood up abruptly, her eyes wide and unblinking.

Eleanor stepped forward too, holding her breath.

Sera gasped.

And Captain Ander dropped to his knees the moment he saw his daughter’s form in the boat—alive.

The Sea Phantom’s deck erupted into shouting and movement as ropes were thrown and the rescue party returned.

The sea had tried to claim them... but not this time.

The boat rocked gently as Marcus and others paddled with all their strength, their focus entirely on the distant silhouette of the Sea Phantom. The fog that had settled over the water had made everything seem eerie, the air heavy with uncertainty. Mariel lay weakly on the boat, her breath shallow, but at least she was alive, thanks to Liam’s desperate dive into the storm-tossed waters.

It took a few moments for Mariel to fully process what had happened. Her body trembled with the cold and the shock, She looked at Liam, her eyes filled with gratitude, but she couldn’t find the words to speak. The ordeal had drained her, her strength barely enough to stay awake, let alone to communicate. Despite the warmth of Marcus’s cloth that was wrapped around her, she couldn’t shake the chill of the sea.

Liam was barely conscious himself, his body numb from the cold and exhaustion, but his eyes softened when he met her gaze. He could see the gratitude, and it made him feel like all his efforts were worth it. He managed a faint smile, though his own shivering made the action feel weak. "Don’t mention it," he muttered hoarsely, his voice a far cry from the strength it had carried earlier in the day. He had risked his life, but seeing Mariel safe made him feel a sense of peace in the midst of the chaos.

As they approached the Sea Phantom, Marcus’s hands gripped the sides of the boat, his knuckles white with the effort of paddling through the rough waters. Finally, the looming ship grew clearer through the mist. The crew, who had been watching anxiously, began to gather along the deck.

When the boat finally neared the Sea Phantom’s side, the crew lowered ropes and helped pull it in. The moment they were aboard, the group was met with an outpouring of emotions.

Sophia was the first to rush to Liam, her arms wrapping around him so tightly it was as if she was afraid he would slip away. "You’re alive," she whispered, her voice thick with tears. Her embrace was desperate, as though the relief of seeing him safe made her lose all control. Eleanor, too, stepped forward, her eyes filled with relief, and though she was usually more composed, her arms encircled him in a similar tight hold.

Liam, overwhelmed by the sudden affection, let out a weak chuckle, but the exhaustion was clear in his face. He squeezed both of them back with what little strength he had left, his body sore and heavy from the ordeal. "I’m fine," he muttered softly, his voice strained from the cold and saltwater that still clung to his skin.

But the emotional scene didn’t stop there. Captain Ander, who had been standing on the deck, his expression hard with grief, broke down as he caught sight of his daughter. His stern face crumbled into tears, his hands trembling as he gently gathered Mariel into his arms. "You’re alive," he whispered, his voice rough and thick with emotion. His gaze shifted briefly to Liam, and though no words were spoken, the gratitude in his eyes was clear. He didn’t need to say anything. Every tear he shed, every shakiness in his voice, said it all.

Mariel, too weak to speak or do much else, clung to her father, her head resting against his chest. Her body trembled, and the tears that she had held back since the storm hit finally escaped. She closed her eyes, feeling safe again in her father’s arms, though she still felt the remnants of the cold, the fear, and the shock that had consumed her moments before.

Captain Ander didn’t release her, rubbing her head gently as if trying to reassure both her and himself that everything would be okay. His lips muttered thanks to Liam over and over again, even though the words were incoherent.

Liam stood there, his chest heavy with exhaustion, but his heart felt lighter now that Mariel was safe and back in her father’s arms. Despite the rough seas and the terror of losing someone, the bond between the group had deepened. They had survived the storm, but more importantly, they had survived together.