Abyss Sea - Avatar of the Gods

[BiologLOL]

Chapter 1: Something isn’t right

Part 1. Suspicious sightings.

(An aura of unease was covering the Queen’s Lair. Something was happening, but nobody could tell what exactly. Flapping of the wings echoed off the eroded marble columns. The case was urgent, and it required the Queen’s attention)

Queen: “Astra, when will Coralcove return? It has been five rotations of the Sun, it should’ve arrived two tornadoes ago!”

Astra: “We can’t know, High Sister. Windtusks show that the direction of the wind right now is favorable for the ship”

Queen: “The wind is more unpredictable than usual later rotations, we can’t rely on windtusks anymore. Summon Gaze Sister!”

Astra: “Yes, High Sister.”

(Astra bows to the Queen and heads to the remote tower on the ourskirts of the Lair. On the way, she throws a glance at the Windtusks, severed tusks of Krystoros, sprinkled with sea salt. When highly polluted wind of the Far Reaches flows by, the side of the tusk that the wind touches begins to glow. Recently, wind began changing directions more and more often, limiting the forecast’ capabilities)

Astra: “Gaze Sister, we need your help. I apologise for interrupting your work. You need to help us find the Coralcove”

(An elderly siren with pale purple hair rises from her sofa and glances at all the bone samples she is yet to research. An experienced magic user, a knowledgeable researcher and a siren who mastered the Sensing ability - Gaze Sister served the Queen for longer than anyone besides Gaze Sister herself could remember)

Gaze Sister: “Lost your floating basket, eh? Why is this so important you had to call upon me?”

Astra: “The ship was sent to investigate the recent changes in Wildmen’ behavior, and we believe it carries valuable information. The problem is, the ship hasn’t returned in time, and we grow worried…”

Gaze Sister: “Send another ship. I am going back to work.”

Astra: “I know you won’t care even if I told you that it was High Sister’s order to summon you. But what if I tell you that you will get to fight whoever was responsible for the ship’s arrival delay?”

Gaze Sister: “Fine… Help my old body walk to the door of the tower”

Astra: “I never understood why do you enjoy this mimicry of elderly humans. Why not keep your body yound like we all do?”

Gaze Sister: “Yes, like you all do. Therefore, I do not.”

(The Queen was staring down the two sisters coming uphill towards her)

Queen: “Your old bones can’t move any faster, hag? It has been a whirlpool!”

Astra: “Don’t start playing along. She is here, and that is what we need”

Gaze Sister: “Alright, I need to find your half-sunken wooden box, right? You, with the wreath, go bring some seaweed stew, I am thirsty”

Queen: “Lived for so long, and yet never bothered to learn proper etiquette. Fine. Astra, ask my sisters to make the stew”

Gaze Sister: “Too lazy to do anything herself, eh? Got that wreath on your poorly-tidied head and think you can just put all the work on our sisters?”

Astra: “Enough of that. Gaze Sister, I have a list of all our sisters who sailed on the Coralcove. Focus and find them”

Gaze Sister: “Northeast, Nine Purpletusk burnwaters and fourteen… fifteen Redscales. Many are missing, can’t find them”

Queen: “Many… missing?! They aren’t?..”

(The Queen visibly begins to cry. Astra calms her down with a bowl of freshly made seaweed stew)

Queen: “Astra, you’re in charge. I feel uneasy, something terrible must have happened with the Coralcove, and I can’t just sit here and wait. Where is Marinea?”

Gaze Sister: “Hanging from a wall she got her wings stuck in gaps of, to the left of us, one Redscale, one Bluescale and two Whirlpoolgrabs away”

Astra: “Such details are highly appreciated, Gaze Sister. You may return to your tower.”

Gaze Sister: “As if I needed your permission.”

(The Queen flew up to a siren, whose wing got jammed between walls of a crumbled ruin?

Queen: “Been too nosy again, Marinea? I told you this roof will soon collapse!”

Marinea: “Heya sis, been a while! Needa help, will ya?”

(The Queen helps Marinea break bree from the collapsed marble)

Marinea: “So, why are you here? Tell me, tell me!”

Queen: “Prepare the Hailscale for a journey. I, with four of my sisters, will venture out to rescue… whoever is left alive…”

Marinea: “LEFT ALIVE?! WHAT ARE YOU ABOUT?! WHY ARE YOU CRYING?! IS IT BECAUSE OF CORALCOVE? I KNEW THOSE RUMORS WERE TRUE! WILL PREPARE HAILSCALE IN NO TIME!”

(Hastily, the royal gunboat, the Hailscale was put on the water, and the Queen with her four warrior sisters set sail towards the place Gaze Sister pointed out as the current location of the Coralcove’s crew)

[BiologLOL]

Part 2: Starved.

(The Hailscale passed by a few islands. Sirens watched the waves strike abandoned shores and lightning smite ancient ruins. Atlanteans weren’t seen anywhere. Concerning look on the Queen’s face changed into a terrified expression when shadowy figures appeared above the gunboat.)

Quartermaster Siren: “Careful! Insanes are attacking! Ready for battle!”

Queen: “Their worn down wings are tired, they want to seize our ship for themselves. I know an exhausted Wingie when I see one. Fend them off until they have no strenght to stay in the air!”

(The warriors raised magic barriers and Thymos-hide shields. Atlanteanified sirens tried to find a breach to land on the Hailscale, but to no avail. Suddenly, the crew sensed a shift in surrounding magic energy…)

Quartermaster Siren: “Turn right, NOW!”

(An acid tornado popped into existence right in front of the ship. Powerless to fight it, the atlanteanified sirens were caught in the wind and dragged away by the whirling currents. Multiple corroding waves coated the hull in destructive liquid)

Queen: “There might be more nearby. We better hurry to our destination. We suffered great damage from that tornado, need to be more careful sailing onwards”

(She leans on the rails as Hailscale unfurls its sails and looks at the tornado)

“Those Insanes weren’t behaving normally. Their attacks are always chaotic and uncoordinated, but now it was as if they had a destination to reach, and only wanted to overtake the Hailscale as a resting place. Weird…”

(The rest of the trip went without major issues)

Quartermaster Siren: “Docking near the shore. Sisters, bows at the ready.”

(The five advanced into the poisonous forest. Giant sea urchins were everywhere, and it was a great effort to get past one without scratching a wing. The Queen uses her Sensing to guide the group)

Queen: “I see them. Two large signatures are nearby, and I’m afraid they are attacking our sisters. Prepare for a fight.”

(Exiting the forest, a devastating scene unveiled. Shattered into pieces, Coralcove was laying on the beach, with its bow fully gone, masts broken and rear raised above the ground. Multiple Sirens were hiding under the remains, trying desperately to save themselves from the attacker)

Queen: “What.. even… IS… THAT?!”

(A hulking mass of flesh was using its full weight and velocity to breach the hull of Coralcove. A Thymos, fused with a Nightmarish Atlantean. Bear’s claws shattered weakened planks, and Atlantean’s mace was attempted to be slid between the created cracks to injure the hiding Sirens, but it was too short)

Warrior Siren: “Sisters, we are here to rescue you all! Team, ascend! Strike that Wildman down!”

Injured Siren: “DO NOT-”

(A thunderous bang shook the poisonous forest. One of the warriors fell dead on the ground. The Atlantean cleared the smoke coming from the barrel of his enormous blunderbuss and began reloading, as his Thymos continued dismembering the ship)

Quartermaster Siren: “Felica, no! You creature!-”

(The Queen blocked her advance and dashed forward herself instead. A big arrow of light appeared above her head, that she jammed into the titanic bear. It shook in pain, but didn’t stop tearing)

Warrior Siren: “WAIT, HE’S ALMOST-”

(Another bang broke out. The Atlantean finished reloading his gun, but he underestimated the agility of the Siren Queen. She dodged the shot and electrified the barrel with a bolt of lightning magic. The Atlantean dropped his weapon, let out a roar and hurled a nearby piece of wood at the Queen)

Quartermaster Siren: “Hey you, got anything to survive this?”

(After taking a barrage of arrows, the Thymos fell, at last. The Atlantean, merged together with the beast, didn’t have the strenght to move both bodies by himself. As an act of revenge, it aimed the barrel of his blunderbuss at the Queen. Click - and nothing. He forgot to reload.)

Queen: “Your death was inevitable, creature, for no one shall dare to harm my sisters!”

[BiologLOL]

Part 3: Craftswomanship.

(Near the carcass of a fallen monstrosity, the surviving crew of the Coralcove gathered to meet up with their saviors)

Injured Siren: “If only we weren’t so tired and wounded, we could stand our ground just fine. But, the expedition, the retreat and the crash onto the shore of this island has drained our powers. Besides, you saw what would happen if we tried to fly above that thing…”

Queen: “Her death is our fault, we must have been more observant.”

Quartermaster Siren: “Not really… Does anyone recognise what even is this? I’ve never seen such weapon, if I can even call it that”

(Everyone stood in a circle around the Atlantean’s blunderbuss. The barrel was cracked in a few spots, the wooden handle has partially rotten and covered in moss and seaweed, some bundles of reserve ammo were scattered on the ground near it and the metal still gave out electric sparks from after the Queen’s attack)

Warrior Siren: “This looks like a silver stringscatter from a ship, with a custom handle out of waterwood. Only a Wildman could make this into a handheld weapon”

Queen: “It was big enough to hold this thing in one hand, but any of us would need two”

Injured Siren: “Why would we need this? We have bows, we have magic, we don’t need a modified stringscatter!”

Queen: “Maybe. Thela, you mentioned a retreat after your expedition, what did you mean?”

Injured Siren: “This is dark. Wildmen gathered in great numbers and headed straight into the Bright. I don’t know why, but it as if something has called them.”

Queen: “Not good. How great are those numbers?”

Injured Siren: “Enormous. Black crystals of Redscale’s teeth, maybe more”

(The Queen shook in disbelief and grief. Tears rained down on the toxic ground. Her dreams were ruined)

Quartermaster Siren: “High Sister, we understand your loss. You always wanted us to exit the Dark and live in the Bright. Now, the Wildmen had probably eaten all the humans out there, and the Bright is gone.”

Queen: “No… NO! There is still someone out there! We can still save them! We’re heading out into the Bright!”

Warrior Siren: “Whoa, easy there, High Sister, don’t rush things. We are safe out here, we don’t need to go into the largest cluster of Wildmen known to Wingie. They ate our food - oh well, very sad, but its not the end of all. If we stay here - we will live”

Queen: “Why are there still Wingies like you in my Sisterlead? Humans are as intelligent as us, maybe even more, and intelligent life isn’t edible life. Don’t you feel scared, going against the High Sister?”

Warrior Siren: “Oh wow, so terrified… Come on, everyone in the Sisterlead knows you won’t hurt a Glowshock!”

Queen: “We will discuss this at home. Right now, we need to mend the Coralcove, it is too useful to just leave it here. Everyone, scatter and bring in wood, sticks, whatever. Seresy, you were the Coralcove’s mender? Command the process!”

(Coralcove’s and Hailscale’s crews went into the poisonous woods, collecting repair materials. The Queen was left alone on the beach, and she began inspecting the blunderbuss)

Queen: “(This stringscatter took down my sisters with one blast, I would need a weapon like this. Not usual for a Wingie, but the times are dangerous right now…)”

(Skinning the Thymos, the Queen collected armor-like hide to be used as a protection for the barrel. A nearby growing tree was fitting for a new handle, with stormsalt being used to strenghten the wood. Now, to combine it all together…)

Quartermaster Siren: “Need help?”

(The Queen turned around. The quartermaster was holding a bunch of taint urchin spines and a scald tooth)

Queen: “Why are you giving me all this, Herca? These materials are much better suited for repairing Coralcove, don’t waste it on my silly craft!”

Quartermaster Siren: “I noticed you were interested in keeping this strange weapon, thats all. I believe we can save the humans under your lead, High Sister. May this item assist you.”

(Using urchin spines to hold the parts of the blunderbuss together and making new holes in the wood where needed with the scald tooth, the Queen finally finished her work: a functional, restored blunderbuss that was just light enough to hold it in two hands and fly at the same time as shooting it. Now, the ammo was the main concern)

Warrior Siren: “And what are you two doing? Wasting time and resources on such a useless object?”

Queen: “Hey, we didn’t waste that much on this! And its not an “object”!”

Warrior Siren: “Yeah? What is it, then?”

Queen: “It is!.. It is… Uhh… Brightbringer!”

Warrior Siren: “Hhhaaahahah… Ouch!”

(Quartermaster Siren smacked her head, and the two went to the Coralcove. The repair was going swiftly. The ship already got its bow back, and the masts were almost done. The Queen stood up, and planned to go check out the work done, but she stopped to collect the ammo pouches scattered on the sand. Suddenly, a shining light bursted out under one of the bags)

Queen: “A… glowing page? What is this doing here?”

[BiologLOL]

Part 4: Why bother?

(The two ships set sail off the shore of the urchin-covered island. Even the most amateur at sensing Siren could find her way to the Lair, the place is impossible to miss. The trip promised to only take about a day. Sitting on a deck, the Queen was inspecting the page she found)

Warrior Siren: “Could you finally bother to explain what this is, High Sister?”

Queen: “If only I knew… I feel strange energy emanating from it. Has anybody ever heard who “Athena” is? Sounds like somebody important”

Quartermaster Siren: “Who could be more important that you, High Sister?”

Queen: ““Written and retained by the goddess of wisdom…” What does “goddess” even mean?”

Quartermaster Siren: “Probably “High Sister”, if she is really as important as you”

Queen: ““Only one person was meant to find them all…” This sounds serious, I think. What is written here may be true”

(Warrior Siren peeks over the Queen’s shoulder)

Warrior Siren: ““Who is destined to restore this world to order…” You? Destined? Might make sense, considering you’re the High Sister, but weren’t there any other variants? And, why are we trusting some human-written story?”

Queen: “This paper mentions other pages, we should look out for those. Who knows, what this “Athena” may have to share with us…”

Warrior Siren: “Only her flesh, perhaps”

Queen: “Stop that!”

(Some time later, both ships arrive to the Lair. Coralcove is taken for a proper repair, and the Queen gathers the folk on the square)

Queen: “Sisters, the news are devastating! The Wildmen overtook the Bright, and humans living there are in danger! We waited for a perfect moment to finally make our dream of living alongside them come true, but if we don’t hurry up to their rescue, it will never come!”

Suspicious Siren: “Our dream? Nah, yours. We are totally fine where we are, why bother leaving everything we have for some “Bright” that we have no idea what it even is?”

Energetic Siren: “Yeah! Let’s sail there and eat the humans instead!”

Calm Siren: “Shut it, child. Consuming them is not what we must do. The High Sister is right, they need our help.”

Warrior Siren: “Why bother? The Wildmen overtook everything, we will die if we appear there. This food isn’t worth saving.”

Gaze Sister: “In my rotations, wingies weren’t so undecisive! Just leave everyone unwilling to go with us here, what is the prob-”

(Shattering of marble echoed off the remaining walls of the square. A young Siren was rapidly approaching the Queen. Her expression was angry and grieving, and she was holding a rock)

Aggressive Siren: “LIAR!!!”

(She swung at the Queen, but she dodged)

Aggressive Siren: “YOU PROMISED US A HAPPY LIFE IN THE BRIGHT, TOGETHER WITH THE HUMANS!”

(Another swing - another miss)

Aggressive Siren: “AND NOW THEY ARE ALL DEAD! OUR FUTURE HOME IS DESTROYED! AND THE CAUSE OF IT WAS! YOUR! NEGLIGENCE!”

(Exhaustion was taking over the intruder, and the Queen hasn’t even begun to tire. Eventually, she stopped swinging)

Aggressive Siren: “If we would have moved in with the humans earlier, we could have done something against the Wildmen! But you were always lying to us that we weren’t ready, that the humans wouldn’t accept us! And look what has this caused! Humans are dead, Wildmen are everywhere, and we can’t do anything about it! The fault lies within you, High Sister!”

Queen: “…I grieved even more that you. I, too, thought that the hope for both us and humans is lost. But, I found a way. A small chance that we can fix this.”

(The Queen reads out the contents of the glowing page. Some sirens took it as a joke, some - believed every word. The divide was very unequal - the Queen only got three sirens to come with her)

Herca: “As the Hailscale’s shiptail, I am required to be near at all times. I am glad to assist this mission, High Sister.”

Thela: “I saw the danger with my eyes, I know it will be tough for us. I may not be of a great help, but its better than having nobody, right?”

Gaze Sister: “I know you three need someone competent to watch your wings. You won’t last a day without my help.”

(Tired siren leans onto her rock and looks at the Queen)

Aggressive Siren: “May I join too? I want to do my best, if it means that our dream would come to life faster!”

Queen: “I love all of my sisters, Kassata, even if they are trying to injure me. I allow you to travel with us.”

(Kassata walks over to the Queen and stands near her. She looks at the Brightbringer on her back)

Kassata: “Hey, High Sister… What is this between your wings?”

Queen: “Oh, that? Its name is Brightbringer! Here… oh, watch that rock!”

(The Queen aims at the rock Kassata once used to bludgeon her. It took time to adjust, but the shot hit the rock dead center. Pieces flew out in all directions, and only a glowing piece of paper was left among the rubble)

[BiologLOL]

Part 5: Lair Camper.

(Thela walks over and picks up the page)

Thela: The page reads “Spirit Energy”. What is that?

Queen: Gaze Sister, have you ever heard about it?

Gaze Sister: I’m afraid not. At least, not about anything with this name. A human like Athena could come up with about any name for something that already has one anyway.

Queen: “Spirit energy is present in all living things, but unlike magic energy, it cannot be controlled by any species except for the gods and their descendants…” Magic energy? What is this now?

Kassata: Keep reading! Keep reading!

Queen: “However, there exist objects known as Relics: ancient artifacts that were blessed by the gods’ powers to allow their wielder to control their own spirit energy. These were given to the gods’ most devout followers during the time before magic was given to humans…”

Thela: I assume “magic” is something all humans have, and “spirit” is something not all humans have. “Gods” must mean “High Sisters” in human, so Athena might be a “god”, maybe even “Gaze Sister of gods”.

Herca: Hey, High Sister, could your… uhh… I forgot the name… thing, be a Relic? It is surely blessed with some kind of a Power.

Queen: Brightbringer? No, I don’t feel like I am doing anything when I use it, it does all by itself.

(Gaze Sister takes the page from the Queen’s hand)

Gaze Sister: “It cannot be formed into different elements and constructs like how magic energy can, and spirit energy will dissipate once its intended purpose has been carried out…” I believe I solved this. “Magic” is how humans call “Power”. We have long proved that many Sames are able to wield Power. So “Spirit” is something similar, but much rarer and stronger, since it is granted to only selected few by the High Sisters of humans.

Kassata: Could a Wingie wield Spirit? The Dark is vast, we surely can find at least one Relic out there!

Queen: Gaze Sister, if you may…

Gaze Sister: “For example, one could send a wave of spirit energy at the target with the intention to increase the electricity wherever it hits, causing natural lightning to strike it…”

Kassata: High Sister, try doing that with your Brightbringer! Blast a rock over there!

(The Queen focuses and points the blunderbuss at a nearby rock. Nothing happens. She tries even harder. Still nothing)

Queen: No, this thing is not a Relic, it is a simple piece of wood and metal that can bring death in a lightning.

Herca: Sisters, we were about to sail into the Bright. We must hurry, remember? Humans need us!

Queen: Right. All aboard the Hailscale! Herca, you’re near the wheel. Thela - stringscatters! Kassata - cannons! Gaze Sister - rest, we will need your help later.

(The group flaps their wings to the rest of the Lair’s sirens and unfurls the wind-torn sails of the Hailscale. The aura of the War Seas is so strong, just about any Siren could feel it, they need no guide for getting there)

Herca: The Sisterlead is now behind in the Dark. This is probably the last time we see them.

Queen: Worry not, Herca, we will surely return one rotation!

(Gaze Sister runs over as fast as her elderly legs allow her and slams the wheel to the left)

Gaze Sister: BENEATH US!!! TURN AWAY NOW!!!

(Dark, bluish-black tentacles pierced the sky. The Hailscale is surrounded)

Queen: THE DARKEST!

(A tentacle swings. Hit. Starboard is severely damaged. Thela aims the launchers to fend off the attack but what could she even do against something this massive? Second sweep flings the ship, and the terrified group loses the sight of the sea below. Now its only them, half-broken Hailscale, and the dense fog of the Dark Sea…)

[BiologLOL]

Chapter 2: Towards the Bright

Part 1: Expedition.

(Ritebearer sees another island up ahead. No tornadoes have appeared nearby, so it is safe to dock the ship)

Rasmussen: We will wait you here, captain. Keep yourself safe.

Ritebearer: But of course. Surviving has always been a thing I am excellent at.

(Tall trees cover the sky above his head. This place is unusually small for a Far Reaches island, though its area is vast. Ritebearer spots a reddish hide in the bushes)

Ritebearer: (A Thymos, how convenient. It will not see me coming).

(A sneak attack on the colossal bear gravely injures it. It begins to thrash around in pain-induced rage, sweeping its human-sized claws around. Ritebearer leaps above it and smites the bear down with a spirit blast)

Ritebearer: Eh, scales’ not usable for anything, I’ll need a less injured bear next time.

(And, the next time has come very soon. The island is full of bears. But, something was unsettling about this place)

Ritebearer: So many empty Atlantean structures… Where did they all go?

(His armor hummed with a negative response each time Ritebearer approached a place an Atlantean was once at. Spirit energy contained within reacted with the magic pollution)

Rasmussen: Glad to see you return, captain. Found anything?

Ritebearer: All the Atlanteans are gone. I know they don’t leave their home that easily.

Rasmussen: Should we visit an another island, then?

Ritebearer: Not like we have anything else to do out here… I see one to the right from the direction of returning the War Seas.

(On their way, the Ritebearer’s crew encountered a Giant White Eyes)

Rasmussen: Sea Monster, incoming!

Ritebearer: No. This one is very weakened. It has been impaled by many spears and daggers. Something with way too much spare weaponry decided to have a go at poaching, I see. We will leave it be.

(Next island wasn’t much different from the first. More abandoned structures, more hungry animals, and much less answers)

Rasmussen: Bad luck today, Captain?

Ritebearer: No. On one hand, I’ve obtainted a plenty of items. On the other hand, something is clearly wrong.

Rasmussen: Remember the two ketches we sailed past about 30 minutes ago? They didn’t even attack us, they were just passing by. What is happening inside Atlanteans’ minds today?

Ritebearer: Can’t know, but it does surely seem like a bad omen…

Rasmussen: Pun intended?

Ritebearer: Pun intended.

(After yet another Atlantean-free island, Ritebearer returns to his ship, but the entire space of the observable sea is now covered with Atlantean boats)

Ritebearer: Wut? How? Oh well, house cleaning time.

(Dashing above the hunters on a prowl, Ritebearer releases a rain of spirit energy. Most Atlanteans became fodder targets, but some still stood, and even smacked Ritebearer when he got closer)

Rasmussen: Captain, one of ou-

(Rasmussen’s report was cut short by a voracious roar of a freshly-infected crewmate. Ritebearer slams himself into the crowd, trying to protect his quartermaster. Atlanteans’ bites can’t do much against an armour set with no body inside)

Ritebearer: Abandon ship!

Rasmussen: Doesn’t seem possible, captain! These beasts are everywhere!

Ritebearer: So thats where they all went, huh?

Rasmussen: Don’t think so, captain!

(A large stream of water propels Ritebearer’s ship and all its remaining crew onto dry land. A massive atlanteanified whale resurfaces and lets out a horrid call)

Rasmussen: (climbing from under the debris) We lost our ship, we can’t get away now…

Ritebearer: RUN!

(With a dash, he is now right in front of the ships and the whale. Metal claws cling - and the closest ketch clears from all its crew. Rasmussen and his men must survive while Ritebearer wrecks the fleet)

Ritebearer: Come on, all at me! What are you all waiting for? Are you animals - worthy hunters or just prey?!

(The whale leaps out of the water and slams its body onto the cleared ketch. Ritebearer usually could swim back up, but the sheer magic pollution of the environment due to the amassment of Atlanteans has sapped away its powers. The cracked set of armour falls on the sea bottom)

[BiologLOL]

Part 2: Carelessness.

(The sea was approaching fast. Whatever remained from Hailscale after that throw won’t endure the impact)

Herca: Everyone, abandon ship!

(The sirens took off and soared above the waters on their wings. The Hailscale was gone below the waves)

Queen: No… Our Hailscale…

(Queen starts crying from the loss of her favourite boat. Gaze Sister looks around)

Gaze Sister: I sense one of our coves! After me, young ones!

(Resident sirens of that rock spotted a flying group, approaching them)

A siren: Sisters? Good to see others visiting our cove! What brings you all here? Oh, hi, High Sister!

Queen: Greetings. We need help, can you lot provide it?

A siren: We are kinda busy ourselves, hehe, but we’ll see what we can do for our High Sister.

Queen: Our ship was attacked and thrown by the Darkest, and later shattered by the water. We were heading towards the Bright-

A siren: Oh hey, you were going there too? We have just been finishing the preparations to do the same. We saw many Wildmen go there, and were curious of why.

Thela: Are you sure, sisters? Whatever is happening in the Bright right now is surely very dangerous.

A siren: We can fly - what can even be a threat to us? Don’t be silly!

Gaze Sister: What careless younglings! Have you lot ever saw a Wildman or a human in a fight?

A siren: No, why? All we know is that they have no wings, therefore are too weak to match us!

Herca: Ugh, I am starting to hate what I’m hearing. What ship does your cove own?

A siren: Its right here - near these ruins. We have space for your group too, we can go to the Bright together!

Gaze Sister: No, we’re going to a closest island. We must show you what are you getting yourselves into. You are not ready.

Queen: Besides, we wouldn’t let ourselves take up space on the ship that doesn’t belong to us. Just leave us on that island, we will make a new one.

A siren: Okay!

(After some sailing, they find a mushroom island)

Gaze Sister: Almost every Wildman has left this place, but I still sense two. One behind the cliff where the sun is, other - near the beach.

A siren: So, you want us to show what we can do against these flightless? This will be fun! Come on, sisters!

Queen: Gaze Sister, are you sure they will be safe? We don’t want their stupidity to be their demise…

Gaze Sister: Of course I am sure they’re not safe!

Queen: WHAT?!

(The nine sirens picked up some rocks from the ground and started throwing them at the Atlantean, standing behind a wrecked pillar. It roars, visibly annoyed, and jumps out of its hideout)

Sirens: (giggling).

Atlantean: (throws a dagger)

A siren: (bursts into flames)

Queen: Sister!

Gaze Sister: Do. Not. Interfere.

Queen: Why are you so ruthless to these poor children?!

Gaze Sister: Let them learn.

Queen: Learn?! They’re dying?!

(Pushing away Gaze Sister, the Queen dashes over and pulls out the Brightbringer. A blast sends the Atlantean into the nearest bush. Fairly injured, it rises from the ground and shakes his only remaining arm at the Queen)

Sirens: (visibly terrified, start crying and hide behind Thela) Okay, okay, you sisters proved your point, we’re not ready, now please do something!

Herca: This whole scene is like a story for small children… Whoever would have to be writing it must feel very dumb doing that.

(The Atlantean leaps forward, snares a Siren from behind Thela and slams her into the ground)

Gaze Sister: Come on, good-for-nothing wingies, drop these rocks and start actually trying!

(Shaking, the sirens pulled out their bows. Two even were old enough to use Wind and Lightning magics. Surrounding the one-armed Atlantean, they let go of the arrows at once. The Atlantean didn’t even flinch)

Sirens: How?! These bows bring down seascales with six arrows!

Gaze Sister: Hahah, six arrows?! Really?! Hahahhahhha…

Herca: Aim for the head and the eyes, blind the monster!

(Waving his mace around, the Atlantean smacks another siren out of the air. A slash from the dagger sends a wave that singes a fourth one. Five remain)

Gaze Sister: Were you lot bragging about having wings? Use them to dodge, scale-headed!

Sirens: (panicking).

(Two of their flock use their magics to inflict meaningful harm, and they succeed. The Atlantean can barely stand, and the mace becomes too heavy to hold. With a growl, it hurls his weapon upward, but the sirens dodge. With a mere dagger, it tries to reach the remaining attackers, but they now know not to hover in place in a fight. They finish off the creature)

Queen: Gaze Sister, continue their not-so-approved training. I will take care of the four that got hit.

Gaze Sister: Send them back as soon as you’re finished. Don’t want them to miss the fun. Second Wildman I sensed has no weapons.

A siren: This should be easier… right? Right?

(Gaze Sister grins and commands them to follow, to the crashed sailboat near the beach)

Herca: Sisters, you might have been hit, but that is usual for a fight. Rarely you get out of one unharmed. Learn to endure wounds.

(Queen used her Healing magic to patch up the four attacked sirens, and they too joined Gaze Sister’s squad)

Gaze Sister: Show me that you aren’t entirely useless. End this creature’s worthless life.

Thela: May Hecate be with you.

(Sirens hurled javelins of magic into the decomposing hull. They heard loud shrieks. From above.)

A siren: What?..

(Slammed into the ground, a siren gasps of pain. The enormous abomination rises its fist for a second punch. Others aim at it - but it’s gone in a blink)

Sirens: Where is it?!

Queen: Look up!

(A ball of Earth magic descended onto them, crushing three more. Meanwhile, Atlantean switches its target onto Gaze Sister, but is stopped by a shadow barrier)

Gaze Sister: No, scale-headed thing! You must hunt those children, not someone important like me!

Sirens: Rise higher, shoot faster!

(A storm of arrows hits the creature’s carapace. Unharmed, it prepares its tentacle for an attack. A flurry of punches blasts out a siren from the now-weakened flock)

Herca: Maintain distance, don’t let a hand user get close. Range is their main weakness.

(Atlantean, meanwhile, jams a beam of Earth into a wing of one of the four sirens remaining)

Thela: Hold her hand, your efforts combined will keep everyone in the air!

The hit siren: I’ve got a better idea! Sisters, throw me at this thing!

(Low velocity and low weight of the “projectile” were more than made up for by a sharp scald tooth dagger that pierced the Atlantean’s eye. It fell on its back, exposing the belly. The flock sees the opportunity and rains arrows into the weak spot. A shot from the Brightbringer finishes off the beast)