Abyss Sea - Avatar of the Gods

Writing
1

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)

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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!”

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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?”

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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)

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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…)

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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)

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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)

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Part 3: Meet Again.

Gaze Sister: Not so confident in yourselves now, eh? Go back to your boulder, kids, lesson’s over.

Sirens: Quite the opposite, Mentor Sister, all this gave us even more courage! We did get spooked a few times, but thats fine.

Herca: “A few times”? Don’t make me laugh.

A siren: Can we join you and the High Sister? We can make a great flock!

Gaze Sister: Why would we ever need someone as useless as the nine of you?

Thela: Be nicer to them, Gaze Sister. Alright, children, we won’t take you with us, but you can try your luck yourselves, you’ve got a great ship for it. May Hecate be with you, sisters.

Sirens: Oh… We’ll try, we think… Would not be nice to disappoint you lot, we must avoid that.

Queen: Dear sisters, I am hoping for your success. Wings upward!

Sirens: Wings upward, High Sister!

(The Queen bids farewell to the young Sirens and walks over to Kassata)

Queen: Ever since we crashed at those wingies’ cove, you were as silent as burnwater. Something happened?

Kassata: I’ve felt too similar to them in behaviour, it was a bit embarrassing to show my presence.

Queen: Don’t be shy like that, you’re a part of us. One bad deed can be outweighted by a number of good deeds, being afraid of trying to do them won’t help.

Kassata: You might be right, High Sister, I will try to be more significant for our group.

Queen: Good. Now, we need to discuss something with the others, come.

(Both upproached the rest of the group. Herca is nowhere to be seen)

Queen: Where is Herca?

Gaze Sister: She said she could jump into the water from this cliff by leaping past the beach. I said she can’t. She couldn’t. Go dig her out of the sand or something.

Thela: Why did you even suggest her to prove it? What if she got bruised?

Gaze Sister: And why would that be my problem?

Kassata: Enough. We got other concerns - this is a mushroom forest, and nobody’s here gonna tell me that these are better for shipbuilding than wood.

Gaze Sister: You have anything else to suggest, Anger Issues?

Kassata: Yes, Gaze Sister. We chop a cap off of a mushroom and use it to get to a better island.

Queen: I got Herca back! What are you planning here?

Gaze Sister: Planning to get fed to seascales, apparently. This girl does not know what is she suggesting.

Herca: Explain it to me, please.

Kassata: I intend on using a mushroom’s cap as a ship. Smaller pieces of it will be attached to the sides to avoid tumbling over. And, we need a Purpletusk to make a long stick out of its bones, so we could steer ourselves.

Herca: Will that thing even be called a ship? It is clearly something different.

Kassata: It floats on water, it can carry us, and we can control where it goes - doesn’t that make it a ship?

Gaze Sister: I am too tired to work. Wreath girl, there are three Purpletusks below us and to the side, go do your thing. The rest - work on that idea of yours. And don’t bother me!

Queen: Too lazy to help, hag? So expected of you…

Gaze Sister: Oh, shut it.

Thela: Sisters, help me take off the cap of that lone mushroom!

(All three coordinated to bring the cap to the ground. Later, the stem is cut, and its pieces are prepared to be attached to the sides of the raft. Now, it is up to the Queen to bring Krystoros bones to put everything together)

Queen: (jumping down onto the plateau) Hey, beasts, I don’t feel like flying that far to each of you, bring yourselves over!

(The hogs heard an intruder’s voice and charged in its direction. But, their tusks can only reach so far, and a soaring siren above them is basically unreachable)

Queen: (The Brightbringer would shatter the bones, I need a safer way to kill them)

(Using her Healing magic, the Queen stimulates the growth of the tusks. All Krystoros poke eachother in futile attempts of reaching the Queen, and now they’re fighting one another. In the end, one remains. Torn out pieces of hide reveal the layers beneath, and white glow is seen emanating from them)

Queen: Wait, what is this glowing thing in your fur, creature? I think I need that!

(A precise beam of light smites the left eye of the colossal pig. The following barrage destroys what is left inside. The Queen inspects her loot. Three dead Krystoros, with tusk marks all around their sides, one with a punctured skull, many trampled legs and a new Athena’s note)

Queen: Herca, Thela, help me with these!

(Both fly over to the Queen)

Herca: There is no way we’re lifting all this up there. I insist on dismembering them here.

Thela: High Sister, is this an another note you’re holding?

Queen: Yes, but let’s focus on the plan. Herca, we need your firetooth. The Purpletusks are all yours.

(Using her scald tooth dagger, Herca swiftly crafts five oars out of bone and skin. More bones are used to piece together the raft, and it is now on the sand, waiting for the group’s departure)

Kassata: I heard you found a new page, High Sister. Which one is it?

Queen: The page reads “Magic Energy”. We theorised that this is how Athena and other humans call Power, and I think we were right.

Gaze Sister: “Magic energy exists in all living things, including plants, but more so in species that have the ability to use magic - creatures such as sirens, dragons - but also humans…” I suppose we are one of these “creatures” Athena mentions. Can’t know which one though, eh.

Kassata: “Unless combined with spirit energy, it is impossible for magic energy to heal, only harm…” Wait, High Sister, you can heal with your Power. Does that mean you possess this “spirit energy” and are possibly able to use it?

Queen: I think it does mean that. Interesting…

Herca: Alright, team, we must move on. The “ship” is waiting!

(This was a rough ride. Dodging waves the size of a mountain, escaping tornadoes and whirlpools, and even outsailing a Giant White Eyes once - time passed, and the crew reached the border between Insanity ranges)

Gaze Sister: I feel weird. As if something that was pressuring my mind all this time has weakened.

Kassata: Same feeling. What could this be?

Herca: It is a usual thing when sailing closer to the Bright. I don’t know what it exactly is, but it just happens. If you turn back, the effect will wear off. But, we must sail forward, so prepare for it to get worse.

Gaze Sister: I sense more clearly now. A few more rotations and we will reach an island with a very outstanding aura. I can’t make out what is it currently.

Thela: Then let’s sail around it. Why risking our lives?

Queen: I have a feeling we must go there. I know we shouldn’t, I care about our lives the most of us all, but we must reach that island.

Herca: Well, if High Sister orders…

(So, the group headed to the strange island…)

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Part 4: A spirit knight.

(Metallic glint of iron trees guides the group to the island. Climbing onto its surface, the sirens feel dread)

Herca: The silence is deafening. It isn’t the same as regular absence of sound.

Gaze Sister: Over here, forward, down the slope. We need to cross to the other side of this island.

Kassata: This was a bad idea, this was a bad idea…

Queen: (readies the Brightbringer)

(After some time, the landscape changes)

Thela: These trees, they’re missing branches. Something has broken them.

Queen: There was a fight. I sense traces of Wildmen’s weapons on the metal.

Gaze Sister: And by the strenght of it, there were black crystals[1] of them! Even I, after living for so long, have to admit: I never saw anything like this.

Queen: What had attracted all of them to this place?

Herca: This is a regular island, I doubt there ever was a point of interest for them.

Kassata: This was a bad idea!

Gaze Sister: We’ve arrived.

(The battlefield opened itself to the sirens’ eyes. A few broken down Atlantean vessels, some loose boards floating in the water, and a group of ship hulls, seemingly crushed by something enormous)

Thela: Where are the Wildmen these ships belonged to?

Queen: Left? Died? Drowned?

Herca: These destroyed ships aren’t parked randomly. The direction clearly shows that this place wasn’t a goal, it was a temporary stop. Maybe one of their stronger kind saw something worth killing on this island, and led the rest of its pack over. I don’t think these few planks are all their fleet contained.

Thela: That mast seems rather well-made. It isn’t from a Wildman’s ship…

(Everybody notices a relatively recently-made mast, whose upper end is submerged in the water, lifting up its former base. The sails are torn, the wood is cracked, and only a jade-coloured picture of a shield is still recognisable)

Kassata: Those hulls… What could possibly have crushed them to this degree?

Gaze Sister: A Redscale[2] would be smaller than the creature responsible for this damage.

Queen: Gaze Sister, do you sense anything about this pile of wood?

Gaze Sister: There is something beneath it. The energy going off of that is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen.

Kassata: But how are we gonna get down there to find what it is[3]?

Herca: Some of the broken ship pieces still have ropes attached to them, we can use those.

Kassata: And an iron tree’s branch for the weight!

Thela: Are you sure whatever that thing is at the bottom of the sea is worth bringing back up? Maybe it was drowned on purpose?

Queen: It sat motionless on the sea bottom for quite a while now, judging by the ship wreckages above. It is surely not alive anymore, if it ever was.

(Swiftly, the rope was woven together, and the group began experimenting with its lenght and reach)

Gaze Sister: To the left! More! Now forward! Not that far forward, scale-headed! It’s not that hard to position yourselves properly, even I, in my old age, could do better!

Thela: Sister, don’t be mean to us! We’re trying!

Herca: If you’re so confident in your skills, go on and try it!

Gaze Sister: Unlike you all, I am actually useful for locating the thing! So do your part properly!

Kassata: Are we close now?

Gaze Sister: Almost. Now lower it!

Herca: Rope’s not long enough!

Queen: I will bring more!

Gaze Sister: Hm, at least someone’s trying to contribute to the task…

(The Queen added more rope, and the efforts finally paid off - the object got hooked, and it was steady enough to be pulled up)

Herca: Well, this is not what I expected…

Thela: What a beautiful design!

Kassata: Are we sure this won’t come back to life?

Queen: What is so special about this set of armour?

Gaze Sister: This is what I’ve been sensing all this time…

(On the iron-covered ground, lies an overgrown by seaweed suit of armour. Full body protection, a straw hat covering the helmet, a pair of wings, and a white cape with an image of an angel)

Queen: Don’t worry, Kassata, this is just a few pieces of equipment, nothing to fear.

Herca: How long has it been on the bottom?

Gaze Sister: Not for that long. This thing was the likely reason for the Wildmen to bring over their wooden planks.

Thela: So well-decorated! But won’t those wings weigh down our own if we would wear this?

Kassata: These aren’t real wings, its just a gilded decoration! This armour must have belonged to a human.

Gaze Sister: Why would a human come to this place? The Bright[4] is so far away from this island, who would even dwell there?

Queen: A more important question is, where is the body that this armour should have been protecting?

Gaze Sister: Eaten by Wildmen or drowned, who cares. Also, look at this item.

(She pulls out of the pile an amulet with an eagle depicted on it)

Thela: A nice necklace, but what is drawn on it?

Herca: Looks like a wingie[5], sort of. Why is the head so small? Someone clearly didn’t know how to decorate things.

Gaze Sister: It isn’t a simple amulet. High Sister, I want you to wear it.

Queen: Why? It looks nice on me, but what is the point of this?

Gaze Sister: Imagine you’re using Power[6] on that tree, but try to channel it through the amulet.

(The Queen focuses on the metallic branches. Suddenly, a golden sphere of energy bursts out of the amulet and blows up everything around the Queen to pieces. She steps back in shock)

Queen: Is this?..

Gaze Sister: A Relic, yes. I’ve felt the unfamiliar energy going out of this amulet, and I was right on what it was.

Herca: So, who of the High Sisters of humans had created this?

Gaze Sister: If there were ever records of human High Sisters, I would have known.

Kassata: Hey… Sisters… I think those hands have just moved!

(Everyone turns around. Frightened Kassata stares at the motionless suit of armour)

Thela: Are you sure? I think you’ve been way too long near the amassment of Wildmen’s ships, the Dark energy[7] has taken a toll on your young body. Get some rest in a cave over there. And take the suit with you, why leaving it lying there?

Kassata: I am NOT touching that thing! Hecate be witness, that armour is alive!

(Herca picks up the suit and, visibly exhausted under its weight, carries it over into the opening in a cliff. Kassata, with no other options, flies there too)

Queen: I think we need to have some rest. Sisters, come with me to the other side of the island, I will need help pulling our mushroom cap out of the water. After a rotation, we will continue our adventure. Kassata, we will join you in the cave after we return, keep yourself safe!

Gaze Sister: I am staying too!

Queen: Sorry, dear Sister, but we will require your outstanding knowledge of potions in making a protective coating for the cap.

Gaze Sister: (visibly annoyed).

(The four leave. Kassata is left alone in the cave. Only she, the armour suit, and a few shining quartz pieces she picked up around the place. She throws the quartz at a wall and watches it bounce back into her hands. With every minute passing, her worries grow, as she notices the cracks in the chestplate glowing dimly blue more and more often. The finger joints also began shaking a bit, as if a force is trying to move them from the inside)

Kassata: (Why was I left here alone? Why didn’t they trust what I saw? Why haven’t they returned yet? Why do they think keeping this rusty pile of cloth and metal was a good idea?! I can’t even throw it away, I am too scared to touch it!)

(Kassata hears the wings flapping near the entrance)

Kassata: Oh, finally, you’re back! Please, get rid of this-

(An arrow of Shadow magic pierces her. Kassata falls down and rolls over into the back of the cave, pulling out her bow with shaking hands. Two Atlanteanified sirens shoved their deformed heads into the opening, shrieking and sniffing for prey. One is preparing another spell, other is aiming a spear at the terrified Kassata. She can’t defend herself in such enclosed space while outnumbered)

Kassata: Help!!!

(The armour stands up. The attention of both monstrosities shifts to it. Stretching his limbs, the mysterious knight tilts his head, inspecting who is surrounding him. Insatiable beasts lunge. The knight readies his claws for a brawl. Kassata watches from the back of the cave, as metal sparks and blasts of blue spirit energy demolish the unwanted invaders. The knight turns around and stares into the eyes of the last living creature inside the cave)

Ritebearer: Do you possess enough of an intelligence level to speak to me, siren?

  1. A lot ↩︎

  2. Giant White Eyes ↩︎

  3. Sirens can’t swim ↩︎

  4. The War Seas ↩︎

  5. Siren ↩︎

  6. Magic ↩︎

  7. Magic pollution of the Dark Sea ↩︎

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Part 5: Uneasy Alliance

(Kassata knows she has no chances against someone in a small cave, with only a bow at her side. She must try and talk down… whatever is standing right now in front of her. Sisters will return, sisters will save her…)

Kassata: What even are you?

Ritebearer: Oh wow, this one actually talks properly. All the other sirens I’ve come across could only scream and shoot me violently.

Kassata: What is a “siren” that you keep calling me?

Ritebearer: Language barrier, it seems. I might be sure you understand the meaning of that word already. Therefore, what do you call those of my kind?

Kassata: Thats my question! What are you?

Ritebearer: Ah, right, most who meet me never question it, since I look no different from a normal armoured person.

Kassata: You were once human? What happened?

Ritebearer: The language doesn’t differ the other way around? Well thats weird.

Kassata: Many of my Sisters overheard your kind talking on your ships, we know how to call humans because of that.

Ritebearer: And how many has your kind slaughtered?

Kassata: Hey, thats more on you than on us! Not every wingie wants to eat humans, and you always kill every one of us when you meet us! We often lose the encounter, and those losses only bolster our hatred towards humans! The fault is on you!

Ritebearer: Then why keep singing? That attracts people from kilometres away to take away everything that is in your rock’s treasury!

Kassata: Why can’t we sing? We love our voices, and its none of your business to interrupt us!

Ritebearer: Eh, fair enough. I might have been harsh on some of you…

Kassata: I was, in fact, left here to rest, due to overexposure to the rain. My Sisters should return soon.

Ritebearer: You sirens can be harmed by this magic-polluted rain too?

Kassata: Why do you think our Coves have those hollow insides?

(They hear the rest of the group approaching. The knight sits on the ground, pretending to be inanimate)

Gaze Sister: Quit doing that, armour! I’ve sensed something moving here long before we entered this cave!

(After being poked by a stick, the Ritebearer rises with an overly dramatic amount of spirit energy circling around his body)

Ritebearer: So there are five of you? I expected to see more sirens gathered at once in the Far Reaches.

Thela: What is… it… talking about?

Herca: This might be a threat!

Kassata: Why haven’t you believed me?! I told you this thing is alive!

Queen: Tell me, armour, who are you?

Ritebearer: Same could be asked on my part. Last I remember, I failed to save my entire crew, and sank to the bottom after an Atlantean attack. Were it you who found me? Why?

Queen: Gaze Sister sensed something on this island, and we went to investigate.

Gaze Sister: You ain’t going to blame me on that right now!

(Ritebearer inspects them. He notices that the Queen took his Eagle Patrimony)

Ritebearer: You stole my amulet. You must return it to me.

Queen: Oh, I’m apologising, I didn’t know you were still alive when I took it!

Herca: No, High Sister, keep it. We can’t trust this armour!

Ritebearer: Seems one of you has a braincell. Are you the leader of this pack, captain hat siren?

Thela: No, she isn’t. She is (points at the Queen)! She is our High Sister!

Ritebearer: What sister? Eh, doesn’t matter. I need to return what is mine.

Queen: Then tell us what is this amulet, we were curious.

Gaze Sister: This thing might not be of the nicest kind, but we can make use of it when needed. Be sure not to provoke it with unnecessary questions!

Ritebearer: Even if I did explain what that is, none of yall would have understood me. I bet yall don’t even know what a “relic” is!

Kassata: No, we know! High Sister, show him the note!

Queen: Rockmover[1] of seaweed and metal, we have recently been finding notes from someone named Athena. We think she is one of High Sisters of humans, and you seem similar to them. You might know more than us!

(Ritebearer reads all the notes the sirens currently have. He is confused)

Ritebearer: I never heard of these notes, but I know about Athena. She is one of the gods, the god of wisdom. Gods are… Eh… I can’t really explain it properly, but I’ll try. They are higher beings of sorts, embodying certain things. There are a few others I know about. For example, as a dweller of the Dark Sea, you have seen purple clouds on islands?

Herca: You mean, the coves of Hecate? Of course we did! She regularly talks to us when we meet her!

Ritebearer: And has she ever told yall who she is? A goddess, on par with Athena!

Gaze Sister: The goddess of Power?

Ritebearer: What “power”?

Queen: You might be calling it “magic”.

Ritebearer: Right, magic. I was born without it, so I never interacted with Hecate. All I know are just tales of mages brave enough to venture out there. I did it on a regular basis, and bumped into quite a few Hecate Essences that I couldn’t do anything with.

Kassata: An unlucky soul, born without Power… Just like me.

Ritebearer: Don’t know what the odds are for sirens, but being born without magic is a normal thing for humans. Mages are rare, but not as rare as oracles.

Gaze Sister: Oracles are users of Spirit energy?

Ritebearer: How keen of you, elder siren. Yes, that note explains who oracles are pretty well. Is there a special name for this from your tongue?

Thela: Not at all! We have never seen this kind of Power, even after finding that note and learning about its existence! You are the first one!

Queen: Or rather, the second one…

Thela: Wait, do you count? That golden explosion was the amulet’s doing, not yours, right? An oracle could do this without it, just look at the rockmover right here! It glows with spirit energy, and he doesn’t have a relic!

Ritebearer: You’re wrong on this one, scarf siren! I do have another relic on me. I am surprised no one stole it.

Gaze Sister: (very surprised and embarrassed) I sensed… The aura… Of spirit, still… Uhh… Remaining on you, but I thought that is, well… Innate,.. Since we took the amulet!

Ritebearer: Nah, you should have read that note more clearly! An oracle is nothing without a relic! Well, experienced oracles still retain their immense spirit energy capacity, but they can’t do anything with it once the relic is taken away. In fact, anyone can be an oracle, as long as they own a relic. Problem is, there aren’t many relics in existence. Well, except Pan’s, that god has blessed his numerous satyrs with relics, but they all live out here, in the Dark Sea.

Gaze Sister: The Hornmen? We never established a stable contact with their kind, we mostly avoid eachother.

Queen: So, whose relics do you own, construct?

Ritebearer: The Eagle Patrimony belongs to Zeus, the God of Lightning. Meanwhile, this Tidestone Band, hidden beneath my shoulderpads, is from Poseidon, the God of the Sea.

Thela: Are they doing well?

Ritebearer: The gods? Nobody really knows. They have been lost to time, and only relics are left as the reminder of their existence.

Queen: Alright, we heard enough. We still need to continue our journey into the Bright.

Ritebearer: The Bright? The War Seas, you mean? What does YOUR kind have to do there?

Herca: That will require explaining…

  1. Golem ↩︎

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Who did they eat?/j

Story has been awesome so far

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I am already notorious for constantly editing each and every my reply ten times after sending it, and now the very reason why I’ve been doing it emerged once more!

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Part 6: In a cave.

(After listening to Thela’s reports, Ritebearer shook and collapsed. Armour parts only reassembled after 10 whole seconds)

Ritebearer: This is terrible…

Queen: Yes, and we plan to aid whoever’s still alive out there! I’ve always aimed to reach peaceful coexistence, but was late with my plans…

Kassata : (looks down in grief).

Ritebearer: I still don’t trust any of you, but I got nobody else. If you are able to reach the War Seas, then I am hitching a ride.

Gaze Sister: Our trust is mutual, construct.

Thela: What happened to your crew, uhh..? What was your name again?

Ritebearer: I’ve never said it. As for the crew, they got ambushed by an enormous fleet of Atlanteans while I was on this island. I saw some of my men mutate with my own eyes, that is not how Atlanteans functioned before! They were mindless, carnivorous beasts, but they never could infect others!

Herca: And how did you get stuck on the sea bottom?

Ritebearer: My spirit energy was suppressed and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of magic pollution emitting from the Atlanteans.

Gaze Sister: A rockmover, kept animate by spirit energy… I am really curious about your origins.

Ritebearer: I don’t remember them either.

(Ritebearer tries to lift his arm, but something is blocking his joints. The Queen reaches and pulls out a glowing note)

Queen: “The Dark Sea”. Huh…

Ritebearer: What was that doing there?

Herca: These pages always appear out of nowhere, you’ll get used to it.

Queen: “The Dark Sea is the name given to the world outside of the sea clusters, a seemingly endless expanse covered completely by dense clouds imbued with magic energy. Acidic magic-imbued rain falls constantly, destroying and mutating life…” Rockmover, what are the “sea clusters”?

Ritebearer: No idea. I only know what the War Seas are. Maybe, the answer will lie in a different note?

Thela: “Animals are often severely mutated, enlarged, or deformed…” That means, the Bright has no Purpletusks and Scalepaws[1]?

Ritebearer: That is correct. Animals of the War Seas are rarely larger than me. Most are only half my height.

Herca: But that is so frail! How are they even surviving? The rain would wipe them out in a lightning!

Ritebearer: There is no acidic rain there.

Herca: I’ve been close to the Bright. I saw much smaller animals on the islands there, but you’re telling me even that isn’t the limit?

Queen: “Atlantean is the name given to humans that have been lost and mutated by the Dark Sea’s rain…” The Wildmen were once humans?!

Gaze Sister: They look nowhere alike! So many theory books must be rewritten now!

Queen: “Atlanteans forget all of their former selves, and often sail on their ship with their former crew like a pack of animals. The strongest atlanteans, often powerful mages, can live for hundreds of years, and only grow larger and more powerful, eventually becoming completely unrecognizable as something that was once human…” Surprising. That one monstrosity I got my Brightbringer from had no Power.

Ritebearer: A blunderbuss? What?! I thought yall got nothing but bows!

Kassata: Blud-bus what?

Ritebearer: A gun with a wide barrel, designed to shoot out multiple pellets at once, unlike other caplocks.

Herca: So many unknown words… What even is a “gun”?

Ritebearer: A weapon that uses gunpowder to propel small metal balls at extremely high speeds, but needs a long time to reload. Gunpowder is this gray powder your High Sister got in these tiny pockets hanging from her waist.

Queen: I’ve found many of these on that Wildman-Scalepaw when we slayed it. But their amount is low now, I only got a few left.

Ritebearer: Atlantean-what?

Gaze Sister: You’ve seen large, scaled red creatures on islands, right?

Ritebearer: Ah, the Thymos. I understand now. So, the Atlantean was riding it as a mount?

Herca: No, they were one being. Fused together.

Ritebearer: Oh… Anyway, about those ammo pouches you’re running out of. I know how to make more. I will get you a large supply. Just make sure to aim properly, to not waste them.

Queen: I got pretty skilled with the Brightbringer already!

Kassata: Hey, Sisters, we must go now! We’re wasting time, we can talk on the way!

Queen: Ah, right. Construct, you’re coming with us?

Ritebearer: Walter Marshall. Just call me that. Walter Marshall, the Ritebearer.

  1. Thymos ↩︎

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Part 7: Beast Retreats.

(Herca is guiding the mushroom cap raft forward. The addition of a never-tiring pair of hands that are capable of handling the oar has greatly improved the speed)

Kassata: Tell us, Walter, why did you visit the Dark so often?

Walter: I know it sounds absurd for a spirit energy construct to be a frequent visitor at the most magic-polluted place in the world, but I just love it, for some reason. The Dark Sea is unforgiving and ruthless, and yet, it is bountiful and beautiful. I don’t know what force exactly pulls me back here time and time again, but I don’t feel like resisting it. Besides, the times when the Dark Sea clears from its rain are extremely rare, but the mere view that opens up when it happens is worth chasing the dream!

Gaze Sister: What is so special between Spirit and Power, armour?

Walter: I am not sure. I just know that these two energies don’t go well with eachother. Those rare individuals who have both of these at their disposal take on a rare colour mutation of their spirit energy.

Queen: Like me?

Walter: Yes. I am not sure either why isn’t everybody with magic showing these changes after getting hold of a relic, there must be some other conditions for this to happen. You do meet those conditions, for whatever reason.

Queen: What do spirit energy colours mean?

Walter: Hard to say. Not many examples are there to observe. But, I can be certain that blue colour is for those with pure souls. Meanwhile, malicious souls are purple. You don’t seem to have harmful intentions, so we’ll take gold as the magic-induced mutation of blue. As for the last colour - I saw one or two with blood-red spirit energy. Nobody’s with golden, tho, wonder why. Maybe magic-using humans are just that ruthless?

Thela: You said the rain can sometimes end. How is that possible?

Walter: Rely on your luck, and you may witness this sighting yourself.

Herca: Fire mountain ahead!

Walter: Make a stop there. Those rocks on the volcano’s slopes may contain useful reagents for my potions…

Queen: Useful what for your what?

Walter: I will show yall another time. We have to hurry, I need to finish the harvest quickly.

(After docking near the island, Walter jumps out from the raft and starts smashing rocks, retrieving blood-red objects from the rubble. The Queen stares at the open sea behind. She notices an enormous trail…)

Gaze Sister: EVERYBODY AWAY FROM THE WATER!!!

(The group abandons their raft just in time to avoid a colossal wave slamming into the spot they were just standing at with its full force. The cap is cracked and flung onto one of the highest points of the volcano, just a bit away from the stream of molten lava. Multiple massive tentacles pierced the sky)

Walter: Oh, finally! I’ve thought I will never see this creature ever! Come here, octopus!

Queen: Stay away from the Darkest, Walter!

Walter: You know it is the one who has to be scared now, right?

(The sirens sit terrified on the volcano’s slope, while Walter fends off a creature a thousand times his size. He seems to struggle dodging tentacle slams that shake the entire island)

Walter: Wreath siren, shoot the tentacle now! I need help!

Queen: I am gonna die!

Walter: Use your wings, siren!

(The Queen, reluctantly overcoming her fears, flies closer to the Omen. Her shot severs half of the way into the tentacle, and it is up to Walter to finish the cut. The Omen lost a limb, and decided to swiftly get away from such dangerous prey)

Walter: Nah, you get back here! I ain’t done!

Kassata: ENOUGH!! You just put us in front of death itself!! You asked us to dock near this fire mountain!!

Walter: Well, I didn’t expect for this Omen to track us down!

Gaze Sister: Explain yourself.

Walter: So, this was the Omen, a colossal species of octopus. There are smaller ones in closer ranges of the Dark Sea, called Krakens. People are mostly aware of the existence of these large monsters, but the Omen is merely a myth, since no one sane enough dares to enter the Dark Sea, let alone the Far Reaches, where this thing dwells-

Queen: What are the Far Reaches?

Walter: The farthest ranges of the Dark Sea. A place forgotten by everything that isn’t native to it. Magic pollution here is so strong, it makes animals colossal, and morphs them into monsters.

Thela: So, is the Darkest dead now?

Walter: That Omen? Nah, just lost a tentacle. It will return, we better make haste. And yeah, Omen is a species, not just one creature.

Gaze Sister: There are many?!

Walter: Yes, and I’ve been trying to find and slay one for years! But, they just avoid me! It only took for me to get lost in a group that one finally came to me. Now, we own its tentacle!

(Walter points at the severed tentacle that blocks the faint sunlight with its colossal profile)

Herca: We can use its skin to reinforce the ship! Truth be told, I’ve never worked with such material, we never saw the Darkest as something that can be killed!

Queen: Wait, there is something inside the cap! It is… a book?

Gaze Sister: What a novelty! Not even a page! Your luck is surprising indeed, wreath girl!

Walter: “The Arcane Chronicles”, by Randal… I remember this man.

Queen: You know who this is?

Walter: I was once in the sky of Bronze Sea, and found a lone floating library. The Myriad, it was called. It is the home of Randal, the wisest man I’ve met. He wasn’t willing to talk a lot with me, sadly.

Thela: There are islands in the sky?!

Gaze Sister: “In this book lies a combination of stories I have collected over the past fifty years or so, which, to my belief, make up an accurate history of our world. I will remake this book as I obtain new information. If you are reading this, chances are it is an outdated copy that I have thrown out…” High Sister, I would make great use of this book, I am keeping it and I do not care what your opinion is.

Queen: Hey, let us at least read it once!

Gaze Sister: “Before there was an earth, there was the universe, formed by Chaos and Creation. Creation is the force that created life and planets, while Chaos is the force that created magic…” Oh… So, Power is…

Thela: That explains why Power and Spirit don’t go well together…

Gaze Sister: “Chaos and Creation combined their powers to create the Titans and Gods to watch over the planet, who existed for millions of years in various different forms. These beings are immortal in spirit, and continue to exist as souls once their body is destroyed…” That Athena might be much more than we assumed, Sisters.

Walter: Told yall!

Gaze Sister: The rest is just story. I assume this will have a connection to Athena’s notes we will find later. I will make sure to check this book each time!

Queen: Speaking of Athena… This fell out while you were flipping pages!

(The Queen shows everyone a page that was used as a bookmark in the Chronicles)

Queen: “Chaos and Creation”. How ironic. Athena surely knows how to be convenient.

Walter: Everything written here is almost exactly the same as Randal’s information. A very funny joke, Athena. I believe her note is what caused this book to be washed onto our raft with that large wave the Omen caused. Speaking of the Omen…

Herca: Repairs complete. We can set off now. The Darkest may return soon, all aboard!

Walter: Let me skin the tentacle, at least! I need those armored scales!

(Leaving the volcano behind, the group rowed forward. The winds got quite less intense, and the pressure of magic pollution lessened)

Walter: We just exited the Far Reaches, I feel. From this point on, the Omen can’t follow us. Everything in these, closer to the War Seas, ranges is much less dangerous.

Kassata: About time! I am tired of risking my life!

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Part 8: Fallen Trees.

(The Queen is nervous. She doesn’t feel the presence of her Lair from this far away anymore. Gaze Sister is too busy flipping pages of the Arcane Chronicles to be paying attention. Thela and Herca are tired, the raft is only driven forward by the young and full of energy Kassata and the never-tiring Ritebearer. Waves are still higher than trees and cliffs, but at least they’re not as fierce)

Queen: How many of us… ever been this far from home?

Gaze Sister: The Gift of Magic… Prometheus…

Thela: I am not even a sailor! That one investigation mission[1] doesn’t count! I was a want-go[2] due to the lack of sisters!

Herca: I’ve ventured all the way to the Calmer Waters[3], this scenery isn’t new to me.

Kassata: As long as I concentrate on rowing and not let the thoughts of dread and despair from being in such danger enter my head, I’ll be fine!

Walter: Heh, believe me, you’re in a much less dangerous position right now that you were. I bet I can even give the captain hat siren a competition with how much I have spent in these ranges of the Dark Sea!

Herca: Do you even plan on remembering our names properly?

Walter: I’m trying! It’s not that simple, my mind is still foggy after all that sinking in the magic-pulluted water thing!

Gaze Sister: You have a mind? You’re just blue mist in a metal shell!

Walter: A smart one would be even smarter if she didn’t provoke me, Gaze Sister!

Thela: So you remember her, and not Herca?

Walter: Not like I’ve heard other names much! Besides, that hag just look like someone I could have lots of beef with, and I prefer keeping such person around.

Queen: Lots of what?

Walter: Oh hey look, an island. Come, I want to show you something.

Herca: Watch out, the whirlwind gathers!

(Avoiding a plasma tornado, they pulled the mushroom cap ashore, away from the scorching waves. The island was a giant swamp)

Walter: Oh hey, this biome has lots of starlight, I’m gonna collect it real quick, but thats not why we’re here.

Kassata: Last you said something of this kind, the Darkest attacked us!

Walter: Speaking of attacking us, look into that pond!

(A row of sharp spines is emerging from the water. Jaws snap and open, a spined crocodile is charging towards its prey)

Thela: It’s so… Small… Huh.

Walter: Look, uhh, what was your name again… Anyway, you said you’re scared. But of what? This thing is much smaller than Terasavros you could’ve seen around your home!

(Kassata is poking the crocodile with a stick, while it helplessly tries to snatch her out of the air)

Queen: Kassata, Walter is right, you don’t have to be afraid!

Gaze Sister: Spoken by one who is still shaking time to time!

Queen: Hey, I just… feel a bit cold.

Herca: Walter, what is Terasavros?

Walter: Look at this spined crocodile, and imagine it three to four times bigger. Thats about what you can meet in the Far Reaches.

Herca: So, the Spikejaw. How many times have you hunted those?

Walter: More than you can count. Oh hey, look, another one is crawling over!

(Kassata is laughing, while both reptiles continue chasing what they can’t possibly catch. The rest of the crew are watching the show)

Gaze Sister: Wait a minute, something is not right with the second Spinejaw…

Queen: Its tail was bitten off!

Thela: They starved for so long, they’re now eating each other!

Gaze Sister: No, its not that. The tail isn’t bitten off, but, rather, torn off. Something massive fell onto its tail, and the creature had to tear itself free at a heavy cost. Its teeth are chipped and broken, it tried to bite whatever has caught it and failed.

Herca: Look to the right. The trees.

Walter: A landslide happened? There are no cliffs high enough for that!

Queen: Kassata, drop your toys, we need you here!

Kassata: Sure thing, High Sister!

(Walter puts an end to both crocodiles, as the rest are investigating an enormous path of bent and fallen trees that spans all the way from the shore to the liquid starlight lakes)

Queen: Whatever may have caused this destruction, it was big. I hope it isn’t lurking around us in this very moment!

Kassata: Why has it all returned to being scary again!?

Gaze Sister: Herca, dear, how many Scalewings[4] have you seen?

Herca: Not a lot. We know better than to seek one out.

Gaze Sister: These ancient beasts have access to Power. I see no traces of it along this part. Whatever did this, it wasn’t a Scalewing.

Walter: It is a shame that the rain is so good at washing off the footprints. Those could have helped us.

Queen: Maybe we look at where the path ends?

(Thela flies over to the starlight pond and looks down)

Thela: What even is this stuff? I haven’t seen this around our Sisterlead!

Kassata: I know… what this is… I…

(Kassata can’t speak, she is crying. The Queen tries to comfort her, but she pushes her away)

Kassata: I’ll be fine!.. Give me time…

Gaze Sister: Burnwater in its purest form. You might have seen it in flasks or in much lower concentrations, Thela. Touch the liquid, and you’ll know why it is named like that.

Herca: Could a rockmover have been formed out of this? Maybe that is what left the path of fallen trees?

Queen: No, we would have seen the splashes left on the ground. Besides, why would a being so dissolvable by the sea walk straight into it? I see burnwater being its destination, rather than origin.

Walter: The trees are bent both ways. The creature made many trips to the lakes and back over a long period of time. It visits this place frequently.

Kassata: Then why are we still standing here?! Let’s get away before it comes back another time!

Herca: That is true. We need to get out of here.

Walter: Why do I hear heavy footsteps?

Thela: They are coming from where we’ve left our ship!

(Everybody runs over to the shore. All they had time to see is a giant arm, pulling the mushroom cap back into the ocean)

Kassata: WALTER!!! I TOLD YOU SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS EVERY TIME YOU MAKE US STOP AT AN ISLAND!!!

Walter: As if it is my fault! These things happen outside of my control! Now get this bow away from my helmet!

Gaze Sister: Pull the string and let go, child.

Queen: No, we shouldn’t fight over something like this. What we need to do is retrieve what is ours. Any ideas what could have been that creature with a huge arm?

Herca: I saw some scales and small fins, not as many as Wildmen have, though.

Gaze Sister: Old records speak about a race older than ours. Most of those are long lost to time, but those few that I have read describe them as human-like, but as tall as mountains.

Walter: I have never seen any island-sized humans, are you sure these exist?

Gaze Sister: Got any better theories, metal can?

Herca: Where has it gone? It can’t breathe underwater, can it? Gaze Sister, find it.

Gaze Sister: No.

Queen: Gaze Sister, please!

Thela: Gaze Sister, please! We need our ship back!

Gaze Sister: Ugh, fine, but you’ll do the hard work.

(Gaze Sister senses for any nearby signatures. She sees one, swimming to a remote island)

Gaze Sister: There. The distance is short enough for us to simply fly there.

Walter: Well, you’re on your own here. See yall on the other side!

(The Ritebearer jumps into the water and sinks down. The sirens see a green dot disappearing under the waves)

Kassata: Is he… gonna be alright?

Gaze Sister: What, now you care about that thing? Heh, swims just fine, just on the bottom of the sea.

Herca: Everybody, into the air! We are flying to that island to retrieve our cap. Don’t stray too far!

Queen: Do you have enough strenght left, Gaze Sister? Can you handle the flight?

Gaze Sister: I am not that old!

(Stretching their wings before a long trip, the five prepare themselves. It is now a battle between them and the ever-going storm of the Dark Sea)

  1. Coralcove’s last journey ↩︎

  2. Volunteer ↩︎

  3. Insanity 0 range of the Dark Sea ↩︎

  4. Dragons ↩︎