When she was younger, and began to notice the caretakers looking after her, the idea of having an adult nearby to help and play with seemed like a great idea.

But when each and every hour of your day was filled with different people who didn’t care about you, but instead cared about the paycheck the job came with.

The feeling of being an outsider came slowly, and it was inevitable.

Even now, the feeling of being a complete outsider came back full throttle.

The waters began to numb the tips of her fingers, but it was muted slightly after equipping the extra scale armour, it was big enough to fit Vera, but it hung off her person.

Peeking beneath her, she saw the same armour she was wearing, with hair in a small bun behind the person's head. She heard the prince call her ‘Vera’.

Maybe it was because her shadow changed above her, but Vera quickly caught her eyes and she looked away.

In front of her was the slowest of the three, Keirian who Sera noticed in great detail how gruesomely she ripped the side of his thigh, even the bandages did little to hide the sight of torn flesh moving in the water.

What was worse and actually worrying her however was the time they had spent travelling, in what felt like a crawl rather than a swim. The creeping black waters, she was tempted to ask but if it turned out her throat had healed having her questions answered first would more than likely be just a dream.

Feeling her legs begin to bite, she couldn’t help but observe Keirian.

Even after resting he’s still slow, normally I heal from my injuries within a day or two… Maybe I did more damage than I thought. Thoughts of the PID healing her somehow came across, but Sera wasn’t crazy… anymore.

It wasn’t attached to her, nor did it tell her that being near it would speed up healing, maybe it was the-

“I’m seeing more movement behind the rock column, we’ll swim above it.” Like one of the older security guards, his voice was deep and calm, it was different now that he wasn’t breathing down her neck.

It almost gave her a sense of security.

“Good idea. We’re far enough it shouldn’t be a problem.” Noticing the clear sense of purpose coming from the prince, she couldn’t help but think maybe he would understand.

That green light, it looks almost like a beacon. Looking over to their prisoner come saviour, he couldn’t help but feel suspicious, despite the circumstances.

“Up ahead is what we’re looking for, Keira?” Noticing a general slowing in movement, he looked over to Keira in front of himself.

The young woman turned, wearing the oversized gear he had lent her to make sure she wasn’t freezing and wasn’t wearing the lost combat armour from before.

Her mouth opened, but Reeve barely heard a croak before she nodded her mouth in a straight line. “Great. Let’s continue until the base of the green light.”

His hand moved to his chest subconsciously checking the necklace beneath, he felt the warm hum, but the familiar window didn’t show up. Either hidden or I’m still too far from her, if there isn’t a signal soon...

Looking below Keira, he saw Vera get back to swimming immediately, while Keirian’s face was beginning to show signs of exhaustion.

Vera’s not focusing fully on the mission, considering what she’s been through it’s not unexpected, but if this does end up being an ambush the chance of all of us escaping in one piece is far-fetched.

Meanwhile, Keirian’s on his last legs, he should be able to defend himself well enough for me to us the blade. The chance of this being an ambush in the first place is unlikely, as is considering our sorry state before.

Keira however keeps making me double-think my decisions, her face keeps showing guilt or melancholy, is she going to use the Lost structure as some sort of trap or am I overthinking things?

Coming closer to the temple, the last of the sand dunes and small cliffs were left behind them. Instead, scattered across the landscape ahead of them was metal blacker than the Whisper’s water, with hints of green lights flickering.

If Loretta were here, she would know her intentions from a look and in the same moment decide on a plan of action. I only have one choice.

Pushing his hands in front of his person, he felt the water pass by him as Reeve stopped swimming.

“Stop.”

Like water forming into ice, the tip of the formation stopped first, Keirian’s bulk body forming a road block for Keira to stop before banging into him, with Vera beneath her stopping a moment later.

“Keira. I’m not letting any of us near the Lost structure without seeing some evidence or the-”

“-princess herself.” Again she saw his hands fall to his sword, but she didn’t pay attention to the unnatural sheen of the weapon.

The only thing I have left is the truth.

“I-” Her throat felt like it was being scratched from the inside by a scruff of tickling hairs.

“In-inside.” Pushing out the words, instantly she saw a change in all three expressions.

Despite Vera hovering to the side, her eyes widened and looked towards the Ancient’s Temple, almost tall enough to breach the waters.

Keirian looked away from her direction for the first time and looked at the Temple briefly before his eyes narrowed and returned to her person.

Lastly, and the slowest to change, was the prince’s his eyebrows furrowed, and he moved his hand away from his sword and towards the centre of his chest.

His eyes looked glassy for a second before they returned with both his eyebrows raised. “She-She’s not wrong, Lore’s here.”

How does he know? Sera was about to ask, but before she could, the people’s reaction around her stopped her attempt.

Like a chain combustion Sera heard a gasp from behind her and saw Vera look wide-eyed towards the prince while Keirian followed suit but with his figure turning entirely towards the Temple.

Hearing what sounded like someone clearing their voice while gargling water, Sera turned and saw the prince’s attention was entirely on her. But he didn’t talk, instead stared at her like when they had first met.

This time his eyes felt like they were examining every bit of not only her outfit but what she had said, and what was left unsaid. “Keira lead towards the temple, Vera have your spear pinned from above her and aimed at her midsection.”

Vera instantly began moving as the prince looked at Keirian once before his friend swam to his side.

“If you aren’t lying, this is where you prove it.” The second his words hit her, Sera felt a pointed object glance off her back.

She didn’t have to turn to see who it was.

A sense of foreboding came over her. They really are here for the princess, but then what happened to the Dwelling or Iva?

Trying to swallow the restless thoughts away, Sera lightly bounded off the sea floor and began swimming towards the temple.

The spear tip followed with a slight delay, but its mark kept true, along with the unsaid promise ‘If you try to run or do anything suspicious, we won’t hesitate’.

Slow strokes turned into faster ones as she noticed that the cold was starting to affect her again, in the distance the sight of the circular Ancient’s temple falling apart along with the Drone’s body melded into the side.

Almost unnoticeably Sera began swimming towards it, as she did the green lights and trivial sound of something fizzing in the background came to the group as silence descended.

Slowly, crucially, they got closer.

Her limbs becoming numb as she began to notice she was shaking.

What would they do when they knew they couldn’t reach her? How would she explain she needed to gather modules to repair the Temple enough for it to release the caged princess?

Or would Keirian take the opportunity to finish what he started?

Before she knew or wanted it, they were there.

At the foot of the temple, the shadow concealing the back of it could hide more of the predators, but she doubted any of them would come this far.

Almost close enough to touch, Sera saw the door she had left a mere month ago closed shut.

Slowing down her descent to the structure, she felt the spear lightly press into her back as Vera slowed with her.

Her hand automatically went to her gills on her throat, feeling the wound as she began trying to flex her throat.

Turning behind her, she saw Keirian and the prince weren’t far behind either, with Keirian’s eyes racing towards the many shadow and dips in the ground.

She felt the spear lightly poke back with a voice. “Don’t do that again. Just wait for the prince and his undefeated to join.”

More questions with no immediate answers, but Sera couldn’t dwell on them for long as the two landed in front of her. “Well? Where’s the entrance.”

Her heart quickened as she felt her hand grip her throat lightly. “It-It’s-”

Throat closing again and her hands shaking before she decided to just take the chance, moving her right hand below her adam’s apple she tried to force the words out.

“S-sealed. The princess can’t escape ohn-.” Her voice spluttered out.

She couldn’t see Vera’s reaction, but she could feel it. The Spear in her back instantly dug deeper into her back, and she winced as she tried to stay calm.

Keirian’s hand instantly went to his wrist, but stopped completely once he saw the prince move.

Like a crumbling wall, she saw his face morph as he almost teleported to her, crossing the distance instantly. Quickly, his face changed from what was barely hidden enthusiasm to an anger that sought release.

“Sealed?” Without wasting a moment, he grabbed her shoulder and forcibly faced her towards the structure.

“What part of this is sealed? There ARE HOLES bigger than a reaper in that thing-and most importantly, how do you know Loretta’s stuck inside? For all I know, you could’ve manipulated us-even the artefact about her being inside here!”

Pushing her out of his grip into the waiting spear, Sera couldn’t help the pained whine that came out of her as she felt it stab into her back.

The smell of blood instantly came to her as she saw the change instantaneous in Keirian, his weapon pinged out, but before he could do anything he was interrupted.

“Dammit-Keirian! The Whisper’s borders are closer here, we have to hurry! Help me check the Lost’s structure quickly!” Like a cannonball, he burst away from here towards the other swimming figure.

A cold shiver ran up her spine. He was this close from just-

“Towards the wall!” A harsh bump pushed her from behind as she got shoved towards the Temple’s black exterior.

The water helped cushion her fall, but the weakness in her legs didn’t help, trying to catch herself she flailed before her body hit the black cold surface.

Hearing a flutter of water travel away, Vera’s voice came less than a second later. “Stay there while they search for the princess, for your sake you should hope they find her.”

A new wave of cold water hit her as Vera pushed away from her prone form.

Her gills pulling in and heaving out water under her neck felt deafening, and the wound on her back added to the reality of the situation.

She was trapped.

Looking down at the lump of steel below her, Sera noticed it felt oddly familiar, especially what felt like an arm-

The drone?!

Melded into the structure, Sera saw it’s body laid out more than before, as if it was slowly melding into it. It died here, and now it’s being absorbed back into the Ancient Temple. Will I end up joining it?

Her head fell as she felt her world begin to zone out into the background, her eyes closed as she waited for the two to come back and kill her. What other choice did they have?

Amet, why did it have to be Keira, she was the one who killed all the nerieads in the expedition, stuck Loretta in the Temple and was even left for dead here.

Her vision black and her eyes began to sting as the minutes passed by, until a soft cyan began dimly shining in her vision.

It was familiar, but it should’ve been impossible, with the Dwelling gone along with the PID the light shouldn’t exist.

No, it can’t be the PID, it’s probably one of the sun’s rays reaching down… Wait, but the light couldn’t reach here, could it?

Flashing open, the world around her was a blur for a moment until everything stabilised and in the middle of her vision was the blue screen.

Drone Interface

Construction complete! Prison area updated. Life support systems repaired. Security systems reinforced. Prisoner connected to the Temple and status can be shown on main PID Interface.

Prisoner’s Current Status:

84/100

What-This didn’t show up the last time I was here, does that mean the Dwelling’s nearby?

Her head shot up as she quickly looked up, but found no trace of the unusual white oval. Where is it-Wait, Vera!

On instinct, her head shot down as she turned her body towards where her detainer last was. There was no trace, instead behind her in the distance was the void.

Whereas before the murky waters move like a mass of wasps or locusts, in it’s place now was… just black, staring at the figure Sera began to notice to the side a white spotted fish.

Wait, those aren’t spots. Thousands of eyes were moving faster than she thought they could, away from the pitch black void, but it was being cornered by the murky waters flanking it and worse-

It was coming their way.

Sera felt her heart skip a beat as she whipped back to the Temple.

There was one way out of this, and she was going to find it.

Pushing off the melded drone, Sera began desperately looking up and scanning the temple for anything white or moving-

There! In the corner of her vision, Sera saw a leg and the back of a spear cross towards where Keirian and Reeve were headed.

Crap, Vera must’ve seen it too. If she tells Keirian or the prince, they won’t hesitate this time. Her hands and legs kicked into action.

Swimming towards the Temple, Sera began trying to rapidly ascend. From the top of the Temple I should easily find the Dwelling, I just need to make it there in time.

Using the many makeshift footholds and ledges from the crash, Sera began scaling the structure, swimming whenever she couldn’t leverage her body higher.

Like an old train blaring its horn, the deepest noise she had ever heard rumbled behind her, along with the familiar noise of suction and bursts of water.

Sparing a look over her shoulder she saw she was going too slowly, the void was now closer to the Temple than she was to the top of it and in front of it was the morphing body of the Oculi.

Her hand missed a ledge on the black iron and her body was pushed away, on instinct she used her legs to help her swim to the next ledge as the noises got louder.

Shit. I need to hurry, if that void is enough to scare the Oculi then-

Sounds of flesh slapping against metal tore her concentration away from her body, her hands clambered away, missing the next handhold.

As she began swimming upwards, Sera turned her body around and froze.

The Oculi was using its eye limbs to pull itself up and over instead of going around, but it was too slow.

Behind it, the void had finally caught up.

In the middle of it the void stretched outwards just as the front of the Oculi’s body was beginning to clamber upwards.

It was almost like the Croc’s jaws, opening wide the lack of light became crisper as long jagged edges began to form away from its main body along the jaws.

They kept growing outwards as the eyes and the body tried to escape, Sera tried to will her legs to swim, but all that came was weak strokes that barely gave her motion.

Then they jaws closed, like two magnets they shut, with the long jagged teeth piercing into its flesh, the monster screeched, it’s frequency raising and her ears felt like they were getting stabbed until she couldn’t hear it anymore.

Or anything, that’s when she noticed she stopped swimming, again.

Her strokes started slow but gained momentum as she saw it's corpse beginning to change.

Black marks began showing up on it's body as the void moved in.

Almost rapidly, Sera saw the eye limbs beginning to move again, but this time they were turning black.

Then one by one they began popping out and swimming upwards.

Its body continued to turn as Sera turned around and focused her entire body on getting the hell away from what was happening, the last thing she saw from below was the Oculi’s body beginning to twitch.

Her fingers pinched and hands cramped, but she didn’t stop for a moment. Below her was certain death, with the murky waters getting closer and her ears now aching, she had to completely rely on her eyes.

She was more than halfway there.

Black steel.

Hurry.

Green light.

Where is it?

Eye limb.

Oh, crap-

Barely moving her hand away in time, the eyeball opened, and black teeth bit into the black steel, and tried to pull away, but it was stuck.

Her hand flew to her belt before she realised it was stuck. If there’s one here already, then-

Head down, she instantly saw three similar arm-limbs twirling around upwards towards her, with two grappling onto the side of the Temple trying to climb it as she was.

Crap-I’m too late.

Pushing off the Temple, Sera hoped she was high enough to see it all.

Her limbs worked rapidly as she saw half the Temple in her vision.

At the very top, she saw a shadow move to the other side of the structure, her strokes stuttered, but she couldn’t see what it was, looking down Sera saw the detached black limbs somehow speed towards her.

In desperation, Sera quickly looked again but couldn’t find any trace of the white structure, what was she missing? Wait, didn’t the colours morph into it?

Ignoring her quickly approaching attackers, Sera desperately looked for any grey or dissimilar metal along the Temple.

Ther-

Wrapping around her foot, Sera saw the eye open its teeth wide.

Her other foot went into action kicking it wildly as her body sprung around in the water, her hand going for her pouch, she found the blade.

It attacked just as she brought out the knife, it's black teeth sunk into her shoulder, she writhed in pain before screaming a soundless shriek. Her hand striking downwards into the head, her other hand pulling it out as her leg kicked its wrapped form off herself, but she didn't have time to finish.

Another black form came, trying to wrap itself around her leg, Sera pulled back and began pushing the water behind her.

Her movements ragged as she tried dodging the second attacker before a third wrapped around her arm, Sera spluttered before swinging wildly.

Thankfully this time her blade found its mark swiftly, cutting vertically across the limb, Sera saw the eye open before she flung it towards her other assailant.

Not sparing it a second, Sera sped off again, her left arm’s strokes slowing, but she knew her destination was close by.

Off to the right side, opposite to where the drone lay, was a small oval sitting on the outskirts of the Temple.

Beelining for it, Sera saw three limbs ahead of her, along with a wall of murky water rapidly making its way to the Temple.

Come on-I’m so close.

Her body raged as she felt something hit her foot, kicking wildly she dove, now at eye level with another limb.

Trying to move around it, this time she wasn’t so lucky, like before one second it was far enough to look like a small worm and in the next it was wrapping around her arm!

Grabbing its head with the arm it was wrapping, Sera tried to push it off as she felt her foot hit flesh. Dammit.

Swerving around, Sera caught the limb just in time as it tried to wrap around her leg.

Her knife poised, it moved faster than the black eye did, instantly stabbing the heart of the monster.

But at the same, the eye on her right arm opened and lunged for her neck. Pulling the knife out, the dead limb was thrown into the distance as Sera kept her hand wrapped around it’s body.

Stabbing it through its open mouth, Sera pulled out the blade less than a moment later and tore it off her body.

Looking back towards the Dwelling she saw two more worms making their way to her. Come on, I can’t keep fighting!

Pushing her legs to the limit, she manoeuvred upwards and sped towards the camouflaged Dwelling. Less than halfway there, she saw the two limbs meet up with three others.

Shit, if I can make it to the hatch then-

Her thoughts interrupted as she felt a deep vibration pulse through her body. No, not now, why is the Screecher here? It was deeper, does that mean-

Sera looked up expecting her death, but she couldn’t find it, the sound normally made it easy to find it, but without it… it could be anywhere!

Looking back towards the five limbs, she found them instead making their way downwards, back towards the void.

Sparing a look, Sera had wished she hadn’t.

Whereas before the body of the Oculi was like a whale’s light blue, now it was a crystallised black, with the back end missing a large chunk as thousands of black bits flew out of its exterior.

With the void moving forward, and upwards-it was going to move over the Temple!

If it gets that close to me or my Dwelling-

Taking the chance it had given her, Sera finally dove downwards.

Making her way to the top of her Dwelling, Sera didn’t take long to get inside.

Ripping open the hatch, Sera instantly saw blood in the water, she brought up her blade, but it was too late.

Latching onto her was an unknown foe which dug its fang deep into her-

Wait, it’s not eating-

Looking downwards, Sera expected to see her blood pouring out, but instead found the one person who had cared for her.

“I-Iva?” Along it’s back was a white line with visible blood crusted over a wound.

“H-how?” Not expecting an answer, Sera was shocked out of her skin when she heard a voice.

“Greetings Sera.” Pausing for a moment, the metallic voice continued.

“Dwelling Module has been fully absorbed, default settings allowed Dave to fully charge mana supplies and power at The Temple. Sending operation menu.”

Dwelling Interface

Power:

Power stored is at roughly 99/100pu.

Mana:

Mana stored is at roughly 9.9/10ma.

Building Module Status:

Fully absorbed. Full changelog includes-

Sera closed the menu once she remembered her reason for coming. “D-dave. We need to le-leave now.” Her voice coming out weak was hopefully enough.

A short pause came before the metallic voice came out. “Understood Sera. Ejecting from Temple towards last know module location.”

Almost blown off her feet, Sera was about to ask where but was thrown to the Dwelling’s floor.

A low grunt came out, but then Sera realised it.

The Dwelling was moving. She looked towards the hatch and gave a shaky sigh when she realised she didn’t have to leave and move the Dwelling on her own.

Was it over? What about the prince and…

“... Iva,” Patting the fish stuck to her, Sera saw the almost comically big eyes look up at her. “L-let go, I need to check t-the hatch.”

Slowly pulling her off Sera weakly made her way to the hatch.

“Sera. The PID has recognised a threat to your person and to the Dwelling directly outside, it recommends you rest instead.”

“... R-rest?”

A short silence came before Sera continued swimming towards the hatch.

“I need to check.” Her face resolute as she made her flash decision, she didn’t have time to think or ponder, it was the time for action.

Making her way over to the hatch, Sera pulled hard.

Opening upwards, Sera saw only black.

Her fingers shook before she slowly moved her head to the hatch.

Looking towards where the Temple was, Sera saw a black form move over it, on it’s black hundreds if not thousands of small forms moved and squiggled away from it.

But she couldn’t see anything else.

Dammit, why did they have to-

Sera barely caught the motion. In a mad rush towards her, one of the black worms turned out to be right next to her!

Her hand instantly slammed down the hatch, but her head wasn’t fully out of the way, the hatch crashed into her as the world went black.

Everything ached.

Her shoulder.

Her arm.

But what ached the most was her mind.

It felt like someone had crammed her into something.

Then her eyes opened.

… And her body began moving on its own.

An unknown red fish was hovering above her as her hand went to lightly touch the side of her head.

That’s when she realised that something wasn’t right.

She felt goosebumps on her spine as she tried moving her body, but it didn’t budge.

“T-that wasn’t the b-best idea. Iva I’m a-alright.”

A voice echoed in the small space as she finally spoke.

“What the hell is happening and why are you moving my body.”

Keira had no idea how much was about to change.