Kimi had to admit, of all the things that happened since her first meeting with Morgan, this was the most surreal. It was also strangely beautiful. If anything would make… things worthwhile, it might very well be this.

She was sitting in a clear dome submerged underwater, waiting on a rocky outcropping above the sea floor. Morgan was attending to work of some kind, as evidenced by the glow of the crystal in her hands. It was the thing she decided to call the Keystone after one of Morgan’s long, rambley explanations. Apparently, according to their stalker Mihari, it was actually known as the Reaping Stone.

She liked her name better.

Well, whatever, wasn’t her problem. In fact, there was a good chance she’d seen the end of those. Her last task was making the plan they were about to execute. They were tipped off about an ambush from some mystery group called the Templar—an offshoot of the White Temple—and were going to turn it back on them. They were waiting for a signal from Morgan’s Shaping Stone, what Mihari called the Ex Stone.

Meanwhile, Kimi was free to enjoy the view. She turned about, taking in the scene. They weren’t far from the surface, so plenty of light filtered in from above. There wasn’t a great deal to see, as they were resting on the side of a steep undersea cliff, but there was a vast swarm of strange creatures darting to and fro about her. They had large, sleek bodies covered in silver scales. Morgan said they were called tuna, and people used to hunt them in vast quantities from the ocean.

She had never seen so much as a picture of one, or any fish really, but she enjoyed watching them.

“If you like it here,” Morgan said. “Then I bet you’d really love to go swimming in a coral reef.”

“You mean, like, out naked in the ocean?” Kimi said.

“You’d probably wear a suit of some kind, but yes. Once I’ve finished the whole world will be free to explore and settle again. This really is going to be for the best.”

“Not sure everyone’s going to agree.”

“Not at first,” Morgan said. “But, still. I hope you’ll, uh…” He felt Kimi glaring at him. “I know you’ll do well.”

Kim huffed, then settled into a cross legged position to wait. “Let me know when the fun’s about to start.” It didn’t take long before she sensed a stir from Morgan.

“It’s time,” he said.

“Alright.” Kimi rolled to her knees, pulling the Reaping Stone to a point in front of her eyes. She never used an arte like this before, one requiring a mental link, but since joining with Morgan she developed an intuitive sense for it. After a moment of focus she connected to the Crystal.

A bounty of interesting options swam through her mind, and she selected one called “Vital Network Administrator Override.” The stone began to glow, and Kimi touched it to the ground beneath her.

“Wakey wakey, my friend,” she said.