Chapter 3: 1.02

Thera 1.02

The Geofish. It is a type of fish that falls under the monster-classification according to the Bestiary of the Nautica. They generally inhabit nearshore waters, making their homes at the rocky seafloor near the intertidal zone. Some, such as the Augusta Geofish or the Celer Geofish, live in other biomes like kelp forests or coral reefs.

The Augusta Geofish in particular is considered the apex predator of the kelp forest. They are lone hunters, moving swiftly for their prey which typically consists of starfish, crabs, shrimps, and other smaller fishes. They have a powerful bite, and are known for killing their targets only moments after catching them. Their greatest flaw, however, is their poor sense of sight and scent.

But for this Augusta Geofish, that wasn’t a problem. It swam through the darkening waters, unafraid as it continued its hunt into the approaching twilight. Already, it had taken the life of dozens of small crabs and little shrimps just today alone. Yet, it wasn’t satisfied. This kelp forest no longer had much in the way of either prey or predator— not especially with the recent storms that swept through the area. Even now, a storm cloud was stirring overhead, and the lapping waves only intensified.

The Augusta Geofish should’ve migrated, but it was content with the lack of competition. All it had to do was spend more time hunting and it would meet its dietary requirements for the day. So what if the sun set? So what if the water grew so dark it could barely see a single foot in any direction? Its rock-like scales would protect it from any attack. And it wasn't like there was anything in this kelp forest that was a threat to it—

It recoiled as an explosion of pain erupted from its left fin. A tight jaw clung onto the Augusta Geofish as it swirled around, trying to throw off its assailant. The bite tore through its gray stone scales. Its vision was dyed a dark crimson, and it smelled nothing but its own blood.

A second terrible bite ripped off its gills. It thrashed helplessly in the water as it sunk towards the giant kelp reaching out to catch its slow fall. It crashed softly onto the sandy seabed and looked up at the round silhouette looming over it. The last inkling of light from the setting sun seeped through the waves and illuminated the attacker.

And at the very last moments of its life, this Augusta Geofish saw clearly a predator. Superior to it in every way. Larger, stronger, and somehow, faster.

A Mystic Turtle.

Thera sank her toothless beak-like jaw into the head of the Augusta Geofish. It squirmed one last time before coming to a halt, and it never saw anything ever again.

You have leveled up!

[Fledgling Testudine (Mystic Turtle) - Level 3] -> [Fledgling Testudine (Mystic Turtle) - Level 4]!

It had been a month since Thera began hunting down the gray-colored fishes. A month since she lost her only starfish friend. To her, it felt like forever had passed and the short period where her daily life went swimmingly was long gone.

All she’d done since then was wake up, hunt, and sleep. It was cyclical, and at first, this had been fulfilling. Each time she ripped apart the gray-colored fish (or Augusta Geofish) she’d felt… good. Cathartic.

Her soul sang even in her solitude because she had something to do. What was this feeling? The sweet taste of vengeance, perhaps. All she understood was that it filled her— it placated her. Yet, this feeling would not last forever. It grew diminished with each kill, until she eventually felt nothing.

Thera was… Level 4 now. Whatever that meant. Each time she gained a level, she felt both refreshed and like she’d grown stronger.

It was something she was told every-so-often. She intuitively understood the Voice of the World and accepted whatever it said as simply part of nature. After all, she didn’t question why water was wet nor did she question why she could swim. Although, she did wonder why only her first two ‘level ups’ offered her any new ‘Skills’.

Her thoughts were, evidently, more vivid now. She could think clearer and make proper observations— for example, she noticed that it got harder to level with each subsequent level she gained. That was why it took her a longer amount of time to reach Level 4 (three weeks) than it took her to reach Level 3 (one week).

Thera had also grown quite a bit since then. While previously, she wasn’t even the full length of the gray-colored fish, she now dwarfed them, doubling even the largest of them in size. She swam up and away from the remains of today’s hunt. The Augusta Geofish were incredibly filling to her stomach— and much more delicious than kelp.

A few bubbles left her shell as she looked around the little biome. The kelp forest. Her home.

It was a nice place. There were shrimp and krill and a myriad of small fishes that also made the giant kelp their homes. There were crabs too, but these ones were tiny and nothing like the cruel Sandtrap Crabs back at the beach of her birth. She liked it here, and she believed that the kelp forest itself liked her being here too.

Just look, a group of starfishes excitedly moved about the seafloor as she swam down towards them. They were practically bouncing around in celebration of another dead Augusta Geofish. They made way for her as she landed amongst them.

Back! Thera thought as she made a squeaking sound in the water.

The starfish flailed their arms, waving back at her. With her developed critical thinking skills, she was certain they liked her. That they saw her as one of their brothers and sisters.

In reality, this wasn’t true. The starfish were absolutely terrified.

They scuttled away from the horrible giant turtle in fear, rushing to escape the closing clasps of its crooked maw. Scatter! they thought. It can’t catch us all if we split up! The starfish fled in a panic as the turtle crashed into the earth.

Thera happily lay there, unaware of the sheer terror she’d instilled into the starfish she so liked. It had been a tiring day, and all she needed now was a nice long rest. She sidled up next to a giant kelp as it shaded her from the little bit of moonlight piercing through the ocean veil. This was her home. She felt safe sleeping amongst the starfish.

Yet, as her eyes fluttered shut, she faced one of the greatest drawbacks of becoming more and more cognizant— thinking. Or, more specifically, overthinking. Her mind wandered as her body remained still in slumber. She thought about her life here. As much as she liked the kelp forest, she still felt empty inside, like something was missing, and those thoughts plagued her in her dreams.

* * *

Thera roamed the open ocean. She explored the wonders of the sea. The murky waters cleared into a scintillating reflection of the azure sky. Her brothers and sisters swam ahead her, leaving a trail of cloud-white effervescence as she gave chase. And when she opened her mouth, she somehow could speak.

“Wait up!” she voiced her thoughts with a squeak.

A golden ripple ran through the crystalline waters. Her thoughts moved like a violent pulse; a washing wave; almost repulsive. Thera blinked as her brothers and sisters were thrown back by her words.

“No!” she cried, reaching for them.

Something caught her by her flippers. Thera looked down at her body, trapped in a tangle of seaweed. It yanked her back as her brothers and sisters continued their swim. The seawater darkened, and a giant jungle of kelp and seaweed sprouted up, ensnaring her with their clawing blades.

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“I—”

She struggled against the snare as the algae grew thick and tall and eventually consumed her world. Thera closed her eyes shut, refusing to accept her fate.

“I want to—”

* * *

Thera abruptly jolted awake as the nightmare came to an end. Bubbles streamed up from her shell, and her eyes rapidly darted from corner to corner. She tried to speak— to voice her confusion.

“Hnh.” All that came out when she opened her beak-like mouth was a little squeak and some bubbles.

She slowly clamped her mouth shut and took in her surroundings. It was still dark— the baby Mystic Turtle had woken up earlier than usual thanks to that cruel dream. She lay back down as a sense of melancholy weighed on her shell.

Thera would’ve gone back to sleep there and then, but just as she was about to close her eyes, she felt a weak disturbance run through the water. She raised her head, looking up as a shadowed figure dove past her.

Her eyes flickered. It was an Augusta Geofish. She watched the gray-colored fish race through the kelp forest, navigating around the giant algae as it chased after something.

Odd, Thera observed. They normally didn’t hunt when it was dark. This one must’ve been really bold or hungry. Well, not that the baby Mystic Turtle cared. She got up, ready to hunt it down as if it were instinct, until she noticed three other figures rushing after it.

Were those… shrimps? That was right. Thera looked on at the small group of shrimps as it gave chase after the apex predator of this kelp forest. The tiny little crustaceans were a fifth of the size of the Augusta Geofish, yet they amazingly hunted after it like it was a helpless starfish.

Thera saw this magical sight— this weird occurrence that happened when she was asleep. She was about to swim up to observe this scene out of curiosity when the waves above brightened. It dimmed a moment after, and the baby Mystic Turtle blinked. What…?

That was followed by a school of small fish swimming past Thera, traveling perpendicularly to the shrimps and the Augusta Geofish. Then a dozen crabs came next. Another gray-colored fish. A group of krill. So many sea creatures, all heading in haphazard directions.

Why are they all chasing each other? Thera was perplexed by this. Even the starfish below were crawling through the seafloor in a frenzy. She got up to investigate when she felt it— the same disturbance in the water that woke her up but far stronger now.

The kelp forest itself was shaking. Bits of sand and rock eddied up from the seabed as a terrible tremble ran through the water. The baby Mystic Turtle realized it now— no one was chasing each other. All marine life in the kelp forest were forced awake as something happened overhead. Above the sea.

A terrible hurricane swept through the ocean above. It created waves that rose a thousand feet into the air as hundreds of giant water columns ravaged the water surface. It was a magical storm that shimmered with a faint crimson aura. Iridescent lightning thundered down every other second as the colorful darkling clouds rained magic down below.

The giant kelp sheltering Thera’s sleeping spot was uprooted, and the baby Mystic Turtle swam up in a panic. No! She looked down in horror as the entire kelp forest was being torn up and out from the seafloor. My home—

A strong current gripped her, threatening to suck her into a nascent maelstrom. Thera fought against it as a group of starfish were peeled and were helplessly trapped in the fiercely circling water. Everything in the kelp forest was being drawn towards it. Crabs, shrimps, snails, mollusks— even the Augusta Geofish couldn’t escape.

Thera looked on as a group of the gray-colored fish were clumped in a spinning circle, unable to move or escape. Their gills were being choked by specks of sand and stone as tiny crustaceans joined them.

A piece of kelp caught Thera by the flipper, dragging her into the whirlpool with it. The baby Mystic Turtle looked back towards the cluster of packed animals, then she looked forward. Ahead of her was the unknown. A deeper part of the ocean. Where the water was more still. Where there was little plant life to hold her down. A place she’d never ventured to in the entire month and one week she’d lived in the kelp forest.

Thera was left with a choice: escape into dangerous and dark waters or stay in her dying home and hope it survived this maelstrom.

And she chose.

[Indomitable Soul]. Thera’s body shone with a golden light. It was a power that came from deep with her. An aura that shielded her— protected her body better than her shell ever could. And it did more than that.

She pulled herself forward, and the kelp blade clinging onto her was cut cleanly. The baby Mystic Turtle escaped the trap that was pulling her into the tangling kelp forest, but there was still the savage waters to deal with. She could barely navigate past all the debris flying around her, let alone go against the powerful current knocking her in all directions.

Gasping, Thera steeled herself and used her new Skill. [Hunting Dive]. She shot forward like she was fired from a slingshot, breaking free of the ocean’s bindings with a single flap of her flippers.

She used the momentum to carry on. To escape into the depths of the ocean. She weaved around the debris— past a group of escaping gray-fish— leaving behind her home as the storm took it.

Thera swam and swam and swam into the darkness. A single ball of golden light amidst shadows. Even when the water grew calm— even when the storm was far behind her and her golden aura dissipated— she pressed on. She continued for hours, not because she thought she was still in the storm, but because she was scared of what could be lurking. She caught sight of large shadows and oddly-shaped things, however she didn’t stay long enough to get a clear look at what they were.

It was only exhaustion that made Thera slow. Exhaustion and the need to come up for more air. She would’ve swam to the surface, but her body weighed her down, and more than that, she saw something. Amidst nothing.

A bright light.

There was a glow just ahead. A beacon in the darkness. She felt drawn to it. Even though it was likely safer for her to resurface, she risked everything and swam down. It was easier too— she sank like her body was made of stone, floating to the bottom of the seabed. Where even the light of day wouldn’t reach. Her vision began to fail her as the last air bubbles left her shell, before she landed on a hard surface. The light vanished. She couldn’t see anymore. She couldn’t… breathe.

And Thera inhaled sharply, sitting up. She blinked as she took in the room full of air. She heard the dripping of water— saw the moss on the glowing wooden walls. The baby Mystic Turtle lay alone in a damaged cabin, an opening behind her that led up to the rest of the ocean. And the Voice of the World filled her head once more.

You have entered The Ruins of Brunnholl’s Fleet!

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