I awoke feeling sand under me and I took a deep breath. Before I could stop myself, liquid filled my nose. I tried to close my mouth and hurriedly kick for the surface, but I stopped. It felt so... natural. No burning came from inside, and I watched as I gently sinked back down to the ocean floor. I tentatively exhaled (would it even be called that?) and filled my lungs again. Adjusting to this development, I took stock of my environment.
Titanic and decrepit stone columns haphazardly jutted out of the sandy-white beach I had "slept" on. Despite their state of ruin, some carvings remained, still holding a faint shard of ancient magnificence and hinting at the long gone civilizations that slept beneath. This scenery went on for as far as I could see, the lack of natural rocks or fish in the very clear water only striking me after a moment of stunned observation. As I turned around, I took note of two things.
I was not alone. The surviving sacrifices and some of the cultists were on the floor, slowly waking as I had. Seeing the cultists brought forth incomplete scraps of disparate memories, though what I remembered felt plenty enough.
Secondly, a few meters behind the rest of the group, there was nothing. Not a chasm, a hole or a ravine, no that would imply there was something after or around. Only a vertiginous blue void, fading slightly to a darker shade if you looked right over the edge. I pulled away as my heart rate climbed, as fast as if I stared an Emberclaw in the face.
The sacrifices gradually grouped up, a dozen meters away from where the cultists had much more rapidly done the same. I tentatively joined the naked group : we had a numerical advantage, and I was fairly sure they didn't want to kill me. Yet. I frowned as I noticed the lack of smell when I got close to my red haired altar-pal. If this was an effect of being underwater, it was going to be a problem.
Every single person had multiple and symmetrical crimson trails across both sides of their throats and cheeks. We had gills. Not the strangest or most shocking thing that had happened recently, but definitely the strangest for now. It didn't get better when I started tentatively running my thumb across these slits, partially pulling back the small flaps of loose skin covering them.
A well built black-haired man with a square jaw spoke up to the community "Hey. I'm Jake. Nice to meet you all." His deep voice was weirdly distorted, assertively cutting through the ambient noise nonetheless."What do we do regarding the cultists ? For starters I'd suggest staying grouped. We have numbers on our side, but they may have weapons and magic."
Most people somewhat relaxed their postures as someone who looked used to being in charge started to take proactive actions.
Ideas began to be thrown around, mostly about necessities rather than about the black-clad group. Shelter, a way to find food reliably, a way to know what lurked in these waters, a way to try know where we were and get back home... I wasn't necessarily keen on this one. Nobody was waiting home for me, It was true that routine, safety and comfort had an appeal, however this situation had a different, more familiar allure. Something akin to the thrill of the hunt. A tension waiting to be released, a whip ready to crack at any moment, a bow pulled taut.
A noise akin to a landslide resounded, pulling everyone out of both discussion and thought. It came from the void. I tensed up and took a few steps backward, ready to bolt. A low, more constant, rumbling began to make itself known and a pair of slightly bended, smooth teal blue pillars as wide as roads rose, followed by two smaller pair. Their ascension slowed and I crouched as the water rushed me like a hurricane, steadliy pushing me back. Gigantic was too small a word for what arose. Pastel sapphire pincers like hills emerged and covered the sun, their gray edges sharing an uncanny resemblance with sharpened reefs, a myriad of darker spots the size men covering the rest of the appendages. The actual monstrous crustacean followed, taller than the highest Tower of the Flame I'd seen, eventually tilting its head downwards after his upper body curled around the edge, its antennaes reaching the surface tens, hundreds of meters above.
Feelings, images and words began blooming in my head, shoving my frozen thoughts around in my head.
"Fear not little ones, The Primogenitor has decided you may live." Attached to the sentence were a glimpse of the Abyss and unending respect. Some incomprehension as well.
The cultists all prostrated as one, while we stayed frozen, yellow fumes escaping from the smallest girl whose legs stopped supporting her.
"He has blessed you. Do not squander his gifts." Knowledge spread inside. Adaption and survival. Those were our boons. They were core aspects of the ... Primogenitor. The Forefather. The Ancestor. The Source of all.
He had given us the means to survive anywhere and anything. The gills were nothing in comparison to the possibilities that awaited us if we proved cunning, ruthless and determined enough. In one word, worthy.
"Trust and follow my directions, seedlings."
"Above all, survive. No sacrifice is too great. Where the only rule is strength, the only crime is weakness. Complacency kills. Pain is life. Life is victory."
And with these commandments, the lobster demigod left, crawling back into the abyss, though each of its steps did not shake me as much as his words. It was something I had always known deep down, and even brushed against while hunting. This was the way of life. Cold lucidity ran through my mind. It was the most religious experience I'd ever had. No sermon or Inquisitorial edict had hit as hard. No prayer I had offered felt as genuine as this understanding. I don't know how long I stood there, not thinking but contemplating this feeling, but the cultist group getting up and approaching us snapped me back to the moment.
They took off their hoods, and a small blond woman spoke up, her hands palms up and towards us " We mean no harm. We have all been recognized and blessed, and as such stand as equals. It would be heresy to hurt you, though we will defend ourselves if you attempt to harm us. Again, we are equals." She spoke just like the Magistratums. Probably a big shot then.
Jake walked forward and they shook hands, the womans' long hair trailed behind her, suspended by the water. " We need to be as united as can be in order to face the trials and tribulations sent our way." Jake nodded, and people began to approach, even if they still looked wary of the cultist. He started, " We discussed that food and shelter were our primary concerns, as water isn't exactly sparse here." Some laughed. They probably just needed something to relieve their pent-up stress. " Did you have any tools on you when you were brought here ? ". Though it was asked lightly, there was an unmistakable steely and inquisitive undertone.
The five cultist each dropped a curved, albeit simple dagger on the ground in front of them. " Again, we mean no harm ."
Jake collected them " These will go to those who can best use them. Any guards, hunters or people able to fight here ? ". Seven people raised their hand. Two of the cultist, plus four men and a toned woman from our pack. " Please divide yourselves into groups ." The two hooded cultists were guards, two brown haired men and my young altar-pal fighters or soldiers of some kind, and the woman a scout. She spoke up " We oughta move and find something to eat. Me and the hunter get a knife and get going so we can map the area." After a beat Jake complied and passed us knives, reluctantly giving two to the guards, and keeping one for himself. Some scars indicated he knew how to use it.
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As we got away from the abyss, the group trailing a few hundred meters behind, the young woman spoke in a low voice while braiding her black and curly hair behind her head "Priority is stealth, second are mapping and shelter, food is third". Chuckling, I mock saluted " Yes ma'am. But don't worry I know how this rolls. " Old habits already had him charting the place in his head. I took a quick peek at her toned physique and appreciated the view. Seeing her movements slowed by the water made me feel like a fool for not coming up quicker with what would prove to drastically reduce our time scouting. I swam up to get a better view, trying to stay hidden by a nearby pillar that rested on a temple-sized boulder with some big cavities. Second landmark, though I didn't exactly know which way was north. Not that it mattered right now.
In the far-off distance to the right, the water took a light shade of dark green, akin to that of the whisper-trees. It hopefully wouldn't be from toxic gases. We waited for the rest of the group who decided to set up camp at the rock and see what could be done near. The guards' knives were passed to the fighters who went to explore the cavities. In the meantime, me and ... " What's your name ? " she answered without looking back " Sofia." went to check out the greenies. Could we even eat the fish without attracting predators here ? Scratch that, would the fish be edible ? Was there any fish to be caught ? As we did a weird run-swim on the ocean's floor and approached, the diffuse green spot gained definition. It was a veritable jungle of vine-like leafy alguaes that kept expanding farther away, so tightly packed they blocked sight. We wouldn't run out of those for a time if they were comestible.
Strands of red algae showed themselves and around one of them, silver sparked. A very small school of gray and blue glints was eating it. Good news, edible food. Bad news, fishies too small and probably too quick for us. Hunting, or well, close quarter fishing was not going to be easy... Unless we managed to use the Primogenitor's gift properly. I felt no respect towards it, and the cultists could rot away in Gehenna for all I cared, however I still held some doubtlessly misplaced gratitude. The blessing was too ... potent to pass up, and if this was to be the price, so be it. I was excited. I had a chance to win more than I'd ever dreamed of, against the fact I had lost everything, and that chance rested on me being cunning and ruthless enough.
It gave me real meaning in a way only hunting ever had. It was, for a lack of a better word, true. Gods sure knew how to play off of my gambling addiction.
Focusing again on my surroundings as we approached the thick walls of the kelp forest, I got a better look at the tiny fishs. They looked an elongated triangle with yellow dots on the side and a forked caudal fin stuck behind. I got closer to Sophia and half-whispered in a low voice "Their eye placement on the side marks them as prey. Be careful." That got me an approving nod, though she kept her eyes on the environment, rather than on my ugly mug.
We instinctively stuck together as we entered the edge of the algae jungle, searching for threats that could come from any direction. Did the soft white sand hide Skewer-fishes ? They had that name for a reason. The higher the vegetation was, the more it was in perpetual movement, making it hard to be sure if anything above was living or vegetal. As we inched forward knives raised, we progressively discovered a ceiling weaved above us. It was mesmerizing how the textile plants flowed and knitted into each other, always moving, eating at the few spots of light that were left. Each time a fibery cloud swallowed up rays, other spot opened and shone through to the sandy bottom. It was a ... flowing forest. As we approached the tangled walls, I looked back to the trail I had made by running my feet along the sand from the moment we entered, and found it intact. Forethought was mother of success, which in this case meant not dying stupidly.
We progressed through the swaying vegetation, passing near large patches of crimson algae. One instinctively caught my eye. It undulated through the water near its ruby peers, but it was detached from the others. A flicker of yellow blinked on one of its ends, and I slowly raised my dagger across Sophia towards the animal. She stopped dead in her tracks, looking alertly but not seeing. " Lone red fish or serpent, looks like the plants, but it's detached and coming towards us. Do not stare at it directly. ". We froze still for a few beats, tensing up as the wide ribbon of red swirled nearer, trying to mimic the flow of the current.
Adrenaline pumping, I became increasingly conscious of the water's weight, shifting to a reverse grip and trying to gauge the distance at which I would be able to stab without risking too much. I let it pass by my side and as soon as I couldn't see its head anymore in my peripheral vision I stabbed, arm fully extended. I felt no resistance and my head snapped in its direction, my arm recoiling back as the beast burst towards my limb in a twirl, its jaws unhinging. I stumbled back kicking up sand but not falling fast enough, and it went for my leg, only to get cleanly impaled by Sophia.
" Thanks. " I uttered, as relief flooded me. " My pleasure. " she answered curtly, looking quite pleased with herself. " Reminds me of the army " . While she looked to be reminiscing fondly, I took hold of the serpent's tail, stabbing it one more time in the head. Better safe than sorry. Blood the same color as its scales started seeping through the water, like a trail of mist.
Straightening up, I started speaking quickly as I trailed back to the camp " Ok. It would be good to take a sample, but the blood might attract predators, though I doubt something this small would attract big game. Seems like an ambush feeder, low chance of a hunt pack. " Once we were far enough from the flowing forest, and back onto the white plains, I dropped the body, and kneeled besides it. I half-choped, half-sawed a big lump of the snake, shaking it to get a bit of the insides out and letting it thump softly on the ground. I rubbed sand on myself where I had gotten stained with blood and most of it came of quite easily. I planned on still keeping the part with the head, because even if it revealed me to other animals right now, I was hopeful it held some utility. Especially if it had venom glands. "I'm going to hide near and see what's attracted." She nodded " We're staying grouped. Isolation in enemy territory is a sure way to fuck up " . " Yes Ma'am ! " ( You could, in fact, hear the uppercase M ).
We swam up to lay down on one of the most elevated pillars, a wave of small black and light gray things crawled to the bloody meat not long after we dropped it. The crawlers amassed around and on top of the red lump, covering it entirely in a matter of seconds. I swam closer to get a better look, floating right above the swarm's cluster. They were insectoid beasts with no wings or fins, only pincers and legs slightly jutting out of a layered carapace. I slowly sank to grab an isolated one with the tips of my fingers. As soon as I grasped it, it retracted its pincers, curling and locking its shell in place, now looking like a smooth and even black rock. Dislodging it from the sand with the knife, I held it up to get a better look at its insides : it had tiny black beads lodged in front of a hole with jagged teeth that wriggled desperately, like its limbs. I sank the knife inside, finding the underside as soft as I'd been hoping for. It kept wriggling until I stabbed it beetween the eyes. We'd have to see if they proved a reliable source of nutrition, and if we could bait them with smaller amounts of meat or leftovers. After only a scant few moments longer, the swarm dispersed and burrowed, abandonning the carcass, now the same bone white color as the unending dunes.