“At the heart of all beauty lies something inhuman.”

― Albert Camus

"Let's try that again!"

A fragment of night framed against the sun, speared full force into the behemoth's eye. The transparent fluid, as deep as Ven was tall, left him in wonder at the creature's size. He stalled, but ultimately the mucus diffused like water.

The jelly-like flesh beneath was no different, and soon, Vendak found himself in a rather disgusting soup. A musky rotten fish, buried deep in his nose. A trail of bloody, warped flesh behind him, Ven spiraled around like a madman. A worm that tunneled deeper into the creature's orbital socket.

His actions did not go unnoticed. The sea serpent screeched, a violent roar that numbed Ven's body. The colossal beast reared up, its long body coiled and twisted. The beast gave a vigorous shake that smashed into the nearby coral spires, desperate to dislodge the small creature that invaded its eye.

Ven ignored the beast and burrowed relentlessly into the creature's flesh. He planned to turn the snake's brain into a gooey paste with his new ability, a reward for the creature's attempt to squeeze the life out of him. Ven could also sense a strange energy ahead, deep within the beast's skull. This energy called out to him like the smell of a well-cooked meal after a hard day's work, and he was determined to follow his instincts.

This is the first thing I've come across that makes me feel hungry, bad luck for you, friend!

However, his dreams of snake soup soon became secondary. A suppressing force, far beyond anything he'd experienced, filled the surroundings. It penetrated with ease into the serpent's head. The entrapping energy wrapped Ven so thoroughly he could not even blink his eyes. His aura turned solid, imprisoned within his body so completely that he sensed nothing from it.

My mind is getting shut down... Even this thought came to him with a delay, as slowly as honey poured over ice. This power, it's more than a physical force. Before he understood what happened, Ven was hauled back into the ocean.

What he faced was something far beyond his expectations. The marine life that filled the vast reef had vanished. Clear blue water now shone with pure gold light. Massive spires of coral turned a brilliant silver, and Ven witnessed their scale for the first time.

They tapered downwards for miles into a silver and golden luminance. The vast reef covered the whole ocean floor below. In the far distance ahead, towards the island nation of Fallun, an ever-thickening forest of coal towers rose out of the glowing waters.

Ven struggled to gather a coherent thought. He almost swallowed his tongue when a mischievous female voice sounded around him.

"What is a Semi-Divine with a broken foundation doing fighting with my pets? Just look... the poor thing is quite aggravated now, you know?"

Ven flew through the water until he was positioned above the sea serpent. Its wound slowly closed, and soon it had regained enough of its senses to glare wrathfully at Ven's suspended form.

"You see... it really wants to eat you now. Why didn't you follow the rules and enter through the serpent's pass?" The woman's voice was more intrigued than annoyed. "My pets will never attack anything that stays within the protected zone, you know?"

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"My apologies Miss, I certainly didn't mean to offend you or your pet," Ven said, as he struggled with all his might to free himself. "My name is Vendak, but most people just call me Ven. What's your name?"

"Oh, you can call me Kalina I suppose."

At these words, the image of a young woman in a silver robe formed in the water before him.

"Most people who know about me call me 'The Great Reef' or other such things though." She poked Vendak's imprisoned form, like someone might inspect livestock.

"Were you really trying to defend yourself? That kind of attack won't work on a Semi-Divine, you know?"

She asked, her head tilted as she bent his arm at the elbow like a doll.

"Their bodies can heal right up from almost any wound. Even attacks as strange as yours that can breach their defenses won't do much unless you damage their core." She squinted, "Maybe you already knew that though, since you headed right for my poor snake's pocket realm,"

A hint of menace appeared in her voice. Her small white hand pinched the tip of his nose, and she place one hand on her chin.

"Anyways, what should I do with you? You're a strange little fish, you know?" Kaina's brow furrowed. "From a distance, I thought you were a Semi-Divine with a broken foundation. But now that I've got you up close, I'm not sure what you are?"

Vendak put on an innocent face under his mask. The woman's words revealed more about how these powerful beings worked.

I need to investigate these pocket realms, that snake's smelled so... edible.

"If you're asking me for answers, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Ven said, still in a struggle to free himself. "I'm not too sure what I am. As for what you should do with me." His shoulders pressed in a failed shrug. "If you're truly asking my opinion, then maybe you could let me go and allow my friends and their ship to sail straight on to Fallun?"

"You truly are a bold one, little fish," A wide grin spread across Kalina's face. "I'll let you and your friends skip the formal routes, but once you arrive, you'll have to come to visit me in person."

Her grin grew further. She jabbed her middle finger directly into Ven's forehead.

"I'll even give you a gift!"

Helpless against her attack, his vision momentarily went blank as her finger struck his head. When he came to his senses, the ocean had returned to its natural sunlit blue. The silver and golden lights had vanished. Only the rather grumpy-looking sea serpent remained behind.

"Your boss is a bit overbearing huh?" Ven brushed himself off, one hand pressed against his head.

The massive snake in question gave him a look of disgust. It vanished into the depths and left Vendak alone and slightly confused. She really did give me a gift... It was painless when the woman jabbed his head, and a new batch of knowledge appeared within his brain.

Ven could now speak several common languages used in this world. His mind translated them fluently, as if they were his native tongue. Well, thanks... I guess. Even with his newfound brain power, the woman saved Ven a ton of effort.

I better book it back to the ship, I'm dead tired.

Ven rocketed towards the surface. He placed the magically implanted knowledge and his meeting with the sentient coral reef into the back of his mind. He'd accomplished his goal and received safe passage to the island.

Now, for the first time since his journey began, Ven felt the call of sleep. As he lept from the water, all his mind could see was the unused bed that waited for him on the ship.

The massive, red, slaving vessel finally came into view, and Ven's tired brain flashed with relief. Eyes held open with will alone, he dove towards the deck, tempted to nap under the night sky. He shook his head to clear the fuzz from his mind.

Mara and Brull walked over. Ven was so close to passing out that the pair's greetings barely reached his muddled thoughts.

"Ven! You've been gone for over a day. We were getting worried. My sister was beside herself worrying about you." Brull gave his sister a mocking smirk. "If Otto and I hadn't stopped her, she would have sailed after you already."

"Who are you kidding, you half-blind idiot!" Mara clubbed her smug-faced brother over the head repeatedly, her face a deep shade of red. "You were the one who had to be locked in their chambers, not me!"

"Alright, you can stop teasing Mara, I'm too tired to play the peacemaker," Ven suppressed a yawn. "I got the go-ahead to sail straight to the island. Come wake me up if you notice anything suspicious, but I've got to go to bed."

He was barely keeping himself upright and regretted his failure to eat up Kalina's pet snake. I bet all my money that if I'd eaten that thing's inner world I would be feeling great right now. Although he didn't think Kalina would let him go after he killed her pet. Ven trudged towards his cabin door.

His words caused an explosion from Mara, and Ven quickly found his vision covered by a wall of fabric and fur.

"VEN! You can speak our language now! THAT'S GREAT!!!" Mara's voice sounded out, his now half-smothered world filled with her joyful response. "I have so many questions for you! Where are you from? And why did you risk saving us from the Ori?"

His half-functioning brain failed to process her words. The world spun, and Ven desperately needed rest.

"They're the strongest Empire within this region, even if you're a Semi-Divine it's very dangerous to cross them and..."

Vendak gave up on his half-hearted attempts to pry Mara away, the pressing darkness of sleep overtook his weary mind, relentless and unconcerned with his opinion.

Ven's vision faded to black, his body tilted to the side, his efforts no longer enough to keep him afoot. The little control that remained to him fell away, and Ven finally allowed his body to go limp.