A sudden burst of light interrupts the silence, captivating everyone's attention. Kanji swiftly taps the console, demanding more information, and in an instant, the screen floods with a barrage of alerts. Without warning, they are whisked away from their physical forms, and their visions placed into the ship's ethereal arms. In perfect synchronization, they find themselves gazing upon a familiar expanse of gray space looming beyond Wal' Tera, casting everything nearby in an eerie monochrome hue. Slowly, a fleshy mass coils around the planet, sprouting myriad eyes adorned with long, almost menacing lashes, followed by sinuous arms reminiscent of jellyfish tendrils.

?? "Ugh... Damn it. It's always so painful each time. Greetings, heroes. I am Neptunez."

Dave "Wow, just our dam luck, bros. Here comes boss number two."

Neptunez "Woah! Woah! Calm down. I'm not here to pick a fight. Plus, the condition for such an arrangement hasn't been met. Only after you exit Wal' Tera, then we'll fight."

Kanji "Your sudden appearance this early suggests a change of plans on your end?"

Neptunez "Yes, Very Perceptive. As expected from the leader of this fearless group. And kudos for escaping my brother's grasp. Watching him fume afterward was quite amusing. But let's get down to business. I'm here to offer you a deal, or as you humans would say in gaming terms, a 'side quest'."

Sarah "Now that sounds sick! By the way, you look pretty cool. Wish I could also talk to your brother, but I guess he is one of those wrath-based eldritch lords. Still cool though."

Neptunez "Indeed. He wasn't always like that until Turgon decided to self-destruct."

Noah "Turgon? Wait. Was it the black hole turtle?"

Gwen "So the abnormal mass had a name... fascinating. And it had a personality too, I presume. The gamma radiation must have had quite negative effects that we know. However, care to share more specific details?"

Neptunez "Personality? That thing acted more like a wild beast, obsessed with devouring everything and everyone in sight! What he did in the end really fucked us up bad. Myself, Earthas, Marsagoz, Jupiteroth, we were all afflicted with constant itching, which turned into unbearable pain upon... you know. Fortunately, ruling over the flesh domain allows me to tune it out with issues. Big Brother Jupiteroth mastered meditation techniques, like those monks on Earth, and banished the concept of pain from his mind entirely. Marsagoz transferred the itch into an object. Sadly, Oni-san Earthas couldn't do much so his rage simmered over eons, kept stable by me and our big sister, Saturnagotor."

Adrian "Your voice... you were the one who reached out to me and the voice that Tom heard."

Azan "Yeah, he told us that you and Earthas were having quite the argument."

Mina "And Adrian said something about the Walterans calling you The All-Mother. What's that about?"

Neptunez "Indeed, I reached out to you. But this Tom fellow heard us talk? That shouldn't be possible unless... well, never mind. Let's focus on 'The All Mother' bit, as it ties into the side quest I'm proposing."

Claire "Ooh, flashback time!"

Neptunez "I wish I could share your enthusiasm, but this isn't exactly a pleasant memory. After our little conflict, Father scolded us for rushing without thinking of the consequences. Apparently, we caused quite a stir in the timeline, complicating his job. So, he's tasked us with rectifying a few of our blunders. The catch is that We can't directly intervene in this dimension without meeting a certain condition, making it almost impossible despite all our powers."

Kanji "I'm guessing you either set off some triggers or tried to bargain with Lord Kin to pawn off the job on us."

Neptunez "You got it. But I assure you, the rewards will make it worth your while, and I won't be throwing any punches once you're off Wal' Tera."

Diana "Sounds like a good deal, I think."

Amelia "I'm curious about the rewards and the backstory of this task you're handing us, lass."

Neptunez "The reward will be a surprise, and I promise to Father that it isn't a scam it's definitely not a scam. Now, onto the details. I may have done something... unspeakable and regrettable to Wal' Tera in the past. I was desperate, okay! Turgon took half my eyes and arms, and I needed a place to heal fast. Wal' Tera was the only option in sight."

Sarah "I like where this is going."

Claire "I do not like where this is going!"

Neptunez "Okay, here I go.... Long ago, the folks of Wal' Tera lived harmoniously on a planet entirely covered in land, save for a massive hole they stumbled upon. Beneath, they found out that there was an ocean spanning thousands of feet deep alright under the land. The Walterans are fish-like in appearance with webbed hands and feet, scales adorning their limbs, gills on their necks, and various-shaped fins instead of hair and ears."

Gwen "Interesting... I was expecting something far more bizarre. Please, continue."

Neptunez "Oh, you haven't heard the half of it yet. Despite their aquatic appearance, the Walterans are perfectly capable of living on land. But once they discovered the hole, they found that life in the water felt more natural. They moved faster, hunted better, and even became smarter, thanks to clearer minds thus their technology advanced. They crowned the hole as their capital and built their civilization around it."

Dave "Wait. Since they are good in the water, why didn't them dudes live and build shit underwater?"

Neptunez "Ah, that's where their belief in the All-Mother comes in. They worship an imaginary goddess whose form varies among them, but they all see her as the deity of survival and hope who guided them through their harshest times. Many believed that thanks to her they could live in the barren lands on the planet for so long and up until they found The Hole. Living underwater would go against their faith, as it would mean abandoning her gifts and her domain, which they believe is the land itself."

Claire "Wait, wouldn't using the hole also be an insult?"

Neptunez "No, because they see the hole as another gift from the All-Mother. Everything was going smoothly until... well, until I showed up. During one of their annual traditions where all women give birth on the same day which was always raining. The Walterans believed to be the goddess's presence. On that day, the sky filled with flesh and eyes. Tired and hungry, I faced a grim decision— to feast on the adults or the babies. Eating the babies would replenish me fully, but it would traumatize the population. Eating the adults risked killing important figures and collapsing their society. It was a choice that still haunts me to this day."

Sarah "You ate the babies! That is fucking sick! If it makes you feel any better, they probably didn't even feel it!"

Kanji "As much as I want to ridicule you on the topic of morals. I say that your decision was circumstantial. I'm guessing doing that caused an entire shit show to occur."

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Neptunez "Unfortunately, yes. They mistook me for their god and began to question their faith, breaking the peace that they had long lived for. Thus, the creation of 6 factions who all saw the event as a kind of punishment for something they as a species lacked. Most of them long forget the notion of what their god represents and rather lean more on what they should do to rectify that event. The first faction saw that their society lacked order and rules, seeing that as the cause and calling themselves "Aquaren Rulens". The second faction saw that their society lacked in the arts of trade and their innovation too simplistic, calling themselves "Aquaren Tradens". The third factions simply blame the lack of knowledge as the source of the punishment, calling themselves, "Aquarens Mindens". The four factions and the most rational faction believe that the incident was a mistake or perhaps it was an appearance of a different god so they still believe in their gods and seek to remain unchanged, calling themselves "Aquaren Origens". The fifth faction completely defies The All-Mother. In fact, they hate any kind of belief as faith can bring gods to their world and cause misfortune, calling themselves "Aquaren Soulens". Lastly, The final faction thinks that the peace they had was a sign of weakness and believes that only through war, hate, and power can satisfy the All-Mother, calling themselves "Aquaren Evolvens."

Amelia "Wow, this seems one bloody hell of a fuck up? Don't you think?"

Neptunez "Yes, I know! I even tried to apologize by sending down six pieces on my mass infused a bit of my soul to each faction with a message to tell them to make peace. But that... IT ONLY MADE THINGS WORSE! The masses were too heavy and powerful which then caused the land to split into six and they all sank. Luckily, I managed to make the masses keep the lands afloat causing a kind of layering of the factions in the order I told you guys. All of this only made their beliefs stronger, strong enough to ignore my message and bond with the masses granting them powers based on those beliefs. It also mutated them so each faction now looks different."

Azan "How the hell did you fuck this bad?"

Mina "Hey, I can see where she is coming from... sometimes giving can be as dangerous as hurting."

Adrian "Damn, that is deep. Was that from a book?"

Mina "No... I Er... forget about it. What about the side quest?"

Gwen "I'll have a wild guess that we have to get our hands dirty with the six kingdoms."

Neptunez "Yes, I want you all to unite the kingdoms using any methods necessary. Conquering, Negotiating, Blackmailing, Befriending, or even straight Annihilation if needed. I don't care as long as in the end, Wal' Tera is one."

Dave "Fuck, we playing on hard mode, bros."

Kanji "And we need to find a way to live and travel underwater."

Neptunez "Oh, don't worry! I'll grant you guys a temporary skill for your stay on Wal' Tera. It will make you breathe underwater and grant you movement as if you are on land. Imagine sprinting across the ocean floor! Of course, that is only if you accept my side quest."

Amelia "Sounds like a bloody good deal. What do you think, Kanji?"

Kanji "It is promising but... I'm having a hutch that you're hiding a twist for us."

Diana "Wait, about the movement stuff. Do we still feel heavy or pressure underwater?"

Neptunez "You won't feel any pressure. As strong as you guys are, being on the bottom of Wal' Tera would kill anything supernatural or not except for a few beings. As for the twist, you caught me. When I asked my father about my intention, he agreed only under the condition that your group would be split into six groups, two for each except for one. I got a list of who will be with whom."

Claire "Hell no! I won't be split from Kaney!"

She hugs his right arm. Gwen copies her and hugs his left.

Gwen "Y-Yeah, me too!"

Neptunez "Sorry, but that's the condition for ya. Hey, at least you'll get to hang around someone you don't normally talk a lot with. It'll be a good experience. Anyway, I'll put the accept notification up and give you guys some time to think about it."

Their visions snap back to the chairs, and they remain stunned as the dull grey hue starts to fade away.

Dave "Well, this sucks man. They have pinned our asses into a wall of spikes."

Adrian "The worst part is that if we decide to accept the deal, we won't be able to communicate with each other."

Sarah "Hey! We'll still have our phones- Oh, wait. Shit. The signal is stuck with this ship."

Noah "We're screwed. We're so fucking screwed. Maybe not accepting is better."

Kanji "Calm down everyone. Let's take this one step at a time. Our method of communication will be gone but we mustn't lose hope. Our first goal on that planet is getting in contact. I'm confident that they have countless ways of communication."

Claire "Kaney, how do we know if we are contacting the right person?"

Azan "Perhaps, we can use specific codes like our names backwards."

Gwen "Hold your horses. We forgot to ask her what kind of language Walterans use."

Adrian "Ah... the common mistake of any diplomacy. Should we try to nag her again?"

Neptunez "No need I have been listening and according to your conversation, I can confidently say that you accepted my quest. Walterans used the Universal Siren language. You see upon their birth, a unique song will be played in their heads until they grow enough to produce a voice which is two years. They communicate by singing the song and anyone that hears it automatically knows their message, other species included. They can also understand any language you throw at them."

Gwen "A Universal frequency. Interesting."

Noah "If we are taking this quest, I would like to know if those guys would to try attack us on sight."

Neptunez "Normally, yes. They would be cautious toward anything even their own kind. However, I can pull a couple of strings to make them more welcoming towards humans. Free of charge."

Noah "Oh, nice. Fine, I'll accept this quest."

Kanji "Seems like everyone agrees. We accept this quest!"

Neptunez "Excellent! Here are the pairs! Adrian and Noah, you'll be tasked to Wal' Evolan. Mina and Amelia, you'll be busy with Wal' Soulan. Gwen and Clare, you'll be sent to Wal' Origan. Sarah and Diana will be tasked with Wal' Mindan. Dave and Azan, you guys will be in Wal' Tradan. Lastly and unfortunately, Kanji will be solo in Wal' Ordan. Say goodbyes and then I'll send you all to relatively safe places on the planet."

Claire "At least, I'll be with you, bestie. Poor Kaney, though- Hey, where you going?!"

Gwen dashes towards Kanji, her cheeks flushed, her breath quickened by nervousness.

Kanji "What's wrong, Gwen?"

Gwen "I... I mean we... we might not see each other for a long time. I-I-I just want to say... I...I ... I LOVE YOU! I may seem cold or fight you on topics from time to time but... I have always loved you!"

Claire "K-Kaney! I also love you too!" "Damn, she really did it! Shit, I have to pretend but at the same time... I won't lose! Kaney... how will you respond?"

Gwen "Claire..." "Seriously... that took me all I had! Damn, did she have the confidence to do it so this whole time? Quite a formidable foe."

Kanji "You guys... I didn't know. I also feel the same... to both of you. Gwen, your knowledge is like a mirror to my own heart and mind. Your lovely purple reminds me of countless stars I used to gaze upon which inspired me to move forward and have hope."

He leans in, and she meets him halfway with a kiss, while the rest of the group erupts into cheers. Kanji then turns his gaze to Claire.

Kanji "Your creativity. You're positive. Your kindness. Every part of you is beautiful. Claire, you're the piece that completes my puzzle. You pink hair, a tint of love that binds us."

The two share a kiss, eliciting another round of cheers from the group.

Dave "Damn bro, you have the mega rizz. How does it feel to have two gfs, dude?"

Kanji "I feel a bit off but my chest is a lot more relaxed." "Excellent with this, I created a balance between those two. It should be smooth sailing from here."

Gwen "That was... amazing."

Claire "Sad, we can't get anymore anytime soon."

Gwen "Yeah... and hey. Just because he kissed both of us doesn't mean that we can share him. In the end, there will only be one of us!"

Claire "Come on, bestie. Don't be like that."

Dave and Amelia share a silent gaze, wordlessly conveying their farewells before sealing it with a kiss.

Diana "Damn this sucks! Having two couples in our party!"

Adrian "Umm... Diana. I'll... Err... miss you."

Diana "Oh, I'll miss you too, Adrian. Make sure you don't stop getting more gains."

Noah "I guess this is it. We won't see each other for a while."

Sarah "Yeah, but you're lucky to be placed in that badass kingdom while I'm stuck with boredom town."

Noah "... Yeah. If it makes you feel any better, I'll try my best to tell you about any cool shit I find there."

Sarah "Aww! Thank you, Noah!"

Sarah embraces him warmly, and he returns a tighter hug before they part ways to join their assigned partners. Observing this, the others follow suit, except for Azan and Mina, who remain leaning against the ship's wall. Their hands are intertwined, offering each other comfort rather than overt affection.

Mina "Your hands are cold."

Azan "Yours too."

Mina "..."

Azan "..."

Mina "Azan. I'm scared."

Azan "Don't worry, you'll have Amelia to cover you."

Mina "No... you know that I have 'problems'. I like to be with you. You're the only one who can help me. I feel safe with your words. I need you."

Azan "I feel the same like two peas in a pod. Eventually, the two peas will be picked off. Just the way of life."

Mina "You and your metaphors. I'm... gonna miss them."

Together, they separate with mutual understanding, and the final pairs are assembled.

Kanji "Let's do this!"

Another page of their journey begins and they are sent off to strange new lands.