Margaret "Oh, so that's the tale of how they encountered Sai! Err... I meant the Great Grand Inscripter."

Gala "The departed aren't keen on formalities, my dear Margaret. Indeed, she'd be quite flustered by such a title."

Margaret "How can you know for sure, Grandma?"

Gala "Let's just say I have quite a network like an unfurled yarn."

Margaret "With the dead? Nah, there's no way. Unless you have... Umm.. never mind! Let's move to another story!"

Gala "Kids these days have so much energy. I'm sure this will tire you out for good."

Margaret "Omg! Claire and Gwen! I love those two so much!"

Gala "A big fan of the Inverted Sisters, I see. Let's see if your expectations of them match up with the real story...

Once upon a time, a mysterious, shadowy mass descends upon a vibrant almost dream-like underwater paradise. As it settles gracefully onto a bed of lush seaweed, the darkness begins to dissipate under the brilliant blue light of Waltera's sun, revealing a young human girl resting peacefully. Her flowing pink hair resembles the tendrils of a majestic anemone. Invigorated by the warmth of the light, she answers its silent call of the sea and rises from her slumber.

With a sense of wonder, the girl steps onto the ocean floor, astonished by her firm footing despite being submerged thousands of feet beneath the waves. As the young lady gazes around her, she beholds a breathtaking landscape adorned with colorful corals, teeming marine life, and swaying sea plants. Yet, amidst the tranquility, a sense of unease grips her heart.

Claire "This is... strange. Everything seems so ordinary, like the scenes from those documentaries I used to watch." "Hold on! Where's Gwen?"

With a sudden realization that her companion is gone, a surge of panic courses through Claire's veins. Laying a seat on the seabed, she takes a deep breath and calms her mind.

Claire "Wow, breathing down here feels just like on land. Alright, Claire. Gwen may be missing, but she's strong and cool, and I'll find her in no time. Focus, girl. Remember your Girl Scout training. Step one, take notes of your surroundings."

Taking stock of the environment, Claire notices that she's standing on a patch of harmless seaweed, strangely resembling its earthen counterpart in texture and color. The seaweed field stretches out like a small village, dotted with several large orange-body anemones. Intrigued by their pink tendrils, Claire skips around the nearest one for a few laps before deciding to investigate further. As she approaches, the tentacles lash out— It catches her off guard and one nicks her arm.

Claire "Ouch! Dammit, that hurt!"

A strange tingling sensation shoots through her elbow, but it quickly fades when she relaxes her muscles.

Claire "Thank god I've got immunity for venom or poison or whatever you've got silly Mr.Anemone!" "But seriously, that felt like a nasty paper cut. I need to tread more carefully. Time to put my swimming skills to the test!"

She leaps forward, propelling herself through the water with powerful strokes, quickly gliding past the seaweed field. Claire traverses through a mesmerizing landscape teeming with a kaleidoscope of wild and vibrant corals, minerals, and creatures beyond human description. The inhabitants of this underwater realm catch sight of her and scatter in instinct, leaving her feeling a pang of sadness and disappointment. Pausing for a moment, she observes with fascination a group of strange crustaceans.

These creatures sport checkerboard-patterned shells, each adorned with contrasting colors for the tiles. With ten slender crab legs and a massive claw on their right side, their appearance is both peculiar and intriguing. One particular appendage resembles the barrel of a rifle protruding from the creatures' left. Six beady eyes mounted on long eye stalks fixate on Claire as she watches in wonder, prompting their companions to do the same. After a brief moment, they lose interest and scuttle off towards a large coral structure resembling a vase with perforated entrances in the shape of holes. Claire deduces that the base of the structure is crafted from limestone and patches of unknown shiny metal, adorned with an array of brightly colored corals on top.

Claire "These little guys are quite clever. In nature, bright colors mean danger or poison. That's so cool!

She observes in astonishment as another group of crustaceans emerges from the surrounding corals, bearing loads of limestone, some of the mysterious metal, and various corals. With delight, Claire witnesses more of the creatures emerging from their shelter to lend a helping claw. As they reach the structure, the crustaceans skillfully assemble the materials, using their barrel-like appendages to emit sparks that fuse the materials together. Claire's eyes widen in amazement as the final result takes shape— It's a ramp leading to one of the holes in the structure! Overwhelmed with astonishment, she tears up and applauds their remarkable effort.

Claire "Oh my god! These creatures are just... so... cool! I wish there was something I could give them for their work. Let's see... Oh, what are these sugar bubbles? Maybe these little dudes might like them. Welp, here goes nothing."

With a mixture of excitement and nervousness, Claire produces a Mostra sugar bubble from her inventory, capturing the attention of all the surrounding creatures.

Claire "Oh shit! Here take this!"

She tosses the sugar bubble down, and the crustaceans swarm like a horde of bees, eagerly dissolving the sweet treat. Their joyful dance and pointed claws aimed upward indicate their gratitude. Suddenly, one of the shelled creatures, distinguished by its black and white checkered shell, scuttles into its home and returns swiftly with a pendant. Claire accepts the gift, examining the rusty chain and metal frame surrounding a red gem. Holding it up to the light, she notices a faint symbol illuminating within the gem— a depiction of a mermaid playing a harp.

Claire "That's very beautiful—

Before she can finish her sentence, a loud crash reverberates from below. With growing fear, Claire watches as a giant maw of rotating teeth emerges from the ground beneath the creatures' home.

Summoning all her strength, Claire kicks back and swoops into action to rescue them. Despite her efforts, she can only save the one with the monochrome shell, which is cracked from brushing against the beast's teeth. Claire can do nothing but watch in horror as the maw shuts, devouring all of her little friend's companions. Anger fills her as she places the surviving crustacean down, her expression twisted into a fierce frown.

With determination blazing in her eyes, Claire swims back and unleashes a flying kick at the monstrous creature, sending it crashing into the seabed below.

She regards the creature with disdain, taking in its repulsive appearance— a shark-like body adorned with four eyes on each side along the midsection. In addition to its fins, the beast possesses a set of armored centipede-like legs, which it uses to scuttle away from Claire with surprising speed. The creature's horrific mouth, resembling a massive open jaw with four nested jaws lined with razor-sharp teeth, rotates effortlessly along the fleshy walls. Its leg crouches down and pushes the creature up toward her, its fins swaying with immense pressure and shortening the distance.

Claire swiftly dodges its menacing jaws and retaliates with another powerful kick, creating distance between them.

Drawing her crossbow, she takes aim and unleashes a barrage of bolts, each finding its mark in one of the creature's eyes on its left side. Four bolts land clean into all the eyes on its left side, causing the creature to spin and thrust its head to the right attempting to bite the water. Claire sighs with disappointment and aims once... blinding the other half of the creature. Having no sense of direction, it swings every part of its body in desperation and slowly loses its energy. Eventually, the predator crashes into the sea bed and Claires comes down with both hands clutched together.

Stolen story; please report.

With a furious resolve, Claire descends upon the creature in her exosuit, the heavy metal hands clenched together with immense force. As she strikes the ground, the nearby coral is uprooted and parted by the sheer impact of her blow.

She continues her assault again and again, each strike fueled by anger until suddenly— a sharp sting jolts her right cheek. Startled, Claire looks to the side to see her little friend, gripping her with its claw. Understanding the message, she halts her attack, only to be met with a scene of horror below. The once-mighty beast lies flattened, a gruesome mass of flesh and bone, only the head remains intact.

Claire "Ah, you wanted to finish it off yourself, didn't you?"

The shelled creature tilts its head, seemingly in agreement.

Claire "I'll take that as a yes. Oh, I'll name, Kelp."

She lifts her little companion onto her shoulder and continues swimming forward, maintaining a higher distance from the seabed. Along her journey, she encounters numerous creatures, all of whom seem to avoid her presence. However, there are two notable interactions amidst the silence.

One encounter is with a transparent octopus-like creature adorned with a triad of glowing orbs instead of internal organs. It releases a sudden flash of light before disappearing from view.

Another encounter surprises her— a large creature resembling a whale, its body covered in a peculiar reflective black stone. To her surprise, it allows her to touch the stone-covered surface, emitting a screeching sound. Curious, Claire turns around to investigate further.

Claire "What in the world? There's nothing here... Hmm, could these stones be recording sounds?"

She touches the same stone again, resulting in the same screech, but—

??? "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Hahaha! Gotcha good, young lady!"

Claire swims upwards and spots a huge saddle mounted on the back of the giant creature. Seated upon it is an elderly Walteran, holding the reins. With a friendly demeanor, she invites Claire to join her, and Claire accepts, feeling a sense of calm in the old lady's presence. Upon closer inspection, Claire realizes that the woman appears to be a normal elderly lady, albeit with bright blue skin and a fish tail in place of legs, resembling a mermaid.

Claire "Who are you, and why are you being so kind to me?"

??? "Do we always need a reason to be kind, especially to newcomers?"

Claire "No, I suppose not. Some people are just naturally kind."

??? "Precisely. My name is Zara Maginez and this big fella is Betty. She and I have seen another human this morning, she was injured."

Claire "What?! You mean, Gwen?! What happened?!"

Zara "Relax, young lady. We're on our way to her as we speak. Take a deep breath and enjoy the calming scenery of our beautiful Origan."

Claire "I have to admit... this place is really amazing."

Claire remains peaceful and silent throughout the remainder of the journey as the day gradually fades away.

Meanwhile, beneath the seabed, Gwen sprints through a labyrinth of subterranean tunnels, her breaths labored and heavy. Despite her frantic and quick pace, the menacing sounds of scraping and pursuit echo ominously behind her. With limited options left, Gwen summons all her strength and delivers a powerful kick to the wall, followed by a barrage of punches. Gradually, a crevice forms, just large enough for her to squeeze through. With a painful slide, she slips into the narrow opening...

A cluster of mechanical hands reach into the crevice, narrowly missing Gwen's face.

Sensing the futility of its efforts, the creature ceases its assault and gazes blankly into the hole with its mechanical eye. It shrinks, rotates, and expands like the adjustment of a camera lens, emitting a string of incomprehensible digital gibberish before retreating. Gradually, the scraping noises fade into silence...

Gwen grits her teeth in frustration, taking stock of her sorry state. Her lab coat hangs in tatters, torn from its bottom half, while her shirt is slashed diagonally to the left, exposing her black bra beneath. A chunk of flesh is missing from her right shoulder, and similar injuries mar both of her knees.

The searing pain finally catches up to Gwen, and she collapses to the floor, her vision blurred.

Gwen "Is this... Is this it? Is this... death? No... I can't go yet. I haven't—

Her thoughts fade away, consumed by the darkness enveloping her mind. The last coherent memory that crosses her thoughts is a reflection on how everything went wrong.

Just a few hours earlier, a young lady awakens on a small landmass crafted from hardened clay. Immediate panic floods her mind as she calls out for her best friends, especially for Izzy. Taking in her surroundings, she realizes the platform is encircled by glowing cyan water, stretching to a wall that completes the confined space. No exits are in sight, not even in a ceiling overhead.

Gwen "Looks like I'll have to take a dive."

Her eyes scan the water, revealing it to be regular seawater teeming with an alien species of bioluminescent plankton. Determining the plankton to be harmless, she plunges in. The water, clear as glass, reveals an exit to the right. Yet, as she approaches, something feels amiss about the darkness shrouding the exit. It resembles a pitch-black hole on the wall, but the darkness doesn't dissipate as she draws nearer. Gwen pauses, her hands radiating with a purple energy.

With a firm grip, Gwen channels her energy, causing the surrounding water to evaporate and dispersing the darkness into ten massive worms.

Gwen "Are these leeches, sea worms, or perhaps a variant of sea slug?"

The worms writhe around frantically, seeking desperately for water, and one of them lurches towards Gwen. She sidesteps the creature, and all the worms eventually succumb and die. Gwen approaches an orange coral resembling a cluster of tree branches and snaps off a piece. Using it as a makeshift tool, she lifts up the nearest worm, discovering its absurdly sticky body. Upon closer inspection, she notices numerous lamprey-like mouths covering its surface, with teeth as black as pitch, save for the tips which gleam white, resembling stars in the night sky.

Gwen "Perhaps the locals might refer to them as night worms. I should collect them for further analysis later."

Turning her attention to where the worms were, Gwen spots a small hole, prompting her to peek through.

Gwen "Aha! So these creatures were guarding an exit!"

With a powerful punch, Gwen cracks open into the narrow tunnel, revealing a cavernous space where the walls, floor, and ceiling are crafted from a solid marble-patterned material. Squeezing through the opening, she continues her journey for about ten minutes until she reaches a vast chamber.

In the center of the space, a cluster of prismatic crystals encases half of a peculiar mechanical structure. It resembles a round grey sphere with a mechanical eye akin to a camera lens. Countless humanoid metal arms protrude from the back end, giving it an otherworldly and unnerving appearance. Gwen notices a faint sound of a heartbeat emanating from the entity, but it beats twice the rate of a human heart, a strangely specific detail that unsettles even someone as experienced as Gwen.

Her attention is then drawn to a sign next to the machine, enticing her to approach and read its contents...

In the words of The Sufferer, Ozgod:

To those who read this message,

You have stumbled upon my greatest and darkest creation, yet it is also my masterpiece. I am an Origen from the age after The Split. History likes to romanticize the Walterans, portraying them with pride and honor. Pft!... they never consider those caught in between. The Walterans who were indecisive, tethered to the places they just happened to be on. I tried to align myself with the Origens, but something about them felt... off. They lived in perfect kindness and peace, so unreal that I wished to vomit in their presence. And when I did, they responded with compliments and comfort. I felt like an outsider, but I pretended for years while secretly working on a project behind their backs.

I sought to discover what I truly believed. Was it law? No, I cherish my freedom too much to be an enforcer. Was it knowledge? No, Minimum knowledge suffices for survival. Was it non-belief? I thought so initially, but enduring this ordeal made me question it. So was it trade? No, I'm not a businessperson, but I did admire the inventive nature of The Tradens. Instead, I turned to crafting personal machines to soothe my mind from troubles.

And yet, the urge for violence gnawed at me, growing with each interaction with those blissful fools! I decided to create a machine that would never cease tearing and torturing those in its path, a machine that feeds on suffering.

One day... a change stirred within me. I found myself falling in love with a member of the very people I despised. Conflicted, I thrashed about in my hidden office for days on end. Eventually, I resolved to accept my feelings and halted work on the final touches to the machine. But when I confessed my love, she did nothing but scream in horror, as did the other Origens. They branded me "a monster", and I realized my body had long changed. Stricken with grief, I shall crawl into my masterpiece and unleash the suffering I had endured upon the world that had forsaken me. With my one thousand cold and harsh arms, I would rend and torment those in my path, to balance the pain I had suffered.

Gwen "Okay, this guy had serious problems—

The machine suddenly comes to life, its arms breaking free from the encasing crystals with a deafening heartbeat.

Gwen readies herself for a fight, but before she can react, three of the mechanical arms lunge forward, gripping and tearing off chunks of flesh from her right shoulder and knees. The remaining arms vibrate and lash out as blades, shredding her lab coat, shirt, and skirt.

Overwhelmed by fear, Gwen flees through the tunnels, but no matter where she turns, the machine relentlessly pursues her until she reaches the current moment.

??? "What's this? An injured and helpless soul. Fear not, for I shall save you."

A hooded figure emerges and carries Gwen out of the crevice. As they walk, the walls part before them, guiding their journey.