A chill of dread gripped him as icy water lapped at his lips. Asahi watched bubbles dart toward the wavering ceiling, his armor scraping against the steps that led into darkness. The ocean's crushing weight pressed down, each step a slow battle as his boots slid left and right. The first thing to greet him was a church, standing bold at the city's edge, its silhouette gleaming beneath the faint sunlight that filtered through the rippling water above.

(What is this place?) Asahi thought, clutching onto his gauntlets.

The more that he descended, the further he got from the truth. The water around him shimmered with pulsing hues of blue and green, reflecting the scales of the sea creatures that swirled in elegant patterns.

Their movement created a symphony of whirs and clicks, a language of the deep that resonated through the oceanic depths. Tiny fish darted among the towering kelp that swayed like cathedral curtains, while larger shadows loomed, gliding silently amongst the castle's stone walls.

Pillars stretched upward, almost beckoning the sunlight to reach their surface. But he had never seen people.

Asahi, after wondrously traveling through the submerged city, figured he had crossed a stone bridge and from there, met statues positioned at the east of the watery city.

Suddenly, haunting calls echoed from the depths. Wails reverberated through the water, chilling him to the bone. Asahi gripped his blade, eyes widening at four figures standing motionless and strange. Dread surged as he edged toward a staircase, only for another shriek to pierce the silence.

"RAH!"

Asahi spun around, startled to find the figures had crept closer. Panic prickled at his skin. He retreated four steps, eyes fixed on the drifting mermaid-like statues, then forced himself to turn away. Swiftly,

(SWING)

A sudden force pressed down behind him. As he reached the edge of the ravine, Asahi spun and struck the statue with desperate speed. In a blur, he landed a blow that shattered it into pieces. Only then did he realize these monstrosities were not statues at all, but something far more menacing.

Asahi had heard Grandpa speak of Weeping Sirens, and, after listening to his dangerous speech, he wondered if that was the creature that stood in his way.

These were not mere statues, but underwater Weeping Angels. A cold dread radiated from the unmoving Weeping Sirens. He did not dare blink, fearing they would strike if he looked away. Then, from the ruins of the drowned city, another beast began to rise.

A serpent as long as four buildings writhed across the ruins, coiling to strike. Gripping his armor, Asahi hurled his blade at the beast. It twisted aside, then lunged toward him with terrifying speed. Asahi, boots stuck on the ground, retrieved his floating weapon, preparing to engage in a brawl.

He swung at the beast and watched it coil around the pillars, dancing with the watery ceiling before prying open its jaw.

Then he unleashed a torrent of cutting water that blasted toward the creature, and luckily enough, landed its hit.

(SWING)

Asahi could only do so much. The pressure of the armor was too heavy for him, anchoring him to the ground. If he were to take one wrong step, he would sink and drown in the depths. So he tried his best to stay on the platform, seeing the imperious castle shine beneath the watery chasm. The snake coiled and sprinted around Asahi, opening its jaw.

Asahi, breathing heavily, dropped his weapon and tried to clutch his fists. But just as it could devour him...

(SWOOSH)

A sudden beam of pink light sliced across the watery horizon, striking the serpent's head. It recoiled in pain, then opened its jaws to swallow...

(FLING)

A cyan beam of light shot through the water, striking the serpent's tail. Asahi, stunned by this sudden power, staggered back as two golden-haired maidens with pink eyes approached. Wordlessly, they unleashed another beam, forcing the serpent to retreat into the icy depths.

"Take him far away from here. Take him to Mermaid's pass."

As a sudden force pulled him into sleep, Asahi glimpsed the powerful mermaids dragging him far from the city.

. . .

(One hour later)

Asahi took a deep breath, feeling a soft surface press against him; a cushion for his head. He quickly turned to his right and saw bookshelves, then to his left, where he saw a table. For some reason, it seemed as if air returned, not grounding him in the pressure.

He took a deep breath and turned to the door, only to see a watery wall resting behind it. The question that arose in him as he emerged from his slumber was...

(Where did they take me?) Asahi hadn't realized how deep in the ocean he was. At first, he thought it was solid land that he had awakened, but that could barely be part of the truth. In all actuality, he resided in yet another city, but this city wasn't as fractured and shattered as the predecessor. It was bustling, filled with...

"Mermaids," Asahi whispered, thinking of the two blonde-haired mermaids that saved him from that wretched serpent.

Emotions of worry and guilt churned inside him as Primrose's disappearance dragged on. He didn't ask to be taken here, but knowing of the threat, Asahi decided to slow down.

(Who are they? And what do they want from me?)

When he first emerged, the first thought that came to mind was his sword. Luckily, it had rested near the submerged building's enclosure, atop what seemed to be blue coral tables. Then Asahi decided to look at the bookshelf, but none of the books stood out.

Lastly, he saw his armor resting on the table, awaiting use again.

This led him to peer through the building's entrance. But the sight that he was given was far above his expectations.

Residing beneath the azure ceiling was an entire city submerged beneath the waves. Mermaids and Mermen fluctuated and swam across the bridges, scrambling back and forth with the fish. Corals of all types were found here, with buildings extending for miles. This was far more different than the submerged ruins he had met before. It was bustling, filled with life and creatures.

Some giant dormant whales had carried entire edifices, swimming around like the orbiting moons. While the rest decided to stay relaxed, enjoying the shimmering sun piercing through the waves.

(What is this place? This hasn't been mentioned in the map, or by anyone, for that matter.)

Asahi hadn't met such a place in all his years of adventuring. Matter in fact, he had never considered delving beneath the waves, mainly because he couldn't communicate or breathe. But now, thanks to Grandpa's potions, Asahi was able to breathe underwater, like a sea creature with gills. Soon he heard passing conversations...

"Is that a human?"

"What is he doing here?"

"Is that... none other than the Prince, Asahi?"

As mermaids and mermen swam past, drawn to his shimmering gaze, Asahi backed away and slipped into his armor. Bubbles whispered past his ears as he stepped forward. The pressure here felt gentle compared to the crushing weight of the ancient, entombed city. There was no danger here, unlike the ruins. The buildings here felt so complex and out of place. He wondered if this city had emerged from the city above the waters.

"Where am I?" Asahi said, feeling the sunshine scintillate beyond reach.

That's when two blonde-haired mermaids came approaching, handling his armor and swimming with the schools of fish. At once, they introduced themselves.

"My name is Brooke, and my sister here is named Coral."

Brooke...? Coral? Such fascinating names. Asahi thought. As the merfolk gathered, wondering what was up with the commotion, Asahi stepped forward, cleared his throat, and introduced himself.

"My name is..."

But before he could even finish, one blonde-haired merman came into view, answering with sparkling eyes of wonder.

"Asahi? Yes, the Prince of Hope?"

Suddenly, Asahi staggered back, eyes wide at the merman's accuracy. It was as if these people already knew him. Then his gaze landed on a statue rising from a submerged mountain, stretching for kilometers, its face hidden beneath a helmet and its body clad in otherworldly garb. This statue, these merfolk—could it be they belonged not to the Last Incarnation, but the...?

"Second incarnation?" Asahi wondered aloud, as the merfolk backed up from his words. The moment he uttered that, the group fell silent, pondering the devastation that was The Last Calamity.

They could only come up with the thought of tides being pushed and shoved by a white-haired man donning a helmet on his head.

With one pull, he split the waters into two, saving the nations from turmoil. But that wasn't all.

As Asahi watched, admiring eyes stared at him. He quickly clutched his blade and yelled as the merfolk gathered with every step he took.

"Who are you all? How do you know my name?"

It was at that moment that the merfolk bowed down at his presence, shining with respect and dignity.

"We're your followers." They replied, bowing their heads at his boots.

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