Vault Hunters (Finished~)

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"I do!" said Sen, eyes glimmering. "Can I also . . . Will you teach me . . . how to fly one?"

Meanwhile, Moss nodded to James, as the bookshop keeper handed over to the giddily wriggling merman his sought after Ninjas of Love, and the tome of ancient mysteries that was for Isa.

"Thank you, James." Moss hugged the wizard who muttered about asking him to wear a shirt. "Oh and one more thing, do you have a floating spell for sale that could help me move around?" he flipped his tail.

"I do of course, come meet me later when you have the time."

Moss then carefully kept the precious books and steered Okami over to the satyr and his fellows whom Isa and Moss rescued what felt like such a long time ago. "You are looking well, friends." smiled Moss, genuinely happy to see them all filled up and not looking emaciated.

"Renee, Minnie, and the others have been more than kind and caring towards us, and . . . we . . . we've wanted to thank you for a long time, Mr. Adamaris." And the old satyr reached out his hands and clasped with Moss'. "Is Mr. Bianchi coming out soon?"

"I think he's still sharing his love for the antiquities with Sen." Moss chuckled. "But he'll come out eventually." and Moss talked with the survivors as they waited for Isa outside.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

“Yeah!” Isa replied enthusiastically, letting his geeky side come out as he is with kin. He talked and hinted Sen of how to fly a goliath as they walked out of the mouth to see a certain group outside. He blinked owlishly, walking closer to his love and Okami. Placing a hand on the polar-dog ‘s side as he observed the familiar faces . . . Oh!

”Oh my gosh! You have meat on them bones!” Isa blurted, completely happy to see the survivors. Smiling as he stuttered. “It’s good to see ya! All of ya.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Sen shook his head and said not the goliath, but one of the docked airships itself, particularly a small sleek looking one with sails that made it look like a spiky fish.

When the two stepped outside again, the old satyr and survivors laughed. "I do!" he said, and looked to the others, then together they all bowed deeply at Isa and Moss. "Thank you for helping us."; "We wanted to thank you properly." said one who wore a mask; "It was a nightmare with no end, we'd gone mad and for me I had accepted it, but then the both of you came, and until now this still feels like a dream." smiled one who had metal clockwork legs and was leaning on crutches.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

“Oh!” Isa grinned impishly, excitement shone brightly in his eyes. “Yeah! It’s so much fun! Dude, I got a bruise when it went max speed. It was awesome!”

When they all bowed, Isa froze. Uncomfortable with the bowing but understood why they felt the need to show thanks. So he accepted the thanks, taking a deep breathe before he spoke up with a gentle smile. “O-of course. I’m relieved to hear ya guys moving—evening having an immunity against the madness disease to help others too.”

Isa is grateful that Moss convinced him on not ending their lives that day.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"Indeed, it's probably from being in the Badlands for over a century." said the old satyr. "But we're glad that we can give something back after everything everyone's done for well, basically strangers." they all nodded in agreement. "The kindness you gave us was rare. And so we were wondering what are the two of you doing here? Is there anything we can help you two with at all?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa‘s form relaxed at the news, smiling as he listened to their words. “Ya know, Minnie and her guardians try to help others such as yourselves. So I’m not surprised that they were eager to help.”

He listened to the question before answering. “We wanted to check on everyone before we went on our journey.“ Then he wondered for a moment. His tone changed from playful to concern. “How is everyone? The ones who are sick, the other guardians . . . Are . . . Are they okay? Not hurting themselves that much, I hope?”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"Most of them are sick." said the old satyr sadly.

Moss' brows furrowed in concern.

"Ms. Jenkins, Mr. Rathmore, Ms. Muses, Mr. Caprice, Ms. Lock, Mr. Seth, the misters Zhou, and even her Lady Giantsbane." said the one with the mask. "We had to sedate Ms. Muses, Ms. Lock, and Ms. Jenkins most of the time with sealing cuffs as well to prevent others from getting hurt."

"Yeah." said James giving a chortle that suggested that was an understatement. "When the disease first struck, it took all of us to contain Echo, Serena, and The Godfather. Sassy was . . . she was more a danger to herself than others, but she kept on escaping."

"Only Mr. Maximillion, Ms. Flower, Mr. Sen, Ms. Renee, and Mr. James here and us seemed immune to the disease. We don't know why though." said the old satyr. "But we are hopeful that they will be cured soon. Ms. Renee said she just needs a few more ingredients left and Ms. Flower and Mr. Maximillion are with her."

"It's been hard." said James, huffing. "With most of them down, it's just been me and Sen trying to defend our borders from Templars. We hope the cure will come before the Templar army from Menagerie finishes with Sanctuary. Don't know if you heard, but they failed trying to take Barad Eithel, and Sanctuary's caught in a bit of a faction war between the crime lords under The Godfather. They all think he's not going to make it or something. We even had assassins try to finish him, but the disease got to them first." he ruffled his already messy hair.

"Plus all the carnage and suffering have been attracting the demons from Ghostlight to cross over more frequently." Sen added in a sarcastic chipper. "Hence why I was so happy you showed us the airships, Isa. Would you be willing to lend us some? I'll give them back once we don't need them to defend The Highlands."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

His brows furrowed at the news, listening to the survivors’ experience. Though he deadpanned at the news of Sassy. Of course, she would escape. “Why am I not surprised about Sassy escaping.” He muttered under his breath before listening in to more news. Then he pondered when they mentioned of their curiosity; why weren’t they affected by the disease?

”There might be several reasons.” Isa started with a slight grin, excited to share his information. “For you guys, I suspect that you had a harder time being in the Ghostlands than what the madness disease can do; considering your past traumas. For Renee, I suspect she might be protected by a strong force. Perhaps an Ancient or spirit is helping her stay safe, that’s what I have. For James, Max, Wild, and Sen, it’s probably similar to you guys; past traumas that made your immunities strong or having to been exposed to it before or going to the Ghostlands a lot.“

Then he listened to James and huffed. Well Karma definitely hit the assassins hard. He couldn’t wait until he hears about The Godfather feeling better. It’s gonna be nice to have his loud support again whenever he visits. He turned his head towards Sen and blinked owlishly. His lips curled into an impish grin. “Sure~ Ya can have some. More space for us in the meanwhile.” He can pray to Loki about his small effect in the larger picture, excited to see the shocked faces of the Templars. Heheheheheh!

”I can make some holy water for ya guys if ya like? It helps against the demons.” Isa offered to Sen and James. Afterwards, he started to tell everyone of their side. The part of finding his uncle, of Theosebia, of passing the cure to James before he explored in this odd dimension chamber. He didn‘t mind telling everyone about their adventures, he trusts them. Though he might have been a bit vague on how he defended Theosebia, not wanting to seem it important. Only that he made sure Moss and Leonid was safe was important to him.

“Annnnnd, yeah. We found the goliath inside. With a lot of airships. And yeah, that’s it.” Isa shrugged.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss just listened to Isa explain, smiling. He doesn't know why, but just seeing Isa explain information like those times he geeked out on historical things makes him happy. Perhaps its the way his blue eyes light up.

"That's what we believe as well." said the old satyr. He looked like he wasn't sure that was a good or bad thing; James nodded in agreement to this theory, looking out towards the east for some reason.

Sen was gleeful at Isa's yes for the airships. "Great! Then, as a formal trade, what would you like in return?"

And James too looked, for the first time since seeing them again, animated, like a weight would be taken off his shoulders at Isa's offer for the water. "That, would be very, very helpful." he didn't look it very much, but he had lines underneath his eyes. He had been held captive, and tortured for months in Barad Eithel, then immediately after and until now is dealing with the lack of protectors and the disease here in The Highlands. The guy probably hasn't had a break for a long time.

After that, Sen suggested they come sit and rest in a hidden camp here in the floating island before Isa told his story. Moss once again asked for Isa's help to get on to Okami, and by the time Isa had finished his tale it was already lunch time.

Moss lay on a fur rug on the floor of the common room of the cottage that looked like an outpost of sorts in the outside, but homey in the inside with lots of plants and garden tools that made it look like an herbalist's hut, with the various scattered belongings of the people who have come and gone there. James had given him one of the floating spell scrolls that they use in The Highlands and Moss was busy translating the spell and painting his own understanding of it into his spell book.

Sen and the survivors listened in awe, much more the survivors who were looking at Isa like he was a hero.

"That's not 'just it', Isa, that's amazing! That's like . . . hero level stuff!" said the blacksmith looking at him and Moss with newfound respect; James, who was cooking on the smithy doled out large portions of eggs, crispy oozlum fowl, and toasted bread on plates, which the old satyr and the masked survivor started serving to everyone.

Moss looked up from where he was painting trying not to look so pleased. "Well, it did feel pretty awesome when it sunk in what we did --- thank you." he added to the masked one when he was given his plate.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Seeing the old satyr’s face, Isa felt his grin softened, bittersweet. He doesn’t know how to respond other than an awkward shrug of one of his shoulders. After hearing Sen’s excitement of the airships, the redhead pondered for a moment before turning at the brothers. “Can I think about that? We’ll get back to ya about our trade, if that’s okay?”

—-

At the hidden camp, Isa sat next to the merman. He recounted their adventures, and he saw their reactions. He grinned. Slightly uncomfortable at the thought. He didn’t care about much of being a hero. He’s just happy that Moss was okay back then. “I guess. Yeah. . . Though there is one thing I didn’t understand.” He piped up.

”Why was James at Barad Eithel?“

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -

Spoiler: Leh Rain

James and Sen readily agreed to it.

Later, in the camp~

"Ah, I was tracking down the route of the disease," James handed Isa a plate of food, "following the trail of these thugs who . . . after I asked them nicely . . . confessed to contaminating our water with the disease under Manuel's orders. I went there to steal his research, find the cure, but I got caught." James leaned against a branch stair railing with his own food, but just picked at his eggs staring out the window where the soft pitter patter of rain began to fall. "I couldn't decide who was more of a monster. The one who wore the skin of a man or the one who actually looked like one."

Sen, who had his arms crossed, was looking at the smithy with a quiet fierce protectiveness Isa had never seen before. "I'm glad our family didn't get the worse of their nonsense . . . that battle at The Fridge was the worse, I thought my wife was going to shoot me, and then I thought I was going to have to kill her and my brother before they kill my sister." he rubbed his face. "When I'm done here, I'm going to go to Barad Eithel and hunt down every last one of those potions and its research and burn them all . . . "

Meanwhile, Moss wolfed down his food, looking out at the rain. He closed his spell book and tucked it in his leather chest holster where his daggers hung. "Chanson," he whispered leaning over to the masked survivor, who opened his mask to eat revealing that he was missing half the top of his face," there is a waterfalls on this island, right? Could you tell me where it is?"

Moss then whispered to Isa that he was going out for a bit. "Don't want to be part of this conversation." he whispered to him. "And my tail's sore from sitting all the time."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa sighed, leaning on Moss a bit before he sat up straight to reach for this plate. “Thank ya.” He said to James before he also wolf down his food. Practically inhaling it before placing his empty plate down with a slight grin.

“Personally, it’s Manuel who’s the worst. Theosebia just wanted to resurrect her love…not that it’s excusable either.” He answered with a deadpan at the end. The redhead listened before grinning.

“Ah. About that, we’ve already burned the pages of that disease and any other horrible things inside those books. In front of the Templars.” Isa sounded way too happy of trolling the templars, grinning like a happy fat cat. Then he slightly leaned his head towards Moss before looking at the others with a bright smile.

”We’re gonna walk around for a bit.” Isa said before standing up and sweeping Moss off the floor mat like how the protagonist of a romance novel would do. Being gentle and smooth, his purple coat dramatically billowing from the simple motions, with his arms and hands supporting Moss’ back and tail. The couple left the warm camp and into the drizzling night. The redhead nuzzled Moss’ forehead with his own.

”Show me where, Love.” Isa purred, willing to follow the merman.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

​

- Moss Adamaris -​

Sen wasn't convinced it was over. He thought that there might be some stocked potions lost somewhere even though their recipe has been burned, but he and the rest just nodded at the couple when they decided to step out for a bit.

Moss was surprised when Isa scooped him off the floor, "O! You can just stay warm here and ---" Moss swooned, going limp with his tail swishing when he realized how dashing Isa looked.

His hands glowed, teal Atlantean runes swirling up his arms, and the rain crested over them like a wave, and they were covered by a blobby water roof that made the sunlight dance in bending reflections on their skin. Moss' scales sent small gem like twinkles against the sides of the water wave following them, as he sighed when Isa nuzzled him. He smiled, nuzzling him back. "The waterfalls . . . it --- it's at the back. Inside a ruins tunnel with winged liger statues . . ." he muttered absently.

He leaned his head on Isa's shoulder, letting the softness of the rain and muted thunder in the distance lull him almost to sleep in Isa's warm arms, surrounded by his scent and the feel of his breathing.

The ruins behind the cottage appeared through the gaps of the trees. It was a jumble of giant pieces held up by thick roots that stretched up to a smaller island above that rained streams of waterfalls. Lush overgrown stalagmites jutting with vibrant crystals towered high on either side of the entrance of the ruins, while violet, red, orange, and yellow stalactites hung down with curtains of flowering vines from the island above. It looked like the ruin had been part of a cave that opened up when the islands separated from each other, and now it looked like a stain glass gem grove was suddenly cracked open into the sky, half flooded with water, and bending with the flow of many small rivers that have carved over the gems since olden times.

Going inside the tunnel, the gems ceased and it was back to ancient stone and lichen, before they came to the end where it opened up to a pool with small boats in a ravine, and in the distance, a larger waterfall roared from tumbling giant pieces of ruin.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Humming in wonder as he noticed he wasn’t getting wet and looked up to see the blobs of water dripping down on a shield over their heads. Like a makeshift umbrella. His cheeks turned pink and he kissed Moss’ cheek gratefully. Then he nodded befor resting his head on top of the merman’s head. “Okay.”

It was nice, walking to the ruins under rain. Intimate and close as he sniffed Moss’ hair, smiling. So cozy. He almost suggested that he could teleport in front of the ruins, but he wanted to stay in this coziness, so he stayed quiet and enjoying their closeness. Once they reached the entrance of the ruins, Isa let’s out a ‘woah’. Blinking owlishly at the pretty waterfall and stain glass gems around them before putting Moss down-

And taking his coat and shirt off before peeling his pants. Then placing them under a giant palm leaf to stay dry.

He picked Moss up again and walked into the water until he was hip deep in the lake. Letting go of Moss so he could swim freely while he tries to float on the surface. “This place is beautiful ~” he muttered.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -

Spoiler: Leh Rain

Moss' cozy sleepiness jolted awake when Isa just casually stripped in front of him. His blob water umbrella going all wobbly and melting away. He was red and trying not to smile when Isa picked him up again. "You look really nice in your --- your tattoos." he smiled shyly up at him.

Then he gave a big happy sigh when his tail touched water, and he flipped into the pool, wheeling down in a dive then up in a big circle, before his happy head broke the surface of the water looking like he breathed a spot of fresh air --- or gulped water --- or breathed through his skin, as Moss had explained to Isa once about his absence of gills.

"It is~" he swam closer to Isa. "I'm surprised you came out in the cold rain with me." said Moss, rubbing Isa's shoulders to warm them.

The winged liger statues here were reminiscent of the sunken temple including the architecture, and oddly enough Isa spotted some fossilized shells, corals, fish bones on the stone pool and walls. It also looked like the pool ran deeper into the ruins and stone where there were dark blue entrances to gaps and mosaic tunnels.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa’s cheeks turned pink as he smiled, grateful for the shoulder rub. The merman can feel his shoulders trembling in his anxiety, yet he hadn’t moved away. He kissed Moss. “Hmm . . . I wanna get some practice in, to swim, I mean.” Then he pressed their foreheads together and sweetly nuzzled.

“I figured, why not try to face my fear while ya are around.” He muttered and Moss could tell that he is trying. His voice is shaking, yet he stayed firm in his resolve. Suddenly he flinched and lifted his foot up to peel something off- A fine red brow raised at the sight of a coral before becoming starry-eyed and squinting his eyes to see if there’s more fossils—- there’s more fossils! Yes! He held his breath and dipped under water to quickly search for the shell fossil and broke the surface again to study it with a smile.

“This is sooooo cool!” See, he became interested to go further in the temple but . . . He can’t swim yet . . . Isa looked at Moss with a determined frown. “Teach me so I can go in there!” His frown looked more like a pout, similar to a kid’s pout when they are focused on something.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss immediately wrapped himself around Isa. He cupped his cheek, rubbing soothingly. He comfortingly kissed him. "O, so that is why." he caressed his head and nuzzled him.

He pressed a soft kiss on his neck. And another one, and another one down his shoulder. "I'll watch you, and you can wave at me, and then I'll give you an air bubble when you need air." he said gently.

He looked down when Isa flinched and was so startled at how his fear just vanished and he dove for . . . fossils? Moss chuckled. So that's is how to get Isa to overcome his fear.

The shell fossil Isa picked up was embedded in rock. It was spiky and reminded him of drawings he's seen in books about an ancestor of swimming shells that shot themselves into the water by suddenly clamping shut, essentially clap-swimming. There were also embedded seaweeds that kind of looked like the ones in Zosimos' tower, and a feathery seaslug.

Moss smiled at him, just loving seeing him go after what he wants come cold or deep waters. "Yes, I'll definitely teach you~"

And so he did, teaching Isa breathing exercises first, letting him exhale long in the water before coming up again to take a deep breath. And then he encouraged him to sink deeper into the pool before going back up again to breathe, until Isa was down at the bottom and comfortable with the rhythmic breathe up, dive down, exhale.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

He leaned into the hug, sighing and comforted from Moss’ kisses. Flinching once when he felt his lips pressing lightly on his neck and down to his shoulder. He nodded in a daze, almost forgetting that he is in water at the moment. He’s focused on Moss’ warmth, the cooling touch on his cheek. “O-okay.” He uttered in his quiet and hitched breathe.

Isa couldn’t let go of this simple discovery of a fossil, curiosity lightened a flame within his heart as he stared at the ruins’ dark entrance. Then he huffed with a nod at the merman. “Then I’m in your hands, love.” He said determinedly. He followed Moss’ instructions, take a deeper dive compared to his last, and feeling relief in his aching lungs. There were moments where he choked midway up, waving his arms and clenching his eyes shut in his panic. Only to calm down when Moss gave him air by his spell and sighed in relief, floating up to the surface as he tried to control his breathing.

‘Until . . . He finally learned how to do slowly let go of his breath underwater while floating up and how to hold it while diving down. Isa even found a few cool fossils on the floor by chance, even a pretty coral formation. So he tried to doggy paddle on the surface, ’swimming‘ towards Moss as he figured out how to move his limbs.

”Am I doing good?” He asked Moss, hugging him tight as they floated in the deep part of the lake.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"Yes, you are in my skillful hands, Isa~" Moss grinned cheekily, feathering caresses along the V of Isa's abs.

Moss realized something as they practiced. Isa cannot speak underwater. So he taught him basic hand signs in Nazja, which were fluid, and wavy, with occasional crisp wrist flicks almost like a fish tail. One of them was: "Help", where Moss held one hand up with the thumb tucked into the palm, then folded the four other fingers down, trapping the thumb in the rest of the fingers. And: "I'm out of air", where he made a slashing gesture against his throat, with a flat hand, palm facing down.

Later, after smiling at Isa's fossil collection, he caught him in a hug as they floated in the deeper part of the lake. "You are doing very good! I think you have a knack for diving. Your fear seems to vanish when you're more focused on getting something interesting, and you naturally did the frog stroke. Your doggy paddle is better too." he casually swam underneath Isa, giving him a little merman-board to rest, buoying him up a little, almost like an otter.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

His stomach tensed. Isa blushed red, but smiled as he felt leh tingling feeling on his skin that‘s trailing behind Moss’ fingers. He gulped. Okay, he knew Moss knew how to flirt——but this is new. “ . . . Hehehe.” He couldn’t help but feel giddy for some reason. Giggling bashfully like a dazed person.

The redhead grinned happily, proud of himself for being able to swim, and not freak out . . . Yet. Then he yelped when he felt something smooth and scaly underneath his tummy as Moss gently pulled him closer. Looking down to see it’s his tail—- his face turned red again before he snuggled it under Moss’ chin. Wrapping his arms over his shoulders. This . . . Oddly feels nice.

“I guess that’s good then. Just gotta find somethin’ interesting.” He muttered onto his neck, his indigo eyes peeking at the ruins by the waterfall. “ . . . Can we explore in the ruins then? “

Isa peeked at Moss with wide puppy eyes. Slightly jutting his bottom lip. “Pleassssse?”
Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

"Of course!" Moss said eagerly. He liked seeing those indigo eyes light up in joy. Rain trickled down his wet plastered silver hair, over that thin almost transparent second membrane that closed vertically underneath his human eyelids, as he ducked his head underwater looking upside down at the ruin ahead and swished his tail once, pushing them towards the roaring falls. With a wave of his hands the waterfalls parted above them into an arc on either side.

"I'll carry all the interesting things we'll find in there. Ready to swim and lead the way?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

Isa tightly held onto Moss as he propelled them towards the waterfall, clenching his eyes for a moment. Thinking he was going to be blasted down by the waterfall until he realized that only soft droplets of rain hit his head. He barely could see through his eyelashes only to blink owlishly at the sight of the parted waterfall.

He looked at Moss, watching how his silky hair just sticks to his head as he pulls his head out of the water. Then he nodded in excitement for discovery and anxious of potential drowning. “Yeah! I-I’m ready!” He didn’t let go yet, taking deep breathes to calm down first. After a few minutes, Isa finally let’s go, and started to swim. Pushing himself forward with his arms and kicking with his legs, it still feels very strange to swim, but he’s doing it. Despite his fears, he is actually swimming. . .

It just hit him. He’s swimming. HE’S SWIMMING.

Taking another deep breath, Isa dived under and went in a random direction. Bringing his head up to gasp air before observing the ruins. He noticed the cool fossils that were still on the walls and stalactites. So many creatures from long ago . . . His eyes were starry and bright, not seeing or realizing that he headed towards a pillar until it was too late and crashed into it. He shook his head and stared at it before letting out an embarrassed chuckle.

He wanted to find a nice fossil, small enough to carry, and place in their living room. Or a weird gem. Or a shell! Perhaps he should dive-

He regretted looking down. He froze and quickly held onto the pillar, seeing the dark depths freaked him out. His shoulders trembling as he couldn’t look away.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss floated casually beneath the arching falls, softly caressing Isa's sides, until Isa was ready to go.

He dove next to him, secretly proud, and just watched his expression, as they swam past schools of river fishes darting around ancient pillars, up and then broke the surface of the water of the other side.

Before them was an edge and the open sky. The waters tumbling down the vast shelf they found themselves in that overlooked a sea of clouds and a floating valley beneath fed by floating steps of waterfalls from this ancient shelf that seemed to be half a flooded temple? Though there was no floor in the pool they were in, instead there was a deep gaping darkness beneath them.

"O! Careful!" Moss' hand was quickly around Isa's waist, rubbing soothingly, as he peered at his forehead. "How about shining a light in the depths? Might make you feel more comfortable if you knew what was down there~"

It seemed in the dim parts, Isa could spy a slab of fossilized fan-brush like sea weed or anemones that were too tall among a swirly web of star fishes? that had more than five legs and what seemed like a hundreds of tiny wavy tentacles trailing around them.

In another side, a bit deeper, where six scatterings of ragnite glowed faintly among the pebbles and sand, there was a purple crystal that reflected light within a fractal nebula of red and pink, and then one night-blue gem with a cloudy black and gray inside that had windows of translucency that let you see blurrily through to the other side, and a very smooth rock feathered gold at the edges, but was a kaleidoscope of teal, aquamarine-green, sky blue, and pink-purple.

This was just where the light was still able to reach, there may be even more deeper down.

Apart from the pool there was also a small hillock of grass, brambles, and rocks around many large nests in the far corner of the temple, some of which held small chirping baby hippogriffs looking at their direction. There was a wooden trough near them, a wooden shed leaning against the old stone walls some ways away, and a table and a couple of mismatched chairs near the edge. There also seemed to be a smaller pool there, or a hole in the floor, but it wasn't clear from this distance.

​

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Isa Bianchi -​

From the feeling of a familiar hand did Isa jump and sighed in relief. Scared indigo eyes stared at Moss, taking deep breaths as he muttered something inaudible. The little sprout on his head was trembling and his forehead had a red circle mark in the center; it‘s gonna leave a bruise. He nodded once at the suggestio, however he didn’t move until his fear calmed. Only reaching out towards the merman to hold his hand as he clings onto the pillar. He broke his gaze with Moss to see the rest of the temple and his breath hitched in the beauty of this ruin. How was this connected to a lot of water? Is this pool a portal of it’s own? or is this just another affect of Titan‘s death? He will probably never know.

Once he felt his heart beat slowing down did he summoned a warm and soft light and let good the pillar. Daring himself to look into the dark depths once more; never letting go of Moss’ hand as he simply floated. Lazily kicking his legs—

“Oh woah~” He stared at the cool slab where he saw a familiar water animal. His mouth gapping at how big it can grow and he unconsciously followed it’s swirling. Swimming closer to touch the fossil with his finger tips and breathed in his wonder. Then he dared to go to the deeper parts, almost like a child dragging their parents, he dragged Moss in his awe.

That’s when he saw the ragnite. His cheeks turned red at the colors of the light, barely visible, yet with his light he could see their shine- “I’m going under~” He said out loud and then he dived down. Letting go of Moss’ hand in the process as he swam closer to the ragnite. He struggled to grab the purple-reddish one first but managed to dig it out before he swam up to the surface and breathe. Then he raised it up in the air to see it’s splendor with starry eyes. Isa wanted to grab the teal one and dark blue one too. So he dived two more times to dig them out.

”Is this how your world looks like? Filled with mysterious animals and ruins?” Isa asked Moss, starry eyed in his small collection of fossils and ragnite. He is never using them!

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Moss Adamaris -​

Moss didn't coddle Isa this time, and just held his hand, giving him space and the quiet reassurance that he was there if he needed him, feeling happy that he can do for Isa what Isa has done for him all this time since he couldn't walk on land. He too looked around, just chilling and being at awe at the unique view and tumbled geography that was the floating isles.

Moss chuckled and let himself be dragged along, thinking he'd like to be dragged along and just be with Isa as he explored ruins for the rest of their lives and he'd be just as content as them cooking or reading together. He'd carry his stuff and pack him lunch, and just bask in seeing his love doing what makes him happy.

Just looking at the amount of sea things, it made Moss wonder whether the people who lived here in the past made their civilization underwater, or if their city got drowned underwater, and then rose up because of whatever happened that created the floating isles.

"Alright." he nodded at Isa before he dove, and with a little jolt of anxiety that Moss quickly hid, he stayed on the surface just watching Isa go down on his own. He needed to do this. Letting Isa brave things out will make him a better swimmer than if Moss held his hand all the time.

And Isa was rewarded with a better look of the gems in sunlight. They were beautiful~

Moss relaxed, seeing his starry expression, and offered to carry the things Isa dug out, just watching him, more at ease, as he swam deeper down.

Moss chuckled again, "No, I think mysterious animals for you and large corals and reefs that we transfigured into our homes. Kind of like how the elves sing to trees and their homes are part of the trees? It's like that, but with corals and giant shells." he smiled. "We can't build things like on land, so we polymorph creatures permanently to suit our needs."

Katsuya