act18d3

Who? He wants to meet me?

Come with me. You shall know when you see him.

After all... you have a friend here too.

'You wish to meet her, do you not?'

The bishop's tone makes light of it, but Skadi remains calm.

The hunter secretly grips the case's handle tight. Only fruits of progress in material science and Rhodes Island earnestly investing vast funds are to thank right now, that she does not crush the handle of this specialized 'saxophone case' apart.

Please, in here.

As for you.

Come too. The time for your reward, too, is come.

Skadi glances at Gladiia briefly, and does not say much.

Skadi follows over to the figure of the bishop. Unsure as to why, she's felt the whole time that the bishop has a very odd gait. Like his legs are lame, or his joints are missing.

The three descend the stairs. Shockingly, below the chapel's graves lies a cave, the staircase winding downwards by its wall, circling and circling, as if walking into some colossus's esophagus. Without a ray of light, they feel through the path on pure sense, at risk of falling into the abyss at any time.

Regretfully, I will not light a lamp, but this should pose you no trouble, should it?

I have heard wandering singers to be quite agile by and large. Neither city nor barrens are too friendly, and those going afar easily come to suffer. One must learn the basics of protecting themselves.

Wealth cannot buy music, yet music can serve as wealth. So long as a fine song is sung, one will not starve wherever they go...

I used to yearn greatly for that sort of life, likely because I am no good at what it demands... Once I set down roots somewhere, it is very hard for me to up and leave again.

The bishop seems to talk in soliloquy, because the two others utter not a word while descending.

We are here.

Don't tell me we're...

Correct. On the seafloor.

Led deep and deeper by the staircase, they finally set foot on flat ground. Even Skadi feels challenged to breathe in the sealed-off damp, until they emerge into a shaft of light, and the open scene before them reinvigorates the hunters.

The massive karst cave is filled with twisted equipment. From a hidden place above, daylight illuminates as it penetrates the ocean, permeates the cave, the faint blue making where it lies clear.

That's—!

How could this be.

Specter's body floats in a vat of water, as if dead, or perhaps sound asleep.

Untold thoughts flash through Skadi's head.

Why is she here? Did Gladiia do this? What if Specter is dead? How could Gladiia allow Specter to die?! Could she truly be—

And that is your friend, isn't it?

You are called Skadi? I have not been the one following your affairs. They have handled you very well...

Especially the ones by your side. They have handled it all well, letting you uphold your mental state under such emotions.

Skadi's eyes open wide.

What?

They have had no time to attend to you lately, but by the humble grace of your leader here, you have come, practically as a gift to me.

Skadi turns in anger to Gladiia, but finds no one behind her.

Gladiia is already pacing for the bishop, her step free of concern in its lightness. The speed she takes pride in, the speed rumored amongst the Abyssal Hunters... seems to be in this silent, single step.

I am surprised you step forth first... and not that minstrel. What are you waiting for? Why did you not kill me before?

Would you be so stupid?

You unhallowed things, and your eternal condition... Your fine sense of ego, expressed without meaning. Would you be just as unconcerned if this experiment, her life, vanished here?

Confirming your results gave you confidence. Your satisfaction grinned in your words, yet you wouldn't let me see where you took her. I imagine you cannot let her die yet.

Out of us few, I'm sure her life is the one you place most importance on.

I've destroyed your experiment grounds—

To little surprise, it was your doing.

—Specter is highly valuable. Out of all the Originium infection tests you've conducted on the Abyssal Hunters, only this one specimen tells the tale.

The original sin of terrestrial lowlife beasts can be effected upon those unholy bodies of yours. Is it not so very interesting?

The looks on Skadi and Gladiia's faces both change.

Although... I must say, you have wrought too much damage on the site we three are in. Having committed so much refined, liquefied Originium, having applied Ægir technology... all of it, never to be seen again.

She is highly valuable indeed. My one mystery is how she fends against an Originium infection of such scope... Her spinal cord, diluted, would be enough to infect a small country.

Things have changed now. Thank you for placing her in my hands, unhallowed thing. I will lead the other two... I will discover all your final secrets.

I will prove my own success. My research. Our enemy's secrets. As well as weaknesses...

You will lead off by dying here.

Skadi covertly applies her strength. Her puzzlement and irritation towards Gladiia pale completely to her present anger at the bishop.

Given one chance, this originator of evil will be shattered, flesh pasted.

Just one chance.

My sparing your life testified: you are that person, one and the same. I've already executed those not worth sparing.

As it's proven how you, them, and this experiment are all implicated, you need not be alive any longer.

The Church of the Deep... you're from the Church of the Deep.

Did I permit you to address me so?

You're far too good at hiding. Each one of you is unalike. You'll say anything and everything.

Was Specter also driven to derangement... by your indoctrination and torture?

Those people outside. You exploited them. Are they experiments to you too?

Have all the people cast into the sea... been sacrifices for your tests?

Impudent.

The bishop's figure seems to enlarge some. He may truly be angered.

The ocean's almsgiving is no manner of exploitation. It is salvation.

I could concern myself none with them, and they would die.

The ocean gives them food, gives those unwilling to live the freedom to live on in rebirth...

A cold shudder runs through Skadi. Sea Terrors. Sea Terrors. They become Sea Terrors.

How could you unhallowed things hope to understand...

Enough, bishop. Have I ever shown care for your objective before? If you remember anything false, I invite you to forget it immediately. Your disgraceful conduct defies description. The only thing I mind is how much further your toxin might drift.

This is far enough.

You believed bringing one more... would let you topple me with ease?

You and your kind alike are so self-confident—so stupid.

I know that some of you chose to become Sea Terrors already. I fear that won't serve as a trump card.

Even if you can become a Seaborn—

Skadi suddenly registers that the scent of a Seaborn has drawn near.

Moreover, it is not the bishop.

Captain!

Skadi leaps forward, but the Seaborn is already too close to Gladiia, much too close.

With her speed, Gladiia is able to dodge before the sound even crosses.

But before anything, it requires that Gladiia intend to dodge.

Gladiia had not even been aware...

Haugh, hgh-eugh... (Choking on her blood)

Gla-dia. His request was this. And so I did.

Rest.

Skadi, having witnessed the instant the monster impaled Gladiia, now watches as it extracts its limb and leaves Gladiia to crumple, ruined.

A trap. This was a trap. Skadi had long readied herself to confront a Seaborn... but why did Gladiia not notice it?

Did she allow herself to underestimate the enemy? Or did what happened to Specter destroy her calm?

Who is the hunter, and who is the hunted?

Moreover—how could—a Seaborn—

Ishar-mla.

(Why... why, why?)

Why did Gladiia choose to make a move here? She could've just said something to Skadi, and the two of them would've easily killed the bishop!

Can this bishop truly be not a monster? Was the scent she smelled the whole time this Seaborn, and not the bishop?

What is this thing in front of her? Is it a Sea Terror? The bishop's transformation? A Seaborn?

If it's one of her unendingly long-despised enemies, why can it talk?

Ishar-mla. I wanted to meet you.

Skadi does not speak. Her hand reaches for her case as she watches for the Seaborn's first move, its first possible movement.

Life and death are an instant apart. She wants the monster dead.

Countless years buoyant. Countless years roving. Countless lived and died.

*Spit*...