I. The Sunken City
After leaving the ruins of the shattered port city, Maneless dove back into the sea. This time, his destination was Nalara — an ancient underwater city long rumored lost in the depths of the western ocean. No map could guide him, only the name whispered by Riven before she lost consciousness.
For days, Maneless traversed the ocean depths. He passed uninhabited coral reefs, the wrecks of old ships, and silent seagrass meadows. He merged once more with the ocean, but now, every ripple of the waves felt different — for he now carried the burden of the world's fate with him.
At night, when the currents stilled and the stars on the surface reflected a faint light underwater, he would pause and reflect. The memory of Riven's voice, the anger and the lingering sense of loss, made even sleep offer no true respite.
He began to speak to himself, not out of madness, but out of loneliness. The sea did not answer, but sometimes, as if understanding, small waves would gently undulate around him. The sea was never truly silent.
When he finally found a large fissure in the seabed, he knew it was no ordinary place. The water currents shifted direction as he approached, as if the sea itself was trying to protect something hidden within. Strange vibrations seeped into his bones, and a coldness enveloped the surroundings.
He dived deeper, passing through dark corridors with ancient carvings on the coral rock walls. Each symbol looked like a script lost from a time before the wars. Some of them glowed faintly as Maneless passed — as if recognizing the presence of ancient blood within him.
Until finally, light began to appear — a soft blue like the moon reflected in water. A thin mist spread, and the temperature slowly changed. Not cold, not hot, but something between life and death.
Nalara emerged before him.
The city was silent yet majestic, built from coral stone and sea crystal. Circular towers rose from the depths, surrounded by transparent domes that still glowed dimly. But the city was clearly damaged — the marks of battle were evident in every corner, and only a few creatures were visible. It was as if the city was not only abandoned but cursed to be forgotten.
Maneless floated slowly into the outer gates. He saw statues of deep-sea creatures in various forms — some resembling merfolk, some orcas, some of unknown shapes. Many were broken, shattered, or defaced.
"This place... breathes in silence," Maneless murmured.
He did not yet know that in the heart of this city, someone had been waiting for him for a long time.
II. The Woman Who Guards the Light
In the heart of the city, there was a sea garden protected by a dome of pure water. The garden was not just a place of rest — it was built above the energy source that was the center of all of Nalara. Mosaic stones formed a giant circle with a spiral pattern, and in the middle burned a small blue light like an eternal flame.
It was there that Maneless found her — a woman with hair as white as pearl and eyes that shone like falling stars in the deep. Her body was slender, her movements calm, yet it was as if every strand of her hair had a will of its own, dancing gently in the water currents.
She stood on the spiral mosaic, silent, as if knowing that time had brought her something inevitable.
"Your name is Maneless," the woman said without turning. Her voice was not just heard, but felt — traveling through the water and into his chest. "And you have come to reopen old wounds."
Maneless stopped, his body tensing. "And you are Lyra?"
She turned. Her face was not just beautiful — it radiated a quiet strength, like the ocean at night. But in her eyes, there was also a deep sadness, like someone who had lost everything.
"I am the guardian of this dead city. And yes, I am Lyra. Heir of the Flame Blood."
Maneless stepped closer, but slowly. Before this woman, his strength felt small, yet his heart felt lighter. "Riven said only you could help me unlock my power."
Lyra smiled faintly, bitterly. "Then she had more faith in hope than I did."
She walked to the other side of the mosaic, her hand touching a shimmering stone. Light followed her fingers.
"Nalara was once more than just a city. It was a shield. And now, that shield is cracked. If you want to repair it... then you must be more than just a sea creature."
"I'm not even a complete sea creature," Maneless retorted. "I was born without a crest."
Lyra looked deeply into his eyes. "Or perhaps... that is why you are the only one who can."
III. The Crest Within the Soul
The first days of training felt alien to Maneless. Lyra did not directly guide him with commands or techniques. She only asked him to sit still in the middle of the garden, on the spiral mosaic, and feel the currents.
"All your power is within the sea and within you," Lyra said. "But one will not allow you to touch it before you become one with the other."
Maneless was frustrated. He wanted to move, to fight, to destroy Kael — not sit for hours in silence. But Lyra would only look at him with an undeniable firmness.
On the third day, everything changed.
In one meditation session, Maneless was dragged into the currents of his own mind. The sea around him darkened, and he witnessed fragments of a childhood he did not know — a giant white orca swimming among swirls of black energy, protecting a small ball of light. A baby. Him.
A cry was heard — deep, piercing, not with sound, but with the vibration of a soul.
Then everything shattered in black light.
Maneless jolted awake, shivering. The water around him churned, and the light from the mosaic turned red for a moment.
"He is still bound to that memory," Lyra whispered softly. "And only by forgiving the world can he free himself."
The following days became more intense. Lyra began to teach him techniques for directing currents, channeling energy from the seabed into his body. Every movement, every breath, had to be in harmony with the vibrations of the underwater world.
Slowly, the power within Maneless began to awaken. He began to be able to change the temperature of the water around him, creating small whirlpools with just a movement of his hand. But the power was not yet stable. Sometimes, when angry, the energy would go out of control, causing damage to Nalara's ancient structures.
One night, after a small explosion damaged the side of an observation tower, Maneless disappeared.
He swam far beyond the city limits, sitting alone on the seabed.
Lyra found him several hours later.
"I'm not strong enough," Maneless whispered, without turning.
"You don't have to be strong now," Lyra replied. "You just have to keep choosing to try."
She sat beside him, and for the first time, she took Maneless's hand.
That small connection — simple, gentle — ignited something within him. Something deeper than power. A reason.
IV. The Growing Bond
Since that night, something had changed. Lyra began to open up. She was no longer just a teacher, but also a friend — and perhaps, something more.
They began to spend time together outside of training. At the edge of the pool of light, Lyra told stories of the past. About her childhood in Nalara when the city was still alive. About her brother, Zevan, who once held the first Soul Crest and sacrificed himself to seal the Abyss.
"Zevan wasn't just a hero. He was also stubborn, reckless, and often made me cry," Lyra said with a small laugh.
Maneless listened quietly. Each story added to their closeness. And on the fourteenth night since Maneless's arrival, they sat together in the middle of the garden, gazing at the blue flame.
"If everything is over… will you stay here?" Maneless asked softly.
Lyra turned. Her eyes were clear, but full of doubt.
"I don't know. All this time, my duty has only been to keep this city alive. But with you here… I'm starting to see that there might be life beyond guarding."
They said nothing for a while. Then, slowly, Lyra leaned her head on Maneless's shoulder. Not in weakness, but in trust.
Maneless closed his eyes. For the first time since birth, he didn't feel alone.
V. The Sign of the Abyss
When the seventeenth night arrived, the sea sky changed color. Not because of the stars, but because of something much darker. The waves outside the city rumbled softly, as if warning. Lyra woke up earlier than usual, her heart pounding — she felt an imbalance.
In the center of the garden, Maneless was meditating. But as Lyra approached, she saw small cracks appearing on the spiral mosaic. The blue light flickered, swaying like a flame caught in the wind.
"Maneless?"
He opened his eyes. But his pupils were not as usual — faintly glowing red. His breathing was heavy. He was shivering.
"Last night... I dreamed of him," he said softly. "Kael."
"He called to you?"
"Not called... pulled. As if something within me is tied to him."
Lyra grasped his shoulders. "That's the Abyss's influence. Kael wants to weaken you before you're ready."
But it was too late.
A massive wave crashed against Nalara's outer shield. The protective crystal cracked. And from outside, black mist slowly seeped in — like ink dissolving into water.
Sea creatures long relegated to legend began to appear. Their forms resembled merfolk, but distorted. Red eyes, black scaly skin, and shark-like fangs. They infiltrated through the damaged defenses and began to creep into the city.
Lyra and Maneless immediately rushed to the city center.
VI. Battle Within the Dome
"Protect the garden. Don't let them touch the Spiral of Light," Lyra commanded, drawing her silver spear from the sacred altar.
Maneless stood beside her, his breathing beginning to stabilize. Although the energy within him was still imperfect, there was a strength that flowed every time he thought of Lyra… and what could be destroyed if he failed.
The first creature breached the dome's barrier. With a terrifying howl, it lunged towards Lyra. In one swift movement, Lyra's spear pierced the creature and unraveled its body into fragments of black current.
Maneless raised his hands. The water around him vibrated, then formed a vortex that slammed two creatures simultaneously against the crystal wall.
But their numbers were growing.
Lyra was wounded in the shoulder. Maneless blocked the next attack with his own body. His blood flowed… and when that blood touched the mosaic, the spiral light blazed brighter than ever before.
VII. The Awakening of the Crest
Suddenly, a voice was heard — not from outside, but from within him. Deep. Ancient.
"You are the bearer of a destiny rejected by the world. Now, you are allowed to choose: surrender to fate, or shape it yourself."
Maneless stood, though his body trembled. He closed his eyes. His breath went in… out… and in one moment, the energy from the spiral entered his body.
His back blazed. There — something unseen before — began to grow. Not a crest like other creatures possessed, but a flow of blue light forming an elongated pattern along his spine. Like a dancing flame. Like the soul's fire.
The creatures of the Abyss fell silent. They began to retreat… afraid.
Maneless stepped forward.
With one gesture, he summoned the waves surrounding the city and slammed all the enemies with overwhelming force. The garden trembled. The spiral glowed fully.
Lyra, though wounded, smiled. "That's it… the Soul Crest."
VIII. After the Waves Receded
The battle was over. But the city of Nalara would never be the same. Many parts were damaged. The Spiral's energy was weakened. But that night, the city did not sink into silence, but into hope.
Lyra was laid on the healing altar. Maneless sat beside her, his hand never leaving hers.
"You saved Nalara," Lyra whispered.
"Not alone," Maneless replied. "You are part of that strength."
They looked at each other. For a moment, the world seemed to stop turning. No war, no Abyss, only them.
Maneless lowered his head and gently touched Lyra's forehead. A promise that needed no words.
IX. A New Omen
However, beyond the city's ruins, behind the shadows of the deepest sea, Kael opened his eyes. He felt the power — the Soul Crest had awakened.
He smiled. Dark. Deep.
"Let him grow," he said. "The higher he flies, the more it will hurt when I bring him down."
X. Towards the Silence Before the Storm
Maneless stood at the outer gates of Nalara. Behind him, Lyra stood with a staff of light. Before them, the ocean stretched vast — dark, full of mystery, and more dangerous than ever.
"Our task is not yet finished," Maneless said.
"And it will never be easy," Lyra replied.
They dived together, leaving the city beneath the protection of the crystal that now shone a soft blue.
They knew. The journey had just begun.