I. Introduction to the Abyss
The sea grew darker, far darker than before. Their journey pierced depths they had never explored. The darkness was not just due to the absence of sunlight, but also because of the mysterious aura that enveloped every inch of this ocean. Maneless felt it more strongly than ever—something gnawing from within.
Lyra walked beside him, her eyes constantly darting, anxiously observing their surroundings. She knew something bad awaited them in these depths. The growing power within Maneless worried her, yet she also knew this was part of an unavoidable destiny.
"Maneless," Lyra's voice broke the silence, soft but clear. "You feel heavier, don't you?"
Maneless nodded slowly. His body felt more tired than usual, as if the weight of the world was pressing down on him. "Yes. The further I go, the more I feel like something is pulling me in. Something darker, more terrifying."
Lyra turned to him, her face filled with doubt. "That power—are you sure you can control it?"
Maneless looked at her, his eyes full of confusion. "I don't know, Lyra. Every time I try to calm myself, that power just takes over me more and more."
Lyra paused and looked far ahead, her eyes full of worry. "You have to be careful. If you let it control you, you will lose yourself."
Maneless sighed heavily. "I don't know what to do anymore."
They both continued their journey, but the tension grew thicker. Every step Maneless took felt heavier, and the more he tried to resist the power, the stronger the urge from within him became.
II. Discovery of the Ancient Altar
After what felt like days, they reached a large cave hidden in the depths of the Abyss. The cave walls were covered in bioluminescent moss that emitted a faint light, providing a little illumination in the darkness that embraced their world. The air in this cave felt cold and damp, carrying a sharp sea scent.
In the middle of the cave stood an ancient altar that seemed to have existed since primordial times. The altar was made of a shimmering black stone, covered in carvings that seemed to tell a long-forgotten history. The aura from the altar felt strong, but also terrifying. Maneless could feel waves of energy coming from the altar, seeping into his body, as if trying to call him.
"What is this?" Maneless asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.
Lyra walked closer, her eyes full of concern. "This is an ancient altar, a place used by the primordial beings who first mastered the power of the sea. They were the first rulers of the Abyss, who tried to control this world with a very dark power."
Maneless approached, his eyes focused on the altar. "Is this what we're looking for?"
Lyra bit her lip, looking at the altar with doubt. "I'm not sure. This... this is more than just an ordinary altar. Its power is so great, Maneless. You have to be careful."
However, despite the warning in Lyra's words, Maneless felt something pulling him to get closer. A silent voice echoed in his mind, calling him. Unconsciously, he stepped closer to the altar, feeling a magnetic energy he couldn't resist.
"We have to stop this," Lyra said, running closer, but Maneless was already too close.
"No... I have to do this," Maneless replied in a voice full of confusion, but also determination.
As soon as his hand touched the cold surface of the black stone, a massive burst of energy shook his entire body. A deafening sound filled the entire cave, and he felt himself thrown backward, falling to the ground. A blinding blue light filled the room, and Maneless felt himself increasingly trapped in the powerful energy.
III. Battle in the Darkness
Maneless lay on the ground, his body feeling burned by the energy flowing through him. He screamed, trying to endure the pain that came so deeply. A roaring sound echoed in his ears, louder and more terrifying.
"Maneless!" Lyra cried, running towards his fallen body. She tried to shake his shoulders, but he remained still, his eyes empty and full of confusion.
"Maneless, listen to me!" Lyra continued to shout, anxiously grabbing Maneless's hand.
Maneless bit his lip, trying to get up, but his body felt heavy and uncontrollable. "What's happening to me?" he murmured in a hoarse voice.
"This is the power of that altar," Lyra replied in a voice full of anxiety. "That power... is taking over you. You have to fight it!"
However, the more Maneless tried to resist, the stronger the dark urge became. An increasingly sharp voice echoed in his mind. "Maneless... take this power. Become the ruler of the Abyss."
"No!" Maneless shouted, trying to resist the power. "I don't want to be like them!"
Lyra stood beside him, watching anxiously. "You can fight this. I know you can."
However, the voice grew louder, more tempting. "This power will give you everything you want. Take it, Maneless."
With all his might, Maneless closed his eyes and shouted, "I am not yours!"
Suddenly, the crystal orb floating in the air began to vibrate, releasing a very strong wave of energy. Maneless's body felt instant relief, although his body still ached. Trembling, he stepped back, trying to move away from the altar.
"Maneless... you did it," Lyra said with a relieved voice, although tension still radiated from her face.
However, even though they had managed to resist the power for now, Maneless knew that this was not the end of their journey. They had only just scratched the surface of a deeper darkness.
IV. The Dark Influence
Maneless stood with a body that felt incredibly weary. The power he had just felt still burned within him, even though he had managed to resist the urge to control him. However, that power did not disappear just like that. He could feel waves of energy constantly flowing through his body, influencing his every step and decision.
"Maneless..." Lyra called him softly. "Do you feel better?"
Maneless looked at her with an empty gaze. "I don't know anymore. Every time I try to fight back, it feels more and more like that power wants to take over me."
Lyra grasped his hand, her eyes full of concern. "You have to hold on. You can still control yourself. I'm sure of it."
However, Maneless found it increasingly difficult to think clearly. His body writhed, as if something was guiding him to walk deeper into the Abyss. Every step felt heavier, but there was another force pulling him, forcing him to keep going.
"Lyra, I'm scared..." Maneless's voice almost broke. "I'm afraid I'm going to lose myself."
Lyra approached and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You won't lose yourself, Maneless. I will always be here for you."
However, Maneless knew it wasn't that simple. His power was growing, and every moment there was a threat that it would completely take over him.
V. The Destiny-Changing Decision
In the ever-deepening darkness of the Abyss, Maneless had to make a big choice. Accept that power, or leave everything behind and face a destiny full of uncertainty. A power that could give him everything, but could also destroy him.
VI. The Demanding Power
Maneless stepped deeper into the cave, each step heavier than the last. The power he had just rejected now swirled within him, permeating his entire body, giving a feeling that was hard to describe—between temptation and resistance. Everything within him felt like two warring worlds.
Behind that tension, Maneless felt a voice growing clearer. That voice was not just in his mind, but now it seemed he could hear it directly, echoing around the cave. It was a familiar voice, yet full of confusion.
"Maneless... you cannot escape me. This power is your destiny." The voice sounded deep, reverberating in the narrow space.
Lyra, who was behind him, called out with a worried voice. "Maneless! Don't listen to that! You are not part of the Abyss, you are yourself!"
But the voice continued to call, whispering promises of unlimited power, promises of glory that would be given if he surrendered. "What you feel now is part of you. You are the true ruler. Take this power and become invincible."
Maneless squeezed his nape hard, trying to ward off the voice, but the stronger that urge flowed within him. His body trembled, and the pain deepened as that energy pressed on every fiber of his being.
"No!" he shouted with all his anger, releasing the dark energy that had almost taken over his body. "I don't want this! I don't want to be like them!"
However, despite trying to resist, a part of him, hidden in the darkness, increasingly wanted to come out. The blue light from the altar grew more dazzling, and Maneless felt his body begin to lift, as if gravity no longer applied.
Lyra ran closer, reaching for his hand. "Maneless, listen to me! I know you can control it! Don't let this darkness swallow you!"
But the louder Lyra shouted, the stronger the dark pull became. Maneless felt an unequal battle—between the self that wanted to resist and the power that was increasingly taking over him.
VII. The Shocking Revelation
Maneless began to feel an increasingly deep turmoil, until finally his body staggered to the ground, falling. His hand, still raised towards the altar, seemed to feel that power merging with him. In a blurred vision, he saw Lyra with a worried face.
"Lyra... help me..." Maneless's voice was almost inaudible, but there was a deep despair there.
Lyra knelt beside him, holding tightly to Maneless's hand, which was now burning with uncontrolled energy. "You are not just an Orca born without a crest. You are Maneless, a warrior who chooses his own destiny. You have the power to choose who you are!"
But, as if not hearing those words, Maneless felt his despair deepen. The more he tried to get up, the stronger the dark urge flowed within him. However, at that moment, suddenly another voice was heard—a deeper and darker voice. A voice that awakened old memories within Maneless.
"Maneless... this is your time to understand what is truly happening. My power is yours. You are a descendant of those who dared to defy the sea and all its contents. This power is inherited by you."
Those words shocked Maneless. In the dimness of his memory, he began to feel fragments of memories that had been lost all this time. He was not just an ordinary creature. He was a descendant of the long-forgotten rulers of the sea, those who tried to overthrow the fate of nature by mastering a power greater than ever imagined.
"Mother... Father..." Maneless's voice echoed in his mind, realizing that he was not only bound by the destiny determined by this world, but also by a lineage full of mystery and blood older than everything in this ocean.
VIII. Confrontation With Destiny
With a weary body and a chaotic mind, Maneless tried to get up. The pain did not subside, but something new arose within him—a sense of confidence, as if saying that this was the right time to make the right decision. The voice from within him grew stronger, but he held it back.
"Maneless..." Lyra's voice sounded weak but hopeful. "You are not the ruler of darkness. You can choose who you are. I will always be here, helping. You don't have to fight this alone."
Lyra's words seeped into him. In the chaos of his mind, Maneless began to feel that he could choose, that he still had control—that his destiny was not yet complete. With the remaining strength, he stood up, raising his face to the dark sea sky.
Lyra watched with hope as Maneless's body began to glow, not with the light from the altar, but with a light from within himself. His power did not come from darkness, but from the free will he possessed to choose. The blue light from within his body replaced the darkness that had almost taken over him.
"I'm not your puppet..." Maneless said firmly. "I will write my own fate."
IX. Breakthrough
With an explosion that shook the entire cave, Maneless unleashed the power within him. The light emanating from his body illuminated the room, radiating an energy so great that it shattered the altar into fragments of broken stone. That power no longer controlled him—instead, he controlled that power.
Lyra stood beside him, surprised but full of pride. Maneless looked at her, his eyes full of newfound determination.
"I... I can do it. I can choose who I am."
With determined steps, Maneless moved forward, leaving the shattered altar behind them. The darkness that had once guided him was now broken, replaced by a new, brighter light—a light that came from within himself.
"Where do we go now?" Lyra asked, looking with hope.
"I don't know..." Maneless replied, "But I will find my way."
Together, they stepped forward into the further depths of the ocean, not only seeking power, but also freedom from the darkness that had once bound them.