Luna Lagoon wasn''t the first island the trio visited after setting sail from Lamplight Isla nearly nine days ago, but the second. It was, however, the first discovery of the Olympia Sea expedition where Morgan and Ego''s lives weren''t under the constant threat of being snuffed out by the local wildlife.
True, there was a moment yesterday when the duo had first begun exploring the local grove and had a somewhat dangerous encounter with the larger Lagoon residents. But that experience had less to do with the intrusion of the Beast''s territory and more to do with being in the right place at the wrong time. At least, that was how the Professor had viewed events, and after a night camping on the tiny crescent moon-shaped beach made of crushed lapis lazuli stone from which that atoll lagoon was named, Ego was starting to come around to his line of thinking.
Monochrome, sadly, had been left on the previous island. That cultivating prodigy had undergone something of a physical metamorphosis during his three-day long recuperation within the cave. After gaining the handy ability to teleport, little Momo really grew into her new status of Beast, quite literally in fact. Not only was she far, far, bigger than any Crested Gecko should be, her very nature had completely flipped. Naturally, the Princess was still his little girl and, if anything, was more affectionate to her parent now than before. But gone was the primarily frugivore nocturnal creature, replaced with a powerful diurnal predator who hungered for fresh meat.
Tragically, Morgan had nothing to offer her besides fruit goo and dead bugs. Worst still, despite the massive amount of supplies he had bought from Earth, a fishing pole was not one of them.
Although that was likely for the best. On a Vajrayian planet with such a vast sea, fishing blindly might just dredge up a horror from the depths. Interesting that interaction might be, that can of worms was best left sealed.
At least for now.
Hence why, Momo was left on the prey-rich island of Bizarro Swamp, with a promise that they would come to collect her on their return. While losing such a powerhouse was a serious loss, her bowing out from the expedition early was for the best. After all, she might have gotten stir-crazy waiting for them on the beach, and Morgan simply didn''t bring enough scuba tanks for the both of them.
Even if he did bring enough to share, that wouldn''t have solved the ultimate issue.
How the hell would he get a human diving mask on a giant gecko?
<hr>
Under the Olympia Sea, down where it''s wetter and quite a bit saltier, the peaceful mood of that morning was almost perfect.
Calm, clear skies combined with a lethargic breeze that would''ve struggled to shake the leaves on trees made it possible for the duo to see for kilometers in any direction before everything was lost in a blue haze. The temperature under the surf was also ideal, effortlessly reaching that blissful state of comfort between warm and cool that would tempt many to take a reckless nap.
The best kind of nap, too. The ones taken without setting an alarm, where dreams can seamlessly slip in and out of the waking world, a restful sleep that leaves one with blanket imprints on limbs and questioning what year they had awoken to.
After the fortuitous encounter during yesterday''s exploration resulted in a significant step forward in the Cultivation research, the Professor was feeling good. Staring out into the vast open blue, confident no carnivorous Beasts would get the drop on them, Morgan was tempted to take such a nap on that almost perfect morning.
Oxygen notwithstanding, naturally. Which, upon checking his regulator''s gauge and finding the needle nearing the ? of red, prompted some attention.
Yet, any potential for rest was looking more and more like a fantasy as it was becoming abundantly clear to Morgan that he was the only one there who felt that way.
[This should be the last one.] The Spirit muttered out of nowhere just as he opened the air valve on this latest oxygen canister.
After nearly an hour of silence, their unexpected question caused Morgan to partially let go of the canister holster to perform the no signal before he stopped himself. He caught himself at the last moment, instead using both hands to sling the tank holster onto his bare back, belting it down tight before answering.
[Nope.] He projected, both thankful for and still unused to the convenience of mental communications when diving. It had taken most of yesterday''s dive to beat down his almost instinctual training to use limited hand signals Ego wouldn''t have understood in the first place. [I have one more canister in the ring and another back in the cave.]
[Huh?] They murmured distractedly, blinking at him with dull confusion before comprehending their mistake and clarifying by moving a finger in a circular motion. [A poor choice of words. I meant, One last go around the grove before we head back to the beach?]
[What, getting tired of the view already?]
Instead of answering, both the Monk and Professor shimmied in their seats and craned their necks to the right to peer down at the underwater grove surrounding the atoll lagoon.
Starting a dozen or so meters from the crescent shore and spanning a radius of roughly three to four kilometers around the entire island, the massive grove consisted of the same palm tree-like flora. They started appearing high up the slope, but all those specimens were undoubtedly dead. Many had the trunks broken in half, mere meters below the surface, from protecting the lagoon from waves and winds. It was only 30 meters below sea level where the living outnumbered the dead, and something in the neighborhood of 80% of all palm trees sprouted from the flat sea floor at 60 meters.
Just as any tropical vacation getaway advertisement would advertise, these single-stem plants had tall, straight trunks with massive green fronds, each containing hundreds of leaflets swaying in the water. Interestingly the underwater tree still had something like pseudo-bark, the dead (and normally dried-up) tissue left over from previous frond sheds covering its trunk, only shedding was a vibrant, damn near metallic, shade of coral blue.
Even still, from Ego and Morgan''s self-swimming vantage point 10 meters below the surface, the view had a fantastical wonder to it that the other islands lacked. The grove canopy was always in motion with no uniform movement as waves above came from all directions to crash upon the trunk barrier. At any given moment, the vivid green fronds could be forced to part, allowing the sun''s persistent rays to shine upon the glittering trunks.
Except for the last two or so meters of trunk where the palms sprouted from the seabed, of course. If one wished to sneak a peek, those sections would require more than sunlight, for they were coated in a layer of stone.
Like a chisel, for instance. Or a jackhammer if they were motivated enough to work out the logistics.
Morgan sure as hell wasn''t motivated to so much as lift a finger at the present moment. Not during what could be his last chance to rest before setting back out on the open sea. This was a moment of celebration– A victory lap for the breakthrough in his research. After so much effort and plenty of close calls, the Scientist could finally say beyond a doubt that he knew what hurdles he''d need to overcome. Better still, Morgan was confident that all that was needed to step on the stage of Cultivation was finding the perfect subject to learn from.
It was a small victory, he couldn''t deny. Knowing where to go and what to do was far easier than the actual journey. But at his advanced age, Morgan had learned that progress, no matter how small, was progress all the same and should be acknowledged.
And what better way to celebrate than with the people who made the breakthrough possible in the first place?
[The view is spectacular.] Ego admitted after a minute or so had gone by. [But… don''t you think our new friends here are going to get tired of us hitching a ride for so long?]
[Nope.] Morgan didn''t even consider the question as he leaned back until he felt his tied-back hair press against him, acting like a pillow between him and the nose bridge. [I seriously doubt she would care about anything we do to or on her so long as we keep away from the little one.]
The Monk, seated cross-leg in front of him, their avatar visibly no wetter now than on dry land, stuck out an arm to point at the young Beast swimming beside them both.
Not for the first time, he wondered just how much the mysterious information leak between Vajrayana and Cosmos impacted both Sapient and non-Sapient life. Honestly, if not for a few physical characteristics the trained eye could easily spot, the Kataklysmos Bringer would easily pass for a fin whale. Nearly all of the hallmarks were present: a V-shaped head, low razorback fin, and a noticeably thicker peduncle at the base of the tail for moving that fluked tail at high speeds. For the love of originality, the entire pod of eight Beasts even had the same color scheme of dark tops and almost white bottoms as their Earth counterparts.
Well, primarily dark tops. As the Bestiary mentioned, each creature had a unique patterned crest made of a rigid material that broke up light into a rainbow shine like fish scales. These crests encircled the flesh around both eyes before claiming up the forehead and encircling the front half of the blowhole– a blowhole that curved up and back so the twin nostrils pointed at the back end. Their pectoral fins were also vastly different as they were twice as broad and retained a high range of motor control as the Kataklysmos could bend and flex the fin with the same range of movement as a Human hand in a mitten.
In fact, when Morgan and Ego first reached the pod this morning, they were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the mother holding her curious calf''s fin to keep them from separating. Sadly, snapping a picture wasn''t possible as the phone was stored within the ring, its battery depleted.
Which was strange because Morgan made sure to charge the device with the solar generator regularly. Yet it always seemed to be dead whenever he needed it…
Could their trip through the Bifr?st have damaged its battery somehow?
Eh, whatever. The Scientist pushed such thoughts out of mind as for the third time that morning, he observed the Kataklysmos child through Perception of the Stone Sage.
Unfortunately, it turned out that his Bloodline did, in fact, have some limitations when it came to range. While air didn''t affect the display distance, substances like water restricted Morgan to a ten-meter viewing in every direction. An inconvenience, especially on a planet like Olympia, but it wasn''t like he was complaining. Morgan still had a clear view of the young Beast''s Soul Foundation doing what he could only dream of doing.
Just as the lighting shifted above the surf, the natural blue tinge of the Olympia sea became a nearly featureless black backdrop, making the Eternal Foundations of Junior the Kataklysmos look like a bioluminescent predator luring in prey in the abysses. Hunting, not for the pod''s typical fair of tiny krill-like Beasts that hid in the billions within the grove below, but for a far more cosmic source of substance.
Luck, for once, had been on the Scientist''s side as the hunt for Aether was already nearing its end, as the mouth of Junior''s fiery red Soul was already opening wide. To his hampered sight, hardly a fraction of a second passed between a perpendicular stream of Yin Aether coming to view. The Beast smashed right through it, creating a gap in the pitch-black stream almost as wide as a car. The mouth closed, trapping the Yin-aligned meal before swallowing the mouthful whole.
Minor details of the scene shifted as Morgan willed the active filters of his Bloodline to change, dialing back the opacity of all Prana energy to half strength to better watch the consumed Aether motes. Similar to how physical food would fare, the mass of black motes was forced deeper into the body when sections of the Soul Foundation flexed and constricted. However, once passed the mouth, the Aether wasn''t pushed through a single tube-like esophagus ending in a stomach; instead, it was dumped haphazardly within the body. This new influx of Aether joined the energy motes from previous meals in a bizarre mixture of black, grey, and white, all floating widely between the countless roots of the Body Foundation pulsing green with Qi.
There was a method to this seemingly half-assed consumption method that closer resembled the ways of bacteria than mammals. All of the eaten Aether slowly moved in one direction as if pulled by gravity to a sphere of Essence located where a stomach would be in an Earth whale. Inside the sphere were three orbs of Aether, each consisting entirely of a single alignment type, and all spun around each other at speeds so quick that most of the time, they appeared as bands of light. As more motes approached the area, they would get absorbed by an orb of the same color, adding to their mass until they approached critical mass.
Upon reaching softball levels in size, the Aether orbs routinely altered their orbit to violently smash into each other, creating a monochromatic shockwave within Junior. From the moment of the shockwave''s birth and expansion, all three Foundations flared brightly, seemingly absorbing the wave and infusing the energy into the Prana. In a second, the Aether explosion was completely drained before expanding to a meter in size; three new orbs were already being spun up to speed and, in another hour or so, would reach critical mass again.
Before meeting the pod of Kataklysmos, the Professor knew from observing Momo and other Beasts that the Soul was essential in collecting Aether for Cultivation. Yet, it wasn''t until meeting these beautiful creatures– creatures big enough and dolce enough to allow Morgan to see and realize that the Soul was all that was needed for the infusion process. That key similarity to how a Spirit like Ego, a being composed entirely of Essence, processed Aether solidified in his mind what was needed to become a Cultivator. It-
[You''d call our young friend little?] The Spirit suddenly asked, the faintest bit of vulnerability flickering within their question enough to drag him back to the moment and disable the Bloodline.
[Hmm?] He grunted, looking at the calf in the eye with just as much interest as they gave them. [That depends. Are we measuring Junior here by Earth whale standards or compared to Mama?]
“Eie-eie-eie!” Junior let out a peel of squeaky chirps that were equal parts adorable and teeth rattling.
The additional attention delighted the youth enough to add a little flair to their swim, causing the calf to accidentally accelerate past the pod and earning them an annoyed rumble from the mother. Her scolding brought the calf back into formation, and Junior''s gaze rested on the Spirit as if waiting for Ego to answer his question.
The Bestiary warned of the Kataklysmos''s advanced Mind Foundations. Still, now he had to wonder if they really could hear thoughts. Even if they did, was their understanding of his and the Spirit''s projections just reacting to white noise or a deeper comprehension?
[Is there a difference?] Ego sighed.
[In my opinion, no, because my answer is yes to both question variants, but for different reasons. Compared to most whale species, the Kataklysmos are on the low end of the size spectrum, only a little smaller than the 18 meters of Sperm whales. As for the other, it''s a little obvious-]The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
[I was actually measuring little by overconfident scientists still recovering from the last time they underestimated an Aether-charged Beast.]
[Hey, all the Harpy wounds have closed up by now.] And as proof, he flexed the muscles in his forearms and rolled his shoulders. [That''s the bright side of using a razor-sharp cutting edge against your opponents; those kinds of wounds heal way faster than claw-torn flesh.]
[Good to know, but I was talking about yesterday''s dive when this same group of Beasts nearly bent you to death with a surprise attack.
[First, I''m confident that wasn''t an attack on us; we just got swept up as the pod pulled up food hiding in the grove.] Morgan defended Big Mama''s pod and gently padded her nose. [Second, I said ascending too quickly would cause nitrogen bubbles to form in my bloodstream, causing immense pain at best and death at worst. Known commonly as the ''Bends'' and I know, you know that.]
[Do I though?] They teased with a shrug. [You were a little frantic when we were holding onto a palm tree for dear life; maybe I misheard what you were frantically screaming about during all the craziness. An honest mistake.]
[I bet it wasn''t.] He snorted, crossing his arms.
[I doubt you''d be able to back up that claim.] They pointed.
[I''d take that bet.] Morgan stuck out a hand to shake it, but that only made the ghostly grin widen.
[I''m not much of a gambler.] Ego snickered before manifesting the Mala beads around their hands clasped in false supplication as they swapped back to their old speech pattern. [But, surely one so wise would never accuse this poor monk of spreading falsehoods just for the sake of getting a rise. A thousand pardons if this one''s thoughtless speculations have ''bent'' the Professor out of shape.]
He gave another snort of disbelief, but in truth, Morgan was delighted with the current development. A crack appeared in the mysterious wall hanging between them, and he could finally see Ego''s usual self on the other side.
Perhaps a little more back and forth could bring down the rest of the damned wall.
[Really Monk?] He sighed, pointing a finger at the Kataklysmos, whose massive eye followed the duo''s silent argument with keen interest. [Lying right in front of the kid? If brats can''t rely on their elders to tell it like it is, then who knows where they''ll end up. What are you going to do if Junior ends up swimming on the wrong side of the current?]
[Maybe I-]
Ego started to return fire when the avatar''s demeanor instantly changed, snapping taut like the mooring line between a dock and a ship during a storm. Their lips became a strained thin line, the robes froze in place before their gaze flicked elsewhere, unable to look at the studded Human.
What the hell had gotten into them?
Just like that, the minuscule amount of progress Morgan had managed to chip away was gone, and once more, the wall was whole. So sudden was the shift in mood that it captured the attention of the other Beasts, who now all swam around Big Mama to watch the drama unfold. Shit, even Big Mama had begun to swim noticeably slower so she could be part of the unwanted audience.
While the Scientist was impressed with the level of the Kataklysmos''s social intelligence, he was not a fan of how high school things had become.
Morgan had done his time in that hell hole of adolescence anguish and refused to return in any form.
[Alright, I''m done with subtlety Ego. What the hell did I do to piss you off this time?]
[It''s not what you did that''s the problem, it''s what I- Well actually the problem is something you did but I let you- Not that I can tell you what to do-] They kept stopping and starting sentences like that, endlessly backpedaling and tripping over themselves until letting out a frustrated groan. [Look, we need to talk about our research''s latest breakthrough.]
[We do?]
[We do.] Ego said before executing a flawless imitation of taking a deep breath, and finally spoke their piece. [I think your assumption on Soul Sovereignty is… It''s suspect at best and outright wrong at worst.]
Morgan''s jaw might''ve dropped from pure surprise if not for the large rubber mouth guard making that impossible. Of all the topics he thought might''ve upset Ego, Cultivation research wasn''t even on the list. Up until now, Morgan just assumed the Monk simply wasn''t that interested, seeing his goals as a necessary step in achieving their own. The revelation left the man grasping for what to say in response.
[Sorry, but it had to be said.] They insisted, misunderstanding his silence and launching into an explanation that bordered on rambling. [I don''t disagree with the general idea of Soul Sovereignty. Obviously, Beasts have the ability to control their Essence and use their Souls to process and infuse Aether into their Prana energies. I''m also not saying that gaining the ability isn''t absolutely necessary for you to become a Cultivator.]
[Then… What are you saying?]
[What I am saying… is that I don''t think finding this perfect research subject is going to… give you the answer you think it will.]
Ahhh, so that was what was bothering them the whole time.
With the truth now out in the open, the morning events began to click into place as the Professor''s mind raced wildly, forming a range of different responses. He found the most logical route rather quickly, one where but one look from the crowd gave him an idea to turn this into a valuable lesson.
[You do?] Morgan challenged with crossed arms, his mental tone now devoid of all emotion as if he were speaking aloud. [And, you think you''re capable of making that kinda call in this project?]
Seven massive eyes turned to Ego.
[I do, and I do.] They said shakily. [I have to be because I think you''re a little too invested in the research to see clearly.]
The audience looked to Morgan.
[Interesting. You not only doubt the hypothesis of a scientist with decades of experience over you, but you also accuse me of being biased to the point of being blind to some kind of obvious truth.] He tilted his head up to look down on the trembling Monk. [Some might say that''s quite bold coming from an amateur.]
A physical visible tremor ran down Big Mama''s and the other Beasts''s spine from that mental bitch slap that made the Spirit wince.
[Amateur, I am, and professional, you are. I am still a full partner in this research. I refuse to apologize for speaking my mind, especially when I have a good reason to do so. I''m sure you can learn a lot from any Beasts''s Cultivation Method, but I''ve always been doubtful of-]
[Alway been doubtful?] He repeated, shoving his face so close to theirs that the avatar''s ethereal blue light cast into the diving mask made the Human''s glare reach demonic levels as Morgan snarled. [Really? Sounds like a load of bullshit to me. I didn''t see any doubt last night when you were nodding along to my every word. In fact, I''ve hardly heard a peep from you all morning. But I''ll humor you. So, tell me Monk, what am I doing wrong?]
Ego gapped like a fish at their traveling partner, at a complete loss of words when confronted with the quiet flames of his wrath. They looked away from his gaze, unable to take the heat, only to realize there was no escape as the pod had completely surrounded them. Mortal and Beast eyes watched the Spirit from every angle, all of them waiting for an answer.
[I- uh…L-like I said, not wr-wr-wrong… Jus-t some… friendly advice- Hold on, I…]
Ego was utterly overwhelmed, devolving to an incoherent mess. Their head spinning every which way like an over-caffeinated owl as they couldn''t look away yet couldn''t maintain eye contact with the Kataklysmos, let alone Morgan. The Spirit was in free fall, the light of their avatar dimming noticeable in their panic, a trait the Scientist had never seen before.
Time to pull them back up with one last push.
[I ASKED YOU A QUESTION, SO WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT THEM FOR?!] Morgan barked with so much mental force it made the muscles in his jaw clench. [LOOK AT ME WHEN I''M TALKING TO YOU, DAMN IT!!!]
That last blow was enough to finally bring the wall Ego hid behind come crashing down. Ego''s outer shell of uncomfortable insistence harden, transmuting right before the Professor''s eyes into an armor of steely resolve in the face of his challenge. Blue light flared bright as a rising sun within the avatar, forcing the aquatic onlookers to break and look away on threat of blindness. Fear that twisted their ink-black face evaporated like water on a hot plate, replaced not with Mortal rage but with a stoic serenity normally found in faces carved of stone.
*Click. Click. Click.* Hidden from sight, he could hear their spectral beads clacking like the second hand on a clock.
[That''s better.] Morgan nodded, stubbornly ignoring the pain and tears welling up, and continued matching gazes with the azure star. [Now, do I need to repeat the question?]
The avatar''s light dimmed drastically, going from a welding torch to a far more manageable light bulb level, which, of course, brought back the Kataklysmos''s close attention.
[No need.] Ego''s eyes narrowed as they observed him, and for an instant, the Scientist understood what it felt like to be on the other side of a microscope. [The truth is that I don''t know if what you''re doing is right or wrong, and how could I? This is ultimately your journey– Your Dao to travel for as far as Fate dictates. So, if you wish to learn from the Cultivation of others, I have no objections, but that is clearly not the case here. You don''t seem to understand that the difference between a Beast''s Soul and a Mortal''s is as absolute as Heaven and Earth, and so search for an answer when you need something deeper.]
[Meaning?] He frowned, the scar on his nose prickling with discomfort.
[Meaning that you''re a stubborn old coot looking for a human-shaped bird to steal wing-flapping techniques from instead of learning how a bird flies to help construct an airplane. How the Ancient Cultivators of the past harnessed Aether may be lost, but the Diamond Tantra is proof that a method for Mortal, by Mortal exists. Start there.]
[So you want me to abandon the expedition, pack up the base camp, and head for the capital?]
[...I didn''t say that.] The Monk said after a pause, their expression softening as the brightness of their Essence returned to normal levels. [In fact, I think we should keep going– keep exploring the islands and Beasts until we can''t anymore. It''s hard for me to explain… But I have a feeling that doing so is… necessary somehow.]
Morgan stared at them and then at the audience as he tried to understand what it had all meant. Junior and their extended family looked back at him with almost as much confusion. More than half of the crowd''s attention kept returning to the Monk as if convinced Ego had more to say, while the others waited for the Human to make sense of it all.
[So let me get this straight.] The Professor projected with a slow, dry tone as he loomed over the Spirit. [You agree that I need to obtain Soul Sovereignty, disagree with my current hypothesis of how to obtain the ability, a hypothesis born from wishful thinking, but still think I should continue on even in vain because of a gut feeling I''ll get what I need in the end?]
[Yes?] Ego flashed Morgan and the others a sheepish smile. [I know a feeling isn''t the most scientific of reasoning, but I-]
[Don''t have to explain yourself because you''re right about doubting my judgment due to a possible bias.] He finished for them before checking his remaining air time. [I still think my hypothesis will be correct, but I''m not moronic enough to ignore the reality of my situation. Next time, just tell me what''s on your mind instead of brooding about it all morning long. It''s annoying and unnecessary.]
[Brooding?] They gasped, glowing eyes blinking wildly in disbelief. [Wait, you aren''t mad at me for doubting you?]
[Nope, also, you should start saying goodbye to everyone because, in five minutes, we need to start heading up.]
Now satisfied that the wall issue had finally been dealt with, the Professor laid back down on Big Mama and turned to his side to observe the colorful palm tree grove, determined to use this remaining time to burn the fantastical scene into memo- Shit!
Morgan''s heartbeat raced as two powerful flippers gently but firmly wrapped around his biceps and spun him 180° before releasing him. As Big Mama''s long fins returned to her sides, Morgan looked back at the eight, no, nine individuals who clearly felt the conversation wasn''t over. Junior, in particular, seemed agitated as they used a fin to point instantly at a frowning Ego.
[What in the Heavens was that all about?!] They yelled, a hurt look on their face as they raged at him. [It took me a very long time to piece together a somewhat reasonable argument for my views and even longer to build up the courage to bring it up in the first place. Yet when I take the chance to speak up I''m confronted with aggressive and insults when all I wanted was to help. I was terrified!]
[I know. I was pretty convincing back there, huh?] He chuckled dryly. [Over the years I''ve found intimidation an effective tactic on my more promising students. So many of them were too trusting that I and other experts in different fields were infallible and pissed themselves at the thought of questioning our motives.]
Then, in almost perfect unison with each other, Ego and the Kataklysmos pod froze in place as the truth crashed over them like an avalanche. Well, the adults of the pod, in any case. Junior likely found the nuanced concept of the discussion too slippery to grasp and, while working out what the strange little biped on their mother meant, nearly collided with the Kataklysmos before them. Luckily, Mama''s fin pulled them back from the brink just in time.
[Morgan.] They said his name through gritted teeth. [Did you put me through all that just to teach me a lesson in self-confidence?]
[Yep.] The Professor padded the Monk on the shoulder. [But look on the bright side; you''ve undoubtedly proven that you have what it takes to stand up for yourself even when your worst fears become reality. Good job by the way; most of those students didn''t have the spine to call me out like that.]
[How comforting.] Ego deadpanned, a corner of their mouth twitching. [And I''m sure this lesson was only for my benefit and not so you could screw with me for your own amusement, right?]
[Of course not, don''t be ridiculous.] He took advantage of the halted party to stand up and began stretching, prepping his muscles for the swim to the crescent beach. [I was screwing with you for everyone''s benefits.]
“Eie-eie-eieeeeeeee!” The Kataklysmos all exploded in what could only be a high-pitched squeal of laughter. All around Big Mama, the Beasts began swimming in circles, twisting and, in the case of one of them, swam up to the water''s surface to flip in pure joy.
Again, little Junior was left out of the fun and pulled instantly at their laughing mother''s fin, the way every child would to demand an explanation.
[Bwahahaha!] Morgan roared succumbing to the infects mood and waved a hand. [See? They get it.]
[I- I…] Ego''s mouth worked back and forth between scowl and smile before they gave up and joined the fun. [Hee-Hee! Hehehe! I hate you so much right now!]
<hr>
Together, Mortal, Spirit, and Beasts all enjoyed their last few moments together under the crisp blue waters surrounding Luna Lagoon. A comparatively peaceful island in what would very soon be proven an undoubtedly dangerous sea, but it was an outlier that nobody seemed to mind existing.
As the Professor began paddling towards their next destination, at present only visible as a tiny yellow dot over the horizon, the Monk waved back at the eight black fins, bidding them all goodbye. The sight warmed the old man''s heart, and he could only hope the inhabitants of the next island greeted visitors as warmly as the Kataklysmos. Better still, if one of the Beasts there was the perfect subject he sought.
Tragically, the duo hopes would shrivel up and violently die in the most horrific manner on that evil star of an island, the memories haunting their nightmares for years to come. Sometimes, Morgan and Ego would learn during that particularly cursed expedition, the universe really do be a bitch like that.
But that was an adventure best told later.
And perhaps during therapy.