_ _ _ _Sapphire POV_ _ _ _
(Breathe... just breathe...) I thought as I tried to shake off my nervousness.
"Princess?" A voice suddenly pulled me from my thoughts.
"Yes?" I answered back in the native tongue spoken by the three species apart of The Tainted Water. "Sorry, I was distracted for a moment."
"The floor below has completely flooded. Thankfully the breach was sealed, so we'll be able to move down without worrying about our landlocked compatriots being overtaken by the waters," she responded, her words coming out as a hum that only those who knew our language could understand.
I hesitated for a second before nodding slightly. "Good, then let's go."
Currently I was on one of the lower levels of the structure, floor four, I think. Right now, though, I was trying my best to keep my cool, something I was having mixed results with. And while yes, I wasn't exactly comfortable with this situation, I most definitely preferred being down here than having to manage everything upstairs with Carmen.
(I need to keep my anxiety in check.) I thought as I followed along quietly. (It's alright... it's alright... you've done this before.)
As we walked I found the tight knot of anxiety in my stomach only growing tighter. (You've led armies before... so why are you freaking out now? It's been a few months since you did that kind of thing, so just get back into that mindset.)
I had come down here with a team of around forty eight individuals, people who were relying on me. I had split my team into seven squads, each tasked with clearing out a different section of the levels as we moved down. Thankfully, we had constant support from those monitoring the cameras, a fact that made things far easier, something made even more clear by the lack of security drones attacking us since we had control of said cameras.
As for my group, well, it was made up of six individuals, not counting myself. More specifically, four Calthrax and two Veltour. Our job was to clear out the far north side, slowly moving down as we cleared area by area while occasionally helping other teams when needed. Thankfully, it had been a relatively uneventful task, mostly because of the fact that a vast majority of the splicers had already fled, the news of our presence seemingly scaring them off for now.
(You can do this.) I breathed out slowly, my mind calming as my body relaxed.
"Follow," I mused to my squad, my voice steady as ice as I leapt into the water.
The moment my body was submerged, the markings along my skin glowed brighter, my eyes instantly adapting to the new environment. My gills opened a second later, allowing me to breathe as I moved forward, making space for those who entered and joined me not even a moment later. As I lingered for a moment, my light-blue hair trailed behind me, fanning out around my back, making it look like I had dozens of ethereal tendrils floating around my flank.
Honestly, the feeling of the water flowing through my gills calmed me down somewhat, letting me think far more clearly than I had a second ago. (Just get into character, focus on what you know best.)
(Why is this so much harder compared to before?) I sighed internally as I finally steadied myself, my body relaxing in the water's embrace.
"Come on, we have a mission to accomplish," I hummed, my words coming out not as traditional speech but like vibrations in the water, a more complicated version of what whales used to communicate.
"May I ask why we are down here, Princess?" One of my subordinates asked as she swam up next to me, her eyes glowing in the dark water.
"It's not like any of these splicers can survive at these depths like we can," she said, tilting her head in confusion. "Are we searching for signs of the other two threats that wander this decaying place? The ones our allies told us about?"
"No." I shook my head. "I hope we won't come across either of those."
"Then why?" she mused, but it wasn't I who gave her the answer.
"For one, we're searching for anything of value." A low rumbling vibration came from behind, the sound echoing from one of the Veltour. "Anything that could aid our goals moving forward."
"Correct. Who knows what useful items of interest we could find submerged down here," I said, my voice coming out with far more confidence as I settled back into a role I knew all too well.
"I understand now. Thank you for enlightening me." She bowed slightly before waiting for my next command.
(I don't know if we'll actually find anything down here; however, I'm sure there are hundreds of flooded areas throughout the city, areas that could hold things not yet discovered.) I thought as I began to swim forward, my tail moving from side to side behind me.
"Let's get moving, the other teams are already down here after all." It was true; I could feel them sending messages between each other through the subtle movements of the water around me.
"Very well, we shall take point," was the response I got as several members of my group moved ahead of me.
(Alright... time to explore, I suppose.) I thought as I pushed forward.
As I swam, I occasionally looked out at the windows lining the walls, out into the mesmerising sight that lay beyond. (It's hard to believe that such a beautiful place hides so many vile twisted things.)
The outside was truly stunning, everything coming together to make a scene that looked like a precious piece of art. The dozens of different varieties of creatures, from small fish to sharks and even a whale or two, only added to the breathtaking view. There was even a colossal squid swimming through the city, bathed by the surrounding light.
This place truly was mesmerising when viewed like this. Unfortunately, however, while the view outside was stunning, the interior was anything but; in fact, it wouldn't be an understatement to say that the city was rotting from within. Still, it was a breathtaking sight I wouldn't soon forget.
Just then, however, something odd caught my eye. "Huh?"
"Where are they going?" I muttered as I watched various larger creatures such as sharks and the previously mentioned squid rapidly leaving the area.
(Are they fleeing? Why?) I thought, stopping in my movements as I looked out with a perplexed expression. (I can't detect what's going on out there since the glass is in the way.)
A second later, I got my answer. "Kurash!"
He came from between two of the buildings off in the distance, his massive body moving through the deep, dark waters with ease. Several smaller fish swam around him, using him as protection from the predators that quickly fled as he moved in our direction.
I was happy to see him; after all, he meant a lot to me. During my trial he had been there with me, we had grown up together, fought side by side. He was more than just a mount in my opinion; he was my partner and friend, my one true companion who had always protected and stood by me. Well, swam by me would be more accurate, but you get my point.
"Hey, big guy, how have you been?" I asked, my hand on the glass as he moved closer.
The response I got roughly translated to smug enjoyment; he was apparently quite pleased that all the creatures here were scared of him. That made me chuckle in amusement at his antics, although I couldn't really blame him, this was probably the most fun he'd had in a while.
"Now now, don't become a tyrant on me, buddy," I smiled back at him playfully before asking. "Any luck finding that thing I asked you to look for?"
His response this time was low and sombre, almost apologetic, and I mused to myself, "Guess not, huh..."
(Looks like it won't be so easy.) I thought, then shook my head to get rid of the feeling of disappointment that lingered in the back of my mind.
"Oh well, just keep an eye out for me, would you?" I said, and he hummed back in response.
"Princess, one of the teams has reported that they found something," came the voice of one of my subordinates, reverberating through the water and causing me to sigh.
"Stay safe out there." I bid farewell to Kurash before turning back to my companions.
"Right then, let's get going…"