The waves of water above the ship Lung of Genesis were still. Not because it was calm, but because the sea here had ceased to be a sea. It had transformed into the skin of the world, a thin layer between reality and emptiness. The distant roar of waves far out in space sent gentle vibrations across the deck of the ship, as if the waves were still trying to reach for something lost. It ignored the salty aroma that usually filled the air; instead, there was a faint scent of broken shellfish, indicating that everything once lived in this place.

  Fitran stood at the bow of the ship, gazing down. Behind the crystal glass of the magical view drop, Bathys Omega appeared like a giant eye staring upward. It did not blink. It simply waited. Around it, broken towers stood upside down, and a spiral of black light slowly rotated around it. A silent sound began to fill the air, a whisper that could only be heard by those deep in fear and uncertainty. His fingers gripped the railing tightly, feeling the cold metal creeping through his skin, as if warning him of the dangers lurking beneath the surface.

  Joanna stood beside her father, wearing a time pressure adjustment robe. Her purple hair was now tightly tied back, and the spiral mark on her hand glowed faintly. She tried to remain calm, but her heart beat like a small war drum in her chest. A cold breeze brushed past her cheek, bringing with it an inevitable tension. The sound of her father's breath mingled with the distant roar, creating a rhythm that made her increasingly alert. In front of her, the dark sky cast mysterious shadows that threatened, as if reminding her of the secrets buried in the sea.

  “So this is… the place?” she whispered, her voice more hoarse than she had hoped, as if it were stuck in her throat. Her gaze was fixed on the still water, which seemed to hold its breath along with her.

  “The place where Tiamat was first named. The place where the first sound from the void was written,” Fitran replied, his voice calm despite the subtle tremor within. He turned slightly, his eyes shining with deep curiosity and concern. “Every word written here may be the key to understanding what is to come.”

  They descended using a spiral crystal capsule, penetrating layer after layer of existential pressure. The air began to lose its form. Colors were no longer consistent. Joanna's voice sounded like an echo from another time. The only thing that gently touched their skin was the moisture clinging to the ceiling of the capsule, bringing a biting cold that penetrated to the bone. And at that moment, when they touched Bathys Omega, a powerful thud shook the false peace, while the black light surrounded them like the fierce shell of a snail ready to swallow anything that approached.

  They walked on ancient stones with no origin. Spiral pillars grew from the seabed that should not be solid. With each step Joanna took, a sparkling sound emerged, as if the stones enjoyed her touch. The damp air caressed her skin, bringing with it the refreshing salty aroma of the sea. Joanna saw inscriptions on the walls—spiral letters that could only be read by the mind. And they all said the same thing:

  “What you have forgotten, still lives here.”

  Joanna stopped. Suddenly, a small figure appeared before her—her seven-year-old self, crying alone in the fog, calling out “Mom…” The sound of her sobs echoed softly in the calm air, as if time had stopped and the world around her had vanished. The fog gently touched Joanna's face, giving a cool and soft sensation, reminding her of the times when she felt helpless, abandoned.

  Fitran also fell silent. Before him appeared the shadow of Sheena—silent, only staring, full of wounds that had yet to heal. Sheena's eyes, in the dim light, sparkled like morning dew, telling a sorrowful tale without a single word. Both of them could feel a strange warmth, as if a fire burned within their souls, but was blocked by the cold fog enveloping the place.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  They both knew: Bathys Omega was not a place to fight against external enemies. This place was a stage for the battle against their own shadows. The sound of their heartbeats intertwined in the silence, creating a symphony that depicted tension and longing. Behind the walls of the deep sea, they felt a strong vibration—calling and urging them to face everything they had hidden.

  Joanna touched the shadow of her childhood. “You… you are still here.”

  A chill caressed her neck, as if the shadow had a lower temperature than the air around them. The small shadow, with softly glowing eyes, said, “You left me. When you said it was okay, I stopped calling anyone.” The voice of the child echoed softly, creating a thick silence around them.

  Joanna closed her eyes. Tears flowed slowly, streaming down her cheeks and feeling warm against the cold that occupied her heart. “Forgive me… I was too busy being strong. I was afraid that if I became weak again, the world would fall apart.”

  The shadow embraced her. As Joanna returned the hug, she felt a softness that seemed to seep into her soul, warm and soothing. And as the figure melted into light, that light entered her body, as if filling the emptiness that felt so deep. The spiral on her hand glowed brighter, vibrating gently with the new energy bestowed upon her.

  On the other side of the room, Fitran spoke to the shadow of Sheena. “I never had the chance to bury you. I was too busy being the protector of the world that I forgot to be the protector of my own love.”

  His voice was nearly broken, piercing the silence with deep guilt. The dusty walls around them seemed to listen, absorbing every word spoken. Sheena did not respond. She only touched Fitran's chest, gently and so familiar, like the warm wind touching his skin as morning approached. Then, the shadow vanished into shards of light that merged into the Voidlight, creating a shimmering glow in the air, giving the impression of something lost yet not entirely gone.

  The walls of Bathys Omega began to crack, a series of buzzing sounds vibrating the air around them. Sounds from the depths rose—not a call anymore, but screams echoing in the silence. The screams of entities that had been sealed for so long, resonating like thunder in the distance, filling the space that should have been quiet. Those who had been trapped in darkness now unleashed their pain, pouring out all the sorrow that had been held back because the world was not yet broken enough to hear it. But now… the torn spiral had opened wide enough, and fear seeped into their souls, as if taking a breath between the widening cracks.

  “She will rise,” Joanna murmured, her voice almost drowned in the roaring noise. Her gaze was focused, and she bit her lip, feeling the tension in the air. Every second felt like time was slowing down, as if the universe was waiting for something greater to come.

  “Tiamat?” Fitran asked, furrowing his brow. He felt cold sweat creeping at his temples, as if an invisible wind swept through the room. He could feel his heartbeat racing, as if competing with the screams outside.

  Joanna stared at the trembling water sky, the dim light reflecting the shadows of darkness on its surface. “No. The deepest part of her. The part that even Tiamat herself buried to avoid hearing it.” In her words lay a resurgence of emotion—a deep mystery, an unspoken fear. She felt the coldness of the surrounding water, as if at that moment, the entire world around her was just waiting for an answer to what would happen next.

  As they returned to the surface of the capsule, their breaths became their own again, the fresh aroma mingling with the cold air penetrating their lungs. But within their chests, something changed, like a flow of new energy awakening their spirits. They did not bring new weapons, did not bring an army, only the courage that grew from within.

  But they carried hope, unspoken yet profound. Hope that they had found in the emptiness: that even the parts of the world that had been abandoned… could still be embraced again. Shadows flickered in their minds—images of a hazy future they might build. That even the deepest wounds could be accepted, not rejected, like hearing a song even if the beautiful voice was faint. That even in Bathys Omega, the quietest place on earth—there were still names, there was still meaning, that might fill that emptiness.

  And Fitran spoke before ascending to the deck, his voice firm cutting through the tension: “Joanna.” He looked at the girl, his heartbeat seeming to give a new rhythm in the silence.

  The girl turned, the soft light illuminating her face, forming a sincere smile full of meaning in the darkness. “Thank you… for saving me from myself.”

  Joanna smiled faintly, and this time, not tsundere, she felt the sincerity between them, like warmth enveloping two connected souls. “…You’re welcome, Father.”