29

Then you feel the vibration of a whale song once again. You brace yourself and listen to the sonar message. "CLEAR. The threat has been neutralized. Merfolk may return. No further merfolk need assist." Well, that's good to hear. You hope that Estre and Arraia are OK. The burden of defending seems like it's been hitting Arraia hard lately, and even Estre's starting to show cracks in his usually pleasant exterior.

The crowd chitters in relief at the news. Everything is falling back into its intended rhythm: the Eternity Orb is back, the squid are defeated, and the Celebration will proceed as planned. Back to life as normal. But try as you might, you can't find the same solace they do. Is it just your brush with mortality that's bothering you? Or something else?

You travel down the passageways and shake your head. There must be something else that can give you solace, that can make you feel happy, content, alive. You just want to feel normal before you go to sleep tonight.