[o] Betrayal

kaiden

There is no shame in survival
Only strength

Kaiden was furious. How could they? These big events were supposed to be for everyone and the mer always looked forward to a free meal filled with things that they couldn't access otherwise. And somehow, the world had the audacity to have a FEAST where they couldn't reach. Was this cosmic karma? A sign from beyond that the world was beyond saving?

The mer let out a frustrated scream, dropping their head into their arms where they lay crossed over a rock. The majority of the mer's body remained submerged from where they relaxed off the coast. Turning their head to the side, they could make out people walking along but they were too far away to recognize, even if it wasn't dark out. THey were also out of the mer's range to take their anger out on.

coding by kaons

Deep below in the impenetrable darkness of LongNight, the Brizo Sea churned with ancient, void-touched secrets, one of which shifted and moved in the depths—a ghostwhale, its skeletal form drifting like a phantom through the abyss. Its bones, stripped bare and bleached by eons, were adorned with scores of eyes. These were not natural; they had been collected—perhaps even gifted—as grim tokens of forgotten souls. Each mismatched eye glowed faintly violet, a sickly luminescence that bathed the ghostwhale in an eerie, otherworldly light.

The creature’s many eyes, each one plucked from a different being, stared out with a disquieting, sentient gaze. Some were vacant, dull remnants of lost lives, while others shimmered with a malevolent spark, as if burning with the memory of their past owners. It was as though the ghostwhale had become a vessel of void energy, harboring the collected visions of the damned. The haunting glow of the violet eyes cut through the obsidian waters, fixating on Kaiden as he floated near the surface, his frustration and despair echoing in the stillness of the deep and attracting the creature's attention.

RANDOM EVENT

kaiden

There is no shame in survival
Only strength

Kaiden felt something shift below them and the mer submerged themselves in the water to see what was lurking beneath. Their breath froze as they spotted the numerous eyes. Eyes that seemed to pierce them down to their very soul. But the mershark refused to be afraid. The clearly void infected ghost whale's eyes showed a level of intelligence that had Kaiden resorting to the only defense mechanism they had against such a creature.

Puffing up their chest, the mer stared back with a stern glare "Can I help you? I'm busy." Busy plotting revenge and justified violence upon those who had proven to be untrustworthy and incapable of even a shred of loyalty.

coding by kaons

Despite the puffing of Kaiden's chest, the ghostwhale, revealing its gargantuan size, begins to ascend. In an instant, Kaiden realizes they are no more than a swallow compared to the leviathan; its immense, skeletal frame looms below them as it swims directly toward them with terrifying speed.

With a slow, deliberate motion, the ghostwhale opens its cavernous mouth, rows of empty, haunting sockets leading into an endless void. Even if the mershark tries to flee, the creature's speed proves insurmountable. In a surreal moment, Kaiden finds themself drawn toward the gaping maw. Yet, as they are engulfed, their body passes harmlessly through the creature’s bony throat, slipping into a dim, echoing jail cell formed by its vast, arching ribs.

Inside this macabre chamber, a strange sensation overcomes them. The constant, low hum of the ghostwhale’s violet aura resonates with their own heartbeat. In that eerie, otherworldly synchrony, Kaiden no longer feels fear. Instead, a profound calm settles over them, as if the void itself has granted them an unsettling, inevitable understanding of fate.

Now all there's left to do is...slide out from the creature's ribs and carry on with their day.

RANDOM EVENT

A restless current churns the water, sloshing it against the shoreline with a sharp hiss. You think you see a dark shape gliding just beneath the surface. A blink later, it’s gone, leaving only ripples and the prickle of dread. You can’t shake the notion that something from the depths is staring back.

---

This does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention.

kaiden

There is no shame in survival
Only strength

Kaiden's eyes widened and with a thrash of their tail, the mer tried to back away before they were surely eaten. Yet as the whale swallowed them, they didn't feel pain. There was an odd sense of connection, of belonging and acceptance. Of Family. The mer relaxed, content to simply breath in the new sensation as their worldview shifted. Why had they been so against the void before now? It was kind and the odd presence that emerged only brought a smile to their face as they waved at the darkness.

The mer reached out and held onto one of the whale's immense ribs, letting the presence pass them by as they spoke to the leviathan. "Thank you. I like you too." Kaiden held on as the majestic whale went about its day, content to simply bask in the certainty of their own safety, even taking a nap for a bit. Eventually however, their stomach began to growl and the mershark reluctantly parted from their new Friend with a gentle pat on the rib.

-[FIN]

coding by kaons