Aquata Cove Ch. 63

"Guardian Kraken is not hiding itself," Triton Samudra says as Vanora's energy continued to slowly mend and rebuild the fractured plate of his stomach.

"That is strange," Vanora said, "The Scylla must have gone away."

"I cannot imagine a Scylla simply leaving a group of prey gathered together." He looks to the other merfolk. One after another, they arrive, having found each other, and then were sent by Ebba to find the other remaining merfolk.

Ruxut had already returned almost as soon as he left, accompanied by Fonrok, completely unharmed.

Almost an hour passed by before Syrinx comes in a group of four, including herself, with an injured Ambu, slightly wounded Lacerta, and Yunmaj.

Moments later, Kouyn is bitterly escorting a Peigi, who looks quite shaken up, while Kouyn just looks as irritable as ever.

Ebba looks as she can sense and see Mindal coming her way, looking very sad and forlorn, holding a familiar bow and arrow. "Mindal?" She asked. The manta ray merman looks up with mourning eyes.

"I did not find Taci in time. He took refuge above the surface, and he had already begun to transform because of the Black Sun..."

"I... I see..." Ebba bows her head sadly. Her links are telling her that two others of the pod are coming. She turns around to see Jegola and Roin approaching the pod, but she doesn't see Merrick or Arnaav. Curious, she turns her whole body about, and swims to them. "Jegola, Roin? Why have you returned? Do you have news?"

"We could not find Merrick and Arnaav," Jegola said, "I am not sure how, but we may have diverged from your directed course."

"We ask that you come with us." Roin says.

"No. You know as well as I that I cannot leave the pod." Ebba replied, "You two will have to hurry back. You two were going to the correct direction that I have told you."

"But on our search," Roin said, "We came to a Sazae Graveyard."

"What?" Ebba quirked her head, "How is that possible? We should not be near that site."

"W-Wait..." Deilan said as he carefully swam up, still feeling minor aches despite the Adra Noita's healing, "When we were fighting the Scyllas, I saw Merrick's tail fin disappear into a large gap between the large reefs..."

"Then we must go..." Samudra groans as he pushes himself up.

"Samudra, no," Vanora wafted her body up, "You must rest a little more."

"I will not..." He persisted, "I have strength enough for this..." He looks up to the Razirah with tired eyes, "Razirah Ebba... Is everyone here and accounted for?"

"A few of the other scouts are still out searching, but I can call them back."

"Do then..." Triton Samudra pulls up his trident from the sand, "Then we move now." He pants as he pushes his energy to wave his mighty arms to paddle through the water, "If I think is correct, then we must find Merrick and Arnaav. And only a small number of us can stand to retrieve them..."