The entrance to the biodome opened with a hydraulic sigh.
A wave of dense, humid air rolled over them, thick with the scent of salt, moss, and something faintly metallic. Beyond the gateway stretched a living world contained beneath a ceiling of shimmering glass. Massive structures of coral and bioluminescent stone rose like underwater cathedrals, their roots extending into a blue abyss.
Vorren and Aethros stepped onto the observation platform, gazing down into the depths of Nereis Biodome.
The artificial sun above—an immense sphere of controlled plasma suspended by magnetic fields—cast a golden glow over a vast expanse of water. The dome itself wasn't merely a city feature; it was a self-contained ecosystem spanning kilometers across, designed to mimic the ancient oceans before the Cataclysm.
Fish of every shape and color swam beneath the transparent walkways, weaving through strands of kelp taller than towers. In the distance, Vorren could make out the silhouette of a submerged ridge—perhaps a volcanic faultline where new vents breathed warmth into the dome.
A voice echoed through the intercom system overhead.
"Warning: Biodome sector twelve under pressure adjustment. Maintain distance from exterior zones until further notice."
Vorren ignored it. His eyes followed the slow, rhythmic pulse of the dome's walls as if the city itself were alive. "So this is where Prometheus' experiments survived…" he murmured.
Aethros didn't respond.
When Vorren looked down, he noticed the feline beast's tail had gone rigid. His ears flattened, and his paws hesitated on the transparent floor.
"You all right?" Vorren asked.
Aethros' golden eyes flicked toward the shimmering waters below, where shadows drifted lazily beneath the surface. "I don't like this place."
Vorren's brow furrowed. "You've fought titans before. You've stared down beasts the size of airships. What's different about—"
"It's under us," Aethros growled softly, his voice low and uneasy. "It's everywhere. The water." He took a step back from the edge. "If that glass breaks, there's nowhere to run."
Vorren looked at him for a long moment, realization dawning. "You're afraid."
Aethros didn't deny it. His tail lashed once, then stilled. "It's not fear," he said after a pause. "It's instinct. My kind weren't made for drowning."
Vorren turned back toward the vista beyond the platform. "Then maybe it's time to challenge that instinct."
Aethros' gaze sharpened. "You'd have me swim in that?"
Vorren smirked faintly. "You said once that evolution requires breaking what we think we are. That's what Sensei taught me. That's what we're doing here."
The feline huffed, looking away. "You quote him too often."
"Because he was right too often," Vorren replied simply.
They continued deeper into the biodome.
The further they went, the more the world changed. The air grew heavy and moist, the light dimming into a soft teal hue as the path led downward. They passed containment pools where translucent jelly creatures drifted like ghosts, glowing softly from within. A few technicians in pressurized suits worked nearby, tending to automated feeders and scanners.
Vorren paused near one of the transparent walls, staring out into the deeper sector.Something vast moved beyond the perimeter—a sleek, dark shape that glided silently between the beams of light.
Aethros growled. "That thing's as big as the capsule we came in."
"That's a Daedon Leviathan," one of the passing technicians said without looking up. "Ancient bioengineered predator. Genetically dormant. Supposedly docile… unless provoked."
"Supposedly," Vorren murmured.
The technician shrugged and walked off, leaving the echo of boots and water pumps behind.
As they entered the next section, the walkway descended into an open lagoon.
A series of artificial waterfalls cascaded from elevated reservoirs, creating a constant symphony of rushing water. The lagoon glowed faintly with bioluminescent sand, and on the far end, an arched passage led directly into the training caverns—a set of natural rock formations used by residents for physical and spiritual conditioning.
Vorren knelt beside the edge, dipping his hand into the water. It was cool, but heavy, saturated with energy. "This isn't normal water," he said. "It's infused with compressed force."
Aethros stayed a few meters back, his claws scraping lightly against the floor. His fur rippled as condensation gathered on it. "Doesn't matter. I'm not going in there."
Vorren looked over his shoulder. "You'll have to, sooner or later. The pressure training starts here."
Aethros' muscles tightened. His ears lowered, tail curling close. "You don't understand. When I fought the Carnotaur weeks ago—it threw me into a river. I nearly drowned before my instincts took over. Ever since then… I can't stand the thought of sinking again."
For a moment, silence. Only the distant hum of turbines and the slow drip of condensation breaking the stillness.
Vorren stood. "You've already fought your way out of death once. You can do it again."
"I'm not afraid of dying," Aethros growled. "I'm afraid of not being able to fight back."
Vorren's tone softened. "Then fight the fear itself."
He extended a hand.
For a long moment, the beast stared at it. Then, with a deep, reluctant breath, Aethros stepped forward. The water lapped against his claws, sending ripples across the lagoon's surface.
The moment his paw broke the water's skin, he tensed—but Vorren didn't let go."Slowly," Vorren said. "You're not drowning. You're controlling it."
The feline's breathing quickened. For an instant, the water seemed to pulse beneath his touch, reacting to the force emanating from his body. Then, with a growl, he stepped forward again, deeper this time.
The water rose to his chest. His muscles quivered—but he didn't back away.
Vorren smiled faintly. "See? The ocean bends, just like everything else."
Aethros gritted his teeth. "You talk too much."
A few meters away, beneath the shifting light, something moved within the lagoon's depths—small at first, then larger. Vorren's eyes narrowed. "You feel that?"
Aethros' ears perked. "Yes."
Before Vorren could react, the water erupted. A shape burst from the lagoon—a hybrid creature with a serpentine body and armored fins, its gaping jaws lined with glass-like teeth. It lunged straight toward them.
Vorren drew his blade in a flash of silver. Aethros roared, his fear forgotten as instinct took hold. He met the creature mid-leap, claws slashing downward in a black arc.
The force wave that followed split the water like a cannon blast, sending sprays in every direction. The creature recoiled, wounded, and vanished beneath the churning waves.
Vorren exhaled. "Looks like training started early."
Aethros' chest heaved, his fur soaked and dripping, but there was a spark in his eyes now—a blend of fury and exhilaration. "I hate water," he growled. "But maybe I can learn to make it hate me more."
Vorren smirked. "That's the spirit."
They stood side by side at the lagoon's edge, watching the ripples fade back into calm.
Somewhere deep below, in the labyrinth of water and shadows, something massive stirred—watching, waiting.
And above them, the artificial sun flickered once… as if the dome itself had blinked.