And with that, things slowly returned to normal. A few weeks passed and Enira settled into her new home soon.
She wasn't exactly cheerful, but there was less silence in her eyes. Myrra and Ian also started living there, they would return back and stay there after finishing the classes. Myrra would sometimes dragging her out for walks, sometimes just sitting with her in comfortable quiet.
Ian, meanwhile, had grown busy again.
He was now focused on what Yeonelyth had told him, Axomorphs.
The Axomorphs were sea creatures and highly adapted to the deep ocean. Their bodies were long and ribbon-like, covered in smooth, pale skin that shimmered faintly in low light.
They were not classified as sentient intelligent life, but they possessed a strange biological network that allowed them to adapt in ways few other organisms could. It wasn't just regeneration, they could transfer neural information between individuals, and even rewrite their own pathways to match the ones they received. In other words, under the right conditions, they could mimic memories. Thoughts. Patterns of identity.
Through a few of his academic channels, Ian secured limited access to preserved Axomorph samples. The creatures were alive, but barely. Transport and storage weakened their structures. Still, it was enough to begin.
He worked for days, studying them. Under scanners, neural tracing tools and utilizing mindbloom, he observed the rebuilding of severed connections, how foreign impulses were integrated into native pathways, how small clusters of Axomorphs merged their data.
But results were not up to the mark. Eventually, Ian decided he'd need to collect new ones himself.
A week later, Ian and Varian set off to Varian's hometown, a remote island town in the ocean's depths. It was a small, tranquil place nestled among low-hanging cliffs and lush, sweeping forests that gradually gave way to the rocky shores of the island. The atmosphere was calm, almost serene, with soft breezes that seemed to carry the scent of salt and wet stone. The town's modest buildings, stone cottages with moss-covered roofs, seemed to rise organically from the land itself. Flowers bloomed in bursts of vibrant color, and the paths that wound through the village were lined with tall, swaying grasses.
Varian's parents were warm, inviting, and made sure Ian felt at home. They shared stories of their island, its ancient traditions, and the rich culture of their people, who had long relied on the ocean for sustenance and survival. After a quiet dinner, Ian took some time to wander the village. He explored the local markets, which were filled with fresh seafood and crafts made by the islanders. The simplicity of life here was almost intoxicating, the stillness of the night and the distant sound of the waves crashing on the shore, lulling him into a sense of calm he hadn't realized he was missing.
The next morning, a woman appeared at the front door. She was tall, with a striking mix of ethereal beauty and strength. Her skin was lightly tanned, with faint shimmering patterns running along her arms, not quite tattoos but almost like the delicate streaks found in sea shells. Her features were sharp and graceful, with eyes that shifted between shades of green and blue, like the deep ocean. She had a quiet confidence, an air of calm and elegance that suggested she belonged to both land and sea. She wore a simple flowing tunic that clung to her curves, and her long hair cascaded down her back, dark as night, with a few strands shimmering faintly with an underwater gleam.
Varian smiled widely as he introduced her. "This is Neris," he said. "My fiancée."
Ian blinked, stunned. "Wait, your fiancée? You kept that a secret?"
Varian chuckled, though there was a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it… but yeah."
Neris flashed a small, knowing smile, her eyes glinting with amusement. She extended a hand toward Ian. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you from Varian."
Ian shook her hand, still processing the revelation. "I had no idea. I guess Varian's not one for big announcements."
Neris laughed softly. "He's a bit... reserved. But you'll get used to it."
After a brief introduction, the three of them set off to rent a submersible. Neris, being an expert in underwater aquaculture, was key to the mission. Her knowledge of ocean life, was invaluable, although she was not an expert in Axomorphs, she knew the oceans good enough to know where to find them. As they descended into the ocean's depths, the world around them shifted into a quiet, eerie stillness, broken only by the occasional hum of the sub's engines and the distant sound of underwater life.
The submersible was slender, with large windows that allowed them to look out into the vast blue expanse. As they sunk deeper, Ian marveled at the biodiversity surrounding them, strange, bioluminescent creatures drifting past, schools of fish weaving through the water, and massive seaweed forests that swayed like tall trees in the current.
Ian watched the drifting lights outside. "Feels like a different world."
"It is," she said. "Down here, things move slower. Calmer. More honest."
He glanced at her, then at Varian, a smile tugging at his lips. "So... you two. Getting married, huh?"
Neris smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Yes. It's been a long time coming."
Ian turned to Varian with mock suspicion "Don't tell me you were planning to do that in secret too...?"
Varian raised his hands defensively. "Everyone will get an invitation, I swear."
They laughed, the sound oddly muffled by the soft hum of the sub. A moment later, Neris turned back to her instruments, her tone shifting slightly.
"We're getting close. Hold on."
The submersible passed through a veil of kelp, and the ocean floor opened up before them, revealing a sprawling abyss. The water was warmer here, and Ian could feel the change in temperature. It didn't take long before he saw them, small, cute pale skin creatures moving along in heard.
Ian breathed. "That was fast."
Neris nodded without looking up. "We've mapped the migratory patterns of most marine species. They tend to stay near the geothermal vents."
Ian looked toward her as she prepared the sub's extraction tools.
"So how do we catch one?"
Neris's gaze sharpened. "We get close, let the collectors do their work. They're sensitive creatures. If we're clumsy, they scatter."
She deployed a small pod from beneath the sub. It sank slowly, releasing faint pulses of calming bio-signals. As the Axomorphs drifted over it, soft field extended and gently latched onto a few individuals, sedating them temporarily.
One by one, they were reeled in.
"That's it?" Ian blinked. "That was... surprisingly easy. I expected some ancient sea monster to show up or something."
Neris chuckled. "You won't find many predators around here. When the elves settled on this planet, they reshaped the ecosystem. Nothing too dangerous is allowed near coastal civilization anymore."
She glanced at him, then added, "If you want something wilder, try the territories of Vlizecun or Flaudron. They are mostly oceanic, the waters there are much deeper."
With the Axomorphs secured, the sub began its slow ascent. Ian sat back, watching the glittering world outside.
"The ocean's beautiful," he murmured.
Varian grinned. "You want to go diving?"
Ian asked. "Can we?"
"Yeah," Varian said. "Pretty much."
They brought the sub to a gentle stop. Outside, the water glimmered with faint light, strange currents weaving through the open blue.
Neris reached over, murmuring something under her breath as she shaped a thin, glowing membrane around Varian's body, tight like a second skin, yet almost invisible.
She turned to Ian. "Do you need one too? Can you breath under water?"
He gave a small nod. "No. Still not comfortable."
Even though Ian was First Order now and no longer required air the way others did, the reflex to breathe was hardwired, deep and instinctive. The idea of being submerged without that familiar rhythm still left his body tense.
Neris raised her hand and a thin barrier wrapped around him, almost like a second skin. Varian already had one. Neris didn't need it, she could breathe underwater naturally.
One by one, they stepped out into the ocean.
The water wrapped around them in a warm hush, the surface slipping away above like a fading memory. Shafts of golden light filtered down, fracturing into shifting patterns on the ocean floor. Strange, petal-shaped fish drifted past in clusters, their translucent bodies glowing with soft colors that pulsed in sync, like a breathing tide.
Deeper still, the world opened up into a vast, quiet expanse. Towering coral pillars rose like ruins from another age, spiraling with bioluminescent vines that responded to their movement—brushing gently against their legs, curling away in slow reverence. A field of long-stemmed sea lilies swayed beneath them, their tendrils catching tiny flecks of light in the water like falling stars.
They passed over a reef that shimmered with faint energy, its surface scattered with what looked like crystalline leaves, each reflecting different hues as they moved. One of them fluttered suddenly, revealing a hidden creature beneath, scaled and winged, vanishing in a flick of motion.
Neris pointed toward a pair of ribbon-finned beasts gliding far below, their tails trailing like silk in the water. "Korrinths," she said through the link. "They only come out during heat shifts."
Ian looked around, taking it in, the quiet, the color, the strange elegance of everything. It wasn't just peaceful. It was sacred in a way he couldn't quite name.
He hovered in place, surrounded by flickering light. "Maybe I'll bring Myrra next time," he said softly.
Varian turned to him, the corners of his mouth curling up beneath his shimmer field. "You're very much welcome."
While Ian floated there, surrounded by light and silence, something else stirred far away, in the quiet cemetery on the outskirts of Ial Themar, where Vulas had been buried.
The air grew still. Shadows gathered.
At the foot of an old, scorched grave, darkness twisted into a sphere, a silent pulsing mass of black. Then, suddenly, the earth cracked.
From within the scorched coffin, Vulas opened his eyes.
The charred body moved, slow at first. Bones cracking. Limbs twitching. He pushed himself up as the ground split wide, and climbed out into the cold air.
His neck rolled with a faint crack. Then his gaze shifted to the dark sphere hovering nearby.
"This is the body you prepared for me?" His voice was rough and cracked, distorted by scorched vocal cords. "Burned and dead? And you don't even show yourself? Afraid I'll eat you?"
From the sphere came a flicker of hesitation, then Kolvar's voice, thinned by distance and fear. "Some… accidents occurred. Someone is targeting us."
Vulas looked at the sphere, the silence dragged a little too long, making Kolvar restless on the other side.
Then he looked away and crouched, pressing one charred palm to the soil.
All across the cemetery, the other graves trembled.
Bones melted. Ash turned to sludge. Brown, viscous liquid seeped up and slithered toward him, drawn like like water seeking a drain. One by one, the remains of the long-dead were absorbed into him, vanishing into his body. The scars on his skin began to fade. Color returned to his limbs.
"That should do… for now," he muttered. Then looked back toward the sphere. "What's the status on the Lord's Blood?"
Kolvar's voice dropped lower. "We haven't found it yet. Apart from Phyrra, I'm not sure who knows its location. Well… there might be someone else."
He didn't say the name, but he thought it, Cairon.
Vulas narrowed his eyes. "Then what are we waiting for?"
Kolvar hesitated, his tone brittle. "Most of my colleagues are missing. Taken or killed. Someone is tracking us, picking us off. It's not safe anymore. Lord Kailu… perhaps we should leave this place. Just for now."
Vulas now Kailu turned toward the orb, gaze sharp.
Kolvar's voice cracked slightly. "I mean… you haven't fully recovered. It would be wise..."
"Then lead the way," Kailu said.
In a hurry, Kolvar began restoring the site, repairing the soil, smoothing the disturbed graves, sealing every mark of tampering. By the time he was done, the cemetery looked untouched.
Kailu gave the ground one last look, then turned away.
And with that, the two of them vanished.