The sky above the Forgotten Shore had turned to silver mist by morning. The tide pulled back with a whispering sound, as if retreating to make room for something ancient. Kairo's companions stood gathered by the waterline – Reika, Taro, Lucan, and now Lyra – each of them feeling the weight of what lay ahead.
For the first time in weeks, there was no looming army or explosion. Just silence, and the uneasy truth that they were about to descend into what remained of the Rift.
Lyra stood barefoot in the shallows, her long silver hair flowing like a banner in the sea breeze. She strummed her coral lyre, the notes shimmering through the air like threads of light. "The Rift isn't just under the sea," she said quietly. "It's in it – woven through its memories. The ocean doesn't forget what the world tried to erase."
Reika crossed her arms. "So, what you're saying is…we're about to go swimming in haunted water?"
Lyra smirked faintly. "That's one way to put it."
Taro grunted, adjusting the straps on his blade. "Great. I nearly drowned last time I tried fishing."
Lucan snorted. "You were standing on the dock, Taro."
"It was a big fish," he muttered.
Reika laughed, shaking her head. Even in moments like this – right before they dove into the unknown – the humour between them somehow grounded everything. Maybe that was what Kairo had left behind: not just strength or sorrow, but a group that still knew how to laugh.
Lyra's song deepened, and the sea began to glow. The water rippled in concentric circles, forming a radiant portal that shimmered with pale blue light.
"The ocean remembers the lost," Lyra whispered. "Let's see if it still remembers him."
And with that, she stepped forward – sinking beneath the surface like a ghost swallowed by light.
Taro blinked. "Did she just –?"
Reika groaned. "Yes, Taro. She just jumped into a glowing sea portal. Try to keep up."
Lucan patted him on the shoulder. "Ladies first?"
"Not a chance," Taro replied, and before anyone could stop him, he plunged in after Lyra, shouting, "IF I DIE, SOMEONE DELETE MY HISTORY!"
Reika facepalmed and jumped in next. Lucan sighed, muttering a prayer to the gods of logic, and followed.
Underwater, everything was luminous and surreal. Coral formations shimmered like city lights beneath the waves, glowing faintly in hues of turquoise and violet. Schools of translucent fish darted past them, leaving trails of light that looked like shooting stars.
And at the centre of it all – a massive rift wound deep into the seafloor, pulsing with faint red light. It looked alive, like a wound that had never fully healed.
Lyra swam gracefully, her lyre still glowing faintly on her back. She turned to the others and gestured for them to follow her into an ancient structure – a crumbling temple half-swallowed by coral and sand.
Inside, they found murals painted on the walls – images of humans standing beside colossal beings of flame and light.
Reika ran her fingers over the faded carvings. "These…are the first Riftborn?"
Lyra nodded. "They were never meant to be monsters. The Custodians twisted their purpose – turned divine connection into experimentation."
Taro frowned. "So, all this time…the Rift wasn't evil?"
"The Rift is memory," Lyra said softly. "It only reflects what we put into it."
As they moved deeper into the ruins, the glowing symbols began to pulse in rhythm with Lyra's heartbeat – or perhaps Kairo's lingering presence. Suddenly, a low hum reverberated through the chamber. The walls trembled, dust falling like ash through the water.
Then, from the darkness, a shadow stirred.
It was a creature – massive, elegant, and mournful. Its body shimmered with runes of light, and its eyes were eerily human. It looked at Lyra and sang – a deep, echoing note that vibrated through their bones.
Lyra froze. "It's…the Echo Guardian. It protected the first Riftborn."
Reika drew her blade. "Protected or attacked?"
The creature lunged.
The group scattered, bubbles spiralling through the water as they dodged the guardian's sweeping tail. Lyra's lyre flared, creating a shield of sound around her that deflected the next strike.
"Wait!" she shouted, her voice muffled but strong. "It's not attacking – it's testing us!"
Lucan shouted, "Could've sent a text instead!"
Lyra ignored him and began to play. The melody wove through the water like light through glass. Slowly, the creature stopped – its massive eyes softening as the song filled the ruins.
Then, from deep within the Rift, a voice whispered through their minds.
"He still lingers."
The light from the rift intensified, spilling through the temple like sunrise through broken glass. And for a fleeting moment, they saw it – a faint image of Kairo standing within the light, eyes closed, his hand pressed to his chest.
Lyra's tears drifted upward in shimmering trails. "Brother…"
The vision faded. The Rift's light dimmed. And silence filled the water once more.
Reika reached for Lyra's shoulder gently. "He's still out there."
Lyra nodded, wiping her tears with a trembling hand. "Then we keep going…until he's home again."
The group surfaced hours later under a sky painted in orange and violet. They collapsed on the sand, exhausted, wet, and strangely at peace.
Taro groaned. "Next time, can we fight something that isn't emotional?"
Reika smirked. "No promises."
Lyra laughed softly, gazing toward the horizon. "The ocean sang his name today," she murmured. "That means the story isn't over."
And as the waves whispered against the shore, the wind carried faint echoes of that song – melody of reunion, loss and hope lingering like a heartbeat that refused to fade.