I am Vora, and the Abyss has broken me. The *Silver Star* submarine creaks around me, a steel coffin reminding me I'm still alive, unlike Kaelin, Taro, or Soren. Their faces haunt me, but Kaelin's is the worst. She was my light in this hell, my partner, my reason to keep diving. Her green eyes, her rare but genuine laugh, her hand on my shoulder after every mission… all gone, crushed by the eel at 800 meters. And Soren… I see his terrified gaze, his screams as the swarm devoured him. I fled. I abandoned that kid, that technician too fragile for the Abyss, to save my own skin. Kaël hates me for it, and he's right. I hate myself too. But the Abyss leaves no room for heroes, only survivors. And I'm still here, for now.
Sitting in the cabin, I stare at the void crystal's chest, its black glow pulsing like a reproach. My luminescent tattoo, a symbol of the Divers' sect Kaelin and I joined years ago, flickers faintly on my neck. It reminds me of the vows we made: to protect our own, to face the Abyss together. I betrayed those vows by letting Soren die. Kaël, this novice with fire in his eyes, looks at me like I'm a monster. He doesn't understand. He hasn't seen what I've seen, hasn't lost what I've lost. Lira, our leader, is the only one who doesn't judge me, but her silence is worse. She knows the Abyss breaks everyone, sooner or later. She knows I'm already broken.
Lira enters, her stride steady despite the shadows under her eyes. "Get ready," she says, her voice a blade. "Depth: 1500 meters. Target: bone crown." Kaël, sitting at the far end of the cabin, clenches his fists, his gaze shifting between me and the black water outside. We're down to three: Lira, Kaël, and me. Three survivors from a team of nine. The bone crown, a legendary artifact said to grant superhuman strength, is our next target. But at 1500 meters, the Abyss is a nightmare. The water is red, saturated with a substance no one can explain, and the pressure pushes our suits to their limit. A single tear, and it's over.
I touch my suit, checking the seams. It's intact, but I still feel the swarm's graze, their teeth inches from my skin. Kaelin always said the Abyss tested not just our bodies but our souls. She was right. Every dive is a trial, and I failed the last one. I see Soren again, his wide eyes, his screams in the comms. I could have saved him, but I chose to live. Kaelin would have despised me for it. The love we shared, forged through years of dives, was stronger than the Abyss. But without her, I'm an empty shell.
The airlock opens, and the red water of the Scarlet Fissure engulfs us. At 1500 meters, the Abyss is another world. The water is thick, almost viscous, and our headlamps struggle to pierce the darkness. The fissure's walls shimmer with a red glow, as if the blood of the dead has pooled there. The pressure makes our suits creak, and the sensors flash a constant red. Lira swims ahead, her movements precise, but I see the tension in her shoulders. Kaël swims to my right, his plasma lance ready, but he keeps his distance. He doesn't trust me anymore, and I can't blame him.
We reach a natural arena, a vast cavern where the bone crown rests on a black coral altar. It's magnificent, carved from a gleaming white material, like bones polished by centuries of water. But before we can approach, a rumble shakes the fissure. A creature emerges from the darkness: a colossal crab, its pincers capable of slicing a submarine in half, its eyes glowing with cold malice. Lira shouts, "Defensive formation!" We cluster together, but the crab is fast, its pincers snapping with terrifying force.
Kaël fires, his plasma bolts lighting the red water. I raise my lance, but my hands tremble. The crab charges, targeting Lira. She dodges, but a pincer grazes her suit, leaving a scratch. "Lira!" I shout, but she ignores me, retaliating with deadly precision. Kaël dives to the flank, his shot hitting an eye. The crab roars, a sound that vibrates the water. I want to fight, to prove I'm not a coward, but fear paralyzes me. I see Kaelin, crushed by the eel, and Soren, devoured by the swarm. I don't want to die like them.
Lira takes a risk, diving under the crab to plant an explosive charge. She succeeds, but the crab's pincer slams down, tearing her suit at the chest. She screams, a gut-wrenching sound, and the pressure crushes her instantly. Her body collapses, a cloud of red blood mingling with the water. "Lira!" I cry, my voice breaking. She was our rock, our guide, a woman anyone could have admired for her courage and determination. Her death is a knife to the heart, so tragic, so senseless. Kaël screams, his rage exploding. "Vora, do something!" But I'm frozen, fear rooting me in place.
The crab charges again, and I see my chance. The bone crown is within reach. I could grab it, flee, save myself. But Kaël is there, alone, fighting with desperate fury. I think of Kaelin, what she would have done. She'd have told me to fight, to protect the team. But the Abyss has taken too much from me. I swim to the crown, wrenching it from the altar. Kaël sees me, his eyes widening. "Vora, no!" he shouts, but I ignore him. I betray again, to survive. The crab turns toward me, and I realize my mistake too late. A pincer crashes down, tearing my suit. The pressure crushes me, a silent scream on my lips. Kaelin, I'm sorry. The Abyss has claimed me.
Kaël, alone, retrieves the crown, but I see no more. The Abyss's whispers envelop me, and I sink, consumed by the love I had for Kaelin and the betrayal that defined me.