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The Abyss grants me no respite. I sit in the cabin of the *Silver Star* submarine, eyes fixed on the chest where the Heart of the Abyss rests, its glowing red pulse a living warning. My hands still tremble, the scratch on my suit a reminder of the giant jellyfish, its venomous tentacles that took Erynn and Ryn. Erynn, with her sparkling green eyes and curiosity that lit up the darkness, was a glimmer of hope, an echo of Soren in her vulnerability. Her death, crushed by pressure and venom, is a wound that bleeds within me. Ryn, stoic, loyal despite his silence, deserved better than to be abandoned by Sylas, that charismatic genius whose smile hides a cold cruelty. The Abyss's whispers roar in my head, a chorus promising answers at 2500 meters, where the Eye of the Depths awaits. But every dive is a sacrifice, and I wonder what I have left to lose.
Sylas is at the far end of the cabin, his piercing blue eyes fixed on a holographic tablet. He's speaking with Torren, the gray-haired officer, through an encrypted transmission. Their voices are low, but I catch fragments: "…priority artifact… acceptable risks…" Sylas's smile, charming but calculating, chills me. He abandoned Ryn without hesitation, and I'm certain he'd sacrifice me too if it served his plans. I think of Vora, his betrayal of Soren, and wonder if Sylas is different, or simply more skilled at hiding his intentions. The Abyss chose him, I feel it. The whispers in my head speak of him, of secrets he keeps, of power he craves. But I have no proof, not yet. All I have is my rage and my fear.
I stand, unable to bear the stillness. The porthole draws me, the black water of the Abyss seeming to stare like a predator. The whispers are clearer, almost words now, promising truths about the Heart, the Eye, the Abyss itself. I think of Taro, his gentle smile, the way he called me "kid" like I was his brother. The love I felt for him, even brief, was real, and his loss still tears me apart. Erynn, with her light, could have become a friend, a sister. Her curiosity, her enthusiasm, reminded me what it was to hope. On pourrait pleurer sa mort, si rapide, si injuste, pour sa passion et son humanité. Ryn, with his silent loyalty, was a rock, and his abandonment by Sylas is a betrayal that haunts me.
Torren enters the cabin, his cold gaze sweeping the room. "Dive in five hours," he announces. "Depth: 2500 meters. Eye of the Depths. A new team is coming." I nod, but my stomach knots. A new team. More faces to lose, more lives to watch fade. Sylas stands, his smile intact. "We'll have fun, Kaël," he says, his voice light but laced with a subtle threat. I want to scream that he's a monster, that he let Ryn die, that he doesn't deserve to lead this mission. But I stay silent. The Abyss is bigger than us, and I know Sylas, with his genius and cruelty, is a pawn in a game I don't yet understand.
I return to my suit, checking every seam. The scratch is repaired, but at 2500 meters, the pressure will be merciless. I think of Lira, her warnings about the whispers. She knew something but died before she could tell me. Her loss, heroic but futile, haunts me. On l'aurait aimée pour sa force, son leadership, et sa mort, face au crabe colossal, était un sacrifice qui n'a rien changé. I think of Vora, his love for Kaelin, how he broke before he betrayed. Even he, in his final moments, showed a humanity Sylas seems to lack.
The new team arrives, two silhouettes in the doorway. Lena, a muscular woman with red hair, an ex-soldier with a hard but honest gaze. She grips my hand, her tone direct: "We'll make it, kid." The word startles me, an echo of Taro, and I feel a warmth in my chest. Maybe she could be an ally, someone to love like a sister. Jace, a nervous technician, adjusts his sensor glasses with quick movements. He reminds me of Soren, but with a frenetic energy, as if racing against time. "The Abyss's data… it's alive," he murmurs, and I shiver. He hears the whispers too.
Sylas approaches, his charisma enveloping Lena and Jace like a web. "Welcome to the Abyss," he says, his smile dazzling. They listen, captivated, but I see beyond his mask. He's a predator, and the Abyss is his playground. The whispers in my head intensify, promising answers about him, the Heart, the Eye. I know the next dive will be my last chance to understand, or my end. I think of Erynn, Taro, all those I've lost. Their love, even brief, gives me the strength to keep going. But Sylas's betrayal, and the fear he'll sacrifice me, terrifies me. The Abyss awaits, and I can't turn back.
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