Edward seemed slightly worried about the plan but he knew it was their best shot if they wanted to survive. Satisfied that the rest of the team seemed to agree with her plan, Cloe double-checked the ropes to ensure they were secure. When Naram offered up the szabla Cloe hesitantly took it. Ever since she had met Naram she had a feeling that anything he carried was of great value to him.

"Thank you." She said with a smile then looked to both Zaya and Naram, "Hey, it's gonna be okay. Takes a lot more than some water or a jellyfish to defeat me."

Cloe gave Zaya a pet on the head then walked over the rope. She tied the szabla to her belt to free up her hands for the lantern and holding onto the rope. Once she sat in the circle she made, she gave the others the sign to start letting the rope over the edge. The hole was dark and foreboding like some sort of abyss with a salty smell. As she descended into the hole, she spotted more details of the ship. She could see broken walls leading into other destroyed rooms and halls with a barrel or two rolling off broken ledges and into the water below. The lantern light was able to show her the seawater at the bottom and she whistled as a signal for the others to stop her descend. There was a massive entrance to the lowest section of the partially drowned ship.

"There's an entrance down here! We can use this to skip ahead!" Cloe exclaimed to the others.

A strange splash caught her attention. Like something large had made a sound. Perhaps it was falling wreckage? But when Cloe looked closer, she spotted something moving underneath the water. The creature had scales but they were closer to lizard scales than fish. Cloe leaned in closer, dangling right over the water as she tried to get a better look at the creature. She could barely see its arms and legs. Was it humanoid? She changed her position so she could get an even closer look. Suddenly a scaled claw reached out from the water and grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her into the water with a splash. The rope lost all its weight and became nothing more than rope.

Cloe kicked the creature and reached for the szabla, managing to free it from its sheath. The kick was able to surprise whatever the creature was and she desperately swam in the direction of the entrance to the hall she had seen earlier. It was close to the water so she knew she had a shot at reaching it.  She resurfaced and reached the entrance. Piercing the wooden floor of the hall with the szabla, she used it as leverage to pull herself out. As she dragged herself onto the floor, she had a sinking feeling whatever that creature was, it was not done yet.

As Naram and Edward lowered Cloe down by the rope, Zaya's tail was standing straight up, tense and twitching. The long-haired cat had an ominous feeling come over her and her pupils widened as she gazed deep into the hole. What the humans didn't hear was the subtle sound of movement from below, like water rippling. The nomad held his grip at the sound of the whistling, and strained his neck to see what Cloe was illuminating without changing where he stood. He was just about to reply when a loud splashing came from below, and Zaya started wailing. The cat was now absolutely frantic, pacing back and forth in distress while unable to do anything. He had never seen her so distraught before, even in the face of danger she normally would focus on reaching him or anyone else in need of help. The cat's claws pitifully scratched at the splintered wood at the edge of the gaping hole, and Naram's stomach flipped when he felt the weight on the end of the rope disappear.

"Cloe?! CLOE!!!" When the rope went slack, Edward realized what had happened too. Running to the edge and kneeling as close as he could, Naram's eyes searched the area below to see what was going on. There was loud splashing of water like something or someone was struggling, and the light Cloe had brought down with her was now out. There was no point in holding onto the rope anymore, but he couldn't risk going down there. They needed two people at least to man the rope so they could come back up. Gritting his teeth, Naram took out an Endapano longbow and notched a whittled arrow with eagle feathers. This particular arrow was made with special components used by shamans in warding rituals. Although he himself had little talent in that area, he didn't doubt their effectiveness. Relying on his hunter's intuition, he tracked the sound of movement to determine where Cloe was. Seeing what should be her emerge near the entrance she had told them about moments before, he fired the spirit-repelling arrow at her pursuer without hesitation. 

All the while, Zaya was staring at the water below, her fur slowly standing on end. She let out a low yowl to communicate her distress, and looked at the two men beside her. This situation was what she had feared the most. Not only was her power insufficient, but what little she still had could not be used lest they all perish. In contrast, Naram appeared very calm. His hazel-green eyes were fixed on what was happening below, his hands moving deftly to notch another arrow. He was at a disadvantage due to his position and inability to see the target's vital points, but he wasn't going to waste any time. Another arrow flew down, the sound telling the nomad he had hit his mark. The sounds an arrow made were different when they hit something inanimate like wood, in comparison to something with flesh and blood. The arrows had unique paralytic properties; what they lacked in lethality they compensated through their stunning effects.

Cloe couldn't see anything but she could hear the creature grasping for the wooden planks she had just crawled out onto. Then there was a thunk as the creature shouted in pain and splashed back into the water. Cloe looked for something to light the darkness but her lantern had fallen into the water earlier. The pitch-black surrounding her did nothing to tell her where on earth that stupid rope was. Either way, she wasn't going to try to go for a swim again. If she couldn't get back up to them, then they'd have to climb down to her.

"You three! Tie the rope to something and get a light. I need your arses down here!" She shouted to them as loudly as possible.

Despite her shouting, the creature or whatever it was didn't try to go after her again. Cloe could only assume whatever hit it was responsible for its sudden retreat. The other three would be fine climbing down, or so she hoped. They needed to get to the crystal and work their way back up to the top of the ship. With a monster on their tails, it only meant they had to move faster.  Suddenly, an idea occurred to Cloe.

"Make sure to bring Zaya. We'll need her!" Cloe exclaimed.

The fluffy cat would be key to their survival.

Naram was relieved to hear Cloe's voice, meaning she was alright for the moment. While he hesitated to go down, he threw Edward a glance after hearing what she shouted at them from below. They couldn't afford to risk having her get injured, so he began to secure the rope with several knots on the sturdiest leverage point he could find nearby. Then, he slid down the bag slung over his shoulder as he knelt down close to the long-haired cat. Zaya climbed in immediately, and the nomad stood up, ready to descend. Taking in a deep breath, Naram said aloud: "Alright, let's go." Shouting down into the the sunken hole, the nomad spoke: "We're on our way!" Grasping the secured rope with a lantern dangling from his side, he carefully made the descent. The light of the lamp was enchanted, flickering in the direction of what the holder sought. In this case, it would be Cloe–or a safe place where they could get their footing. 

Zaya couldn't wait to go down. She had been worried sick when she heard what was going on below, and at last her pleas were heard. Her head poked out of the bag slung across her human's back, eyes and ears moving to and fro as her pupils widened to adjust to the darkness. The flow of the air, the salty brine, and the light stench of blood were all caught by her keen senses. Scents of her human, the young woman who petted her, and the other man all mingled together as the three arrived at the bottom of the gaping hole. Quickly taking up the lantern, Naram swung his arm around while a dagger was clenched tightly in the other. His bow would do no good here, not enough space or time for him to draw the string back to fire. As Cloe currently had possession of his szabla, he would need to make do. Fighting in wide open areas upon horseback was his strength, but combat in enclosed spaces was not. 

With the light from the lamp, he spotted what looked like a passageway with some wood boards around it as a sort of platform. His eyes could make out a figure in the dark, and he assumed it was Cloe. "We're coming over to where you are!" His eyes looked down at the span of water between that place and their current position, and he steeled himself. "Zaya, Edward–we're going into the water. Swim as fast as you can and go straight ahead." The first was to let the cat know she would be getting her fur wet, and the latter was to inform the sense of urgency they were in. Naram knew something was in the water, but they couldn't jump across. Tucking the lantern in with Zaya, he held his dagger between his teeth before entering the water to cross. With quick strokes, he kicked and pushed his way through the cold seawater to reach the other side. His heart had been pounding in his ears the entire time, fearing he would get caught by whatever his arrows had hit earlier. He couldn't confirm if it was dead, but he sincerely hoped it was.

When he reached her side Cloe grabbed Naram by the arm and grunted with effort as she dragged him onto the hall floor. Once he was safe on the floor she waited for the sound of Edward swimming closer. Cloe could hear his terrified muttering and helped him when he was close enough. The empty blackened hall of the ship was dark and cold, a drastic difference from the warmer levels above. A lantern would have been useful but she was unsure of Naram’s lantern after they had been swimming. Cloe reached out for Zaya and placed her on the floor. Kneeling next to the unfortunate cat, she held out the wrist that the creature had grabbed.

“Zaya, did the monster leave a scent you can track?” Cloe asked the clever creature.

She didn’t actually know if the cat could understand her but judging by its natural response to humans so far, she had a feeling Zaya might be smarter than an average cat. The water had taken away most of the scent but there was enough to use it for tracking. The monster had retreated to the depths of the ocean, for now. Cloe stood up, suddenly remembering Naram's weapon. 

“Almost forgot, Naram the szabla is over there.”

She pointed to the sword that had been stabbed through the hall floor nearest to the waters. Everybody seemed to be on their feet and ready for the next part so Cloe began walking down the darkened hall. According to Edwards’ estimation, they were almost there at the first crystal. A bright green glow lingered from around the corner at the end of the hall. It faded then grew strong again like a beacon trying to signal to a ship.

“The second we pull this crystal out, this section will be flooded.” Edward explained, “We’ll need to find a way out before we touch it.”

Meanwhile the scent of that creature slowly grew closer, as if it was in the walls… 

A soft thump could be heard from the left wall… like someone was trying to walk very carefully. 

There was a shared sense of relief once everyone was out of the water. Naram was glad to be back on something solid while Zaya knew in her current capabilities she wouldn't be of any help if they were attacked then. When Cloe held out her wrist to her, the long-haired cat began to sniff after giving the woman a look of acknowledgement. The cat's whiskers bristled as her nose went to work in memorizing the new scent. There was the smell of brine and salt, with an underlying fishy stench. It was unpleasant to her in a sort of unspeakable way as well–the same of feeling when she encountered something that had killed more than it needed to eat. When she was done, the cat looked up at Cloe and the other humans before shaking water off her legs and crawling back into Naram's bag. Her pale green eyes were fixed on the water's still surface, ears rotating around as she listened for sounds of movement. 

Cloe's reminder jogged the nomad's memory, and he retrieved his blade. The sheen on its edge was still bright, thankfully. The blessing of the moon's light within had not yet run out. With Cloe taking the lead, they soon found the first of the crystals. As Naram watched the flickering glow in the distance, he was trying to think of how they should escape once the crystal was in their hands. With so much of the area damaged and flooded, it wouldn't be as simple as climbing back up. And it was so dark down here too.

Zaya's pupils dilated in the darkness as the fishy stench she had smelled on the young woman's wrist was getting stronger. She didn't know if the others could smell it as beasts had sharper senses than humans, but to her it was very clear that it was still lurking about–and very close. The cat let out a low whine as her body tensed. Her ears were turning in different directions following the sounds she could hear from the walls. As if to highlight her growing anxiety, she began to paw at the nomad's back through the material of the bag she was sitting in. Sensing her unease, Naram tightened his grip on his szabla. The dagger had been stowed away once he had reached Cloe, and the enchanted lantern was in his other hand. Carefully he tapped Cloe and Edward, keeping his voice as calm as possible.

"We're not alone. It seems my arrows didn't hit any vital points earlier. Once we figure out what route to take after we get that crystal, we need to run." If what Edward said was true, once the crystal was removed they would have no time to focus on anything else. There was no time for a fight when they needled to outrun the incoming flood. 

A shiver ran down her spine as Naram stated they weren't alone. She had no idea where that thing was or why it was going after them. They couldn't even fight it if they wanted to avoid the flood. Remembering her map, she turned to the left, moving as quietly as she could muster. Cloe used the light of Naram's sword as she tried to find the staircase in the middle of the darkness. Her poor toe found the first step. She bit her tongue to avoid shouting out in pain after accidentally walking into the staircase. Turning back to Edward, she decided to question him about the next crystal.

"If we run-up to the second floor, we should be safe, right?" Cloe asked in a hushed tone, still wary of the monster that lurked around them.

"Sort of. You need to get south of the ship to avoid the water." Edward explained.

Cloe nodded and returned to the crystal. There was a long hall to the staircase so whoever took out the crystal would have to sprint for their lives. Cloe observed Edward and herself for a moment then cast her gaze upon Naram. There was no doubt that he would be the fastest sprinter among them. She frowned at the thought but their best shot would be to have him do the crystal runs while they waited on the second floor.

"Naram, I think you'll have the best shot out of the rest of us. Can you-"

Before she could finish her sentence, a hand burst out from the wall, through the hardened wood of the ship. The hand was covered in blue and green scales with sharp knife-like claws. It tore away the wood to create an entrance for itself but before it could finish, a panicked Edward picked up a long large piece of wood and struck the creature's arm. The monster growled at Edward and snatched his neck, dragging him towards the wall. Cloe watched in horror as the sound of a massive crunch pierced the air. Within a matter of seconds, the monster had crushed Edward's neck.

"Cover me!!" Cloe shouted at Naram.

Cloe rushed towards the crystal and started prying the crystal out of its socket with a piece of metal wreckage. With a few tugs, she managed to loosen it just enough to yank the crystal out.

"Run!" She shouted.

With the rest of her strength, she pulled the crystal out and made a dash for the stairs. She could feel the spray of water as it burst through the walls of the old ship.

There was an uneasy tension hanging in the air as they cautiously approached the crystal. While they were discussing the best course of action, something made itself clear that it had no intentions of letting them leave alive. Naram had no time to respond when suddenly splintering wood and an extremely pungent stench of saltwater startled him. With the faint light of his szabla illuminating the area, the nomad quickly backed away as Edward tried to hit whatever had clawed its way out of the woodwork. In the next moment, they all watched in horror as Edward was suddenly grabbed by the throat followed by a sound that Naram knew meant he was dead.

There was no time to stand around anymore–they had to get the crystal and run–now. Cloe quickly pulled the crystal out of its fixture and sprinted towards the stairs as the sound of rushing water filled the nearby walls. Naram did the same, not daring to look back as what sounded like a roaring river began to pour in. As he ran, the long-haired cat being carried on his back looked behind with wide eyes. Although there was a maelstrom of noises from the pounding of boots against wood to the ragged breathing of the two remaining humans, Zaya could hear something else in the chaos. The monster who had killed that man like a bird smashing a snail against the ground was still following. Not only could it track them through their footsteps, it was likely able to see from the light coming from her human's weapon.

Naram didn't know how much time had passed, but everything became a blur as he desperately ran to keep Cloe in his sights. They climbed up to the second floor just in time for water to completely overtake the hall, leaving anyone else down there trapped for good. Although they were no longer in danger of drowning, there was a new problem on their hands. Whatever had killed the scholar was still at large, and was probably still following them. If they went back to the group of survivors now, they could very well lead everyone to a gruesome death. But the opposite choice wasn't much better: risking their lives to collect all the crystals before rejoining the group could lead to losing one or all if he or Cloe died.

"Cloe, what do we do now? We have one of the crystals, but we can't go back and hand it off to the captain and the rest of the crew without exposing them to whatever killed Edward." Moreover, the nomad was no longer confident that he could kill the creature if they came face-to-face with it again. It might be a beast, but it was also an extremely cunning hunter. Perhaps as cunning as a person.

Confidence and courage diminished, Cloe could feel her own panic grow with her every heartbeat. Could the monster hear that too? Would she end up like Edward? Suddenly what was a simple task became overwhelming as her fears finally surfaced. The wooden walls were her death cage and the ice-cold water was the executioner’s blade slowly descending. She just wanted a vacation. That’s it. Now, she just wanted to live to see her dad or mom again.

“I don’t know.” She confessed as tears gathered in her eyes, “I d-don’t know what to do.”

Cloe had seen death before, an old woman dying of old age but nothing as violent as what happened with Edward. Could she have saved him? Was it her fault? There was so much blood when his neck was crushed. She subconsciously touched her own neck as she recalled the disgusting crunching sound of bones snapping. They had one crystal. But would they survive to get all of them?

“W-well that beast is taking its sweet time.” Cloe commented in a shaky voice, “Maybe we can use that.”

Despite her panic, she still was able to pick up the small detail of that creature. It had the opportunity to hunt them down immediately since it could survive in water and out of water perfectly fine. So why was it hesitating? Why did it hesitate before? Perhaps with a clearer mind, she would be able to answer that. Cloe clutched her arms as she tried desperately to warm herself up. Her face was pale as she stared at the floor, her mind still focused on Edward's murder.

"I'm sorry. I should've planned or done something." Her voice had grown to be quiet.

Naram gave Cloe some time to breathe after they had escaped the sudden deluge. He was a bit older than her, but he could understand the fear and panic she was feeling right now. Back when they had to run, it hadn't crossed his mind–but Edward's death reminded him of the day his older sister died. It had been so sudden. If he hadn't pushed past the men who tried to block off her tent, perhaps he could have lived the rest of his life with peace of mind. But what he saw in her tent told him that it wasn't some mere accident or illness. The lack of damage inside her tent despite it being clear she died in a struggle, the way she laid–unmoving, eyes open and forever locked with the expression of her last moments… And the strange, inhuman footprints he saw nearby. It was the first time he had come to know fear, and fear death. 

His sister was a shaman. If she couldn't kill whatever took her life, then what did that say of the tribesmen? Naram himself was nearly killed by something like it too, though he couldn't be entirely sure if it was the same creature. If it hadn't been for that ruined shrine, he wouldn't be here. 

He felt Zaya squirming in the sack, and turned to see the cat climbing out onto his back. Seeing her sniffing her nose in Cloe's direction, he sensed Zaya probably wanted to go over to her. Shifting his szabla to his other hand, he half carried the long-haired cat to Cloe and helped her down. Once on the ground, she began to gently headbutt the young woman's legs. Zaya wished she could comfort her more, but it was the best she could do without using her power. She remembered how scared her human was back when they first met. She had more power back then, but without him she might have forever stayed in that shrine. Zaya looked up at Cloe with her pale green eyes and slowly blinked. She wanted to tell her that things would be alright, but she no shaman to speak for her.

When Cloe apologized, Naram shook his head. "Don't blame yourself." There was nothing they could have done in that moment. Maybe Edward knew what he was doing when he tried to attack the creature, but the nomad knew it easily could have been any of them who would die had they been in his place. When one fights against something beyond the mortal world, the only thing you can do is to survive as long as you can. "We'll get those crystals and make it back to dry land again, no matter what." He said. Zaya looked to him with dilated pupils, a hint of fear in her eyes.