The Saintess of Depth, her head still bowed, said nothing but bore the weight of the voice of her goddess.

The whole island rattled, the restless sea slamming on its shores viciously. Above, thick black clouds veiled the sky, pulsing, then spitting sizzling blue lightning.

The lightning was apocalyptic, looking like the wrath of gods descending from the heavens.

The sailors of the island watched, hearts throbbing against their chests. The younger ones were restless, their eyes darting around to find something to hold, afraid to be swept away by the surge of water or struck by lightning.

Others, more cowardly, ran towards the elders for safety. There were only a few of them.

The elders watched the scene with alien luster in their black eyes. Their sea-like hair, looking like bunches of grass knotted together, slashed sharply under the howling wind.

On their foreheads, there was a mark of a water drop etched onto them. Not only that, others, instead of a water drop, had a bolt of lightning.

Still others had both of them together. For these beings, a very particular aura was wavering out from them. Calm and steady, yet heavy and crushing.

One of these beings stepped into the sacred altar of their goddess, finding the Saintess still kneeling, head bowed.

Thunder cracked, the sky illuminating for a brief instant in an arc of blue fire.

"Saintess," the man called out, kneeling on the ground on one knee, head cocked inward. "The sea is restless, our beasts are cowering, and the thunders spoke to us with a strange cry. It felt like mourning. But also like a cry of anger. What is happening?"

The Saintess didn't answer immediately. She couldn't. Her body was shaking like the patches of grass outside the Prayer Room. All her efforts were focused on keeping her body still.

She bit her lips, tasting her own blood.

There was nothing more dangerous than a mortal directly receiving the voice of a god. Especially an agitated god.

And even more so if you were not God-Touched.

But soon, her shaking lessened.

Succeeding in calming herself, the Saintess slowly lifted her head, watching the statue of the goddess still glowing faintly.

She parted her parched lips, her voice raspy.

"Mourning? Anger?" she echoed, then shook her head weakly.

"This is nothing of those, Sailor of Night."

The man, who went by the title Sailor of Night, frowned.

"Then?" he tempted.

The Saintess took her time, as if the words refused to be spoken. Eventually, she forced them out.

And they viciously struck the man as if a boulder had been thrown at his head,

"This is a call of terror."

…

Back in Darklore, the Warborn witnessed the strange awakening of Eimi with raised eyebrows. Even Kaden's awakening was not this flashy.

The light around the room dissipated, showing Eimi in her new colors.

Her black hair was no more; instead, it was now blue. The blue of the sea, looking like some smoothed mythic flowers only found in secret underwater caves. Her hair had grown long, reaching the edge of her back.

Even her scent now smelled like fish. Yet one would wonder why it was so heavenly.

Her eyes, previously golden, were now a mix of blue and gold, giving her an enchanting glow.

Daela stared at Eimi's forehead. There, the marks of a water drop and blue lightning could be seen. More, these two marks were shrouded by what looked like a storm.

Daela blinked. And the marks disappeared from Eimi's forehead.

"Interesting," Kaden commented, arms crossed over his chest, his crimson eyes twinkling oddly.

Something flashed through his mind at that moment.

That fateful day they saved two children about to be killed by some wretched goblins. One of them became a myth holder, which Kaden now knew was far beyond what he initially thought.

And the other one was even more intriguing.

Kaden had never seen an awakening that changed the appearance of a being.

Yet it happened to Eimi.

'Interesting, indeed. Who or what did we save that day?' Kaden mused, smiling faintly.

But only if he knew. Only if he knew that Daela had met these types of people, called Sailors, during her first time in Fokay.

Yet years later, she found herself taking under her protection a being of that race without even knowing.

The Empress of Silence was not one to ponder about the mysteries of life, but even she found the situation odd.

Still, it was not the end. After awakening, Eimi touched the identification crystal to know her Origin and first skill.

The Warborn watched intensely.

Something flickered in front of Eimi,

[Name: Naia Melusina]

[Nickname: Eimi.]

[Race: Sailor.]

[Title: Princess of Whales.]

[Origin: The Tides of the Depthless Sea.]

[Type: Elemental-Conceptual.]

[Origin Rank: ******]

[First Skill: Call of Water.]

Eimi, or rather Naia, watched her information with surprise glowing inside her new eyes.

She slowly turned her head, looking at the Warborn.

Naia forced a smile. "Sailor?" she whispered, unsure. "What… what is that?"

Daela shook her head, sinking back into her thoughts, then focused on the current situation. It was not the time to wonder how a being like Eimi found herself in Darklore.

For now, she would do the same thing she had done until now. She would guide Eimi, now Naia.

"Sailor is a unique race of Fokay," Daela answered, voice flat. "Their affinities to storms are the greatest I have witnessed."

Naia listened, yet remained confused.

Kaden watched with a small smile, then shrugged and went on his way.

He passed by Eimi and whispered, "What should I call you now?"

Eimi was dazed by the question for a second before understanding. She shook her head vehemently. "Eimi!" she said strongly. "Eimi is my name!"

That was the name Zaki gave her when she walked the streets nameless. She would not discard it.

Kaden gave her a curt nod, and a tap on her shoulder.

"Eimi, then. Congratulations on your awakening," he said at last, then exited the room.

"Thank you!!" Eimi said, ducking her head.

Kaden was curious. But only that, curious.

He had his own matters to care for, and his sister was there for her.

Still,

'Sailor of Fokay, huh…' he murmured.

His previous theory was slowly being confirmed.

'There is indeed a way for people of Fokay to come to Darklore.'

Kaden sighed wearily.

'Great. Just great.'

…

Inara was sitting on the top of the Ouroboros building. It was shaped like a snake eating its own tail, painted in green.

Inara had wondered about the design once she saw it. Her mother's response was curt, saying only that she liked it.

Inara found it strange, for some reason. But in the end, she simply shrugged and went on her way.

It was not too bad.

The wind at such height was strong, booming inside her ears nonstop. She found it relaxing.

Like always, Inara wore her black high boots, black pants, and sleeved green top. Her hair was tied into a ponytail.

She was looking at the moving pedestrians below when a presence appeared beside her, on her right.

"Hm, what? Did you become borgne too?" Kaden asked as he sat on the green tiles. "Is it a new trend?"

Inara turned her head towards Kaden and spared him a bloody grin. "Hero! I look damn cool with an eyepatch, right? I truly missed you!"

Without hesitation, she threw herself at him, her head bumping into Kaden's chest. Kaden winced. Inara didn't give a damn. Next, she hugged him tightly.

Prometheus's eyes widened slightly at that, his body instinctively tensing. But soon it relaxed, smiling faintly as he returned the hug awkwardly.

Silence whispered around them.

The two stayed in that position for a long while, enjoying each other's unique scent, rhythmic breathing, and heartbeat.

Kaden's heartbeat was like the cackling of fire. Searing enough to be felt through his chest.

Inara was like the roar of monsters. Terrifying, yet the youngest found it pleasing.

Inara felt oddly at ease with Kaden. Her fear and apprehension of the future momentarily vanished into the flame of his body.

She unconsciously sighed in relief.

"How was it for you?" she asked, head still buried into him.

"Filled with roses."

"For the thorns or for the beauty?"

"Both."

"Was the beauty worth the prickling of the thorns?"

"It was," Kaden smiled. "Though I received a scar on my back as a parting gift."

"Sounds damn romantic. Now tell me why am I getting bloody jealous?" Inara scowled playfully.

"Hahah." Kaden laughed. "How was yours? You have become a Master, I see. Congratulations."

"Coming from a Grandmaster like you, it looks like an elder complimenting a damn youngster," Inara growled. "How did you become Grandmaster at fifteen?"

"I am hardworking."

"The truth."

"I am a bloody genius."

"Tsk." Inara clicked her tongue and punched Kaden's chest jokingly. The latter mouthed a fake ouch and laughed.

After a moment of banter, Inara sighed softly.

"Mine was monstrous," she said. "Very monstrous."

Kaden looked at her, sensing the wrenching aura spreading out from her. He didn't doubt her words.

"Are you afraid?" Kaden asked, looking at the walking folks below.

The wind ruffled. Their hair fluttered sporadically.

"Of what?" Inara asked, her hands balling the shirt of Kaden.

"Becoming a monster."

Inara laughed humorlessly.

"Aren't we all monsters in some way? Or do you think only monsters are monsters?"

She didn't wait for an answer, shaking her head. "Monsters have types, Hero. And the monsters I deal with are the kindest ones. Because they are simple."

She then lifted her head, looking at Kaden from below.

"The worst monsters are those who do not know they are ones themselves."

"Oh?" Kaden smirked. "Should I feel targeted?"

"I wonder." Inara mirrored his smirk. "Should you, Hero?"

Kaden only smiled, not responding.

Inara continued smoothly.

"But you know, Hero, I do not delude myself." Inara lifted her eyepatch to show Oeil.

The atmosphere changed, and her voice became layered, deep and terrifying.

"I am a damn monster, Hero. So no, I am not afraid of being something I already am."

Kaden watched silently, the black eye of Inara glowing sinisterly. The eyeball inside began to move all around eerily.

He sensed the effect on his mind, trying to plunge him into a kind of illusion. He shrugged it off easily.

Kaden spared the eye a glance, knowing it was alive. His lips pulled upward.

"Then what are you afraid of?" he asked again.

Inara smiled, pleased but intrigued. Oeil was asking to be covered, afraid of Kaden's gaze.

She covered it back, and parted her lips:

"Of the future," Inara answered. "What I will become? I said I am a monster, but I would be damned if I want my loved ones to see me as one."

"But not only. There is the question of… will I still be here? Will I still see you? Will I still enjoy this little moment of peace and tranquility?"

Her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I want to know, Hero. I want to damn know!"

"But you can't," Kaden said. "You cannot know what's going to happen. So why worry about something you cannot control?"

"It's like asking why mortals fear death," Inara scoffed.

"Good point," Kaden chuckled. "Yet did you watch them? Where do you think their worries of death lead them to?"

"They live in fear." Prometheus answered himself. "And there is nothing worse than living in fear."

Inara stayed silent.

"If you fear the future, it means you fear something that would happen in that future. Something wicked. But don't fear it," Kaden advised. "For if you do, you are summoning it at your door."

"Then what should I do?" Inara asked as she finally got up from Kaden. Next, she straightened up and stood tall.

Kaden mirrored her action, standing beside her at the edge of the building, at the head of the self-devouring snake.

"What else?" Kaden shrugged. "Live the present and forget the past and the future."

"Easier said than done."

"It's always easier said than done, crybaby."

"But I will try," Inara whispered, smiling softly. "I will try with your help."

Kaden cocked his head. "What help?"

Inara looked at him and smirked. "The only way to live in the present is to have something worth living for."

She stretched her hand towards him. "So come, Hero. Make my day. Make me forget the monstrous future ahead!"

"What about after today? How will you fare alone?"

Inara smirked. "Live in the present. Isn't that what you just said?"

Kaden blinked, then laughed.

"Fine," he said, stretching his own hand towards Inara's. "Let's live in the present then."

Inara cackled, ignored the hand, and took Kaden in a tight hug before diving into the air.

"W-Wait!"

"Hahahah!"

—End of Chapter 365—

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