ark 2 chapter 2 The Sands of Solitude and The Whispering Depths
The sun beat down mercilessly, the golden sands shimmering like molten glass under its unrelenting glare. Retro and Lilly moved slowly, their footsteps dragging through the endless dunes of the wasteland. Each step felt heavier than the last, the desert testing the limits of their endurance.
Retro squinted against the harsh light, the edges of his vision blurred by heatwaves rising from the ground. His hair, usually a disheveled mess, was damp with sweat, sticking to his forehead. Every muscle in his body screamed for rest, but he kept moving, the memory of their recent battles pushing him forward. Lilly walked beside him, her pink hair tied back in a loose braid that swayed with every step. The faint shimmer of her dragon scales caught the sunlight, a rare beauty against the barren landscape.
"This place," Retro muttered, breaking the heavy silence, "feels like it's designed to break people."
Lilly glanced at him, her expression calm despite the exhaustion etched into her features. "It's not just the desert," she replied, her voice steady. "It's the quiet. It forces you to face everything you're trying to ignore."
Retro smirked faintly, though there was no humor in his eyes. "Trust me, I'm not ignoring anything."
They walked in silence for a while longer, the wind picking up and sending grains of sand swirling around them. Retro's hand instinctively went to his hip, where his sword should have been. The emptiness there was a constant reminder of his failure, of the battle with Phantom and the scattering of their companions. His jaw tightened as the memory replayed in his mind, unbidden and unforgiving.
"I should've been stronger," he said suddenly, his voice low.
Lilly stopped, turning to face him. "Retro, stop it. You fought with everything you had. None of this is your fault."
He looked at her, the weight of his guilt evident in his eyes. "They're out there, scattered across this cursed world because I couldn't stop him."
"And we'll find them," Lilly said firmly. "One step at a time."
Before he could reply, a sudden gust of wind hit them, carrying a wall of sand. Retro grabbed Lilly's arm, pulling her down behind a dune as the sandstorm engulfed them. They huddled together, the wind howling like a vengeful spirit.
As the storm raged, Lilly broke the silence. "You know, this reminds me of something," she said, her voice muffled against the scarf wrapped around her face.
Retro tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. "What's that?"
She smiled faintly. "When I was younger, I got lost in a storm like this. My dragon instincts told me to fly, but my elf instincts told me to hide. I ended up doing neither and just wandered until someone found me."
Retro chuckled, though it was weak. "And here I thought you always knew what you were doing."
Lilly gave him a playful glare. "Everyone starts somewhere, Retro. Even me."
When the storm finally passed, the two emerged from their cover, their resolve strengthened.
Hours later, as the sun dipped lower in the sky, Retro noticed something unusual beneath his feet. He crouched down, brushing away the sand to reveal a piece of weathered stone. Lilly knelt beside him, her dragon eyes scanning the markings.
"It's part of a road," she said, her tone laced with hope. "There must've been a settlement here once."
Retro straightened, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Then we're close to something."
They followed the remnants of the road, their pace quickening despite their fatigue. Eventually, a shimmer appeared in the distance, catching the last rays of sunlight. Retro squinted, his heart skipping a beat.
The smell of salt lingers in the air "Is that… water?" he asked, almost disbelieving.
Lilly nodded, a smile breaking across her face. "It has to be. The ocean."
The sight of the distant waves brought a renewed energy to their steps, pushing them onward.
As they crested the final dune, the coastal town came into view. Weathered buildings hugged the shoreline, their surfaces worn from years of salt and wind. Fishing boats bobbed in the distance, their sails tattered but functional. The air carried the briny scent of the sea, a stark contrast to the dry desert they had endured.
Retro and Lilly approached cautiously, their eyes scanning for signs of danger. The streets were bustling with activity, but there was an undercurrent of tension, the kind that made Retro's instincts prickle.
"Something's off," he muttered.
Lilly nodded. "Let's not draw too much attention and get an inn for the night."
The pair found an inn near the edge of town, its weathered sign swaying in the breeze. Inside, the atmosphere was warmer but just as tense. The innkeeper, an older man with a grizzled beard, greeted them with a wary smile.
"One room," Retro said, placing a few coins on the counter.
The innkeeper nodded, his eyes lingering on Retro for a moment. "You're not from around here," he said, his tone cautious.
"No," Retro replied simply. "We've been traveling."
The man hesitated before speaking again. "A word of advice — stay away from the docks at night. Strange things have been happening there."
Retro's eyes narrowed. "Strange how?"
The innkeeper shook his head. "Just… stay away," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper.
As they settled into their rooms, Retro couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. From the window, he caught a glimpse of a figure near the docks, shrouded in shadows
Later that evening, Retro and Lilly sat in their room, the faint sound of waves crashing in the distance. Retro leaned against the wall, his eyes distant.
"We'll find them," he said quietly. "Atlas, Nexus, everyone. And I'll get my sword back."
Lilly placed a hand on his shoulder. "We will. But for now, we rest. Tomorrow's another day."
Retro nodded, though his mind was already racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. The ocean whispered its secrets, and Retro knew their journey was far from over. But for the first time in days, he felt a glimmer of hope.
They had made it this far, and together, they would face whatever came next.
The inn was quiet save for the occasional creak of the wooden floorboards as Retro and Lilly sat by the fire, their dinner untouched. The innkeeper's words from earlier in the evening weighed heavily on their minds.
"Strange things happen at the docks at night," the old man had said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Lights in the water, whispers in the fog. Some say it's the spirits of the sea. Others say it's something worse."
Retro leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames. "Spirits of the sea," he muttered. "That's just the kind of nonsense I didn't want to deal with right now."
Lilly shot him a sidelong glance, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "You say that, but I can see the gears turning in your head. You're already planning to check it out, aren't you?"
He shrugged, unwilling to admit she was right. Before he could reply, a fisherman at the bar, overhearing their conversation, approached cautiously.
"You two planning on going down to the docks?" he asked, his voice shaky.
"Maybe," Retro replied, narrowing his eyes. "Why?"
The fisherman hesitated, glancing over his shoulder as if afraid someone might be listening. "If you're smart, you'll stay away. Ships have gone missing. People hear whispers calling their names, and those who go to investigate… they don't come back."
Retro exchanged a look with Lilly, who frowned but said nothing. The fisherman leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "If you do go… keep your wits about you. The sea doesn't forgive foolishness."
The pair thanked him, and the fisherman retreated to his seat. Retro stood, grabbing his coat.
"We'll find out what's going on down there," he said, his tone resolute.
Lilly sighed but followed him toward the door. "You're impossible, you know that?"
He smirked. "Yeah, but you like it."
"Well I did always have a thing for adventuring" she replied back slightly giggling.
The docks were eerily quiet as Retro and Lilly approached, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the dense fog that rolled in from the ocean. The moon hung low in the sky, its pale light barely penetrating the haze.
Retro felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. "You feel that lilly?" he asked.
Lilly nodded, her dragon senses heightened. "Something's not right here."
They moved cautiously, their eyes scanning the water. Then, in the distance, faint lights began to appear, glowing softly beneath the surface.
Retro squinted. "What the hell…?"
The lights pulsed rhythmically, almost like a heartbeat, and the water rippled unnaturally. As the pair watched, a soft, melodic whisper drifted through the air, barely audible but unmistakably real.
"Retro…" Lilly's voice trembled. "Do you hear that?"
He nodded, his jaw tightening. As the whispers grew louder, it began to call his name. The whispers echoed in his head. Retro took an involuntary step forward, his eyes fixed on the lights.
"Retro, stop!" Lilly grabbed his arm, snapping him out of his trance.
He blinked, shaking his head. "What… what just happened?"
"You were walking straight toward the edge," she said, her grip firm.
Before he could respond, the lights vanished, and the whispers ceased, leaving only the sound of the waves lapping against the dock.
"We need answers," Retro said, his voice low.
The next morning, Retro and Lilly wandered through the town's bustling market, questioning anyone who might know more about the strange phenomena at the docks. Most people avoided their questions, muttering about curses and refusing to elaborate.
Finally, they came across a merchant selling nautical maps. The man was older, his hands rough from years at sea.
"You're looking for trouble," he said when Retro explained their interest in the lights.
"Maybe," Retro replied. "But we need to know what's out there."
The merchant sighed, pulling out a faded map and spreading it across the table. "These waters aren't safe," he said, pointing to a marked area near the town. "Cursed waters, they call them. Ships disappear, and those who come back… well, they're never the same."
Lilly studied the map, her eyes narrowing. "What's causing it?"
The merchant shook his head. "No one knows for sure. Some say it's the spirits of the drowned. Others say it's something far older… something that should've stayed buried."
Retro purchased the map, determined to find out the truth.
With the map in hand, Retro and Lilly borrowed a small boat and set out into the cursed waters. The ocean was eerily calm, the only sound the creak of the boat as it cut through the water.
The fog thickened as they approached the marked area on the map. Retro felt a chill run down his spine. "We're close," he said.
Suddenly, the whispers returned, louder this time, and the water around them began to glow with the same strange lights they had seen the night before.
"What is this?" Lilly murmured, her hand on the hilt of her weapon.
The water rippled, and shadowy figures began to rise from the depths. Their translucent forms flickered in and out of visibility, their hollow eyes fixed on the boat.
Lilly didn't hesitate. She breathed a stream of dragon fire toward the figures, and they scattered, though the whispers grew louder in response.
Retro leaned over the edge of the boat, his eyes fixed on one of the glowing orbs floating just below the surface. Without thinking, he reached for it, and as his fingers made contact, his mind was flooded with a vision.
He saw a vast, sunken city beneath the waves, its crumbling towers illuminated by the same pulsing lights. At the center of the city stood a pedestal, upon which rested a relic radiating immense power.
When the vision ended, Retro gasped and pulled back, clutching his head.
"What did you see?" Lilly asked, her voice urgent.
"A city," he said. "And a relic. It's the source of all this."
Back on land, Retro and Lilly visited the town's library, hoping to learn more about the city and the relic. Among the dusty books, they found a tome that spoke of The Ocean's Whisper, a powerful artifact said to control the tides and the creatures of the sea.
The book described how the relic was lost when a great city sank during a cataclysmic event centuries ago. Retro theorized that the relic was reawakening, its power drawing attention to the cursed waters.
"We need to find that city," Retro said, his determination unwavering.
Their search led them to a reclusive cartographer on the outskirts of town. The man, though initially wary, revealed an ancient map of the ocean floor, passed down through his family.
The map showed the location of the sunken city and the cursed waters surrounding it. The cartographer warned them that the relic was both a blessing and a curse, capable of immense destruction if misused.
Despite the risks, Retro and Lilly purchased the map, knowing it was their best chance to uncover the truth.
With their new map and supplies, Retro and Lilly secured passage on a ship bound for the next continent. The crew was uneasy about their route, but Retro's determination left no room for argument.
As the ship set sail, the whispers returned, faint but persistent. Retro stood at the bow, clutching the map and staring into the horizon, the weight of their journey heavy on his shoulders.
Lilly joined him, her presence a steadying force. "We'll face whatever's out there together," she said.
Retro nodded, his resolve firm. "There's no turning back now."
The ship disappeared into the mist, the lights beneath the ocean flickering once more as if watching them leave.
The ship sailed steadily into the open ocean, its crew casting wary glances toward the mist-covered horizon. Retro leaned on the railing at the bow, his fingers gripping the edge as he stared at the endless expanse of water. Lilly stood beside him, her pink hair catching the faint glow of the moonlight, her dragon scales reflecting subtle flashes of light with each swell of the waves.
The whispers had quieted for the moment, but Retro could feel them lingering just beneath the surface of his mind. The map they'd purchased was tucked securely in his satchel, its ancient markings etched into his memory.
"Do you think the relic is tied to Phantom?" Lilly asked, breaking the silence.
Retro sighed. "If it's not, it's something just as dangerous. The vision I saw… that city, that relic… it felt powerful, alive. Like it was calling for someone to find it."
Lilly frowned, her eyes scanning the dark waters. "Let's just hope that 'someone' is us. I don't want to imagine what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands."
Retro nodded, though his mind was racing. The vision of the sunken city had shown him more than he'd shared with Lilly. He'd seen flashes of people—ghostly figures wandering its ruins, their faces twisted with anguish. Whatever power the relic held, it had come at a cost.
As the hours passed, the crew's unease grew. Strange sounds echoed across the waves—low, mournful wails that seemed to rise from the depths. The sailors whispered among themselves, their fear palpable.
Near midnight, the ship passed into the marked zone on the map. The waters grew unnaturally still, and the fog thickened, swallowing the ship in an eerie, soundless void.
The calm didn't last. Without warning, the whispers returned, louder and more insistent than before. Retro staggered back from the railing, clutching his head as the voices filled his mind.
"Retro!" Lilly grabbed his arm, steadying him. "Snap out of it!"
He shook his head, forcing the whispers aside. "It's the relic… it's pulling us in."
Before Lilly could respond, the ship lurched violently, throwing them both to the deck. The crew shouted in panic as the water around the ship began to churn, glowing orbs rising from the depths to encircle the vessel.
Retro and Lilly scrambled to their feet, their eyes fixed on the water. Shadowy figures began to emerge, their translucent forms flickering like broken reflections. One by one, they climbed onto the deck, their movements jerky and unnatural.
"Get back!" Lilly shouted, her dragon fire flaring to life in her hands.
She unleashed a torrent of flames, forcing the figures to retreat, but more rose to take their place. Retro drew his knife—his only weapon since losing his sword—and lunged at the nearest figure. The blade passed through it harmlessly, and Retro cursed under his breath.
"These aren't spirits," Lilly said, her voice tense. "They're something else. Something… bound to the relic."
As the shadows closed in, Retro's mind raced. The vision had shown him the key to controlling these creatures—a fragment of the relic buried deep in the sunken city.
"We have to dive," he said suddenly, his voice cutting through the chaos.
"What?" Lilly turned to him, disbelief in her eyes.
"They're tied to the city," Retro explained. "If we can reach it, we can stop this."
Lilly hesitated, glancing at the glowing orbs swirling around the ship. "Fine," she said finally. "But you owe me an explanation later."
Retro and Lilly donned crude diving gear provided by the ship's crew, their movements hurried as the shadowy figures continued to close in. The captain, a grizzled old sailor, reluctantly agreed to lower them into the water, his face pale with fear.
"Godspeed," he muttered as they descended into the depths.
The water was cold and oppressive, the light from the surface fading quickly as they sank deeper. The glowing orbs surrounded them, guiding their way like ghostly lanterns. Retro's heartbeat thundered in his ears as the ruins of the sunken city came into view.
The city was vast, its crumbling towers and arches stretching into the darkness. Retro and Lilly swam cautiously through its streets, their movements slow and deliberate. The whispers were louder here, echoing through the water like an otherworldly chant.
At the center of the city stood the pedestal from Retro's vision. The relic, a crystalline object pulsing with light, rested atop it. Retro felt its power even from a distance, a magnetic force that drew him closer.
As they approached, the shadows gathered, forming a barrier around the relic. Lilly unleashed her dragon fire, the flames cutting through the water like golden spears. The shadows recoiled, but they didn't retreat entirely.
"Keep them off me!" Retro shouted, swimming toward the pedestal.
Lilly nodded, her fire flaring brighter as she fought to hold the shadows at bay.
Retro reached the pedestal, his hand hovering over the relic. The whispers grew deafening, and for a moment, he hesitated. Then, with a deep breath, he grabbed the relic.
A surge of energy coursed through him, and the whispers stopped. The shadows froze, their forms flickering before dissolving into the water.
Retro and Lilly surfaced, the relic clutched tightly in Retro's hand. The ship's crew pulled them aboard, their faces a mix of awe and fear.
As the ship sailed away from the cursed waters, the fog began to lift, and the stars shone brightly above. Retro sat on the deck, staring at the relic in his hands. It was smaller than he'd expected, its crystalline surface glowing faintly.
"What now?" Lilly asked, sitting beside him.
Retro's grip tightened on the relic. "We take it with us. Whatever power this holds, it can't stay here. And maybe… maybe it'll help us find the others."
Lilly nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Let's just hope it doesn't bring more trouble."
The ship continued its journey, the next continent looming on the horizon. Retro and Lilly knew their path would only grow more dangerous, but for now, they had survived the depths.
Together, they would face whatever came next.