#sandy seabed

[steadyvoidfun-blog]

Vibrant Tropical Fish in a Coral Reef Setting

A vibrant underwater scene of a coral reef aquarium teeming with a variety of marine life, including tropical fish, colorful corals, and other sea creatures, against a backdrop of bright blues and greens, with warm sunlight casting an inviting glow across the clear waters, showcases the amazing diversity and contrasts of this underwater world.

Visit our showroom here

[vestaignis]

Macrotritopus defilippi, широко известный как длиннорукий осьминог-лилипут или атлантический длиннорукий осьминог, является небольшим видом осьминогов, морских головоногих моллюсков отряда Octopoda.

Macrotritopus defilippi - это небольшой осьминог с относительно длинными руками и мантией длиной до 90 мм (3,5 дюйма). Как и у большинства осьминогов, цвет кожи может варьироваться. Обычно он либо однотонный, либо в крапинку и полностью соответствует цвету окружающей местности, песчаных равнин, на которых он обитает. Там, где субстрат содержит гравий или песок, крапчатый рисунок часто крупнее, на коже могут быть небольшие сосочки (мясистые выпуклости), а на руках - светлые и темные полосы. Этот осьминог также может зарываться в субстрат, не оставляя никаких визуальных следов своего местонахождения.

Личинки Macrotritopus defilippi плавают с вытянутыми лапками и, если их потревожить, взлетают с помощью реактивного двигателя, иногда достигая морского дна и ища нору, в которой можно спрятаться. Ночью они могут вести пелагический образ жизни, а днем - бентический, но, по-видимому, с возрастом становятся менее ночными. Когда взрослая особь осьминога передвигается, то делает это таким образом, что его поведение при плавании очень напоминает поведение донных камбал, обитающих в тех же водах.

Macrotritopus defilippi был обнаружен в Атлантическом океане, включая Карибское море, Средиземное море, северную часть Индийского океана и побережье Сомали.

Macrotritopus defilippi, commonly known as the long-armed midget octopus or Atlantic long-armed octopus, is a small species of octopus, marine cephalopods of the order Octopoda.

Macrotritopus defilippi is a small octopus with relatively long arms and a mantle up to 90 mm (3.5 in) long. As with most octopuses, skin color can vary. It is usually either monophonic or speckled and fully corresponds to the color of the surrounding area, the sandy plains on which it lives. Where the substrate contains gravel or sand, the speckled pattern is often larger, there may be small papillae (fleshy bulges) on the skin, and light and dark stripes on the hands. This octopus can also burrow into the substrate without leaving any visual traces of its location.

Macrotritopus defilippi larvae swim with their legs outstretched and, if disturbed, take off using a jet engine, sometimes reaching the seabed and looking for a hole in which to hide. They can lead a pelagic lifestyle at night and a benthic lifestyle during the day, but apparently they become less nocturnal with age. When an adult octopus moves, it does so in such a way that its swimming behavior is very similar to that of bottom flounders living in the same waters.

Macrotritopus defilippi has been found in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the northern Indian Ocean and the coast of Somalia.

Источник://t.me/+E4YBiErj0A8wOGUy,//news.miami.edu/stories/2019/06/winners-announced-in-rosenstiel-school-underwater-photo-contest.html,//ru.pinterest.com/pin/632966922633183935/,/octonation.com/octopedia/atlantic-longarm-octopus/,//pofoto.club/17356-glubokovodnyj-osminog-57-foto.html, //en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Macrotritopus_defilippi.

[beni75]

Photos and texts: @thomaspeschak

1-. A curious gray whale exhales almost directly into my camera

2-. A curious juvenile gray whale vigorously exhales and speeds past my camera in Mexico's San Ignacio Lagoon

3-. A Humpback whales breaches in the North Pacific Ocean off Canada's Great Bear Rainforest

4-. A dusky shark charges through a baitball of sardines

5-. y 6-. A whale sharks swins in shallow water in La Paz Bay, Baja California Sur

7-. A reef manta ray feeds on a plankton patch by barrel rolling over and over again in the same spot, not unlike a puppy chasings its own tail

8-. A reef manta ray feeds along the drop off at D'Arros Island an St. Joseph Atoll. Seychelles

9-. African peguins

10-. A endemic Socotra cormorant comes in to land on a roosting rock deep within the Fjords of Oman's Musandam Peninsula (2012)

11-. African peguins shelter and nest in decaying building long abandoned b the guano industry on Namibia's Halifax Island

12-. At Aldabra atoll green sea turtles often rest for hours on the sandy seabed between coral outcrops

13-. Blacktip reef sharks inspect the hull of our boat on Aldabra's tidal flats. Seychelles

14-. Blacktip reef sharks patrol the drop off where D'Arros Island's coral reef descendes into deeper water

15-. Cape fur seals surf Altantic swell in the Table Mountain Marine Protected Area

16-. Cape Gannet colony on Bird island bathed by lightening and the beam of the lighthouse

17-. The hunt begins at dusk and continuous deep into the night

18-. A curious gray whale swins upside down beneath our boat in Mexico's San Ignacio Lagoon

19-. A venomous lionfish hunts baitfish in Mozambique's Ponta do Ouro marine reserve, by @thomaspeschak

20-. A salmon leaps high into the air to clear a raging waterfall

21-. A wild rocky point just out into the North Pacific Ocean

22-. A large potato grouper hunts amongst schools of baitfish that seasonally drape southern Mozambique's reefs

23-. Dolphins of Indo pacific

[autumnslance]

offering the other your coat

(Bet you all thought I was done with or had forgotten about these intimacy prompts...Now on Ao3)

He had quickly built a fire and given everyone time to dry off, except for Alisaie who kept diving back in to search until her brother made her stop, and Aeryn herself when she finally emerged, looking oddly dazed but unharmed after a quick check by both Alphinaud and Urianger. Now the chill mountain air of Il Mheg cooled further, hinting at nighttime past the endlessly oppressive Light above. Only a hint of a cold breeze could make it past the stagnancy. Were they in Coerthas, it would be a cutting wind, mayhap even a gale.

Thancred missed weather. Even the bad types.

“Here,” he said, shrugging off his coat and dropping it over Aeryn’s still-damp shoulders. There hadn’t been time to let her finish drying before they had to move on, especially if the Fuath were not done with their games. “Your Thavnairian blood can’t handle this cold,” he tried to tease.

It used to be so easy to joke between them. Five years was a long time.

She looked at him even as she pulled the coat closer. “What about you?”

“I’m fine,” he lied. He was mostly dried, and his chest armor and the shirt under it did help. He was a little chilled, but it was nothing like the shivering she was trying to hide. Even in Coerthas, she had not reacted so strongly. 

—

“Here,” he said, shrugging off his coat as they made their way back through the tunnels to the surface. He winced at how dirty and tattered it still was, even with a few hasty spells from their comrades. Maybe when they returned to Twine more could be done.

Aeryn didn’t protest when he dropped it over her slim shoulders, shivering again. Her face seemed ashen and her eyes glassy, since battling the Lightwarden. “Thanks, but what about you?”

“I’m fine,” he lied. “Could do with a little less weight at the moment, really,” he continued, giving a grin somewhere between jaunty and pained. Insisting on continuing to protect the others so soon after his battle with Ran’jit had not been the wisest course, and both Ryne and Y’shtola’s looks indicated he was going to hear quite a lot about that in sharp detail, but it had also been necessary.

As was this, as Aeryn didn’t stop shivering, but did relax slightly, holding his coat close, and granting him a soft smile. She would be all right.

—

He wrapped her slim form in his coat and lifted her into his arms. Aeryn trembled as the Light wracked her. Under the sweat and blood of battle, she seemed strangely pale. Strands of white marred the midnight of her hair.

“Thancred—” Ryne began as they trudged out of Vauthry’s palace to the mountain path.

“I’m fine,” he lied. They were all battered, bruised, and weary after fighting their way through the hordes of sin eaters and against the Lightwarden himself. They were all still better off than whatever Aeryn was going through.

Urianger wouldn’t look at any of them, and that would have to be a discussion once they were safe and their wounds tended. But for now, Thancred kept his coat close around Aeryn and willed her to hold on as they descended.

—

The seabed was damp and cold, the darkness murky and difficult to see more than a few yalms distance. They had left the Ondo and made it through the initial set of twisting caverns, and now had to cross an open space—some deep ravine, filled with corals and limp fronds of strange plants and so much more swampy, sandy ground—to another cave that would lead to the depths and the lights their fishy friends had spoken of.

Could they swim, things might be much easier, but not all of them shared the Kojin blessing, and Bismark’s breath now held malms and tonzes of water at bay.

There was no starting a fire, so the Scions huddled close as they rested briefly before continuing. “Here,” Thancred said, draping his coat around Aeryn before they collapsed onto the damp ground.

“What about you?” she murmured, speech slightly slurred.

“I’m fine,” he lied. “With you on one side, Ryne on the other, and the twins at my back.” He put his arm around Ryne as she snuggled in, watching Aeryn.

Aeryn made an indistinct noise he wasn’t certain was agreement or protest, but she kept the coat. He put his other arm around her, trying to will her shivering from the Light’s ravages away, while ignoring the quiet, tearful shaking from the twins pressed against his back and between his fellow archons.

—

Morning dawned cool and clear over the Crystarium. Thancred slid out of the bed and padded to the washroom, yawning. The scent of coffee brewing wafted across the apartment, and he debated how soon and how circumspect he should leave.

His clothes and gear were all easily found, aside from his coat. That was on the balcony—Aeryn had donned that instead of a house robe, sipping her own overly sweet and pale with cream coffee as she watched the sunrise.

Thancred picked up the mug of plain black brew waiting for him and joined her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“Need this back?” she asked, teasing with the slightest touch of anxiety, expecting him to slip out immediately, as he might have before the First.

“I’m fine,” he replied, and she smiled and leaned against him as he meant it.

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Today's fish of the day is the California sheephead!

The California sheephead, as some of you who have been here since the early days will know, happens to be the first ever fish I wrote about for fish of the day back in January 2022! Known by the scientific name Bodianus pulcher, (formerly Semicossyphus), this fish is a species of wrasse in the Pacific. Found along the coast of California and Mexico, stretching from Monterey Bay California to the Gulf of California. They live along the kelp forests common in this area. Although, there are populations living along rocky reefs and sandy seabed areas. The fish are highly territorial over their home, and only settle in a very small refuge area, which they protect. These areas and the cycle of migration with the California sheephead are shaped almost entirely by light levels, as they travel between a refuge area and a foraging area throughout the day, and then when spawning these fish travel to a breeding area. This is why some issues have arisen due to overspilling light pollution by humans.

Their diet consists primarily of sea urchins, although they also prey on crustaceans, mollusks, and other fish. Their role in the ecosystem of kelp forests can not be understated, which is why the overfishing of them by humans is such a problem. This is because the overabundance of urchin in an area can decimate entire kelp forests at a rate of 30 feet a month in herds. Their diet of urchins allows these fish to get as large as 3 ft in length. Despite their large size, these fish are regularly predated on, primarily by sharks in the area. The California sheephead can warn other fish in the area of their plight however, damage released chemical cues come forth once the skin is ruptured, informing other fish in the area. These chemical cues are not always perfect however, as fish infested with parasites reduces reliability of these cues.

California sheephead, as like many wrasse, are born female and can morph into functional males throughout their lifespan, called Protogynous sex change. This change is moderated by a steroid hormone, and is undertaken by the largest and best fed individuals in an area. Sheephead are hermic spawners, and males have a group of females of which they protect and breed with. When the male for a group of females passes away, the largest female will morph into a male form and take the role. This can take anywhere between 2 weeks or several months. The mating season for these fish is between June and September, and the male will lead all his females in a circular pattern, releasing eggs and sperm. Females during this time can release as many as 130,000 to 375,000 eggs in a day, which will hatch into planktonic larvae. They will continue life as larvae for  34 to 78 days, before settling in a shallow reef and growing as normal. By the time they reach an age of 4 and a size of 10 inches, the fish are ready to spawn, although this is variable between populations. These fish can live upwards for 20 years in the wild, and as long as 50 in captivity, living through tens of breeding seasons, and producing hundreds of children.

That's the California sheephead everyone! Have a wonderful day

[dinoberrypress]

The Community’s Coral Castle, Castle Ephemera

Finally, we visit the home of the fourth court you'll meet in Little Wolves; The Mermaids.

Located at the deepest part of the Soothloch is Castle Ephemera, its tallest spires poking past the water’s surface.

The castle is surrounded by coral gardens, swaying sea grasses, and sandy leaf sheep grazing grounds. A maze of rooms, cracks, and natural corridors, many denizens live here communally.

Any creatures who can't breathe underwater may be granted a blessing that allows them to walk across the seabed as if the loch's water is air.

All they need to do is ask the loch for permission and pledge to have no ill intent. If the promise is broken, the blessing is revoked.

Mermaid Queens are elected by the court as needed, their choices often swayed by glimpses into the future. They stay in power until premonitions of a new Queen begin to flow from the veil. Often, such visions are followed by the current Queen’s demise or retirement.

Detail from The Four Queens art, illustrated by Grendel Menz @grendel-menz

If you’d like to find out more, follow our campaign on BackerKit and help us make this magical realm a reality.

[whencyclopedia]

Riace Bronzes

The Riace Bronzes, also known as the Riace Warriors, are a pair of bronze statues most likely sculpted in Greece in the mid-5th century BCE and rescued from the Ionian Sea near Riace Marina, Italy in 1972 CE. Slightly larger than life-size, the nude male figures represent two warriors, one older than the other, and they are considered masterpieces of Classical Greek sculpture. Restored and protected from future corrosion, they stand magnificent in their own environmentally-controlled room within the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria in southern Italy.

Discovery & Restoration

The two bronzes were miraculously discovered in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Riace Marina in southern Italy on 16 August 1972 CE. The discoverer was Stefano Mariottini, who spotted them while diving a mere 200 metres (656 ft) from the shore. Lying at a depth of just 8 metres (26 ft), Mariottini noticed an arm sticking up from the sandy seabed and, digging down to investigate, he saw that not only did it belong to a large statue but there was a second figure buried close by. Within five days, the authorities were notified and a police diving team supervised by archaeologists raised the two figures using air-inflated balloons. Further investigation of the site in 1972 and 1981 CE revealed 28 lead rings - possibly used as part of a ship's sail - and a fragment of a ship's keel containing two bronze linchpins. These artefacts likely belong to the Roman period or later. Also discovered was a fragment of the handles of one of the figure's shield. It may be that the statues sunk while the wreckage from the light ship in which they would have been transported was dispersed by the sea. Alternatively, the statues may have been jettisoned overboard to make the vessel more seaworthy during a storm.

Before going on public display, the figures underwent a laborious process of restoration in Florence, which took five years. Sand and debris were removed from their interiors and their surfaces relieved of encrustations built up over the centuries on the seafloor. The figures were restored again from 1992-5 CE and 2009-11 CE. The statues, now standing on anti-seismic marble plinths in a climatically-controlled room of their own, are on permanent display at the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, Italy, where they have become the poster boys of southern Italy, silent ambassadors for the region's cultural heritage and identity.

Continue reading...

[fairyringsandwings]

Drabble gift for @anonymousmink, inspired by her beautiful mermaid AU! I'm sharing the story here too, so I ain't playing favs with the twitter girlies 😂

Tags: mermaid au, a little dark at the end, near drowning, rated T.

Across The Ocean

A storm is coming, Pirate.

Qimir smiles at the sound of her voice. Like a message in a bottle it has been carried to him through ocean currents, winds and tides.

Maybe this time you'll heed caution and stay on land, where you're supposed to be.

Are you worried? Qimir asks.

For you? No. The mess your ship will leave on the seabed? Yes. 

Then put an end to this and let me find you, Osha. 

She gives him no reply, but he can feel her irritation through their connection, how it prickles at her scales. She severs the connection with a huff. 

Where once the world had been silent as they communicated, now Qimir is flooded with sensations. The roar of the wind as it slaps against black sails. The waves, much rougher than before, breaking against the ship and rocking it with increasing wildness. The worried chatter of his crew as they scramble about the deck, securing everything not bolted down. 

Qimir hangs off the edge of the ship, one arm wrapped around the rigging. He opens his eyes, taking note of the ominous clouds darkening the horizon.

Osha had not lied, she never the did when it came to this. It is a salve on his aching soul, for it assures him that despite all her rejections, she does not want him dead. She flees from him, only because she knows that should they meet again - no, when they meet again - his silver tongue will lure her to his side, as surely as her voice had led sailors to their watery doom. 

But not me, Qimir thinks confidently. You could never bring yourself to do that to me, could you, Osha? 

Oh, she had certainly tried.

He remembers the day that he had corned his little mermaid in a lagoon at Olega. How in her desperation to escape she had sung a song so achingly sweet all of Qimir's reason and logic had fled his mind, pulling him into a dream that vanquished all the loneliness, the anger, and the hurt that festered in his heart. It had been utter bliss. A euphoric feeling that consumed him body and mind. 

His feet had moved of their own accord. His actions not his own. He had plunged from his ship, his lungs filling with salty water that burned, burned, burned.

Then it had stopped. Arms had slipped under his and pulled him from the ocean's deathly clutches. He remembers spewing water as he lay on his side on the sandy beach. He remembers coming to his senses, horrified when he realised what had happened... what had almost happened-

But then she was there. 

Osha. His Osha. Her webbed-fingers light on his forehead, pushing aside wet strands of hair. Her beautiful face stricken, guilt forming tears in her eyes. She had laid on the beach with him, her tail painted the color of emeralds and seaweeds, lying half-submerged in the low waters of the tide. Glistening pearls had been draped across her upper body, catching the sunlight. Woven into her long locs were colorful seaflowers, pieces of coral and sea-carved jewels.

In that moment, with water droplets clinging to her skin like diamonds, and the sun gleaming gold around her like a halo, she had been as ethereal as a Sea Goddess. Whether she would be his wreckoning or salvation, he was yet to learn.

"You need to stop chasing me, Pirate. Next time... I won't show mercy," Osha promises. 

"Liar," Qimir whispers, his chest heaving with every painful breath.

Osha shakes her head. Before he can regain his strength, she slips back into the waters, vanishing below the waves.

It has been months, nearly a year since he last saw her in the flesh. And now this storm will ensure he will have to endure another night bereft of her presence. He and his crew will need to make landfall, robbing him of even the simple company of the ocean, the closest thing he has to being with her.

There has been many storms these past few months. He wonders if it is Osha's doing, if she has sought a boon from an auld sea deity to make his quest as difficult as possible. Grimmer still, what if it is the ocean herself, trying to keep them apart? Wanting nothing more than to tear his ship asunder and toss his body into its depth, food for its children of the deep.

That might not be the worse fate, Qimir thinks with dark amusement.

Osha could find his skeleton then, and make a pretty trinket to wear around her neck. At least then they could be together. His bones comforted by the beating of her hearts.

[lorrekeeper]

Night Life on the Slope

Roughly 300km away from the shore, the shallow, sunlit seas surrounding the continents begin to taper down into deeper waters, trailing down to depths of 3,000m. This is the Continental Slope, a transitionary region where the open ocean meets the coastal shallows. Here, currents flow over the seabed, bringing plankton and sediments along with them. Here, the soft, sandy substrate is too loose and fine for more abundant reef-building sponges; however, there are other organisms which thrive in these environments.

Scattered along the bottom are the protruding heads of Scrimbolos. While they look like clams, it is only its head which protrudes above the surface; the rest of the organism lies within a burrow, which it uses both as shelter and as a means of locomotion. Hidden from sight, these wormlike Taco Slugs form huge colonies, filtering passing plankton from the current with their extendable tongues. Safe they may be from surface predators, however, opportunistic Farm-Hat Taco Slugs occasionally try to dig them out.

But it isn't only Scrimbolos that lay claim to these depths; slowly skittering among them are juvenile Goggle Grubs. These phototrophic creatures normally spend the daytime hours gathering in surface waters, where their algal symbionts can soak up the sun's rays. During the night, however, the more mobile young Grubs migrate down into deeper waters, to sift through softer sediments packed with marine snow and detritus. But where the daytime creatures go, their predators are not far behind; lurking in the darkness at the edge of our view, a Noot Sloop patrols along the slope, searching for any vulnerable creatures hiding in the gloom. These deepwater Sloops usually bear darker coloration than their shallow-water counterparts, likely as a means to blend in better with the surrounding water.

[thedeepsharks]

Lemon shark

Lemon sharks are named after their yellowish-brown skin, which resembles the color of a lemon. However, their skin can change color based on their environment, which can range from sandy to rocky seabeds. Lemon sharks can also grow up to 11 feet long and are found in warm subtropical waters around the world.

image source: https://www.deviantart.com/sian-draws/art/Lemon-Shark-Shark-Week-2017-695182016

[chroniclingworlds]

Trangles

Creeping slowly across the sand with their long arms, the Trangles sift through the seabed for edible material. Depending upon the size of the animal, this can be anything from microscopic organisms to plant matter to larger burrowing creatures. In the scene above, we can see a large Pyramoid and several comparatively tiny Sand Stars inhabiting a sand flat in the midst of a thriving silica reef. Although this is the most common place to encounter them and seems to be home to the largest variety of species, these creatures live everywhere from the sandy intertidal zone to the depths of the deep sea. Although the pyramidal body shape of many of these animals may seem awkward or unwieldy, it may serve a protective purpose, making it more difficult for predators to attack due to the rigid silica exoskeleton. While they may not look much alike, many of the coral-like animals pictured are the closest living relatives of the Trangles, having lost their three-sided symmetry but reinforcing their complex silica skeletons to help anchor them in place to the seabed while their cousins free-roam through their reefs.

[a-really-big-cat]

Please reblog for sample size!

[dougdimmadodo]

Hairy-Footed Jerboa (Dipus sagitta)

Family: Jerboa Family (Dipodidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Like other species in the jerboa family, the Hairy-Footed Jerboa is bipedal - it utilizes its extremely long and surprisingly powerful hind legs to bound across sand at speeds of over 18mph, while its dramatically shorter front legs are used for digging and to allow it to bring its head to the ground when foraging. Found in sandy regions of China, Mongolia, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, members of this species spend the day sheltering from heat and predators in a burrow, and emerge at night to feed on grasses, seeds, roots and small insects. Each Hairy-Footed Jerboa claims a relatively large territory in which it lives alone or occasionally in pairs, and within each territory there will be several shallow burrows used as emergency shelters if a predator should ambush the jerboa while it is feeding and a single larger burrow with two exits (one of which can be used to escape the burrow if a predator enters through the other), a main chamber for sleeping in and several smaller chambers used for storing food. A single female Hairy-Footed Jerboa will give birth to several litters in a single year (typically during the spring and early summer and then again in the late summer and early autumn/fall), and each newborn jerboa will be independent and fully mature at only around 3 months of age. This species is one of several desert-dwelling rodent species known to have colonized the Aralkum Desert (the world’s youngest desert, which was accidentally created in the 1960s when massive irrigation work carried out by the Soviet Union caused vast areas of the Aral Sea to dry up, turning the exposed seabed into a desert), and due to the newfound abundance of rodents several species of foxes, polecats and wildcats have come to settle in the area.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------    

Image Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/43878-Dipus-sagitta

[valhallasoutlaw]

"I did it!" Brighid cried, breathless as she presented a horned, porcelain seashell painted with stripes of mauve and deepest pink. After seeing the pearls Argus had idly gathered from the seabed to occupy himself, Brighid had made up her mind to bring an ocean trinket of her own to the surface.

She had marched into the surf, only to realize--in her peculiar way--that she no longer possessed the watertight circuitry and plasteel certainty of a service android. She had let out an involuntary yelp the instant the water was deep enough for her feet to leave the sandy floor and her corporeal instincts urged her to swim. Argus had watched her eyes go wide as shock turned to panic, and panic turned to gridlock. The waves knocked her off balance and she floundered, sputtering and gasping like...well...a human woman who had spent the last 40,000 years in the body of a machine.

Argus was there in seconds, grasping her beneath the arms and lifting her head above the water in one effortless motion.

She gasped for a moment, clinging to his massive hands like a wet sheet, before she collected herself.

"I'm fine," she had said, scraping chunks of curly red hair away from her eyes. "I just have to try again."

Argus remained silent as, over the next hour, she reacquainted herself with the water.

"I want to try diving," she declared, looking up towards where Argus stood in the surf a few feet away. "Will you show me?"

"This isn't the best location," Argus replied slowly.

"Where did you find those pearls?" she gestured with her head to the tiny pile on the beach behind.

"There's a small reef by those stones," said the Space Marine. "Can you swim that far?"

Brighid squinted at a ridge of mossy grey rock nearly 500 feet away, the bridge of her nose crinkling in consideration.

"I think so," she declared, planting her hands on her hips.

Argus pursed his lips incredulously, warping the scars at the corner of his mouth.

"I will be close by," he said, knowing that she would attempt the feat no matter what his opinion on the matter was.

"I know," she said, grinning, and held out her hand.

Sparkling beads of seawater fell from her pale fingertips like drops of starlight, and as Argus reached out, he suddenly found himself following the curve of her arm to her freckled shoulder. The beginning stages of a sunburn was beginning to pinken her arms, back and cheeks. His stare lingered, taking in the way that the water and the sunlight turned the ripples of her hair into spun copper, like sheets of fine chainmail set alight. Her eyes, creased in a smile, were cut from the ocean itself and set into the alabaster mask of her face the way a silversmith would present a masterpiece.

The sleeveless white tank she wore clung to her skin, and Argus found himself transfixed by every delicate curve made by her body. She had always looked like a doll to him--something fragile that he needed to protect lest she shatter on a stone floor Argus hadn't been aware of.

Now, she appeared as something softer than that, something more like a snowflake or the new petals of a rose. A soap bubble cast in the shape of a woman, the whisper of daylight on linen sheets.

Suddenly, the gap between subspecies had never seemed wider, and Argus felt every bit like the brutal, ugly, rough creature that he was made to be.

-O-

More 40kRenegade content, featuring Argus and Brighid, an OC by @icantbelieveitsnotwormstm and I cannot stop drawing these two morons they don't even know they're in love

[aylacavebear]

The Traveler - Chapter 9 - Aqualumina

You're from a specific dimension, Solaris Eclipse. It was a dimension of magic. When your kind, the Eldrathiren, turned fifteen, your unique power would awaken within you. Most times, it was something small, levitation, teleportation, creation, elemental manipulation, and things like that. Once in a while, a fifteen-year-old would just disappear, and those were called Travelers. None of them had ever returned. Your parents had told you stories about them, and you hoped that wouldn't happen to you.

Please don't take my work. I'll post warnings for each chapter. Will probably be 18+ I haven't decided yet!

Word Count: 6661

Pairing Eventually Dean Winchester x OC Reader/You & Sam Winchester x OC Reader/You

Warnings: Angst, fluff. A/N: Don't think there's anything else in this one. It's fairly relaxed.

----------------------------------------- Chapter 9 - Aqualumina

The first thing that hit you was the warm breeze and the overwhelming smell of water. You were standing on something slightly soft yet sturdy, and it moved slightly under your feet as if gentle waves were passing under and around it. There was water as far as the eye could see. However, you also noticed what could only be some sort of plant life having grown above the water level in places.

Above you, the sky was beautiful, with three moons that bathed the waters with a unique color palette. A tapestry of stars sparkled in the darkness behind them. As your eyes traveled back to the waters in front of you, the silvery light of the moons danced upon the surface of the water like liquid moonbeams.

I remember this place, from that vision.

You knelt down on what you could only describe as a massive lilypad, leaning over the edge to look into the water. Beneath the sea's surface, you could see a thriving ecosystem teeming with life. Plants and aquatic creatures of all shapes and sizes drifted lazily in the currents, their bodies aglow with the same ethereal luminescence that permeated the world around them. The vibrant colors and intricate patterns of their bioluminescent forms created a mesmerizing display, casting shimmering shadows upon the sandy seabed below.

Looking up and around you, you realized you weren’t going to be walking anywhere, as there was no land in sight. This world was far different than the others you’d been to. With a heavy sigh, you knelt back down at the water’s edge, looking at your reflection before gingerly dipping your fingers into the water. It was slightly warmer than you would have thought a body of water of this magnitude would be. 

As your fingers danced delicately through the water, you felt that warm, tingling sensation move through your body, tickling your nerves. You slipped off your shoes and socks, carefully tucking them away in your bag, before cupping your hands to drink some of the water. It tasted of fresh water, not like the oceans of your home world, which had a bitter, harsh taste of salt. 

Your tail shifted from that of fur to a long, beautiful fin. Webbing grew between your fingers and toes as gills appeared along your neck. You could still breathe air, but now you had a feeling you could also breathe underwater. 

Going through your bag, you found one of the tank tops that Dean had gotten for you, as well as some shorts. After changing your clothes and tucking your other belongings into your bag, you tied some of the vine rope from Lysara’s world to your bag and then around your waist. With the thought of; I need my bag and things inside to stay dry, it was like a forcefield of sorts appeared around it, although you wouldn’t notice till you were in the water.

You slipped your feet over the edge of the lilypad and sat there for a bit, getting a feel for the water and how it felt with your webbed toes. That was when you saw it: a massive aquatic creature slowly gliding effortlessly through the water in your direction. Despite its imposing size, there was an aura of peacefulness and serenity emanating from it, which intrigued you. 

As it drew nearer, you could see that the creature was unlike anything you’d ever encountered before. Its body was adorned with iridescent scales that shimmered with every movement, reflecting the ambient light of the moons above. Two fins, one on each side of its body, casting a hypnotic sleep upon all who beheld its beauty for too long.

Though you knew instinctively that the creature was harmless, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and reverence in its presence. It was a being of pure wonder and magic, embodying the essence of this strange and wondrous dimension. An excited smile found its way to your lips the closer the creature came. 

It stopped just in front of you, and your heart pounding. It was beautiful, reminding you of a mix between a sting ray and a whale from Earth.

Aquanox.

The word gently played in your mind, making you smile.

“I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you,” you told her out loud.

Thoughts are easier to understand.

You tilted your head, realizing this wasn’t going to be the same as it was with Lysara. You’d really need to work on communicating through thought alone with Aquanox. With a sigh, you looked up at the horizon.

I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you, Aquanox. What is this place?

It took much more concentration than you were used to to think something to another being deliberately.

Nice to meet you. This is my home. Why are you here?

Her answer wasn’t very helpful, as she hadn’t given you the name of the world you found yourself in. You also had to think about how you were going to explain to her why you had ended up in her world.

I’m what is called a Traveler. I’m searching for what my soul seeks.

There was a long silence in your mind as you watched her. The flora and fauna beneath the surface of the water ebbed and flowed with the gentle current as the creatures glided along, doing whatever it was that they did. This place seemed so peaceful, so quiet above the water.

I must take you to the Aquarins. They can help you.

Her voice in your mind pulled you from your thoughts as you looked at her.

Where are they?

Come, young one. They are beneath the water. I will keep you safe on our journey.

You took a slow, deep breath, settling your nerves about being underwater, even knowing you’d be able to breathe just fine. It still scared you in a way, as you’d always been afraid of drowning as a child. Then, you slid into the water. As you did so and allowed yourself to submerge your body fully, small patches of scales appeared in places along your skin. 

Even your ears changed, more on the inside, protecting your eardrums from the water so you could easily hear the songs of the underwater creatures. Your eyes now had an aquatic cover over your pupils, making it so that you could see in the water just as easily as you could see above it.

The plan was to hold onto your spear, but you quickly realized that swimming like that was going to be difficult, so you strapped it across your back at an angle. Aquanox waited patiently while you got your bearings and figured out how to use your tail as a fin to glide through the water instead of looking like a floundering child.

I think I’ve got the hang of it now.

I’ll go slow till you’ve got the hang of it all the way.

You rolled your eyes but, at the same time, appreciated her patience. Everything beneath the waters had its own soft, luminescent glow to it. Aquanox swam deeper, following the slope of the seabed, so you kept pace at her side, your bag being pulled behind you by the vine rope tethering it to you. 

There were tall, dense kelp forests that swayed in the gentle currents of the waters. The difference between this kelp and the stuff on Earth was that this kelp had small, round, glowing orbs dotted along its stem, like berries. You watched as the marine life darted in and out from around the leaves. The way the light flitted down made the orbs shine like rainbows against the green of the plant.

Aquanox continued following the seabed as it sloped upward, and you were awestruck as the alien coral reef came into view. There were so many different colors in various shades and hues. The reef stretched out in all directions in a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes that danced and swirled in the gentle currents.

The coral formations were unlike any you’d seen on TV on Earth. Some were towering spires of iridescence that almost reached the surface. Their surfaces were adorned with intricate patterns and textures that seemed to pulse and shimmer with an inner light.

Thankfully, Aquanox had slowed down so you could take in the breathtaking sights, carefully getting closer to some of the different corals. Upon closer inspection of the corals, you noticed that they weren’t composed of the traditional polyps and calcium carbonate structures but rather of a strange, bioluminescent material that glowed with an ethereal radiance. Each coral formation was a masterpiece of organic architecture, its surface alive with tiny tendrils and delicate filaments that swayed gently in the underwater currents.

You slowly swam closer to the corals near the seabed, wanting a better look at them. Nestled among the coral was a myriad of alien creatures that had made it their home. Their forms were as diverse and fantastical as the coral itself. Schools of shimmering fish darted and weaved through the gaps in the coral, their scales reflecting the ambient light in a dazzling display of color. Jellyfish-like creatures drifted lazily in the water, their translucent bodies pulsating with an otherworldly glow.

Hidden among the nooks and crannies of the coral reef, you spotted strange and wondrous creatures that defied description. Some resembled exotic sea anemones, their tentacles adorned with bioluminescent patterns that glowed with an otherworldly beauty. Others resembled creatures from Earth’s deep sea, with elongated bodies and rows of glowing photophores that lit up the darkness like stars in the night sky.

It’s beautiful.

It is one of many in my home, young one. Now come. We have a long journey still ahead of us.

You had so many questions but didn’t want to bug her with them and quickly caught back up with her. One of those things was what she ate, and wondered if it was like the whales on Earth who ate plankton. You did notice how none of the creatures of the reef seemed concerned with such a large being as her swimming above them.

The further you swam with her, the quicker your body became accustomed to it, making it far easier to keep pace with Aquanox. Several different types of fish came and swam near her, and it almost looked as if they were eating small things off her fins and back.

On the other side of the coral reef, it was just a vast seabed of sand, but you could see rock formations in the distance, in all directions. 

Stay close to me. The mountains can be dangerous, young one.

You weren’t sure you liked the sound of that, so you swam so that you were under her like you’d seen the fish do earlier in your journey. Her sheer size still astonished you. You weren’t sure how deep the two of you were, but the surface looked as though it was far away. There were spider-like creatures scurrying along the sand of the ocean floor. They reminded you of a mix of crabs from Earth and the giant spiders from the dark world you’d ended up in.

Just like crossing a desert, this plantless area of this underwater world seemed never to end, and you felt yourself quickly tiring. Aquanox had noticed your pace slow, so she did the same, now keeping pace with you.

Young one, the area behind my head is a safe place for you to curl up and rest for a while. This is not a safe place to stop to rest.

You shook your head a bit to push the sleepiness away before swimming to the area she spoke of. It was like a little cavern there, just enough room to lay down and sleep if needed.

Thank you. I’m not used to swimming for this long.

You just need to learn how to ride the currents so you spend less energy. Now rest, young one.

With that, you curled up in the crook near the back of her neck, using your bag as a pillow, even with it wrapped in that invisible forcefield, keeping it dry. You thought about what she said, about using the current more instead of your muscles, as you drifted off to sleep.

When you woke, things looked a bit differently, and you slowly made your way out from the nook you’d been tucked so comfortably in.

Did you sleep well, young one?

You rubbed the sleep from your eyes as you swam back to her side to keep pace with her.

I did. How long was I asleep for?

The rest of the night and part of the morning. It is nearly mid-day.

At least you’d gotten decent sleep. Your muscles were a little sore from how much you’d used them the night before. Taking a slow, deep breath, you let the water move around you, feeling its current and how it flowed. Watching Aquanox gliding effortlessly through the currents at least gave you an idea of what you were attempting to feel. Like a bird drifting on the wind currents as it flew.

It was going to take far more practice on gliding through the currents like she could, and when you realized this, you sighed.

Would you be okay if I rested on you for a while longer? I’m just so sore from last night.

It’s okay, young one. We will get there faster, going at my normal speed.

Thank you.

You swam up and onto her back, holding onto the ridge of the back of her head so that you could still look at the area. The mountains had grown closer, but they still seemed so far away. There was also no plant life on the seafloor, nor did you notice other creatures swimming anywhere.

It seems like we are deeper than we were last night.

Yes. When the sun comes up, it is safer and cooler for us to be further underwater as it can get quite hot near the surface for some.

Your gaze went toward the surface, which still looked far away. Distance was so hard to estimate being underwater.

How long will it be before we reach the mountains?

Near nightfall. 

Are there other creatures out in this area?

Yes, but they are few. Most of them are predators that would consider you a snack since you are so small.

Are they bigger than you?

No. I am the largest of the creatures in the waters unless you go to the darkest waters that are deep within the subterranean caverns that weave like a labyrinth through the planet.

That was a place you made sure to make a mental note to avoid exploring. The last thing you wanted to run into was something larger than her. Being underwater was odd but also interesting. 

The day wore on, and there was nothing to do or look at. It was more of the same: an empty ocean and a seabed that was now void of any life. You sat back down in the crook where you’d slept the night before. An odd thought began playing through your mind.

Are there scents underwater? How will I know when the scent comes back if I can’t smell it?

Young one, you can smell things underwater. We are just in a place where there are no scents in the water.

You heard me? I meant to keep that one to myself. Sorry.

It’s okay. I’m here to help you. Is that scent what guides you?

Sort of. It’s only taken me to the realm it’s at a couple of times, though. Last time, though, I ended up in the future. I’m hoping I can get back there soon. I miss them.

Miss who, young one?

The brothers. They’re so sweet, and for some reason, they are my mates. Typically, my kind only has one mate, at least in my home world, in the village where I lived. Having two was a very rare thing.

The Aquarins live in small groups within their community. Each group would be a small family, having several mates, as you call them. 

You thought about that and still found having more than one mate somewhat weird. Your parents had told you that it did happen, and it wasn’t something to be shunned. It was usually celebrated when it happened in your village. Although, it hadn’t happened in your lifetime there.

As night fell, you barely saw the light of the moons on the surface of the water, realizing that you were far deeper underwater than you initially thought. In the distance, you could now see small, shimmering lights scattered all over the underwater mountains. It almost reminded you of the lights on Christmas trees from Earth that you’d seen on TV.

You swam up and near Aquanox’s head so you could see better. At least your muscles weren’t as sore as they were earlier, and being close to her made riding the current a little easier. The closer the two of you got, the more things came into view. 

The mountains weren’t desolate of life. There were small plants growing near the shimmering lights. You realized that those were crystalline formations, and they were sharing light with each other. On the top of each of the mountains was one crystalline formation that seemed to gather the light of the moons or the suns. Then, when that crystal shimmered, the others lit up all the way down the mountains.

Around the base of the mountains was a sea of grass that swayed in the gentle current. There wasn’t a lot of animal life here, but occasionally, you’d see things dart in and out of the grasses, their scales shimmering in the shared light.

How much further is it to the Auarins?

Another day or so. They live in a safe area of the sea.

Instead of going toward the mountains, she veered to the right, seeming to catch a faster current. You stayed close to her body, riding the current with her. It reminded you of the turtles from Finding Nemo that you had watched with the brothers.

If we can find more of these currents, our journey will be shorter. They shift and move with the flow of the waters.

I can see how it would make traveling easier.

As the two of you passed the mountain ranges, you thought you caught the sight of something fairly large lurking in the shadows but it had moved too quickly to get a good look at it. You kept your eye on the location as the current took you further away until the mountains were shrinking in the distance behind you.

You’re sure there isn’t anything bigger than you in the area?

There shouldn’t be, but it has happened from time to time when feeding gets scarce in the labyrinth below.

Can you sense other creatures in the waters?

No. My eyesight is impeccable, though.

What happens if something tried to sneak up on you from behind?

The water shifts when things move through it as they attempt an attack. I am swifter than I look, young one. You have nothing to worry about.

Somehow, her words didn’t comfort you. The sheer size of the mountains could easily shelter something larger than Aquanox. You looked one more time at those mountains before focusing on the sea before you. It, too, looked barren for now. A silent sigh left your lips as you floated next to her head, letting the current push you along.

You were trying not to feel bored. At least on your homeworld, there were things to look at. Here, though, there was literally nothing, even after hours traveling along this current. Aquanox had said it was a long journey, but this felt like more than a long journey to you. 

I would have had us travel along the surface so you could enjoy the night but this current is still strong right now.

It’s okay. I’m just not used to there being nothing to even look at. 

We could talk, if you’d like.

You wouldn’t understand anything I shared with you, though. You’ve only ever seen this world.

The pictures in your mind help, though. It was only an offer.

It was better than being bored and stuck in your head. So, you and Aquanox spent the next several hours talking about all sorts of things. You shared your travels with her while she shared hers with you. This particular world was massive, and Aquanox had traveled around it numerous times, in all directions. 

There were even others like her. Some of them lived in small pods of about ten to fifteen. Others were mostly loners like she was. Once they reached a certain age, they went off on their own to have their own adventures and see the world. It had something to do with living their life with their pod, having a family, and then making the choice to explore. Some of her kind even stayed near the Aquarin.

She shared with you that she’d had only two offspring, who were now grown and part of their own pods with offspring of their own. You wanted to ask her how old she was but felt that would be somewhat rude, so you chose not to. 

When she shifted to the left, you stayed close to her, following another underwater current, and this one felt faster than the last one.

If these keep up, we’ll be there in only a few days' time instead of the week it would have taken without them.

Time felt like it passed differently here; the days and nights were far longer than you were used to. Plus, you were really hungry now. You swam back to that crook behind her head and got comfortable, pulling your bag into your lap. That was where you’d put the pouch with the rations from the other worlds you’d visited. 

You paused briefly, finding the pie in your bag, thinking you wanted to be able to eat it without it getting wet so you could truly enjoy the flavor of it. A bubble of sorts appeared around it, so you brought it to your lips, taking a bit. As you savored the flavor, you smiled. At least you could keep things dry in this water world.

So, Aquanox, what do you eat? I only ask because I haven’t seen you eat since I met you.

I prefer the kelp, but there are grasses that are tasty too. I don’t need much, even for as large as I am. Here, many of the sea creatures also get nourishment from the moons’ light.

Is that what the scales are for that appeared on my skin the first day?

Yes, young one. If we were closer to the surface, the light would nourish you. Typically, on long journeys, the creatures travel closer to the surface for a time to feed. I want to take advantage of these currents, though, and can wait to eat.

This world got more and more interesting to you, your mind wandering as you at the pie, missing the brothers again. Part of you wondered if you’d get to meet the Aquarin before the scent came to you again. Although, you’d feel bad for Aquanox making this entire journey with you just for you to leave before meeting them.

Are you okay, young one?

Yeah. I was just worried the scent will come before the end of our journey. I would feel bad.

If it comes, then that was my purpose. To take you to it.

It wouldn’t bother you if I didn’t meet the Aquarin?

No. I like to travel the waters and have not been to this village in a long while. It would be good to visit them again, even if you have to go before that.

Her answer surprised you, but it also relieved you. You never knew when the scent would come, but you had at least learned not to ignore it. After finishing your pie, you ate a few of the berries and grains you had in the pouch before curling up and sleeping in that crook behind her head.

Days passed, but at least some scenery had started coming back, and the two of you were traveling a little closer to the surface. The latest current had stopped shortly after night, so Aquanox had gone to the surface, gently gliding along as you lay on her back, on yours, staring at the stars. 

The night sky was a beautiful tapestry of sparkling colors against the darkness behind them. The moons brightened up the surface of the sea, and you could see a few things jutting up beyond the surface. 

The patches of scales that had appeared on your skin shimmered in the moons’ glow, a feeling of warmth spreading from them and throughout your body. It was an interesting way to get nourishment.

What are the plants that grow above the water?

Using terms you have shared, they are like trees or strong weeds. They have adapted to use the suns’ light to grow stronger. They are also home to unique sea life under the waters.

When will we reach the village?

Near morning, I believe. The currents have brought us far at a quick pace. Currents like that aren’t usually that frequent. I believe you brought them to us.

You chuckled, smiling as you continued watching the stars.

I get powers or abilities for each of the worlds I go to. They seem to be specific for that world and I lose the ones from the prior world. Perhaps I can control sea currents in a way, or perhaps just the water itself.

That would be a very powerful thing. I am thankful you are a good creature. Our entire world is dependent on the sea and its natural flow.

I promise I will be very careful not to mess that up.

You sighed contentedly, staring at the stars, watching the moons, and enjoying how it felt to relax. When the two of you felt full, Aquanox gently descended into the waters, somewhere halfway between the seabed and the surface. You were able to glide along the gentle currents easily now, so you stayed near her head. 

Below you, patches of seagrass were growing. At first, they only speckled the seabed, but then they began growing thicker as other sea plants with shimmering flowers came into view. In the near distance, the waters ahead seemed to shift to deeper blues and greens, but not in a murky way.

You also noticed structures in the near distance, shimmering softly with a kaleidoscope of colors. They seemed to be made out of coral and stone as if the coral had incorporated the stone as part of their home. The way it blended together was a sight to behold. It was beautiful. The way the coral homes were adorned with intricate patters and textures was mesmerizing to watch as the surfaces glowed softly with ambient light.

There was also a massive, dense kelp forest to the right of the village, teaming with sea life. The closer the two of you got, the more you noticed what you could only describe as gardens that were clearly loved and tended to often. The plants themselves looked far more exotic than anything you’d seen thus far on your journey.

The Aquarins were beautiful as well, with how they glided through the water in their daily routines, interacting with each other and even some of the sea life that drifted through the village. Having been submerged in the water for days, you had connected to the realm, and the names of the sea creatures came to your mind.

There were Glowfin Rays reminding you of an Earth creature. Similar to a manta ray, it had large, glowing fins that pulsed with a soft luminescence. They glided effortlessly through the water. Some of the smaller Aquarins were even playing with them.

The Shellback Crustaceans were medium-sized creatures with large, spiral shells adorned with bioluminescent patterns. They moved slowly across the sandy seabed, even avoiding the manicured gardens of the Aquarins.

Your favorite, though, were the Abyssal Seadragons. They looked like a mix of a leafy seahorse from Earth and a leafy seadragon. They had long, slender bodies with intricate, leaf-like appendages that helped them blend seamlessly with the underwater foliage. They moved with a gentle, hypnotic grace, their bodies displaying flashes of vibrant colors.

Aquanox, you’re back!! One of the Aquarins said, swimming over to the two of you as you reached the beginning of their village.

Nerissa, it has been many years. I have come with what is called a Traveler. She is following what her soul seeks.

You were surprised to hear both of their thoughts, which made you contemplate how communication works in this world more than you had initially thought.

A Traveler? Mira will want to meet her. Please, Aquanox, stick around. Others miss you. I will spread the word of your arrival. Come, Traveler.

Thank you, Aquanox, for helping me get here. I hope I’ll get to see you again before I end up in another world.

It was nice to have met you as well, young one.

Nerissa beckoned you to follow her, so you did so, your bag still being pulled behind you, your spear still on your back. The village was beautiful, and all the Aquarin you passed had been staring with utter curiosity about you. You didn’t look like them at all, but you were fish-like, which puzzled them.

Nestled in the center of the village was the simplest little home you’d seen thus far. It reminded you of a little hut with a seagrass roof gently swaying in the current. The door was made of one of the leaves of the large kelp that grew nearby. Nerissa pushed it aside, swimming inside, so you followed.

It was simple inside, with simple sea-made furnishings. Sitting at a small table was an elder looking Aquarin, which you guessed was Mira.

Mira, this is a Traveler. Aquanox brought her here.

Thank you, Mira. Now, go see your friend. I know you have missed her.

You watched Nerissa leave, not having time to thank her. Then you turned to Mira, who motioned for you to sit in the chair opposite her.

Do you have a name, Traveler?

Y/N.

I am Mira, the elder of this village. Many seek the wisdom my years of life have given me. What brings you to our world?

I’m following a scent. It’s what has been guiding me since I turned fifteen. It’s what my soul is seeking. I don’t know why it brought me here, though. I saw this place in a vision once.

That is interesting. Do you know what it is your soul is seeking?

I think it’s brothers, from a place called Earth. The scent is a mix of what they each smell like, sort of. I want to find my way back there. I miss them.

Interesting indeed. You aren’t the first Traveler I’ve met in my life. One of them even stayed here, having found the world their soul had been seeking. 

That surprised you, and you couldn’t hide your curiosity or excitement.

Are they still here? Can I meet them? Can I talk to them?

Slow down. You heard some laughter with her words. They traveled into the labyrinth of caverns below the seabed. He looked like you. Unfortunately, I have not seen him in a great many moons.

You hung your head, ears drooping, and sighed. That would have been helpful, to meet another Traveler and perhaps even learn something about how it all worked. You felt her hand over yours, which had been sitting on the table.

Y/N, how many moons are you?

Sixteen.

You still have traveling to do. This other Traveler I spoke of. He did share that the scent had gotten potent, and he felt as though his soul was being beckoned just before he came here. Then, he said he felt what he could only describe as home when he arrived. He went on many adventures in other realms and even here in this one. Stay with us until the scent beckons you to move on. It is safe in our village.

You looked up at her, still a bit sad but appreciative all the same. 

Thank you. What you’ve told me helps a lot. I still wish I could have met him, though.

Let me show you where you can stay while you are here.

At first, you just watched her as she swam toward the door, then you followed her outside. She had a mesmerizing aura about her as she glided through the water toward another small dwelling in what looked like a quiet little neighborhood.

This is where the single ones live until they find their mates. No one will bother you, and you are welcome to interact with anyone here. The sea creatures are also friendly here, and they love to play.

Thank you again, Mira. I really appreciate this.

She gave you a soft smile before leaving you to settle in. It was a little more spacious than Mira’s dwelling. All of her areas had been in the one room of her little hut. This home had rooms similar to what your home was like. You sighed and untied your bag, setting it on the table before leaning your spear against the wall nearby. Then, you laid down on the couch, which was surprisingly soft.

Now what? I have at least another year before I feel what Mira talked about, and I have no idea how long I’m gonna be here or where I’m going next.

It took you a couple of days to figure out a sense of normal here. The other Aquarins helped you with food that you could eat instead of just getting nourishment from the moons. Some of it was delicious, but there was one berry-looking thing that tasted horrible. That was the Aquarins favorite thing to eat, and you couldn’t understand why.

You enjoyed joining the children, playing with the sea creatures that hung around the village, and even playing tag through the kelp forest or hide-and-seek. The Aquarins gave freely to each other when it came to items. One would make something, and another would need it, so it was given. It was intuitive, and you found it fascinating.

Aquanox stuck around for almost a week, and you made sure to bid her farewell before she continued her journey. You were a bit sad to see her go but understood why she needed to. Some of the children swam with her for a little while, but they didn’t stray too far from the village. It was a heartwarming sight to watch.

One day, two weeks after you’d been there, there was a knock on your door, as it was out of a wooden substance and not just a flap of kelp. Curious, you swam to the door, opening it to see a young adult male Aquarin floating there.

I’ve made you something, Traveler.

He reached out, a blade in his hands that he offered to you. You looked from him to the blade, then back up to him.

But, I have nothing to give you in return.

That is not how it works with us. The sea told me you would need this, so I made it for you. I have no need for such a weapon. The engravings on the blade and hilt are not of this world. I have never seen them before.

You looked back down at the blade, then slowly took it out of his hands. The sheath was beautifully crafted out of fish scale that reminded you almost of leather. You let your fingers glide over the hilt. It was fashioned from a hardened black stone, polished to a smooth finish but retaining its natural texture, lending a comfortable grip with an otherworldly appearance. Its shape was ergonomic, fitting snugly in your hand. The engravings reminding you of things you’d seen in the books at the bunker.

Carefully, you slipped the blade from its sheath, admiring the blackness of the metal that had been used. More Earth engravings adorned the length of the blade, delicate designs that traced patterns of swirling waves, ancient symbols, and interwoven vines. These engravings stood out subtly against the dark metal, adding a touch of elegance to the knife’s deadly form.

It's beautiful.

Thank you. I hope it keeps you safe on your journey, Traveler.

You looked back up at him, I wish I had something…

You then felt goosebumps run down your body and swam back inside your dwelling, grabbed your pouch, and rooted around until you found some of the gem crystals you’d gathered in the crystalline world. You took out five, then swam back outside, holding them in your hand.

These are for you. 

He looked from you and then to the crystal stones, speechless. You chuckled a bit as you took his hand, then carefully let them fall onto his palm. Then, you closed his fingers around the crystal stones.

They are extraordinary. Thank you, Traveler. I will treasure them, always.

And I will do the same with this blade. It is impressive craftsmanship.

He gave you a friendly smile before he left and you went back inside, sitting on the couch, getting a feel for the new knife. Being underwater, it was partially hard to tell how the weight truly felt. It seemed as though it would be evenly balanced. Something interesting: you got the strangest feeling that it would never need to be sharpened.

When you woke that morning in the middle of the third week, you felt an odd pull to explore the kelp forest. You gathered up your things, then went to Mira’s hut. 

Yes, Traveler?

You pushed open the kelp flap that was her door and swam inside.

I think it might be time. The pull is different here.

Oh?

Well, uh… I felt the urge to go to the kelp forest just outside of the village.

Then, I wish you well on your journey and I am grateful to have gotten to meet you.

Thank you again for all your hospitality.

She swam over and hugged you, which you returned, even giving her a friendly smile before you swam out and above the village. Several of the Aquarins waved to you as you swam by. This place was so peaceful, and you were thankful you hadn’t gotten any urge to go anywhere near the caverns under the seabed.

The tiny orbs that dotted the stalks of the kelp were beautiful. When the light hit them from above, they shimmered in the colors of the rainbow. Several small groups of Abyssal Seadragons played among the leaves as you swam into the kelp forest. You weren’t quite sure what you were looking for yet, but you could still feel that pull. 

As a gentle current brushed past your face, you smelt it, the scent you’d been following. Smelling something underwater was an odd sensation, as it was more of a taste than a smell. You swam with the current, which was taking you toward the surface. It being daytime, you were partially worried about what Aquanox had said about how hot the sun was here. 

You were determined, though, as you slowly followed it, closer and closer to the surface. Before long, you reached the top of the kelp forest, then the surface of the water, and that was when everything changed around you, even if you were still in a body of water. The scene stretched out in front of you made your eyes widen in utter awe. ----------------------------------------- Chapter 10 - Levithar Labyrinth

Link to the series Masterlist.

A/N: If you'd like to get in on the Dimensional Traveling, go to this link and leave me with a comment, or several, with as much or as little detail about the dimension you'd like the Traveler to end up in. If you'd like to have something specific happen, share that too. I'll make sure that you get credit for the idea you shared in the chapter in which your dimension is featured. I'd love to have as many readers involved as possible. I think this could be a lot of fun.

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Tag List: @littlemadamred @mxltifxnd0m @foxyjwls007

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Fish of the Day

Today's fish of the day is the shovelnose guitarfish!

The shovelnose guitarfish, scientific name Pseudobatos productus, is a common ray. Named for the guitar-like shape of their body and the particularly pointed nose, this fish can be found along the Pacific coast. From San Francisco, to the gulf of California, and possibly as low as Mazatlan, Mexico. These fish live in subtropical-temperate regions spending their time along the sea bed and away from large animals. TFound around rocky reefs and soft or sandy bottomed areas, the depth range is anywhere from 1-91 meters, but they prefer to live 1-13meters.

The diet of the shovelnose guitarfish is dependent on their benthic lifestyle, as animals living exclusively on the seabed. They prey on crabs, worms, clams, and small fishes also living along the seafloor. During the day this fish lies in wait until prey comes close enough to it, at which point it will lunge out swallowing prey whole. But, during the night the shovelnose guitarfish actively hunts the sea floor, looking for unsuspecting animals. They tend to hide during the day as they are regularly predated on by seals, sharks, whales and large fish.

Some of the more interesting biological realities of the shovelnose guitarfish is in the gills and eyes. The gills are particularly delicate, and as such this guitarfish pumps water in through spiracle holes on the top of the head, running water over the gills. Filtering through the openings and out. This allows them easy breathing despite their stationary ways hiding on the sand. On the other hand, the eyes of the shovelnose are more extensive than most other cartilaginous fishes, as they have many larger than average projections connected into the brain. This gives them a better ability to see than most rays and sharks.

Shovelnose guitarfish give birth to live young, as embryos will feed on the yolk of the egg within the womb. Breeding takes place in shallow bays and estuaries, and after this gestation will take anywhere between 10-12 months. Then, they'll give birth to anywhere between 6-28 pups, and are born during the pupping season of June-October, in the same shallow water breeding takes place in. At their full adult size, they'll get as large as 1.7meters in length, just around the time they reach sexual maturity. These fish will sexually mature by 7-8 years old, and only live around 11-16 years, living through anywhere from 3-9 breeding seasons.

That is the shovelnose guitarfish, have a wonderful day!