Playing tag among the turtles is Kiro and the little fish. Both of them giggle and laugh up a storm as they dart from turtle to turtle chasing one another. Kiro finds the experience of swimming to be joyous and overly exciting. She shakes from the inside out, uncontrollably, smiling so hard her face ached.

Trailing a bit behind them are Raven and Allishea. 

Allishea keeps her eyes upward towards the sky, or what might be considered a sky so far down. There are no clouds, or stars, not even a sun or moon to tell time. Just a strange white-blue surface striking down rays of yellowish-white light. Turmoils on the surface push grey foam downwards only to have them rush back up and shoved right back down. Her concerns range from worry to fear, to protectiveness. She cannot use magic down here, and this world's danger is foreign to her. How is she to keep Lady Kiro safe?

Just in front of her, Raven looks downward. His vision is able to pierce the black veil. However, he doesn't see a floor or an ending to the darkness. Just this, emptiness that continues on and on. He swears that there's something in that darkness, watching them...   

"Hurry up you two! We are getting close to the ship!" Kiro shouts waving her arms wildly from ontop of the largest sea turtle. She turns towards the fish, "What's the story behind this haunted ship!" 

The little fish seems to smile, bouncing up and down in front of Kiro's face. "Oh oh, the story! It starts long long ago! Just before I kind of woke up of sorts. Let's see, I guess... the best way to start this story is to greet the Old God of the Sea!" it nods downwards, "It still lives down there, always watching and waiting." 

"God of the sea!?" Kiro let's out a small little sound, leaning over the side to look far down. "Will it hurt us?"

"Not as long as I am here. The sea god's title is Mernia! It's a terrifying creature said to have many limbs, and many tails, and many eyes! With so many of these many it's impossible to know for sure. It's said that opening an eye can create storms! The movement of its limbs can make a hurricane! If it's tail happens to twitch a tsunami occurs." 

Raven and Allishea arrive. Allishea is a bit to preoccupied and worried to pay much attention to the story. Raven pretends to not listen when he is curiously absorbing all the fish's words.

"The ship we are about to enter was called 'Guiding Light.' I don't remember my captain's name, it faded over the years. But he was a kind man, huge with strong muscles and an amazing brilliant red beard! I always wanted  to grow one too, but that's impossible for me." He giggles spinning, "I'm a fish!" 

He turns back, "We are really close! See down there!" 

Down a few hundred feet down, is a rather large ship, about the size of a cruise ship. Its hull has been caved in, as something snapped it in half. The marine life has claimed it as their own land. Green algae bloom a new floor, and several stands of seaweed grow up into a new flag. The crew that wanders around are all fishes of various sizes and shapes. 

Kiro stares in pure childlike wonder, "This is the haunted ship," She gasps breathlessly. 

"It's haunted for sure! I mean, look at it! It screams ghosts!" The fish laughs, swimming in circles, "Oh do be careful you two!" It shouts towards the two stragglers. "If you aren't close to me, they may think you are food."

'They' appear quick as light. Shark-like creatures, invisible until the last second, when they tilt their heads downwards revealing their battering ram-like forehead. They have rows and rows of teeth and spikes that flare up along their back. With a quick slice of water two sharks bullrush Raven and Allishea. 

"Oopps," the fish giggles, while Kiro lets out a warning, "Behind you!" 

Allishea notices at the last second, doing some water summersault landing lightly on one of them. One hand goes for the horned forehead, while the other lightly touches the creature's gills. It flairs, but Allishea smoothes back the sharper of the spines, avoiding harm. 

Raven is not so lucky, he notices a second too late. Several choice words escape his bubbling screaming roar, as it slams hard into his side. Raven slams his tail several times into its side, until the shark creature gave up, tossing him aside and escaping. Allishea's shark wanted to go too, but she kept a firm hold on it for a bit longer before letting it go. 

Allishea got off scape-free, but Raven's got a few scales dislodged and a slow light stream of red coming from his sides. 

Kiro swims as quickly as she can up to them, "Are you both alright?!" Tentatively she touches Raven's injuries, "This looks ok... I think." 

Allishea grabs Kiro's hands, "We are fine, my lady. Are you unharmed?" 

Kiro lets out a nervous sad chuckle, "Um, I wasn't the one in danger." She returns her concern to Raven, "Are you in pain?" 

Raven grumbles, "It'll take a lot more than some stupid sharks to kill me."

"I'm so glad you made it alive!" The fish, maybe sarcastically, cheers. 

Raven swiftly snatches the little fish, tugging at its head and tail, "You could have warned us!" 

"Waaaa, the fun in that! Och och och!" 

Kiro saves the fish from him, "Will there be more sharks down there?"

"Those guys? Oh yes, in fact, this is their territory. Usually, we'd see all ten of them, but they like to avoid me when they can. Those two were really young, so they haven't yet learned to avoid me. If I get serious I can be pretty strong!" It leads them closer and closer to the ship getting visibly brighter. "Oh oh, let's go to the captain's quarters!"

They head in, stopping at a rusted door, slightly ajar. "Oh, I'll go in first!" The fish cheers, slipping in.

 It takes all three of them to shove open the door, a wave of rusty dust floating in a huge puffy cloud. Inside, it's the largest of the rooms, with a bed hanging on one side, now more of a crab hotel. Several expensive-looking boxes and bookcases are torn and rotting, the metal coverings a crusty brown. The books that were here, are no longer readable, or even there, except for a few scraps of leather. At a rocky desk, is the only skeleton they've seen. It doesn't have clothes or anything remarkable about it like jewelry or some mysterious glow. Maybe except for the fact, it's a pristine and clean white gem. 

The little fish circles it, checking for any spots, and if it found one, took a quick cleaning peck. 

Kiro asks, "Do you come here often?" She floats to the ceiling and the sides, looking for some secret door to treasure. 

"Oh, yes. I come at least once a week. All to give thanks to the captain for bringing me here."  

"What happened to him? To you?" Kiro asks hesitantly, not sure if she was crossing a line or not. It's hard to tell with a fish. 

The little fish lets out a small laugh, this time lonely and solemn. It swims around its captain's head saying in a melodramatic way, "There was war in a faraway land, about what or between who I don't remember or care. I just know it drove away my captain and all his family and friends. Captain wanted to find a safe new home for us all. He adventured far and wide, here and there, always taking me with him. When he finally found the perfect island. He returned to his homeland, with stories of golden-leafed trees that bleed milk. And fish that's as sweet as fruit. Everyone left with him... they're the people who play with me. The ones on the island there. I love them all, for they are the people my captain loved. His children's children, and theirs too. I protect them, from Mernia... the one..." The little fish stops and slowly lies on the captain's head. "The last trip, he took everyone to safety, but Mernia was in a mood that day. She moved a limb, towards the ship. Captain knew that everyone would die, so he asked me. His little pet fish, to guides his people to land. While he distracts the god of the sea." 

Raven stops the story, "Wait you were originally a fish!" 

"What else would I be!" The little fish exclaimed. "Did you think I was a human? How silly of you, no human can be true fish like a fish can." 

Kiro waves him away, "Finish the story please!"

The fish suddenly in a good mood finishes his story. "I let the humans to land, but my captain fell... I was a touch angry...." It looks away side-eyed, "And I may have... challenged Mernia... and became the new Sea God!" 

"Wait, tell us how you defeated Mernia!" Kiro begged.

The little fish pecked Kiro's cheek, "Maybe next time." It swims in a circle, "On my captain's birthday, I tell his story to his guests. I want to thank you all for celebrating it with me." 

"Oh, well happy birthday captain," Kiro sings, "Is there any gift we can give him?"

"Just your company is enough for him. Wanna go to the sea turtle cave? I'm sure it would have been his favorite place." 

"Let's go!" Kiro cheers, the two darting out, eager for their next adventure. 

Allishea and Raven stayed behind. 

Raven crossed his arms, "You believe the thing?"

Allishea shrugs, "Whether or not its story is but a delusion, does not change the fact it is indeed the god of the sea. And I believe it is best we stay on its good side."

Raven huffs, "We followed it all the way here, and not a drop of gold in sight." He starts for the door, "Let's catch up before we become shark food."

Allishea stays a bit longer bowing her head low, "May you rest in peace."