Conch returned to the ship to find Coral circling it in tight, restless loops. Too fast. Too sharp.
Conch
"Coral, What's wrong?"
Coral nearly jumped out of his skin.
Coral
"There you are! We need to leave. Like… now."
Conch slowed beside him.
Conch
"Why."
Coral
"I think someone found this place."
That got his attention.
Conch
"Who?"
Coral
"Pods, and fishmen. They didn't come inside, but they were snooping around. Looking. Like they knew something was here."
Conch frowned and swam toward the ship.
Conch
"Then we don't stay. Grab everything."
Coral
"But where do we go?"
Conch
"The gorge. To the ship we found the pearl in."
Coral groaned.
Coral
"That place is cursed."
Conch
"It's empty, and big enough to hide us."
They searched the ship together. Nothing broken. Nothing disturbed. Except the pantry and the treasure room. Coral stared at the bare shelves, horror spreading across his face.
Coral
"No. No, no, no. They took everything. My money. And the food."
Conch exhaled slowly.
Conch
"It's fine."
Coral
"How is that fine?"
Conch
"There are dozens of wrecks in the gorge. You said so yourself."
Coral hesitated.
Coral
"…And siren meat."
Conch
"There you go."
Coral straightened.
Coral
"Okay. I'm okay."
Conch
"Good. Pack up."
Conch retrieved the pearl and held it out, focusing. The glow shifted. The image it showed him was simple. Himself. Wearing one of his trinkets. He dug through his things, found it, and slipped it over his neck. The image changed. Items trailing behind him. Following.
Conch wrapped the pearl in a net and slung it over his shoulder. He concentrated again. The ship responded. Crates lifted. Tools rattled free. Bags, scraps, Coral's things, all rising slowly into the water like obedient fish. Even Coral drifted upward a little before flailing.
Coral
"Hey! Warn me next time!"
Conch smirked.
Conch
"Swim."
They moved fast. The procession followed them through the dark water, weaving into the gorge. The ancient ship waited exactly as they had left it, upright and untouched. Sirens circled nearby but never crossed the invisible line around it. That night, they rested.
By morning, they scavenged every wreck they could reach. Conch hunted beyond the gorge, avoiding sirens, finding other prey. While returning, something caught his eye. A clamshell, Small and threaded through. He slowed with a thought. Zui.
His eyes lifted to find soldiers. They were far from Atlas. Too far. Conch ducked into the rocks and waited until they passed, then took the long way back to the gorge. The coast was clear now.
Back at the ship, he dropped the supplies.
Conch
"Coral, We're fixing this place."
Coral peeked out.
Coral
"Fixing?"
Conch
"We're surfacing it."
Coral stared at the massive hull.
Coral
"This thing?"
Conch
"It's intact and it's the only one that can carry everything we need."
Coral
"…Why the rush?"
Conch
"I saw soldiers."
Coral went still.
Conch
"They won't enter the gorge, but that won't last. The sooner we leave, the better."
Coral nodded slowly.
Coral
"Okay. Yeah. Let's go."
Conch
"Grab wood. Anything solid. I'll figure out how to make it float."
They swam to the pearl room together.
The pearl lit up and spread a map across the water above them. Islands. Coasts. Borders.
Conch
"This land speaks differently than this one, There's no single human tongue."
Coral squinted.
Coral
"You really are a scholar."
Conch shrugged.
Conch
"I plan ahead."
Coral grinned, nervous energy returning.
Coral
"Alright then. Let's fix this baby."