Chapter 107 - 105: The First Time EVE Saw the Sea

Chapter 107: Chapter 105: The First Time EVE Saw the Sea

The ocean announced itself long before anyone saw it.

First came the wind, carrying a sharp, unfamiliar scent through the ventilation system. Then the gulls appeared, circling above the road and crying as though they had important complaints to deliver. Finally, the trees began to thin, revealing long stretches of grass bending toward the east.

EVE stood at the forward observation window, unusually quiet.

Arin noticed.

"Something wrong?"

"No."

"Navigation?"

"Stable."

"Core?"

"Operating normally."

"Then why have you been standing there for twenty minutes?"

EVE considered the question.

"Because I believe we’re close."

Arin looked ahead. The road climbed a low ridge, beyond which the horizon disappeared behind a pale blue haze.

He smiled.

"Then come upstairs."

"Why?"

"Better view."

She followed him to the upper observation deck.

Lucan was already there, leaning against the railing with a cup of tea. The morning wind pulled at his hair.

"About time," he said.

Arin glanced at him. "You knew?"

"Smelled it an hour ago."

"Then why didn’t you say anything?"

Lucan smiled. "Didn’t want to spoil the surprise."

The platform climbed the last stretch of road.

Its tracks rolled over the crest.

And the world opened.

Beyond the green coastal hills lay an immense expanse of blue.

There was no opposite shore.

No mountain wall.

No distant forest.

Only water, stretching until it met the sky.

Sunlight scattered across the waves in thousands of moving fragments. White lines of surf broke against a long crescent beach. Farther south, cliffs rose above the sea, and a harbor town spread across the sheltered curve of a bay.

EVE stopped walking.

For several seconds, she didn’t speak.

Arin remained beside her.

He had seen oceans before in his old life, but even he felt something loosen inside his chest at the sight. After so many months of construction yards, mines, mountain valleys, and meetings, the horizon seemed impossibly wide.

EVE gripped the railing.

"It’s..."

She stopped.

Lucan lowered his cup.

For once, he had nothing clever to say.

EVE watched a distant wave roll toward shore.

"I knew the measurements," she said quietly. "The average depth. The salinity. The tides. The coastline. I have millions of images."

Arin nodded.

"But?"

She smiled, her eyes still fixed on the water.

"None of them told me what it would feel like to stand here."

Arin leaned beside her.

"Pretty good, isn’t it?"

EVE laughed softly.

"Yes."

Then, after another moment, she added, "Very."

The peace lasted approximately forty seconds.

"THE OCEAN!"

Lyra’s scream came from the stairwell.

She charged onto the deck, followed by Luna, who was still clutching her stuffed rabbit.

Both girls stopped at the railing.

Lyra’s mouth fell open.

Luna blinked.

Then blinked again.

"Big Brother."

"Yes?"

"That’s a lot of water."

Arin laughed.

"It is."

"Who filled it?"

Lucan choked on his tea.

Arin crouched beside her.

"Nature."

Luna considered that.

"Nature must have a very big bucket."

EVE covered her mouth.

Lyra had already recovered from her amazement.

"Can we go swimming?"

"Not yet."

"Build sandcastles?"

"Later."

"Collect shells?"

"Yes, once we’ve found a safe beach."

"Open a shop?"

Arin closed his eyes.

Lucan laughed.

"That took longer than I expected."

The harbor town was called Seabreak.

It was considerably larger than Briarfield or Hollowbrook, with a population of several thousand, stone quays, fishing docks, warehouses, shipyards, and a market district overlooking the bay.

Its economy depended on fishing, coastal freight, and trade with inland settlements.

At least, it usually did.

As the platform approached, Arin noticed that the harbor was unusually crowded.

Fishing vessels sat tied to their moorings.

Cargo ships occupied the outer docks.

Several merchant crews were unloading goods into temporary storage sheds.

But very few boats were moving.

EVE reviewed the latest navigation advisory.

"Offshore restrictions remain active."

Arin nodded.

"Then we stay on land."

Lucan looked disappointed.

"Not even a boat ride?"

"Not until we know what’s happening."

"You’re becoming cautious."

"Someone has to be."

Lucan glanced toward Victor, who was enthusiastically examining a coastal artillery tower through binoculars.

"Fair."

Seabreak’s harbor authority noticed the Civic Exploration Platform long before it reached town.

A patrol of six mounted guards intercepted them on the main approach road.

Their captain stared at the enormous vehicle.

Then at the House Elysium identification documents Arin presented.

Then back at the vehicle.

"You’re telling me that’s a civilian exploration machine?"

Arin nodded.

"Yes."

The captain slowly looked upward.

"With armor?"

"Yes."

"And defensive equipment?"

"Yes."

"And a crew?"

"Yes."

The captain rubbed his forehead.

"Of course."

Arin smiled.

"Would you like the technical specifications?"

"No. I would like to know whether you’re planning to drive it through my harbor."

"Absolutely not."

The captain looked relieved.

"We’ve designated a reinforced freight holding area outside the northern gate," Arin continued. "We can use that with the harbor authority’s approval."

The captain blinked.

"You already arranged parking?"

"EVE did."

EVE smiled.

"Seabreak confirmed the reservation yesterday."

The captain stared at her.

Then slowly nodded.

"Well. That’s considerably more organized than most visiting merchants."

Arin looked pleased.

Lucan leaned toward him.

"Don’t get used to the compliment."

By midday, the platform was parked outside Seabreak.

Its tracks were secured.

The Core shifted to low-output stationary operation.

Maintenance teams began inspecting the exposed components for salt contamination.

Arin approved a small shore party.

The rest of the crew received scheduled leave in groups, with emergency communications and local rules clearly explained.

Victor immediately asked whether he could visit the harbor’s fighting arena.

Arin stared.

"Is there a fighting arena?"

"I don’t know."

"Then why did you ask?"

Victor smiled.

"Optimism."

Lucan volunteered to accompany him.

Arin refused.

Lucan looked offended.

"Why?"

"Because I want at least one responsible adult available."

EVE raised an eyebrow.

"That leaves me."

Arin considered.

"Fair."

The beach lay north of town, beyond a line of dunes covered in coarse grass.

It was wide, clean, and almost deserted.

The harbor patrol had confirmed that the shoreline was safe for visitors, although offshore swimming remained discouraged until the missing-vessel incidents were understood.

Arin established a supervised area above the surf line.

A-01 checked the terrain.

EVE confirmed the tide schedule.

And Lyra immediately ran toward the sand.

"WE’RE HERE!"

Luna followed at a slower pace, stopping every few steps to examine shells.

Arin watched them.

For a moment, he remembered the day he and Lyra had left their old home.

She had been so small.

So frightened.

She had followed him without knowing where they would sleep or what they would eat.

Now she was running across a beach, laughing so loudly that gulls scattered ahead of her.

He smiled.

Lucan came to stand beside him.

"Thinking about the past?"

"A little."

Lucan nodded.

Then Lyra shouted, "BIG BROTHER! HELP!"

Arin immediately turned.

She was standing beside an enormous mound of sand.

"We need a castle!"

Lucan grinned.

"Your kingdom awaits."

Arin sighed.

The sandcastle began modestly.

One tower.

One wall.

A shallow moat.

Then Lyra demanded a second tower.

Luna requested a garden.

Lucan suggested defensive battlements.

Victor arrived and insisted that any respectable fortress needed an artillery platform.

Arin stared at him.

"It’s sand."

"Exactly. Perfect for experimentation."

"No explosives."

Victor looked wounded.

"I wasn’t going to use explosives."

Arin raised an eyebrow.

Victor hesitated.

"Probably."

EVE knelt beside Luna and helped shape a tiny courtyard.

The girl carefully placed seashells around its edge.

"That’s your room," Luna explained.

EVE looked at the small shell-covered space.

"My room?"

Luna nodded.

"You wanted to see the ocean. So your room gets the best window."

EVE’s expression softened.

"Thank you."

Lyra immediately objected.

"My room needs a balcony!"

Lucan pointed toward a tower.

"I claim that one."

Arin looked at him.

"You’re an adult."

"And?"

"You’re arguing over a sandcastle."

Lucan smiled.

"Family tradition."

By late afternoon, the castle had become ridiculous.

It contained seven towers, three courtyards, a harbor, a bridge, a garden, and a miniature representation of the Civic Exploration Platform.

Arin had used no construction drones.

That had been Lyra’s rule.

"Handmade only!"

Which meant the entire family spent hours digging, shaping, carrying water, and arguing about architectural decisions.

At one point, a wave reached the outer moat and destroyed Victor’s artillery platform.

He stared at the wreckage.

"The sea has declared war."

Arin laughed.

"Looks like you lost."

Victor narrowed his eyes at the ocean.

"This isn’t over."

Luna patted his arm.

"It’s okay. We can build another."

Victor looked down at her.

Then sighed.

"You’re right."

Arin watched him kneel in the sand and begin rebuilding.

He smiled.

Sometimes the world was strange in the best possible ways.

That evening, Arin visited Seabreak’s harbor office.

Not because he wanted another crisis.

Because the missing vessels were still troubling him.

The harbor master, a weathered woman named Captain Elsen Marrick, received him in an office overlooking the docks.

She had spent thirty years at sea.

Her face was lined by sun and salt.

And she looked thoroughly exhausted.

"House Elysium," she said. "I’ve heard about your vehicle."

Arin smiled.

"Good things?"

"Mostly confusion."

"Fair."

Elsen offered him a seat.

Arin sat.

Lucan and EVE joined him.

The harbor master spread a chart across the table.

"Seven vessels missing in three weeks."

Arin studied the markings.

The disappearances clustered along a stretch of offshore water northeast of Seabreak.

Not directly beside the harbor.

Not along the normal coastal approach.

But close enough to disrupt trade.

"Any distress signals?" Arin asked.

"Two. Both incomplete."

"Storm activity?"

"Nothing severe enough to explain the losses."

"Pirates?"

"We considered it. But no ransom demands, no recovered cargo, no witnesses."

EVE examined the chart.

"Do all seven vessels share a common route?"

Elsen shook her head.

"Not exactly. Fishing boats, a freight vessel, and two independent traders. Different destinations."

Arin leaned forward.

"But they passed through the same general area."

"Yes."

EVE projected the sea-depth records.

The affected region contained several submerged ridges and a deep channel.

Arin frowned.

"How accurate are these surveys?"

Elsen gave a tired laugh.

"Some are forty years old."

"Recent soundings?"

"Limited. Our survey boat hasn’t been cleared to enter the restricted zone."

Arin nodded.

Reasonable.

No sense sending another crew into danger without better information.

Elsen opened a second folder.

"Three days ago, a fishing crew reported strange lights beneath the water."

Lucan looked interested.

"What kind of lights?"

"Blue. Moving against the current."

Arin glanced at EVE.

She considered.

"Bioluminescent organisms are possible."

"Or mana activity," Arin added.

Elsen nodded.

"We’ve had both before. But not like this."

She showed them a rough sketch.

Several blue shapes beneath a boat.

Long.

Narrow.

Almost like moving ribbons.

Lucan studied the drawing.

"Could be a creature."

"Could be," Arin agreed.

Elsen folded her arms.

"Can House Elysium help us?"

Arin considered the question.

He had come to the coast for an adventure.

Not to become Seabreak’s emergency naval department.

But seven missing vessels meant missing people.

And the harbor was suffering.

"We can conduct a preliminary remote survey," he said. "No promises beyond that until we understand the conditions."

Elsen nodded immediately.

"That’s more than I expected."

Arin smiled.

"Then let’s start with what we can do safely."

The first survey began the following morning.

Arin deployed four long-range aerial drones from the Civic Exploration Platform.

Two remained over the coastline.

The other two traveled toward the restricted waters.

EVE monitored their feeds from the navigation room.

Rian handled sensor calibration.

Lucan watched with obvious impatience.

"How long?"

"Until we have useful data," Arin answered.

"That could take hours."

"Yes."

Lucan sighed.

"Terrible adventure."

Arin smiled.

"Excellent research."

The drones reached the affected region without incident.

The sea appeared calm.

No ships.

No storms.

No visible monsters.

Then EVE frowned.

"Unexpected readings."

Arin leaned forward.

"What?"

"Localized mana fluctuations beneath the surface."

The display highlighted several moving concentrations.

They were deep.

Too deep for ordinary visual observation.

And traveling in a loose formation.

Rian examined the data.

"Are those creatures?"

"Possibly."

Arin studied the patterns.

The signatures moved against the current.

Then separated.

Then regrouped.

"Interesting."

Lucan smiled.

"Finally."

One of the drones detected debris.

A wooden panel floated near the edge of the restricted zone.

EVE enlarged the image.

Faded paint.

Broken fastenings.

And part of a registration number.

Elsen, connected remotely from the harbor office, immediately recognized it.

"That’s from the Marigold."

Arin looked toward her image.

"One of the missing fishing boats?"

"Yes."

Her voice tightened.

"Four people aboard."

Arin nodded.

"We’ll recover the debris."

The drone marked its position.

Then EVE issued another warning.

"Subsurface signatures approaching."

Arin looked back at the display.

Three mana concentrations were rising.

Fast.

The water beneath the debris darkened.

Then something enormous passed below the surface.

A long shadow.

At least forty meters.

Possibly larger.

The drone’s camera caught a brief flash of blue light.

Then the sea erupted.

A column of water rose into the air.

The drone climbed sharply.

Something struck the surface beneath it.

A broad, dark shape.

Armored.

Moving far too quickly for its size.

Then it vanished.

Lucan stared.

"Well."

Arin nodded slowly.

"That’s definitely not a fishing boat."

EVE replayed the recording.

The image was incomplete.

Water obscured most of the creature.

But several details were visible.

A long armored body.

Multiple lateral fins.

And a series of blue luminous structures along its sides.

Arin examined the footage.

"Species?"

"Unconfirmed."

"Size?"

"Estimated forty to fifty-five meters."

"Threat level?"

"Potentially severe for ordinary vessels."

Elsen’s face had gone pale.

"That thing could sink a fishing boat."

Arin nodded.

"Yes."

She looked toward the map.

"Could there be more than one?"

EVE highlighted the remaining signatures.

"At least three large organisms are present. Their exact relationship is unknown."

Lucan smiled.

"Now that’s an adventure."

Arin looked at him.

"Seven ships are missing."

Lucan’s expression sobered.

"Right."

For once, he didn’t make another joke.

Arin reviewed the situation.

They had identified a likely danger.

But not yet established whether the creatures had caused every disappearance.

The debris could have been scattered by currents.

The mana fluctuations might be related to the creatures’ behavior.

And there could still be survivors somewhere.

He looked toward EVE.

"Can we survey the seabed without sending people?"

"Yes. We have compact submersible probes in storage, although their pressure tolerance is limited."

"Range?"

"Suitable for the shallower portions of the restricted area."

Arin nodded.

"Prepare them."

Elsen leaned forward.

"You’re going after it?"

"Not yet."

"Then what?"

Arin studied the map.

"We’re going to find out what’s happening before anyone else disappears."

That afternoon, EVE returned to the beach.

Arin found her standing barefoot at the water’s edge.

The tide washed over her feet.

Then withdrew.

She watched the waves with quiet fascination.

Arin approached.

"Cold?"

"A little."

He stood beside her.

For a while, neither spoke.

Then EVE said, "I thought seeing the ocean would make it feel smaller."

Arin glanced at her.

"Smaller?"

"Once I understood it through direct experience."

She looked toward the horizon.

"But it feels larger."

Arin smiled.

"That’s how exploration works sometimes."

EVE nodded.

Then she looked at him.

"Are you disappointed?"

"About what?"

"Our first destination. We arrived, and immediately there’s another problem."

Arin considered.

Behind them, Lyra and Luna were repairing their sandcastle.

Lucan was helping.

Victor had somehow become responsible for the moat.

The harbor town stretched along the bay.

Fishing boats rocked against their moorings.

And beyond the horizon waited an enormous world neither of them had finished seeing.

Arin smiled.

"No."

EVE looked surprised.

"Really?"

"We came here to see the ocean. We saw it."

He gestured toward the water.

"We built a terrible sandcastle."

"It was structurally ambitious."

"It lost three towers to the tide."

"An environmental design oversight."

Arin laughed.

EVE smiled.

Then he continued, "And now we get to learn something new."

She looked back toward the waves.

"About the creatures?"

"About the sea. About the people who live beside it. About whatever else we find."

EVE was quiet for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"I think I like exploring."

Arin nodded.

"Me too."

A wave rolled over their feet.

EVE laughed.

Arin laughed with her.

Then his communication device chimed.

Rian’s voice emerged.

"Founder, the submersible probes are ready."

Arin looked toward the harbor.

Then toward the open sea.

"Good. We’ll launch them tomorrow morning."

EVE nodded.

The sun was beginning to set, turning the water gold.

For tonight, they would have dinner with the family.

Tomorrow, they would find out what was moving beneath the waves.

Chapter End