Deepwoken: Divers

Promotion: Mission Accomplished

"Huh.. Like this?" Faust said as he performed various handsigns before placing down a graceful flame with a similar healing aura.
Gwen smiled. "Yeah, exactly!"
Faust smirked. "I'm just THAT good! First try!"
The group sat down, healing up. Pakki looked at Colt and Gwen. "What.. Happened to you guys?"
Gwen blushed, and Colt responded. "I'd... Rather not talk about it."
Pakki nodded. "Alright, alright... Got it."
Colt looked at the flame for a moment. "We still need to find that cave..."
Gwen finished his sentence. "..With the umbrite."
Pakki sighed. "How are we EVER going to find that thing? We have like- NO directions, it could be ANYWHERE!"
Gwen leaned back, looking up at the rays of sunshine coming in from the surface. "Yeah, it's.. Not gonna be easy..."
"It probably isn't even that big of a cave, how are we even expected to find i-" Pakki further complained, before Faust interrupted him.
"You mean that cave over there?" He pointed past the corpses of the monsters he fought.
Gwen and Pakki both jumped up. "HUH?! HOW DID YOU--"
Faust shrugged, smirking. "Found it when I was fighting them."

The four of them entered the cave, seeing a few chunks of umbrite still left. Faust collected the umbrite while the others stood guard.
Pakki was set in the further side of the cave entrance, while Gwen and Colt stayed together.
"How did you know there was a spear there..?" Gwen asked.
"I... Didn't. I just acted on impulse..." Colt answered.
"Well... You'll have to put it to good use..." Gwen said. "...When we're leaving to the surface that is."
Colt looked at Gwen. "You really...?"
She smiled. "Yeah... It sounds like a great idea."

Faust yelled out from deeper. "Alright, we can go!"
Colt and Gwen left first, whilst Pakki waited for Faust. "I'm happy for them..." Pakki said. "Heh, I remember we bet on who would have a partner first..."
Faust smirked as they walked out the cave. "What, you wanna kiss?"
Pakki narrowed his eyes. "...I have no idea how I survived 17 years of training with you..."

Once they returned, Faust turned in all the 'loot' from the monsters. Lionfish scales, the hide of a Megalodaunt and a crimson claw to the amazement of his fellow divers.
Gossip started around him - some didn't believe it. Could one guy really kill so many things on his first mission, let alone with 0 casualties?

Once home safe and sound, in the night, Pakki approached Nathan. "Sir... Why'd you tell me not to use my magic?" He asked.
Nathan sighed, staring at him for a moment. "...Because you use Shadowcast."
Pakki tilted his head. "Shadowcast..."
Nathan stared at him still. "Shadowcast is... Taboo. It's used exclusively by the Ministry - which seeks to sink the surface into the Depths. If you use it outside the walls of Castle Light, you'll be killed by those who think you're a part of them."
Pakki looked back. "The Ministry? Why... Would anyone ever join them?"
"To become gods." Nathan replied blankly.
"To become gods by... Murdering people? Murdering nature itself?"
"Some people will do anything to obtain such a power..." Nathan responded, still unblinking.

The doubters would be shut up, as throughout the next 4 missions, Faust would come back with more each time - and zero casualties every time. With each mission, the group would improve - Colt created strategies, Gwen learned to create wisps with flames and Faust's flames turned blue from sheer power alone. However, Pakki didn't seem to improve - he'd have to be saved almost every mission. Now, the time has come for Faust's final trial - he'd have to hunt down a nautilodaunt for it's odd tentacle in order to become a black diver.

Pakki was staring out towards the bridge from his room shared with Faust.
Faust walked up to him. "Yo... You good?"
Pakki had his necklace in his hand. "Yeah... I swear I'll be more useful from now on..."
Faust shrugged. "You're doing fine..."
Pakki looked out into the distance. "Not to my own standards... I'll just work harder."

The next day, the four divers ventured out deeper than ever before. They approached the giant city of Celtor.
"Mark my words, one day I'll go up to the top of that tower..." Pakki said. "...And leave this place for good."
Gwen smiled. "Right along with us..."
They walked into the city, Faust leading them, even though he himself had no idea where to go.
There were giant towers of houses, districts full with stands all looking so alive yet so dead.
As Faust turned a corner, he came face to face with a king thresher.