THE SHADOWS OF ABYSS: THE SHATTERED REFLECTION

Chapter 3: Beneath the Surface

The Calm Before the Storm

The dawn came shrouded in a heavy mist, blanketing the sea and casting an eerie stillness over Eldermere's harbor. Clara stood at the edge of the dock, the cold wind biting at her cheeks as she gazed out at the water. The boat bobbed gently in the gray light, awaiting the journey that would take them to the site of the Albatross wreck. Despite the calm, a knot of tension had lodged itself in Clara's chest, one that no amount of steady breathing could shake.

Nate arrived shortly after, his pack slung over his shoulder, filled with maps, tools, and notes for the dive. He looked pale, his usually cheerful demeanor replaced with a nervous edge.

"You ready?" Clara asked, her voice steady, though her own nerves mirrored his.

Nate glanced at the boat and then back at Clara. "As ready as I'll ever be. I've been dreaming about finding that wreck for years, but now that we're actually doing it..."

"It feels real," Clara finished for him. She gave him a small smile. "We'll be fine."

Just as she spoke, Jack appeared, stepping out of the fog as though it had been waiting to deliver him. His usual confident swagger was in place, though there was a grim determination in his eyes. He carried a small duffle bag, slung casually over his shoulder.

"Nice day for a little dive, don't you think?" Jack said, flashing a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Clara shot him a look. "You sure you're up for this? This isn't like one of your usual heists."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "I've pulled jobs under worse conditions. Besides, I told you, I'm in this to help you."

Nate glanced between them, clearly not used to the banter. "I still can't believe we're doing this. You're sure about the location, right, Clara?"

Clara nodded and pulled out the map Nate had given her the day before. She pointed to the mark on the coastline where the Albatross had gone down. "This is where we'll find the wreck. My father's notes corroborate it. He was on the right track. We just have to be careful."

Jack chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Careful isn't exactly how I'd describe this plan."

"We don't have a choice," Clara said, her voice firm. "If we want answers, we go today."

Jack shrugged, giving her a look of mild admiration. "Fair enough. Let's get this show on the road."

---

Into the Depths

The boat moved silently across the water, cutting through the mist like a ghost. Clara stood at the bow, her gaze fixed on the horizon, where the wreck of the Albatross waited. The sea was calm, almost unnervingly so, as if it, too, was holding its breath. Nate sat beside her, flipping through the pages of his journal, his fingers tapping nervously on the edge of the book.

Jack, on the other hand, seemed unbothered by the tension. He leaned casually against the boat's railing, watching the water with a faint smirk, as though he found the whole situation slightly amusing. But Clara noticed the way his eyes kept scanning the mist, searching for something-perhaps a threat only he knew to expect.

"So," Jack said after a while, breaking the silence. "What's the plan once we get there? We dive down, grab whatever treasure we find, and hightail it back before anyone notices?"

Clara shot him a look. "It's not a treasure hunt. We're looking for evidence-anything that can tell us what really happened to the Albatross and to my father."

Jack's smirk faded, and he gave a slight nod. "Right. Your father."

Nate cleared his throat, glancing up from his journal. "The wreck should be about two miles ahead, according to the map. The tide's in our favor, but we'll have to move quickly once we're down there. The currents around the wreck site are unpredictable."