Ocean Kisses

Down Below

Keralis’ POV:

I sat behind my desk, absorbed in a book. The soft hum of the room was interrupted by the sudden slam of the door, and I glanced up quickly, my attention immediately drawn to the figure standing in the doorway. A sheep with those same teal eyes that belonged to XB entered, followed by a blazeborn and two others—familiar faces, though I didn’t recognize all of them immediately.

The sheep, in particular, had a purposeful stride, moving directly toward me. His gaze locked onto my necklace almost immediately. That unmistakable teal shimmer in his eyes stirred something in me, a memory from long ago. He seemed... curious, almost mesmerized by it.

I instinctively placed a hand over the pendant, instinctively protecting it, though I didn’t really know why.

“He gave it to me,” I said softly, my voice steady despite the rush of thoughts and emotions that tried to surface. “I didn’t take it.”

The sheep paused for a moment, his gaze flickering from my hand to my eyes, and then he nodded. I could tell he understood, or at least, he accepted what I had said. Something in his manner felt familiar, but it was more than just the eyes. There was something deeper—something I couldn't quite place.

I offered them a seat, motioning toward the small table near the window. “Why don’t we sit down?” I suggested, trying to ease the tension I felt rising in my chest. I still wasn’t sure why they had come, but I had a feeling this encounter was no coincidence. There was a reason these strangers had walked into my life today.

Once they were seated, the conversation turned toward the monument. I tried to piece together what they might be after, and after a while, I realized that it was time to show them what I had been guarding all these years. The knowledge that XB had given me the necklace and that he had disappeared, but the monument—the ocean monument—still held secrets that could reveal so much more.

“Alright,” I said, standing from my chair. “Let’s go. I’ll take you to the monument."

As we stepped outside, I led the group toward the small dock where Beef’s boat was tethered. The sound of the waves crashing softly against the shore accompanied us, but I had a feeling we were about to encounter much more than just the peaceful coastal scenery.

When we reached the dock, I saw Beef hunched over the dive boat, clearly engrossed in some repairs. I gave a quick knock on the frame of the boat to get his attention, but it startled him so much that he jumped up and bumped his head on the edge of the boat.

“Oh my goodness, I’m sorry!” I quickly exclaimed, rushing toward him. “Princess! Are you okay?”

Beef, rubbing his head with a groan, straightened up, shooting me a playful but slightly pained look. “I’m fine, Keralis! Just a little dazed now... what was that for?”

I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. "I didn't mean to startle you, just needed your help."

He shook his head, a grin spreading across his face despite the mild pain. "You're lucky I like you, man. What brings this lovely crowd around today?" He looked past me at the group—at the sheep with those peculiar teal eyes and the others who were still trying to take in the surroundings. "Got something interesting planned?"

"Something like that," I replied, moving toward the boat to help him with some of the last bits of the preparation. "We’re heading to the monument. These guys are looking for something."

Beef’s raised eyebrow was all the warning I needed as I caught him glancing over at me with that familiar look of skepticism. “The monument? Keralis...” he started, but I wasn’t about to let him get the wrong idea.