Aquatechs: Book One

Chapter One: Scarred for Life

A steady thump drew him towards an unfamiliar structure. He had been following the sound for miles; swimming past the familiar reefs, the rocky outskirts, and through murky waters. Feeling tired and overwhelmed, he was just about to give up before he spotted the overgrown, broken structure sticking out of the seabed. He paused. Uneasiness crept through him as he looked into the darkness surrounding the area. 

I must get closer 

Clenching his fists, he flicked his tail hesitantly and slowly bobbed forwards.

Thump.

A knot formed in his stomach the closer he got, nearly causing him to turn around and head back home. But he was determined to get to the bottom of the mysterious sound, so he shook off the hesitation and quickened his pace. 

Once face to face with the algae-ridden structure, he halted his movements to observe his surroundings. It was hard to assess his safety in the dark water, but he decided it was safe enough to continue anyway. With a shaky hand, he reached up to sweep aside some kelp and algae, revealing rugged stone underneath. He pressed a palm to it, the cold stone sending shivers up his arm. 

Another thump, and faint vibrations could be felt traveling through the structure, and straight through him. He closed his eyes and felt his heart match the rhythm of the steady thumping.

A few moments passed and he slowly opened his eyes, feeling calmer than before. After removing his hand, his eyes rested on the patch of stone that he cleared of algae and upon closer inspection, he could just make out the color of the stone to be… teal? 

The coloration felt familiar, but the darkness was making it hard to recall why. 

He scanned the seafloor for a piece of the material to take back with him and to study later. There were clumps here and there but most were too large to fit comfortably in his pouch. He had circled the entire cuboid structure twice when he finally found a piece small enough to keep. He plucked the half-dollar sized piece out of the sand, rolling it in his fingers before dropping it into his pouch. 

Thump

While circling around, he was able to visualize how the structure may have looked before it came to be in its current state. It had to have been here for ages to be this overgrown; a blanket of vegetation covered it, camouflaging it into the seafloor. 

From what he could tell, the teal stone once formed three squares, each turned to match a three-way axis. The squares intersected at the midpoint of each edge, forming a cube - like ribbon wrapped around a present. 

In the center, the blanket of vegetation formed a small mound that piqued his interest. A mound like that just screamed to be dug into. He immediately plunged his hands into the heap, his fingers quickly running into a smooth, hard surface. He froze. 

Thump

He gasped as the sound resonated from the object centered within the structure. It almost felt alive!

Adrenaline rushed through his veins as he quickly removed the vegetation around the object. His thoughts raced. Did I just discover a lost treasure? I haven't found a notable treasure in ages! I'll finally be able to present something to the King! He was giddy at the thought of what a new discovery could bring for him. A place at the palace maybe? 

A shell-like surface was revealed and he gasped in delight. He paused to take in the sheer beauty of the surface, admiring the smoothness and vibrant colors. Pink and orange streaks decorated the bright sandy color of the shell. A large crack ran down the center and he carefully brushed his finger along the blemish. What a shame… Maybe it can be restored… 

Thump

He spent another couple of minutes ridding the shell of its mossy blanket. Once satisfied, he took another moment to appreciate the beauty of his new found treasure. Even though flawed with a large crack, the colors were absolutely breathtaking. He had never seen anything quite like it. 

I must get this home quickly... 

Carefully, he reached forward, wrapping his hands around the spherical treasure. He drummed his fingers against its surface, getting used to the size and heft. His breathing was shaky, anxious of the result of removing the object from its place. C’mon, it’s not like there’s going to be booby traps or anything. Just pick it up! 

With a deep breath, he gave it a tug - but to no avail. The treasure didn’t budge. He furrowed his brow. Is it stuck?! It can’t be stuck!

Thump

He strengthened his grip, being weary of the crack staring back at him, and pulled with all his might. When the treasure wouldn't budge, he huffed and lunged his tail repeatedly through the water for more leverage. He pulled and pulled and finally! The treasure suddenly came loose, throwing him backwards into the seabed. 

"AAH! OWCH!" His landing was rough from the debri strewn about by the structure, but the treasure was safely tucked in his arms. Despite the jagged rocks poking into his back, he laid with his eyes closed to catch his breath, waiting for the calming thump of the treasure to vibrate against his chest. 

He shivered as the water started to feel colder.
   
"C'mon, you can do it," he coaxed when the treasure stayed silent "oh, please…I didn't break you did I?" He lifted his head and opened his eyes to look at the treasure lying on his chest. 

The water was even darker now and he could barely see the treasure right in front of him. Any feeling of calm was washed away, panic starting to surface. He sat up quickly, whipping his head around, wondering if he made a grave mistake. He clutched the treasure closer to himself and swore under his breath. 

The calming thumping - the heartbeat - of the treasure had definitely stopped. Everything felt colder, darker and silent like the world around him was suddenly dying. He shivered again, deciding that it was definitely time to leave and get home but…

Floating off the seabed, he took in his surroundings and realized that he had completely lost his bearings. There was no way to tell which way was home in the darkness. 

"ooh… What am I supposed to do now…"

A low gutteral snarl bubbled up close by, causing him to jump out of his skin. Fear froze him in place and he sat still, listening. He could hear something slowly shuffling along the sand beneath him and - before he could move - it latched onto his curled tail! 

He bolted up with a shriek, managing to swipe his tail from the grasp of whatever decided to show up. Quickly, he swam towards the surface, his heart pounding. When the water got brighter, he slowed down, things becoming more visible in the distance.

The light from the moon calmed him as he stopped to catch his breath. Looking back down, he could see the dark area below held no evidence of whatever had grabbed him. He sighed in relief.  
   
    Now that he was in brighter waters, he could see his familiar way home. He starts heading that way, still shaken up from the experience. It’s not often that he feels lost and confused - he is a treasure hunter after all - but the darkness left him feeling incredibly uneasy. And to think that something suddenly grabbed him! It was too much for his little heart to handle all at once. He clutched his treasure for comfort as he took the long journey back home. 

At least... I didn’t leave empty handed.