Chapter 1-05 (Part 1) - Contemplation
- Location
- Void of Observation
You know, seeing that I want this up ASAP, I rather wait for the beta to come through tomorrow.
==========================
"Help!"
My voice echoed across the black, dark ocean, but no one responded.
There was no light, not even any echo of a godforsaken moon. I hurriedly looked around, hugging myself, trying to give myself some protection against the neverending darkness.
I looked around and -
crash. Splash slop woosh -
creeeeaaaakkkk
I turned around. And I saw a massive shape rising of the dark water - illuminated by many globes of light along its shape - and two red flames stuck in the middle of it.
I backed off, yet it advanced closer, and a terrible, haunting female voice rang through my head.
"Hello, you who I called -"
I screamed.
=========================
And woke up. I quickly pushed myself upwards, heaving.
Looking around my surroundings, I saw what was the same dorm that I had been given to stay in at the Abyssals' base.
Part of me sagged. I was desperately hoping that everything was still indeed a dream, again and again, praying and praying to God continously the previous night.
No such luck, it appears. I pushed myself of the bed and headed for the wardrobe. Opening it, I looked at myself for a second time. My eyes, originally a rich brown, were now the black pupils with azure flames that was reminscient of all Abyssals. My glasses, were now half-moon and black, when they had been round and orange. My watch, with all its electronics and solar-panels, was strangely still there, although I dreaded to think how magic could have done it.
I didn't remember what I wore before the 'Incident' (as I called it) happened, but I definitely wasn't wearing smart long pants with belt, a milky-white t-shirt, or the peaked hat, black covered shoes and overcoat that was stored inside the wardrobe now.
If the Abyssals had a fucking goddess, I guess my priority would be to tell her to not muck around with my memories and give me 'stock edgy fanfic protag no. 10', which admittedly, was what I would love to cosplay in. Not much good done though, especially when you are about to get blown to kingdom come within the bloody week.
Speaking of which...As I put the full outfit on, I began reflecting on the discussion I had with myself the previous night.
After I was sent back to my room, and got told to reach the docks in the morning, I had asked myself. What was I supposed to do now, given that a force of extremely hostile shipgirls were headed here?
And really, was I really capable of helping the Abyssals? And also, should I really help them, seeing that I could be also destroying humanity at the same time?
I had considered my options. Running away - no that was out. There was nowhere to run to, and I didn't even know my capabilities as an Abyssal, which included whether I could even move on the water at any rate.
Surrendering to the shipgirls - possible, but what would be my fate? This wasn't like those silly omakes and stories I read - most definitely, this was a war. Given that I was an Abyssal, normal human rights would not apply to me, and I could be tortured by legions of shipgirls wanting vengence for their fallen comrades. Hell, there would be even a waiting list, with all sorts of people waiting to use me as a whipping post - or worse.
Or I could stay and help the Abyssals. Which, had its own problems.
One, which I had berated myself over and over again, was that I was hopeless at this. Facing an experienced admiral or commander would just get me and any forces I led butchered. Or, more realistically, Wo might just see me as another grunt - and get sent out to die at the hands of shipgirls.
Two? By helping the Abyssals, I could be also dooming Humanity at the same time. After all, with all the measures I suggested, to a group of sapient Abyssals, I could just be sending humanity, my true race, back to the shores again. With overwhelming firepower and magic, alongside thinking...
It was a scary thought.
In the end though, I had simply slept on it. I had pushed myself to the bed out of exhaustion.
And right now, as I finished up my dressing, I pushed those thoughts back to the corner of my head.
=======================
If there's one way to describe the base I was currentky on, it was massive. As I didn't have an accurate meeting time, and not to mention the possibilitity of being in the wrong timezone, I had chosen to spend some time to look around.
The base platform had risen about two meters from the sea level itself, and was in a simple, rectangular shape, measuring about 300 by 60 meters. Railings adorned its sides, meant to prevent some unlucky or clumsy sod from stimbling and falling into the depths below. On this platform, were the main buildings. Alongside to the dorms and command center that I had visited yesterday, there were a series of silos and warehouses, and a couple of extra buildings, all meant for a series of purposes. One of them were pretty much an Abyssal's recreation of what was most likely a Shinto shrine. While missing things like religious busts, tablets and mikos, it was still a pretty good imitation, even having an elevated platform, a small flight of stairs, arches, alongside the circle drawn on its floor.
Looking at the structure, curiously, the black metal started to move and 'flow' slightly. Perhaps the platform was made of living metal?
Returning to the sides of the platforms, a number of destroyers, battleships and a very specific Air Defense Princess patrolled, most with their eyes pointing to the ocean, possibly waiting for any form of an attack.
When I had walked past them, however, most broke their vigiliance to gaze at me. While nobody did talk to me straight, it was clear that I was still a topic of interest, most likely thanks to being a male....I guess.
Suddenly, there was a commotion. Looking around, I watched a cruiser shout a word of alarm, and other patrollers ran to her side. I myself running up to the railing, I watched as a battlegroup of Abyssals emerge from the fog on the far side, and began sailing up towards the base.
I quickly tapped another Abyssal. "Hey, um, what's going on?"
Her face turned sharply, revealing red eyes and porcelain white skin. She simply stared at me for a few seconds, as if in confusion on what to say.
Another Abyssal did speak up though. "Allies! They are going to help fight off the shipgirls!" With excitement on their faces, both broke off in a run.
Slightly dumbfounded, I stood there for a few moments, before a familar voice entered my head. Wo.
"Come down to the docks now." Apparently she didn't sound...too pleased?
I shook my head, and darted for the building that housed the entrance to the docks.
==========================
"Help!"
My voice echoed across the black, dark ocean, but no one responded.
There was no light, not even any echo of a godforsaken moon. I hurriedly looked around, hugging myself, trying to give myself some protection against the neverending darkness.
I looked around and -
crash. Splash slop woosh -
creeeeaaaakkkk
I turned around. And I saw a massive shape rising of the dark water - illuminated by many globes of light along its shape - and two red flames stuck in the middle of it.
I backed off, yet it advanced closer, and a terrible, haunting female voice rang through my head.
"Hello, you who I called -"
I screamed.
=========================
And woke up. I quickly pushed myself upwards, heaving.
Looking around my surroundings, I saw what was the same dorm that I had been given to stay in at the Abyssals' base.
Part of me sagged. I was desperately hoping that everything was still indeed a dream, again and again, praying and praying to God continously the previous night.
No such luck, it appears. I pushed myself of the bed and headed for the wardrobe. Opening it, I looked at myself for a second time. My eyes, originally a rich brown, were now the black pupils with azure flames that was reminscient of all Abyssals. My glasses, were now half-moon and black, when they had been round and orange. My watch, with all its electronics and solar-panels, was strangely still there, although I dreaded to think how magic could have done it.
I didn't remember what I wore before the 'Incident' (as I called it) happened, but I definitely wasn't wearing smart long pants with belt, a milky-white t-shirt, or the peaked hat, black covered shoes and overcoat that was stored inside the wardrobe now.
If the Abyssals had a fucking goddess, I guess my priority would be to tell her to not muck around with my memories and give me 'stock edgy fanfic protag no. 10', which admittedly, was what I would love to cosplay in. Not much good done though, especially when you are about to get blown to kingdom come within the bloody week.
Speaking of which...As I put the full outfit on, I began reflecting on the discussion I had with myself the previous night.
After I was sent back to my room, and got told to reach the docks in the morning, I had asked myself. What was I supposed to do now, given that a force of extremely hostile shipgirls were headed here?
And really, was I really capable of helping the Abyssals? And also, should I really help them, seeing that I could be also destroying humanity at the same time?
I had considered my options. Running away - no that was out. There was nowhere to run to, and I didn't even know my capabilities as an Abyssal, which included whether I could even move on the water at any rate.
Surrendering to the shipgirls - possible, but what would be my fate? This wasn't like those silly omakes and stories I read - most definitely, this was a war. Given that I was an Abyssal, normal human rights would not apply to me, and I could be tortured by legions of shipgirls wanting vengence for their fallen comrades. Hell, there would be even a waiting list, with all sorts of people waiting to use me as a whipping post - or worse.
Or I could stay and help the Abyssals. Which, had its own problems.
One, which I had berated myself over and over again, was that I was hopeless at this. Facing an experienced admiral or commander would just get me and any forces I led butchered. Or, more realistically, Wo might just see me as another grunt - and get sent out to die at the hands of shipgirls.
Two? By helping the Abyssals, I could be also dooming Humanity at the same time. After all, with all the measures I suggested, to a group of sapient Abyssals, I could just be sending humanity, my true race, back to the shores again. With overwhelming firepower and magic, alongside thinking...
It was a scary thought.
In the end though, I had simply slept on it. I had pushed myself to the bed out of exhaustion.
And right now, as I finished up my dressing, I pushed those thoughts back to the corner of my head.
=======================
If there's one way to describe the base I was currentky on, it was massive. As I didn't have an accurate meeting time, and not to mention the possibilitity of being in the wrong timezone, I had chosen to spend some time to look around.
The base platform had risen about two meters from the sea level itself, and was in a simple, rectangular shape, measuring about 300 by 60 meters. Railings adorned its sides, meant to prevent some unlucky or clumsy sod from stimbling and falling into the depths below. On this platform, were the main buildings. Alongside to the dorms and command center that I had visited yesterday, there were a series of silos and warehouses, and a couple of extra buildings, all meant for a series of purposes. One of them were pretty much an Abyssal's recreation of what was most likely a Shinto shrine. While missing things like religious busts, tablets and mikos, it was still a pretty good imitation, even having an elevated platform, a small flight of stairs, arches, alongside the circle drawn on its floor.
Looking at the structure, curiously, the black metal started to move and 'flow' slightly. Perhaps the platform was made of living metal?
Returning to the sides of the platforms, a number of destroyers, battleships and a very specific Air Defense Princess patrolled, most with their eyes pointing to the ocean, possibly waiting for any form of an attack.
When I had walked past them, however, most broke their vigiliance to gaze at me. While nobody did talk to me straight, it was clear that I was still a topic of interest, most likely thanks to being a male....I guess.
Suddenly, there was a commotion. Looking around, I watched a cruiser shout a word of alarm, and other patrollers ran to her side. I myself running up to the railing, I watched as a battlegroup of Abyssals emerge from the fog on the far side, and began sailing up towards the base.
I quickly tapped another Abyssal. "Hey, um, what's going on?"
Her face turned sharply, revealing red eyes and porcelain white skin. She simply stared at me for a few seconds, as if in confusion on what to say.
Another Abyssal did speak up though. "Allies! They are going to help fight off the shipgirls!" With excitement on their faces, both broke off in a run.
Slightly dumbfounded, I stood there for a few moments, before a familar voice entered my head. Wo.
"Come down to the docks now." Apparently she didn't sound...too pleased?
I shook my head, and darted for the building that housed the entrance to the docks.
.