Biohuman

Everything happened so fast afterwards. Keng could feel the surge of energy coursing behind him as Denni watched, nervously. He never thought he would ear underwater nail biting, but Denni did just that. Freppie let out a loud gasp as Rya held him. The realization that he was swimming in the middle of the black sea caught up to him and he began to thrash in Rya's arms.

"I'M A PIRATE! YO HO YO HO!" Freppie sang loudly as Rya struggled to hold him.

"Freppie, stop moving or else you'll fall into the black sea!" Rya shouted.

"B-b-b-but it's so—"

"Freppie!" Rya shouted as he smacked the squadron leader across the head.

"Oh no!" Denni pointed. "He's gonna go full blown crazy now." Keng gasped as he turned around and lifted his hand up at Rya and the thrashing Freppie.

"AHHH!" Freppie swung at Rya. Rya took the punches as her grip loosened on the blue and orange scaled merman.

"Stop it, Freppie! You're safe!" Rya shouted. Her grip slipped and Freppie pushed both of them away as his screaming grew louder.

"Freppie!" Denni started to move forward. "Oh no, oh no! It's coming out!" Dark tendrils exploded out of Freppie's back, instantly going from Rya who lifted her glowing trident. Cosmic stars lit up the entire space in an instant as Keng dropped onto his stomach.

"AHHHH— Woah." Freppie twitched as the tentacles retracted behind him. His eyes stared at the stars as Rya kept the glowing trident between them.

"Freppie! The tentacles! Put them away!" Denni swam straight for her teammate. Freppie snapped out of it and realized something was moving on his back.

"Oh!" Freppie pulled the tentacles back into his back, moving backwards to give Rya some room.

"I'm glad you're okay." Rya sighed. She had enough of the antics that just happened. She lowered her trident and shook her head as Denni flew into Freppie, bear hugging him.

"You're okay! I thought you were going to go full tentacle crazy!" Denni buried her face into Freppie's abs.

"Oh, Denni! You're here too!" Freppie smiled, patting her in the back. The two looked at each other as Denni began to check on Freppie.

"You're not hurt anywhere are you? Did the Ferals get to you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, D! Trust me."

Rya turned to look at Keng, who was face down in the sandstone. She swam over, calling to him.

"Keng." Rya lowered her self down next to him and patted his back. "Keng. Are you okay?" Keng groaned barely able to even move his head. "Is everything alright?"

"Gi-give me a-a minute…" Keng mustered with all of his strength to tell her that.

"What happened? Did you exhaust yourself or something?" Rya asked.

"Mmmhm." Keng replied. Rya sighed and nodded.

"Stay here then." Rya told him. "I'll scout ahead. We'll need to figure out a way to get Freppie down with us. He's quite powerful when his power isn't used against us. I'll be back." Rya turned and looked at Denni guiding Freppie over to land. "I'll be back. I'll search for a way to get all of us down."

"Roger, Rya!" Denni saluted. Freppie nodded, embarrassed what he did to the squadron leader. Rya swam downwards as Denni brought Freppie over. The two noticed Keng was not moving. Denni released Freppie and swam over, lowering herself so she could show her face to him.

"Whatcha doing? Are you okay?" Denni asked. She was still chipper after all that happened.

"I-I'm… Exhausted." Keng struggled to reply to her. Denni immediately understood, nodding.

"Okay! Do you want an energy roe?" Denni asked.

'That's right…" Keng tried to move as Denni stuck her hand up and plucked one out of her Void Storage.

"Here you go!" Denni rolled over and stuck her hand towards Keng's mouth and plopped the roe in. Keng instantly felt his energy revitalize. The negative was still there, but it was much more bearable. Keng let out a sigh of relief as he slowly moved himself onto his hands and knees.

"Much better." Keng groaned. "Still have the Negative, but it's much more bearable." As he slowly maneuvered himself to sit on his butt, Denni lifted herself up and moved to Freppie.

"Are you okay?" Denni whispered to the colorful Merman. Freppie didn't answer. He looked at Keng with a serious gaze. Keng looked up and met Freppie's serious gaze. Freppie was somehow caught off guard by this and turned his head away.

"I… I'm sorry." Freppie apologized, embarrassed. "I shouldn't have… I should've said something but I was too scared." He turned to look at Keng, again, flinching as Keng stared at him with his ruby and sapphire eyes. "I wasn't the one who triggered it, though… You did it all on your own…"

"Freppie." Denni slapped him. "Apologize without being a tsundere."

"It's fine." Keng smiled, standing up. He rolled his arms and let out a sigh of relief.

"Where's Rya?" Denni turned to look at the lit cavern below. "She hasn't come back, yet. She should've been back by then." Keng walked up to the edge and looked down. The water current moved around, pushing him a bit forward as he floated into the open space.

"She's down there." Keng replied, spinning around in the water. "There's another strange energy with her, though."

"What?" Denni and Freppie asked in unison. They both turned and looked at Keng who didn't look worried.

"What if its a Feral?!?" Freppie asked.

"Oh no! We should really help her!" Denni began to move forward when Freppie grabbed her.

"You're gonna leave me here?" Freppie asked. Denni sighed and turned to look at Freppie.

"Y'know Calis is right about your fear, right? The Void won't eat you. It can't. It's impossible for—"

Rya's energy bubbled next to Keng as she blinked into existence, grabbing him. A golden mark on Keng's shoulder disappeared as Rya quickly pulled him away from the edge. A large black serpent creature launched itself up the length of the entire hole, slamming into the ceiling above.

"What's that?" Keng pointed.

"A sea serpent?" Denni tilted her head.

"It's infected with Void!" Freppie pointed at it. He began to pull Denni back, who was fighting against her teammates' wishes. The rocks began to fall all around as it pulled itself away from the ceiling. It shrieked as Rya set Keng down.

"By Hydran, I didn't expect that to be down there." Rya whispered. She turned to face the sea serpent as its yellow eyes stared at them.

"What happened?" Keng asked.

"That thing was down there. Waiting." Rya replied.

"Does that mean that… Leader Calis and the others are in there?" Freppie stuttered.

"I'm not sure." Rya answered. A bright light appeared next to her as she wrapped her hand around the trident. "Keng, send a distress signal to our teammates. Vizo will come straight here. We'll have to fight it when you use it."

"F-fight it?" Denni gulped. "I don't know if we should—"

It was too late. Keng summoned the kelp with runes on it and lit it with his energy. He turned and tossed it the way they came and watched as it rushed outwards. The sea serpent screeched, launching itself at them.

"Oh boy!" Denni shrieked. Rya swam forward, slamming her trident against the sea serpent. To her surprise, she was doing quite well holding the sea serpent. That's when she noticed stars surrounding her.

"Strength. Defense." Keng whispered. A silver star burned off of his fingers as he opened his eyes. Rya, Denni, Freppie and Keng were all surrounded by the silver cosmic energy. Rya didn't question it. She pushed against the sea serpent, sending it backwards as she reeled her arm in. The trident began to shimmer.

A large magical circle appeared all around Rya and the others. The energy began to shake the sandstone as Rya's trident hummed loudly. Rya spoke in Merfolk tongue as she launched the trident straight for the serpent. The trident embedded itself into the serpent, sending it backwards as the cavern shook.

"Run!" Rya shouted. Rya, Denni and Keng began to turn when Freppie froze in place. His teeth chattered as Rya and Denni moved past Keng.

"Freppie!" Donni turned, realizing her teammate hadn't come with her. The serpent shrieked as it pushed the trident off of it. It flew straight for the scared one, opening its large mouth. Keng clicked his tongue as he appeared in front of Freppie, pushing him away.

"Keng!" Rya shouted. The sea serpent closed its jaws down on Keng, pulling back as Freppie moved behind Rya and Denni. "Keng!"

"Keng!" Denni shouted.

"Go!" Rya turned and shoved the two away. "Go!" The serpent launched itself forward, screeching. Threw herself at the other two, pushing them forward as the serpent chomped down, ripping the sandstone and Rya away.

"Rya!" Denni screamed.

"Come on!" Freppie grabbed Denni. His hands shook as he pulled the small mermaid up with ease. He turned, swimming away as Denni reached out at the serpent.

"NOOOO!"