// 1 // -

It was a quiet morning and Gabriel took a moment to enjoy the sun rising above the waves. Around him, he heard the familiar murmur of the ocean lapping at his boat, and the half-sunken houses around him. The same whisper of the water helped him to fall asleep every evening and greeted him in the mornings like this one.

A grumbling of his stomach reminded him of the tasks at hand. As he looked in his secret stash, Gabriel had to suppress a sigh. A half loaf of bread, by now nearly hard as stone, and some cheese. Along with an apple that had seen better days. All liberated from a dumpster behind a supermarket. Still, he ate better than what he got in the orphanage he had escaped off. Not by a lot, but since he started fishing himself, Gabriel slowly managed to gain some weight. He hadn't much to show yet, his rips could still be seen prominently under his skin, but he knew it was there. Felt it as his body had more energy to spare.

After eating half of his stash his focus turned to his boat. Or 'large canoe' as he often joked. It was about four meters long, one meter wide, and in bad repair. Still, Gabriel was proud of it. With hard work he earned it and it was the only real possession of his besides the clothes he wore on his body. It only took a few moments to check his fishing nets and then he cast off.

He joined a dozen other boats slowly making their way out to the Verrencia Bay. As always the journey made him shake his head in sadness. Around him, half-sunken houses formed channels and artificial islands. Officially uninhabitable, they offered meager shelter to Gabriel and others like him. The further he rowed the more submerged the houses appeared. It was only a matter of time until they would disappear beneath the waves. Joining the rest of Verrencia.

Out in the bay, he saw Black Rock castle. Standing proudly on a small rocky island of basalt. The dark shape against the horizon was a bleak reminder of Verrencia's former glory. The city had been build on a half-island that stretched into the ocean. Up to Black Rock castle and beyond. But that was in the past. Every few decades a part of the half-island broke off and sank into the sea. Taking a chunk of the city with it. Scholars blame everything. From tectonic shifts to the very soil underneath the city. But the truth was that no one knew why. After each calamity, the officials launched an investigation. They all concluded that the rest of the city was safe. The foundation underneath strong. But it happened again and again.

It didn't take long to reach his destination. Underneath the waves, he could see the outline of an alley. The buildings lining the street, those that had not crumbled, topped merely two meters below the surface. As such, Gabriel had little trouble finding a spot for his anchor. Then he braced himself for what came next by splashing water over him. While Verrencia laid in a warmer region of the planet, the ocean cooled down considerably during the night. In a few hours, it would be warm enough for the tourists on the beach south of the city. But Gabriel couldn't wait.

A last deep breath and he rolled overboard. It took him only a moment to orient himself and to surface near his boat. As he grabbed it Gabriel gave his body a few more minutes to get used to the water. He couldn't risk making mistakes. And starting his workload with an unprepared body was a big one. Potentially deadly.

Thinking himself ready he grabbed one of his nets. A last look around revealed no patrol boat of the Black Rock Clan nearby. They didn't like people who used the Verrencia ruins as a fishing ground. Yet there were too many like Gabriel to effectively forbid the practice. Still, the clan patrolled the water. If they spotted one with fish they cast dark glances but didn't bother to act. Yet if someone dived for some treasure they might as well sign your own death warrant. Black Rock strictly forbids the removal of anything from the ruins. Even if it was so much as a stone. The strangest thing of all to Gabriel was the fact that the Black Rock Clan was a criminal organization. Why they would care was beyond him. Then again this city, that was falling apart, was their core territory. Even the government knew to not push them around these parts.

With the coast - and water - clear of goons, Gabriel took a deep breath and dived straight down. His goal was the opening to a small passage breaking off from the submerged alley. With the buildings blocking most of the paths for fish they tended to follow the only spaces free. The former streets and roads of the city. Openings like the one he was heading to act as a funnel. Making them an ideal spot for placing his net. After a minute of fiddling, he was done and swam to resurface. While he cleared out his lungs his eyes drifted to the nets on his boat. One done and five more to go. With a sigh, he got back to work.

// 2 // -

He was drenched in darkness as Gabriel dived into the submerged shop. Not daring to swim in too deep without a light he fished out a chem stick from his little diver's pouch. A little snap broke the barrier inside and two chemicals mixed within the stick. Soon a soft glow emerged and cast the flooded building in an eerie green light.

Now, the dangerous part of Gabriel's day started. Setting up his nets was useful, but a distraction. The real money was not in fish but buried treasure. If he got caught by the Black Rock Clan he was as good as dead. Of course, he was bound to the local respawn stone. So he wouldn't truly die as he would be resurrected. Yet it came at a price. Two years of memory gone in an instant. Gabriel hoped he would never find out how it felt to wake up with part of one's memory gone.

Casting his worries aside he looked around the building. Most of the furniture was rotten beyond recognition. Yet a few pieces were less damaged. As Gabriel eyed them he knew he had hit a potential jackpot. Judging by the broken glass and debris he reasoned this must have been a shop of the high-end variety. Maybe even one for jewelry. However, he tried to stay calm. He probably wasn't the first scavenger to visit these particular ruins.

Gabriel dropped his glowing stick a few feet into the shop and turned around to resurface. Managing his own air was crucial. As was to be careful when exploring ruins. One wrong decision and he might be trapped under a chunk of shifting debris. Even a delay of a few seconds could change his fate to being a victim of drowning.

With each dive, he systematically explored the interior. Only examining two or three square feet in each go. His search was hindered by a lot of small things. Sand drifted in by the current, aquatic life that settled around here, and sharp debris like the shards of broken glass.

He was close to writing this store off when something caught his eyes. A small stone. Too evenly formed to be a natural occurrence. As he picked it up he saw faint lines of a symbol. Maybe a runestone. A magical device charged with a spell. If so, it could be worth more than a few bucks.

With his treasure clutched tightly, Gabriel swam out and to one of his nets. They all had a reinforced edge and here he had sewn in a hidden pouch. The stone found its place inside. He wondered what other treasure he might find, but first, he had to go for air again. With strong strokes, he made for the surface.

// 3 // -

"Hey, you!"

The shout woke Gabriel up from his little nap. He could do only so many dives before exhaustion set in. Frequent breaks were a must. Now he sat groggily up and looked around. He nearly cursed out loud as he saw the big black boat pulling up alongside his own. A patrol by the Black Rock Clan. Gabriel scrambled to stand up and hoped he could talk himself out of whatever came next.

"Fishing is forbidden in these parts," a black-clad man shouted over.

Gabriel eyed the man wearily. He didn't like those fellows with their condescending tone, but he hardly could do something against them. They weren't the government, but around these parts, they controlled it like a marionette. All he could do was to play dumb. "But I am not the only one fishing here." To emphasize he waved around himself and noticed the area nearly deserted. Either his fellow fishers had seen the patrol coming or had already been kicked out of the area.

"I don't give a shit," the goon cursed. "Get packing."

"Can I at least retrieve my nets?"

"Of course, you will. No littering with your garbage."

Suppressing a curse Gabriel gave a short nod. Then he jumped into the water. Gabriel had to retrieve his nets before they lost patience with him. Today's catch was meager. Only a few smaller fish had been caught between the double-layered nets. Gabriel hardly cared. His true catch of the day was well hidden.

With each net retrieved, Gabriel had to show what fish he had caught. "You better not fish for black eel. They are endangered and under protection," the man reminded him.

Gabriel nearly sneered at the notion. He had only come close to a black eel once and it scarred him for life. Ugly bastards those eels. However, the real frightening feature of them was their maw and needle-sharp teeth. Ever since he saw that eel he had nightmares of being attacked by them. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said aloud.

"You better," the goon said. "Now get out of here."

Gabriel hadn't to be told twice. He draped his nets over the side of his boat, so the fish could survive and started to row home. Or what counted as such.

// 4 // -

Gabriel licked his fingers clean. He was still hungry, despite eating three of the smaller fish he had caught today. They probably wouldn't have earned him much on the market anyway. Peeking past his improvised campfire he saw his boat and the nets. One was still draped in the water and contained three bigger fish. Selling them alive will bring in a little more money.

Then his eyes fell on the small bump on the edge of one of his nets. The runestone he had liberated. Nervously he looked around. No one appeared to be in the small building he called home. He was on the second floor as the ground floor was flooded. The walls around him rickety and partially caved in. It was unlikely he was observed by anyone, but he walked around just to be sure.

Satisfied that he was alone, Gabriel made his way over to the net containing his contraband. It felt good to have the cold surface of the stone in his hands. Hastily he made his way back to the campfire to inspect his prize. His first thought turned out to be right. The shape was too evenly to be anything but manmade. In the shine of the fire, he made out delicate red lines. Partially obscured by dried up gunk from the ocean floor.

As he scrubbed off the dirt he gasped. The revealed symbol was too intricate to be a rune, which meant this was a class stone. To say he had hit the jackpot was an understatement. Previously he had estimated the worth of up to a thousand. Maybe even a little over. Now he looked at a stone that might be worth in the lower six figures. A wealth so abstract to him that he hardly could imagine it.

Ideas blossomed in his mind. With so much money he could rent an apartment. Go to a good school. Get a normal job. No more pangs of hunger would plague him. He could even leave this cursed city. But then little voices of doubt and reason made themselves known. He had no clue which class might be contained in the stone. Even if he found out, who would buy it from him and for how much? In a downtrodden city like Verrencia, everyone would assume he had stolen the stone. So he had to go to a black market dealer. Their fee would be a good chunk of the profits. If they didn't steal the stone outright. Gabriel cursed at how close he was to personal wealth, yet it remained out of his reach. To top it off he had to act fast. There was no honor among street kids around here. He had been robbed before, so liquidating the stone as soon as possible was his only option.

Or was it? The stone glinted in the shine of the fire and Gabriel studied the symbol of the stone further. Hoping to glean inside what class it would contain. Because there was a fundamental truth: a class stone could be stolen, but no one could steal Gabriel's class. If he used the stone then there would be no payday. That sucked. But a class change might offer other rewards. If it was a melee class then he had good chances to get a job in the security business. Even without having experience in the field. If it was a crafter class someone might take their chances and take him in as an apprentice. And a decent sorcerer class? There was big money on the horizon. Those were always in demand.

The question was: should he risk it? He had no way of knowing what he'd end up with. Like everyone else, Gabriel had stories of classes gone wrong. About strange physical or mental changes that no one in their right mind wanted. Those classes have been deemed undesirable. Then again what are the chances a shop, sunken or not, might display an undesirable class stone prominently?

There definitely was a risk, but Gabriel was a risk-taker. Running away from the orphanage, buying his boat, and diving for treasure in forbidden areas. All risks he had taken and so far they paid out for him. Would this too? There was only one way to find out. Grabbing the stone tight, he channeled some of his mana into it. Light erupted from within his clutched hand. Then a warmth spread through his body that steadily increased until it crescented in uncomfortable heat. Then a sudden lurch in the world. As if the reality around him had a hiccup.

Then there was nothing. Warmth and light were gone, as well as the stone in his hand. But not everything was as before. He felt different. The possibility of physical changes came back to mind. Gabriel took a deep breath and looked down.

A string of curses escaped him. This couldn't be. Impossible. He scampered towards the edge of the building. There, in the shine of the fire on the ocean, he saw his new silhouette. "I am a freakin' girl!"

It was too dark to make out details of his reflection, but what he saw unmistakable. Somehow the class had made him a woman. He had never heard of a class stone doing that, but he had to admit that his knowledge of classes, in general, was lacking. After shaking his head to clear his mind, Gabriel stumbled back towards his campfire.

As he slumped down, reality set in. If a class changed his gender then only another class might change it back. The chance that he had a second windfall of finding another class stone was as likely as being hit by lightning twice. He was stuck. Truly and royally stuck. He coped in one of the best ways mankind had invented. Cursing until his breath gave out.

As his mind found fragile calmness Gabriel wondered what else he was in for. To find out he drew upon the ancient magic of the status screen. It was an integral part of this world. Every being - be it man, animal, or monster - had stats. Numbers that represented their overall health, as well as physical and mental attributes.

For some time now Gabriel had been proud of his stamina value. Despite being a street kid and half-starved, he had managed to raise it significantly. After all, he needed stamina for his diving excursions. It was the first stat he checked. Fearing it might have dropped due to the class change. To his surprise, it was even a little higher. He had lost a little strength and-

"Holy shit!" Gabriel exclaimed as he saw his dexterity value. It was through the roof. He knew a few street kids that earned their daily bread by picking pockets. They relied on high dexterity, yet Gabriel was sure none was even close to his new value. A pleasant surprise, but hardly one to make up for suddenly finding himself in a female body.

Below his stats, he found the sparse information for his class. First among them was the name: "Alundare Siren". Gabriel had never heard of this one. Not that he had researched classes before. Always chalking a class change up to be out of his reach.

The name was followed by the class traits. 'Voice Of Alundare' was the first one and made Gabriel wince. "Don't tell me I am stuck in a bard class. That would suck." The next trait made him groan more. "Great. 'Art Of Water Dancing'. Sounds like a dance routine of a stripper." At last was 'Aquatic Living', which kind of confused him.

Just having the names of the traits didn't provide much to go on. Gabriel knew he had to visit the library of classes. It focused on gathering information specifically for classes. His new one might be there too. Technically it was an institution free to the public. But Gabriel knew the truth. Street kids like him are chased out of there unless he could provide a small "donation". He didn't have much money and the visit was sure to eat everything up.

"Stuff to figure out tomorrow," he told himself. After extinguishing the flames he laid down on the ratty mattress he had found and hoped to wake up the next morning with everything gone back to normal.

// 5 // -

Gabriel woke up parched and itchy. Scratching off dry skin all over himself. That, of course, quickly reminded him of his new body. In the spur of the moment, he decided that having breasts sucked. Especially as they itched like hell. The curse he was about to mutter died on his lips as his throat was dry and raw.

He grabbed for the dented container with his freshwater. Not much was left and he eagerly swallowed everything. Yet, it was not enough. Desperate to quench his thirst he resorted to the very thing everyone warned against. Drinking out of the ocean. The water was salty, but not as harshly as Gabriel remembered it. That threw off his last inhibition and he clamored to scoop more seawater into his mouth.

With the monster of thirst pacified, Gabriel noticed something else. His hands, a moment before painfully dry, welcomed the water as eagerly as his throat. The itching finally stopped, but only on his hands. Gabriel knew what he had to do. He jumped and cool water surrounded him a moment later. Soothed his arching skin. For a divine moment, his worries drained away.

But it didn't last. With a few strokes, he returned to the building he occupied. There was work to be done. New freshwater was only one of the things he needed. So he tossed three empty plastic bottles into his boat. He was running low on food too, but with the intended visit to the class library, the fish he had caught would have to do for today's meal. Gabriel hid the net containing the still-alive fish in the flooded basement of the building. At last, he took out the few coins he had from his hiding place.

Then it was time. Like every morning he cast off when the sun was barely above the horizon. However, today he rowed against the stream of fellow street-kid fishers. Heading into the direction of the new town's center. The old one lost beneath the waves for over a century. The further he came the less decay he encountered. The buildings less crumbled and still mostly looking good. This was the area of the last breakaway. Not that Gabriel remembered. It happened around the time of his own birth.

He arrived at a makeshift dock. Run by street kids like him. His boat would be safe here, provided he had the coin. He was about to lay down the usual fee when one of the street kids grabbed his arm. "Pretty daring, chicka. Stealing a boat and floundering it here."

Gabriel's mouth reacted before his brain. "Stolen? That is my boat."

"I think not. Belongs to Gabriel. Fishing boy outta the southern ruins."

Now it clicked inside Gabriel's head and the revelation made him nearly snicker. Honor among thieves. Who would have thought it exists. And at the very moment, he didn't need it. "It's mine. I bought it off him."

"Bullshit. The boat's his pride. He wouldn't split."

Gabriel had to think fast. He needed a story and slowly one came together. "He would. If the price is right."

"You telling us you are loaded?"

"Nah. I got connections. He's working on the fields now. So, he got no need for a boat, so I took it off him. For a few coins."

Another youth jumped off a crate he had been sitting on. "That boy a farmhand? With his scrawny build. Should have picked me. Look at these guns!"

Gabriel rolled his eyes as the boy started to flex his barely-there muscles. In all fairness, it was more than Gabriel had called on its own. The little wannabe bodybuilder had at least five more points in strength. In the higher fifties or lower sixties. Not that Gabriel cared about those things much.

"It's not about that," Gabriel continued. Now that he had started his tale, he couldn't stop. "He treated me right, so I did him a favor."

The first boy let go of Gabriel's wrist and gave him a charming smile. "Chicka, we can treat ya better. Right boys?"

The boys in question hollered their approval and cheered louder as Gabriel felt a hand deftly grab his butt. Gabriel spun into action and a moment later the boy was on the ground. The offending hand and attached arm painfully locked behind the boys back by Gabriel.

"How did you do that?" It was a good question, by the boy that thought he had muscles to flex, and Gabriel had no clue how to answer it. Even to himself, it wasn't clear what happened.

"Never mind how I did it," Gabriel pressed through his teeth as his own shock wore off. "You better worry I don't do the same to you too." Bold words. Gabriel hoped he could back them up.

The youth before him took a few steps back. "Alright. No stress, kay? Tell ya what. You let Mario go and everything is fine."

"My boat-"

"We'll dock it for free. This time."

Gabriel had his doubts but pushed himself off the boy nonetheless. With a calmness that he didn't really feel, he walked a few steps away and brought some distance. Any moment now the boys would realize that they could easily gang upon him. Yet they all looked wary at him. His sudden defeat of the boy Mario must have been more impressive than he thought. It was time to capitalize on it. "I'll be back in a few hours. If my boat is gone you all will learn how to swim with broken arms. Got it?"

A few murmured confirmations were all Gabriel got. Not daring to push for more, he turned around and walked away. Wondering if he just abandoned his boat for good. Soon or later the boys would shake off their shock. Then do stupid things to boost their own morale. In the end, Gabriel might have to fight them off, just because they want to make a statement about how they are not weak. Because that's what boys do. Gabriel knew so because he was one of them. Or was, not long ago. The whole incident left a bitter taste in his mouth. Now he knew why girls living in the street bound together in their own little groups.

//6 // -

Gabriel cursed as he saw the entrance to the class stone library. Its doors were still shut. A look from up close confirmed his suspicion. It was still closed. Apparently, some people could afford to not get up at the crack of dawn. As he looked to a public clock he knew he had to wait a few hours. Wasted time, as he could have gone fishing in the meantime.

He found a nice sunny spot and looked around. The library was located at a big plaza. In the center, it had a big fountain, yet it had still enough space to house a big weekend market. He saw a few tourists making their rounds, but not many. That would change in a few hours.

Gabriel quickly grew bored. There wasn't much to do besides watching tourists and a few city workers. So it was a welcome change to see a procession of Black Rock men enter the plaza. They wore utility clothes, but no one would mistake them for city officials. They made their way over to the fountain. There they unplugged a canister and proceeded to dump its content into the water of the fountain. Some nasty oily stuff so dark that it appeared to eat every ray of sunlight falling on it.

He wondered what that stuff might be, but didn't dare to get a closer look. Getting the attention of the Black Rock Clan was always a bad thing. As he looked on he noticed someone who dared. An old grandma slowly made their way over. A few feet before the goons she stopped and pointed her walking stick towards them. Gabriel couldn't hear what she was saying, but he saw the annoyed look on the Black Rock fellas faces. They said something and the granny waved again her stick. One of the bigger men stepped forward and shouted loud enough that even Gabriel understood him. "The same as always! It's to prevent algae! We already told you this a hundred times Miss Cavetti!"
The old woman waved her stick again and walked off. Apparently, she bought the explanation.

Not long after, Gabriel grew bored again. The Black Rock goons packed up their things soon enough. Leaving Gabriel once again alone with a bunch of tourists. He ignored them but had trouble ignoring his growing thirst. All too soon his last reserves of water vanished down his throat. To blame was the bright sun shining down on him. It had never bothered him before. At least not to this extent. Must be in part that he had a new body. Once again he cursed himself for turning female.

Longingly he gazed at the fountain water. Promising cool relief. But Gabriel knew better than to walk over and drink from it. Now, that he had witnessed the Black Rock goons, more than ever. His eyes instead spied a public drinking fountain. It was time to fill his bottles and quench his thirst. There was already a small line waiting. Tourists who weren't used to the temperatures. He muttered a few swear words under his breath. With his new body, he might as well be one of them.

Eventually, it was his turn. Greedily he gulped down the water. To the dismay and groans behind him, Gabriel started to fill his bottle. As it was half full a new thought came to him. His skin was already dry again and started to itch. In the spur of the moment, he pulled his bottle out of the water stream and emptied it over his head. For a few seconds, he was in heaven.

He snapped out of his daze and started to refill his bottle when angry fingers poked his shoulder. Annoyed he turned around only to see every eye on him.

"Young Miss. Do you have no decency?" an older woman snapped at him. She earned a few head nods in response. As she saw Gabriel's confusion she added: "The way you dress and this little stunt of yours. Shame on you."

Confused, Gabriel headed away. Only to stumble as his gaze rested on the mirrored reflection of a big window. There was an older teen, a young woman really, dressed just like him. Of course, Gabriel knew it was his own reflection. But now, for the first time, he saw all the details as if he was looking into a mirror. She was beautiful, the girl that stared wide-eyed back through his reflection. Not quite model standards but close. She had the deep tan all the local had and a mane of raven black hair. The contours of his face were close to his original but definitely female. But what drew his eyes most was his chest. Of course, he had breasts. But they were on the small side. Nothing to look at. But thanks to Gabriel's mistake, everyone had a good view of them. His t-shirt wasn't white, might have been years ago, but his stunt of pouring water on himself still made it almost completely transparent. He might as well walk around naked.

Instinctively hiding his breasts beneath his arms, Gabriel hurried to a side alley. Behind him, he heard a few snickers and further outraged exclamations. Making him blush in shame. There was a lot he had to learn about being a girl and he cursed the very fact that it was relevant now.

// 7 // -

The moment Gabriel saw a librarian flip the closed sign to open, he was on the move. His skin was already itchy again with dryness. Not wanting to repeat his mistake at the drinking fountain he vowed to go inside, find what he was looking for, and then take a swim in the bay as quickly as possible. The light jog over to the library building was everything but pleasant. His belongings painfully jumped around in the net he carried on his back, but it distracted him from that up in the front on his chest something else shifted with each step.

He sighed in relief as he made his way inside. Sending a silent prayer to whoever had invented AC. The moment of bliss was interrupted as he saw the scornful look of an older woman. Probably the librarian on duty. Gabriel straightened up as best as possible. It wasn't much but every little thing might help in the negotiation.

"I'd like to research the class Sir-"

"A mutt like you?" the librarian sneered. "Don't make me laugh. Out. Now. Before I call the cops."

To be honest Gabriel hadn't expected anything else. It was time to say the magic words. "I have money."

The librarian's hand stopped from reaching for the phone. "A street rate like you will only bring filth inside. Cleaning it up will be expensive."

The meaning was clear. She expected a big bribe. It was time to negotiate and slowly Gabriel managed to lower the bribe to just barely within his budget. What remained of his coins was so little he couldn't even buy a half loaf of three days old burned bread.

"Every visitor needs to sign in," the woman he now despised informed him. She spun around a big guest book and pushed it in his direction. For a moment Gabriel's thoughts went into hyperdrive. It was a bad idea to sign with his real name. Especially if your name was clearly male and the body was not. That he didn't know his family name was an additional detail that gave him pause. He had to come up with a fake name, but his mind refused to come up with one. His gaze roamed around in the hope of finding inspiration. It came in the form of a picture calendar hanging behind the librarian. The current month showed a bunch of yachts anchoring at wooden docks. The whole picture was captioned with "Marina di Sabatini". Gabriel gave a shrug and went with it. First name Marina, last name Sabatini, and in classes of interest he wrote Siren.

The librarian pulled the book back and studied his entry. After giving him a critical look she sneered at Gabriel. "Sirens are in the undesirable class section. It's back there. Take your time."

Gabriel wanted to thank her but stopped as she already was grabbing for her phone. Clearly, he was dismissed. "Back there" was a fitting description. He found the shelf for undesirable classes in the furthest corner. Location and name both an ominous sign that this class wouldn't work out for him.

After looking through the row of books he found only one book about Sirens. He hoped his class, "Alundare Siren", was included in it. One of his fears was proven right. Sirens were bard classes, but they had a specialization that surprised him. The control of male minds through singing alone. It was good to know, but Gabriel doubted he wanted to ensnare any men. The trait, according to the book, was called 'Alluring Voice'. Yet his own trait was named 'Voice of Alundare'. He reasoned it must be an upgrade to the normal trait. Maybe his ensnaring singing was stronger or something along those lines. Paging through the book he couldn't find a single mention of his second trait. So, 'Art of Water Dancing' remained an even bigger mystery than his first trait.

Looking for his third trait he finally hit pay dirt. A whole chapter was dedicated to 'Aquatic Living'. It was aptly named too. He whistled silently as he read the highlights. Apparently, he could breathe underwater as if it was second nature. His body also was adjusted to living long-term underwater. No wrinkly skin due to water ever again. But the drawback was that his skin dried out fast if he was outside of water too long. As he already had noticed. Other details were more on the cringe-worthy side. His stomach was modified that he could eat fish raw. Skin and all. Not that Gabriel wanted to but now he could. At last, was something more interesting. Apparently, all classes that have the 'aquatic living trait could talk to each other telepathically. However, they had to be submerged in the same body of water.

Before he knew it Gabriel arrived at the end of the book. He was just about to close the book when something caught his eye. On the last blank page, he saw a bunch of eraser marks. His curiosity caught, he tried to read what had been erased. It wasn't easy, but whoever had written it in the first place applied plenty of pressure and faint lines of handwriting remained scratched in the paper. Gradually he could make out a few words. Maybe a third of the overall text.

"To those th….after me….Siren…cursed class, because…hunted by…clan!"

It made him frown. More and more he felt stupid for activating the class stone the night before. First, he turned into a girl, and now he was cursed? There must be more information, but looking over the bookshelf again revealed no new book about Sirens. Maybe the librarian knew more. Couldn't hurt to ask.

Just as he stepped into the main aisle he could see the librarian letting in two men. Big and burly build. Most of all they wore the marks of the Black Rock Clan. "It is her," the librarian hissed loud enough that even Gabriel could hear it. Just to make sure she also pointed at him. The men nodded and slowly advanced towards Gabriel.

Several puzzle pieces revealed themselves to him. The librarian dismissive sneer as she saw what class Gabriel was interested in. Her insistence that he should take his time. The immediate phone call. And at last, the Black Rock Clan showing up. Now the erased note made sense and he knew who hunted Sirens. The epiphany just came five minutes too late.

At once Gabriel ducked behind the shelf. Thinking furiously about how to get out of this mess. Then instinct took over. He ran along the shelf to the backside of the library. There he hoped to outmaneuver the goons. He saw a clear path to the reception desk and the entrance behind. With a flickering of hope, he made for a mad dash. But Gabriel was cut off by one henchman that anticipated this move. Unable to stop, Gabriel barreled full throttle into him. The ensuing grapple was short and somehow he managed to slip past his adversary.

'High dexterity stat' whispered his mind, but Gabriel pushed the thought aside. There was no time to get distracted. In the periphery of his vision, Gabriel saw the partner of his foe coming for him. Scampering to his feet he made a dash for the receptionist desk. Pushing the traitorous librarian aside he faulted over the desk. Only to get his foot caught on something and to painfully crash down on the floor. His pumping adrenaline urged him to bite down the curses already on his lips and make a break for it. Once again he sprinted for his life as he headed for the entrance. Pushing out into bright sunlight.

// 8 // -

The plaza was full of tourists. So much that Gabriel had trouble avoiding them all as he ran for a street that would lead him to his boat. He heard curses and outcries behind him, but Gabriel ignored them all. The only thing that counted now was to get away as fast as he could. Not just from the library, but the whole cursed city of Verrencia. If the Black Rock Clan was really after him then he had to get as far away as possible. That meant not just skipping town, but probably leaving Ifaria behind too. He had no clue how to live in another country. At least he would be alive.

The crowd thinned out considerably as he left behind the areas most frequented by tourists. Instead, he saw the downtrodden people of Verrencia going about their daily business. Barely glancing at him despite him running through the streets as if the devil was after him. Hope filled his heart as he was close to the makeshift docks. Only to be crushed by the harsh reality he found as he rounded the last corner. The boys running the docks laid bloodied on the ground. Big burly man towering above them. No doubt about them. The Black Rock Clan was already here.

Gabriel pulled himself back around the corner a split second before one of the men turned in his direction. His heart was hammering and his mind was racing. The very fact that the clan was already here proved they'd go all out to catch him. But for what? Was the Siren class so powerful that they feared it? Or was there something else at play?

A new plan formed inside of Gabriel. If this class got him into trouble it might also get him out. The trait 'aquatic living' might be his ticket out of here. If he managed to get into the bay he could swim out. Dive right past every patrol boat they might have.

Loud voices told Gabriel they closed in around him. With a plan in mind, he started another sprint. He stuck to small and narrow back alleys. It slowed him down, but he was harder to spot. Eventually, he saw the blue carpet of ocean water. Daring him to dive in. However, running towards it proved to be a mistake. The narrow back street opened to a small plaza. As he entered it he noticed the goons already waiting for him. In a flash, they had cut him off from both escape routes. The water and the way he came from.

"Miss Sabatini. Marina," one man spoke up. "I can call you Marina, right? We just want to talk."

For a moment Gabriel was confused until he remembered that this was the fake name he used not five minutes ago. Apparently, news traveled fast. Reminding him why outfits like the Black Rock Clan earned the name organized crime.

"I don't think all this is just so we could talk," Gabriel said to buy himself some time. Meanwhile, he was thinking furiously. There must be a way out. Just as the leader of the goons wanted to reply Gabriel cut him off. Not with words, but nonsense verbal sounds sang aloud. He sure hoped his new class would come through. His voice was supposed to mind control people. Only male ones, but that shouldn't be a problem. He counted five guys and one woman. If he could disable the men he had a chance. Either fighting the one woman or running past her. With this thought in mind he tried to channel one meaning into his singing: stay away from me.

Gabriel was singing his nonsense syllables for thirty seconds when he noticed one goon stepping forward. A dirty grin on his face. "Sirens. So predictable." The man fished out a medallion from underneath his shirt. "My men and I are charmed up against mind control little songstress. Chiara! Cuff her."

Instead of continuing to sing Gabriel shifted to muttering curses under his breath. What good was a mind control trait if everyone was immune to it? Now he was really done for. Dejected he let his shoulders drop and waited to be lead away. A glance told him the woman had already pulled out some handcuffs, but she made no move to get to him. Instead, she eyed him like Gabriel might pull out a secret trick at the last minute.

"Damn it, Chiara. Get a move on!"

Now the woman shook herself and steadily got closer. At last, she was close enough to grab Gabriel's arm and poised to snap the cuffs on him. But it never happened as Gabriel's world exploded into a flurry of motion. It didn't even last a minute and ended as cool water rushed around him.

Shaking his shock, Gabriel looked around. He was in the bay and submerged houses boxed him in. There was a clear path out along the former street that was now a few feet underwater. Instead, Gabriel decided to try going for some narrow pathways that hopefully shook of pursuers. He frantically swam for a few minutes and was glad that at least one trait of his class worked as described. There was no burning feeling in his lungs as the air was running out in his lungs. He really was able to breathe underwater.

As he judged to have enough distance Gabriel dove into a submerged cellar. Here no one should be able to find him. It gave him a much-needed break and time to figure out what just happened. First, he felt down his body to check for wounds. Gabriel found none, but something else that surprised him. As he pulled up his shirt he saw that his skin had parted over his ribcage in four slim slits on each side. Pulling them apart revealed gills. Strange, but not important enough to occupy his mind for long.

Instead, he thought back to the moment he had been cornered. The woman was just about to cuff him when he had acted on instinct again. Now his mind had time to process what had happened. He remembered grabbing the woman's arm. Just for a moment to have a pivot point. His left leg had shot up impossibly high and somehow managed to nook itself around the woman's neck and collarbone. In one fluid motion, Gabriel used this foothold to vault himself up and over the woman. Not only did he manage to roll off her on the other side, but he used the momentum to throw her into another goon. A split second later and Gabriel had rolled further and jumped the next goon in the line-up. Who didn't last much longer, as a punch in the solar plexus brought him down to the knees. The rest of the men had started to react. Taking fighting stances and eyeing Gabriel wearily. Clearly, he was more dangerous than they had thought.

Gabriel hadn't given them much time to think. Or himself. The whole fight was on autopilot and driven by instinct. Which lead him to charge at one goon, but as a faint. A twist and fluid sidestep and he had been close to another one. The punch intended for him became the next foothold for a throw. It had been enough to create a small opening between the goons. One that Gabriel had used a moment later.

Gabriel shook his head. There was no time to figure this out. He couldn't stay in the submerged cellar forever. In his mind he already envisioned divers coming around the corner with harpoons. To avoid such a fate he had to act. Once more he started to swim for his life.

//9 // -

Gabriel had slim pickings in his escape routes. The submerged houses formed small channels. Would he have fled by boat, Gabriel would have no chance at all. To escape Gabriel had to be clever. Not daring to swim out directly, he turned back to Verrencia. The part of it yet to be claimed by water. Here he hoped to be able to swim along the fault line of the last breakaway. Then heading out of the city in a direction the clan wouldn't suspect.

Already Gabriel could see the rock face of the underwater cliff. As he swam near Gabriel frowned. It was a lot less solid than he expected. Hundreds of small tunnels dotted the rock. He couldn't even judge how far those buried into the stone as the light appeared to be swallowed. Somehow, it gave Gabriel the creeps.

Wearily, he swam closer. To his relief, he found what he was looking for. The sunken house right beside the rockface leaned away from it. Giving way to a small gap that Gabriel might be able to use.

As he came close sudden movement made Gabriel's head snap around. Eyes stared at him. Slowly emerging from one of the tunnels. It was as if the darkness itself came out to eat away more of the light. Only as it opened its maw Gabriel recognized the truth. It was one of those blasted black eels.

Suddenly the eel shot out and past Gabriel. Yet he had no moment to calm down. More eels emerged from the tunnels. First a few in singles, then small groups and soon so many that they blocked out the sun above.

They were gone as suddenly as they had appeared. Yet Gabriel found himself rolled into a ball and unable to let go of his fetus position. It took minutes to calm himself down.

"Endangered species my ass," he finally exclaimed aloud. Just how he was able to speak underwater distracted him for a moment. But not for long. He still had to escape, yet the small gap between sunken houses and rocks looked now less than inviting. Even from afar, he could see more tunnels buried into the rock there. Were there more eels? Gabriel vowed to not find out.

He rather took chances with the clan than those forsaken eels. Soon he could see those already searching for him. It was only their patrol boats silhouette up above on the surface. Now he gave a small grin as he dived deep below one of the dark silhouette of a patrol boat. This class has given him so far nothing but trouble, but now it just might help him get away.

Strange shadows appeared on the ocean floor and it made Gabriel look up. What he saw made his eyes widen and swim frantically to become faster. Around him, nets sank down. Pulled below by heavy weights. Something got hold of his leg. To his dismay, he saw one foot caught in a net. He must have kicked into it by mistake. Now it held him in place. It only took him a moment to free himself, but it was one too long. Pinned down another net descended right above him.

Like a curtain, it fell all around him. As the sides hit the floor the opening scraped against the ocean floor as it was pulled shut. Gabriel could only stare in horror as the net started to be pulled up. Along with himself.

Gabriel cursed as he hit the boat's planks hard. It elicited laughter from his captors. He glared at them and to his shock, Gabriel spied the same man that had tried to capture him in the plaza.

"Miss Sabatini. Nice of you to join us." The man gave Gabriel a nasty grin. "You must be new around here. I let you in on a secret. Here, no one escapes the Black Rock Clan. Now, you are ours."

With those words, the man raised an oar. Then there was a pain. He saw stars. And then. Blackness.

//10 // -

Gabriel bobbed in and out of consciousness. Each time a black silhouette grew against the horizon. Black Rock Castle. He had seen it often enough. From far it looked like an unusually wide tower. Round with a diameter of maybe a hundred meters. It also reached for the sky. Easily thirty floors tall. How engineers of the past managed this feat in medieval times was beyond Gabriel. And even less the fact that it endured breakaway after breakaway of Verrencia without being dragged beneath the waves as well.

They arrived at roughly sculpted basalt rocks forming a dock. Here they heaved Gabriel out of the boat. Not that they bothered to fish him out of the net first.

"Here our path split, Miss Sabatini." The goons dropped him before doors of blackened wood. "But with your beauty, I wouldn't be surprised to see you again. After all, the clan owns a lot of strip clubs and brothels."

Gabriel stared daggers after the guy as he jumped back into the boat. As they cast off the ocean started to churn for a moment. In between waves, Gabriel swore he could see those blasted black eels again. Not intending to remain here any longer, he started to pull on the net's webbing.

His struggle didn't last long. The creaking and tortured squeal of a door in desperate need of oil alerted him that he hadn't been abandoned. Hooded figures emerged. Their faces hidden behind textiles tinted so dark as if it consumed the light around them. They simply grabbed the net and dragged it behind them.

Soon Gabriel was alternating between begging and cursing. In between the webbing, his new sensitive skin was exposed and dragged over the basalt stone. He even offered to walk wherever they wanted if they just let him stand up. Yet, they ignored him.

They dragged him deep down into the fortress. Down a few flights of stairs. Gabriel was sure he was now below the surface level of the ocean. The hallways looked all the same. Black basalt that had been lazily been chiseled into rough parodies of bricks. The floor below uneven and ragged. Either cutting or bumping into his skin.

It all ended in a room that could be from a horror movie. Stacks of large cages were scattered around. Here, Gabriel found his new home. In a cage flaked with rust. They didn't even bother to retrieve the net. Just throwing Gabriel in and locking the door. Without a word, they walked out. Leaving Gabriel with a rather ominous feeling.

The room was cold and wet. Water dripping from the ceiling. And as scary as it all was Gabriel eventually managed to calm down. He knew he was in deep shit. His first action was to rattle his cage. Despite the rust, it was study and neither bars nor lock gave way. Then, Gabriel looked for things to pull into the cage from the surrounding area. Maybe he could find an improvised weapon or a means to stem the cage open.

But nothing was there. Eventually, he slid down on the cold ground. Despair threatened to overtake him. If only his class wasn't so useless. The mind control through singing was an absolute bust. What good was it when everyone wore a protective ward around their neck?

Aquatic Living was an equal failure. Sure, Gabriel could breathe underwater. But did it help him? No in the least. He was a faster swimmer, but not fast enough to escape those boats. They must have used some magic or technology to spot him underwater. The capture than had been embarrassingly easy.

Surprisingly, the only thing that worked out was hand combat. Or rather hand and legs combat. On the small plaza, Gabriel had shown moves he didn't even know he had. It had been some kind of martial arts shit that made him bob and weave like-

Gabriel's eyes grew wide. Of course, it had to be the trait of the Art Of Water Dancing. All of his moves had been smooth like water. Flowing and forceful. He hadn't known that classes could provide complete martial arts styles. Then again, what did he knew of classes in general? Not much.

A new plan formed. A desperate one. When they came back, Gabriel had to fight his way out. It wasn't a good plan. It meant relying on a skill that he had barely for a day and only used once. Twice if he counted the small ruffle with the dock boys. Not to mention that his head still hurt and rang from where he had been hit by that oar.

Gabriel prepared himself to jump up at a moment's notice. As soon as they would come to get him he would be ready. But no one came. For hours, he was alone. Until sleep claimed him.

//11 // -

Gabriel didn't know how long he had been dozing. Now and then waking up. Always he had been alone. The room was unchanged. Drenched deep into shadows, as the one light bulb that was on barely managed to push back the shadows.

This time, it was different. The door to the room opened. Not fast and no goons stormed in. Instead, two shadows inched into the room. Trying to be as quiet as possible. Only as they closed the door after them Gabriel recognized what they were. The two persons wore those creepy black robes that swallowed nearly all light.

They came closer until both stood not a foot away from the cage.

"You are Marina, right?"

Gabriel was stumped. First, the goons knew all about his fake name he came up with and now they acted in doubt. The person who spoke, clearly a woman, sounded hesitant. And young to boot.

"Maybe," Gabriel gave back. "Who wants to know?"

"We don't have time to play games-" the woman hissed.

Meanwhile, the second person spoke up. "I am Argeo and this is my sister Cinzia."

"Argeo! Be quiet," Cinzia cut him off. Then she gave a sigh.

She pulled her hood back and revealed a young woman's face. Not much older than Gabriel himself. Maybe even younger. The second robed figure, Argeo, pulled his hood down too. He looked remarkably similar to the young woman. What Gabriel struck as odd was their look. Both had Ifarian names, but they looked from a country more to the north. Pale skin, blue eyes, and blond hair. A rather rare mixture around these parts.

"You want to get out of here?" Cinzia asked. "Then answer my questions."

Gabriel hesitated only for a moment. This could be a ploy. To win his trust or something. Then again, he had nothing to lose if he played along. Especially if he repeated lies. "Yes, I am Marina."

"And you are a Siren, right?" Argeo ventured forth.

"Yes," Gabriel admitted. After all, that was known to the clan already.

Cinzia nodded. "And this means you can breathe underwater."

"Not that it did me any good last time," Gabriel admitted.

"Okay, listen, Marina," Cinzia commanded. "You want to get out of here. So do we. If you help us then we help you."

"You are prisoners of the Black Rock Clan too?"

"Clan?" Argeo asked.

"Not exactly," Cinzia admitted. "It doesn't matter. Will you help us or not."

"It does matter," Gabriel insisted. "This could be a ploy. I don't know for what, but you both are acting strange."

Both robed teenagers gave each other a look and it was Argeo who spoke up first. "Tell her. Our time is running out."

"Fine," Cinzia agreed. "We grew up in this cult and-"

"Cult?"

"Yes, cult. Don't interrupt me," Cinzia shot back. "It's like this. The youths in the cult have only one duty. To raise their stats. Strength, Dexterity, and so on. Once we turn eighteen we are raised into the ranks. Which is bad. Really, really bad."

"They kill us," Argeo volunteered. "Then they bind us to a respawn point and kill us again."

"Each time we lose memories until nothing is left," Cinzia continued. "No memories means no personal connections. A blank slate. Growing up we only had one thing that helped us survive. Each other. I don't want to lose my brother."

"My sister is all I have," Argeo added.

Gabriel closed his eyes and gave it some thought. He couldn't lose much by playing along. Even if it was a setup.

"Fine," Gabriel agreed. "What's the plan?"

"Yes!" Argeo exclaimed but fell silent as he saw his sisters glare.

"Right now it is in the middle of the night," Cinzia explained. "Only a few patrols in the hallways, but all the exits are guarded. At least all the regular ones. Under this keep are submerged tunnels. They are a labyrinth, but we know the ways out."

"And you want me to drag you out?" Gabriel asked. "I am not a very fast swimmer. Even as Siren. Not even sure if I can share oxygen with you."

"There is another way," Cinzia insisted. "The cult has a treasure room not far from here. They confiscate every class stone they can get that relates to water and living underwater. We can't get there because there is an armed checkpoint, but there is an underground connection you can use."

Gabriel thought about for a minute and then nodded. "You want me to steal two class stones for you so you can swim out yourself. And as thanks, you show me the way too."

"Yes," Argeo said with a nod.

"I only see one problem," Gabriel admitted. He had one ace up his sleeve and that was his martial arts skills. Thanks to his trait 'Art Of Water Dancing'. But he was reluctant to reveal it now. "You said there are still patrols. Fewer, but I doubt I can overwhelm them."

"Just use your voice to mesmerize them," Cinzia pointed out.

Just as Gabriel was about to say it was futile, Argeo pulled out dozens upon dozens of necklaces from his robe. Gabriel recognized them. The one goon that had caught him boasted that they were charms to ward against Gabriel's voice.

"We raided the armory," Argeo proclaimed proudly. "Probably didn't get all, but most of them."

"I see you thought of everything," Gabriel admitted. "Well then. Shall we?"

The sister produced a key out of her robe and a moment later Gabriel was free. At least of the cage. To escape the keep was a different venture altogether. The siblings led him out into the hallway, but not for long. Ducking into another room that looked like an alchemical laboratory. Just like they promised there was a big pool of water and a submerged tunnel that led into the darkness. Just the sight reminded Gabriel of his itchy skin and the relief the water promised.

Argeo handed him a chem stick. Those, Gabriel was familiar with. With a twist, the stick started to glow. Meanwhile, Cinzia explained the way to the treasury.

When all was said and done it was for Gabriel to do his part. A last deep breath and he jumped into the pool.

//12 // -

The water was cold, but at the same time, Gabriel felt a little more at home. It was as if his skin took a deep breath and sighed in relief. But as good as it felt, Gabriel knew time was short. Looking around, he saw brother and sister looking down on him from above. Around him was the black rock known as basalt. It made orienting himself troublesome. The three tunnels leading out of the pool barely stood out against the rest.

Diving into the right one got Gabriel into a long winding tunnel. Clearly, this one wasn't made for humans. Yet, Gabriel couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't natural either. As he swam around a turn his heart nearly skipped a beat as one of those slimy black eels swam past. Gabriel really was done with those. Stupid creepers of the ocean. Endangered or not, Gabriel would sleep easier if he knew they weren't around anymore.

He encountered a few more and every one of them made Gabriel cringe. But it was nothing compared to the underground grotto he swam into. The very walls were covered in withering eels. From top to bottom those cursed fish took every inch of space. Above was the pool Gabriel had to exit. All he had to do was to swim past a shitload of eels. Those siblings clearly had withheld a few pieces of information.

Slowly, Gabriel swam up. Trying to avoid any fast hectic movement. Least he would startle those beasts around him. He never felt so happy breaking through the surface and pulling himself out of the water. Pointedly ignoring the fact that on his way back, he had to take the same route.

Looking around, Gabriel spotted alchemical laboratory equipment. All scattered around the pool of water in the middle of the room. Gabriel didn't remain long. The room giving him the creeps too. As did everything he knew about the Black Rock Clan. Or cult as the siblings said. The many bones and conserved organs in this room didn't elevate the feeling.

Carefully opening the door, Gabriel saw a long corridor that led into a wider hallway. Just as the siblings had said. Making sure he was alone, Gabriel rushed along. Only to stop at the corner and peek around. A few doorways led off the hallway and to Gabriel's relief he was alone. Counting down the doors, Gabriel took the fourth one to his right.

The treasury the siblings had mentioned didn't look like one. It appeared more like a small storage room. On one side, Gabriel found two sturdy-looking crates made out of metal. He tried to open them, but couldn't find out how. Only noting that they would be shipped to a Black Lotus LLC in another country.

With the crates a bust, Gabriel looked around. The other side of the room was dominated by a large apothecary shelf. No writing, only signs marked the individual drawers. One by one Gabriel opened them all. Only to find them empty. Maybe they put them all into the crates? To Gabriel's luck, he found two class stones behind a drawer with a fish-tail drawn on it. He stashed them both. To his dismay, he didn't find more. Gabriel had the vague hope to find a class stone for him to change into. Maybe even a male-only class to reclaim his lost gender. At least extra class stones would have meant money.

The tortured squeal of the door behind him made Gabriel twist around. A woman stood in the doorway and two men behind her. Gabriel reacted on instinct. Pushing himself off the apothecary shelf lunched him halfway to the woman before she could even register him. An artful jump not only enabled him to roll over her shoulder but also connected his knee to her face. Giving a satisfying crunch.

The small smile left his face as he tumbled into the hallway. He was surrounded by robed figures. Had the siblings set him up? A quick glance showed him two pallet jacks. Probably to get the big crates. Bad timing it was.

"Ward yourself," one goon shouted out. "Don't let her ensnare you."

A few of the men got out necklaces, but not all. Maybe half. As a good half of the cultists were women, Gabriel could potentially ensnare a quarter of all. Not enough to win, but maybe enough to distract. Gabriel began to sing. No words could be understood, but he layered in a meaning nonetheless: protect me.

Chaos broke out and not the way Gabriel had intended. All the women jumped on the men. Even the one whose nose was broken by Gabriel. Defending him.

"She's an Alundare!" One goon shouted out. "Put your wards on the women."

Gabriel was baffled. Was that what it was? His voice worked only on women? It would explain a lot. But Gabriel pushed the topic aside. While a battle raged in the hallway, he sprinted for the corridor leading to the pool. Thankfully, it was empty. Arriving in the alchemical lab, he leaped into the water. It disturbed the eels around him, but Gabriel ignored them. Swimming for the tunnel that would lead back to the siblings.

// 13 // -

"Do you got them?" Cinzia asked.

Gabriel slipped out of the pool. Once again, his t-shirt was wet and clung to his frame. Showing his breasts beneath. If the siblings did mind they didn't show it. Gabriel reached for his pants pocket and tried to fish out the two class stones he stole. Being wet, the pants were nearly welded to his skin.

"I got two. Not sure what class they are. The rest was packed up I think."

"Give me!" Cinzia urged and greedily took them once Gabriel managed to free them. She gave one stone to her brother. "On three."

Not wasting any time, both started to count. Not that Gabriel minded. The tower was alarmed by his break out and soon guards might swarm everywhere. They had to get out of here and fast.

"Three!" Both siblings exclaimed. Bright light erupted from their fists as they channeled magic into their class stones. The light spread to the rest of their body in a flash. Forcing Gabriel to look away.

When Gabriel could see again - blinking away the stars in his vision - the view was strange. Cinzia hadn't changed much. That was until Gabriel saw the long fish-like tail sticking out of her robe.

"Apparently it was some kind of mermaid class," Cinzia mused out loud. Opening her robe and inspecting her body. The tail and scales climbed up to her waist. There was no sign of normal human legs. Gabriel could make out faint lines of closed gills beneath her breasts. Aside from those details, she looked normal.

"And women only," added a new female voice.

Gabriel and Cinzia both looked over to Argeo and immediately did a double-take. His change had been more pronounced. Looking very much like his sister now. Not just the fishtail and gills, but overall.

"You're a girl," Cinzia pointed out the obvious.

While Gabriel caught onto something else at the same time. "Now you look like twins."

"We were twins before," Argeo admitted.

"Well, now you look like identical twins," Gabriel corrected. Apparently, Fate hadn't just for him planned a gender change, but for Argeo too. Yet, Gabriel didn't point it out. There was no use doing so now. Not when more important things were afoot. "Anyway. Check yourself out later. We've got to get out of here. They know I am loose and they might show up any minute."

Cinzia nodded and practically rolled into the pool. Leaving the robe behind. As well as scraps that might have been panties and shoes. Argeo had a harder time as he had been further away from the pool when they changed classes. Gabriel had to awkwardly help him roll into the pool.

Jumping into the water revealed the twins learning to use their new tails fast. Soon they used strong strokes to dart from one wall of the flooded cave to the other. Gabriel soon lost every ounce of recognition of which twin was which.

"Stop fooling around. Time to get out of here."

"How can Marina talk underwater?" Cinzia asked. Or was it Argeo? "Wait, how can I talk underwater?"

Gabriel tried not to be annoyed, but it might have crept into his voice. "Most classes for living in water have a trait for that. We have to get to the exit. Now!"

The twins nodded to each other and then darted to an exit. Leading him through a labyrinth of long winding tunnels distributed with grottos full of those blasted black eels. Gabriel had long since lost count of how many there must be. Above a thousand for sure. Every few paces the twins had to stop and wait. Gabriel, with his human legs, wasn't as fast as those two. The tunnels proofed to be too narrow to be dragged by a twin. In a single file was all they could manage.

"We are close," one twin promised. A moment later, the tunnel widened. She ducked under a rusty open gate and was out in the ocean.

Just as the second twin tried to swim through, the gate started to lower. Rusty dorns scrapped the mermaids tail, leaving a trail of blood in the water, but she got through. Not so Gabriel, who arrived just as the gate closed shut. He could see the twins and freedom beckoning just behind some rusty bars of steel. It might as well have been a mile away.

"There is another exit," Cinzia promised. "Argeo is wounded and I have to take care of him, but we will wait there."

In quick words, she outlined the way to the next exit. Gabriel did his best to not look defeated. There was a chance for him to escape. But it was a small one. He had to be quick.

Once again, Gabriel braved the dark tunnels. Only illuminated by the stick of chemical light. This time, they appeared even more ominous, as Gabriel traversed them alone. In his mind always repeating the directions given to him. Clinging to them with all his might. Soon there would be the last turn and then-

Gabriel cursed. The second exit was already tightly shut too. Peering through the steel bars, he couldn't even see the twins. Have they left him behind? Maybe it had been a mistake to rely on them from the start. Still, time was of the essence and Gabriel needed a new plan. If going underwater wasn't an option, then above ground was the next best idea. Somewhere they had to have doors or windows, right?

Pumping himself up, he swam to find one of those pools where he could exit. Once again cursing the eels when Gabriel found one. Just what was it with the clan and eels. Or cult? He shook his head. Those questions weren't important right now.

Slipping out of the water, Gabriel recognized the room. He had been here before. The room close to the class stone storage he raided earlier. Peeking out of the door revealed an empty corridor, but he knew this impression was treacherous. He could hear people running. Not having another choice, Gabriel rushed out.

He needed to find stairs. Anything to go up. Picking a direction at random, Gabriel started to sprint. Taking turns at random. He knew he was close to panic, but couldn't calm himself down. Eventually, he saw the stairs before him. But his bad luck struck again. Four guards had taken a position around the exit he longed for. They saw him just as Gabriel spied them and he knew time was running out.

"I can take four," Gabriel assured himself. "And that plaza there were more."

He hoped the 'Art Of Water Dancing' would help him once more. Of this cursed class, it had been the trait most helpful. Still, maybe he could shift the skirmish to his advantage. Once again, Gabriel started to sing. The syllables he sang had no discernable sense, but they carried a meaning. Magic that enforced an order: protect me and kill anyone who wishes to harm me.

For ten seconds Gabriel sang. Then twenty. He was about to give up when one of the cloaked figures stepped forward. Readying a polearm. Gabriel knew it hadn't worked and stopped singing. Maybe the twins hadn't stolen enough wards anyway and they all were immune to Gabriels songs.

Suddenly, the robbed figure spun around. The polearm burying deep in another cultist's face. Blood shot out and splattered everywhere. The surprising outburst of violence stunned everyone but the cultist who headed Gabriel's siren call. The woman skewered another cultist before they could react.

That left one who finally readied himself, but so did Gabriel. Running full speed, he jumped the last cultist. A tumble later and Gabriel practically threw him on the polearm of the cloaked figure he had ensnared.

As Gabriel clamored to his feet, he noticed the devastation the short skirmish had done. Blood everywhere and were those entails poking out of one of the bodies? Feeling nauseated, Gabriel turned around. Only to come face to face with the person he charmed. Beneath the dark hood, the youthful face of a woman in her early twenties stared back. Her eyes had a vacant look to them. Not really focusing on anything. The effect of Gabriel's siren song. But how long would it last?

Shouts alerted Gabriel that they wouldn't stay alone for long. A moment later cultists filled the corridor that Gabriel had come from. Too many to fight. It was time to go, but he needed more time. Once again, he sang. Hold the position and fight anyone off, but me. That was the meaning Gabriel imbued in his voice while going for the stairs. Still singing even as he left the room behind and as the sound of combat broke out.

Until Gabriel reached the top of the stairs and his voice left him. Two dozen pairs of cultist's eyes laid upon him. They had been waiting and they were ready for him. Not even giving him time to start another song, they immediately rush Gabriel.

He would have gone down in a second if it hadn't been for his martial arts prowess. Jumping, kicking, and spinning brought Gabriel through half the crowd. But then a hand managed to grab one of Gabriel's ankle. Stopping his motion dead in the tracks. More hands started to pin him down. Stopping his desperate attempt to break free.

"Oh shit. Not again," Gabriel managed to press out just before a club connected with his head. Throwing Gabriel once again into the abyss of oblivion that was unconsiousness.

// 14 // -

Gabriel woke to the screaming of a man. The tortured squeals of pain echoed in the room and underlined Gabriel's own. The mother of all headaches made him wince and grimace. Couldn't he go back to sleep?

The criss-cross of iron in his back reminded him that he wasn't in the small rundown hideout in the outskirts of the half-sunken city. Memories rushed back and a quick pat of his chest confirmed that Gabriel was still female. A siren. And worst of all still in the clutches of an evil crime syndicate. Or cult. Which might work out even less if that was possible.

Opening his eyes was a mistake. The light around him was dim, but still blinding to Gabriel's tortured self. Every time he tried to open them new pain shot through his head.

At least the cries of pain were cut off. Too abrupt, but Gabriel couldn't spare the energy to find out why. All he could do was to wait for the headache to recede.

"Where am I? Who are you?"

New shouts filled the chamber and made Gabriel wince. He knew he should fight through the pain and find out in what dire straits he was in now. As he managed to open his eyes long enough he saw a high arched ceiling beyond the confines of a rusted cage.

His feeble attempts to turn around made the cage start to swing. Which clued him in that the cage was suspended. As Gabriel managed to turn to the side, he could see it confirmed. It was a large room. Spanning at least eighty meters in diameter. It was also tall, as Gabriel's cage swayed high in the air. A fall from this height might break a few bones, if not kill him outright.

Through the rusted steel of his cage, Gabriel saw nightmarish things. An altar of black basalt. It glistened with fresh blood. Trails of blood and water led to pools of churning water. Now and then a black eel surfaced and then vanished beneath the inky liquid again.

Not far was a stone ark of the same dark stone. Within was pure darkness. As if there was a hole in the universe in itself. A small possession of cultists was dragging a person back towards it.

"That is their respawn stone," a raspy voice remarked.

Gabriel turned around and saw a ragged old man in another suspended cage not far from his own. The geezer pointed towards the arc and Gabriel looked back.

"Watch closely. That is our future."

The cultists pressed the man's hand on the arc and incanted a spell. A black mist appeared around the hands and then seeped into the stone.

"They bound him again to the stone. There is no escape in true death."

The victim was dragged to the altar and strapped down. All his begging was ignored. Which turned into screams as one cultist brandished a long ceremonial dagger. Pleas for mercy fought in intensity to surpass the chanting of the cultists. Then the begging was cut off as a dagger found its way into the poor man's heart.

From high up, Gabriel witnessed blood pouring out and slowly turning black. The cultists were ready and caught the blood in a vial. Now turning to an oily blackness. Just as the vial was closed the water in the pools around them started to explode. Long slimy tentacles wound out of the black water. Their thickness easily riveling the chest of a man.

"Behold," the old man whispered in the cage next to Gabriel's. "Their dark god appears."

As the appendages wound themselves to the altar the sacrifice's corpse started to twist and turn. Before Gabriel's eyes, it darkened. Changed shape and texture. Becoming slimy, black, and sporting rows of needle-sharp teeth. Gabriel gasped as the convulsing mass separated into four black eels.

They slithered off the altar and tried to reach a cultist who had stepped away. Gabriel spotted the vial with the inky black liquid in the cultist's hands. The man or woman walked briskly to a large tank Gabriel hadn't noticed before. In it, more of the oily liquid. It reminded Gabriel of the vile stuff the Black Rock goons had poured into the fountain. Was it the same? Gabriel didn't know but saw the eels back off once the vial was emptied into the tank.

"And now it repeats itself," the old man commented.

Gabriel could see that he was right. The darkness of the stone arch wobbled and out stumbled the same man that had been sacrificed not long ago. His futile attempt at an escape was stopped by the robbed figures. Once again, he was bound to the stone. Then dragged screaming to the altar.

"Every time killed that poor sod will lose memories. Two years' worth. Again and again. Until there won't be any left. Then he'll be a blank slate. Ready to become part of the cult."

Gabriel turned away from the grisly display and towards his fellow prisoner.

"We have to escape."

"Oh, girl. There is no escaping. Our fate is sealed."

Part of Gabriel wanted to agree. The situation was dire. Suspended in air above a cultist's place of worship and sacrifice. Nursing bruises and a wicked headache from fights lost. Stuck in a body, gender, and class not his own save for a few days.

But Gabriel was a fighter. Always had been. And he refused to give up now. But if he really wanted to escape he needed all the help he could get.

"What's your name? Mine is Ga- Uhm. Marina."

The old man gave a hysterical laugh. "What does it matter? Tomorrow it is my turn. They will rob me of name and memory. I'll be whoever they want me to be and I have no say in it. And so will you."

With those words, Gabriel knew he was alone. Not everyone was a fighter. Some preferred to give up. But, Gabriel didn't. Spending the time he had left searching for any detail that might help him escape later.

// 15 // -

Two days later, Gabriel's cage was lowered. He knew what was coming now, but still hadn't a plan beyond trying to fight his way out. Apparently, it wasn't a very original plan, as double the cultists were around today. Most likely they expected him to fight. Gabriel wondered if he even could. When had he last drunk or eaten? His body felt weak and riddled with half-healed bruises. At least his headache was manageable today.

The cage shook a last time as it sat down on the ground. Gabriel knew this was it. He readied himself for the last fight. So did the cultists. As soon as the cage was opened, Gabriel burst out. Forgoing singing outright, he tried to barrel past the cultists. His goal was one of the big windows that lined the room. Beyond, he could see the ocean. The room was high up. Jumping out, he would either die or survive more bruised than ever. But it was better than being turned to eels. Or becoming a cultist.

Despite his weakness, the first cultist was downed quickly by Gabriel. Then a second one. But then the circle closed. His strength was waning as more and more cultists pushed close. It was futile, but Gabriel didn't give up. Not as they grabbed his arms and legs and neither when they dragged him towards that cursed arc. The respawn stone.

All he needed was another opening, Gabriel told himself. Even as they pressed his hands on the stone. Chanting eldritch words to bind Gabriel's soul to the respawn stone against his will. Even dragging him to the altar it was not time to give up. He could still escape. Find another respawn stone. Regain his freedom.

Then the leather closed around his wrists and weld him to the altar. This was it. Gabriel had lost. All his fighting had been in vain. The pain and struggle still had been futile. They would plunge a dagger in his heart. Right between the breasts he still found hard to accept as his own. Would he even care? Once they killed him enough and not a single memory remained of ever being a boy.

Gabriel looked past the chanting cultists and towards the respawn stone. He would stumble from that arch more confused than ever. Two years less of memories would make him less a danger for his captors. He probably would forget all about his new class and gender. An easy target.

He frowned. Before his eyes, the darkness in the arch that was the respawn point started to wobble. It had been activated. But by whom? A moment later, a woman stepped out. She was old, her hair gray, but the body was strong. Scars told the tale of battles fought and she walked with a confidence that showed it. Not even minding her nakedness.

Or her lack of a warding necklace. A desperate song left Gabriel's throat as he spotted the last chance he might ever get. "Protect me by any means," he sang over and over. Even as a cultist raised the dagger to end Gabriel's life.

A flash of bright light blinded Gabriel. Painfully blinking tears and stars away. Gradually, his vision returned and made him do a double-take. Cultists were scattered all through the room. Between them still a few flashes of lightning jumped between them. A few managed to raise magical shields but were steadily pushed back. The source was the older sorceress. The not only freshly respawned one but also freshly ensnared one by Gabriel's voice.

It was the break Gabriel had hoped for, but the tides were turning swiftly. More cultists managed to get up and shield themselves. Either attacking the sorceress or Gabriel. None of the spells made it through to him, as a mage shield was raised around him too. But how long would it last? Or the sorceress.

A glance behind her showed the solution. More people stumbled out the respawn stone and women immediately listened to his song and obey the order. Gabriel didn't know if more people died where the old sorceress came from or if a few cultists here didn't survive the first attack. He didn't really care either way but knew he had to exploit it. His song shifted. Added more commands. To concentrate on killing people who hadn't respawned yet and for one to finally free him. Gabriel was sick of being bound to an altar to an ancient eldritch god.

The irony made Gabriel nearly break his song. The one trait from his new class he had rated as his worst might actually save him now from a fate worse than death. Once free, Gabriel clamored to find safety behind the women - cultists - who he had ensnared. Here, he could finally try to find a way out. And fast. More cultists arrived from the floors below. Those defeated simply respawned in the same room. It was just a matter of time before attrition would collapse Gabriel's side.

His eyes roamed the room. There had to be something he could use to escape. Certainly not the stairs where still new cultists arrived. The windows? That would be an option. A desperate one. Death or grave injury a given chance. Still, Gabriel made his way over to one. His escort shifted with him. But then, halfway to the nearest window, he spied the one puzzle piece he couldn't account for. There was this strange tank filled with the tar-like liquid. The same one the cult used in the fountains of Verrencia. Why was it here, in the middle of their sanctuary?

Gabriel didn't know, but he reasoned if it was threatened, it might create a diversion. Once again, he altered his song. At once, the battle shifted. Gabriel could not just feel the panic but heard it in voices shouting their protest.

"This will kill us all!" a woman beside him gasped. Still, she attacked with magic, while other women under his influence tried to reach the tank with picked up weapons. Desperation started to permeate the large room. A few cultists actually jumped into the way of thrown weapons or flung spells. Everything to protect this unholy liquid.

It was a lone javelin thrown in a high arc. Gracefully arching over the raging battle and hastily thrown magical shields. Crashing from high into the tank. For a moment, the battle stopped. Frightful eyes towards the tank. As more and more cracks appeared in the glass, Gabriel had
for a moment doubts about his plan. Just what was he about to unleash?

All it took was one piece of the tank falling away and in a cascade, the tank splintered open. Dark ooze clashed down and swept through the ranks of the cultists. A split second later the pools of water at the edges of the room exploded with motion. The black eels launched themselves out of the water and towards the dark liquid. In a bloodied frenzy they squirmed like snakes towards their prize. Snapping at everything that stood in their way or was covered in the liquid. Chewing on ankles and stone tiles alike. Their needle-sharp teeth digging into everyone and everything with ease.

"We have to get out of here!"

The shout broke Gabriel out of his stupor. In the commotion, he had stopped his song but now renewed it. Now was the time to head for the stairs or as a last measure to a window.

Gabriel had barely taken two steps when the floor started to vibrate. Then tremble. What felt like an earthquake shook the room. Sending him and a few others to the floor.

The tower groaned as if it was under great stress. Fissures broke into the floor, walls, and ceiling. A crack appeared in the stone arch of the respawn stone. The darkness within ceased to be and shortly after the arch broke apart. No cultist would respawn there again. All those that had been bound to it now facing true death. As was Gabriel.

Not trusting himself to stand up, Gabriel crawled towards the nearest window. By now the glass had splintered and the way out was within grasp.

The groan and grinding of stone nearly drowned out the screams as the room tilted. The whole tower started to lean. All around him, people lost their footing. Rolling together with the last of the pools water to one bloody mess of black liquid, screaming bloodied cultists, and frenzied eels feasting on everything.

Gabriel barely managed to hold on. Maybe his high dexterity saved him, but he hadn't time to think about it. Whatever shook the tower got worse and worse. By now, he was desperate. Grabbing the frames of broken up windows. Not caring that the last pieces of glass cut into his skin.

Looking over the edge showed Gabriel that the tower had now a lean over thirty degrees. It wouldn't stand much longer. The water below was churning with eels but also was his only hope. He had to jump to get clear of the building and pray he would hit the water. That the very jump wouldn't kill him.

Despite the trembling of the tower, Gabriel managed to stand up. Gripping the windows frame harder and harder. Now was the time to-

Gravity suddenly claimed Gabriel as the tower beneath him sacked away. It felt like a fall from a second-story floor when the tower came to a rest. Gabriel would have fallen further if he still hadn't the window frame in his grasp. There was hardly a moment to take a breath when the tower moved again. Titling to a new side and doing so faster and faster. Pulling Gabriel along with it.

The churning surface of the water came closer and closer. With a last desperate afford, Gabriel pushed away from the tower. Freefalling for just a second.

Then he crashed into a wall of water.

// 16 // -

A sharp pain woke Gabriel as something tore into his foot. The relief of being alive fleeting as the pain started to overwhelm him. Whatever tore at him clamored to get more and Gabriel kicked at it with his good leg. The hit was on something squishy and slick. And as Gabriel looked down, he saw needle-sharp teeth bury itself into his flesh again. He was attacked by one of those blasted black eels.

Another kick and Gabriel gained some space. Desperate to escape Gabriel clamored to swim away. With each stroke, pain flared and he left a trail of blood and something dark. The liquid from the tower? It was no wonder then that the eel came back for more. Worse, Gabriel could see more and more shapes in the murky water coming towards him.

Like sharks smelling blood more and more of those blasted eels made for him. Slowly making their appearance out of the murky water. Meanwhile, he still struggled to get away from one of those. Scared out of his mind, Gabriel swam in the next best direction. The water was darker than usual. Despite the sun shining through the surface not a dozen feet up. Dust and debris, he realized.

More eels broke out of the dark murky water. At that moment, something large jetted through the ocean to his right. Causing a ripple in the thick soup of dirty water. Momentarily disrupting Gabriel escape and the eels in their case. Two heartbeats later a second object did the same to Gabriel's left. At the edge of his vision, the large shapes turned and Gabriel knew they would come for him. Desperate, he turned around and strained against the water to make headway. Not even caring where he was heading, as long as it was away.

Struggling against pain and exhaustion, Gabriel fought for every push. Kicking with both legs, despite one being a bloodied mess. Stabbing into the water with his hands to gain just a little more-

A sudden yank on his arms and Gabriel speed up. The water was rushing by and he strained to keep his eyes open. The further he was pulled came the clearer the water became. Until it was the usual crystal clearness he grew up with.

"It's you!"

Each of his arms was held by a mermaid. They strained to keep up the speed. To pull him out of the danger. Away from eels and cultists. From black liquid and eldritch gods. Two faces smiled at him. Both exactly alike.

"We promised we'll wait for you, right?" asked one of the twins.

Gabriel smiled back. It was a tired smile. One pained by exhaustion. But he held it as long as he could. Until unconsciousness claimed him again.

// 17 // -

Warm rays of sunshine woke Gabriel. But as he opened his eyes they were distorted by a wobbling surface. He was underwater. Not far. Just a foot deep or two. Below his back, he could feel fine sand. Was he close to a beach?

A moment later the memories flooded back. The tower. Eels. His ravaged foot. Worried, he sat up. Which made him break the ocean's surface. There was a beach close by, but Gabriel ignored it. Only the foot was important. It was a lump of black. So dark it swallowed the light. Strangely it didn't hurt. Pulling it close revealed why. It was a bandage. Made with the same cloth all those cultists have worn. It was the only thing he wore. The rest of his clothes missing.

"Marina! You're awake."

Gabriel spotted one of the twin mermaids to his left. She was swimming slowly. Probably because the water was shallow close to the beach. She stopped with a concerned look on her face not far from Gabriel. He blushed as he noticed her naked too.

"You had us worried. When you fainted we didn't know what to do."

"Still alive. Thank you for that. Saving me- Yesterday?" Gabriel guessed.

"You were out for three days. Sis and I feared you wouldn't wake up at all."

"Where is she? Your sister? Sorry, who of the two are you?"

"Cinzia is out fishing. I am Argeo."

Gabriel nodded and with the gesture, an awkward silence settled over the siren and mermaid. He did his best not to stare, but in the end, Gabriel had to know.

"So- Say. Why are we naked?"

"Because clothes are such a drag underwater," a new voice added. To his right, Cinzia drifted close. In her hand a wooden makeshift speer that had a skewered fish on the tip. "I mean literally. We can swim so much faster without them."

"I guess that makes sense," Gabriel admitted. Now that both twins were here, he knew it was time to get serious. "Thank you. Both of you. You saved me back there."

"It is only fair," Argeo argued. "You saved us first. We owed you."

"Yes, there is that," Cinzia agreed. For a moment she looked embarrassed to the side. "But to be honest, there is an ulterior motive."

Gabriel frowned in bemusement. What could he give them? He had lost everything he had ever owned. The few possessions he had were gone. His beloved boat now a memory. But their loss paled to what he really missed. His old body. The gender he grew up with.

A wry laugh broke through his throat. "Sorry, but I have nothing to give. I would say I have nothing left but the cloth on my body. But look at me, I am naked."

If the twins shared his amusement, then they didn't show it. They even looked serious. Cinzia swam close and took Gabriel's hand in hers.

"Look. You've got a lot. Things we miss. We never set a foot out of that tower-"

"Technically we still didn't," Argeo threw in. Giving a pointed look to his or rather her flippers.

"My point is this," Cinzia continued after a short chuckle. "We don't know the outside world. But you do. You grew up in it. We've hoped you could show us the way. Guide us a little."

"Maybe even show me how to be a girl," Argeo admitted. "I doubt Cinzia knows much how to behave like a girl either. Not here on the outside. And I think I don't have a choice but to get used to being one. Get used to these." For emphasis, Argeo grabbed his breasts and gave them a slight squeeze.

"Stop doing that or-"

Cinzia didn't came any further as Gabriel started laughing. In fact, he was in hysterics. Voicing his amusement all over the beachfront. He only stopped as Cinzia punched him on the shoulder.

"It's not funny. We didn't know the class stone would do that. And Argeo has a point. I don't think I can teach him - well, her - much. She needs guidance. We both do."

"It's not that," Gabriel pressed out. The laughter had left him wheezing. Only after catching his breath, he could continue. And not with a straight face. It was too much. Now and then interrupting himself with small chuckles.

"Of all the people you have to ask me? That is so funny and you don't even know why. I am not a girl. Well, now I am I guess. My name is not Marina. Made that one up. Not a week ago I was a boy. I grew up as one. Heck if I know how to be a girl. Since turning into one all I have been doing is running away or trying to escape something. I couldn't be a worse teacher. Still trying to figure things out myself."

Before the silence could get awkward, Cinzia looked to Argeo.

"See? Just make a girly name up. Marina did too."

"It's not that easy," Argeo said with a pout and crossed her arms over her chest.

"That's the lesson you take from this?" Gabriel asked.

Cinzia shrugged. "Why not? So, you are in the same boat as us, Marina. Or do you have a way back to being a boy? The question is: do you want to figure it out alone or together?"

Gabriel looked between both twins. The look on their faces serious, but patient. It was time to make a decision. "I guess I have to face it. I am Marina now. And a girl. Guess it might be of advantage to have you two to remind me."

"Yay! We have a new sister," Argeo shouted before burying Marina under her. Turns out mermaids are heavier than they look. Thankfully the hug didn't last too long and that Marina could breathe underwater.

"All right. All right. We stick together," Marina promised. "But not here. The tower might be down. Maybe even the cult. But there is still the Black Rock Clan. The criminal syndicate they build on the outside. We have to leave Verrencia. Maybe even leave Ifaria for another country."

"That's fine with me," Argeo admitted.

"Nothing is holding us back here," Cinzia added.

"It is decided," Marina announced. "We leave. As soon as- I need to eat something. My stomach is a hole!"

"That's why I was fishing!" Cinzia held her conquest up.

"You can eat it raw," Argeo added. "I think. We have that trait through our class."

Marina gave a wry smile. "Well, I always wanted to taste Sushi."

// 18 // -

A few hours later, Marina was treating water. On the horizon, she saw the rubble of a once-mighty tower of black stone. Beyond a city that had been his home. But now, she was not just ready to leave those behind.

Diving under the ocean surface, she found the twins waiting for her. They were her new start in life. Maybe even a family. Something Gabriel never had. But for Marina, it was in her grasp.

"You ready?" Cinzia asked.

Both twins held out their arms. Marina didn't hesitate. Grabbing both of them firmly.

"Let's get out of here."

As both twin mermaids sped up they pulled Marina along.

To a new life.

A new family.

A new start.

And at that moment, Marina wouldn't have it any other way.