Forgotten Sea: Chapter 7
MC: You…! I…!
MC: You can’t… You at least should…! Say a greeting first…
Rafayel: If I took the time to greet you, you’d probably already be on your way to meet the previous Sea God.
Rafayel: In addition, look at your own hands and legs, where exactly are they placed..
I lower my head, only to discover that my entire being is curled up in Rafayel’s arms, like a hermit crab that has just moved into a new shell.
MC: …. How embarrassing, I’ve left marks on your arm again.
Rafayel: All right, give me your hand.
Rafayel takes the mask off my face and tosses it into the ocean, then takes my hand and gently lifts me.
My body suddenly lighter, my feet steadily standing on the surface of the sea, ripples spreading under us one after another.
Just like this, he escorts me on foot across the surface of the ocean towards the sky. Behind me, the islands one by one become black silhouettes in the slanted rays of sunlight.
He lightly lifts a hand, and waves bloom beneath my feet.
A school of fish dives, a white seagull circles overhead, lightly calling out as it lands on my shoulder.
MC: …
Rafayel: We spent half a day getting here, wasn’t it to see the sunrise? Why aren’t you speaking?
MC: No… I just… have never seen such beautiful scenery in this lifetime.
I pull Rafayel down to sit on the calm surface of the ocean, and carefully stick my legs into the water, allowing schools of fish to curiously circle us.
Rafayel’s eyebrow quirks, and he gently nudges little fish that leap out of the water with his finger.
Rafayel: My childhood and your childhood were not that different.
Rafayel: The previous Lemurian prophecy said, Lemuria only has one last Sea God remaining.
Rafayel: Many years after that Sea God fell, they finally found me in the flames where dawn and dusk collide.
Rafayel: But the deep sea is a place where the , and it’s dangerous everywhere…
Rafayel: So the furthest place I could go to was just the surface of the ocean.
MC: Then you’re… happy? You’ve never thought to run away?
I gently grasp his fingers, my gaze involuntarily drawn to him.
Rafayel: Where do you think the gap in the wall behind the school came from?
MC: …
The sun is out!
The sun pushes aside the clouds, showing its face.
He lifts his gaze to the sky, looking at the crystalline blue light reflecting off the ocean’s surface.
Rafayel: Mmhmm, the sun is out.
Since our secret trip onto land, it has been a long time.
This seems to have become my second home, and I am gradually used to life at the bottom of the ocean—or said another way, days in Whalefall City.
The day before the Sea God’s Ceremony, when the night is deep and quiet, Rafayel secretly drags me to the Temple. Behind us, the flame within the niche flickers, like the even breathing of a dream.
Rafayel: During tomorrow’s ceremony, the Sacred Flame will go out, and the Tome of the Sea God will once again show Lemuria’s prophecy.
Rafayel: Once the Sacred Flame lights up again, the ceremony will end.
MC: What is the Sea God’s Ceremony like?
Rafayel: When the ceremony begins, we’ll sit on thrones adored with shells and pearls, be carried on a hundred golden crabs, and parade through the entire ocean.
MC: Wow! But wouldn’t that be too much trouble for them…
Rafayel: All right, then it’s canceled. Because that was something I just made up.
Rafayel: I don’t know what the Sea God’s Ceremony should be like…
Rafayel: But at least, it shouldn’t be like those you see on land.
Rafayel: Everyone who participates in the festival will receive this ocean’s blessing.
MC: Then what about you, will you also bless me?
Rafayel: Tomorrow’s blessing is for everyone, the blessing right now is for you.
Rafayel: It is the Sea God’s messenger. In the future, no matter what danger you meet, you won’t need to be afraid.
Rafayel: … and there’s one more important thing, I wish to ask you once again.
Rafayel: Are you willing to become my follower?
MC: You want me to offer the most devout faith… you’ll have to offer something unique and special in exchange for it.
Rafayel: Then I’ll give you my heart, you want it?
The moment we each other, as if suddenly startled awake, the heart of the Sacred Flame pulses uneasily, and the shadows on the wall shake along with it.
A few seconds later, it suddenly dims again.
MC: You…! I…!
MC: You… You should have…! At least said something before that…
Rafayel: If I did, your last kiss would have been given to this generation’s Sea God.
Rafayel: Also, watch what your arms and legs are doing.
I see I am in Rafayel’s embrace, like a hermit crab who’s found a new shell.
MC: …I’m sorry. I left marks on your arms again.
Rafayel: I don’t mind. Give me your hand.
Rafayel tosses my mask into the Ocean, take my hand, and helps me stand.
My body suddenly feels light, my feet landing on the water’s rippling surface. I’m able to stand on the Ocean, as steady as I do on land.
In boundless blue, he takes me to the horizon. Behind us, the islands melt into the sunset’s shadow.
He gestures for waves to bloom under my feet, sea foam appearing with every step I take.
Fish swim. White gulls circle overhead and sing as they land on my shoulder.
MC: …
Rafayel: We went through a lot of effort to see the sunrise. Why are you quiet?
MC: No, it’s… I… I’ve never seen anything this beautiful in my life.
I make Rafayel sit down. I let my feet touch the lapping waves. Curious fish circle around us.
Rafayel raises an eyebrow. He pokes the fish that leapt out of the water.
Rafayel: As a young boy, my life was no different from yours.
Rafayel: The prophecy stated Lemuria was to only have one God of the Sea left.
Rafayel: My predecessor passed away, and they found me years later, bathed in the flames under the union of dusk and dawn.
Rafayel: The Deep Sea is dangerous. Only the strong survive…
Rafayel: ‘Tis why I can only go as far as the surface of the Sea.
MC: Were… you happy? Have you ever thought about traveling to another place?
I touch his fingers, my gaze meeting his.
Rafayel: Who do you think made that hole behind the College?
MC: …
The sun’s rising!
The sun breaks through layers and layers of clouds.
He looks up at the sky, observing the glittering sea under its rays.
Rafayel: So it is.
Many moons have passed since our last rendezvous to the surface.
The Deep Sea becomes my second home. I’m used to living underwater, or in Whalefall City, rather.
On the night before the Sea God’s Ceremony, as everyone is asleep, Rafayel takes me to the Temple. Pulsating in a steady rhythm behind us, the flame burns.
Rafayel: When the fire goes out tomorrow, a new Lemurian prophecy will appear in the Tome of the Sea God.
Rafayel: And when the fire is reignited, the Ceremony will end.
MC: Describe to me what’s done in the real Sea God’s Ceremony.
Rafayel: We sit on my divine throne adorned with shells and pearls. A hundred golden crabs will carry us on a journey to every part of the Deep Sea.
MC: That sounds lovely. But wouldn’t everyone be annoyed?
Rafayel: Indeed. I’ll skip the first part of the Ceremony. ‘Twas only make-believe nonsense.
Rafayel: I don’t know the details of the Ceremony…
Rafayel: But it won’t be anything like the celebration on the surface world.
Rafayel: Every participant will be blessed by the Ocean.
MC: What about you? Will I receive your blessing?
Rafayel: Tomorrow’s blessing will be for everyone. But ‘tis only yours at this moment.
Rafayel: ‘Tis a true emissary of the God of the Sea. With it in your company, you need not be afraid of the danger that lies ahead.
Rafayel: …I also have a question. ‘Tis a very, very important one.
Rafayel: Are you willing to be my follower?
MC: Desiring the sincerest worship of mortals… Thou must offer an irreplaceable object.
Rafayel: The Sea God’s heart, mine heart. Dost thou want it?
We lean in closer to each other. The flame flickers, seemingly startled awake. Shadows on the wall tremble and shudder.
A few moments later it returns to normal.
玩家: 你……!我……!
玩家: 你不能……你至少应该……!先打个招呼……
祁煜: 有打招呼的工夫，你恐怕早就去见上代海神了。
祁煜: 还有，看看自己的手，还有脚，到底放在什么地方。
我低下头，这才发现自己整个人缩在祁煜的怀里，像只换了新壳的寄居蟹。
玩家: ……真是不好意思，又把你的胳膊抠出印子了。
祁煜: 好了，把手给我。
祁煜将我脸上面具摘下丢入海中，又牵着我的手，将我轻轻一抬。
身体蓦地一轻，脚底稳稳踩在海面上，一圈一圈涟漪在我们身下荡开。
他就这样带着我踏着无边无际的海面向天空走去，身后的岛屿一点点成了斜阳残照里的黑色剪影。
他轻轻抬手，浪花在我的脚下一步步绽放。
鱼群潜跃，白色的鸥乌在我们头顶盘旋，轻鸣着落在我的肩上。
玩家: ……
祁煜: 费了半天劲跑出来，不是要看日出么?怎么不说话了?
玩家: 不是……我只是……这辈子从来没见过这么美的景色。
我拉着祁煜在平静的海面坐下，双脚小心翼翼探入水中，任由鱼群好奇地围绕我们打转。
祁煜眉眼弯了弯，拿手指轻轻触碰着跃出水面的小鱼。
祁煜: 我的小时候，和你的小时候也差不多。
祁煜: 上一个利莫里亚的预言说，利莫里亚只剩最后一位海神了。
祁煜: 在那位海神陨落后的许多年，他们才在晨昏交替时的火焰中找到了我。
祁煜: 但深海是个弱肉强食的地方，处处都是危险……
祁煜: 所以我能去到的最远的地方，也就只有海面了。
玩家: 那你……开心吗?你就没想过跑出去吗?
我轻轻抓住他的手指，目光不由自主移到他身上。
祁煜: 不然你以为学城后面的墙洞是哪儿来的?
玩家: ……
太阳出来了!
太阳拨开云层，露出脸来。
他将视线抬至天空，看着海面在阳光下闪着晶莹的蓝光。
祁煜: 嗯，太阳出来了。
自我们偷跑上岸后，时间又过了很久。
这里似乎已经成了我的第二个家，我也渐渐习惯了生活在海底——或者说鲸落城的日子。
海神祭典的前一天，夜深人静时，祁煜偷偷拉我来到神殿，身后壁中的火光闪烁，如睡梦中的一呼一吸。
祁煜: 明天的祭典上，“火种”会熄灭，海神书上会重现利莫里亚的预言。
祁煜: 等“火种”再次燃起之时，仪式就结束了。
玩家: 海神祭典是什么样的?
祁煜: 祭典开始，我们会坐上贝壳与珍珠装饰的神座，由一百只黄金蟹抬着，巡视整片海域。
玩家: 哇!但会不会太麻烦它们……
祁煜: 好吧，那就取消。因为本来也是我刚才想到的。
祁煜: 我不知道海神祭典该是什么样……
祁煜: 但至少，不该是你在岸上看到的那些。
祁煜: 参加祭典的每个人，都会得到这片海洋的祝福。
玩家: 那你呢，你也会祝福我吗?
祁煜: 明天的祝福是给所有人的，现在的祝福是给你的。
祁煜: 它是海神的使者，以后无论遇到什么危险，你都不用怕了。
祁煜: ……还有件重要的事，我想再问你一遍。
祁煜: 你愿意成为我的信徒吗?
玩家: 你想要我献上最虔诚的信仰……就要拿最独一无二的东西来交换。
祁煜: 那把我的心给你，你要吗?
我们靠近彼此的瞬间，“火种”的焰心仿佛忽然被惊醒，不安地跳动，映在墙上的影子跟着晃了晃。
几下后，又忽然黯淡了下去。
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