Darkness Depths

Lugnut and the Walkers entered the mouth of the monster, guns blazing. After 15 seconds, a massive explosion ripped the leviathan to shreds. Wails of death echoed impossibly in the water, as the chasm started collapsing on to it. The Potestas, as well as most of the Walker fleet, escaped and were only minutes away from entering the abyss.
“Lugnut, come in. Walker 1, come in. Walker 11, come in. Somebody report back. Somebody, report in. Anyone?” Clairette went on, losing hope by the second.
Juliet snatched the radio away, tears coursing down her cheeks. “Lugnut…Lugnut please respond. Talk to me. Come on…Tell me you’re alive. Lugnut…Lugnut please.”
Juliet’s mind replayed every memory she shared with Lugnut, in similar fashion to Lugnut’s video replays. She breathed heavily, the hope inside her drifting away with the currents that surrounds them.
“He’s gone…I can’t believe that he’s gone.” Juliet accepted finally.
“Come along, love. Let’s get you some rest. I’ll be sure to stay with you.” Jess gently pulled Juliet away, walking her to her room.
“Proper memorial for those that lost their lives are in order. I’ll go arrange everything.” Abioye uttered in solemnity.
“Can you get it done by 9 tonight? I think it’s an appropriate thing to do.” Ms. Wilson made known.
“Yeah, I can. Give me a list of those who died and I’ll make an announcement.”
“Christ…What’s waiting for us in the abyss, Ms. Wilson?” Clairette enquired, nervous for the coming future.
“Well, hopefully Atlantis, Miss Clairette. Hopefully Atlantis.”

. . .

“Attention all crewmembers. We will be remembering all those who have lost their lives earlier today. These brave men and women paid the ultimate price to ensure our safe travels…” Abioye read over the intercom. “…We’d like to remember the crewmembers in Walker 1…Walker 33…”
Abioye went on, listing off the names of all who died in the line of battle. Eventually, he reached Lugnut.
“Lugnut Stonebridge. Without the robot, none of us would be here, carrying on our journey. May we have a moment of silence for the lost.”
Juliet cried in her room, curled up in a ball on her bed, as Jess held her close. All across the ship, members of the team carried on somberly, mourning all those gone. Many began realizing the true danger of the adventure, and the possibility that they may not make it out alive.
“Will the core exploration team please convene in the meeting room. Ms. Wilson is requesting your presence.” Another voice came on the intercom and stated.
“Let’s go, young one. We need to be there for the team. We need you.” Jess caressed Juliet’s head, fingers flowing through the brown hair of the young woman.
“Yeah…Yeah I know. I can do it. I’ll be okay.” Juliet assured, wiping away the tears.
“Alright, get dressed. You’ve been in those scrubs all day. Go pretty up and look fierce.”
“Heh…I will. Thanks Jess, for being here.”
“Anytime, sweetheart. I don’t mind at all.”

. . .

The seven members gathered around a fine wooden table, illuminated by lights under and above each chair.
“Tragedy has struck. I am aware. But that’s what happens when we go on adventuring. There will be hardships, but in the life of an adventurer, these things are common place. We must carry on. The reward outweighs the risks, I promise you all.” Ms. Wilson lectured.
“What other dangers are coming? I’m sure you know what’s in store.” Jess accused.
“I don’t know everything, Miss Drew.”
“But you know what’s going on. You have the bloody map!”
“That doesn’t…”
“No!” Jess interrupted. “You do know! I can see it in those damn eyes of yours! Tell us now!”
“Spill it, Ms. Wilson. We know you know.” Juliet spoke out in slight anger.
“I…I see the looks on your faces. You’re all in agreement with these two. Fine. I’ll tell all of you what was said on the map. Or, Mr. Lincoln will, rather.” Ms. Wilson gestured to the historian, with several thick books in his possession.
“There are a number of obstacles. We made it through the first one. We aren’t sure of what is real or what is mere fabrication, but with the attack, we can’t be too sure of anything.” Mr. Lincoln explicated.
“What’s next?” Clairette asked, starting daggers at Ms. Wilson.
“Either Atlantis or the Abyss. If Atlantis is truly real, it should be somewhere in the middle of the Abyss.”
“And what in bloody hell is in the abyss?” Abioye stood up angrily.
“A lot of red. That’s all we know.”
“We’re in the Abyss now, and we haven’t seen much red.” Clairette pointed out.
“We’re on the outside of the Abyss. We should be in soon.” Jacob emphasized.
The ship let out a groan, signifying pressure on the hull.
“Right on schedule.”
The group exited the meeting room and walked to the bridge. Once they reached the front, their jaws dropped. As far as anyone could see, red water surrounded the vessel. Specks of random organic and nonorganic material floated in the water. Off in the far distance, a single, steady black dot seemed to float in the red liquid.
“Betting that’s where we’re going.” Abioye blurted out.
“Seems like it.” Clairette agreed, pushing levers forward.
“This water is freaking me out. I don’t like it at all.” Juliet disclosed, tensing up.
Potestas floated onward toward the obvious black dot, seemingly moving nowhere.
“If there isn’t any strange stuff going on, we should reach that dot in around an hour or so. But chances are, there will be strange stuff.” Clairette foresaw.
To the anger and disdain of all on board, Clairette was right. They drifted along for hours in the illumined red abyss, keeping course. The hours ticked away, and slowly became days. Patience wore thin, but they remained floating forward.
. . .

Ms. Wilson waited for Jacob to arrive at the library. They have been adrift for two days, and morale was at an all-time low. Ms. Wilson eagerly hoped for a plan, and she decided to take things into her own hands, with the help of Jacob.
Jacob walked in with his books and located Ms. Wilson sitting at a small table.
“Glad you arrived. I take it you discovered a way to get us out of this red abyss.” Ms. Wilson assumed.
“Yes, in fact I do. Do you still have a chunk of the crystalline object you mined from your previous ventures?” Jacob inquired as he set his books down.
“In fact, I do. Will we be needing it?”
“That we will. And did the mechanic create the suits you requested, Melanie?”
“Indeed she has. She tested them and everything. We’ll be able to walk along the hull without worry.”
“Oh there will always be worry, Melanie. Nothing’s 100 percent guaranteed.”
“Could be true, Jacob, but that doesn’t mean 99 percent isn’t a possibility. Now what is it we need to do?”
“Well, after deciphering a bit on the map, it seems we need someone to hold the crystal out, or have the crystal out on the vessel. Allegedly, this will cause the process to speed up, and thus take us to Atlantis.”
“Fantastic. You’ll be coming with me on the hull.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me, Jacob. I had two suits made. One for you and one for me.”
“But…” Jacob stuttered as he looked at the stern Ms. Wilson, “Why can’t you get one of the others? Like Juliet or the medic?! Or the mercenary for god’s sake!”
“Because I said so, Jacob. You left all your notes down in your study, correct?”
“Well…yes.”
“Then if you were to die, it won’t be a problem for someone such as I to carry on your work?”
“Yes…ma’am.”
“Good. Go to the air lock. We’ll be departing from there. And be sure to put on the rebreather, just in case that fails on your suit.”
Jacob Lincoln and Melanie Wilson strode to the air lock. Their pressure suits waited for them, as well as a dirtied Jess.
“Alright, it ain’t hard putting on the suits. They’re just like the normal diving suits the surface-dwellers use. Except lighter and more agile. The helmets are still a bit clunky, but they’re strong. You two should be fine. Be sure to attach the life lines to the back of each other’s suits, that way it will be hard for either of you to drift off the sub. And remember, to keep in radio contact with Clairette.” Jess instructed.
“Thank you, Miss Drew. And I see you included a rope so I can keep the crystal from drifting.” Ms. Wilson applauded, fastening her gloves to her suit.
“Indeed I did. Now safe travels and Godspeed. I hope whatever you two are doing works.”
Jacob and Melanie enter the air lock and the doors shut behind them. The two took the life lines and connected them to the ports in the back of suits, and oxygen began flowing to their helmets. The bright red water begins pouring in, and soon enough was covering everything below their waists. Ms. Wilson, being slightly taller than Jacob, waited longer to be as submerged as he was, but eventually, the chamber was filled. Jacob took out several vials and allowed the water to enter them. He repeated the process three more times, when Ms. Wilson noticed his actions.
“Are you taking samples?” She asked, slightly annoyed.
“I’m a man of science, Ms. Wilson. That was a major reason why you hired me. I am going to do what scientists do and take samples.” Jacob smarmily responded.
“Whatever, just be ready when we’re up top.” Ms. Wilson grabbed the rope with the glowing blue crystal at the end and pulled it to her hand. She grasped it tight as the doors to the outside environment opened.
Ms. Wilson and Jacob climbed the side of the submarine, line lines trailed behind them. The water around them gave off even weirder attributes that unsettled the two divers.
“The water feels strange. Cool, yet hot. I can feel it through the suit.” Jacob observed as he climbed.
“I can too. Clairette, this is Wilson reporting in. Jacob is behind me and we are en route to the front of the vessel.” Ms. Wilson checked in.
“Roger. Stay safe and keep us posted.” Clairette spoke coolly.
The two made it to the top of the vessel, and marched forth. Nothing was visible aside from the entirety of the ship, and the red water surrounding them. The only other striking feature was the black dot off in the far horizon.
“Lincoln, tell me the chant.” Ms. Wilson demanded.
“Yes, ma’am. ‘Show us the way. Show us the light. Take us to Atlantis with all your might.’ Repeat that three times once you’re at the front. Raise the crystal after the second time.”
“I understand. Clairette, we’re almost there. Be ready for anything.”
Ms. Wilson reached the front, Jacob at a reasonable distance behind. Ms. Wilson looked to him, and he gave the signal to start the chant.
“Show us the way. Show us the light. Take us to Atlantis with all your might. Show us the way. Show us the light. Take us to Atlantis with all your might.” Ms. Wilson chanted, then raised the shining crystal. A red glow consumed it, and the brightness grew substantially.
“Show us the way! Show us the light! Take us to Atlantis with all your might!” Ms. Wilson yelled out, raising the crystal as high as she could.
The crystal then turned as black as night, letting out a pulse of similar color. The pulse went off in all directions, as if tearing the fabric of space completely. But then, silence struck. Not a sound was heard, not even the rushing of the waters. Ms. Wilson turned around and looked at Jacob, tapping the right side of her helmet. Jacob repeated the gesture, adding a shake of the head, signaling his inability to hear anything.
“Well what the fuck…” Melanie Wilson sighed in resignation.
But then a jolt sent Ms. Wilson off her feet, as well as Jacob. The sound returned in full force as a massive, powerful current swept the SS Potestas forward.
“We’re losing control of the submarine! I need everyone working on balancing out the damn thing! We need to get it horizontal again!” Clairette barked as she frantically pressed buttons, pulled pulleys, and pushed levers.
“Oh my God! We need to get back inside, fast!” Jacob declared over his communicator.
“I know that! The currents too strong!” Ms. Wilson announced as she held the metal of the ship.
“The return button! Press it!” Jacob said as he clicked his. His life line then wound about, taking him back to the air lock. He believed he was safe until the submarine became fully vertical, top side facing forward, as the current tossed it around like a toy. Jacob’s life line whipped about, no longer returning to the point of origin. It spun Jacob around in all directions, all the while Ms. Wilson still held on for dear life.
Inside the submarine, anything not bolted down was thrown about. Tools, weapons, anything. Luckily for everyone, all the large furniture was bolted down, allowing for both less casualties and more places to cling on to. Chairs, however, were thrown about with the human passengers. In the hangar, vehicles were breaking from their straps, moving violently out of place. Walkers that weren’t activating their stationary mode were flung across the area, claiming the lives of a few unfortunate crewmen.
Jacob let out screams of horror as he was tossed around. Eventually, the life line snapped, sending him to the hull of the submarine at full force. His neck snapped, head collapsing into his body. His death was quick and clean, and virtually painless compared to the torment he had just suffered. His body rapidly floated on, until it was eventually flung out of the current, disintegrating almost instantly.
Ms. Wilson saw the spectacle, but brushed the death aside. She saw this coming, and figured it was going to happen sooner rather than later. As the submarine continued to tumble inside the current, she slowly climbed back to the air lock. Every move she made was calculated and deliberate.
Inside, chaos was running rampant. Juliet was holding on for dear life in Jess’s lab, dodging unfinished experiments as well as sharp and dangerous tools.
“Jess, come on! We need to get out of here before we get fucking killed!” Juliet hollered out, swinging from point to point.
“I’m on my way!” Jess replied, doing the same.
The two dodged wrenches, pikes, and Jess’s near-finished vehicle, ultimately making it out unscathed. They weren’t out of danger yet, however. The submarine began spinning in more than one direction, making things even more difficult to survive.
“Dammit all!” Jess snarled as she and Juliet collided with the walls.
“God, we need to get to a small room! We need to find a closet!” Juliet advised as she surveyed the zone. “Over there!”
Juliet and Jess struggled to a nearby utility closet, but reached their goal in time. Juliet threw the door open, and various objects came flying out. A broken pipe zipped out, pinning itself into Jess’s left shoulder. She let out a cry of pain, but removed the pipe and applied pressure to the wound, all the while, Juliet pulled her into the tight space.
“We should…be relative…relatively fine…In here.” Juliet finally let out as the submarine rattled.
“Watch your head…Agh.” Jess cringed in pain as blood trickled through her fingers.
“Let me get that for you.” Juliet ripped off her blouse’s sleeve, and wrapped it around the shoulder of her friend.
“That’s good. It’ll do fine. That was a nice shirt, and you had to go and ruin it.”
“Shut up, I’m trying to help you.”
. . .

The black dot grew bigger and bigger as the submarine was hurled toward it. The current beat down the vessel, massive dents appeared all over. Inside, metal bars broke from their positions, jutting out into the open. Members of the crew were flung about, some impacting the extended metal bars, getting impaled right away. Deaths increased as the distance from the mystical black dot decreased.
Ms. Wilson was close to the air lock, prompting her to press the return button. This attempt was far more successful than Jacob’s efforts, as Ms. Wilson was pulled into the air lock chamber. The doors closed, and the water removed.
“Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.” Ms. Wilson repeated as she struggled to hold on.
A low-pitched boom reverberated throughout the Potestas as the black dot became a giant sphere, the location of a soon-to-crash submarine.
“Everyone, brace for impact!” Clairette managed to let out over the radio.
The submarine entered the enormous black sphere, hurtling into solid ground. Metal, glass, and other debris was pitched about, as the thunderous sound of the Potestas crash echoed in everyone’s ears.