Chapter 120: The Sunken City of Glitch-Water
The journey to Node Alpha led them to the edge of the 'Sapphire Abyss'. What used to be a beautiful coastal trading hub was now a city submerged in 'Liquid Logic'—a substance that looked like water but behaved like a dream. The buildings were suspended mid-current, and schools of pixelated fish swam through the empty windows of submerged taverns.
"Okay, I've decided," Aki said, standing on the edge of a rotting pier. "I'm not going in. I'll stay here and guard the dry land. Someone needs to make sure the sand doesn't get stolen, right? It's a very important job!"
Von (Volt) looked at Aki, his iridescent grey armor reflecting the blue glow of the abyss. "Aki, remember what I said. This isn't water. It's thought. If you believe you can walk on it, you will. If you believe you can breathe it, you will."
"And if I believe I'm a delicious piece of calamari about to be eaten by a giant sea-monster?" Aki asked, his knees shaking.
"Then I suggest you start seasoning yourself with salt," Von replied, before stepping off the pier.
Instead of splashing, Von's boot landed on the surface of the water as if it were solid glass. Ripples of violet light spread out from his feet, stabilizing the 'Liquid Logic' around him.
Rena followed, her eyes closed in deep concentration. "It's like meditation, Aki. Don't think about the depth. Think about the path." She walked onto the water with the grace of a swan.
Sai took a deep breath, gripped his shield, and stomped onto the surface. THUD. The water groaned but held his weight. "Feels like walking on a giant bowl of jelly. Not bad, actually!"
Aki groaned, looked at the glowing 'Luck Algorithm' in his pocket, and took a leap of faith. "I am a cloud! I am a feather! I am a very light piece of popcorn!"
He landed, wobbled for a second, and then stood upright. "I'm doing it! I'm Jesus-ing! Look at me! I'm the King of Ponds!".
The Guardian of the Deep-Code
As they walked deeper into the sunken city, the light from the surface faded, replaced by the eerie glow of Node Alpha at the center of the city square. But the Node wasn't alone.
A massive creature, shaped like a serpent but made of floating, disjointed blocks of marble and blue energy, was coiled around the Node.
[RESIDUAL DEFENSE: The Memory-Serpent. Level: Error. Ability: 'Reality-Drown'. Note: It attacks your doubts.].
"Doubts? Oh, I have plenty of those!" Aki shouted, pulling out his daggers. "I doubt we're going to survive! I doubt I'll ever see my cheese stash again! I doubt Von's hair is naturally that perfect!"
The serpent lunged, its mouth opening to reveal a void of static. As it passed through the 'Liquid Logic,' the water around the group began to liquefy again. Aki's feet started to sink.
"Von! The floor is turning back into water! My popcorn-thought is failing!" Aki screamed, his waist already submerged.
Von didn't draw his sword. He stood perfectly still as the serpent rushed toward him. "Rena! Sync your heartbeat with the Node's frequency! Sai! Anchor the ground!".
Sai slammed his shield into the surface of the water, and through sheer willpower, he 'solidified' a ten-foot area around them. Rena began to chant, her voice vibrating at the same pitch as the glowing blue Node.
The serpent froze, confused by the sudden change in reality. Von finally moved. He didn't strike the serpent; he struck the water beneath it.
"Abyssal Shatter!" Von roared.
The 'Liquid Logic' didn't splash; it broke like a mirror. The serpent fell into the 'nothingness' beneath the reflection, its disjointed blocks scattering into the abyss.
The First Node Captured
With the guardian gone, Von reached out and touched Node Alpha. Instead of absorbing it, he 'unlocked' it. The blue light turned into a warm, golden glow, and the water in the city began to drain upward, returning to the sky in a beautiful, reverse-rainstorm.
"We did it," Rena whispered, looking at the city now standing dry and ancient in the sunlight.
Aki, who was currently lying flat on the dry pavement and kissing the stone, looked up. "Never again. Next time, we go to the volcano. I'd rather be crispy than soggy."