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Gurak slept soundly. The water around him was oddly comforting, his dreams were peaceful and calm, and he awoke refreshed. He didn't know what time it was, the light of the sun didn't reach this far down into the ocean. All he had to go on was how they timed the tides, which were about 6 hours apart, high tight always occurred around the same time each day, as did low tide, and the water current would shift slightly when that happened.

As best he could surmise it was around morning time, as high tide was just coming in. The next high tide would be the evening. Seaton and Merise were the two he interacted with the most. The other four. Another shark like merfolk, a squid, and two others whom he wasn't sure what they were derivatives of, came and went. Most were friendly, only the third shark-like individual was a little hostile toward him. He wasn't sure the reasoning, but, imagined they'd lost someone to the surface like Seaton had said the day before.

Gurak took time to explore the shrine since he'd been in there for some time now. It took him some time to get the hang of the place, as there were doors in floors and ceilings, just as frequently they were in the wall. He came out atop the building, overlooking the whole of the valley once more. He swam to the edge of the rooftop and just looked out over the city.

He was up there for some time before Seaton found him and swam up to him. “Are you okay?" He asked the orc.

Gurak nodded and smiled. “I am." He patted the spot beside himself and Seaton moved to sit beside him. “I was just admiring your city. Can you tell me about it?" He asked.

Seaton smiled. “Well, I'm no scholar, but I'll do my best." He leans against the orc gently. Their arms touching. “In the time before records were kept, the gods lived separately. Each is a god unto his or her world. Until Agan said that the gods and mortals shouldn't be separate, and should instead live together, to find a balance, a harmony. So the eight gods shared their peoples among the eight worlds. Only Agan's world was spared, and deemed only for the gods themselves." Seaton looks up. “It's said that any who reached Agan's world would be granted a seat at the table with the gods as well. Become a god."

Gurak blinks and listens, he'd never heard anything like this on the surface. “If it was the time before records were kept, how do you know this?"

Seaton smiles. “Because our records, if our elders are to be believed were the first ever. We Nereids are the oldest race. Our city, Ocea was the first city." He proclaims proudly. “We existed on all the worlds before they were intermingled. Our kind has always existed in the oceans, where the gods didn't much care to look."

Gurak looks up thoughtfully. Perhaps the mana in the water obscured them? That didn't make sense though, They were gods, after all. What couldn't they do? Gurak nodded though. “So you still have records of everything?"

Seaton nods. “Yeah. It's in the shrine here. Do you wanna see?" Gurak looked at the shark and nodded. Seaton took his hand and turned to swim back into the entryway, then a series of twists, turns, and passages and they went deep into the shrine. The only reason he could tell was that the pillars were all vertical and they went down, floor after floor, almost 20 floors of the building.

They finally came down into a large open room, probably a fourth the size of the building's width, and probably three floors deep. Inside were pillars like everywhere else, the plants that were glowing cast their pale blueish-green light over everything inside. Seaton led Gurak to a wall and gestured to it. The wall was covered in murals, painted depictions of various things. One showed 9 gods, each looked pretty similar to what Gurak had seen when he met them when reincarnated.

Each was above a world, where several races lived. Gurak pointed at the image. “That shows multiple races." The orc said, confused.

Seaton nods as he looks at the image. “Each of the gods had a primary race and were allowed to propagate whatever others they saw fit. Hudabo snuck us into the oceans of each world when he filled the worlds with water." Gurak again, couldn't believe such a claim. How could one hide a whole race like that?

Gurak listened though. “Each of the gods came together and created each world. Balanos created all the lands, and then Hudabo filled the oceans. Each god contributed to the creation of each world. I think that's why Agan later decided they should all live together since the gods worked together to create everything."

Gurak looked over the image. “So, the gods made more than one race? Where are all the others?"

Seaton shook his head. “Honestly. We don't know. We've kept to ourselves for so long, we didn't keep track of the history above the water." He turns to look at Gurak. “You don't know where they are?"

Gurak shook his head. “No. Orcs don't keep records like this, not really. Maybe once in a while, we'll use stone tablets to keep records of children's births. Or a great hero will be made into a statue. But, overall, all our history is by word of mouth. If the shaman or chieftain dies without passing on the histories, they're lost forever."

Seaton frowns softly. “That sounds like a terrible method of record keeping." The orc nods and smiles. “You're right." He says softly. “Just another thing I'll have to change when I go back."

Seaton's expression seemed to sadden when Gurak said that. But the orc was so focused on the murals in front of him, that he didn't notice it. Gurak swam on and looked around the room. There were lots of murals depicting different things. A swath of dragons descending upon the world and burning it. Terrible storms ravaging the world. The gods hold a person in their arms and then the person descends to the land.

Gurak pointed at it and asked. “What does that mean?"

Seaton laughs. “Well, that's you, or at least, someone like you." He says as he points to the person in the god's hands. “This is the first time the gods sent someone from another world to ours. The first reincarnated hero." Seaton says with a smile on his face. “The first hero was an orc. Not much is known about her because she was a surface dweller, but, she led the orcs to save the world." The shark points to the next one. “It was a time of great calamity, we're not sure if the gods were angry, or the world itself was. But storms raged and ripped across the world. Even we in the ocean felt the effects. It's how we came to learn of the difficulties."

Seaton then points to the third image, the dragons. “No one knows where the dragons came from. But they brought with them death and destruction. It was believed they were the children of Aethos, god of fire, because of their natural fire affinity, however they didn't spare orcs in their aggression." He then points to a mural, a crack ran through it some of it was faded. But the dragon was visible as well as a figure, though the color was faded, it could've been anyone. “The orc savior rose, and with her power struck down the dragons, until they sought peace."

The final image was of the dragons flying upward, past the clouds. “The dragons left, flying up into the skywater and becoming part of it."

Gurak blinked. “They...became part of the clouds?" He asked, just to be sure.

Seaton blinked in reply. “Clouds?"

The orc nods. “White fluffy things far in the sky."

The shark nods. “Oh, then yes. They were said to have become one with the clouds and went into deep sleep."

The orc looks over the mural. “No one on the surface has ever talked about this."

The shark nods his head. “It was very, very long ago." He looks at the orc. “Tides beyond measure." Seaton looks at the mural. “I know you said that four tides were equal to a day, on the surface." He looks at the mural still. “Four tides, one day." He looks thoughtful. “It could have been thousands of days, maybe even longer than that. These murals date back to the beginning of our recorded time. They're millions, maybe billions of tides old."

Gurak blinks and looks at the wall. Such a thing was beyond belief. He wasn't the best at math, but that would be over several hundred thousand years, if true.

He squeezed Seaton's hand and swam a little further to the next murals. They depicted things that happened in the oceans. A time when fish became scarce and it was akin to a famine for the people underwater. The next was a god, once again dropping off a person, but this was a merfolk.

Gurak pointed to it. “What's that one about?"

Seaton grinned as he looked at it. “Well, a long time ago, less so than the dragons but, many tides, or days ago." He waves his free hand. “There was a famine, of sorts. The fish population dropped off suddenly, without warning or reason. We don't know what caused them to disappear, if the surface dwellers were to blame, or, some natural reason. But, they all but vanished for a long time. Our people began to starve and fight among themselves. It was then that one of us, a merfolk named Berion, a shark, like me." He puffs up his chest real proud.

“He came forward and said he was reincarnated, and he'd solve our problems. He started by showing us how to farm." He points to one of the murals and it shows the fish people starting to till the land underwater. “It was a...strange process, without fish we were lost, and it was hard. The first year was especially bad. A lot of people starved and died. But he asked us to have faith in him, in Nereus for having sent him, and we did."

Seaton pointed to the next image. “The first crop was a godsend, almost literally. We ate something we'd grown, and over time the fish population returned. So we focused on both. It's entirely possible we overtaxed the fish by eating too many." Seaton shrugs. “We don't know. But, he saved us. He was our first reincarnated

ruler." He points to the next image. “The king at the time, offered his daughter's hand in marriage, and Berion declined at first. Saying a woman wasn't a prize to be won."

The shark smiles, dreamily. “If he was to wed the princess, it would be for love, not as a reward." Seaton was smitten by the story, of love, not glory.

The next image showed a shark and a fishwoman dancing. “So he courted her, like a proper gentleman. They did fall in love, really and truly. Then they were wed, and he was the first king not of noble blood."

The shark smiles as he looks at Gurak. “I'm descended from him." He says proudly.

Gurak blinked and looked at the shark. “What!? You're a prince!?"

Seaton laughed and shook his head. “OH. No, no nothing like that." He waves his hand dismissively. “We abolished the monarchy long, long ago. Ocea is ruled by elected officials. We the people choose our leaders." He smiles as he looks at Gurak.

“But, it's believed that I'm descended from his bloodline, Merise too." He smiles at the orc. “I can't prove it, of course. Just a story our parents told us when we were small. Probably the same story all sharks tell their children."

Gurak nods and smiles as he looks at Seaton. “I could see it. You kind of have a regal nature."

Seaton grins and swims around, posing a few times. “I know, right? It's so obvious I'd make an amazing prince, or even a king, once upon a tide."

The orc laughs and nods. The pair swam around the room, there must have been a hundred murals in there. Each depicts various things. But, besides the one with dragons, none ever had anything to do with the surface again.

Gurak pointed to one, and it showed the people with their hands out, with a small square in front of them. Gurak thought it was familiar. He tugged on Seaton's arm and looked it over. It looked like they were using status or appraise. "This looks like when I used appraise yesterday."

Seaton looks at the mural and nods. "Does it? I've never heard of that ability before." He looks over the mural and ponders. "I....don't know the story behind this one either." He says softly.

The mural depicts the people with small boxes, then another looking rather villainous, and seemingly killing the others. Gurak pointed that out. "It looks like that one person is killing anyone who used the appraise ability."

Seaton nods. "I guess it does. But I know nothing about this. This mural isn't taught in schools..." He ponders quietly. "I'll ask Dalit about it, at some point." Gurak nodded slightly and swam on.

There was another that showed the oceans in turmoil. It was hard to decipher since it was faded, but Gurak asked about it. "What is this one about?"

Seaton looked it over. "This was when the oceans went still for many tides. We're not sure what caused it either." He points to the various scenes on the mural. "The oceans stopped flowing for a time. There was a lot of confusion and concern, it lasted about a hundred tides." Gurak did a little mental math, so about a month, give or take.

"The oceans just didn't move on their own. We prayed to Hudabo for help. To send someone to save us, but our prayers went unanswered. It's okay though, a few tides later the oceans slowly went back to normal. Just as suddenly as they had stopped. It was a little warmer during that time, but it was hardly noticeable below the waters. The few scouting parties we sent up to the surface said it was warm." The orc nodded, perhaps a global warming event.

Gurak swam to the last one and looked it over. It was of a god dropping off someone, like the previous reincarnations. But it was unfinished, the colors were still vibrant, so it wasn't too terribly long ago. Maybe a century or two, compared to the age of the others.

He pointed to it and asked. “What is this one about?"

Seaton looked over the image and frowned softly. “That…" He almost sighs. “That's one of our darkest histories." Seaton looks it over. “I dunno how long ago, many tides." Gurak was getting frustrated with this poor timekeeping! But he nods as he listens.

“Another was sent to us, or, claims to have been reincarnated. Some don't believe he was reincarnated, he just lied so people would follow him." He points to the mural. “It shows him coming down like all the others, but, it's contested, and that's why it's unfinished."

He looks to the blank space beside it. “Here, is where you'd see the mural of our people, leading an attack on the surface. The first real invasion of the surface we'd ever committed to." He looks saddened as he says it. “We aren't proud of this, so it's not recorded, but it should be. It, more than the others, is important." He says as he looks at the blank space.

“We invaded, and killed so many, and in turn, so many of our kind died too. It was horrible." He sighs as he looks at the stone wall. “I'm related to him too." He says after a moment. “He was my ancestor.“ Gurak looks to Seaton. The shark looks thoughtful. “He was my father's father's father's…" He waves his hand on. “About 8 generations back."

Gurak looked to Seaton, he looked to be between his 20s and 30s. 8 generations, could likely go back about 300 to 400 years.

Seaton looks at the image. “I'll have Merise come down and fill it in. It's important to remember these things."

Gurak nods. “What happened, at the end of it all?"

Seaton looks at the blank wall still. “We lost. Our force pushed more and more onto land. The 'hero' referring to himself as Berion the second, but his true name was Acif, led our people into a trap, they were surrounded and slaughtered." He looks upward. “It was on the island you live on. But it was so long ago. Acif and the others never returned, and it was the start of true animosity between our people and the surface."

'We've tried to make amends. To broach peace with the people on the surface, but nothing ever came of it. We're attacked almost on sight now. They see us as a threat and nothing more. All because of Acif's folly."

The orc nodded and swam up against Seaton, putting his arm around the shark. Hugging him gently. The shark gave off a blue glow in response. “It's an important lesson. That the lineage of a hero can create not just heroes, but monsters too, and the only difference is how history remembers them. It's a lesson my family especially needs to remember."

He looks at the orc and hugs him gently. Gurak squeezes Seaton gently in response. “That must have been hard for you to find out."

Seaton shook his head softly. “It's history. Nothing more." He rests his chin on the orc's head. “It's important to remember it though. So we don't become the monsters in the histories."

Gurak nodded and held close. The shark was so warm compared to the cold water all around them.

"So why are there no murals after that?" He asks, there were still several dozen places for murals to be painted, but nothing was there, just blank stone.

Seaton looked at it as well. "There hasn't been anything big that's happened. We don't make a new mural every year, only to signal big events."

Gurak smiled at Seaton. "What? Meeting me isn't considered a big deal?" He sticks out his tongue playfully. Seaton laughs and headbumps the orc affectionately.

"You are a big deal to me. But unless you change the world down here in some significant way. You probably won't get a mural."

They held the embrace for a little while longer before they made their way back up to the room Gurak had been staying in. Gurak set about creating a little air pocket in the corner with the wind barrier he could cast now. A small fire there and a cooking set up. He took his backpack and pulled out the various things he needed from it. He'd forgotten he'd seen it on the far wall hanging up the other day, or he would've used his tools to cook.

Today, he'd show Seaton and the others what he could -really- do when he cooked. Even though it'd been a few weeks since he'd been sleeping down here, he surmised, the meat and everything in his backpack was still as fresh as the day he put it in there. He sat in the corner and cooked quietly. Seaton and the others standing outside the air bubble watching him curiously. Today he was going to make a late breakfast since he'd spent most of the morning on the rooftop and learning about the history of Ocea, the name of the city he was currently in.

The merfolk referred to themselves as Nereids, children of Nereus, the god of oceans, not only that, but they were likely the only race that wasn't a primary race of their progenitors that were still alive. Gurak saw about a dozen races on each world, in the murals, and only one of them persisted from each world. To think a genocide occurred was hard to imagine, but not impossible to rule out either.

Gurak focused on cooking for now. He made eggs, boar-bacon strips, and some vegetables. He hadn't even realized he was cooking them until they were already half done. He was so used to cooking for Rulu, Zamdor, and Wukin that he'd just gotten used to cooking something that they liked, and catered to their preferences. Well, he didn't think that Seaton and the others would mind having something different besides heavy protein meals.

He cooked it all up and set it out for them to try. He'd made enough for all of them to have a full and proper meal this time, rather than just a taste like he had the….night or tide...whatever, before.

He motioned for them to come in and they all shuffled in, he expanded the wind barrier outward so they had more space, and could sit if they wanted to. The orc sat near the fire against the wall, and Seaton leaned against him. They ate in silence, as there wasn't much option. Gurak leaned against the shark and smiled at him. Gurak watched the others and each of them gave off a slight blue glow, as well as a red one that radiated off of them, the orc, concerned, put his hand up when he noticed that Seaton had it as well.

“Appraise." He said softly, the others looked at him curiously and he scrolled through the information, till he found where it said something he didn't recognize. Most of Seaton's skills looked similar to Merise's The only skill that looked out of place was 'Companion" which he recognized, Rulu and Zamdor had that. Likely, this meant Seaton saw him as a dear friend, or possibly more intimately.

The other was 'Blessed by the Orc' which was odd. He didn't know what it meant, what it could have done. He hadn't done anything out of the ordinary. Maybe it was just Seaton. He hadn't checked anyone else yet.

He put his food aside and apprised Merise next, looking it over, and everything was about the same as before, the only new thing was something called 'Blessed by the Orc'. Again that skill was on the list. It wasn't a buff, it was something permanent.

Gurak closed the window and went back to sit down. The others looked at him curiously but ate their food without any other issues. After eating everyone put their utensils and stone trays on the table before walking back into the water outside of the room. Gurak dispersed the fire first, then closed the wind bubble, so water filled in the room once more. He had to be careful of corners especially on the ceiling, as the air could just persist almost perpetually because of the mana in the water itself. It wouldn't be a problem, Gurak guessed, but it would be annoying.

Gurak waited for everyone to leave before he spoke to Seaton privately. He went to sit beside the shark and looked at him. “So I uh...might have caused a problem." He said softly.

Seaton looked confused. “Does this have to do with that weird spell you cast?" He asked as he looked at the orc.

“Weird spell?" The orc replied.

Seaton nodded. “The...little thing you made appear near me, and then near Merise."

Gurak blinked. “You….you've never seen that before?"

Seaton shook his head softly. “Not before you doing it, no."

The orc nods and looks at the shark. He puts his hand out and says it out loud so that Seaton can hear him when he uses mana to speak. “Status." A screen, similar to the one he'd had up before.

He looks to Seaton. “Now you try."

Seaton put his hand out and said through the mana. “Status." Then suddenly a status screen appeared in front of him. He gasped and leaned in, looking at it. “What is this?"

The orc blinks. “It's….well you. Everything about you. I have a unique skill that lets me look at other people's statuses. You put your finger on it and you can move it up and down to look at all the information about yourself. It shows improvements and stuff if you keep track of that sort of thing."

Seaton looked at Gurak. “That's amazing." He laughed and turned his head. But before he could say anything, Gurak grabbed his arm. Causing the shark to stop.

“Wait, before you tell everyone." He says softly, looking at the shark. “Before you make this information widespread, consider the ramifications of it. You saw the mural down in the temple. They killed anyone who was using it. We don't know why that is, and it could be a risk to make it a widespread thing again. Keep it to yourself, for the time being. Even telling Merise could put her in danger." He watches the shark carefully. “I can't read yours, and you can't read mine. But, people are bound to start bragging, and who knows what trouble that would cause. Who knows what caused it initially."

The shark looked at his hand and nodded. “I...hate that you're right," Seaton said quietly. “I was so excited too. But that mural meant something, it was a big event in our history and I'm surprised I didn't know anything about it."

Gurak nodded his head once and closed his status window, the shark imitated his hand gesture. “I can't imagine that you guys didn't know about the status window, that seems too unlikely, so it's more likely someone in your history told everyone to not teach their children about it. But I can't fathom why that would be the case."

He shrugs. “Uh, anyway. So yeah. That's a thing that exists." He waves his hand. “Anyway, the food I cooked for you, it….gave you guys a skill. A skill that Merise didn't have before. But I saw it activate on all of you it was like a red glow, which I dunno what the color means, I've seen blue lots of times….but never red." He huffs and sighs. “Anyway, it was called 'Blessed by the Orc' I dunno what effects it will have, and I didn't mean to cause it...I just...I wanted to make you something delicious. It didn't happen till you ate what I cooked."

Seaton smiled and shook his head. “If you had no ill will behind it, I'm sure it's fine." He put his arm around Gurak and hugged him to his side.

The orc leaned against the shark and sighed quietly. “Well, after I've left, you keep an eye on everyone, yourself and Merise especially, I don't want anything bad to happen to you guys."

The shark nods and holds the orc gently. “It's fine. I'll talk to the captain about the status thing later, in private. See what they say."

Gurak tilted his head. “They?" He asked.

Seaton nods. “Yeah. Uh...Dalit is a rare kind. Their species can change sex at will pretty much. So sometimes Dalit is male, and sometimes Dalit is female. You met them while they were female-presenting. A few days from now, they might change their mind and become male to suit how they feel."

Gurak nodded, it was something he'd never heard of, but shrugged. Everyone was different, Dalit was just another kind of different, but no lesser. "is that normal?"

Seaton nods his head. "For Dalit, yes. They change based on their feelings."

Gurak understood and moved over to sit on the bed, he wasn't sure what time of day it was, but he was feeling kind of tired after everything. Seaton came to sit with him and put his arm around the orc gently. “You feeling okay?"

Gurak nods his head. “Yeah. Just so much information is a lot to take in all at once."

Seaton grins. “Kinda like you."

The orc blinks. “Huh?"

Seaton moved his hand down to grope the orc, who would have almost squeaked at the sudden forwardness of Seaton. Zamdor was pretty pervy, but Seaton was practically a degenerate.

Gurak's arousal didn't take long to firm up with the shark's hand squeezing him like that. He huffs and blushes, turning to look away. “A lot to take in, all at once." The shark followed up, grinning as he said it.

Gurak shoved Seaton but smiled. “I'm starting to see why your sister hits you so much."

Seaton grins. “Oh, I'm way cleaner about what I say to her." He laughs softly, smiling the whole time.

“I'm only myself, my truest self when I'm with you." The shark said. Gurak felt his heart lift. That was one of the kindest things he'd ever heard anyone say to him.

Seaton stayed leaned against Gurak and the orc smiled to him, enjoying the arm around him. The water was actually pretty cold generally speaking, and the warmth of the shark's body was appreciated. He never really thought about it, but in these moments when it was quiet and peaceful, he realized how cold he felt in the water like this. It wasn't enough to harm him, but it made him slightly uncomfortable at the very worst.

Gurak leaned against Seaton gently, and the shark leaned over. “Would you want to do what we did yesterday, again?"

The orc looks up, slightly bushing as he grins. “I guess, if you want to, though I want to show you how it is on dry land if you'd be willing to entertain the idea."

The shark nods his head and smiles. “I don't mind. I'm curious about what it's like to make love above water."

The orc nods. “It'll be harder to talk though." The shark nods his head in response to the orcs words.

“I know, I'll pat your arm or something if I need to say anything." The shark replies.

Gurak nods his head and creates a wind barrier in his hands, expanding it outward till the water around them is pushed back. He did so to the doorway, so the whole room was empty. He reaches up and strokes the shark's cheek, kissing over his snout several times.

Seaton smiles and does his best to replicate the affectionate gesture, kissing the orc back here and there, but it is mostly the shark pressing his lips against the orc's body.

Seaton started undressing first, his clothing coming off and being tossed aside. Gurak wasn't far behind. His clothing was removed and tossed beside the shark's own. He stood up to do so and once naked, pushed Seaton to lay on his back on the bedding. The orc leans over him and grinds their dicks together. Stroking them together as well, rumbling and smiling as he presses close.

The orcs pre leaking all over the shark's dick as they affectionately kissed one another, the shark, was surprised at how much pre the orc leaked. Being underwater, he'd never seen how much someone produced naturally, not even himself since it usually was just dispersed into the water unnoticed.

Gurak stood up finally and using his dick, smacked it against Seaton's own. He then rubs his dick lower and the shark nods. Lifting his legs slightly. Gurak lined himself up and slowly pushed into Seaton. The shark was just as tight as the day before, but with the pre no longer being washed away, more or less, it made things a tad easier.

Seaton growled, audibly and loudly as he felt Gurak filling his body with orc dick. His legs wrapped around the orc's hips so he couldn't pull away, the shark quite enjoying the feeling of the orc inside of him, despite the initial discomfort, the shark loved the feeling, he wasn't sure if it was because of Gurak, or this was just his body's way of saying he enjoyed something.

For the first time in his life, Seaton felt his pre-leak onto his stomach. His hand moved to his dick, squeezing it and the clear liquid slowly oozed out onto his belly, the shark rumbles happily and almost wags his tail excitedly. The sensation of the muscles moving causing the orc to moan quietly.

Gurak's hips slowly pressed forward, sinking every inch into the shark, feeling those muscles constrict as the shark shook his tail slowly. He leaned over and smiled at Seaton. Pulling his hips back slowly and starting to thrust into him slowly. The speed was about on par with what they had done the day before while floating through the water. The shark shuts his eyes and enjoys the pleasurable sensations going through his body. It wasn't all that different so far.

The orc, however, leaned in and picked up speed, thrusting harder. The sudden shift in pace and power surprised the shark. He grunts and moans loudly at the movements. His back arcing slowly as the orc moved his hips, the shark had only ever experienced it once, and this, this was wholly different. His body was on fire with the orc's movements.

What was simple building pleasure was now a fire in his belly. His whole body rocked from the movements, his dick twitching from time to time in excitement. His precum leaking heavily now. He'd never known how much he leaked before. When he'd pleasure himself underwater, it was simply lost in the water. But like this, with the air surrounding them, he could see it.

The shark's legs squeezed the orc's rump close to him on each thrust. Gurak stopped a moment and grinning at Seaton. He moves his hands down and lifts the shark's legs. Seaton tilted his head but trusted the orc. His legs lifted up and onto the orc's shoulders. He leans over slowly. Bending the shark slightly, he starts thrusting again, slow at first, but picking up speed and power quickly, the shark's eyes shutting tightly at the sudden change, the pressure inside of him, the pleasure was different.

The shark went to start stroking himself more firmly, but the orc's hand pushed his hand away, pinning his wrist to the bedding. The shark grumbled but relented as the orc thrust hard and fast into him. Something in his gut was burning up and he felt his release approaching, he was just trying to hasten it. He'd never felt something like this in his life. The shark had masturbated plenty of times, but this was a much different experience.

The shark squirmed a little just as his orgasm hit, the change in position gave the orc a great angle to grind against the shark's prostate, and with his inexperience, it didn't take too much to send him over the edge to orgasm. His thick shark dick twitched visibly before spurting across his chest and face, the power behind each spurt was something to behold for the shark. He'd never seen the distance he was capable of shooting, only how it looked when he was released into the water.

The orc felt that ass clamp down around him and squeeze him. Gurak's eyes shut tight as he let out a few deep pleasured grunts, before he pushed as deep as he could into Seaton and his length throbbed, his orgasm filling the shark's body once more as the shudders and ground his groin against the shark's rump.

Gurak stayed like this for a little while, and leaned over Seaton, kissing along his chest and face. Letting the shark's legs down around his waist once more and hugging the shark. Seaton growled something at him, and the orc smiled at him. Slowly dispersing the wind barrier around them and letting the cool water come rushing in to surround them once more.

Seaton lay there and stroked his hand over the orc's chest and face, smiling at him. “That was incredible. Does being intimate like that always feel so good on land?" The shark's seed was lost in the rush of water, but Seaton would remember the sight of his dick shooting so hard it hit his face, for the rest of his life.

The orc shrugs. “I dunno. It does for me and my guys. We spend every morning together like this. I'm sure they're worried about me too." He sighs softly and hugs the shark. “I really should back to them as soon as I can. I've enjoyed being here with you and learning about your people, but they need me up top. There are things only I can do."

Seaton nods his head and hugs Gurak gently. “I know. I don't want to let you go. But I know you can't stay here indefinitely." He rubs his hands over the orc's body, and Gurak nods and leans against him.

“I'll try to visit when I can." He rumbles softly. “I just honestly don't know how often that could be."

Seaton nodded, his arms around the orc firmly holding him as he swished his tail slowly, and the pair floated around the room. Seaton not swimming anywhere, in particular, just holding the orc and floating around aimlessly.

A few minutes pass while the pair just float together. Enjoying the warm embrace of one another, before Seaton turns his head slightly. He sighs quietly and pats the orc's back lightly. “Merise is heading in here. She has some news."

Seaton begrudgingly released the orc and they set about putting their clothing back on.

Gurak floated a moment longer, before he reached for his clothing, given to him by the kind merfolk, as he slept here.

Almost as soon as the shirt-like piece of clothing was pulled over his head and adjusted, Merise swam in, looking both excited and concerned. “Gurak, there is an iron fish in the waters, and I don't know what to do."

Gurak blinks. “Iron….fish?" He asks.

Merise nods her head softly. “Yes, a fish, but it is made of iron. It's hard and cold, like metal, but it looks like a fish."

Gurak blinks a moment. Then perks his eyebrows. “Oh, maybe that's my friend Blert, she was working on a vehicle that worked underwater when I saw her last."

Merise tilts her head. “Will you and Seaton come? The others are too afraid to approach it."

He then swam over and gathered up his things. His armor was folded and put into his backpack, it was heavily damaged, but it could probably be salvaged or at least, repurposed. As well as his old torn clothing and shield which he strapped back onto his arm.

Gurak nods and smiles. Seaton nods as well, and the pair slowly swim behind Merise. Seaton, being the better swimmer, takes Gurak's hand, and they swim towards the doorway. Seaton leading the way.

Seaton adjusted his bracers a bit before he took Gurak's hand and led him through the building. Seaton finally speaks up softly. “If it's something dangerous, stay behind me. I know you aren't afraid, but fighting underwater is different, there isn't as much strength behind movements. As you likely noticed the difference between our making love the first and second times." Seaton's face was red as he said it. He'd never known how powerful lovemaking could feel.

Gurak nods, holding the shark's hand gently. The pair started to work their way out of the building, in the direction Merise mentioned they go. “Let's look for this iron fish. We'll need to get outside of this temple and maybe a bit above so we can survey the area around it better. Is there a faster route than the one I usually take?"

Seaton nods his head a touch. “Sort of, I'll show you" The shark leads him to a different path than the one they'd used before. Holding the orc's hand and pulling him along through a twisting series of passageways and rooms. Finally coming to a spot, Seaton peaks his head out and pulls Gurak up with him. They slip out and as they look around, they notice just a little ways away, to the side of the structure was an odd black thing with lights pointed in multiple directions, as well as a little cord sticking out of it. Gurak thought it looked familiar and smiled at Seaton.

“Let me check it out Seaton, it'll be okay." Gurak pats Seaton's hand and swims over closer. He did recognize it. It was the underwater machine Blert was working on when he first met her. He must've been asleep a few weeks, cause it was all done.

He looked out and saw the cord. He figured it might be an oxygen tube for breathing. He smiles at Seaton. “I am very sure this is one of my friends." He swims up to Seaton and hugs him gently. “Everything is okay. You can tell your sister it's probably just someone I know, and to not worry." Seaton looks to Gurak and nods. Turning his head slightly.

Gurak watched a moment, and when Seaton turned back to him. “How do you do that? She's so far away, can you talk to her?"

The shark nods. “Yeah. Anyone you know, you just think of them and what you want to say, and it travels through the mana of the water to them, for the most part, it's pretty accurate."

Gurak nods and smiles. He wanted to test it out, but he didn't know anyone else. So he focused on following the line from the submersible for now. He swims along slowly and finally reaches the end. It was as the orc had surmised, at the end was a suit, he swam up to it slowly and swam in front of it. Waving his hand. He looked inside the small window and saw a familiar goblin face. She lit up and waved to him.

He pointed to her, and then himself, and made his hands imitate talking. Then pointed back towards the submersible. She nodded and started walking back that way.

Gurak looked to Seaton. “Could you get me and my friend here back to where this cord ends." he pointed to the air tube. Seaton nods, taking Blert and Gurak's hands and then pulling both of them suddenly towards the exit.

Once outside. Gurak stopped Seaton and smiled. “Scoot back a bit, I'm gonna make some air." Seaton nodded and swam a distance away to watch.

Gurak tapped Blert's window and she looked at him. He puts his hand up in a 'stop' gesture before he opens his hand, and a ball of wind appears. Blert looked shocked, and even more so as the ball expanded and surrounded them both.

Blert's suit lit up faintly, the spell wavered slightly, but persisted, as the spell rushed around them, creating a pocket of air in the water, something about the

goblin suit seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it offhand. A glow like that was familiar though.

Once the air bubble was big enough Gurak coughed up the water in his lungs again, and Blert looked around, amazed at how the wind magic pushed the waterway, maintaining a small pocket like this. He smiled and waved at her again, his hair and beard stuck to his face now that the water was gone. “It's okay to breathe." He says, and she slowly unlocks the helmet.

He smiles at her, and she grins back. “Damn, orc. I didn't think I'd see you down here, of all places." She'd only seen him twice, but he'd been instrumental in her finishing the vehicle she was using now.

Gurak nods. “Yeah, I kinda got in some trouble. Woke up down here with this group. They're nice." He gestures to Seaton outside of the air pocket. The shark slowly swam in closer though, curious to be inside of the bubble with the pair. He carefully stepped inside and looked around smiling and growling something out as he waved to Blert.

She looked at him with concern and Gurak shook his head. “It's okay. He's friendly. They have a really hard time communicating like we do, we'll have to find some means of working around it."

Blert nods excitedly, she was obviously really eager. “I need you to tell me everything about the people down here." Gurak nods and smiles.

“I'd be happy to. But, I want to get back to the surface first, if that's okay." He rumbled out, it was nice to feel the air in his lungs again.

Blert nods. “Okay. Well uh...Let me get in the Mersible, and I'll see if I can get you in there too. I haven't tested the pressure chamber on the skin, so...have your healing magic at the ready when it starts."

Gurak shook his head. “Just have it come in closer to the air bubble, and I can climb up inside."

Blert rubs her chin and nods. “That could work I suppose. I'll climb in and let them know to pull it down in closer, pick you up and we'll head back to Halfsea."

Gurak nods and smiles at the goblin. “I didn't think I'd get home for a few more days, weeks even. I'm so happy to see you."

Blert smiles and nods. “Yeah, it's nice to see you too. Rulu and the others have been looking for you for a long time, they'll be so glad to see you again. Because of those three, you're kind of a celebrity in Halfsea now, everyone knows you." She laughs and smiles.

Gurak's face lit up, his heart was in his throat. He was finally getting back. He hadn't seen his friends in so long, he was sure they were worried about him. It'd probably been a month now, maybe longer since he'd seen them. He was eager to get back and have that birthday celebration, it was a little belated, but, all that mattered was that they'd be together.

Blert lowered the helmet back into place slowly, just before she sealed it, he heard. “They've been looking for almost two years now."

His eyes widened, and as water refilled his lungs he coughed a bit and swam over to Seaton. He looked at the shark. “How long...how long have I been asleep? How long have I been down here?!"

The shark tilts his head. “A few tides." He didn't know what that meant. The orc rubs his forehead.

“How many days?" The orc asks

Seaton shook his head. “I'm unsure, we don't count time like that here."

The orc grumbles softly, he had a baseline at least, a tide came or went every six hours, give or take. “How many tides have come and gone? A few dozen? A hundred?" He knew it was a four in a day.

The shark's expression shifts, oh, that's what he meant. “Well, I don't know exactly how many, but probably a thousand, maybe two."

The orc's face was one of shock and horror, he hadn't seen a mirror, so he had no way of knowing how thick his beard was, how long his hair was now, or knowing that two years had passed. The merfolk's method of telling time was so radically different, he didn't think about it, or how it would translate to what he knew.

Gurak hugged Seaton gently. “I know we thought we'd have a few more days, but, it seems I've found a way home sooner. Thank you and thank Merise for me as well, and the others whom I didn't even really talk to for taking care of it and keeping me safe all this time. I'll come to visit again when I can. Or I'll...contact you, through the water if I can. I'll try it when I've settled in."

Seaton smiles and nods. “I'd like that. Take care meatfriend."

The orc grins and nods. “You too, dear, sweet beloved oceanfriend."

Gurak waited for the goblin to climb into her machine and when she was inside. She said something to whoever was inside the submersible, and it moved in closer to the air bubble. He jumped up into it and climbed inside. They closed the hatch and sealed it to repressurize the chamber he'd climbed in.

Once the door sealed behind him and he stepped out into the main submersible area, he sat in one of the seats as Blert and a few other goblins tinkered with various things before the ship started to move.

Gurak looked out one of the windows, seeing Seaton and waving to him lightly before he was out of sight, and the orc was headed back to Halfsea.

Blert asked him about the merfolk and his time there. He told her everything he could. About their history keeping, the calamity of dragons. The way magic worked completely differently down there, and even how they communicated using magic, mana, instead of speaking like he, and the others did on land.

He told her all about the people, the various species that lived down there, and what things Seaton told him of the underwater people's history. How there were once dozens of races of all kinds, and now only a handful remain. He omitted the part of the other worlds and whatnot. He didn't need to put in her head to start building rockets, it was too soon for civilization to try space travel, in his opinion. After all that, she went to work writing down everything, and Gurak leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.

It was a bit of time, the orc managing a short nap while he rode along with the others before he was gently shaken awake. Blert's hands were on his arm as he woke up. He stood up and followed the rest of the goblins, his backpack on his shoulder, the odd fabric was given to him tight on his body as it dried out, whatever made it so stretchy and comfortable was promoted by the water he guessed. Without the water, it was tight and constricting almost.

Once outside, he took a few steps and looked around the warehouse. It wasn't the one Blert worked in before, this one had access to the ocean after all. He recognized Halfsea, he was at the docks. He thanked Blert for everything and walked back through town, he had no shoes, so his feet were touching the solid stone of the ground beneath him. He walked through town slowly, till he found Resol tavern and carefully stepped inside.

The building was loud and full of mirth, a single orc coming in the door didn't even cause anyone to lift their gaze to the doorway. Gurak didn't see anyone he recognized in the tavern booths or tables. He approached the bar and leaned against it lightly. The owl he recognized, came over and spoke to him. “Can I ge…." He blinks and looks at the orc. “Do I know you?"

The orc nods. “Yeah. It's been a while though Oliver."

The bird watches him for a moment, and then it dawns on him, and chirps excitedly. “S-stay right here." He turns to a bull-looking man, his face is white, either because of face paint, perhaps, or, a helmet, it looks like he was wearing a skull though.

The bird squeezed the man's shoulder and said softly. “Keep your eye on him Asterius, he's a friend, a dear, precious friend."

The bull-like man nods and slides Gurak some water, the orc laughs and takes a light sip of it, he'd been breathing saltwater for such a long time. It was odd to just drink fresh water like this.

The bull came to lean against the bar near Gurak, he didn't recognize him, and he looked like he had an odd air about him. Something about the helmet he wore looked off like it was too tight to his head.

“You okay buddy?" The orc asks softly

The bull nods and smiles, or at least, it looked like he tried to smile, the orc realized when the mouth opened, that it wasn't a helmet, it was the bull's head, his face, there was no skin, and the eyes were sunk in almost glowing green, his face was devoid of muscle and tissue, it was just the bare bone.

Gurak did his best to not look repulsed, but the other must have seen it and sighed softly.

Gurak looked down at the bar top. “Sorry, that was incredibly rude of me."

The bull shook his head. “Nah, I get it. I don't look great. I was handsome once, ya know. The best-looking bull you'd ever seen." He lifts his head and looks out one of the windows on the far side of the tavern, the sun was just rising. “But I didn't have enough, I wanted more. I wanted to be powerful and to live forever." He chuckles, an almost grotesque sound coming from the man's throat.

“I made a pact with a demon." He said softly. “The thing I loved most, for the things I wanted, more magic and to never die." He sighs softly. “Well, I got a third elemental blessing, and I don't age. Not that you would know, can't have any wrinkles without skin on your face." He laughs softly and stands up fully. “Brun found me, I'd been living in some ruins up north. I'd been there for...I dunno. A century. I didn't keep track of time. He was the first person to not wince when he looked at me. He said I was more than welcome to come with him and stay here."

Gurak nods his head. “Brun's a good guy."

The bull nods in agreement. “He is. There are still folks who recoil when they see me. But, I'm seen as a person. You didn't run away screaming, you just looked confused, and a little grossed out." The bull chuckles. “I bet within a day or two you won't even notice I don't have a face." He shrugs.

“Brun helped me with that, I already had a good amount of self-love, but he's helped so much to get me to talking to people again."

A few minutes passed, before the door of the tavern flew open suddenly, the door slamming against the wall as someone stood in the doorway. Gurak turned to look but he couldn't make out any details, the sun was almost directly behind the individual.

He saw the figure approach rapidly and then arms suddenly wrapped around him, hugging him so tightly he thought his ribs might crack.

The orc pats the person's shoulder. “Easy...easy I'm not quite at full strength."

The orc looked into the eyes of the man pressed against him. Focused yellow eyes stared back, and black smooth scales covered the man's face. The lizardman pressed his face against the orc's neck and hugged him gently. “Gurak." He whispers and the orc nods. Hugging the lizardman gently.

The lizardman burst into tears as he hugged the orc. The patrons around the bar looked on, confused. The door was shut by someone and the orc just held the lizardman for what felt like hours before Rulu finally pulled away. The lizardman then punched Gurak in the shoulder hard. Enough to make the orc sway and leave a sting of pain behind.

The orc smiled though, as soon as the tavern door opened, he had a good idea who it was coming at him. Rulu sniffled and squeezed him again. “You big stupid orc."

Gurak nodded and hugged Rulu gently. “I am big and stupid."

Rulu grumbles and hugs the orc. “And stinky and mean."

Gurak smirked and nodded. “Yeah. Stinky and mean too."

Rulu sniffles and hugs the orc. “And you're back."

The orc nods and hugs Rulu tighter. “I'm back." He whispers as he hugs Rulu tightly.