Chapter 11:

Chase to the Surface

Earlier

The Kage Umare, named Unagikage, had been scouring the ocean depths for a period of time long forgotten. This far deep, the eel-like beast had resorted to feeding on any bottom feeder he came across. He hadn't seen any other Kage Umare ever since Kabutokage and Sarikage disappeared though he could feel the presence of DesGhidorah calling out to him. However, that all had changed as he sensed something new... yet also familiar. The Kage Umare realized what it was and curled his armored lips back in a grin. The Muans had finally come out of hiding and they were right in his domain. It was something he would never have another chance again. So, surging from the darkness, he lashed toward the vessel, his red eyes locked on to his prey.

Now

"Everybody alright?" Daiyara asked her sisters and pet as they readjusted themselves, their bellies threatening to upchuck last night's feast into the oxygen-rich fluid.

"Define 'alright'." Salno replied.

"Now do you believe me?" Mana groaned, rubbing her head.

Daiyara was about to respond when she noticed the red dot on her screen was rushing towards them at a rapid pace. "Yes, you were right, I was wrong. Can we have this conversation after we survive?"

With her sisters' silence as an answer, Daiyara sent the Glider rocketing through the depths only to find out their pursuer was still catching up even at full speed. This was not good. She had to do something or her, her sisters and their pet would die before completing their mission.

"Is it a Kage Umare!?" Mana shrieked in panic.

"I dunno, do you want her to turn around and find out?" Salno replied, her voice still deadpan in spite of the situation.

"Would you both be quiet!?"

Daiyara banked left, pressing Nightmare and Mana against the window, giving both a glimpse of the serpentine movements of the beast chasing them... and a rather skull-like head. Mana's fears were confirmed, it was a Kage Umare and they were out in the open. All she could do was think, Oh, we are so dead.

Just then, Daiyara noticed the depths had suddenly turned brighter. During the chase, she hadn't noticed their travel speed had been cut in half and they had now broken free from the Aphotic Zone and were now in slightly lighter waters. However, that also gave them a better look at the monster chasing them and it was just as frightening as they imagined.

It resembled a colossal eel but with jet black skin. On the outside it looked as though it grew a second skeleton on top of its body, complete with a milky-white skull illuminated by the Glider's light decorated to the brim with needle-sharp fangs over a pair of jaws lined with more fangs behind it that could swallow their ship whole. Then there were its eyes, its glaring, blood-red eyes which locked onto the small vessel with malicious intent.

Daiyara then heard something on the radar as she noticed a second large dot, slightly bigger than the one representing the Kage Umare headed toward them as well. Oh, Gods another one? This day just kept getting worse and worse... that is until the larger object seemed to changing course. It was also at this point, Mana could catch a glimpse of an enormous stocky silhouette surging through the darkness.

Outside, Unagikage's smile grew to sickening lengths as the Muan ship came closer and closer to the point he could snap it up in his jaws, his drool getting diluted in the depths. Just one snap of the jaws and the ship and those inside would be his. Just a few more feet and he would have his prize. However, just as he opened his jaws, ready to entrap his quarry, he spotted something rushing towards him, claws and fangs extended. He turned just in time to have the beast plow into him.

The impact of the collision sent waves upon the Aqua Glider as Daiyara fought to regain control. While she did this, Salno, Mana and Nightmare struggled to gain hold on something as they sloshed around the fluid. This lasted for a minute as Daiyara finally managed to get the ship readjusted.

With control restored, Daiyara shot the glider upwards and in the fleeing light, all three sisters could catch a glimpse of their possible savior's jagged back spikes as it and the Kage Umare grappled in the darkness.

Unagikage hissed with anger and frustration as his quarry escaped him. In his anger, he tightened his coils as taut as he could get without cutting them on his adversary's spikes. His opponent pulled one of its arms free of his serpentine form and dug its claws right into his flesh, spilling dark red ichor into the water. Even muffled underwater, the Kage Umare's scream of pain sent all the sea creatures swimming for cover. Having no other choice, the eel-like beast loosened his grip and attempted to escape, something his enemy was not going to give him the pleasure of as it gripped his side with its talons and grabbed tight hoisting him closer to its face, forcing him to lock his blood red eyes with its fiery-orange ones. Just then, the beast's back began to give off an eerie blue glow which illuminated the otherwise pitch dark depths and the last thing Unagikage's eyes ever laid upon was the same light developing within the open jaws of his enemy.

"Daiyara, slow down, the Glider can only take so much!" Mana screamed as the ship began to shudder due to the drastic speed, threatening to come apart with all four of its passengers inside of it. It was then, Daiyara noticed they were now closer to the surface, with a light glow seemingly calling out to them. She then retracted the wings of the vehicle as it shot toward the surface like a bullet.

"Hold on!" the eldest princess yelled just moments before the ship erupted through the surface, bathed in the pale illumination as the vessel bobbed on the surface. The cockpit opened, spilling out the breathing fluid as the four passengers spat it out of their lungs, taking in fresh air. Daiyara then stood up and stared into the distance with awe. High above them was a dark expanse decorated with small lights twinkling like diamonds while a giant pale object stared down on them. She was then joined in her awestruck wonder by Mana, Salno and Nightmare as they finally got their first taste of the surface. Just then, something brushed against her body, sending her hair into a flowing wall of chocolate brown as she closed her eyes in bliss. "So, this is what a breeze feels like." she whispered. For the first time in several millenia, three children of Mu had finally returned to the surface.