Chapter 10 - A look into the future

Tanya dreamed about endlessly falling through her torn up sky. Golden fissures ran through the blue firmament and expanded into gigantic cracks that threatened to swallow everything whole. And in the background she heard someone laughing. It was an ugly, spiteful laugh and it seemed so familiar, but she just couldn't remember to whom it belonged. The only thing she knew was that she hated it with a passion. Her whole body burned with a desire for revenge and bloodshed and she didn't even know why. Until she was too angry to care.

∞•۞˂Bondrewd´s point of view˃۞•∞

How peculiar. Not only was the girl blessed with an incredible intellect and a burning drive for learning, but she had also instinctively bonded with an unbelievably powerful artefact. Raw power in such quantities was rarely useful, but who knew what else the thing could do. Maybe there was a way to regulate the energy output, but that could wait.

His precious Tanya needed her rest. Wasn´t it cute how her face crunched up in her sleep and her little fist tightened around his coat? He had to be extra careful with her, because sometimes he forgot the limits of ordinary mortals. Especially children were fragile things and he could not risk straining her further.

There was just one detail that wouldn't let him rest. He believed to have heard her say something before the relic activated. Had it been an activation sequence that the amulet had whispered to Tanya in her hour of need? Was it required for the object to work?

Now that he thought about it, the artefact would need a name. That had been unnecessary before, because they hadn't know its actual function, but now he required one for his notes. How about... "Starflare Amulet"? Good enough. He would ask his extraordinary girl when she awoke about how she liked it.

He idly wondered what the world would think of Tanya when she returned to surface once again. Would they see her talent or would they mistake her for an ordinary child?

∞•۞˂Excerpt from the book "Heroes of the Abyss – The bravest explorers in the world"˃۞•∞

Tanya the Unyielding is one of the netherworld´s greatest collectors of knowledge and like all white whistles is shrouded in mystery. It is commonly known that she entered the Abyss as a five year old in the care of Bondrewd the Novel. He took her like many other children down to the fifth level where he undoubtedly planned for her to be used in one of his countless experiments. (For more information go to page 384) Though for some reason she managed to escape this grizzly fate. Speculations say that she possibly impressed him with her staggering intellect that she allegedly displayed even in her early years.

Under his care young Tanya was able to study the many wonders of the netherworld in detail and racked up a profound understanding of her surroundings. Unlike with the many aspiring delvers from Orth she had not to work her way down, but up! How she managed to earn her white whistle is unknown to us, but it was surly well earned when Tanya set with twelve years finally foot on the surface world again.

At this point in time she had already collected an arsenal of exotic and never before seen artefacts which let her overpower even the fiercest beasts with ease. Strangest among them all however was a golden amulet which she wore around her neck just above the heart. No direct descriptions exist as she always covered it up and kept extreme secrecy about its exact nature, but when used it was impossible to miss.

Apparently when she prayed to god the relic on her chest would begin to glow with a blinding light that even multiple layers of clothing could not obscure. The power she harnessed is said to rival many of the greatest special grade artefacts which led to its classification as such. Because this particular relic never went to an auction it has no official name, but it is commonly known as the "Sunspitter Doom".

Her many achievements at an age in which most delvers are still not even red whistles are doubly impressive considering that she tended to travel alone. Many claim this was done to protect her many secrets. It is theorized that she possesses a artefact that lets her ignore the effects of the curse at least temporarily, since she has been reported to somehow fly small distances which would be incredible dangerous otherwise. This odd ability earned her also the title of the "Fairy of the Deep".

Tanya the Unyielding is also currently the only known person to return from the 6th layer alive and unchanged in any visible way (For more information go to page 392) which strengthens this speculation.

About her personality exist many differing statements. She is described to be incredibly punctual and polite in business meetings and harsh and unforgiving to all who make even the slightest mistake. Mercy and lightheartedness are allegedly foreign words to her. Insolence or laziness is not tolerated by her in any manner.

Some delvers who teamed up with her for short amounts of time told us even that they felt outright threatened by her should they not adhere to her high standards of order and work etiquette.

Erich Gureren had the following to say: "Once she finally takes that bloody mask off then most people would assume she´s a cute, little girl, but she is not, I tell you! She is more like a (...) monster! A monster in the skin of a little girl!"

On the other hand many people claim that underneath the rough exterior a heart full of compassion and love for her fellow children hides. Three of Orth´s orphanages stated to have received large donations from her to "further the education and proper training of the scientific youth".

Dozens of other delvers have also reported to have been saved by the Fairy of the Deep in times of great need. Tanya supposedly demanded neither thanks nor compensation, but just insisted that the delver should "take more care next time".

Regardless if all of that is true, the fact remains: Tanya the Unyielding is not only the youngest white whistle ever, but also one of the strangest.

List of her notable achievements:

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