In the darkest deepest abyss below, the unlikely aquatic group has sunken far from underneath the god's temple up above. They all have suffered an anguishing defeat and injury. Completely unconscious through it all. The little mermaid Ariel has awoken from her unconsciousness, only to find that her friends had suffered the same fate as does she. This sight made her even more worried about them. So she swim to each one's side, wondering if they're alright.
"Is everyone else okay?" Ariel whispered softly.
The muscular merman Travannus is the first to respond to the voice of the red haired princess.
"Ugh!... I'm okay, Ariel." grunted Travannus in pain. "That disturbing godlike thingy really did a number on us. But I will live."
She went to see if Flounder and Sebastian are alright as well.
"Flounder? Sebastian?" Ariel called out to them. "Are you two alright over there?"
"I think so, Ariel." said Flounder, although coughing a tad bit.
"Oh mon! I'm going to be crab cake for sure, if dat sea king hasn't gotten to me first!" Sebastian remarked as he tries to get up on his legs. "Hey! A little help here? I'm upside down!"
"Oh here you go, Sebastian." says Ariel as she helps the crab on his feet.
"Thanks, Ariel." says Sebastian. "Now hopefully, I can walk this off.
Travannus has notice that someone else is missing from the group. He turns to his friends.
"Say, guys? Has everyone seen Abzû?" the merman said with discernment.
"Well come to think of it, good question." says Flounder as he looks around himself. "Where is he?"
Ariel swim over to the other side of the ocean floor. She found Abzû lying there, damaged all over his body, revealing his exoskeleton. Horrified for him, Ariel rushes to his side. She hopes that he's going to be okay. And so he is the minute he wakes up, to notice that Ariel and her friends were all staring down at him.
"Ariel?... what happened to us?" asked Abzû in a weak voice.
"I don't know." said Ariel. "But what I do know is that we have discovered some shocking secrets inside of the temple. We were face to face with the machine god thing. And then the shark-."
She paused for a brief moment. The little mermaid remembers that the shark Duncan has came to fight against the machine god. Only to cause it to malfunction and create a massive shockwave that injured the gang. She wonders if he's alright.
"Oh no! The shark!" gasped Ariel.
"Shark!? Where!??" screamed Flounder, hiding behind Travannus's large dorsal fin.
"Flounder, you are a guppy." teased Travannus, chuckling.
"I am not a guppy!" Flounder shouts in detest.
"Huh? Ariel? Where are you going!?" asked Sebastian as he saw the mermaid swam off.
The gang tags after her. Although he is damaged, Abzû follows the gang as fast as he could catch up to them. He is just as worried about Duncan as does Ariel. Throughout all of the debris floating around the ocean floor, the aquatic adventurers navigated around the metal wreckage. They found Duncan on the other side of the wreck. He is fatally wounded by the god's will. The little mermaid and her friends hovered closer to him. Seeing him badly hurt like this, sends sorrow into their hearts and they were all saddened and distraught over their fallen acquaintance.
"H...h...hey...you guys..." Duncan uttered in a shattering voice. "Did I destroy it?..."
"Barely, man." Travannus responded to the shark. "That thing is still up and running. We were there when that machine thing harmed all of us."
"Oh... That monster must be stopped..." says Duncan as he clings onto his life. "That thing... can't be... allowed to have its way... any longer..."
"But how are we going to do that?" Abzû asked the dying shark. "Please? You have to tell us."
"Go forth and uncover the rest of the mystery..." says Duncan whilst under his last breath. "And then you will... find the answers... that you desperately seek... But destroy the machine god... The fate of the world's oceans rests... in... your... hands... now..."
Then Duncan's life has ended. Ariel starts to sob for the fallen shark. Travannus swam to comfort the princess in his muscular arms. Flounder feels sad about seeing Duncan as a monster for he was trying to protect all sea life from the invasion of the machine god. Sebastian too was saddened about this as the rest of the group. Abzû give his prayers to Duncan and he bids him farewell. This is truly a heartbreaking moment for everybody. However, they must not pause for a longer time for Abzû knew that there's still much more to be done. He turns to his friends.
"We cannot stay here and mourn his death any longer." said Abzû. "We must carry on. We have to honor his request and save all the world's oceans."
"How are we gonna do that?" asked Flounder in wonderment.
"Yeah, I'm with Flounder on tis one, mon." said Sebastian, adding in. "Just how are we going to go about saving the seas from dat terrible metal monster?"
"We'll find a way." said Travannus with Ariel weeping in his arms. "And we're going to have to. Like the shark said, the fate of all sea life rests in our hands now."
Ariel finally gotten over her grievances just in time for another adventure yet. She turns to face her friends whilst she's by Abzû's side.
"He's right." says Ariel as she casts her sadness aside. "Our quest doesn't stop here. We must find a way to save our world. After all, we owe it to ourselves, each other and all of the creatures of the sea. And we can't do this without you, Abzû."
"Aww thanks, Ariel." says Abzû. "This means so much to me. Even if you found out about what I am, you still value me as a friend."
"Of course, Abzû." says Ariel, smiling. "You're still our friend, no matter what. I know we can make a difference together."
"Yeah! What she said." Travannus added proudly. "Instrument of Ragnorak or not, we won't let you take the fall for what happened in the past."
"Are you guys really sure that you all want to continue this quest with me?" Abzû asked in question. "I mean, you really don't have to do this if you are afraid."
"Nah! One thing about me, Abzû, I don't scare easily." said Travannus. "Besides, we are all in this together. We started this adventure together and we will end this together."
"Thank you all." cried Abzû as he felt touched by the merman's words. "Thank you all so much."
"You are truly welcome, Abzû." says Ariel as she swims closer to him. "Now let's go uncover the rest of the mystery together."
"Yes, Let's do this." says Abzû, agreeing with Ariel.
The gang agreed to hence onward with their new quest for the sake of all the other marine creatures. Duncan's selfless act and his death will not be in vain. They swam onwards through the cavernous pathway in which led them to another discovery. Once surfacing amongst the lily pads, they discover a new ancient temple. One that is not overruled by rogue technology. The group was in awe of the newly discovered forsaken area.
"What is this place?" uttered Ariel. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"Well wow! Whatever this place is, it sure is marvelous from the inside." remarked Travannus.
"Let's just prey dat there no hostile things awaiting for us to be there dinner." says Sebastian.
"Oh Sebastian. You worry way too much." says Travannus, shaking his head. "Must you always assume the worst of everything?"
"Well I can't help dat!" snapped Sebastian in defense. "You will never know what may be lurking around the corner."
"You better help it, crab." snickered Travannus. "Besides, if there were something ferocious around the corner waiting to attack us, I will attack them back. Sometimes you forget that you have a monster on your side. I won't let anything happen to my friends."
"I know you won't, Travannus." chuckled Ariel.
"And we are grateful to have you tag along with us." says Abzû.
"Good! There what I'm here for." said Travannus, showing off his muscles.
He made everyone laugh with his humor. This just in, a bioluminescent light manifests upon the surface of the water. It seems it showing the way to another part of the ancient temple.
"Hmm? That's strange." says Ariel as she follows the light. "I wonder where it leads to."
The group follows the bioluminescent light to the other side of the temple. It leads them to the magnificent entry to the inside. However it is platform to the staircase on a dry surface. That obstacle alone won't be any good for the little mermaid and the gang. None can get out of the water to walk over the stairs.
"Oh now how are we going to get over there?" wondered Ariel in distress.
"That's a good question." says Travannus, scratching his black hair. "We don't have legs to go on dry land or in dry places."
"Perhaps I can." says Abzû as he swims closer to the ledge. "I find something to help fill the place with water, somehow. Then you guys cane meet me on the other side."
"Okay! You got it, Abzû." Travannus complied.
"We will be right here waiting for you." says Flounder.
"Just be careful." said Ariel.
Abzû requests that Sebastian could come with and help him out. The crab agrees to be at his service as he climbs on the ledge, with the assistance of Travannus. Abzû turns his long flippers into metallic bare feet with toes. With Sebastian riding on his shoulders, Abzû went up the stairs. Tiny frogs leaping all over the place, leaves falling from the trees as if it is already autumn. With they reach the top of the stairs, there is a lone artifact standing in front of them. It could open the door once it is activated. Abzû did just that and the lights flickered on, brightening up the room. Thus the door has open for him to get through. Once he has entered the doorway, he found himself entering the temple's great oasis, the largest sanctuary in the hidden building. Abzû dives into the waters below him. He swam through the ruins of the underwater oasis with Sebastian on his shoulder. During the exploration of the oasis, he frees the Anomalocaris from their platform prison. They thanked him for his kindness and now he must continue onward if he were to help Ariel, Travannus and Flounder get over to the oasis. Sebastian points at the giant chains on the anchor line below them. This time, Abzû will have to do this without Travannus's help at the moment. He use all of his strength to turn the anchor around, loosening the chains to the large doors from afar. While on the search for the other anchor line, Abzû frees a pod of Helicoprions from their prison. Now they must continue on with the exploration of the place. They search all over for the other anchor line but to no avail. But then again, Abzû remembers to follow the giant chains for it may lead him and Sebastian to the turn wheel. However, it appears that it lead them to another door. The anchor turn wheel must be on the inside. To both Abzû and Sebastian, it seems to them that the only way to open the doors is to swim to the surface. Alas they did just that. Abzû climbs out of the water and scowls on the dry surfaces to find a lone artifact by the pillars. He activates the artifact to open the underwater doors. Now he can finally turn the wheel. With the giant chains loosening up, the doors finally open. Not only that, it opens a watery passage for the little mermaid and her friends to enter the oasis. They regroup with Abzû and Sebastian halfway through the oasis pathway.
"Hey there! Did you two miss us?" joked Travannus.
"Ha! Very funny, mon!" Sebastian responds to the mutant merman. "The only thing I miss about you is your wisecracks!"
"So where are we heading off to, Abzû?" asked Flounder as he swims in between Ariel and Abzû.
"We can head towards the opened doors up ahead." said Abzû, pointing due eastbound.
"Then what are we waiting for?" cheered Ariel in a slightest glee. "Let's go, you guys."
They all swam to the opened doors. It lead them to another oasis with a fountain of luminescent waters leading them to the platform as the end of the path. Once activated, opens the doors above them. The aquatic group swam upwards to the surface. For them to advance forward, Abzû has to walk to the other waters on foot. As for the rest of his friends, they couldn't be able to do just that due to the fact that they are not land dwellers. Especially for Ariel and her friends. However, Travannus remembers that his mutant powers grants him the ability to gain walkable limbs on dry land areas. Of course, why hasn't he thought of that sooner? So being the powerful mutant merman that he is, Travannus turns his black tail into black scaled legs. He can only carry Ariel for she is not a magical mermaid. Abzû carries both Flounder and Sebastian. He must hurry though, if Flounder had not suffocated in dry air. Finally, they reach to the other side of the oasis. Now they can all dive into the water. Abzû frees a pod of Dakosauruses from their prison. The continue their quest as Abzû activates the platform to allow the luminescent water to guide the way. With the help of other marine creatures, Ariel and her friends follow the luminescent water to the other fountains, ultimately leading them to another large doors. It has open form them to enter. Once they are inside, they found another lone platform in the middle of the room. Abzû activates the platform and the waters lit up the room. The doors from above opens up form the to ascend to the surface. Now another door needs to be activated. Alas Abzû did just that. They must carry on by barefoot again. Travannus carries Ariel in his arms while Abzû carries both Flounder and Sebastian. Up the stairs they went but Flounder doesn't have much time. As they reach to the other side of the watery ruins, they all dove into the water. The currents carried the crew throughout the underwater ruins. Along the way, the little mermaid and her companions were all astonishingly mesmerized by the architectures whilst passing through the lost city of the Nai'Viqian civilization. The ancient alien race may be extinct, but their history hasn't been entirely destroyed. Ariel is at awe of the wonderful city that also has not been destroyed at the time.
"This place is so beautiful." says Ariel in a softer tone of voice. "Too bad it all went through such a terrible history."
"We are almost there, you guys!" bellowed Abzû.
The currents lead the adventurers into a massive chamber, where it ends. The school of fishes circle around them, guiding them to the huge door below them. It needs to be unlocked only by the chains from each ends of the walls above them. Both Travannus and Abzû swam up to the anchor lines. Abzû will take the west anchor and Travannus will take the east anchor. With Ariel's signal, they both turn the wheel and the chains loosened up. Thus it opens the huge doors. Now they advance further down the vortex. Although Flounder and Sebastian were both scared of the outcome, they followed their friends anyway. At last, they are in the final twilight realm of the gods. In front of them are a shine that is slightly different than the ones the heroes encountered during their journey. As they all have entered the shrine, the lone bubble is in their presence. Ariel turns to her friends once more.
"Well this is it!" exclaimed Ariel. "We've made it so far. I guess there's no turning back for us now."
"I can't believe tis, mon!" says Sebastian. "We went to so much trouble, just to get here! And for once, I'm happy that we didn't come face to face with the worst."
"But you can say that the ride is worth it in the end." added Flounder.
"So it all comes down to this." said Travannus, folding his arms. "I'm so ready for what comes next."
"And so am I, Travannus." said Abzû as he turns to Ariel. "Well, Ariel? Are you ready for this?"
"I'm ready as I'll ever be." said Ariel.
"No matter what will happen here, I just want you to know that I'm happy to be your friend." says Abzû. "From the bottom of my heart, you're the most amazing mermaid I have ever met."
"Thanks, Abzû. I think you're quite amazing yourself." said Ariel as she turns to face the bubble. "The time has come to accept what may happen once you touch this bubble."
"And this time, Flounder and I are taking cover behind Travannus right here." said Sebastian as he hid behind Travannus's dorsal fin with Flounder. "Let us know when this is over."
"Ugh! Cowards much?" grumbled Travannus, rolling his eyes in pure annoyance.
As the time is at the essence, Abzû touches the bubble with no signs of hesitation. Thus his soul fused with the bubble. But this time, the bubble forms around him. Not only giving him a new soul but also giving him a new body design. The ethereal magic gave him a glowing golden armor, technical webbed hands and his long flippers turns into a pair fluorescent transparent fins as if of a koi fish. Ariel and her friends were all amazed by Abzû's extraordinary transformation. But that is not all. The bubble's magic revived the deceased shark Duncan. And he swims around the realm before he turns to face Abzû and the little mermaid Ariel.
"So we meet again." greeted Duncan as he swam closer to the heroes. "I suppose we are destined for the final chapter of our fight."
"A final chapter?" Ariel questioned the shark. "What do you mean?"
"Oh! I apologize for this is so sudden." says Duncan as he cleared his throat. "We haven't properly introduced ourselves. My name is Duncan, the great white shark and a majestic relic of the ocean gods! And of course, deities too."
"Oh! So you're the shark from the ancient murals from the temples!" exclaimed Ariel as she has Duncan all figured out. "You were there when the Nai'Viqians was still alive. Long after they all went eradicated by the machine god. You were there when Abzû was built by the survivors of the Ragnorak."
"Indeed I was, little mermaid." said Duncan as he went on. "It was I who had been watching over him for the longest time. In fact, I'd make sure that he survives long enough to change the tides of the future."
"Please explain to me, Duncan. Why are you telling us this?" cried Abzû, pleading for answers. "What do you mean that you have been watching over me after all this time? What do you mean that I'm the one to change the tides of the future?"
The great white shark elaborates on his history with Abzû in the past.
"You were just in an infant stage when the remaining survivors built you." said Duncan, continuing on with his side of the story. "Originally, your kind were meant to be the Instruments of Ragnorak, in the image of the machine god itself. I wanted to intervene and destroy every last one of your kind. But instead, I choose to spare you. Because you have not been fully activated yet. So all I did is to leave you floating around in the ocean. It's been ten thousand years since that faithful era. But now, here you are and you choose to make friends with the little mermaid and the other creatures. I see that there's potential in you, my friend."
"Wow! I could never imagine ten thousand years that Abzû hasn't been activated yet." said Flounder, trying to wrap his head around this.
"Me neither, Flounder." said Sebastian. "History can be confusing at times. I wish I could take crab school all over again. I am never skipping class again!"
The muscular mutant merman swam up to the three figures.
"So Duncan. May I ask you something?" asked Travannus.
"Go on!" replied Duncan.
"Why did you wait until now to fess up on this?" Travannus asked.
"It's because you all would've helped him get this far." Duncan answered the merman. "He's going to need a couple of allies to help him understand his purpose, convert him into a better version of himself and reform his entire existence. Which is why I waited for a young mermaid like her to show him the way of life. It is she who played a vital role in his long awaited prophecy."
Ariel was shocked by Duncan's revelation. If she hadn't befriended Abzû from the beginning, she would've discovered so many things that she had never seen before. Let alone, giving him so much hope for the future of the earth's oceans and it's habitats. All that she has seen with her own eyes, all that she has learned along the way, it all had lead her to this phenomenon. Flounder, Sebastian and Travannus were surprisingly in shock of what Duncan is sharing with them. The little mermaid swam up to the majestic shark.
"So I have a role in all of this?" gasped Ariel.
"That's right, Ariel." says Duncan. "You play a significant role into helping Abzû find himself. You helped him grow and evolve. You and your friends have shown him what true friendship is really about. And now the time has come for our final phase of the prophecy."
"Our final phase?" Flounder thought out loud,
"What do you mean our final phase?" Ariel wondered.
"Now that all of the shrines restores the oceans natural habitats, Abzû has become strong enough to destroy the machine god!" announced Duncan. "It is the will of the other gods here who gave him their power. And now with my request, they shall beckon you into joining the cause. Ariel! You shall become the gods first magical and powerful, ethereal little mermaid!"
Then all of a sudden, the glowing luminescent waters stretch from the sea below and it swirls around the aquatic girl. With its gentle warm bioluminescent light, Ariel felt her mermaid body transforming into anew. Her emerald green tail has been given a hint of gold glittered on top of the scales. The fins on her waistline turns into a fluorescent shades of green, blue, purple, pink and yellow. The same with her tail fins. Thus designing a more elegant regal look to her royal lineage. Her lavender seashells are decorated with a hint of light green stripes. To finish her new beauty, tropical flowers were placed into her hair. Now the transformation has been complete. With the swish of her newly bioluminescent tail, Ariel has become an ethereal little mermaid.
"Oh jumpin' jellyfish! Ariel! Look at your tail, girl!" gasped Sebastian. "What happen to your tail!?"
"I don't know, Sebastian." says Ariel as she admires her new mermaid tail. "But whatever it is, I'm in love with it! I look so beautiful with this tail!"
"I think it suits you, Ariel." Abzû says, complimenting her.
"Thank you, Abzû." says Ariel and then turns to Duncan. "And thank you, Duncan."
The shark blushes away from the mermaid's charm. Travannus swam up to the group.
"Hey! Don't I get some new powers here too?" asked Travannus.
"Oh of course!" chuckled Duncan. "The god's has not forgotten about you, my dear friend."
The luminescent waters splashes onto Travannus. Thus giving him not only a new mutant form, but a bioluminescent armor attached to the scales on his body. His merman tail is glittered with the same hint of gold, quite similar to Ariel's tail. And his fins grew larger on his back. The tail fins turn into apredatorily structure with a hint of a reddish glow on the design. Now the strong merman is even more powerful than before. Ariel and Abzû swam to his side.
"Well would y'all look at me!?" boasted Travannus as he shows off a tad. "I look like a savage! And I like it!"
"You look amazing, Travannus." says Ariel.
"So fierce and powerful." said Abzû. "It brings out the brute in you, buddy."
"Thanks to the twilight gods for that." said Travannus with a smile.
As the moments thrive, a golden whirlpool has manifested upon the twilight waters. Duncan swam up to the group.
"Come with me, my friends!" says Duncan, bribing them forward to the whirlpool. "We have no time to lose! I need your help with saving our oceans! We must destroy the machine god once and for all! Now are you all ready for this?"
"I'm ready as I'll ever be." Ariel replied.
"So am I." replied Abzû.
"Oh you'll know I'm ready for this!" complied Travannus, cracking his knuckles.
"Hey! Don't leave us behind!" shouted Sebastian, swimming up to the merman's dorsal fin.
"We're coming too!" says Flounder.
"Oh! We could never forget about you two." chuckled Ariel as she hugs Flounder closer to herself.
With everyone all in this together, Duncan led the party downward towards the whirlpool.
"Well then, let us get going." said Duncan as he dives head first right into the whirlpool. "Follow me!"
With one bing dove into the golden whirlpool, the little mermaid and her companions followed the majestic shark from behind. It is time for the final confrontation with the mechanical god. The heroes of the seas will do whatever they can to save the rest of the oceanic worlds from such a devastating fate. All they need to do is to act fast for it is nearly too little too late.