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Description
For centuries the remains of a drowned legionnaire lay hidden underwater. It didn’t take long before he was buried beneath the sand, making it impossible to find him except for those who know where he is. And there is only one who knows.

“Hey. You okay?” Sam looked up at her friend. There was a confused look on her face. “What’s up?” Sam frowned and blinked her eyes a couple of times.

“Oh it’s… It’s nothing. I was miles away.” She rubbed her head. “Actually, I’ve been having this headache.” She had specifically remembered to take her medication this morning. No way a headache would ruin her fun today.

“Shit. You got one coming up?” Danny was had even reminded her to take her medication himself this morning. No way a headache would ruin his fun today either. But even so: “If we need to go back...” Sam recovered within a heartbeat.

“No way, we’re doing this. I didn’t come all the way here to chicken out, alright? I’m good!” She sorted her scuba gear, did a final check and took one last look at Danny. He still had a concerned look on his face but started to do the same. The guide gave the sign, and with a backflip down they went.

Surprisingly, the water had a soothing sensation on her body, and her throbbing head was momentarily silenced. Even more so, the way down was so incredibly beautiful, Sam could forget all her earthly problems. The rays of sunlight illuminated only enough for her to identify where the ocean floor was, revealing many colourful fish and coral reefs. She had seen pictures on the internet, of what to expect of the marine paradise, but no photograph can prepare you for the actual experience. The difference is very similar to the vagueness of a memory and the vividness of a dream. How blissful this dream turned out to be.

The guide escorted them to a place not far from ter shore. Apparently, as the guide explained back on land, this city was once a resort of decadence and debauchery, where rich people could indulge in all their pleasures. As a matter of fact, it was a popular vacation spot for the ancient empire's rulers. A roman scholar said: “unmarried women are property, old men behave like young boys, and lots of young boys act like young girls.” The thoughts of such a place gave Sam the shivers. Luckily it now lies in ruins and we know better times. Sam followed the group to the first location: one of the intact statues in front of an apparently amazing mosaic plateau.

But then.

A light?

Awa had seen the humans arrive. There was no doubt as to why they were there. The only question was, would they cause trouble? One of them, a woman, caught Awa's eye immediately when she entered the water. Normally Awa could sense when the humans were excited or in a curious mood. Yet this one was in distress. Or actually… in pain? This human was fighting her instinct, and instead of leaving and resting, kept swimming towards Awa's home. This one could have been dangerous… The shard of Lapis Lazuli began to light up, creating a faint shimmer in the distance.

What is that? Sam thought, as she forgot her once again growing headache. Her mind, which was still capable of relatively clear thoughts, went from bioluminescent fish to… submarine? Nothing quite fit this strange glow in the dark. Escaping the notice of the guide and her friend Danny, she swam towards the calling glare.

Good.

Awa knew that attracting too many at the same time could spell trouble. Besides, she had seen the “guiding” human several times before. She recalls one time when that same fellow prevented another from damaging one of the statues. “But this one,” Awa inspected the approaching human carefully. “This one I don't know. It appears harmless, but better safe than sorry.”

The further Sam swam, the more distant the light appeared. The ground below her steadily descended into the abyss until there was no longer any point of reference but for her destination. Her head started to throb once again, but her intense desire to know what that light was. Curiosity and pain; two factors that have dictated her life so far. No longer. Sam would not let pain win this battle. And then… the light was gone. It wasn't the absence of light that shocked Sam. It was the presence of darkness. Wherever she looked, there was nothing but dark blue. How far had she swum? Where had she come from? In a hazy panic, Sam decided there was only one way to go: up.

Why is this human squirming, grasping for the surface? Awa felt the human's inquisitiveness had been replaced by fear. The agony she had felt was growing too, overpoweringly so, to the point Awa had to shut herself off from the human. The helpless creature was swimming up with great difficulty. She saw it struggle… and stop. “maybe this wasn't such a good idea...” an image infiltrates Awa's mind.

He is alive! He is definitely alive!

Sam woke up. Salt in her throat. Her hands touched sand. A face hovered above hers. An echo of a voice. Her headache… gone? Replaced by… muscle strain. She jerked up, coughing up water. “Thank god.” Danny?

“You’re lucky, young lady. Seemed the current washed you ashore to us.” The guide sighed with relief, but then added quite sternly: “what was rule number one?” Sam rubbed her head, recovering.

“Stay with the group.” The guide repeated the rule under his breath, as he turned around to greet the emergency response.

“What the hell was that?” Danny asked. Sam thought back to the light, which seemed so surreal now. The truth was, she had no idea, but she had no intention to explain anything to Danny right away. By then, several people had sat down near Sam to make sure she was truly out of harm's way, pushing Danny back a few steps.

“I’ll tell you later.” He put his hands on his hips and looked down with a stressful expression on his face. “But Danny,” He looked up. She couldn't help but grin, though weakly.

“At least the headache is gone.”

Description
For centuries the remains of a drowned legionnaire lay hidden underwater. It didn’t take long before he was buried beneath the sand, making it impossible to find him except for those who know where he is. And there is only one who knows.

“Hey. You okay?” Sam looked up at her friend. There was a confused look on her face. “What’s up?” Sam frowned and blinked her eyes a couple of times.

“Oh it’s… It’s nothing. I was miles away.” She rubbed her head. “Actually, I’ve been having this headache.” She had specifically remembered to take her medication this morning. No way a headache would ruin her fun today.

“Shit. You got one coming up?” Danny was had even reminded her to take her medication himself this morning. No way a headache would ruin his fun today either. But even so: “If we need to go back...” Sam recovered within a heartbeat.

“No way, we’re doing this. I didn’t come all the way here to chicken out, alright? I’m good!” She sorted her scuba gear, did a final check and took one last look at Danny. He still had a concerned look on his face but started to do the same. The guide gave the sign, and with a backflip down they went.

Surprisingly, the water had a soothing sensation on her body, and her throbbing head was momentarily silenced. Even more so, the way down was so incredibly beautiful, Sam could forget all her earthly problems. The rays of sunlight illuminated only enough for her to identify where the ocean floor was, revealing many colourful fish and coral reefs. She had seen pictures on the internet, of what to expect of the marine paradise, but no photograph can prepare you for the actual experience. The difference is very similar to the vagueness of a memory and the vividness of a dream. How blissful this dream turned out to be.

The guide escorted them to a place not far from ter shore. Apparently, as the guide explained back on land, this city was once a resort of decadence and debauchery, where rich people could indulge in all their pleasures. As a matter of fact, it was a popular vacation spot for the ancient empire's rulers. A roman scholar said: “unmarried women are property, old men behave like young boys, and lots of young boys act like young girls.” The thoughts of such a place gave Sam the shivers. Luckily it now lies in ruins and we know better times. Sam followed the group to the first location: one of the intact statues in front of an apparently amazing mosaic plateau.

But then.

A light?

Awa had seen the humans arrive. There was no doubt as to why they were there. The only question was, would they cause trouble? One of them, a woman, caught Awa's eye immediately when she entered the water. Normally Awa could sense when the humans were excited or in a curious mood. Yet this one was in distress. Or actually… in pain? This human was fighting her instinct, and instead of leaving and resting, kept swimming towards Awa's home. This one could have been dangerous… The shard of Lapis Lazuli began to light up, creating a faint shimmer in the distance.

What is that? Sam thought, as she forgot her once again growing headache. Her mind, which was still capable of relatively clear thoughts, went from bioluminescent fish to… submarine? Nothing quite fit this strange glow in the dark. Escaping the notice of the guide and her friend Danny, she swam towards the calling glare.

Good.

Awa knew that attracting too many at the same time could spell trouble. Besides, she had seen the “guiding” human several times before. She recalls one time when that same fellow prevented another from damaging one of the statues. “But this one,” Awa inspected the approaching human carefully. “This one I don't know. It appears harmless, but better safe than sorry.”

The further Sam swam, the more distant the light appeared. The ground below her steadily descended into the abyss until there was no longer any point of reference but for her destination. Her head started to throb once again, but her intense desire to know what that light was. Curiosity and pain; two factors that have dictated her life so far. No longer. Sam would not let pain win this battle. And then… the light was gone. It wasn't the absence of light that shocked Sam. It was the presence of darkness. Wherever she looked, there was nothing but dark blue. How far had she swum? Where had she come from? In a hazy panic, Sam decided there was only one way to go: up.

Why is this human squirming, grasping for the surface? Awa felt the human's inquisitiveness had been replaced by fear. The agony she had felt was growing too, overpoweringly so, to the point Awa had to shut herself off from the human. The helpless creature was swimming up with great difficulty. She saw it struggle… and stop. “maybe this wasn't such a good idea...” an image infiltrates Awa's mind.

He is alive! He is definitely alive!

Sam woke up. Salt in her throat. Her hands touched sand. A face hovered above hers. An echo of a voice. Her headache… gone? Replaced by… muscle strain. She jerked up, coughing up water. “Thank god.” Danny?

“You’re lucky, young lady. Seemed the current washed you ashore to us.” The guide sighed with relief, but then added quite sternly: “what was rule number one?” Sam rubbed her head, recovering.

“Stay with the group.” The guide repeated the rule under his breath, as he turned around to greet the emergency response.

“What the hell was that?” Danny asked. Sam thought back to the light, which seemed so surreal now. The truth was, she had no idea, but she had no intention to explain anything to Danny right away. By then, several people had sat down near Sam to make sure she was truly out of harm's way, pushing Danny back a few steps.

“I’ll tell you later.” He put his hands on his hips and looked down with a stressful expression on his face. “But Danny,” He looked up. She couldn't help but grin, though weakly.

“At least the headache is gone.”