Coming out from the water…
Faust was greeted by the shimmering view of a purplish-orange sky, with the colors mixing and melding as if painted onto a grand canvas.
The lack of cloud allowed him a clear view, but the sunlight appeared oddly muted, diffused by an unfamiliar atmospheric layer.
He gazed down at the waters, noting his reflection contorted in a purplish-red tinge.
"The UV reflection must have changed, altering the water's color," he mused.
His eyes scanned the vast expanse of sea stretching to the horizon, with no sight of solid ground or any semblance of land.
A sigh escaped him: "I'll have to travel quite a distance to find land."
With a fluid motion, he instructed Agony to morph, watching it reshape into a makeshift boat.
After steadying the boat, Faust carefully seated himself, and Agony began to sail in a random direction.
Turning his attention to the blue crystal.
It glowed softly, emitting a serene luminescence even under the diffused sunlight.
Curious, he began a series of experiments.
He started by probing using Agony to touch the crystal's surface, monitoring for any energy emission or absorption.
However, the crystal shows no change.
Intrigued, Faust tapped the orb, observing its structural integrity and listening attentively to the sound it produced—a soft, melodic hum that vibrated through his fingers.
His eyes, locked onto the mesmerizing glow, began to examine every detail.
He noticed tiny, intricate patterns that seemed to dance just beneath the surface, hinting at a complex internal structure.
He pondered, "Could this have been what fueled the octopus's energy?"
"Did it result from a mutation, or did the octopus find it and decide to eat it?"
Faust found himself at an impasse, his current situation limiting further experimentation with the crystal.
He carefully put the gem away, his fingers lingering on its cool, vibrant surface a moment longer than necessary before he turned his attention to the world around him.
The boundless, purplish-red ocean stretched as far as his eyes could see, its surface rippling gently beneath the beautiful, yet alien, sky.
Amidst this tranquil desolation, Faust's thoughts began to wander.
"Agony, were you born from that egg?"
A screech emanated from Agony as it responded, "Yes and No. Yes, I am a part of it. But no, I was not born from that egg."
Faust's brow furrowed slightly. "Where do you come from, then?"
Agony, its form undulating with an unreadable emotion, confided, "I do not know. My only memory is that I was born to support you."
Faust mused, an inkling of realization lighting his eyes, "Hmm, if you're a part of it, that means the egg survived, and whatever dwelled inside has already gotten out."
"Do you know what that might be?"
In response, Agony produced a low screech, "No, but she left a message."
The use of the pronoun arched Faust's eyebrows subtly.
"She? So, it possesses a gender... interesting. What message did she leave?"
In a series of melodic yet dissonant screeches, Agony conveyed,
"The heavens bestowed upon you blessings, yet never did they arm you with the resilience born from facing hardship."
"The first true adversity you encountered plunged you directly into the abyss of misery."
"Face it, and let's meet again when you are in better condition."
Faust fixed his eyes upon the twilight sky. His voice was barely more than a whisper.
"Does heaven truly exist? And if so, how about hell? Is it a reality that human souls journey to such places?"
His eyes shimmered with desperate hope, clinging to the fragile wish that perhaps, one day, he might be reunited with his beloved family.
A memory, both sweet and agonizing, delicately unfolded in his mind, where the soft echoes of baby Jack's laughter filled a room...
"Hee...heee...Hee…"
The innocent, joyous sounds entwined with the vivid image of tiny, trusting hands clasping firmly around his finger, a moment forever engraved upon his heart.
Anna, his playful and spirited daughter.
Her smile, radiant and infectious, illuminated his darkening thoughts as she pinched little Jack's cheeks.
Her voice was light and filled with unabashed joy. "My lil bro is sooo cuteee…"
Eila would observe the sibling antics, a playful giggle escaping her lips.
"See, Faust, your daughter continually pranks Jack. I'm sure she gets that bad habit from you."
Faust laughed. "What do you mean? That mischief is entirely your doing; every good gene in our kids comes from me."
Eila, unable to suppress her own laughter, offered a playful retort.
"Oh, you wish! Look at her beautiful eyes – she inherited those directly from me!"
With that, she moved closer, enveloping Anna in a gentle yet firm hug and skillfully lifting her away from baby Jack.
"Don't keep pranking your little brother,"
Anna, her cheek puffed up as she attempted to wriggle free, protested, "Mommy, put me down!"
But her demands were muffled by Eila's soft laughter.
Eila, cradling Anna's face with hands that spoke of both strength and tenderness, gently pinched her cheek, "My dear Anna is sooo cute…"
Anna wriggled out of Eila's embracing arms, her little legs propelling her toward Faust as she declared, "Daddy, Mommy pranked me again!"
Faust's eyes sparkled with unspoken mischief and love.
He chuckled warmly, gently placing a tender hand upon Anna's tousled hair,
"Didn't you do the same to your little brother, sweetie?"
Anna's lips pursed into a dramatic pout. "Daddy doesn't love me anymore. Daddy says I am in the wrong."
Tenderly, Faust, with practiced ease, cradled baby Jack in one arm.
With his free arm, he lovingly drew Anna into a hug.
"Oh no, my little princess should not be upset. Daddy loves you, always. Don't you love daddy?"
Anna's demeanor transformed in a heartbeat, the preceding act of indignation replaced with giggles that bubbled forth like a crystal-clear spring.
She tenderly planted a kiss on Faust's cheek, her words a sweet whisper, "I love Daddy the most!"