Document: ARC-8479 - Sea Anomaly in the Dark Sea
File ID: ARC-8479-DOS
Classification: Level 5 - Uncontainable
Date of Incident: [Standard Galactic Time: 08/13/4090]
Documented by: [Agent Helios V. Lyra]
Anomaly Research and Containment (ARC)
Status: Active Investigation
Anomaly Overview: The Dark Sea
The Dark Sea, an obscure and poorly mapped area of the Abyssal Expanse in the Silfarus System, has long been the subject of speculation among multiversal researchers and explorers. This vast, blackened ocean-like region is devoid of stars, light, or any form of conventional matter detection. Initially believed to be an isolated spatial void, the Dark Sea defies natural laws and contains several anomalous properties that have yet to be fully understood. Due to the inherent dangers of the region, it has been largely uncharted and avoided for centuries. However, recent reports from deep-space reconnaissance vessels suggest that the area may be the focal point of an unknown and potentially catastrophic anomaly.
Initial Discovery
On [08/03/4090], an ISS exploratory vessel entered the Dark Sea following a series of disturbances in local gravity, which were inexplicably tied to an unknown force emanating from within its depths. Initial scans from the ISS ship, Hesperian's Edge, revealed significant variations in the fabric of space-time, strange electromagnetic fluctuations, and readings that hinted at the existence of an "invisible mass" located somewhere beneath the surface of the sea.
A subsequent research request was approved by the Intergalactic Safety Security Council (ISSC), and a specialized task force from Anomaly Research and Containment (ARC) was assembled to investigate the phenomenon firsthand. The task force consisted of the following agents:
• Agent Helios V. Lyra – Lead Researcher & Senior Field Operative
• Agent Kaelen Rho – Temporal Analyst & Engineer
• Agent Brielle D. Mora – Xenobiologist & Environmental Specialist
• Agent Juno Wexley – Remote Operations Specialist & Communications
Expedition and Initial Encounter
The ARC task force entered the Dark Sea on [08/09/4090], deploying via Quantum Slipstream Pods to avoid the disruptive effects on conventional travel methods. The team landed on an anomalous island formation floating in the Sea, a dark landmass that appeared to have no geological explanation. Upon disembarking, the team encountered strange phenomena:
• No light sources – Despite the team being equipped with powerful multidimensional lights, there was a complete absence of visible light. The environment was in complete darkness, even beyond the capabilities of infrared or ultraviolet scans.
• Ambient sound distortion – The silence was unnerving. Any sounds produced by the team, from speech to footsteps, were distorted into unsettling whispers or, in some cases, became entirely inaudible.
• Spatiotemporal fluctuations – Time seemed to move irregularly. The team reported strange instances where hours would collapse into mere minutes, or minutes would stretch endlessly. Equipment timestamps were unreliable, and there were discrepancies in subjective time perception among team members.
Discovery of the Anomaly
Upon closer inspection, the team discovered that the sea itself was not just a body of water, but a gateway-like portal. The deeper they went, the more they realized that the sea was linked to parallel dimensions, some of which appeared to be distorted or decayed timelines. These timelines varied from ones where extinct species continued to thrive to alternate versions of galactic civilizations long destroyed.
The most disturbing revelation occurred when Agent Brielle D. Mora, while surveying the environment, encountered submerged structures within the Sea's depths. These structures were of alien origin, unrecognizable to any known civilization, yet contained glyphs resembling ancient texts connected to the Forbidden Epochs, a forbidden period in multiversal history.
Upon attempting to interact with these structures, the team witnessed a phenomenon referred to as "The Great Echo". A massive, undulating wave of psychic energy erupted from the Sea, forcing the team into an intense collective hallucination. Each member of the ARC team experienced visions related to their past, present, and future—some even involving personal horrors or pre-cognitions of the multiverse unraveling. The visions culminated in the manifestation of the Dark Sea's core, an enormous entity composed of living darkness, known as Vhor'kai, which is theorized to be the embodiment of the Sea itself.
The Entity: Vhor'kai
Vhor'kai, an incomprehensible force of darkness and entropy, seemed to exist not as a single entity but as a collective consciousness formed from the chaotic amalgamation of countless alternate realities and timelines. It is theorized that Vhor'kai is both the origin and the guardian of the Dark Sea. The entity's existence blurs the lines between life, death, and all that exists in between, rendering it immune to standard methods of containment. Attempts to communicate with it resulted in psychic feedback loops that left the agents disoriented and mentally strained.
The core of Vhor'kai remains a sentient anomaly, and its actions suggest an ancient intelligence with an unknown goal, perhaps relating to the destruction or transformation of multiversal reality itself. Vhor'kai appears to feed on both temporal distortion and psychic energy, causing the surrounding dimensions to bleed into one another, weakening the barriers between them.
Containment and Current Status
The ARC Task Force was forced to withdraw from the Dark Sea after encountering increasing resistance from Vhor'kai's influence. As of now, containment protocols remain impossible due to the sheer scale and multidimensional properties of the anomaly. The Dark Sea continues to fluctuate between unstable states, with additional portals opening sporadically across known space. Current containment measures involve sector-wide lockdowns and isolating anomalies in nearby regions to prevent further breaches. However, the nature of the entity and the anomaly poses a dire threat to the stability of the multiversal continuum itself.
The ARC is coordinating with the Multiversal Security Council (MSC) and other organizations to investigate methods for temporal stabilization and possibly containment. However, the extreme nature of the anomaly requires that only the most advanced experimental technologies be utilized in future expeditions.
End of Report
Further investigations and expeditions are underway. Regular updates will be provided as new data is obtained.
[Authorized by: Director Aldra Zhyros]
Intergalactic Safety Security (ISS) - Anomaly Research and Containment Division (ARC)