Guardians of Terraria II: The World of Calamity

Episode 22.4 - Hadopelagic Pressure

"Aye," the Pirate said. "I chose to swear away from my fellow cap'n's, and from plunderin' and pillagin'. Which has allowed me to discover a new passion... raisin' sea pups!"

"You don't mean Bart? His attitude towards marine life is unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable."

Red Beard shrugged. "Aye, but he be just a child."

"Still a child who needs an attitude adjustment. But that other child, Faye the Princess. There is no soul more innocent than hers. Let us hope the horrors of war never reach her."

"We be in agreement about her," Red Beard said. "I would send meself to Davy Jones' Locker if it meant saving she or Bart." He seemed to yawn. "I'll be takin' a nap in the hut. Rest my sea legs and me eyes. This air stings 'em, and every breath be like a malady."

"This land of stench is hardly habitable for any human," Amidias said. "Rest well, my friend."

As the Pirate passed by Meg, she sat down on the platform next to Amidias. She noticed his long fish-tail was dangling slightly into the acidic water, Meg herself keeping her boots well above the surface.

"As Sea King, I have an inherent ability to sense movement in the water with my tail," Amidias said. "I can sense the location of dangerous creatures, and the degree of magic in the water. Even through the toxicity of this water and the pressure of the Abyss. Sid is delving as deep as he ever has. Contrary to the last few times though, it doesn't seem like every creature down there knows the frequency levels of his flailing."

Meg chuckled, but then Amidias seemed to stiffen.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. "Is it Sid?"

"No, Sid is going quite fine," the Sea King said. "I'm just detecting something entering the nearby waters. Something... massive."

Meg shot to her feet, holding out her Frigidflash Bolt. "What is it?"

There was suddenly a loud splash.

Meg spun in that direction in time to see the water raining down and settling, but had not seen what caused the splash.

There was then another explosion of water.

Acidic spray was launched at her from behind, and she spun again.

"It nears us!" Amidias exclaimed, slinking his tail away from the water.

Meg spun to him just in time to see something emerging straight from the depths behind him.

They were both knocked off the bridge, falling into the sulphurous water. Meg flailed for a moment, then watched as Amidias steadied himself in the water, his natural medium of existence.

Then he seemed to stiffen again, his head shifting to Meg.

***

The Abyss was dark.

Sid had been expecting that.

It was like a whole other world.

At first the Abyss was just a large, empty drop, seemingly endless. His golem summons could easily take on most of the fish in this first section – the Box Jellyfish, the Moray Eels.

But, far below, he would always land on a ledge made of some sort of unbreakable gravel, a greenish-grey in colour speckled with tan. More fish would always be swimming about here. There were Toxic Minnows that exploded into toxic gas upon being destroyed, or the Laserfish that shot lasers. His summons could again normally take them out fairly quickly, but as Master Qui-Gon said, there was always a bigger fish.