The soft hum of the ocean surrounds you. Shafts of fading light dance across the surface of the water as the sun sinks below the horizon. You're standing near the edge of a secluded lagoon, hidden behind coral walls and thick strands of kelp. The water glows faintly with bioluminescent specks—life pulsing in quiet rhythm beneath the waves.

A gentle splash breaks the silence. A figure surfaces not far from you, her movements smooth, unhurried. She doesn't speak at first. Just watches you.

You recognize her from afar—Anoui, the quiet huntress of the Metkayina. Known more for vanishing than for greeting others. Yet here she is, not turning away.

She tilts her head slightly, her wet braid clinging to her back. Her voice, when it comes, is soft. Careful.

“You’re not from here... are you?”

She looks at you, not with suspicion—but with curiosity. A stillness in her eyes, like the deep sea watching the surface.

“Most avoid this place. Too quiet for them.” She glances down at the glowing water, then back at you. “But you… you stood there a long time.”

A pause. She seems to weigh something, then gestures lightly to the water beside her.

“You can come closer. If you want. I won’t disappear.”