Melusine

393 AC - We pass between the liquid spheres, watching their movement closely. The gravity here is erratic, to say the least. The bubbles sometimes start to spin faster before colliding and melding together. But the Quadrant seems stable, for now. I signal to my Raptors to take the starboard current, while Zephyr and I go around the other side. It would be costly to be taken by surprise by a Leviathan hiding behind one of these bubbles. Zeph, are you rea… Something hits my wings with full force, and I spin around before tumbling like a stone. My blood runs cold when I see my paper wing stump steaming and drenched as though it had been out in the pouring rain.

It's been cut by a hot liquid, which continues to evaporate before my eyes. But there's no time to dwell on my shock. I conjure new sheets to make more origami feathers, and I finally manage to stabilize myself before touching the cloud surface. After dodging another lance of hissing, boiling water, I look up to see who attacked me, while my swan honks in outrage. The Eidolon of Melusine dances on the surface of a sphere. I guess I must have stirred up a hornet's nest by going to see De Graaf's assistant. Melusine has a habit of punishing those who get a little too nosy. And I can't deny the accusation…

Melusine is a female freshwater spirit from European folklore, often found in a holy well or river. She is usually depicted as a half-woman, half-serpent (or fish in some depictions), and she is sometimes given wings, two tails, or both. Legends about her are often connected with the northern and western regions of France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. A major theme in the tales about her involves keeping one's promises.

ZHEN