{The Ocean's Call}

In the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, several kilometers away from Haven City –

Inside an enormous cavern, in water so deep that not a single ray of light dared to trespass, the mangled body of a giant manta ray curled up in a ball. It loosed a ghostly siren wail of pain that traveled through the dark waters, but found no call of pity to soothe it back.

For these waters were empty, the cavern itself located in what was known as a 'Null Zone' that generated black spots where no Ether based power could observe. The latent Ether in these areas also formed a naturally concealing barrier that prevented conventional surveillance from breaching.

In this cave of privacy, the manta shuddered as its form grew increasingly fragile and thin. Its spines, once large and fierce and capable of generating mass quantities of lightning, were now reduced down to nubs. The white and blue flesh of its majestic wingspan shriveled and dried into a dark husk.