Investigation #4 - Sand Snatcher
Leaving your precious belongings on ocean coast is bound to summon the Paratheo the Hoarder to snatch it into the sea.
Investigative Summary
In the depths of the ocean surrounding Poppy Valley resides a crafty, aquatic beast with an insatiable appetite for stealing precious belongings.
After Zayshawn and Sadie hear about the story of “Paratheo the Soul Hoarder”, the two decide to go on a fishing expedition to catch a glimpse of the beast.
Item of Interest
4.1 Miserable Education
After rigorous studying and endless energy drinks, the time for finals had finally arrived. Each member the C&C Club tested in their respective schools and, for the most part, passed with flying colors. The only exception was Miranda, who intentionally ignored her “Physical Education” classes and flunked that portion of exam.
While the rest of the group was able to enjoy their summer vacation freely, Miranda would be stuck back in summer school 4 times a week to learn about the benefits of exercise and how to count calories.
4.2 Summer Fun
While Miranda was busy sulking in summer school, the Valerian boys Zayshawn and Anya were invited to spend a 3-day vacation at a private beach. With dozens of mixed students from Valerian and Morning Glory (+Jimsonweed students that snuck onto the island), the collective of teens experienced three days of non-stop summer fun.
As a storyteller, one of Zayshawn’s favorite events were telling scary stories around the campfire. Although many of Zayshawn’s story were obvious imaginative tales, Anya asked if he was familiar with the real legend that could be tied to the area; Paratheo the Soul Hoarder. Zayshawn perked up as he traced his brain for the juiciest bits of the Paratheo lore to share with the group.
Paratheo, as explained by Zayshawn, is a aquatic beast that rests outside the shores of the wealthy and steals items that mean a lot to the owners. The worst documented incident was when Paratheo grabbed the beloved sailing ship navy men and pulled it into the depths of the ocean with all 16 crew members still onboard.
4.3 Reel It In
Realizing that the group currently partied on a somewhat wealthy resort, Zayshawn thought it would be the perfect time to look for Paratheo himself and see if the story was true. Sadie Periwinkle, a reserved Morning Glory student, found interest in the story during the campfire retelling and offered to join Zayshawn on his expedition.
With fishing rods, snacks, and their favorite items loaded up, the two adventurers stepped aboard a dinghy and headed into the water.
4.4 Hook, Line, and Sinker
For hours, Zayshawn and Sadie patiently waited for Paratheo to show itself. What most people would consider to be a boring stakeout had the two captivated the entire time with shimmers in their eyes.
To update their friends on how things were going, Zayshawn took out his phone to snap a photo of their efforts. And that’s when it happened; the split second of Zayshawn looking away is when Sadie’s fishing rod was yanked from the foggy distance.
Although Sadie could have let go of the rod, curiosity got the best of her as she tightened her grip and called for Zayshawn before plunging into the water. Zayshawn spun around with no clue what happened but instinctively dove into the water without missing a beat, phone still in hand.
4.5 Life Preserver
Zayshawn had fully been submerged in the water, waiting for his eyes to adjust as he searched for Sadie among the many schools of fish. It was then he heard a reverberated thud to his right. The source was an unconscious Sadie who had slammed into a nearby boulder, causing her to let go of the rod that was being yanked. Although Zayshawn couldn’t see what was pulling the rod, the force had disappeared as the rod floated to the side of a gargantuan shadowy figure.
As the underwater silhouette of the figure expanded and moved closer to the duo, all Zayshawn could do was position Sadie directly behind him and stare down the figure, preparing to tank any incoming attacks to protect his new friend. Seconds felt like hours as he held as much of a powerful stance as he could while free-floating underwater. It was to his surprise when the figure halted it’s approach. Zayshawn watched as the mass removed itself from the encounter, changing course and head farther out into the ocean.
While still in a state of confusion, Zayshawn cautiously swam back up to the boat with Sadie in his arms. He could not contact for help as he dove into the water with his phone and it became unusable. Sadie fortunately began coughing up the water she inhaled, steadying her breathing yet remaining unconscious. Zayshawn was forced to rush her back to the lodge and inform everyone of what happened and how their mission ended in failure.
Read other Investigations
When a specific book is place in the right bookcase of Valerian, a secret tunnel to the unknown appears.
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A digital scrapbook of my encounters with the mysterious and unknown.