The phenomenon, initially designated 'Project Echo Bloom,' began with a series of anomalous readings emanating from the submerged caldera of the Isle of Aethelred. These signals, initially dismissed as geological tremors, possessed a complex, almost melodic quality, exhibiting patterns that defied conventional explanation. Dr. Silas Blackwood, a xenobotanist specializing in the bioacoustics of submerged ecosystems, was tasked with investigating. His initial hypothesis was a previously unknown species of bioluminescent jellyfish, but the data rapidly became… unsettling.
What emerged wasn’t a creature, but a structure. A crystalline lattice, seemingly grown from the volcanic rock, pulsed with an inner light – a deep, saturated emerald, almost painfully bright. This 'wax-shot,' as Blackwood began to call it, was the source of the signals. It wasn’t simply emitting sound; it was *resonating* with the surrounding water, amplifying and distorting the natural frequencies of the ocean. Analysis revealed that the wax-shot wasn't composed of any element known to science. Its molecular structure was… fluid, shifting, as if attempting to replicate the form of sound itself.
The most peculiar aspect was the effect it had on perception. Individuals exposed to the wax-shot’s resonance experienced vivid, intensely emotional hallucinations. Not simple dreams, but fully realized scenarios, often rooted in forgotten memories or suppressed desires. Blackwood himself reported seeing his deceased wife, laughing in a sun-drenched meadow, a sensation so potent it brought him to the brink of collapse. The recordings he made – a chaotic swirl of distorted whale song, human screams, and what sounded like the laughter of a child – became the foundation of a new field of study: "Echo-Resonance Psychology."
Further investigation revealed that the wax-shot wasn’t passively emitting resonance. It was actively *seeking* it. It appeared to be drawn to moments of intense emotional experience – births, deaths, passionate encounters, even profound grief. The more concentrated the emotion, the stronger the resonance, and the more vibrant the wax-shot became. Some theorized that it was a form of ‘emotional scavenging,’ consuming and transforming negative emotions into pure sonic energy. Others, fueled by increasingly desperate speculation, proposed that it was a key to interdimensional travel, a conduit between realities shaped by feeling.
The project culminated in a disastrous attempt to ‘harvest’ the wax-shot’s resonance for therapeutic purposes. A team of psychologists, utilizing advanced neural interfaces, attempted to amplify the wax-shot’s effects on a patient suffering from severe PTSD. The result was catastrophic. The resonance spiraled out of control, creating a feedback loop that shattered the neural interface and, according to eyewitness accounts, physically manifested as a localized distortion of spacetime. The building was evacuated, and the wax-shot was sealed within a reinforced containment unit, a monument to the terrifying potential of unchecked resonance.
The current status of Project Echo Bloom is classified at Level Omega. All research is suspended, and the containment unit is monitored 24/7. However, whispers persist. Rumors of anomalous activity around the Isle of Aethelred - strange weather patterns, unexplained sonar readings, and the occasional, fleeting glimpse of an emerald light beneath the waves. Some believe the wax-shot is still alive, patiently waiting for the next resonance, the next opportunity to reshape reality with the echoes of human emotion.
“The wax-shot doesn't just listen to our pain; it *becomes* our pain. It’s a mirror reflecting the darkest corners of the human soul, amplified a thousandfold.” – Dr. Silas Blackwood, Field Report 734