A driven scientist will not allow anything, not even death, to stand in her way of achieving her goals.
Malia thought she would find something that would change her life when she set out to sea, but what she found was a doomsday.
However, the exact water she perished in gives her another chance, thus death is not the end for her. Beatrice, a millennium-old water spirit who instructs her in the ways of her kind, says as much. Countless spirits that perished at sea continue to exist underwater and are entrusted with saving humans from the same tragedy, thus Malia is not the first to be resurrected. Although it's a difficult task, Malia can regain her life on land if she performs it correctly.
But lurking in the waterways are resentful spirits intent on destroying the mortals above them. Malia was killed by these ghouls, but if she wants to come back to the surface, she will have to battle them to the death if she survives.