Heart of the Ocean

by Jason A. Gilbert

  Tomo's fluid face turned toward her. Features could still be made out, a nose, his mouth, even the pale eyes, but his skin no longer seemed to hold any solidity. "We...are...free!" His voice rose over the rushing water. "For too long have we been imprisoned. So...so very long..."

  The water now reached up to Connor's thighs. Tomo, or the creature who had been Tomo, slid out from beneath the heavy stone, and the clothes he had been wearing remained. They could see his body now, a wavering form of water, still a human form, but fluid and flickering. Connor thought he looked almost like Wyndam, tall and lithe. But where Wyndam was airy, Tomo and Ayman's forms shifted as though they could not retain a permanent shape. The two Edonin lifted their heads and opened their mouths and a horrible wail ripped from them, drowning out the rush of water from the Tomb. Connor and Laila raised their hands to their ears, trying to block out the terrible noise.

  Connor saw Laila turn toward the hole where the stone had been. Another figure was emerging from the Tomb. This one had the same free-flowing structure as the Edonin, but it was larger, blocking the entire hole as it moved through. The wail continued, and the Edonin turned toward the large figure.

  "We need to go!" shouted Connor, pointing toward the entrance to the hollow and feeling the water reach his waist.

  "But..." Laila started, pointing toward what was left of the Edonin.

  "Laila! We need to go, now!"

  "Not yet..."

  The large figure turned its attention from the wailing Edonin to them. Connor waded closer to Laila, watching the larger being. A watery arm outstretched, pointing at Laila. "Magusari!" The voice was cold and deep, echoing through the hollow.

  Connor called on the Sword and the hollow filled with blue light. The elemental turned its head to Connor. "Warden!" The menace in the creature's voice was palpable.

  Connor and Laila stared at the creature, frozen in the cascading water.

  The wail of the Edonin cut off abruptly, but the water continued to rise, now threatening to sweep Connor and Laila away. Connor planted his feet and placed a hand on Laila's arm.

  "Go now!" It was Tomo's voice again, but his voice as it was before his transformation. "They—we—are free. Despite your predecessor’s failure, you must find the balance!"

  The Edonin's form wavered as he spoke. Connor and Laila stood dumbfounded. A roar from the large figure broke them from their trance. They spun in the water, and Connor let the current push him toward the mouth of the chamber. Another wail ripped through the air of the hollow and the elementals rushed toward the two of them.

  Once in the cleft, the water washed over them, and they were swept away from the ruined Tomb.

  The sound of wood against wood echoed between the stone houses of the Edonin. Dio struck out at Lunete, and she deftly caught his wooden practice sword on her own. With a sharp twist and a spin, Dio was thrown backwards, stumbling slightly. Lunete stepped forward, her feet moving with practiced grace, leaving no opening in her defense. Her own practice sword snapped out. Dio was able to bring his up in time, deflecting the blow to his ear at the last second. A quick spin and a dip of his shoulder brought Dio in beneath her arm, his practice sword striking her abdomen.

  Lunete flinched, but Dio did not complete the movement. They stood frozen for a moment. Lunete stared down at the wooden sword against her and glanced at Dio's proud face. She had been overconfident, but she had not expected a move like that from Dio. He had improved from their first sessions on Lake Artus, but this was...completely unexpected.

  "Where did you learn that?" Lunete asked, trying to keep the arrogance out of her voice. The boy was only trying to learn. How many times had she bested her own teachers in the Guardians?

  Dio smiled awkwardly and lowered his weapon. "Wyndam has shown me a few things." His voice was soft, embarrassed.

  "Wyndam?"

  Dio nodded, rising to his feet. He placed the hilt of his sword, blade facing down, between his hands and dipped his head slightly. Lunete returned the gesture.

  "Again?" Dio asked.

  "I think that's enough for now."

  Dio nodded again. Lunete could see the frustration in his eyes, but he knew that it was not the termination of their practice. He was worried about Laila, as they all were. It was approaching evening of her second day. From what Lunete had gathered, they should have reached the Tomb sometime today. But, what would happen after that, nobody seemed to know.

  "She's going to be all right, Dio," Lunete started. "Connor won't let anything happen to her."

  Dio rolled his eyes. "Connor..."

  "And she's not incapable herself."

  Dio took a deep breath and then nodded. "I know. I just hate waiting. What are we supposed to do?"

  Lunete saw Icarus approaching, with Wyndam a few steps behind. The Aurai seemed agitated; his movements were tense and his typically flat features were twisted into almost a grimace.

  "I don't know, Dio. But I have to believe she's safe. She is my daughter, remember," Lunete said the last sharply, looking into the young Artisan's eyes for emphasis.

  Dio lowered his own eyes and quieted as Icarus and Wyndam approached.

  "What is it?" asked Lunete.

  Icarus glanced around the small area they stood in. Wyndam stopped a few paces behind the Magus, but did not rid himself of the strange look on his face. The grimace was made more menacing by the backsweep of the elemental's ears. Lunete thought she saw something else in his face as well: fear. The simple fact that she could see it sent a chill through her.

  "Something's happening," Icarus said.

  "Where? At the center?" Lunete asked, reaching down to gather the makeshift practice swords.

  Icarus got a distant look on his face, turning toward the south. He stared for a long moment, listening for something. Wyndam did the same. They both stood; Icarus’s stocky form underneath his robes was still as stone. Wyndam's lithe frame wavered like a reed in the wind, but they both stood rapt.

  "Icarus?" Lunete said.

  Nothing changed that Lunete could see, but suddenly both Icarus and Wyndam turned back toward her. Icarus's face now reflected the Aurai's.

  "We need to get back to the house, now," he said abruptly.

  Wyndam was already moving back the direction they had come, almost running.

  "What—"

  "Just go," Icarus said, grabbing Lunete's arm. Dio quickly followed as they weaved their way amongst the stone houses.

  Suddenly a loud wail echoed through the village. Lunete stopped, trying to find the source of the cry, then realized that it was coming from all directions. Moving forward, they rounded a corner and saw a group of three Edonin standing in their path. One of the Edonin was staring at the other two. The other two had their heads tilted back and were part of the source of the horrible wailing sound. Lunete stepped forward with Dio and Icarus. Wyndam backed himself against a wall. As Lunete watched, the two Edonins’ faces began to fade, become fluid. Their eyes grew pale and their clothes began to shift and waver, as though the body beneath them could no longer hold its shape. The third villager shouted at the other two in their own language, but they were unresponsive. Lunete went to step toward them, but Icarus put a hand on her arm, holding her back.

  "It's started," was all he said.

  "Magus! We need to get out of here, now!" Wyndam's airy voice cut through the wail.

  Then the wailing sound stopped. The two Edonin no longer looked human. Their bodies were made of water, flowing and shifting like the waves of the Straits. Their pale eyes came down from the sky and spotted the five humans in front of them. Their mouths opened and another sound came out; this was one of pure anger.

  With a rush, the two Edonin, or what was left of them, dashed toward Lunete and Icarus. Their forms moved like a flood, rising up to engulf them. Lunete watched in horror, unable to move. A clap sounded next to her, and she saw Icarus's hands come together. The dirt that covered his robes blew outwards toward the water creatures. Their flood engulfed
the dirt and dust, still moving toward them.

  "Run!" Lunete heard Wyndam's voice again. The elemental rushed away from the watery creatures, and Lunete, Icarus, and Dio followed just as the creatures crashed against the stone wall of a house, breaking the coherence of their forms.

  Lunete followed Wyndam's tall frame as they moved in and out of the stone houses. Turning a corner, they saw another group of the water creatures near a smaller group of Edonin. The water creatures moved toward the Edonin menacingly. There was instability to their movements, as though they had lost their minds. Lunete watched as they engulfed the smaller group of humans, washing them away in their strange watery forms. She could hear the gurgled cries coming from the Edonin, but they were quickly drowned out as another group of creatures spotted Lunete and the others.

  Turning down another path, they reached the center of the village. A pair of Edonin warriors stood in front of Nina, with their backs to the bonfire. A group of five water creatures faced them, but they hesitated to go near the raging bonfire. The water creatures had not yet noticed Lunete's small group, and they continued to slowly approach the humans by the fire. Another group of water creatures appeared on the opposite side of the bonfire. The second group moved deliberately toward the fire, their forms flowing toward the fire and steam rising from them. Pained sounds came from the second group, but Lunete could see that they were putting out the bonfire, giving the group facing off against Nina and her guardians a chance to approach.

  Without thinking, Lunete brandished her wooden sword with her left, unwounded, hand and rushed toward the backs of the five creatures attacking Nina. Swinging heavily as she reached them, her sword slammed into the watery back of one of them, knocking the creature forward. Seeing one of their attackers fall, the Edonin protecting Nina lashed out, swinging wildly at the uncertain forms of the water creatures. Their blades struck and water splashed around the village center, accompanied by a denser blue liquid that clung to the ground.

  Two of the water creatures lay on the ground, and Nina and her two guardians moved away from the quickly dying fire.

  "Do you know what this is?" asked Lunete, her voice high-pitched.

  Nina shook her head. They backed away from the water creatures as the village center began to fill with smoke and steam.

  "Come, Guardian!" Lunete heard Icarus's voice snap from behind her. "We need to get the others."

  The angry wail of the water creatures rolled through the village center, and the seven of them ran to the east, toward the small house they had been given. Lunete hoped that the rest of their companions were still there.

  The water creatures pursued them as they ran between the houses, crashing against the walls as they tried to catch their human prey. Their group finally reached the house. Icarus ushered them all inside quickly.

  As they entered, Captain Drachus stood. "What's goin' on?"

  Lunete could only raise her hands in ignorance.

  Icarus slammed the door shut behind them and spun, placing his hands against it. Lunete saw his eyes close and felt a deeper rumbling beneath them. The stone of the house seemed to shake with energy, and there were cries of pain from the water creatures.

  The house shook more and more violently, and the rumbling in the ground became louder and louder. There was a lurch beneath them and then the light from the windows was gone and they were plunged into darkness.

  Twenty-Seven

  To the Waters

  Laila struggled for breath. Something was smothering her. She moved and thrashed, but could not free herself from the grip of the water. She could remember the water washing them out of the hollow and toward the western coast. They had plunged into the sea, and the sea had not relinquished its grip. She felt a sense of power from the water surrounding her, however. Something powerful and ancient was pulling her through the ocean. She felt the stone of her staff in her hands, and through it, she could feel the power surrounding her. Slowly she began to realize that she did not have to breathe, that whatever was pulling her through the ocean was also sustaining her. Finally, she let the power pull her along, moving along the infinite currents of the sea.

  Time passed. Laila had no way to determine how long it had been. It could have been minutes, or it could have been days. The water surrounded her and continued to sustain her, the power wrapping itself around her. Then, a subtle shift in the energy, a movement of the currents. She had the sensation of rising, moving toward something.

  With a crash of water, she felt solid ground beneath her hands and knees. Air tore back into her lungs and she sputtered and gasped as the wave washed away from her, and with it the power that had been sustaining her. She collapsed against the sand beneath her, her face pressed against the cool, wet ground. She lay still for a long time. Her body felt weak, as though the power that had brought her here had drained her.

  "Laila..." She heard the voice and tried to recognize it. "Laila." The voice sputtered with water.

  Slowly, Laila opened her eyes and saw Connor lying across from her. His clothes were soaked, and his face was half-covered with sand. He breathed a short sigh of relief when he saw her open her eyes.

  "Are you all right?" he asked.

  "I...I think so." She moved her arms slowly against her side. Her staff was still in her hands, and she used its solidity to carefully push herself to one side, facing Connor. He did the same, not raising up from the sand beneath them.

  "What...? I...I don't know," he stuttered.

  Laila felt herself chuckle. "Me too."

  They lay on the sand for a few moments longer and then lifted themselves up into a seated position. Looking around, they finally took in their surroundings.

  They sat on a beach, and waves crashed near them. The sun hung just above the horizon across from them, shedding its fresh morning light on them. Looking to her right, she saw a dense jungle a few hundred feet from where they sat. It reminded her of the forest that had encompassed the island with the strange temple.

  "Where are we?" Connor asked.

  "I... Are we past the Straits? Do you think this could be where the Sacred Waters are?"

  Connor glanced at the jungle and then looked back at Laila and shrugged. Laila returned the gesture.

  "How did we get here?" Connor asked.

  "I think it was the creature that came out of the Tomb. That was one of the Ondine...I think."

  "The Ondine..." Connor's eyes widened. "No, the Ondine were Tomo and Ayman, maybe others. The Edonin are the Ondine."

  Laila nodded slowly. "Maybe the creature in the Tomb was something different." As the realization struck her, she shuddered. "Maybe it was an Aspect...like Nuriel."

  Connor's eyes stayed wide. "Another one?"

  "Maybe."

  They both turned toward the jungle, staring into the darkness beneath the trees.

  “The Sword…” Connor said suddenly.

  “What?” Laila asked.

  “It’s gone. Like it was after the Straits. I couldn’t call on it. I…”

  Laila could see fear spread across Connor’s face. She called on her power and reached out, placing her hand on Connor’s probing gently. She felt it immediately, the absence in Connor, and also recognized where it was in her. Somehow, as she had done on the Via, she had pulled Connor’s power from him. With an effort she let the power within her flow out into the staff. The stone lit with blue light.

  “Go ahead. Grab it,” Laila said.

  Connor reached out and grasped the stone without hesitation. The blue light immediately responded to his touch, running up his arm and centering back around his chest. Laila could see the relief in Connor’s eyes as the blue light dissipated from his chest and then sprung to life again in his hand as the Sword. He took a deep breath and then let the Sword disappear again.

  "Only one thing to do now," Laila started, a sense of purpose slowly washing over her. She stood, pulling herself up with her staff. Reaching a hand toward Connor, she helped him to his feet.

&nbs
p; "What's that?"

  "Keep moving," she smiled awkwardly.

  The branches of the dense trees reached out to snag at Laila and Connor as they made their way inland from the beach. Beneath the canopy of the trees, the heat had increased, although it was nearly the end of winter. A river ran to their right, cascading through the trees and out toward the ocean. Laila had taken her leather cloak off shortly after entering the jungle. Her robes were still soaked with the salty water of their strange ocean crossing, and as the day progressed and the dense air of the jungle hung over her, they did not dry, becoming only more sticky and stiff. She constantly pulled at the shoulders of her robes and readjusted, looking for the most comfortable position, unable to find one. Connor did not seem to be faring much better. She saw him constantly scratching under his tunic or at his arms. The branches caught their clothes and left trails of green scattered across them, but they pressed forward, Laila's sense of purpose maintaining her.

  Whatever had happened at the Tomb, she was now where she needed to be. She knew it. The Sacred Waters had to be somewhere ahead, and that was where she could find the strength to stop Nuriel. The power that had brought them here had been what she was seeking. She had felt it. The magic in the water. Perhaps, if the creature they had witnessed emerging from the Tomb had been an Aspect, she could convince it to fight with her. The Aspect of Water aligned against the Aspect of Fire.

  A sound to their left stopped Laila. Connor froze as well, turning toward the sound. Laila tried to pierce the shadows of the trees but could see little in the haze. They both stood silent.

  A branch snapped closer to them, but they could still see nothing. Connor motioned for Laila to crouch, placing them behind a low-growing bush, giving them a slight view of the jungle in the direction of the approaching noise. Laila found she was holding her breath and forced herself to breathe, slowly.

  Out of the trees stumbled a figure that Laila immediately recognized as an Ondine. The watery figure seemed to be running from something, its head looking back the way it had come through the forest. Just before the elemental reached Laila and Connor's hiding place, another sound broke through the jungle.