Indebted (working title)

Who we become (part 2)

Tempest approached her, and lifted her face by her chin she looked into her eyes and the girl looked into hers. They were dark and beautiful like the rest of her, but there was something off about them. The girl could not help but notice the overwhelming feeling of emptiness behind the brown irises. It was as if they were staring through her. Blank windows devoid of soul, devoid of true compassion, or empathy. The girl did not know how to feel when this woman stopped the rain and quelled the ocean itself, but she knew how she felt now, she felt afraid, more afraid than she'd ever been.

"I'm sorry", Tempest said. "but that is beyond my power"

Tears started to stream down the girl's, the disappointment made her loss feel even more fresh as if she'd lost her brother again. The emptiness behind Tempest's eyes gave way to what seemed to be genuine compassion. She embraced the girl and the girl allowed it in spite of her herself, her fear having been replace by crushing sadness.

"Then... I... want to go home", said the girl, her voice muffled by Tempest's shirt.

"Home?", Tempests repeated. "I see... is that what you want?"

The girl gave a slow nod and started stepping back into the crowd.

"Is that what you all want? Gifts from the Gods are limited to one, I'm afraid. There are... limits to what they will allow me to do"

There were affirmative nods, some shouted "Please!", while others feverishly prayed to Tempest and the gods she reported to.

"Stop..." she said. " I do not seek praise... or prayer, The gods have not sent me here to collect on declarations of appreciation... or love. Look around you." She trailed off while gesturing to floorboards slick with blood. "The gods have not left you with much to appreciate... so much pain, so much loss, you've all witnessed evil, seen it in its most raw and pure sense. You're scarred by it, forever changed. I can see it, the gods can see it. I can offer you deliverance, return you to your homes, and let you reclaim what these men stole from you... but I sense that that may not be enough, that sending you back would not make things right, not really. Let me help you... really help you... "

"What are you talking about?", said Zian

Tempest turned to face him. She dashed to him in an instant, her body becoming a blurry mess of fast moving, indistinguishable shapes. He took a step back, temporarily raddled by her inhuman speed. She grabbed his arm and examined the jagged scars that marked them.

"I'm talking about you", She said. "Oh yes... It is strong in you. The hate... the rage... you will not be content with peace. It will eat away at you, rot you from the inside."

Zian snatched his arm away from her, and glared into her eyes. The emptiness had returned and in that instance Zion felt repulsed by her. He thought of the dozens of children, marched through the jungles and dragged on to this ship to starve for weeks and die, drowning and... screaming. He thought of the hundreds-- the thousands that had met similar fates. Zion's mind was flooded with every atrocity he'd ever seen or heard of. So many instances where divine intervention was needed, where prayers were given, where god's were begged... and where were they? Where was she? How does one decide who is and is not worthy of miracles? No... whatever else this woman had to offer, he did not want. He wanted only his freedom, freedom from this ship... and from her.

"If all wish is to return to your homes

The Almsgiver's occupants braced themselves.

"You!", Said Tempest as she pointed to Adaeze, take the wheel. Her deep brown eyes and beads that hung from her hair shone a bright blue. Her braids lifted as if a strong wind was blowing up from her feet and her hands trembled with the power of divine energies. The still waters began to rage once again and the rain that hung in the air resumed its heavy fall. Thunder cracked loudly and dark clouds rolled in from all directions colliding above the Almsgiver and forming a perfect circle of grey in an otherwise cloudless sky. The ship rocked as the waves swelled beneath it.