The Trials of Ruin and Longing

Ilea

Ilea was stunned. Not only did he say that without any sort of secrecy, he just blatantly said it into the world. She whipped her head around scanning for any people, but finding nothing.

"You are a paranoid one, aren't you?" Revellen chuckled. "So while I'm pretty sure you haven't said my name a single time, you can call me Revel. Revellen is just so long. And also, there is a shield, so you kind look like an idiot looking around seeing if someone heard me."

Ilea whipped her head back to him, seething at his sudden insolence.

"If you know what I am, then why aren't you more scared of me. Surely you've heard of how sirens devour their prey."

"I'm also the youngest child of the ruler of Hell. I'll take my chances." Revel said. He pointed at her. "You also have what I want, and I'm willing to do whatever I need to get it." He motioned to the paper. "Now sign it." Ilea dropped it on the sand.

"No. Why do you need me to sign it? I am not interested in joining a circus made for cruel and vicious people to prove that they're the strongest of them all." Ilea shook her head.

"Well, I need a decent teammate. Guess you're screwed." Revel seemed nonchalant about it all, but Ilea could sense a growing panic coming off him.

"Why do you need me to sign it?" Revel seemed to pause in hesitation before shaking his head.

"That's not important. You just need to join the Trials team." Ilea began to stalk off before Revel could finish. But when she went to take a step, she couldn't.

Looking down at her feet, there was red smoke circling her ankles. She looked back to Revel.

"Ready to talk like adults yet?" Revel smirked as he said it.

He wasn't smirking though when a barrel-sized water stream hit him in his face. The smoke vanished from Ilea's ankles and she took off to the water again. She didn't have enough time to strip to shift, but if she was closer to the water, she could pull more of it.

A thundering clap sounded from her, and Ilea glanced back to Revel in the sky, gliding on night dark wings. Red smoke speared for her, and Ilea threw up shields of water to absorb them. His magic slammed into hers. His power felt ancient, hungry. She stopped when the tide completely covered her feet. Revel dove for her, trying to land in front of her.

Ilea slammed her hands into the water, and a massive wave rose up in front of her. He banked back, hovering in the sky.

"Please, stop fighting and talk to me. I just need your help."

"You started it, demon prince. I don't want to be harassed about joining some gladiator sport, and I have made it clear." Ilea held the wall of water, watching his dark shape through it.

Revel held up a hand. He held up a single finger. "First of all, you attacked me first." He brings up another finger. "Second, I was trying to have a discussion and you tried to walk away, which is rude." A third finger joined the others. "And thirdly, I'm asking you to join for your help. This is not Thetos planned at all. In fact, as far as he knows, I'm still at the bar, brooding."

Ilea dropped the wall. The water soaked her, but she merely stalked up the beach.

"No, I will not join. I have a life to attend to." And with that she left Revel standing alone on the beach.

Ilea was pissed as she walked the gangplank onto the boat. Dawn had come an hour or so ago. An hour or so she had spent wandering the streets and kicking the absolute shit out of some lowly pirate crew for whistling at her. Normally, she wouldn't have cared, but it had made her feel a little better. Malo turned to look at her from the opposite railing, their distorted face almost worried. Most of the crew was asleep below deck or out doing what they please. As captain, it was her job to take care of orders and supplies. Her crew, with exception of Malo since going into town wasn't an option for them, manned her boat for months, deserved a few days of doing whatever they wanted. Her and Malo could load the orders by themselves easily enough.

She joined Malo at their spot. "Do you ever regret being born what you are?"

Malo's dark eyes widened ever so slightly with surprise.

"What do you mean?"

Ilea sighed. "Do you regret being born something that is considered a monster?" Malo sat in silence for a moment before answering slowly.

"No." Ilea looked at them curiously. Their comically large hands sat on the polished railing, their face solemn.

"Why not?" Ilea asked. She couldn't imagine why they didn't. Malo turned to her.

"I spent much of my years being something I was told I was. I maimed and tortured for many millennia, simply because I believed what I was told. I hated everything. I was so lonely for so long." Malo gestured to her. "But then one day, I saw a beautiful creature in a glass tank on the beach. Her top was human enough, but her tail was fish-like, and a delicate wispy thing. There were men surrounding a fire nearby talking about how they couldn't believe they caught the monster unaware while it slept." Ilea had tears in her eyes.

"She was the most stunning thing I had ever laid eyes on, her hazel eyes glimmering with loss and hatred, her blonde hair floating around her like a vengeful god. I had not thought you were a monster. I was enraged at these fools who dared call you a monster for simply existing. I realized that day that is not what one calls you, but rather what you call yourself that defines you. I rescued that creature, and she made me, a creature with a long list of sins, her first mate for my one good deed."

"I know how you became first mate. I know it same as you." Ilea had not asked for a reminder of that night. Of the terror of being pulled from the nook she had found in the coral and rocks in her sleep. "So why tell me that story." Malo's face made the slightest sad smile.

"So you too remember that not everyone thinks you are what you believe."