Do You Really Believe In Me?

Do You Really Believe In Me? ♆Fire Consumes All♆

Aurora dropped Miranda, who landed in a drunken pile, and started to shake as she saw the flames eat up the pier. For a moment, she was overtaken by the memory of white hot heat searing flesh and agonized cries. She shut her eyes tightly against the scene, as if it was all a figment of her imagination.

Someone came and grabbed her by the waist, scooped down to get Miranda and started to lug them both to a safer place. The person was shouting her name. “Aurora! Can you hear me? Open your eyes. Aurora!” It was Merrick. He had gotten Grant to the platform, and now he was hauling them both back. Sweat and soot covered him.

She opened her eyes, angry at herself for being a coward, angry at the enemy for putting her through this again. Gritting her teeth, she shoved Merrick and Miranda away and off the pier, away from the fire, turned, and ran back into the flames herself. She heard Merrick shouting at her to come back, but she didn’t look back.

Jumping over the burning railing, she prayed to god that she didn’t burn herself and jumped into the water. She attacked blindly, seeing a dark shadow moving in the waters. The water was dark, but the surface was lit up from the fire.

Aurora and the enemy clashed, and she allowed herself to take on her own form. Her body burned as she writhed underwater, the sea boiling as she became bigger and transformed. Her attacker backed away as she reared up and out of the water, knocking the some of the burning pier out of the way. Flames, wood, and debris rained down in the night as Aurora growled menacingly.

She spotted the group of mermaids too late. Something sharp pierced her side and a net was thrown over her. Aurora roared her displeasure and thrashed around, trying to free herself, but only getting more tangled. Aurora looked down and saw the one who attacked them, a satisfied look on his face.

Drakon Lelouch, the one who made her suffer so long ago, had an evil glint in his eye as Aurora screamed and struggled more. She looked over to see Merrick, Grant, and Miranda all staring at her, mouths open in shock. They were too distracted by her to see that another net had fallen over them.

Another sharp object jabbed into her side and she screamed again, and went under. She managed to snap the net with her teeth and get out, but they’d but something on the weapon. Aurora’s vision got dark and hazy, her movements slower. She was running out of energy so fast, that she changed back into her regular form.

Darkness came fast, but she knew it wasn’t death. Death would never come to her, no matter how much she wished it.

They were underwater, Aurora could feel that. With a lot of effort, she managed to crack an eye open and look past her drooping Reef. She was in a room... no, a prison. The opening to the cave was barred off. Apparently, she was out for a while, because she was trying to float to the top of the cave.

Whimpering and moans made her open her cat-like eyes open even more. Merrick was staring straight ahead, his eyes brooding, Grant and Miranda were huddled in a corner, bubbles coming out of their mouths, cowering from... her little sister, Reina. All three mortals had on charms strapped to their wrists.

Reina was glaring at the two. “Gods of the sea, you guys just never shut up, do you.” she growled.

Aurora struggled to fight the dizziness she felt and swam down towards her sister to give her a big hug. “Thank Poseidon you’re alright.” she breathed.

She returned her hug. “Speak for yourself. When they brought you in there, I thought you were dead.”

“I’m sorry.” she grimaced.

“For what? Passing out?”

Aurora laughed.

Reina turned serious again. “Seriously, I was worried. You’re one of our best warriors. They must’ve done something incredible to take you down.”