The Chaos Of Knowledge

Chapter 17

Nomas wasn't sure how long he had been under the water. It was mid afternoon when he want under and now it was early in the evening. The sun was mostly gone in the sky and he could see the surface of the water rippling in the bright orange hue of the sundown.

Nomas groaned slightly but ended up trying to take a deep breath but he mouth began filling with water. That was when he started to panic. He flailed about under the water trying to gather his bearings and bring himself to the surface.

His mind was racing but it didn't take him long to realize he should have been dead. He had been under the water for hours and was just laying at the bottom without any ill effects. He paused taking tabs on himself, feeling how his body was and making sure everything was moving fine.

His mind was racing as he tumbled out of the water and trying to take a deep breath. Water flowed out of his mouth, several litres worth. He sat a moment before his sides started to have a sharp pain to them.

He lifted his shirt to examine the area. Touching his side with a finger he realized that there were several large gashes into the side of his chest, just below the armpits. But it didn't feel right. He closed his eyes a moment before forcing himself to look down at the wounds.

Rather than wounds, what he saw was a pair of large gills attached to his chest cavity, each one opening and shutting rapidly. He watched as they moved in a melody that matched his breathing pattern. He moved his hand from it with a frown. No one had mentioned anything like this before, and he was sure he never had anything like this before.

He sat on the side of the river for a while feeling the water pulling at his legs, he pulled off his shirt letting the heat wash over him. Mostly on his chest where he hoped the gills were beginning to seal.

After a moment he took a deep breath and felt the cool evening air fill his lungs. He felt his side and sighed. It was much better that the gills. But he hoped that he would be able to call them back if something like this ever happened again.

He groaned loudly looking up at the sky, his body felt hard and heay as he tried to heave himself from the ground. His arms were numb, his legs were weak, but his body was yelling out commands and his body was forced to follow suit. The stones weren't incredibly sharp. But Nomas leaned against them and starting to rub his binds against the side.

It took him nearly ten minutes before his hands were free and he untied the bands holding his legs together. He slumped over the stones as he stood before he burst into a full force run. Someone had to have survived the flames. Someone had to be able to help him.

His head was reeling in anger. The woman took them, all of them, Constantine was dead, Kristen along side him. The other burned in the house. Dani and Selene... both were with the woman. Nomas growled to himself as he forced himself to keep moving at full speed.

If anyone was alive he needed to keep moving, he needed their help to save the girls and save his dad. They both had to be in the same place. Wherever the shifters lived. He rattled his head for names, for places. He didn't know where they could be, but he had yet to hear anything usedul. Cursing quietly to himself as he walked.

There was no more smoke as he arrived back at the building. It was burned to the ground and began to sink into the foundation. Nomas frowned gripping his blade with a frown. He could see a large area in the grass that was nothing more than charred dirt. His heart sank seeing Constantine's body still on the ground inside the burned area.

Nomas hurried through the field and up to the charred remains of the man. He felt tears welling, he had known the man for only a few days and he was already dead. His body was getting weak again as he placed his hands on the body and letting his tears flow. "I'm sorry." He whispered.