Oceans Call

Chapter 4: Under the Sea

I was being pulled into the ocean, the cold waves lapping over my brand new, snow-white converse and sinking through to my feet. My breath caught in my throat and I shivered.This place is freezing! What is wrong with me?

But no matter what I did to stop myself from walking straight into the freezing ocean, it didn't work. The waves swirled around my waist, yet I still continued my walk. I tried to scream for help but my lips would not move, and even if they had, there was nobody there to help me. Rocks dug into my feet, piercing through the thin soles of my converse. Slimy seaweed slithered across my skin and I shivered from the sensation.

How far am I going to walk? I asked myself, as if I'd get an answer.

Suddenly a deep, inhuman voice sounded in my mind and helpfully answered my question.

You will walk until you come home.

Who are you? I mentally screamed, flinging the words at the presence I felt in my mind.

I am the Sea Howler, Aaronarra. I have been sent to guide you home.

I felt myself being pulled down under the crashing waves.

Stop! I can't breathe under water! Stop!

My pleas were ignored as I was jerked beneath the swirling water. I looked up and saw the sunlight dancing on the waves serenely, as if this sort of thing happened everyday. The dark purple clouds soared above me, lending me their peace as I lost consciousness.
~*~*~*~

I woke to the sound of coughing, and it took me a second to realize the sounds were my own.Wait... How am I coughing if I'm under water? 

I slowly opened my eyes, expecting salt water to flood them, but all I saw was a dark wall in front of me. I sat up slowly and looked around. I was sitting on... sand. Everywhere I looked was sand and those same dark walls. I pulled my knees to my chest and hugged myself, shivering with cold.

Where am I? I tried to ask the voice in my mind. The fact that I tried it made me scared. What's happening? Am I mental? Was that all a dream or was I actually pulled underwater by an unseen force? 

But Aaronarra, or whoever - whatever - it was, was gone. Suddenly, a light flickered a few feet in front of me, where I assumed the front of the chamber was. I looked up and saw three men swimming up to me. How are they swimming through the air? I thought. It seemed everything was possible. "Hey, are there flying pigs down here too?" I asked them boldly. I figured, if this were all a dream, it didn't matter if I got killed by some human mermen.

Everything about the situation seemed wrong. One of the two swimmers had white skin, covered with elaborate patterns in a pale shade of green. He wore light, silver armor, and his feet were bare. His eyes were the same pale green as his tattoo-like patterns, and his hair was light tan. The other guard, (I assumed they were guards because of their armor), had sky blue skin and white hair. He too wore silver armor, his eyes the same shade as his skin. I angled my head to try and spot a scaly tail but didn't see anything except the end of a their spears. One of the men (or whatever they were) tightened his grip on the spear's shaft, knuckles turning white. 

Ok, so they're not mermen, but they are armed... I tried to reassure myself, but the fact that they even had weapons gave me the shivers.

My eyes slide across the weapon's length, trying to distinguish it from a human weapon I might be familiar with. The spears stretched several feet and looked like they was made of dark green wood bound with thick, black seaweed. The blades were long and broad. Their centers were dark green, edges lined with silver. Elaborate patterns and ancient writing decorated the blade and handle. The guards began to approach me, then they abruptly stopped about three feet before me. Two of the men adjusted their position from swimming form to standing, sinking their feet in the sand, and turned away from me to face the cave entrance.