Feyris Seirin - The First Mesmeraid

3. Red or Blue (2347 Words)

New word explanations:

Ifthram Caanes (If-thrum Kaa-Nez) - the Prodigy of Silphenstine, and a friend to Feyris. He is a bit older than her and an incredibly gifted anti-magician.

Tidecurls - a measure of distance. One tidecurl was equivalent to the distance of (colored) water displaced after a complete 360-degree swing of the bevelgaze - a very accurate measuring contraption.

Orcanthril (Or-Kaan-Thrill) (Elfavryn language) - a legendary weapon. Transparent Nightchains that housed the soul of rampaging Orcas that were captured by the Mesmerati. The souls were pacified by being fed a constant stream of Nightlight. Can only be weilded by prodigious magicians that would not be overwhelmed by the souls. Very rarely used because of the dangers of getting possessed.

Sefyniarel (sefi-nia-rel) (Elfavryn language) - trained soldiers that have undergone a painful operation where-in scales and fins are altered to better navigate waters and fighting. They are sharpened and artificially forced to grow in a specific way that promotes speed.

Origin of the word Sefyniarel :
Sefyn - Superfins! Basically, special fins that one managed to grow on their body through rigorous training and discipline.

Niarel - a procedure. Painful, personal sacrifice through operative procedures and body-altering to serve the Mesmerati.

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As soon as her parents were out of sight, Feyris knew she was in trouble. The scattered crowd had formed a second ring a fair distance from the hazy green mist within which the Protectorate and her parents were fighting. And as she was the only one between the two rings, naturally, all eyes were on her. In her hurry while leaving the house, she had forgotten her coral braider and shellcomb - both a necessity in keeping her long hair in place. She saw her hair floating around her from the corner of her eyes - today it was various shades of green. Not a good sign - green meant she was nervous.

Before she could do anything about it, Feyris saw subtle movements in the crowd. Some of the people moving among them were not like the others. The beat of their fins was a little too purposeful. She could see hints of sefyniarel, not hidden very well. That was to be expected, they were responding in a hurry to her parents' betrayal. The thought made her throat dry.

The sight of the sefyniarel did not phase Feyris. She was skilled enough to evade them if it came to an outright chase - her parents had taught her how to deal with speed. She had sefyn of her own, although she was not skilled enough to bring it out at will. Instead, she relied on her exemplary skill at controlling the water around her to reach speeds that even those with sefyniarel could not hope to match. Her parents made her keep the ability to control the waters at a superior level a strict secret. Also, she was where she had to be. Exactly seven tidecurls to the right of the house. She gently moved her tailfin over the sand below her. The gravelly flooring did not offer any resistance. It swirled in lazy circles. So she was not worried about herself. No, what worried her was the fate of her parents. Red or blue - the terrible thought kept intruding, although she tried not to think about it. The Nightstone in her pocket was not helping. Its weight had been eating away at her. Knowing she held hundred years of careful Nightwoven stone, and ten thousand years of their history in her pocket - that scared her. But she had to put it out of her mind, there were other, more pressing needs at the moment.

In the time that Baldur had kept her and her parents occupied, other members of the Protectorate had recouped. Feyris could see them slowly making their way through the crowd towards her. She had not moved for nearly three minutes, because she was at the exact spot where she had to be. The moment when she would have to kickstart her plan was fast approaching.