Cobalt Scales

Chapter 3: Undiscovered Brilliance

Chapter 3

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Undiscovered Brilliance

Ever since the week where Kjer had tortured him, he felt as if the water had scarred him two. He had a longing passion for it, feeling that it no longer ran over his skin. What is with this? I have never felt so sick in my life, Shivan wondered, rubbing the tips of fingers across his stomach. Everything seemed to ache on his body.

He wondered if he should see a healer, but this connection to the water did not seem to be a sickness, or at least any sickness that appeared fatal. His head hurt, his arms felt like they were falling off, but worst of all, his legs felt numb. Shivan absolutely hated the feeling of being numb, even if it was just a small area or caused by medicine. Gripping his stomach, he ran to the bathroom and vomited, making the feeling grow worse. "Kjer!" Shivan shouted, letting out the last bit of sound that his vocal cords felt like producing.

His vision faded, proving that this was definitely not a sickness to ignore. He couldn't even think because the thought of water clouded his mind. The first thing that came to him was that he was dehydrated, his body aching for the glittering substance to flow through his veins. Shivan fell to the floor, only supported by his knees and hands. He crawled to the shower, reaching for the metal handle to turn. Water was his only escape; his only hope.

Shivan's mouth felt dry and empty, and his eyes were incapable of manufacturing tears. He felt as if he was an empty survivor of the void; tortured by the line of death that held him helpless. Following his instincts of when he usually felt helpless, he screamed at the top of his lungs, "Kjer! Ari! Miraak! Saraphina! Please help!" Alas, no help came.

Then, Shivan finally managed to twist the handle to hot water. He regained a second of vision and saw how the water poured onto him, making his blue skin burn with the brilliant feeling of reassuring health. Sadly, the only effect was the sight of pure black as his senses failed him completely.

* * *

"Ergh."

He felt normal, restored. He felt as if he could run a marathon. Although, he did not feel entirely normal.

The water now poured down on Shivan, his mouth wide open to catch the droplets on his tongue. He didn't care how weird he looked, or what position he was laying down in. Him previously being knocked out by dehydration or whatever happened seemed to have no effect on him now that he was doused in warm water. Finally! I feel so amazing and refreshed, despite my sore muscles, he realized. He lay his head back down on the shower tiles, letting the water drown him in warmth.

Once his limbs recharged with enough energy, he tried to stand, making every muscle try as hard as it could. What the Hel is wrong with me? Why isn't this working? Shivan thought, trying to lift himself up. His legs were not responding, even though his brain commanded them repeatedly, each nerve struggling to obey it, yet failing. He shouted Kjer's name again, this time screaming the actual reason why he needed him to come.

His legs were no longer numb, but they were just not responding. Shivan lifted himself up, examining the reason why they would not lift.

Then, Shivan gasped as he saw them.

There, replacing his long legs, was a magnificent tail. It glittered black in the bathroom light, each fishlike scale short and round. The fin of his tail was one long, round fin that was almost the shape of a feather. He had a rather plain tail, but he could not complain, knowing that his tail was one of a kind. The color matched his hair and horns, a jet black that looked like death upon the white tiles. "Th-this is a-amazing! What is th-this w-witchcraft?" Shivan stuttered out of worry and amazement.

Knowing what made his legs not work, he could finally lift up his tail, twisting it in ways that were not possible with his normal limbs. At that moment, Shivan felt like he could actually prove the existence of mermen and mermaids. Am I the only one? Is this my soul-creature? he wondered, dread returning to his dimming confidence. Soul-creatures only happen to gods or demigods, showing that they have reached the true potential and have learned the meaning of their duties. Once such deity had unleashed their soul-creature, they are free to use it any time. In fact, people say that they are what they would be if they weren't born as the animal that they were born as, their soul wandering off into another body that fits them just as their normal one would.

Shivan stroked his tail, feeling its metallic scales and fin. All he could do now was sit there dumbstruck, examining his new being. This is ridiculous, yet amazing! Will Kjer and Miraak think of it as a blessing, or a curse? Just to be safe, I won't inform them of this, he decided, giggling at the strange works of his tail and how utterly weird it was.

The new merman lay down on the tiles, trying to mimic and practice the movements of swimming. He could have done this all day if he wanted to, but slowly, his tail parted into his two, ordinary legs, making him feel the same longing for water that he had earlier, but this time it was subtle.

Once again, the shower water rushed over him, making that sudden thirst diminish. Now that he had time to think, he had questions storming through his head, each one barging through all the other thoughts.

I'm an abomination. Will I fit in?

What if this happens in public from a slight rain of bit of snow?

Does this lash out, or can I control it?

Will this ever happen again?

The last question made him feel queasy, the thought of having to go through that again terrifying him. However, if this were to happen in public, it could probably end up as one of the biggest mistakes in history.