WOFD: Cobalt is for Courage

Chapter IV: Hato Kokoro

Hato blinked awake. Her head throbbed, and everything ached. She was aware that the material she was lying on was much softer than dirt. Silk? No... It wasn't possible. She propped herself on her arm, and regretted it when pain shot straight up her limb. "CARP!" the girl screamed.

The memories came rushing back like a river. She looked around for a giant shark. I wonder how a shark got there anyway, I thought I was by a river...? Freshwater shark? Enough with brain glib-glub, where was she now?

Hato scanned the room. It was a lavishly decorated space, full of brightly colored tapestries hanging from the walls painted in all the hues of the sea. Flamboyant silver lamps boasted a blue glow, giving the room a gentle ocean-like feel. She swore she saw fish floating in the corner, but it may have been just her imagination.

That's when she recognized it. It was one of the rare shrines of the Water Goddess, Taki. She could tell from the coral altar in the middle, holding a pool of saltwater. Hato got an impulse to offer something. She reached into her bag and brought out the scale of the lake beast she slayed. Upon placing the trophy on the altar, it disappeared as if the water had dissolved it.

"Taki-gami, please accept my offering." Hato mumbled, dipping her head.

"Don't worry about the sacrifice; after this, Taki herself will be owing you."

Hato whirled around and grabbed the hilt of her blade. A huge shark loomed behind her, suspended in midair as if the atmosphere itself was made of water.

"What kind of beast are you?" Hato demanded, drawing her sword.

"Don't panic, I am Katsuro, the shark guardian of Taki." the shark bared its teeth like it was smiling, but considering that it was a shark, it was rather threatening.

"Please don't sneak up on me like that," Hato huffed, stowing her weapon. "I'm not in the mood for surprises, so you better tell me what's going on!"

"Just relax," Katsuro waved his fins. "you have been brought to this shrine to keep you safe. Earlier a shadow creature attempted an assassination on you, but luckily I saved you. You should say thanks!"

"Well, thanks, but you still haven't explained everything. Who wants me dead? What's a shadow creature? Where did it come from? I could have taken it down by myself if I wanted to."

"No you couldn't have," the shark laughed in a shark-like way. "those things are the very embodiment of darkness. Only a powerful entity could have tamed it. You wouldn't have lasted any longer than you did without my help."

"What gives you the right to rescue me?" Hato crossed her arms. "I'm still confused."

"You've been chosen for an awesome destiny. You are going to save the world from the Lord of the Hidden Darkness."

"That kind of sounds like it was pulled from a cliché fantasy novel."

"It does, but it's true. I'll have to take you to the otters, and then we'll explain to all of you."

"Are you talking about real live otters, or are you just making a pun?"

"I meant the other heroes."

"Other heroes? What's actually going on? I am so confused it's not even funny. Explanation. Now." the hero smacked her forehead with her hands and groaned.

"You'll be meeting with two otter chosen ones so we can get started on your mission thing. It's not that hard, I'll teleport you there." the shark flipped his tail and swept Hato onto his back.

Hato grabbed the shark's dorsal fin, experiencing a rush similar to a strong current of water when he darted towards the wall of the shrine. She closed her eyes just before they hit the solid obstacle, feeling like she was floating in water. Seconds later, she saw light again. It quickly faded when she saw where she was.