Water

Wave Thirty Eight

Leira grabbed at her seahorse and threw herself across it, her tail twisting round its body. She raced along through the sparkling blue waters with Hali, Tal, and Nerida, all of them laughing with exhilaration. Fish that Leira had seen during her Guardian Testing darted past and Nerida gazed at them, astonished.
         
(Oh Leira,) she thought. (Are these real?)
(Of course they’re real!) Leira thought back, surprised by the question.
(They’re amazing,) Hali breathed. (We’re lucky to have seen them. Thank you, Leira.) Leira looked across at Hali, puzzled. Tal brought his seahorse to a stop and Nerida drew hers skilfully up beside him. Leira was impressed to see how much confidence Nerida had now; she’d been a shaky rider before.
         
Leira looked around, seeing her surroundings for the first time. She recognised the hazy outline of a city in the distance, and realised with a shock it was the old abandoned Nest. She’d only seen it once before. Had they come so far up? The others followed her gaze and glimpsed it too. Tal gasped.
(We didn’t think we’d get to come out this far for a long time,) he whispered.
         
Nerida dismounted and swam into a channel of warmer water. She twisted her body in delight, projecting as she did:
(Oh! We’ve never been in water this hot before!) Tal and Hali joined her and they writhed in the crystal clear water, the ripples before them making their faces look distorted and blurred. Leira joined them and they chased around happily for a while.
         
Leira looked up from their game, realising their seahorses had vanished. She sat bolt upright in alarm and the scene before her was instantly ripped away and replaced with the delicate green of her hammock. Groaning, Hali’s eyes fluttered open and she sat up to join Leira.
(Why did you have to wake up? We were enjoying our dream! Those fish really were amazing.)
         
Leira rubbed her eyes, still waking from the vivid dream. Tal and Nerida both started to stir and Leira began to understand what had happened. They’d been connected whilst dreaming! She hadn’t had such an experience before, but she knew the others must’ve been dreaming her dream, experiencing her memories.
         
(Do you always do that?) she asked shyly.
(Hmmm? Do what?) Nerida thought sleepily.
(Connect. In your dreams.)
(Of course,) Nerida replied breezily, sounded shocked that Leira would ask such a basic question. Nerida paused, considering, before thinking, (Why, don’t you? We figured you were still connecting with the Guardians each night.)
(No,) Leira projected simply.
       
The others gazed at her with a mixture of pity and admiration. Leira contemplated how lonely her upbringing must seem to them. She didn’t try to explain it, or justify it; sometimes she had felt lonely. But she’d had her mother, and her father. And Cam.
         
To tell them about Cam was unthinkable. It would mean admitting he was really gone. And thinking of Eli caused too much pain. She brushed his memory aside. She decided she’d reach out to him later, after they’d been Tested.
(The Test!) she thought aloud.
         
This stirred the others into action, and they raced to the sandbasin. Within moments, they were ready to leave and Hali hurried them through tunnels and chambers until they were on the outskirts of the Nest. Kai was waiting for them in the deep black waters, darker now the tide had turned.
         
Wordlessly, Kai handed them each a small unlit orb and a wristpiece. He watched as they each attached their orb to their wristpiece and tied them round their wrists. He then held up four strips of seaweed. Leira could see the strips were thicker in some places than in others, allowing patches of light to seep through the thinner, translucent segments. Kai handed them each a strip.
       
(Wear it,) he thought to them in a grave tone. Tal began to secure his strip around his upper arm and Kai looked at him amused, shaking his head. Tal flexed, clearly impressed with his new adornment.
(Around your eyes, Tal,) Kai corrected. Sheepishly, Tal untied his strip and quickly fastened it across his eyes. Leira saw Hali and Nerida do the same. She hesitated for a heartbeat before lifting the seaweed to her eyes. Her world transformed as she looked through the veil of seaweed. She could just make out the shadowy green, murky forms of her friends and Kai. Everything else was dark.
         
Kai’s form shifted slightly and a burst of light shone from him. He’d turned up the light in the orb he wore and through her blindfold, Leira could make out the green glow of him.
(Follow us,) he projected to them clearly.
         
Leira saw his glowing form turn and steal away from them. She rushed to follow, sensing rather than seeing, that her friends were near. They swam silently, focusing solely on keeping track of the dim light they could see through their blindfolds. It bobbed and darted through the surrounding darkness. Leira couldn’t make out any landmarks. She could barely even see her hand when she waved it front of her face. She trusted Kai wouldn’t lead them into any rocks or over jagged edges. She wondered if this were the Test itself; to put their trust in Kai and follow him blindly.
         
Eventually, the green light slowed and then stopped, bobbing in one place for a while. It began to drift away from them in unhurried movements, as though carried by a current rather than borne by Kai. Uncertain, Leira and her friends swam clumsily to it, and Hali projected loudly to Kai.
         
(Are we there, Kai? Can we take these blindfolds off yet?) Silence greeted them and the glowing light continued to float away from them. Without thinking, Leira cast her mind out, trying to sense the beings around her. She realised the blindfold was barely a disadvantage: she could clearly tell that Hali’s presence was just in front of her; Nerida was by her left side and Tal was slightly ahead of Nerida.   
         
She reached out further, toward the glowing orb. She sensed the energy of it. But she couldn’t sense Kai. Gasping with frustration, Leira tore off her blindfold and looked around. Total darkness surrounded them. She couldn’t even see the outlines of her friends. She swam quickly to the orb, which shone with a brilliant white light and was free-floating in the shadowy waters. It was quite alone. Kai had gone.
         
Leira snatched at the orb before it could drift away, and projected to the others,
(He’s gone! Kai’s gone.) Leira saw Hali tilt her head toward the sound of her thought. Hali pulled her blindfold down so it stayed around her neck. Her eyes met Leira’s. Leira imagined Hali’s expression, a mixture of shock and fear, mirrored her own. Tal and Nerida swam over to them, their blindfolds drifting delicately down into the darkness. They all turned up their wrist-orbs.
         
(Where has he-)
(-gone?) Tal and Nerida projected, merging thoughts in their distress. Hali took a few breaths and Leira knew she was taking stock of the situation.
(This must be our Test,) Hali projected, her thought ringing out in the suffocating darkness. (We’ve been trained for this. We know how to navigate. We know how to track.)
(But we have no idea where we are!) Tal interrupted. He span in a circle to demonstrate his point; the faint glow of their Nest was nowhere to be seen. (And we were swimming for ages. We’ve never been out this far before.)
         
Leira looked at Tal, impatient.
(We need to move,) she thought quickly. (We need to try and pick up Kai’s trail before it goes cold.)
(Exactly,) agreed Hali. (We each have an orb plus the one Kai left. That must be enough to get us back to the Nest. We can do this.) Hali peered at them, and Leira knew she was forming a plan.
         
(Tal, swim down to the seabed, see if Kai dropped anything for us to trace.) Tal nodded and whirled away. Hali continued with her plan. (Nerida, you’re the best at tracking, so you go first; try to pick up Kai’s trail if you can. Tal and I will swim on either side of you. Leira, you swim behind us to check for dangers. Oh and Guardian,) she thought it teasingly this time, (you can carry the light.) Amused, Leira nodded her agreement as they waited for Tal to return.
         
After what seemed an eternity, Tal came back, panting. (Nothing there. He must’ve just taken the orb off and left quickly, before we could realise what was going on.)
(It’s ok,) replied Nerida. (His scent is still quite strong here.) She moved away from the group, her orb shining brightly against her skin.
(The trail stops here.) She moved back to them, then swam out in a different direction.
(There’s no scent of him at all here,) she confirmed, returning again. She darted away once more and this time, she went further from them. She beckoned to the others to join her.
(It’s this way.)
(Are you sure?) Hali asked.
(I’m sure. It’s this way.) The glow of their orbs lit Nerida’s face and her pale eyes shone with exhilaration. Hali nodded and they began to move.
         
(Wait!) Hali’s tones filled the water. (We need to preserve our energy.) She adjusted her wristpiece, dimming the orb. The others did the same. Leira darkened the orb that Kai had left too, and held it up above her head. Its feeble ray projected just enough light to create a path for them through the water, lighting their way. Relieved, Leira saw there were no ravines or cliffs nearby – just open water. They began to swim.
         
As though in a trance, Leira swam behind her friends. Her arm ached from holding up the orb, but she refused to lower it. She felt herself growing tired. Because they were tracking Kai, their progress was much slower than it had been swimming away from the Citadel. Several times, Nerida had paused, uncertain. She span around and backtracked until she caught Kai’s scent again. Each time this happened, Leira saw Hali bite her lip, frustrated.
             
Gradually, their orbs began to fade and Leira was glad Hali had told them to dim them. Leira felt something brush up against her tail, and she started suddenly, dropping Kai’s orb. Tal immediately chased after it as Leira looked desperately about her using her wristpiece.
(It was just an eel, Leira,) Nerida projected. Relieved, Leira began to look for Tal instead, guilty that she’d dropped their main orb light. She flinched as she heard the clink of smashing glass - Tal was too late.
(I’m so -)
(Don’t.) Hali briskly cut across her apology. (It’s done. It’s ok. We need to keep moving.)
         
Tal rejoined them and took up his place in their formation. His orb was flickering. Leira dropped behind, watching as they drew further from her, their tails like darting flames. Abruptly, Tal’s flame was extinguished as his orb petered out and he was left in darkness. Leira swam closer to them and saw with concern Nerida’s orb beginning to fade.
         
(He hasn’t left us with enough light,) Hali and Tal thought, as one. Growing desperate, Hali told Leira to turn her orb off, and did the same to her own. Leira did as she was told. They were left with just the weak light of Nereida’s orb to guide them. It did little more than light the faces of the four Mer as they swam through the dark water. After barely a few lengths, it began to flicker and fail. Hali turned up her orb once more. It lasted for even less time than Nerida’s and Leira managed to glimpse three fearful faces turn to her before they were plunged into darkness. She fumbled for her wristpiece and a small flare of light glowed from her orb. They continued to swim, a taut silence hanging over them.
         
Because Leira’s eyes had begun to adjust to her orb as it faded, she was surprised when it suddenly died. Darkness enveloped them. Leira was used to the dim gloom of the Nest. Even when all the Mer were sleeping, softly glowing orbs would drift around the streets and chambers. But she hadn’t been in dark like this. It was oppressive and strangling. Her first instinct was to bolt to safety; but where? She reached out to the others, relieved to sense them next to her. At least she wasn’t alone.
       
Nerida released waves of panic. The others couldn’t reach out mentally, like Leira.
(Hold hands,) she ordered. She felt Tal grasp one hand, and Hali the other. Nerida calmed at the contact. 
         
(Now what?) Hali projected, dryly. Leira was at a loss for words.
(Now, we keep going,) she thought firmly. (Nerida, can you still track Kai?)
(I, I think so,) Nerida faltered.
(Then we keep moving. Stay in a chain. Nerida, move slowly and keep one arm in front of you to feel for…) hazards, Leira thought to herself. Dangers.
(Obstructions,) Hali finished for her, as though they’d shared one thought. Leira looked at her gratefully, before realising she couldn’t see.
         
Their progress was painfully slow. Moving forward into complete blackness was terrifying and the Mer started at every sound they heard. Their heightened senses processed even small noises as great echoes. The ocean continued to reel and moan around them, beginning to awaken. They’d been out for most of the night and the tide was not far from turning. But so far below the surface, all was dark. Leira winced as something bumped against her tail, scraping her scales.
(Ow! Watch it, Hali!) she thought loudly.
(Leira, I didn’t touch you) Hali’s voice sounded scared, and Leira knew she was being serious.
(Well something just brushed past me. Something big.)
         
The others had all frozen, listening to Leira. She felt her friends gather near her, forming a circle.
(Ah!) Tal gasped through the darkness. (Something just shoved me!)
Frightened, Leira cast out her mind into the darkness. She instantly felt Tal, Nerida and Hali. Then, just beyond them, she felt other beings. Lots of them. They were big. And they were circling.
         
Terror shot through Leira; they were surrounded! Leira summoned all of her energy. She threw her next thought as far as she could.
(Seer. We need light!)
Nothing. Panting now, Leira tried to gather her energy so she could project again, already sagging with the energy that had been drained. She needed to reach the Nest. Before she could try again, Anahita’s voice rang into her mind. Her voice sounded distorted and weak.
(Child? You’re far away, but I still sense you. What do you need?)
(Anahita! Our lights have faded and-)
Anahita interrupted Leira curtly. (All of them? They’ve all gone out?)
(Yes.) Leira replied, feeling herself weaken. She waited.
         
After several long moments, Anahita reached back out to Leira.
(Child. The Source your lights were attached to has passed.) Anahita’s voice sounded sad and Leira realised how disappointing it must be for the Seer to lose a Source.
(What can we d-) Leira began.
(Reach for a different Source, Leira. It’s the only way,) came the Seer’s reply.
(But I don’t know how!)
         
It was true. Although the Mer all drew from the Sources, they did it as subconsciously as breathing.
(Reach for it, Leira! I’ll direct it to you as best as I can, but you have to channel it.) Anahita’s voice faded before Leira could respond, and she knew the connection had been lost.
         
Gathering her remaining strength, Leira reached out again. Past her friends, past the huge beings that were circling faster and faster now, casting her mind out as far as it would go, searching for –what? And then she felt it. A huge rush of energy flowed into her and she felt renewed. Her orb lit up with a bright flash, illuminating the faces of her friends. It bathed them in a brilliant white glow. And behind them she could see the looming shapes of the beasts closing in on them: dark, long creatures with fins that sliced through the water. Giant barracudas.
         
Leira held up her arm and called even more energy from the Source, channelling it into the orb. It glowed painfully bright, shooting out rays of piercing light. Her friends shielded their eyes against it and the great beasts shot away. As they retreated, she stemmed the flow of Source energy, marvelling at her own power. She closed her eyes and felt the Source’s flow pulsing within her. Breathing slowly, she allowed it to calm.
     
(Careful Child,) Anahita’s concerned thought reached her clearly now. (Don’t use too much. This one’s precious.) Without replying, Leira relinquished her hold on the Source, keeping only enough of its energy to light her orb. Remembering the others, she drew a little more energy and their wrist-orbs flickered back to life. Gasping, Nerida held up her hand sending small trickles of light flickering down her ruby tail.
(Was that a-)
(Guardian thing?) Leira anticipated Nerida’s question. (I guess it was.) She sensed Hali’s burning curiosity, but they had more urgent matters.
         
With their lights back, Nerida was able to travel faster. She began to journey through the water with more confidence, gathering speed, and the others raced along behind her. After a while, she jolted to a stop. Tal nearly hurtled into her. She turned out her orb-light and motioned for the others to do the same. Reluctantly, Leira and her friends extinguished their lights.
           
(Look,) Nerida whispered. After several moments, Leira’s eyes began to adjust to the gloom. She faced the direction they’d been travelling in, and squinted. Another moment passed before Leira could see a dim glow in the distance. The Nest! Tal and Hali made the discovery at the same time and gleefully, they turned their orbs back on, dimmer this time. Taking the lead, Hali careered toward the lights of their Citadel, with Tal, Nerida and Leira close behind.
         
As soon as the Nest’s gates were in sight, Leira released the final bit of Source energy she’d been clinging to. Their orbs went out. She felt relief at no longer having to consciously connect to a Source; it felt so alien to her. Yet powerful. She didn’t even need to ask the others to know they wouldn’t reveal the details of their Test to anyone. They swept through the gates. No one was there to greet or congratulate them.
         
Feeling dejected that no one had been waiting, the four Mer passed into the Scout section of the Nest. They slunk through to the main chamber. A roar of noise hit them like a blast and Leira felt Tal recoil against it. She peered round him to trace the noise. The main chamber packed full of Scouts. And they were all cheering.
       
She searched the crowd until she saw Kai, who nodded his head at her, beaming. And then her eyes found Firth’s. He swam toward them enthusiastically, his black hair streaming out behind him. His eyes twinkled as he neared them, and in his mirth, he swept Leira up, thinking,
(Welcome to the club, Guardian.)
         
The rest of the night, what was left of it, passed as a blur for Leira. They stayed up until the tide began to turn again. The Scouts worked hard, but they also knew how to celebrate. At one point, someone began to blow a huge conch shell, and its deep tones filled the cavern. Almost immediately, several other Mer joined in, with smaller shells that produced higher tones. They wove intricate melodies as the rest of the Scouts danced and projected and laughed. For once, being the centre of attention wasn’t a horror for Leira, and she felt, for the first time in her life, that she truly belonged.