The Girl of Many Floods- Linh Song

IX

The Song family light leaped from Choralmere to a patch of dark rocks in the middle of the ocean–the entrance to Atlantis. They had to leap there as it was not possible to light leap underwater.

As Linh stood on the rocks, the waves crashed around her and the pull of the water was irresistible. It was calling to her, a call so strong that it caused her to scream. She tried to resist but it was not really much of a competition. A newly-manifested hydrokinetic in the middle of the ocean? It was like putting a kid in a pile of toys and asking them not to touch any of it. Practically impossible.

This was the reason why the moment the Song family leaped onto the rock, they were drenched in a wave of saltwater.

"S...sorry!"Linh managed to say before another wave crashed over her.

Linh was scared. The fact that she was causing everyone to get drenched was enough to make her feel guilty. And she hadn't even entered Atlantis yet. The last time she went to Atlantis, she had not manifested yet, and now that she had, she had no clue what havoc she would wreck by entering the underwater city.

She had no idea why her parents could not just have left her at home. That would prevent any disaster from happening. What did her father mean by the fact that they 'had no choice' but to bring her? Also, who was this 'he' they were talking about? And what did they promise her parents?

Mai turned to Quan, "are you sure this is a good id–"

Quan gave her a pointed look and she immediately sighed.

"Let's just get into Atlantis then, whe–"

A wave splashed her face and she wiped the water away.

"–where we can get dry," Mai finished, her face grim.

Quan walked to a triangular rock and opened a secret compartment in the side of the rock, revealing hundreds of tiny glass bottles. He took one out, labeled: ONE WHIRPOOL. OPEN WITH CARE. He then stepped to the ledge and uncorked the top and threw the bottle into the sea.

Almost immediately, a whirlpool started forming. A huge blast of wind whipped their faces, blowing off some of the water and the roar of churning water filled the air.

"Tam you first,"Quan instructed.

Tam then gave Linh a small nod and jumped into the whirlpool.

Mai went next, without a moment's hesitation, she leaped off the edge of the rocks.

Quan nudged Linh forward and she looked down into the maelstrom swirling beneath her. As the cold, salty water sprayed her face Linh thought. Well at least this time it isn't me doing the spraying. Or is it? Hang on, what happens if I lose control in the whirlpool, what happens then?

Quan cleared his throat behind her. Linh took a hasty gulp of air and jumped before he could push her in.

Turned out Linh need not have worried, the whirlpool was way too strong for her. She slid down the tunnel if air, dipping and weaving through the dark water. A moment later, she was launched out of the vortex onto an enormous sponge, which dried her. She barely had time hop off as her father rocketed onto the sponge, right behind her.

Usually, Linh would be amazed when she saw Atlantis' twisted crystal towers, intricate network of canals and arched bridges. However now, as she looked ahead at the gleaming metropolis, she felt slightly safer with the ocean far away behind the large dome of air. Though she could still feel the call of the water which was slightly fainter.

Tam squeezed her hand, "you okay?"

"Yeah," she replied but honestly she wasn't sure. She was trying her best to control her ability but it was a matter of time before she lost control. Hopefully she would be out of Atlantis before that happened.

Quan straightened his shirt and gestured for them to follow him to the main canal. Once there, he hailed one of the eurypterid carriages.

A silver, almond-shaped boat with two rows of high-backed benches floated up to them. A driver in an elbow-length green cape steered from the front bench, drawing the reins of a brown eurypterid– a sea scorpion.

The Song family got onto the carriage and  Quan leaned forward to tell the driver where to go and from what Linh heard, she figured they were going to downtown Atlantis.

As they travelled. Linh gaze wandered to the dome of air. The ocean beyond seemed to be calling out to her. It was like it wanted her to reach out. She could imagine the ocean calling her name. Linh...Linh....Linh... "Linh!"

The last exclamation was from Tam. He was calling her.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay? You have this weird dreamy look on your face..." Linh could hear the concern in his voice.

"Yeah... it's just that...the ocean...it's calling...,"her voice sounded faraway.

Tam's eyebrows furrowed. "Try to resist it, okay?"

"I'll try," was the best she could promise.

Turned out Linh was right. The carriage was heading toward downtown Atlantis, towards one of the business districts. Something about that made Linh worry though.

They were getting closer and closer to the edge of the dome.

As the Song family got off the carriage, Linh could sense the ocean's call getting louder and louder and she found her control straining.

They appeared to be at some deserted part of Atlantis. There were some silver buildings but most of the elves seemed to be inside, working, as the streets were empty.

Linh could see the edge of the dome now. The ocean seemed to be calling to her. No. No. I must ignore it, she thought. But her restraint was already slipping.

LINH! LINH! LINH! The ocean seemed to chant. Unbeknownst to herself, Linh started walking to the dome, hands outstretched.

Tam noticed this and yanked her back, "Linh please, listen to me come back. That look on your face... it's scaring me." But Linh was too far gone to hear him.

The ocean was shouting now. LINH! LINH! LINH!  And then COME....come on....come closer...

Any control Linh had was long gone. She was in tune with the water now. Come...come...

She felt a sharp pain in her head.

"AHH!" Linh suddenly withdrew her hands and held her aching head in them. Her legs turned to jelly and she fell.

"LINH!" Tam screamed and rushed to her side. Quan and Mai, who were just about to step into the building, backtracked to Linh's side.

Linh was taking deep, shuddering breaths now. Then, she snapped back to reality. When she did, fear danced in her eyes?

"T...tam?"

"Yes, it's me. Are you okay?"

Linh wanted to tell him about the water, about what she had done but all she could do was give a weak nod before her exhausted body forced her to drift off into unconsciousness.

Linh passing out wasn't the only thing worth concern. There was something else the Songs did not notice. When Linh had yanked her hands back, she had pulled some part of the ocean with her. Considering the fact that she was already calling the water to her, she had done so with enough force such that the water penetrated the dome, making a hole in the force field.

And this hole was growing bigger by the minute. And since this hole was exceptionally near the edge, the water was pouring in at an alarming rate.

As Quan noticed the rising water level by his feet, the emergency alarms started blaring.

Linh Song had flooded Atlantis.