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<blockquote data-quote="Rodrigo Istalindir" data-source="post: 1631793" data-attributes="member: 2810"><p><strong>Rodrigo -- Round 1</strong></p><p></p><p>Images and a .pdf attached. Never tried formatting a post this big, so we'll see what I get. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" /></p><p>----------------------------</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Sacrifice</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: left"> The girl scrambled up the beach, racing ahead of her father who trudged slowly behind. Although he was by all appearances a young man, he moved slowly, and keeping up with his daughter was draining what little strength he had left. Not that it wouldn't have been exhausting anyway, he thought, if the other parents in the tiny sea-side village were any indication. The energy possessed by children was as limitless as the ocean.</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Daddy! Daddy!"</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon's head whipped up, reflexively scanning the beach for danger. He caught sight of his daughter near the shoreline. She waved excitedly to him before turning her attention back to something buried in the sand. He kept his steady pace, wondering what she had found.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Careful, careful, don't step on them. They are not as tough as they look." He admonished. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Just above the high-tide mark, a small pit had been dug in the sand. Inside, partially buried, lay dozens of sea turtle eggs, each the size of his fist. Their thick shells were still slightly flexible. Another hour and they'd harden, but if they were handled carelessly now they'd tear. He opened the sack he'd been carrying and gently started filling it with eggs. (See picture #1)</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Only half, right, father?" she asked. "So that next year there will be more turtles."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "That's right, Sarenne. Even if all of these eggs hatched, most of the baby turtles would never live to be grown-up turtles."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> He knew that leaving half the eggs behind was the right thing to do, but still he hesitated. The sea's bounty had been withheld from the village these last few weeks, and already there were fearful murmurs of famine and starvation. He stood with a sigh, and cradled the egg-filled bundle in his arms.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Take the shovel and cover them up. Others will find them if we don't, and they'll not leave any for next year"</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon turned and headed back up the beach. Sarenne quickly covered the eggs with warm sand, and camouflaged the nest with seaweed. She then sprinted after her father, catching him before he'd gotten back to the edge of the jungle.</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: center">•</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> That night, stomachs full on fried turtle eggs, father and daughter sat outside their small wooden shack and listened to the nearby surf. The night was clear, the moon a day past full, the sand on the beach looking almost like snow in the moonlight. Sarenne yawned, the long day finally catching up with her.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Tell me about my mother again," she asked her father.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Her father smiled wistfully. Sarenne asked about her mother often, not knowing how much sadness it caused him. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "She was the most beautiful woman anyone had ever seen," he began, "and the fastest swimmer in the village. A fine fisher, too; she could almost talk the fish into jumping into her nets."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "I couldn't believe my fortune, when she chose me to be her husband. All the other men in the village were jealous. We built our home hear, as near the ocean as we could be, and we fished and swam and were very happy. We thought things couldn't get any better, and then you came along. We were blessed, but such joy cannot last forever, and often commands a high price when it departs"</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Your mother never feared the ocean, but the one thing you must never do is forget how cruel and merciless the sea can be. One day, she took our small skiff out to try and catch some fish that were running ahead of a storm. The squall moved more quickly than I'd ever seen. It caught her far from shore, and the little boat never stood a chance. The next day bits of it washed up on shore, but I never saw your mother again."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> He looked over at his daughter. Some nights when he told this story she would cry, some nights she would become angry and curse the ocean for taking her mother away. Tonight, however, she slept.</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: center">•</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon half-regretted leaving so many of those turtle eggs behind. It was becoming harder and harder to find food. The weather refused to cooperate with the fishermen. One day the storms would sweep to certain death anyone foolish enough to put to sea, the next winds so still that the sails of the skiffs dangled lifelessly. What had begun as good-natured grumbling about the fickleness of Mother Ocean turned to first to half-heard curses and now to the first stirrings of genuine fear. Agriculture was all but impossible on the sandy island, and the fruit-bearing trees and bushes were being stripped clean.</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: left"> He and Sarenne had eaten well enough, but now the turtle eggs were nearly gone. He sent Sarenne to forage among the trees along the beach. Her small size allowed her to reach the topmost branches. Hopefully she would find something edible that had been overlooked by the older, heavier villagers. While she climbed, he floated in the water astride a board, spear in hand. A small cantalo fish, barely a foot long, swum into view. In better times it wouldn't have merited the effort required to spear it, but it was food, and that was all that mattered. He raised his spear to strike, careful not to move his legs and spook the fish. It circled just out of reach, unsure if his partially submerged body was a threat, or merely an interesting form of plant life. It edged forward, almost close enough.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> A sudden splashing sound startled the cantalo as he lunged with the spear. He looked up to see what had caused the noise, and was stunned to see a large patch of roiling water. It was a ways off, but moving rapidly towards him. He froze, unsure if he should flee the water or wait to see what the disturbance was. As it approached he realized it was dozens, maybe hundreds of cantalo fish leaping and splashing, the entire mass moving as one towards the shallows where he fished.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Clearly a large predator was driving the fish towards the beach. Where he floated the water wasn't very deep; it was unlikely that anything big enough to make the cantalo react that way would swim this close to shore. He readied his spear as the school approached, silently cursing that he'd brought the spear instead of the net. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Sarenne!" he called out, "Come quick."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Sarenne heard her father shout, and quickly lept from the tree she'd been climbing. She tumbled nimbly as she hit the ground, and sprinted towards the shore. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn't in danger, so he must have found something interesting, she reasoned. She could see him in the water, spear held high, a large, wriggling fish impaled on the end. Her father saw her running towards the water, and he flipped the fish off of the spear so Sarenne could drag it to the beach. Working frantically, he speared fish after fish, tossing them to Sarenne in one smooth motion, then seeking out his next target. All too quickly, the school turned parallel to the beach and sped away. He snagged one last straggler, then, exhausted by the sudden burst of activity, he moved towards land. There were at dozen fish in a pile on the sand, some still feebly flipping and flopping about. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon shook the last fish off of the end of his spear, then turned and looked at the cantalo as they moved up the beach. A moment later, all signs of the school disappeared, the fish scattering in all directions. He turned his gaze back to the sea, and saw what had been pursuing the school. (See picture #2)</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Run back to the house, Sarenne, and bring the net. We'll fill it with the fish and drag them back in one trip."</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: center">•</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> An hour later, Simon walked along the trail that led from his home to the village. He carried a sturdy pole across his shoulders, six of the largest cantalo hanging from it, strings running through their gills. He'd left Sarenne back home to salt the rest of the fish. If they were careful, the fish, remaining turtle eggs, and the fruit his daughter had picked from the trees would feed them both for a couple of weeks. Maybe the others had been as fortunate as he, and everyone could stop worrying about their next meal. Fisherfolk were a superstitious lot, and the recent bad times had them looking for something or someone to blame. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> He heard the crowd before he saw them. The men of the village were gathered close together in the center of the village, their wives looking on from doorways. The voices of the men were raised in anger. Simon stopped a short distance away, not quite hiding, but not announcing his presence. The good mood he'd felt from being able to share the morning's catch turned sour, and he started to worry. Clearly the others had not had the same luck, and his gift might not be well received.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "It's a monster," he heard, "not a normal shark. No one has ever seen one that big. It has been eating all our fish."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Nonsense" one of the other men replied, "Even that beast couldn't eat all the fish in the sea. "</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Maybe, maybe not, but it would certainly scare away what it didn't eat."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "But why has it stayed so long? Why hasn't it followed the big schools, and moved on?" said one of the older men. "It's been weeks since the fish disappeared."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "It's a curse."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> All talk ceased abruptly as the village elder approached. At the mention of a curse, several of the more superstitious villagers sketched a symbol in the air, attempting to ward off whatever evil might have been nearby. The elder looked at each man in turn, though several lowered their gaze. Simon slowly backed away, hoping no one would notice him or his brace of fish.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Simon? Where are you going?" the elder inquired, his tone level but laden with accusation. "And how, pray tell, did you manage to catch so many fish when the entire village came home empty handed?"</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> The gaze of the crowd upon him, Simon stopped in his tracks.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "I caught them on the north beach." he said. "Something spooked the school, made them run at the shore. I speared all I could, and brought these to share."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon hoped the elder would leave it at that, but he was soon disappointed.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "And how many did you catch?" the elder asked.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "A dozen." Simon replied.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "A dozen. And you keep half for two to eat, but expect the other half to feed the rest of us?"</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Half is fair." Simon was starting to get angry. He was bringing them a gift, and yet he was being accused as if he were a thief stealing food. "I've a child to feed, same as many of you. Would you have her starve?"</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> The elder ignored his question. "And what exactly scared the fish into your arms? Why does Mother Ocean favor you, while she spurns the rest of us?"</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon handed the brace of fish to one of the women standing nearby.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "I brought these to share with you all, and I'd hoped that you had the good fortune that I did. As I have always done, I will share what I can. But I cannot starve my own child, nor can I explain why these fish chose to swim to me. Do not let fear and superstition take hold here."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon turned and headed back towards home. Behind him, the men resumed arguing, but he couldn't tell what they were saying. Another few steps, and their voices faded completely.</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: center">•</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> That night, after Sarenne had gone to sleep, Simon walked the short distance from their home to the beach. He sat just above the waterline, letting his bare feet be teased by the approaching and retreating surf. The moon was near full again, and it reflected upon the ocean like a lightning bolt frozen in time. He had lied to the villagers earlier, when he'd said he didn't know why the fish swam towards him. The fact that the shark had chased the fish towards him could have been coincidence, but if it was scaring the fish away from everyone else...</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> A loud splash shook him from his reverie. He looked up in time to see a large fin break the water, silhouetted against the silvery moonlight. It was huge; he had only ever seen one shark with a dorsal fin almost as tall as a man. And with a chill, he knew why the fish were fleeing from all save him. He stood, waded without hesitation into the water until it reached his chest, and then swam out to deeper water..</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> A fast object moving nearby nudged him closer to shore, and he flinched despite himself. Still, tread water and waited. Twice more the beast swam by, twice more he was pushed back, until he could almost touch bottom. Finally, it approached directly, this time swimming near the surface before diving. A moment later, a human head, a woman's head, broke the water in front of him.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Calliya" he breathed. "You've come back."</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: center">•</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> They sat on the shore, Simon's arm around his wife, her head resting on his shoulder. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "I know I shouldn't have come back so soon. I just couldn't wait any longer. I've missed you and Sarenne so much." Calliya whispered.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "And I've missed you, every day. Not being able to tell Sarenne why you left has made me miserable. But you can't stay. You are scaring away all the fish. The village is on the verge of starvation." Simon said.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "But I've brought you food. I made sure you would find those turtle eggs, and the cantalo. I tried to herd a school towards the boats, but they panicked as soon as they saw me and fled."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "I know, and I'm grateful. But you know how these people are. They are suspicious. I doubt they'd ever guess the truth, but when they saw those fish today, half of them were ready to make a sacrifice of me."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Wouldn't they be in for a surprise if they tried!" she laughed. "We adaru don't sacrifice easily."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "No, but think of Sarenne. She won't be safe until she's older."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> The mere thought of anything happening to their daughter quieted them. A female were-shark couldn't conceive from a human male, but should she become pregnant by another adaru while in human form, she was stuck that way until she gave birth. The offspring would be indistinguishable from a pure human until puberty.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Soon, though, she will. I'll be in the sea, waiting to welcome her and celebrate with her the first time she changes." Calliya said. "And welcome you back as well. I hope you know how much I appreciate what you've done for me, and for Sarenne."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "I do know, and I've never regretted it. Someone had to stay with here until it was time. If we'd both stayed, we'd have both been miserable. Not to mention twice as likely to be discovered."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon sighed. "You should go. It wouldn't do me any good to have someone see me talking to a ghost. Especially now."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Can I see her, before I go? Just for a moment." Calliya asked.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Just for a moment. Let me make sure she's still asleep first."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon went into his house while Calliya waited in the shadows. A moment later, Simon beckoned her inside. Calliya stood silently, gazing upon the daughter she had not seen for many years. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> A few minutes later, Simon and Calliya left the hut and walked back to the water's edge. The embraced, each drawing strength from the other and the knowledge that they would someday reunite. Calliya turned and ran into the sea, diving into the breakers and disappearing beneath the waves. Simon watched until he saw a fin slice the surface, then walked back up the beach and went inside. The tall figure watching from the shadows stood motionless for several minutes before it too vanished.</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p> <p style="text-align: center">•</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon awoke to the sound of Sarenne screaming. He leapt to his feet and was almost overcome by an acrid smoke that seared his lungs and burned his eyes. He dropped to all fours and scrambled towards the sound of his daughter's voice. The walls were engulfed in flames, and the roof was starting to catch as well. He grabbed Sarenne, wrapped his arms around her, and charged towards the door. It shattered into flaming fragments. Strong hands pulled him to his feet and he felt Sarenne being ripped from his grasp.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "Adaru! Adaru!" a multitude of voices cried out, and for the first time, Simon was truly afraid. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> He tensed, calling upon the strength and savagery of his other form for the first time in years. He shook off the men restraining him and started towards those holding the girl. He felt a something strike his back, a knife blade deflected by his thickening skin. The village elder stepped in front of Sarenne, hand raised to strike. Simon smiled, the elder blanching when he saw the razor sharp teeth that filled the father's mouth. The elder's hand slashed towards Simon's face. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon realized a moment too late why the elder struck with his fist instead of a blade. As the fist sped towards his face, Simon saw that it was entwined in leather thongs, and studded with sharp, silver spikes. The cruel cestus raked his cheek, tearing his flesh like paper. Blood coursed from his ruined face, and he fell to one knee. A second strike to the back of the head felled him, and he saw Sarenne being dragged into the jungle as the darkness took him. (See picture 3)</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> When he regained consciousness, the clearing was empty, and his home still burned brightly. He staggered to his feet, the pain from the ragged furrows in his face nearly unbearable. Only his fear for his daughter's life kept him upright. He staggered across the beach and dove into the ocean. The cool saltwater eased the burning, and in a flash he completed the transformation he'd started earlier. Where moments before there had been a wounded man now swam a leviathan, a beast nearly unmatched in power and ferocity. He sensed a giant sea turtle nearby, perhaps the same one that had laid the eggs that he and Sarenne had feasted upon. With a powerful swipe of his tail, he sped towards it. The doomed turtle sensed his approach too late, and with a motion made crueler by its casual nature, tore the hapless animal in half. Its blood stained the sea, and he circled, the turtle twitching in its death throes and slowly sinking to the bottom. He didn't have to wait long. Within minutes, drawn by the blood, Calliya appeared. Husband and wife transformed again and tread water on the surface. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "You must come. They've taken Sarenne."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Calliya could tell that Simon was in great pain, and in the light coming from the rising sun she could see the terrible wounds inflicted upon him. As one, the pair hurried ashore and into the jungle.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> With no regard for caution or stealth, they charged along the path towards the village. They got there expecting a mob, but it was deserted. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "I know where they've taken her. There is a pit deeper into the jungle. In times past, they've thrown criminals in there, and deformed children, and the bodies of those who died in disgrace and were deemed unworthy of being returned to Mother Ocean. We must hurry."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Running into the jungle, Simon hoped he could remember the way. It had been several years since anyone had been thrown in the pit, and even then he had just followed the others. Fortunately, it was easy to follow the broken branches and trampled underbrush left by the villagers. They heard the mob before they saw it, and finally reason returned to them. They crept forward cautiously. The crowd was moving back down the path, heading home. Simon and Calliya hid and waited for them to pass. Sarenne was not with them.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> As soon as the coast was clear, the pair moved on. They approached the edge of the pit and peered over the edge. It was dark this deep in the jungle, and the light that filtered through the trees didn't penetrate far into the gaping maw in the ground. Working quickly, they fashioned rope out of vines, and descended into the depths. They knew that the only way Sarenne could have survived being thrown in the pit was if her adaru blood had started to awaken. (See picture #4)</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Down they went, passing the skeletal remains of bodies that had been impaled on rocky outcroppings. They reached the bottom of the pit, and peered into the darkness. Simon felt a brief moment of hope, for the bottom of the pit was filled waist-deep with water. Salt water, he realized. </p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Calliya saw her first, and her cries of despair echoed throughout the abyss. Simon went to his wife, and wept when he saw the body of his daughter, floating, face turned skyward, gazing sightlessly at the small patch of sky visible through the trees.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> They stood for what seemed like hours, unable to believe what had happened. Finally, Simon picked up the small child's body and gently tied one of the vine ropes around her.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "We'll climb up and pull Sarenne to the surface. We'll take her back to the ocean." Simon whispered.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Shadows moved across the water. Simon looked up, and saw the village elder crouching near the edge of the pit. Raged flooded his veins, and Simon began climbing the rope hand-over-hand. The elder watched for a moment, and then with a single motion slashed the vines holding Simon and Sarenne. He saw the splash as Simon hit the water, then stood and walked back into the jungle without a word.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon surfaced, and returned to his wife. Calliya knelt in the water, cradling Sarenne.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "What will we do?" she asked. "How will we get out?"</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon paused for a moment, his enhanced senses feeling the ebb and flow of the water, tasting the salinity.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> "This is saltwater, and I can feel the tide coming in. There must be a passage to the ocean."</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Simon waded to the far side of the pit, the water getting deeper until it was nearly up to his chin. Without a word dipped below the surface and shifted. Calliya waited, knowing that if there was a way out, Simon would find it. She sensed his return, and then she too changed, and gently grasped took Sarenne's body with her mouth. She followed Simon down the tunnel he had found.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> A few minutes later, they could feel the ocean surging up the tunnel, and they struggled for a moment against the current. Then they were clear, the claustrophobic confines of the tunnel left behind for the vast deep. They swam out to a shipwreck, a schooner that had sunk in hurricane years ago, and Calliya gently pushed Sarenne's body through a gaping hole in the side. They knew it wouldn't be long before the denizens of the sea discovered her, but they couldn't bear to just let her float away.</p> <p style="text-align: left"> </p> <p style="text-align: left"> Having done what little they could, the two giant sharks cruised slowly through the water. In the distance, Simon felt the frantic motion of a large school of fish. With one obsidian orb, he looked at Calliya, and she knew what he was thinking. Almost as one, they sped towards the mass of fish, driving it towards the island. The fish would be coming back to the island, and where the fish went, the fishermen and their boats would soon appear.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Rodrigo Istalindir, post: 1631793, member: 2810"] [b]Rodrigo -- Round 1[/b] Images and a .pdf attached. Never tried formatting a post this big, so we'll see what I get. :D ---------------------------- [CENTER][B]Sacrifice[/B][/CENTER] [LEFT] The girl scrambled up the beach, racing ahead of her father who trudged slowly behind. Although he was by all appearances a young man, he moved slowly, and keeping up with his daughter was draining what little strength he had left. Not that it wouldn't have been exhausting anyway, he thought, if the other parents in the tiny sea-side village were any indication. The energy possessed by children was as limitless as the ocean. "Daddy! Daddy!" Simon's head whipped up, reflexively scanning the beach for danger. He caught sight of his daughter near the shoreline. She waved excitedly to him before turning her attention back to something buried in the sand. He kept his steady pace, wondering what she had found. "Careful, careful, don't step on them. They are not as tough as they look." He admonished. Just above the high-tide mark, a small pit had been dug in the sand. Inside, partially buried, lay dozens of sea turtle eggs, each the size of his fist. Their thick shells were still slightly flexible. Another hour and they'd harden, but if they were handled carelessly now they'd tear. He opened the sack he'd been carrying and gently started filling it with eggs. (See picture #1) "Only half, right, father?" she asked. "So that next year there will be more turtles." "That's right, Sarenne. Even if all of these eggs hatched, most of the baby turtles would never live to be grown-up turtles." He knew that leaving half the eggs behind was the right thing to do, but still he hesitated. The sea's bounty had been withheld from the village these last few weeks, and already there were fearful murmurs of famine and starvation. He stood with a sigh, and cradled the egg-filled bundle in his arms. "Take the shovel and cover them up. Others will find them if we don't, and they'll not leave any for next year" Simon turned and headed back up the beach. Sarenne quickly covered the eggs with warm sand, and camouflaged the nest with seaweed. She then sprinted after her father, catching him before he'd gotten back to the edge of the jungle. [/LEFT] [CENTER]•[/CENTER] [LEFT] That night, stomachs full on fried turtle eggs, father and daughter sat outside their small wooden shack and listened to the nearby surf. The night was clear, the moon a day past full, the sand on the beach looking almost like snow in the moonlight. Sarenne yawned, the long day finally catching up with her. "Tell me about my mother again," she asked her father. Her father smiled wistfully. Sarenne asked about her mother often, not knowing how much sadness it caused him. "She was the most beautiful woman anyone had ever seen," he began, "and the fastest swimmer in the village. A fine fisher, too; she could almost talk the fish into jumping into her nets." "I couldn't believe my fortune, when she chose me to be her husband. All the other men in the village were jealous. We built our home hear, as near the ocean as we could be, and we fished and swam and were very happy. We thought things couldn't get any better, and then you came along. We were blessed, but such joy cannot last forever, and often commands a high price when it departs" "Your mother never feared the ocean, but the one thing you must never do is forget how cruel and merciless the sea can be. One day, she took our small skiff out to try and catch some fish that were running ahead of a storm. The squall moved more quickly than I'd ever seen. It caught her far from shore, and the little boat never stood a chance. The next day bits of it washed up on shore, but I never saw your mother again." He looked over at his daughter. Some nights when he told this story she would cry, some nights she would become angry and curse the ocean for taking her mother away. Tonight, however, she slept. [/LEFT] [CENTER]•[/CENTER] [LEFT] Simon half-regretted leaving so many of those turtle eggs behind. It was becoming harder and harder to find food. The weather refused to cooperate with the fishermen. One day the storms would sweep to certain death anyone foolish enough to put to sea, the next winds so still that the sails of the skiffs dangled lifelessly. What had begun as good-natured grumbling about the fickleness of Mother Ocean turned to first to half-heard curses and now to the first stirrings of genuine fear. Agriculture was all but impossible on the sandy island, and the fruit-bearing trees and bushes were being stripped clean. He and Sarenne had eaten well enough, but now the turtle eggs were nearly gone. He sent Sarenne to forage among the trees along the beach. Her small size allowed her to reach the topmost branches. Hopefully she would find something edible that had been overlooked by the older, heavier villagers. While she climbed, he floated in the water astride a board, spear in hand. A small cantalo fish, barely a foot long, swum into view. In better times it wouldn't have merited the effort required to spear it, but it was food, and that was all that mattered. He raised his spear to strike, careful not to move his legs and spook the fish. It circled just out of reach, unsure if his partially submerged body was a threat, or merely an interesting form of plant life. It edged forward, almost close enough. A sudden splashing sound startled the cantalo as he lunged with the spear. He looked up to see what had caused the noise, and was stunned to see a large patch of roiling water. It was a ways off, but moving rapidly towards him. He froze, unsure if he should flee the water or wait to see what the disturbance was. As it approached he realized it was dozens, maybe hundreds of cantalo fish leaping and splashing, the entire mass moving as one towards the shallows where he fished. Clearly a large predator was driving the fish towards the beach. Where he floated the water wasn't very deep; it was unlikely that anything big enough to make the cantalo react that way would swim this close to shore. He readied his spear as the school approached, silently cursing that he'd brought the spear instead of the net. "Sarenne!" he called out, "Come quick." Sarenne heard her father shout, and quickly lept from the tree she'd been climbing. She tumbled nimbly as she hit the ground, and sprinted towards the shore. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn't in danger, so he must have found something interesting, she reasoned. She could see him in the water, spear held high, a large, wriggling fish impaled on the end. Her father saw her running towards the water, and he flipped the fish off of the spear so Sarenne could drag it to the beach. Working frantically, he speared fish after fish, tossing them to Sarenne in one smooth motion, then seeking out his next target. All too quickly, the school turned parallel to the beach and sped away. He snagged one last straggler, then, exhausted by the sudden burst of activity, he moved towards land. There were at dozen fish in a pile on the sand, some still feebly flipping and flopping about. Simon shook the last fish off of the end of his spear, then turned and looked at the cantalo as they moved up the beach. A moment later, all signs of the school disappeared, the fish scattering in all directions. He turned his gaze back to the sea, and saw what had been pursuing the school. (See picture #2) "Run back to the house, Sarenne, and bring the net. We'll fill it with the fish and drag them back in one trip." [/LEFT] [CENTER]•[/CENTER] [LEFT] An hour later, Simon walked along the trail that led from his home to the village. He carried a sturdy pole across his shoulders, six of the largest cantalo hanging from it, strings running through their gills. He'd left Sarenne back home to salt the rest of the fish. If they were careful, the fish, remaining turtle eggs, and the fruit his daughter had picked from the trees would feed them both for a couple of weeks. Maybe the others had been as fortunate as he, and everyone could stop worrying about their next meal. Fisherfolk were a superstitious lot, and the recent bad times had them looking for something or someone to blame. He heard the crowd before he saw them. The men of the village were gathered close together in the center of the village, their wives looking on from doorways. The voices of the men were raised in anger. Simon stopped a short distance away, not quite hiding, but not announcing his presence. The good mood he'd felt from being able to share the morning's catch turned sour, and he started to worry. Clearly the others had not had the same luck, and his gift might not be well received. "It's a monster," he heard, "not a normal shark. No one has ever seen one that big. It has been eating all our fish." "Nonsense" one of the other men replied, "Even that beast couldn't eat all the fish in the sea. " "Maybe, maybe not, but it would certainly scare away what it didn't eat." "But why has it stayed so long? Why hasn't it followed the big schools, and moved on?" said one of the older men. "It's been weeks since the fish disappeared." "It's a curse." All talk ceased abruptly as the village elder approached. At the mention of a curse, several of the more superstitious villagers sketched a symbol in the air, attempting to ward off whatever evil might have been nearby. The elder looked at each man in turn, though several lowered their gaze. Simon slowly backed away, hoping no one would notice him or his brace of fish. "Simon? Where are you going?" the elder inquired, his tone level but laden with accusation. "And how, pray tell, did you manage to catch so many fish when the entire village came home empty handed?" The gaze of the crowd upon him, Simon stopped in his tracks. "I caught them on the north beach." he said. "Something spooked the school, made them run at the shore. I speared all I could, and brought these to share." Simon hoped the elder would leave it at that, but he was soon disappointed. "And how many did you catch?" the elder asked. "A dozen." Simon replied. "A dozen. And you keep half for two to eat, but expect the other half to feed the rest of us?" "Half is fair." Simon was starting to get angry. He was bringing them a gift, and yet he was being accused as if he were a thief stealing food. "I've a child to feed, same as many of you. Would you have her starve?" The elder ignored his question. "And what exactly scared the fish into your arms? Why does Mother Ocean favor you, while she spurns the rest of us?" Simon handed the brace of fish to one of the women standing nearby. "I brought these to share with you all, and I'd hoped that you had the good fortune that I did. As I have always done, I will share what I can. But I cannot starve my own child, nor can I explain why these fish chose to swim to me. Do not let fear and superstition take hold here." Simon turned and headed back towards home. Behind him, the men resumed arguing, but he couldn't tell what they were saying. Another few steps, and their voices faded completely. [/LEFT] [CENTER]•[/CENTER] [LEFT] That night, after Sarenne had gone to sleep, Simon walked the short distance from their home to the beach. He sat just above the waterline, letting his bare feet be teased by the approaching and retreating surf. The moon was near full again, and it reflected upon the ocean like a lightning bolt frozen in time. He had lied to the villagers earlier, when he'd said he didn't know why the fish swam towards him. The fact that the shark had chased the fish towards him could have been coincidence, but if it was scaring the fish away from everyone else... A loud splash shook him from his reverie. He looked up in time to see a large fin break the water, silhouetted against the silvery moonlight. It was huge; he had only ever seen one shark with a dorsal fin almost as tall as a man. And with a chill, he knew why the fish were fleeing from all save him. He stood, waded without hesitation into the water until it reached his chest, and then swam out to deeper water.. A fast object moving nearby nudged him closer to shore, and he flinched despite himself. Still, tread water and waited. Twice more the beast swam by, twice more he was pushed back, until he could almost touch bottom. Finally, it approached directly, this time swimming near the surface before diving. A moment later, a human head, a woman's head, broke the water in front of him. "Calliya" he breathed. "You've come back." [/LEFT] [CENTER]•[/CENTER] [LEFT] They sat on the shore, Simon's arm around his wife, her head resting on his shoulder. "I know I shouldn't have come back so soon. I just couldn't wait any longer. I've missed you and Sarenne so much." Calliya whispered. "And I've missed you, every day. Not being able to tell Sarenne why you left has made me miserable. But you can't stay. You are scaring away all the fish. The village is on the verge of starvation." Simon said. "But I've brought you food. I made sure you would find those turtle eggs, and the cantalo. I tried to herd a school towards the boats, but they panicked as soon as they saw me and fled." "I know, and I'm grateful. But you know how these people are. They are suspicious. I doubt they'd ever guess the truth, but when they saw those fish today, half of them were ready to make a sacrifice of me." "Wouldn't they be in for a surprise if they tried!" she laughed. "We adaru don't sacrifice easily." "No, but think of Sarenne. She won't be safe until she's older." The mere thought of anything happening to their daughter quieted them. A female were-shark couldn't conceive from a human male, but should she become pregnant by another adaru while in human form, she was stuck that way until she gave birth. The offspring would be indistinguishable from a pure human until puberty. "Soon, though, she will. I'll be in the sea, waiting to welcome her and celebrate with her the first time she changes." Calliya said. "And welcome you back as well. I hope you know how much I appreciate what you've done for me, and for Sarenne." "I do know, and I've never regretted it. Someone had to stay with here until it was time. If we'd both stayed, we'd have both been miserable. Not to mention twice as likely to be discovered." Simon sighed. "You should go. It wouldn't do me any good to have someone see me talking to a ghost. Especially now." "Can I see her, before I go? Just for a moment." Calliya asked. "Just for a moment. Let me make sure she's still asleep first." Simon went into his house while Calliya waited in the shadows. A moment later, Simon beckoned her inside. Calliya stood silently, gazing upon the daughter she had not seen for many years. A few minutes later, Simon and Calliya left the hut and walked back to the water's edge. The embraced, each drawing strength from the other and the knowledge that they would someday reunite. Calliya turned and ran into the sea, diving into the breakers and disappearing beneath the waves. Simon watched until he saw a fin slice the surface, then walked back up the beach and went inside. The tall figure watching from the shadows stood motionless for several minutes before it too vanished. [/LEFT] [CENTER]•[/CENTER] [LEFT] Simon awoke to the sound of Sarenne screaming. He leapt to his feet and was almost overcome by an acrid smoke that seared his lungs and burned his eyes. He dropped to all fours and scrambled towards the sound of his daughter's voice. The walls were engulfed in flames, and the roof was starting to catch as well. He grabbed Sarenne, wrapped his arms around her, and charged towards the door. It shattered into flaming fragments. Strong hands pulled him to his feet and he felt Sarenne being ripped from his grasp. "Adaru! Adaru!" a multitude of voices cried out, and for the first time, Simon was truly afraid. He tensed, calling upon the strength and savagery of his other form for the first time in years. He shook off the men restraining him and started towards those holding the girl. He felt a something strike his back, a knife blade deflected by his thickening skin. The village elder stepped in front of Sarenne, hand raised to strike. Simon smiled, the elder blanching when he saw the razor sharp teeth that filled the father's mouth. The elder's hand slashed towards Simon's face. Simon realized a moment too late why the elder struck with his fist instead of a blade. As the fist sped towards his face, Simon saw that it was entwined in leather thongs, and studded with sharp, silver spikes. The cruel cestus raked his cheek, tearing his flesh like paper. Blood coursed from his ruined face, and he fell to one knee. A second strike to the back of the head felled him, and he saw Sarenne being dragged into the jungle as the darkness took him. (See picture 3) When he regained consciousness, the clearing was empty, and his home still burned brightly. He staggered to his feet, the pain from the ragged furrows in his face nearly unbearable. Only his fear for his daughter's life kept him upright. He staggered across the beach and dove into the ocean. The cool saltwater eased the burning, and in a flash he completed the transformation he'd started earlier. Where moments before there had been a wounded man now swam a leviathan, a beast nearly unmatched in power and ferocity. He sensed a giant sea turtle nearby, perhaps the same one that had laid the eggs that he and Sarenne had feasted upon. With a powerful swipe of his tail, he sped towards it. The doomed turtle sensed his approach too late, and with a motion made crueler by its casual nature, tore the hapless animal in half. Its blood stained the sea, and he circled, the turtle twitching in its death throes and slowly sinking to the bottom. He didn't have to wait long. Within minutes, drawn by the blood, Calliya appeared. Husband and wife transformed again and tread water on the surface. "You must come. They've taken Sarenne." Calliya could tell that Simon was in great pain, and in the light coming from the rising sun she could see the terrible wounds inflicted upon him. As one, the pair hurried ashore and into the jungle. With no regard for caution or stealth, they charged along the path towards the village. They got there expecting a mob, but it was deserted. "I know where they've taken her. There is a pit deeper into the jungle. In times past, they've thrown criminals in there, and deformed children, and the bodies of those who died in disgrace and were deemed unworthy of being returned to Mother Ocean. We must hurry." Running into the jungle, Simon hoped he could remember the way. It had been several years since anyone had been thrown in the pit, and even then he had just followed the others. Fortunately, it was easy to follow the broken branches and trampled underbrush left by the villagers. They heard the mob before they saw it, and finally reason returned to them. They crept forward cautiously. The crowd was moving back down the path, heading home. Simon and Calliya hid and waited for them to pass. Sarenne was not with them. As soon as the coast was clear, the pair moved on. They approached the edge of the pit and peered over the edge. It was dark this deep in the jungle, and the light that filtered through the trees didn't penetrate far into the gaping maw in the ground. Working quickly, they fashioned rope out of vines, and descended into the depths. They knew that the only way Sarenne could have survived being thrown in the pit was if her adaru blood had started to awaken. (See picture #4) Down they went, passing the skeletal remains of bodies that had been impaled on rocky outcroppings. They reached the bottom of the pit, and peered into the darkness. Simon felt a brief moment of hope, for the bottom of the pit was filled waist-deep with water. Salt water, he realized. Calliya saw her first, and her cries of despair echoed throughout the abyss. Simon went to his wife, and wept when he saw the body of his daughter, floating, face turned skyward, gazing sightlessly at the small patch of sky visible through the trees. They stood for what seemed like hours, unable to believe what had happened. Finally, Simon picked up the small child's body and gently tied one of the vine ropes around her. "We'll climb up and pull Sarenne to the surface. We'll take her back to the ocean." Simon whispered. Shadows moved across the water. Simon looked up, and saw the village elder crouching near the edge of the pit. Raged flooded his veins, and Simon began climbing the rope hand-over-hand. The elder watched for a moment, and then with a single motion slashed the vines holding Simon and Sarenne. He saw the splash as Simon hit the water, then stood and walked back into the jungle without a word. Simon surfaced, and returned to his wife. Calliya knelt in the water, cradling Sarenne. "What will we do?" she asked. "How will we get out?" Simon paused for a moment, his enhanced senses feeling the ebb and flow of the water, tasting the salinity. "This is saltwater, and I can feel the tide coming in. There must be a passage to the ocean." Simon waded to the far side of the pit, the water getting deeper until it was nearly up to his chin. Without a word dipped below the surface and shifted. Calliya waited, knowing that if there was a way out, Simon would find it. She sensed his return, and then she too changed, and gently grasped took Sarenne's body with her mouth. She followed Simon down the tunnel he had found. A few minutes later, they could feel the ocean surging up the tunnel, and they struggled for a moment against the current. Then they were clear, the claustrophobic confines of the tunnel left behind for the vast deep. They swam out to a shipwreck, a schooner that had sunk in hurricane years ago, and Calliya gently pushed Sarenne's body through a gaping hole in the side. They knew it wouldn't be long before the denizens of the sea discovered her, but they couldn't bear to just let her float away. Having done what little they could, the two giant sharks cruised slowly through the water. In the distance, Simon felt the frantic motion of a large school of fish. With one obsidian orb, he looked at Calliya, and she knew what he was thinking. Almost as one, they sped towards the mass of fish, driving it towards the island. The fish would be coming back to the island, and where the fish went, the fishermen and their boats would soon appear.[/LEFT] [/QUOTE]
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