I didn't think I'd get any reviews on this fic, so thanks! I'm going to say now that I'll continue. I wasn't so sure at first, but I will.
It was a full month later until Malik heard of Altair and Abbas again -no one really liked to speak of it for some reason. And it was news that they were being let out of the cells.
In a sense, Malik almost felt sorry for them when he heard about how the Master decided the punishment was a little harsh. But in a different sense, he almost envied them. He always clung to the rules like they were a raft, and had never been punished for much of anything. He didn't exactly know how he would be able to deal with a month down in the dungeon.
So anyways, the first place Malik ended up encountering Altair was at he docks. Altair was crouching at the edge staring into the water. He kneeled down beside him and asked, "What are you doing?"
Altair shrugged. "I dropped something, and I was just trying to see if I could find it."
"Eh probably gone by now," Malik waved off. "Haven't you ever heard of the story about Nezeem?"
"Nezeem?" Altair gave him a puzzled look.
Of course, Malik was totally making this up. But it was funny messing with this guy's head. "Yeah. He's a sea monster who started eating everything that went in the water. No one knew he was there until a couple weeks ago."
"A sea monster, really?"
"Oh yes, a serpent as big as the fortress!" Malik extended his arms as he said that. "With teeth so sharp and pointy that the slightest brush will slice your skin."
The younger shook his head. "You're making this up."
"No I'm not." Malik disagreed.
"Prove it!"
He pulled up the leg of his pants to reveal a wrapping of bandages. Really it came from falling down on some rocks, but for all intents and purposes, he changed the story. "See this? I was swimming the other day and Nezeem nearly took my leg off. I barely made it out alive."
"There's no way," Altair said, shakin his head.
"Is too!"
Altair stood stiffly in training that day. He was MORTIFIED by what Malik told him. So why not he ask someone else about Nezeem? Well, for one it... okay he had no excuse. But he was a stubborn kid.
Perhaps he could ask that little kid who was in the training group today, Kadar. The youngest guy here, probably wouldn't judge him too severely and probably admire him for knowing something like this. If it were true that is. Which he hoped it wasn't.
"Hey, um, Kadar?"
"Yes?" The little kid looked up with pale blue eyes narrowed, as the sun was on his face.
Altair fidgited. "Do you think there's a sea monster in the river eating people?"
Silence. It lasted for two minutes at least, then Kadar laughed.
He was laughing at him!
"That's crazy! Sea monsters in the river?" Kadar managed to say. "I mean, I can see being scared of the river because people freeze and stuff. But this is just weird! Who'd tell you something like that?"
"You brot-" Altair stopped and back petalled. "Wait, you can freeze to death in water?"
"Uh-huh," Kadar nodded. "Your body gets really cold, but you're not shivering or anything and so you die."
Okay, screw what Malik said, THAT was TERRIFYING!
Yeah, I was never too clear on who was older, Altair or Malik. So I'm just guessing (and the wiki gives me no help either (both are born the same year)).
Anyways, there are many explanations as to why Altair's can't/is afraid to swim. Mine is that Kadar or Malik or someone freaked him out when he was a kid by telling him all the scary ways you can die by water.
