Mizaki bit her lip, the cool breeze dropping to the water. The sound of waves folding over one another had disappeared, along with the salty smell and shining sun. They were at the line between safety and mystery. The fog floated no further than the wall where it was collecting in front of their boat. No excess mist casted off the gas, it just remained in a perfect wall. All the sounds Mizaki had turned into a beautiful song seemed as distant as their boat barely rocked against the water. Whatever she had felt was long past them, there was a whole new world they had to enter now.
A sudden ripple sped through Mizaki's body, stopping her blood in her veins. She stiffened, the rocking boat going as rigid as her mind felt. Everything began to flow properly once again, but it didn't change the odd feeling creeping up her spine. She leaned towards Teresa, who hadn't said a word since they came in contact with the fog. "Teresa..?"
"You felt that too, right?" Teresa began, "It's the intense magical balance here. Be very careful, we're going in." The words didn't strike Mizaki; she knew where they had to go, where they needed to be.
They slowly slid into the fog, the beautiful scene dissolving behind Mizaki. The gas ate them up, until she couldn't tell which way was left or right. The waves had ceased to exist in this other realm, leaving only the ripples that the boat left as it slid it's rickety, tin body through the black water. Mizaki looked down into the ripples, unable to see her reflection or even a hint of glimmer. The air was thick and smelled of nothing, not even dust. The fog was visible, but not present around her body at all. Mizaki couldn't hear anything, not even the subtle ringing in her ears that always began in silence. Nothing could be found in the world of mist, not even a thought could cross another's mind.
She squinted, but could only see the water around the boat as it slid through openings from the bow. Her body was clearly visible, as was Teresa's, but anything beyond that was lost in a foggy abyss. She felt crammed, though she knew they were sailing in a never ending, vast sea. Mizaki breathed slowly, trying to get her heart rate to calm down. It was much too quiet, eerily so.
Mizaki felt the same jolt she had experienced only a few minutes before. Was it minutes? Or hours? How long have we been in this fog? She closed her eyes, her body shaking. "I think we should get out of here,"
Teresa didn't look back. "I would, but I don't know which is out," Mizaki could see Teresa's hands shaking, "I sense danger..."
As if on cue, the air shifted. Mizaki felt the surge of lightening a split second before it came into sight, its violent brightness zigzagging through the thick fog. Her heart pounded as thunder crashed around them moments later, the sound booming in every direction. The silence had been stripped away immediately as lightening continued on, following the thunder with more intensity than the one before. She blinked through her vision, but all she could see was the defining outline of Teresa's frame as she hit the deck.
The boat rocked with such force that it Threw Mizaki to the floor, her elbow slamming into Teresa's temple. She couldn't hear the other woman's cries over the crashing waves and thunder. Water spilled over the edge of the boat, soaking them instantly. The rain gunned down like bullets from the sky, mixed with the spray of the salty sea, Mizaki felt like she was drowning. She gripped the side of the boat, water running down her face as she struggled to breathe all while steadying the boat.
Teresa screamed from the bow, her clothes sticking to her skin. Her once shimmering hair was whipping across her face, adding to the water already soaking her body. "Mizaki! We have to use all our magic to push this boat!" The words were drowned out by a roaring wind. Mizaki gasped, reaching out toward the mage, inching along the trim of the rickety boat. She flung herself forward, latching onto Teresa. Her arms slipped down the other mage's, but Mizaki felt a little more stable.
"It's growing stronger!" Mizaki yelled, the wind beginning to spin the boat. Mizaki felt the sudden shift in movement, instead of being shoved back and forth; they were now being forced to one side. Mizaki's long hair ravelled around her neck and face, blinding her vision. The wind changed as the boat spun, rain drops pounding deep into her skin and blurring her vision. Mizaki couldn't breathe, her body had been consumed by the storm, escaping was getting further and further out of reach.
"Don't let go, Mizaki!" Teresa screamed, thunder crashing overhead. They both screamed, desperately trying to scramble to their benches. Mizaki didn't know when the magical cuff had ripped off; all she knew was that it was now dancing in the wind, still attached to the boat. Mizaki reached out, her finger tips just barely grazing the cuff. Her body smashed against the side of the boat as another wave slammed into one side, her body crumbling against the wall. The boat tried desperately to stay upright, but hope was draining quickly.
Mizaki closed her eyes, bringing her arms around her body to grip her staff. She slid the soaked wood from its sling, pointing it up in the air. She tried to get to her knees, only to be forced back down by another wave. Teresa hugged one side of the boat, staring at Mizaki with worried eyes. The Elemental mage spun her staff over and over, the air never bending to her will. Neither water nor wind would submit to her power, they continued to rage on in a violent typhoon. Mizaki cursed under her breath, her arms shaking from the cold.
Another crack of lightening shook the boat. Mizaki raised her head just at that instant, her whole being regretting the decision immediately. The boat began to circle around a giant spiral in the middle of the storm. The wind was spinning in rhythm with the waves, now forming a huge whirlpool only a few feet from the boat, and fast approaching. There was no escaping; they were already sucked into the unbeatable current. This didn't stop Mizaki's iron will as she shoot her staff towards the centre, forcing her magic to stop the death sentence. The boat continued to spin round and round, despite Mizaki's best efforts to reverse the horrid scene. Sweat mixed with the water droplets shooting down from the sky. She gripped her staff until her knuckles turned white, her teeth grinding against the powerful wind.
A sudden light glimmered from the centre of the whirlpool. The deep pit of nothing, lined with swirling water, was as black as the dead of space. She couldn't even tell its depth, it was pure darkness, frightening to the naked eye, so when the tiniest glint of light shone through, Mizaki's gaze snapped towards it. Her body was tense from her gripping attempt at bending the elements around her. She blinked hard through the rain, convinced it was a trick of the eye. But there it was again, a pinhead of light against the terribly black nightmare. Mizaki's eyes widened, the corners of her mouth twitching. It shone brighter, this time scanning over the grey matter floating around them. She shielded her eyes for the split second, as her heart began to pound harder. She felt power pulse through her veins, rejuvenating her mind, body and soul. She took a deep breath, her lungs filled with the sweet air of her goddesses. Mizaki's eyes shot back open. She knew what she had to do.
Mizaki looked over at Teresa, half her body hanging from the boat. Mizaki rushed over to the other woman's aid, falling to her knees at another knock from the waves. She wrapped one arm around Teresa's stomach, lifting her back into the boat. Mizaki checked the mage's face for any injuries, but only found the pure terror in her expression. Teresa's body shook and she coughed, throwing an arm over Mizaki's shoulders. "The storm sucked away my magic..."
Mizaki pulled Teresa close so she could yell over the crashing of the waves. The storm raged around them, a small pool of water collecting inside their boat. Mizaki opened her mouth, before being thrown into the bench. Teresa lay on top of her, breathing short, uneven breaths. Mizaki yelled into her ear, "We have to jump in!"
Teresa shot up, her back smashing into the front bench. She shook her head, her eyebrows arched. "Are you insane?!"
"Look, we don't have a lot of –" A giant crash of thunder interrupted Mizaki, followed by a streak of lightening. The rain crashed down harder, amplifying the strengthening wind current as it whipped around Mizaki's wet hair. She could feel the pressure of the storm slowly pushing her down. Her ears caught a loud creaking. She turned towards the noise, her eyes meeting a growing crack in the boat. The tin was being pulled apart by the whirlpool. She felt them circling in quicker, their time being cut in half over and over. The boat began to split, its noise completely drowned out. Teresa screamed, scrambling to Mizaki's end of the boat. Water pooled into the boat as they began to sink. Mizaki stood up, staff in hand, staring down at Teresa. She held out her hand to the other woman, thunder clapping high above her. "You have to trust me."
Teresa only hesitated for as long as her legs caught into the violent current of the swirling water. Her skin was slashed by the sharp edge in the rough split. She cried out, the water turned red for only an instant. She grabbed Mizaki's hand, letting her hoist her up. Teresa wrapped one arm around Mizaki's shoulder, taking a deep breath. Mizaki looked at the other female; she could feel the electricity pulsing through them. They nodded, before staring into the black centre. Only a few metres away, they used the rest of their strength to leap off the broken boat, sinking immediately after.
The two broke through the air, soon plummeting into the pit of no return. Mizaki knew she was right, she knew what she saw. The light, just like the ones that had occurred before she found each clue. If she was wrong, Teresa and her would surely drown and never be found again. Mizaki stared straight into the hole, gritting her teeth as one last boom of thunder played out before absolute silence.
Mizaki didn't realise her eyes were closed until the red of her eyelids were visible from a strong light. She opened them, drawing back at the shining blue glimmer encasing both their bodies. She looked over at Teresa, out cold in her arms. The light intensified, until Mizaki could only see the very outline of her body and not a trace of Teresa. She searched around her, realising she wasn't standing on ground. Her body was floating in a bright blue void of nothing. She called out, her voice echoing through the space.
She felt a shiver creep up her back, until she was consumed into her thoughts. A soft voice snaked its way into her mind, causing her body to relax, heart rate slowing. She took long breaths, listening to the melody of the second presence within her. "Fourth clue achieved, task completed. Well done, Mizaki Rose Ome, you're one more step closer to obtaining the Fifth Element. Praise the Five."
Mizaki awoke on the shore they had left on what felt like ages ago. Her body ached, clothes sticking to her soaked body. She shielded her eyes against the sun's rays, her skin drying in the familiar heat. She was out of the storm, she was safe. Mizaki sat up, looking over at Teresa. The mage slept soundly against the sand, her brown hair appearing darker against the golden grains. Her leg had a faint scar across it, almost as if she had cut it years ago. Mizaki shook the girl awake, watching as her eye lashes fluttered, before drawing back and revealing her deep, brown eyes. She blinked a few times, before pushing up onto her knees. Sand hugged her skin and clothes, a few grains falling off as she turned towards Mizaki.
Birds sung on a nearby tree, the only living thing they had seen all day. The shore was as dead and beautiful as it was when they left. The water was painted a beautiful orange as the sun ignited the sky in an array of colours. They were gone for a few hours, or possibly knocked out for that time. The horizon kissed the water, causing it to glimmer as each wave folded over. Mizaki sucked in a lungful of the sea air, her shoulders slouching at the wonderful scent.
"That was surreal," Teresa whispered, staring out at the sea. Her expression softened, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards, "How many people can say they were in the centre of a whirlpool?"
"Not many," Mizaki chuckled. She felt Teresa's hand fall over her's, interlocking their fingers. Mizaki didn't look at the woman, just enjoyed the company for the first time.
"You found it, right?" Teresa asked, tracing along her scar. Mizaki only nodded, before taking off her sopping wet shirt to reveal her back. Teresa's eyes lit up just as Mizaki's tattoo did. The wave, enclosed in a circle on the left side of her lower back glimmered blue, before settling down to a solid shade. Mizaki turned her head, struggling to see.
"Not I just have one more – "
"MIZZY!" Teresa cheered, tackling the other girl to the ground. Mizaki huffed, Teresa now straddling her. Her wet hair tickled Mizaki's cheeks as she looked up at her giddy expression. She looked much younger, squealing and latching onto Mizaki. Mizaki began to laugh, rolling over so she was on top of Teresa, pinning her wrists down. She couldn't help but cheer along, realising it was the first time she had celebrated a new clue. She was always enclosed in her own thoughts, afraid of what she had seen or what mysteries still lay untouched. Mizaki constantly pondered on the unknown, barely acknowledging her achievements thus far. In this moment, with Teresa giggling like a little girl, she forgot about everything else.
The two laughed and sung a little longer, flopping onto their backs. Mizaki laughed uncontrollably at nothing, her body glowing with glee. She was happy; she was impressed that she made it out safely with another clue. Maybe it was because Teresa was with her, maybe it was the soothing sound of the sea, or maybe she finally understood. This journey was about trust, determination and grit. Mizaki was too busy in past to move forward properly, but now she was ready. She hadn't felt so fired up in a long while, not even Rose could stunt her high.
They got up together, staring at the giant, orange sun setting over the water. Silhouettes of a flock of birds flew past the light, their calls echoing. Mizaki held her necklace, the one her mother had left her long ago, her smile growing with every second. She turned around, following Teresa towards their car.
Teresa suddenly stopped, taking a breath, "Oh, and Mizaki,"
"Yeah?"
"I trust you."