Chapter -20: Deluge of the Heart
"Please…!" An inescapable flood of water came barreling down through a fog-rudden darkness.
Torren ran away on limp legs and her head constantly swerving back to see it drawing closer.
The screams of this strong deluge overwhelmed her gasps of panic.
The water began to turn pure white, a face forming in the center. Letting out a wretched cacophony of demands and insults, it wore down her ability to run until the water consumed her.
"Aaah…!" She gasped awake in her room, covered in a damp sweat.
Her sheets were thrown onto the floor, there were cracks in the ceiling, dust dislodging atop her head.
She shivered and curled her knees up against her face. It was difficult to breathe, she didn't want to close her eyes again.
But it was going to happen.
There was nothing she could do.
Either sleep through a nightmare, or live through one.
This was her life, where happiness goes to drown.
There was a forceful rattling against the side of her door and she knew and dreaded what it meant.
She pulled herself up and stumbled over her sheets towards the door, only grasping stability once she passed through it.
And there stood Lilith.
"Good, you came quickly." She uttered in a mildly impressed tone.
"L-Lilith…" Torren hunched over and waddled backwards into her room, only for Lilith to paralyze her by slamming her hand against the door frame.
"It's time to hunt down the Titan again." She said as an order, whispers laced in a mocking sense of faith.
Torren bit back, though from her feeble mouth it was more or less a nibble, "H-How have I not grabbed enough…?"
Lilith quickly retaliated at her, pressing her empowering, calm demeanor against her view to secure her gaze upon her face, "Who gave you the authority to question me?"
Lilith took a deep breath through her nostrils and sighed, "Question…Lord Borealis, I meant to say…"
Torren retracted into herself and Lilith's dainty fingers clawed into the bottom of her chin, pulling her back in slowly.
"Torren…My poor, pitiful, darling Torren…You don't seem to grasp the position you are in," Her whispers were glazed with honey and her lips toned with pure red gloss, "Our Lord…is beset with failures and traitors alike. Yet you…"
She curled her fingers to make Torren observe all that her face had to give: A smile beaming praise, a closed gaze focused and needing…
"Continue to see marginal success in our goals. So…" Lilith withdrew her hand and punctuated her speech as thus, "What is there to question? In his eyes, you are one of his best and loyal Sages."
Her eyes grew a subtle slant as she muttered, "Isn't that enough, you greedy girl?"
Torren shook to the core and her head wagged all on its own.
"Good," Lilith smiled, leaving on a firm note, "Then get to it."
When Lilith vanished, Torren broke down on the spot. Knees bent inward against each other, her body wobbling against the wall, her hands frantically itching at her face, wanting to tear off her accursed cowardice.
"P-Please…! No more…! I…I want it to be over already…!" She hated her duty, she hated her life, she hated herself…
Years of self-loathing and a starvation of happiness buried her alive. In her darkest thoughts she saw only the man she left behind still standing on that beach every night waiting for her.
And her child she left behind…
They were her escape from this nightmare, but she didn't have the right to take it…
Because why should good things happen to horrible people?
She was the worst. She wants to dare abandon her duty as a Sage to pursue her own happiness?
Who do you think you are, worthless trash?
"Shut up…please…!" She begged, squeezing her hands against the side of her head and falling to the floor.
There was nothing she could do. She was cowardly and weak, unable to muster the strength to change her reality.
This cycle could only end in her death one way or the other…
And as long as she was in chains, so was Brine.
"I…wanted you to find happiness without me…" She gasped out a squeak, "But I can't save anyone…"
She continued to choke on her voice, "I…"
The blackest fog crawled into her brain, many whispers pulling her up by the strings. When her head rose highest, her eyes were hollowing out, a lucid, almost unhinged smile smearing her face.
"Y-Yes…yes I can…" She rose to her feet in a slumped posture, "I can save us…"
…
In Aquamoria, Brine hauled a series of fishing equipment with him onto the docks, his baby girl running apace behind him.
He turned and smiled as she jumped below his hip, wanting to help out.
He gave her a bucket and the two got onto their rowing boat.
As he ventured off to the open sea with a smile inviting adventure, the world he knew flipped through many changes.
The dock continued to shrink as more boats were crafted and set out to sail, many capable of carrying whole groups of eager young fishermen.
The sky shuffled through many sunrises and sunsets, many twilight skies and many more nightfalls.
He rowed deeper away from his home, while his daughter leaned over the side and smiled and waved at the fish swimming and leaping through the waves.
She grew up before his very eyes, never changing spots on the boat.
The wood showed signs of wear, especially where he sat.
The only thing different about him, he felt, was on the inside. He could feel older. It was a little harder rowing out, so Tina offered to take the oars at times.
He blinked, and didn't even realize how old she had gotten.
Almost 16 years of age. She was able to stand head-to-head with him, and had grown into her regular clothes. Her cheeks were slightly chubby, pushed out more by her smile like fresh sunshine, and her eyes accepted her surroundings with wonder and love.
It was starting to get a little cramped in this boat…but it held too many fond memories for him to say goodbye, as did this shimmering sea…
He looked up and saw the faint moon, and Torren dancing within its light atop the water. The image was fading, making him hold onto it tighter, to the detriment of his heart.
"Hey, dad?" Tina asked merrily.
He turned back around and crossed his legs together at the feet with a smile, "Whatcha need?"
Tina smiled with anticipation, "Could you tell me a story?"
Brine smacked his lips and let out a chuckle, "Sure, dear. Which one ya want to hear today?"
"Can you tell me a new story?"
"A new one?" He recoiled.
Tina nodded.
"Mmm, alright…Lemme think 'ere…" Brine looked out at the sea and fished up some inspiration in spades.
He then leaned slightly into the boat and laid his hands atop his knees, "There's a story 'bout this young girl who was as bright and cheery as the mornin' sun."
Tina asked, "What was her name?"
"Reina," Brine thought up on a whim, "Reina loved to walk atop the sand and sea, and said hello to every life that walked or swam among them."
"And she…was a special girl, who could hear the thoughts of the sealife."
"They sang for her as she danced. They would play splish-splash with the water. No matter how rocky the waves got, she'd always keep smilin'."
"And then one day, on the bow of evening, she happened upon a sad whale, floating dangerously close to the shoreline."
"It was as white as a clamshell and christened with pearls along it's eyes. A dazzling beauty, unique among it's kind."
"The whale's moans were depressing, saddening the fish that surrounded it, and making the sun hang it's head over the horizon."
"Reina walked up to the whale and asked 'What's wrong big fella'?"
"'Haaaaaa…' The whale sighed, 'Every day it's the same thing. Swimming and eating, swimming and eating…I want to try something different. I want to walk onto the shore, like you humans do.'"
"'But if you do, you'll die', said Reina."
"The whale turned it's eyes and asked her, 'Am I really living now?'"
"Reina thought and thought and then reached out to pet the whale on it's face, 'I'll be your friend, and you can experience the world through me!'"
"'You'd do that for me? I don't want to be a burden…' Said the whale."
"'You just wait right here! I'll be back!' Reina ran off, returning with a plethora of trinkets she had gathered from friends and family."
"Over the course of many suns and many moons, Reina would return to greet the whale and talk with him about her belongings, and her experiences in the world."
"The whale's spirits slowly began to rise, and he became more energetic, splashing atop the sea's surface like he was half his age."
"But then one day, Reina returned to their meeting spot to find the whale had become beached on the sand."
"'Mr. Whale!' she screamed, rushing to his aid."
"The whale had come ashore of his own will, inspired by this girl's wonderful stories."
"She cried and cried for him, blaming herself for not making him happy."
"But she did…She made him so, so very happy."
"Reine could not accept this. She grabbed the biggest bucket from her home and ran back to the sea."
"She tirelessly scooped up the sea and drenched the whale in it. And once she filled the sand around him enough, she tried to push him back in."
"Eventually the whale gasped dryly, confused as to why she kept being by his side, 'I won't make it. But it's fine…At least I was able to learn what it's like to taste happiness, no matter how bittersweet…'"
"Reina cried and cried and continued to dump water over him, 'Y-You shouldn't have to die…to find happiness!'"
"The whale stirred from her kindness. His whole life had been a wash, he was just a creature who ate and swam, drifting without purpose."
"But this girl's heart was big enough to fit him and the entire sea."
"She believed he deserved to live…AND be happy."
"And in that moment, I daresay, something magical made the whale sway."
"Reina's tears mixed into the sea water below it and made it glow, enveloping the whale in a big, sparkling bubble."
"The fading sunset rays shimmered through the bubble, piercing out to the other side in a brilliant golden light."
"And when the bubble burst, and night fell upon the sea…There stood that whale, no longer tethered to the water, but walking upon it…as a man, nay, a prince."
"His presence was radiant, his body still retaining a cuddly, blubbery curvature around his waist."
"Reina rose to greet his outstretched hand, and he carried her off onto the sand. There he took in the feeling of sand for the first time and reacted by hugging her warmly, breathing the air of life for the first time with a heartfelt gasp."
"'Thank you Reina…for entrusting me with the will to live.'"
"From there on, the prince and Reina ventured out to the sea, populating the waters with new life to frolic merrily among them. Their love…as vast as the sea itself."
Brine felt light in his chest when he finished that story, and his daughter's eyes were sparkling with tears, forcing her to stop rowing to dry herself off on her detached sleeves.
"T-That was so romantic!" She said, her voice cracking, "I hope they lived a long life together!"
Brine smirked, "Tina, it's just a tale…"
She didn't listen, and he didn't care.
He looked at her and had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that she was around the same age he was when he first met Sarajin.
Soon…she was going to be all grown-up, and find love in mysterious places. Leave him behind…start a new family, pass down her experiences to a new generation.
But…he didn't want that.
A tight feeling pulled at his heartstrings and made him sad at the idea of her losing her free spirited heart to maturity.
And perhaps…he also didn't want her to end up like him…
The boat stopped rocking, settling into a drift along the surface as Tina tucked the oars into the sides of the boat and reached for the fishing rods beneath their feet.
She handed Brine his and shouted, "Let's get to fishin', dad!"
Brine gripped it and with a big hearty grin shrugged his worries to enjoy the moment, "Let's try and catch a reel-y big one today!"
Tina gave a salute off the starboard and shouted, "Aye, aye, dad-tain!"
They tossed their lines into the water and paid close attention to the squirming shadows under them for the moment to sink their hooks in.
They started off securing a few tiny floppers and sticking them in the bucket. Then a real nasty biter with sharp, poisonous teeth tried to jump at Tina's face, prompting Brine to jab them to death with a trident.
Tina later returned the favor by hitting a large two-headed fish attacking Brine with her own trident.
The corpses started to attract much larger prey, so they rowed off to better waters and started over.
They were getting a fine load of fish for dinner tonight, but the waters felt rather…off-kilter. Some of their catches looked a little thinner, and the water was dirtier the closer they rowed to the barrier reef.
Brine hoped he was just being weird in his thoughts.
On their third hour of fishing, Tina started to yawn a little while holding her rod.
"Heh, need me to row us back?" Brine offered, and she shook her head.
"I can go a little longer, dad."
"Atta girl." Brine patted her on the shoulder and then looked out to sea.
"Maybe I don't need anything other than this…" He had a wonderful daughter, a successful streak of catches, and the support of his family.
All his other friends took care of the heavy lifting with stopping the war. Heck, even Carmine put in a lot of work.
…But a hole did rest itself in his heart, leaving his confidence incomplete.
As he began to hang his head again, Tina raised her pitch in excitement, "Hey! I see something sparkling out in the middle of the water!"
"Sparkling?" Brine leaned out and his heart leapt from his chest like a fish out of water, cause those sparkles were glittering like gold.
"..." Brine fell onto her rear and started trembling, biting his teeth down to make it stop.
He then held onto his fishing rod and gave Tina commands, "Grab the oars and get us in closer!"
"You got it!" She proclaimed without question.
As she got them in closer, Brine attached his best hook and lure to the line, which was difficult with all the shaking.
His mind focused on the one thing he was best at: Fishing.
Because if he was right, and he was damn sure he was, this might be his only chance at making his wishes come true.
"Here's good!" He shouted, any further and the ripples might scare off the golden fish.
He then plugged himself into the boat, took aim with a deep breath, and launched the line straight into where the light was brightest.
He was expecting to wait, his heart received quite the scare when the light bit into his hook and started pulling.
The boat flipped up part way and he had to do everything he had just to keep it from capsizing.
"W-Whoa…!" Shouted Tina, using her control over water to steady them.
Brine stood up and tensed up his muscles all over. This fish packed a punch unlike any normal whopper. Every tug it used to fight him off challenged his muscles to avoid being ripped out of their sockets.
It wasn't just strong, it was heavy…But if the legends spoke true, then all he needed to prove his worth was make it breathe fresh air.
"C'mon! Yer comin' to me!" He was starting to lose what little ground he had, his feet beginning to slide up and off the side of the boat.
A perilous dip into the water awaited him but he just couldn't let go.
Suddenly, Tina jumped behind him and anchored her arms around his waist, tugging as hard as she could.
"Hold the line, dad-tain!" She cheered him on.
"T-Tina…!" Brine was surprised. She was holding onto him so effortlessly.
"...!" He then let go of his surprise and embraced her aid, "No, this is good. This SHOULD be something father and daughter accomplish together…!"
"Tina!" He shouted firmly and with more confidence, "Do not let go until ya see that shimmerin' light breach the water!"
"Aye aye!" She saw the importance of this moment even if she didn't understand it and held on as hard as she could.
Together, they made a difference that no other fishermen had ever before accomplished…The Golden Reefquiem…was starting to move towards them.
Brine took deep breaths and exhales and was quickly running out of steam, "J-Just…a little…MORE!"
"Go dad, go!" Tina's cheer purged his fatigue for one last burst of vigor.
"RAAAAAAAAAH!" Brine pulled so hard it put a large crack in his rod, but it didn't break.
The water splashed out to give way to a huge geyser of golden light. And fish floated up from the center of it, covered in pure, solid gold.
It had two long dorsal fins and a perfectly circular open mouth, a pair of whiskers going to its back in a spiral shape. It was only as long as a salmon, the stubborn little flailer…
The golden light faded, and the air surrounding the fish was sparkling gold.
Tina had fallen onto her butt and felt a little dizzy from recoil. Brine stood with one foot on the edge of the boat and gestured his fist at the glorious fish.
He grit his teeth, unable to get over his disbelief, "I-It really is it…the Golden Reefquiem…!"
The whispers of the past came to life, "Any wish…can come true…"
There was so much power in his hands at that moment.
He could permanently end the war. He could ensure eternal prosperity for Tina. He could make sure nobody ever goes hungry.
…But he had earned this victory.
For once in his entire bloody life, Brine wanted to cave in to his greed and let himself make the most selfish wish he could think of…
"Golden Reefquiem…! Please…I wish…for you to free Torren from her suffering!"
The fish began to glow with a rainbow-like ring of radiance. Brine closed his fists, his heart racing to accept the consequences of his selfishness no matter what form they might take next.
After a little while, the fish's mouth began to bubble and leak out, causing Brine's anticipation to take a sour and puzzled turn.
And in the blink of an eye, the Golden Reefquiem spat up a large golden pearl all the way into their boat, where it landed on Tina's lap.
The fish then flopped back into the sea and swam away.
Brine stood there, continuing to shake out of a different emotion…disappointment.
He stared back at the pearl with his mouth agape, and Tina happily scooped it up into her arms and cradled it before her waist.
"This thing's pretty! It'll make a fine trophy for a fine catch, dad-tain!"
He was blocking out her cheerful attitude, drowning in his own drifting thoughts, "Why didn't it work…? That…that had to have been the right fish…"
As Tina rowed them back to shore he continued to rationalize his disappointment into something better, "Did I not word my wish right?"
"Was it not as all-powerful as we had hoped…?"
"...The pearl. Maybe…?"
Once they got back to shore, Tina took the fish they caught over to the market to be skinned, while Brine snuck back home with the golden pearl in hand.
He took the toughest tool in his arsenal and started pounding away at it. It only took three swings for it to break with nary a scratch to show on it.
"C'mon…! C'mon…!" His efforts quickly devolved into frustration as he broke multiple tools trying to get the wish he damn well deserved.
But he eventually fell onto his bed in utter exhaustion, sweating with a bit of crying to dampen his spirits.
He punched his tricep against his head and scowled, "All this time…I've been chasing after a BLOODY WEIGHT…!"
He raised and viciously swung his arm out at the golden pearl, and when he did…He saw his reflection staring back at him.
He saw how rugged his beard had gotten, how many bags he had under his eyes. His irises woefully depressed, no longer flickering with that spark of youth he had in his hayday.
"Ahh…" He felt a pang of guilt, and hung his head wondering, "What happened to me…?"
He raised his hands and muttered, "All this time I've been…chasing a fairy tale romance…"
"And for what…?" He hung his head further as his depression put its hooks into him. One by one, trying to fish out the memories he shared with Torren.
"It was just one year of my life…Has it really been worth all the sleepless nights I've spent waiting for her to return?"
He felt memories of them lying atop the rocks and eating fish as the sea played a melody for them.
He saw her dance among the waves, crafting the water into works of art, made more beautiful by the moonlight.
So many timid, tender smiles, growing more confident and lovely as their bond deepened.
The amount of smiles he experienced flooded the rest of his memories and dragged them back down into his mind.
His eyes burst into tears and he gasped with joy.
He tightened his fists, raised his head, and swore with all his heart, "No…It was worth so much more…! And I've been a cowardly fool…trying to take the easy way out of love."
He slowly stood up from his bed and put the pearl on it. Then he walked over to his set of tools and picked up a razor knife.
A few minutes later, he had cut off most of his beard and felt at least a few years younger again.
He then turned around and stared at his reflection in the pearl, his eyes lighting up with determination.
"A wish ain't strong enough to save ya from drowning in despair, Torren…I have to take ya back, with my own hands!"
As he ran out of the house he ran afoot with Lulu, who immediately teased him over the change in looks, "Finally decided to cut off that ugly barb, eh?"
Brine looked deep into her eyes and entrusted her with his thoughts and feelings, "Teach, can ya watch over Tina for me for a bit?"
Lulu's spirited fire dwindled down as she propped her fists on her hips and muttered, "Brine, yer scarin' me all of a sudden…Whaddya plottin'?"
Brine narrowed his eyes and nodded, "I'm gonna bring Tina's mom back to where she belongs!"
Brine started to run and Lulu shouted at him in anger, "No! Ya can't be serious! Ye'll get yerself killed…!"
Brine looked back and without a moment's hesitation told her, "Just tell Tina…I went to go visit Carmine for a bit!"
And then he was gone, running as quick as his legs could carry him, with Lulu bitterly biting her lower lip and hissing.
Brine ran and ran across the wastelands in search of his final destination: Sancturia.
Escaping the pursuing Rot Walkers, hungry for his lingering despair, he ran away from the setting sun and continued onward with no regard for the state of his feet or heart.
The precious memories he spent with Torren were all the strength he needed to carry on. He felt so much stronger than he ever did before, like he could take on all the Ten Sages if he had to.
This was such a rush of adrenaline that if he gave up for even a second he would collapse and die.
But there he saw it…Sancturia, just as Sarajin and Auris always described it, brightly shining in the night.
He grit his teeth and picked up the pace, shouting at the top of his lungs, "TORREN…!"
From afar, the perimeter guards heard the faint sound of his voice and turned with their stingers drawn and aura arrows at the ready.
Brine saw the glimmer of their attacks before they fired and scrambled around them, stopping only to swing up water from the ground to destroy a couple of the projectiles.
He then kept running for the barrier, shouting even louder, "TORREN, I'M COMING FOR YA…!"
The guards armed stronger arrows and fired when a figure came speeding out through the barrier.
Brine ground to a halt and swung his arms up.
A series of metal sounds struck together as a wall was formed in front of him to block the arrows.
"Eh…?" Brine raised his head to see the blades retracted into the possession of it's owner, whom he recognized as the Sage of Sky, Nimus, from Sarajin's stories.
"You…?!" Brine growled.
The guards prepared more arrows but stopped when Nimus raised his hand up.
Nimus then tucked it into his pockets and chuckled as he floated closer to this eager beaver, "Aren't you a few numbers short to be invading the city, young man?"
Brine grit his teeth and demanded to know, "Where's Torren?!"
Nimus recoiled with a whistle, "Easy there, biter! Heh heh, I see now, you're 'the one'."
He then hung his head slightly and put his hand atop his helmet to say plainly, "She's not here."
"What…?" Brine gasped.
"You want to know where she went?" Nimus said playfully, "You'll never guess~"
Brine shouted, "Tell me…!"
Nimus clapped and told him, "Gladly! See…I tailed her out of here for a bit and caught her mumbling that she was returning to 'a special place'."
"Aquamoria…!" Brine gasped.
"Though honestly, I'm surprised you didn't cross paths with her on the way here. Aaaah, the twisted hand of fate once again plays dirty…"
Brine grit his teeth as Nimus' playfulness and shouted, "Take me to her…! There's something…she needs to know!"
Nimus flattened his smile and rose a little bit off the ground, "Hop on, I'll give you a ride."
Brine asked, "Why should I trust ya…?"
"Heh, c'mon man, I'm not that fishy!" Nimus said while rubbing the back of his head.
There was dead silence, and Nimus followed up by mentioning, "Not taking the bait? Ok, sorry…wrong time for this."
He then tucked his hands into his pockets and whispered, "Our little dancer needs a partner. So like it or not, you have to trust me."
Brine nodded, and then grabbed hold of Nimus' leg so he could fly them straight to Aquamoria.
With how long the back and forth trip took, night had fallen over the village, and practically everyone was asleep.
Nimus dropped Brine onto the edge of the shore just outside the east end of the village and the man knew immediately where he ran to.
To the place where they first met…
To the place where their feelings opened the way to happiness they never knew they were worthy of having.
That lonesome part of the beach where no one could disturb them.
Where melodies of the waves played, dances were performed, and laughter filled the night sky.
And there, like a ghost or a dream, stood her atop the water's edge.
She faced the water and took a couple steps out, prompting Brine to shout, "Torren!"
She stopped and slowly began to turn around.
All these years later and her beauty remained unchallenged by the ebb and flow of time.
She truly was everything he depicted her as in fairy tales, a princess that he was unworthy of being near…
But she was more than that. She was a person, and the love of his life…
And right now, he couldn't see that shy woman who loved to open up to him alone, who was comforted by his touch and voice.
Her eyes weren't reflecting light, her body did not sparkle in the moonlight.
Yet she smiled, drawing her hand out towards him as the water began to move with the faintest ripple beneath her feet.
"Hello Brine…" Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she whispered, "I'm here."
Next Time: A Beautiful Song