"Hold Your Breath"
by Aizhen Aschenhimmel
Disclaimer: The chopped hydra says, "Chapter 1, squish!"
Chapter 2: Splash!
"Alright," Cathaline said as her feet left the stone steps and hit the damp earth. Azariel stood behind her, looking around with a measure of wariness. "We're here. But we go deeper. There's nothing much around here but hydras, marinas, vadons and..." She almost rolled her eyes. "More hydras." Barely interesting at all, she mused, walking for a short distance. She thought of going as deep as the ruins, where there's real adventure. It's a little dangerous and she barely knew it at all, but hey, there's the thrill.
"How deep is the water level around here?" The mage inquired, following her deeper into the narrow tunnel.
"It varies," the swordswoman replied after a moment's pause. "There are areas where the water is ankle-high, then waist-high. The very deep ones are spanned over by bridges." She turned at her neck to face the mage, mildly curious. Her friend had been asking about water levels rather frequently. "Why's that?"
Azariel merely shrugged. "Precautions."
Her eyebrows drew up. Something felt not quite right. "You sure nothing's wrong?"
"Cath, I would've said no in the first place."
The swordswoman looked at her for a second before nodding uneasily. Prodding won't provide answers anyway, especially from someone like Azariel.
"If you say so..."
Nevertheless she made a mental note to avoid deep water without bridges, as it seems Azariel was hinting exactly that. After all, she had to take care of her Byalan first-timer of a friend.
To one unaccustomed in the cool, firelit gloom that is the underground Byalan Cave, the whole network of rock tunnels is one confusing labyrinth of water and strange sea creatures. But for someone like Cathaline Amarre, the place is as pleasant as the scenic grove it is above these subterranean levels. She is a regular visitor of Byalan, spending her time on the island when the academy training is over and her knight general of a father or her younger brother Calei wasn't demanding a mock sparring session.
It comes as a surprise to many that a sweet-faced young woman like Cathaline would follow Fordon Amarre's footsteps and is wholeheartedly earnest about it. With waist-length auburn hair, warm chocolate-brown eyes and an open, friendly disposition reminiscent of her deceased mother, they told her that she was more befitting to become a priestess like the latter had been, and let the boy Calei take on knighthood. But priesthood didn't appeal to her, and though her mild appearance contrasted heavily with the tough image of a swordswoman, she didn't mind. She wants to become a knight, and a knight she will be - to everyone who asked and doubted she made that clear. Cathaline Amarre might've inherited her mother's gentle face, but beneath it she has her father's steel-strong will.
Between sword-swinging practices, home rests and Byalan Island visits, the redhaired swordswoman squeezes a bit of time to relax with her best friend Azariel Savoir. While there was no person more different than her than the Juno-born mage and the circumstances in which they met was odd (the mage asked for directions as to where the Prontera Church is, having lost her way), there is a real, strong bond between them. When Cathaline becomes carried away with her emotions, it was Azariel who brings in the reality dose; when Azariel's sarcasm becomes all too prominent, Cathaline puts in the brakes. Often they simply talked while walking around Prontera or nearby Izlude, their topics ranging from the color of the sky to the current political and guild status in the kingdom.
While these visits were important to the brown-eyed girl, she felt that they were getting a little...dull. She was the adventuristic sort, unlike the laid-back mage, and she was eager for something more than leg exercise. With this in mind she suggested to Azariel that they take on Byalan Cave. After all, Azariel had never been there, having lived most of her life in Juno and Geffen. The mage consented after some convincing talk. Cathaline almost went skipping towards the harbor. It had been weeks ever since her last Byalan visit. And now, she has her best friend along. She had to smile at that. It's infinitely better than traipsing alone!
"Cath, are you sure we will make it to the other side?"
Azariel doubtfully looked at the bridge - a collection of wooden planks bound together by ropes - and particularly eyed the middle part, which sagged so much it was submerged in the water.
"This bridge does not look sturdy enough for use."
Cathaline gave a careless chuckle at her friend's qualms. The girl is just so cautious - and maybe too much, even for a first timer. "Don't worry. It's stable despite how it looks."
She casually stepped on the first plank. The whole bridge swayed and the wood creaked ominously. The swordswoman inwardly sighed. Azariel does have a point. But there's no other way to go beyond but to cross the bridge. Besides, it has a small thrill attached.
"See? Nothing happened. Come on!"
The mage's unease only increased. "I have a very bad feeling about this."
"It's okay, Aza. Even if you fall, the water's only seven feet at most. Well, I think..."
Her eyes widened for a split-second. "Pardon...seven feet?"
Cathaline had walked halfway through the bridge. She was oblivious to the water reaching inches above her calves and the creaking, grating sound produced by her extra weight on the fragile wood.
"It's not deep. Come on!"
Azariel looked torn between staying to her spot and crossing, but the latter won. She tentatively walked towards her companion, holding the ropes so tightly her knuckles turned white and eyeing the water so warily as though it could rise up and strike.
Cathaline was inwardly puzzled as she looked on. Why is Azariel so...wary of everything? It was unusual-
The bridge lurched, and a great creaking sound filled their ears. The swordswoman grabbed the ropes for support, while the mage almost fell. The water went up to Cathaline's knees.
"What's that?" She cried out, looking around.
Azariel took a step back and pointed behind Cathaline. "Behind you!"
She turned around, reddish-brown locks whipping behind her. A great mob of slimy, ruddy mermaids was advancing towards them, crawling on their bellies and their hair twisting like tentacles. Obeaunes - and there were hordes of them. She almost couldn't see the ground with their sheer number. She unsheathed her two-handed sword, feeling the thrill well up inside her. Half of her mind supposed that she should be feeling fear, but there was none of it. You don't get this many at the upper levels! And obeaunes too!
Bring it on!
"Aza, stay back!"
Hold your breath.
The mage quietly sighed.
Cath, I'm sure we'll be holding our breath forever if we do not get out of this mess!
Azariel summoned lightning bolt after lightning bolt, carefully aiming at the obeaunes on the other island. For caution's sake she retreated back to terra firma, relieved to be out of water's reach, yet it made aiming more difficult due to the distance. The ones on the half-submerged bridge were nearer, but she might electrocute Cathaline.
While casting she made sneak glances to her friend, and was not surprised at all at the eager expression on her face. Cathaline always liked fighting, if not a little messily though. She, on the other hand, would only use her magic if pushed to a corner.
At first she was at a shock with the sheer number of mermaids, but getting back on her senses she regained the presence of mind to help Cathaline out. It would've been easier to summon a thunderstorm and fry every fish-maiden to a delicious crisp, and she dearly wanted so, but it could be fatal for the swordswoman. In theory she could control the way the lightning strikes so as not to hit Cathaline, but of course she wouldn't want to try that out right now.
So this is what 'overpopulation of hostile creatures' Izlude Tourism Board is talking about. Lovely sight.
If only Cathaline could hear her, it would make things much, much easier.
"Cath, get back on land!"
Charming. Good luck on getting heard. Besides the swordswoman's immersion in her work and the gasping, gurgling noises the fish-women were making, there was this scratchy, groaning sound becoming ever louder.
The mage's eyes narrowed. Just what exactly is that sound?
For her part, Cathaline was having a good time. At least there's practical application of what she had learnt in Izlude. And it wasn't on hydras too. They hurt a bit more, with their sharp hair-tentacles, yes, but it was part of the package. She made a mental note not to let any obeaune get past her, lest it attacks Azariel. The mage had been helping her by frying the incoming mermaids, but everybody knows that mages can't stand anything more than an old one-two. She hardly moved from her spot at all, and around her a reddish cloud swirled in the water. Severed hair locks and limbs floated around her.
"Cath! Get back here, now!"
She glanced back at the mage. She was standing several feet from her, practically on land, and the residues of magic swirled around her. "I can't! They'll follow me and attack you!"
There was genuine worry in Azariel's voice now. "Never mind about that! Just get back here!"
Cathaline failed to take notice. The mermaid numbers were growing in spite of their efforts. Her ears were filled with sharp whipping sounds and gargling, waterlogged sounds from the obeaune throats. She was beginning to feel a little anxious. Her arms were beginning to ache, and her wounds stung...
She didn't notice the water slowly rising above her knees and the grating, creaking sound growing louder - the same sounds that were causing alarm in the gray-eyed mage.
"Cathaline! Get back-"
There was a huge splash, and the whole bridge collapsed. The next thing the swordswoman knew she was underwater, the cold rush almost freezing her limbs, and bubbles were hurrying above her. Water gurgled around her, endlessly pressing and flowing and whispering. The difference in gravity made her struggle; realization drove her to panic. Then, against the dim, eerie light from the dry world, a wall of obeaunes formed around her. Before she could raise her sword half a dozen pair of hands held her arms in a death-grip.
Her mouth opened to gasp; only a trail of bubbles floated upward. Brown eyes widened in distress as dozens of obeaune faces twisted into a leering expression.
Goddamnit...!
A/N: Whee, TEN versions for the second chapter. And save for the last part, this chapter is a hash of those versions with a few modifications. Talk about long too. And I can't wait for the story to push on, so I updated rather fast. Reviews will be much, much welcome :) Thankies, people!