Salil

The waters emerged from the depths of the ocean...

A pounding seemed to echo in her mind, and Nevia reluctantly opened her eyes when she heard someone murmuring softly nearby. Blinking to clear her head, she realized she was propped up against something warm.

 

“Sa…lil?” she managed, and felt the something warm move.

“Yes – I’m sorry,” he apologized gently, one arm around her waist the other on her shoulder. “This is my fault – I should not have told you like this.”

“Well, I’m curious as to what other ways there were,” she replied, sitting up on her own stiffly. Her head whirled around her as she turned to look out of the cave, and saw the sky was dark and starlit, the lights on the shore faint glowing pinpricks. “I’m farther away than I thought,” she realized with a start.

“I can help you get back,” the spirit informed her, moving towards the mouth of the cave. “I am, after all, you – in a manner of speaking. Where you go, I go.”

“I’m…stuck with you?” she asked, trying not to sound callous but having no other words for it.

“Yes,” he admitted with a grin. “You are. But, each spirit has its own powers over their element. Having joined with you once again, my full power has been restored to me – and in turn, that power is yours as well. And seeing as we’re in the ocean, now is the perfect opportunity for me to show you some.”

“Like what?” Nevia prodded, her curiosity aroused. He gestured to a puddle near her, and took a few steps forward.

“Reach out for it,” he instructed. She did so, feeling foolish, but trying her best to accept this change in her life. “Now…feel the water,” he continued, his voice a calming influence on her nerves. “You can form it, use it – we’re one with it now. Call it to you, Nevia.”

The young woman concentrated on the puddle, and slowly became aware of something in the back of her mind, almost as if another consciousness was coming alive inside of her. Feeling it grow, her eyes widened in surprise as the water slowly rose from the puddle in thin stream, before floating over to her and resting in the palm of her hand in the shape of a ball.

“Unbelievable…” she murmured, staring at it. A few seconds passed, and she shrieked in surprise when the water ball suddenly collapsed, splashing all over her.

“Excellent,” Salil praised her. “That was outstanding. Did you feel it?”

“Yes, I think so,” she said, nodding slowly. “It was like…it was coming alive. Wait a sec,” she said suddenly, interrupting her train of thought. “If you’re not…inside me or whatever, how come I still have power?”

“Because we’re no longer separate,” the spirit explained patiently. “When I joined to you earlier, we were instantly together again. I can physically manifest in this form when I choose too, but…think of a bowl of water,” he began. “It’s one, correct?”

“Yeah…”

“If you take half of that water and pour it into something else, isn’t it still the same thing?” he continued, and Nevia tried to wrap her mind around the concept.

“I guess that makes sense…sorta. Maybe?” She sighed and shrugged. “I think I get the gist of it, anyway. What now?”

“Now? We return to land – we must find the other spirits,” Salil told her, rising to his feet. Nevia unconsciously mimicked his actions, and following him to the edge of the cave, looking down into the black sea. “I will take you,” he assured her, and touched her arm lightly. The same light flashed, and she was forced to blink. Finding herself alone, she felt the spirit inside of her mind, and sighed.

“I can’t swim all that way!” she protested, and somehow the spirit managed to convey a smirk.

“Of course you can. I can. Jump.”

“What? No way!” Nevia protested, and the spirit’s urging seemed to flow through her whole body. Within seconds, she found herself being flung into the sea, and managed to suck air into her lungs before plunging underneath the waves.

 

Underneath the stormy surface, the sea was surprisingly calm and warm, and Nevia found herself floating in the water with an ease she attributed to Salil.

 

“There’s no need for you to hold air in your lungs,” he assured her. “I’m hardly going to let us die, am I? Trust me, I will take care of you.”

Nevia still felt the same instinctive terror race through her, but involuntarily gasped when a tingling sensation spread throughout her legs. Staring at the precious bubbles rushing to the surface, Nevia again sucked in breath when she glanced down and found herself with in indigo fish tail in lieu of her legs. Her top had disappeared, and the fish scales stopped at her hips in the back, and rose in a pyramid-shaped form in the front and sides, fading into skin several inches below her collarbone.

“What the…” she began, and then realized she was able to breath. Taking a deep breath, it was an odd sensation, as if the water turned into air inside her mouth, or something to that effect.

“Don’t think too hard on it – we have plenty of time to talk about it,” Salil said, amusement laced in his voice. “Enjoy it. Use your tail – swim, practice, and learn.”

Nevia was already doing so, finding herself propelled forward when she twitched her tail and shrieking with delight as fishes sprinted out of her way. Catching her breath, excitement took over and she enjoyed several long minutes playing around, feeling like she was in a vivid dream that might end any second.

Salil, for his part, was enjoying it as well. The feeling of being whole was indescribable, and looked forward to when Nevia might have that same feeling upon gathering all the spirits that belonged with her. The years of loneliness and near-despair were broken for the water spirit, and he basked in the shared emotions of their minds.

“Which way is the shore?” she asked suddenly, and a nudging in the back of her head was apparently the only answer she was going to receive. Turning in the indicated direction, Nevia raced through the water, feeling like she was flying, and almost wishing it wouldn’t end.

 

Mason had called Nevia to apologize, and had been surprised when she hadn’t answered. He had then gone to her house, and no one was home. Not wanting to try her parents’, he had instead tried to figure out where she might have gone, and had settled for the beach.

 

Sure enough, he managed to stumble on the inn she was staying, and found that she had gone to the beach hours ago. And that’s how he found himself on the shore, trying to see in the dark water and worrying that she might have fallen in.

That’s also how he received the biggest shock of his life – when Nevia suddenly emerged from a wave, choking a little. He rushed forward when he realized she had a tail, and froze.

“M-Mason?” she stammered, looking up and feeling guilty for some reason. “Um…Salil!” she cried, as the spirit released the spell he had used and transformed her back into a human figure. Unfortunately, it was a human figure without clothing, and she desperately tried to cover herself.

“Do I even want to know, chick?” Mason asked wearily, dropping his trenchcoat onto her head and turning around as she put it on.

“You wouldn’t even believe me,” she muttered, and gasped as Salil took form. “Warn me first!” she ordered, and Mason almost fell over at the sight of the water spirit in front of him.

“What the bloody hell is that?” he demanded, taking a step back in alarm.

“I am Salil,” he introduced himself, looking a little curious towards Mason’s reaction.

“Mason…there’s a lot to explain,” Nevia said finally.

 

I give Mason credit – he listened. For the whole thing. Without swearing once. I was actually kinda impressed, seeing as this is Mason we’re talking about. Drinking, drugging, drug-dealing, drinking Mason. And he not only listened, he actually seemed to believe me. Or believe Salil, since he was the one doing most of the talking.

 

After Salil finished, he left – lousy spirit, I’ll tell him off later – leaving Mason and I alone on the sand. Thank god it wasn’t raining quite yet – just very windy. But I had Mason’s coat, so it was all right for the moment.

Hey, we were in shock. You want rational thinking, go look up the Commune of Scientists or something like that. Serve you right.

 

“Um…Mason…are you all right?” Nevia asked hesitantly. The young man hadn’t moved much at all in the past few minutes, and she was growing worried. “It took me a while to get it to,” she continued with a weak laugh. “I fainted, actually…Mason?”

 

“Am I drunk?” he asked, sounding like he was hoping she’d tell him he was.

“I don’t think so,” she said, after a pause.

“What about high? I’m high, aren’t I?” he persisted, this time definitely pleading.

“Sorry Mason, not this time,” Nevia told him sympathetically. She rested her hand on his arm and peered at him. “Mason, I’m really sorry – I didn’t want to tell you at all, actually. And definitely not like this.”

“Not your fault, chick,” he muttered, and dug around in his pocket momentarily before drawing out a flask and taking a swallow from it.

“Mason! Stop that!” she ordered, snatching it away. “Now is not the time! I’m the one who should be drinking, anyway,” she added sourly, capping it and hiding it away in the coat. “Now, I say we head back, try not to get noticed, and we’ll talk more there. I’m freezing, even with the loaner.”

“Good idea,” he nodded, getting to his feet. He was steadier than she had seen him in a long time, which was usually a sign of something bad. Sighing, she got to her feet as well and took his arm to keep from falling over. Her legs were still rather numb, and walking on them felt like trying to walk on very bendy rubber, she mused.

 

They made their way to the inn without incident, but didn’t quite manage the ‘not-getting-seen’ part. The old woman that ran the place greeted them, looking absolutely horrified for a moment before a passive look came over her and she strode back into the empty dining room. Muttering under her breath, Nevia led Mason to her room and locked the door behind her.

 

“I’m going to get changed,” she told him, deciding on a shower later. He nodded mutely, and she slipped into the bathroom for a few minutes with some clothing. Coming back out, she saw Mason in the exact same position as before, and reluctantly handed him his flask. “Here, drink up,” she said, waving it in front of his face. “You’re better drunk than sober at times like these.”

“Thanks,” he nodded, taking it. It looked like he was trying to drain it in one swallow without choking, but didn’t quite succeed and had to rest it on his lap while he shook his head. “What a day. What a f*****g day.”

“Mason!” Nevia snapped. “How do you think I feel?”

“Are all humans like this?” Salil asked her curiously.

“No!” she yelped in alarm, forgetting to answer mentally.

“No what?” Mason asked, and she sighed.

“No, you’re not the model the human race is based on,” she told him, sitting down and hanging her head in defeat. “Salil asked.”

“He’s in your head?”

“That’s one way to put it,” she agreed, running her hands through her hair. “Mason, what the hell am I gonna do? I can’t just go home and pretend it didn’t happen, for god’s sake!”

“Good point. But I don’t know,” he said. “I always knew something was off about you, chick, but not this. Not in bloody hell did I think something like this…”

“You thought I was a lesbian because I didn’t sleep with you?” Nevia shrieked, reaching her absolute tolerance limit for the day. “Mason! I’m going to…to…” She was unable to think of anything, but Salil politely suggested something and promptly carried it out. The faucet in the bathroom shot on, and water sprayed directly onto Mason, soaking both him and bed.

“Ch-wha-hey!” he spluttered, and Nevia seethed.

“Salil!” she hissed. “Now my bed is wet! No more ideas!”

“You look like you could use a drink,” Mason said, offering the flask. Nevia threw up her hands and ran from the room, feeling like she was going to scream if she didn’t. Mason remained on the bed, a surprised look on his face, dripping. “Well, I’m coherent now,” he complained.

Author's Note

As always, just any thoughts.