Blood Sister, Scene v1

I decided to make this post a little longer, because it fit better that way!

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Aria eyed Kismet curiously, only just noticing her unusual attire. “Why are you wearing those clothes?”

Kismet looked at her, puzzled. “Aren’t those human clothes?” she asked.

The Catheran nodded. “I was raised in the capital a bit north of here. Why?”

A flash of disbelief crossed Aria’s face. Her voice grew coarser as she raised her voice. “What? But…how could you? They killed the Cathera and hunt them down like they’re animals, and capture my sisters! And they keep killing so many animals, and draining the water, and cutting down all the trees…”

“I don’t know. All I remember was waking up along the Rokan riverbed. The royal family found me there and took me in.”

Aria gave her a furrowed brow. The gloss of her scales was beginning to fade. “What about your blood sister? She lives with the humans too?”

“My…blood sister?” The only person who came to Kismet’s mind that can even relate was Delphi, but there was definitely no relation by blood.

The young Undine’s voice was strained and weakening. “Your blood sister. The one who received you from Terra’s embrace…and swore to raise you and watch over you.”

Kismet knew nothing of having a blood sister, much less even seen a Catheran in all her life. Sometimes she even wondered if any Cathera survived the genocide that resulted from the invasion eleven years ago. Even if she did have a blood sister who did survive, did she simply abandon Kismet? “I…don’t know. I’ve never seen or even heard of another Catheran. Do only Cathera have blood sisters, or do Undine—”

Aria cringed and gripped her chest, which heaved laboriously up and down. The coarse sound of her breaths clawed at Kismet’s ears. “Aria? Aria? We need to hurry and find you some water. Are you sure it’s this way?”

The young water spirit couldn’t reply between her agonizing wheezes for air. Kismet quickened her pace, running through the trees as quick as she could, frantically looking left and right for signs of water. The sky was painted orange by the setting sun. Aria’s arm dangled lifelessly at her side as her consciousness slipped away.

As the sky turned red, a shimmering blue pond peeked from between the trees. Aria’s had stopped breathing, but Kismet wasn’t about to give up. Waist deep in the pond, she lowered the Undine.

The water enveloped her scaled body, restoring its moisture, but she still did not breathe. The Catheran watched with hopeful eyes, taking the child’s hand in hers. The warmth was gone. “Aria…” she whispered into the cool autumn air.

Apart from the gentle ripples, the pond was dead silent. Aria’s still body floated in the pond, her youthful face peeking out the surface. Kismet took the Undine’s arms and crossed them over her body. She brushed the water spirit’s smooth black hair to the side and caressed her face softly. “I’m sorry, Aria…”

A shadow formed at the bottom of the pond in front of them. Kismet stepped back, warily watching it swim around her. The silhouette looped back under Aria, and emerged from the water. The Catheran watched, speechless, as an Undine who looked like a mature Aria took the young water spirit into her arms. “Aria…what happened to you?” she said in a sad voice, stroking Aria’s hair.

The Undine had the same jet-black hair and dark eyes as Aria, but her body appeared to be similar to that of a twenty-year-old human. She gazed at the young Undine with sad black eyes. She lifted a slender left arm to her mouth and bit deeply into her own flesh. She held Aria up with her right arm. Her dark blue blood trickled from her fingertips into Aria’s mouth. As the bleeding began slowing down, Aria choked violently. With a tender smile, the Undine embraced the young water spirit.

Aria regained herself, opening her eyes wearily. “Melody…?”

“I swear. You always make me worry.”

Aria embraced Melody, sobbing. “I’m sorry. I—I—.”

“You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.” She looked up at Kismet. “Thank you, Sister, for saving Aria from those humans. I’m Melody, Aria’s blood sister.”

“Kismet,” the Catheran replied, still in disbelief at what had just happened.

Melody lowered Aria back into the water. Kismet still couldn’t help but notice how similar the two of them looked, as if they were twin sisters, but of different age. “Thank you, Sister Kismet. I was afraid I would never see her again. A group of humans captured one of our sisters only a few days ago, but we can no longer feel her essence. I thought there weren’t any more Cathera in this region, but luckily you came along and saved our precious Aria.”

Aria swam up to Kismet and gave her a warm hug. “Thank you for saving me from those humans. I wish I had something I could give you.” She hesitated for a moment, looking back at Melody. Melody nodded at her, waving her hand back and forth through the water in front of her. Aria turned back to Kismet. “You live with the Rokan Royal Family, right? Let me help you go back.”

“How?”

Aria extended a hand. “Take my hand and follow me. Walk, don’t swim.”

Curiously, Kismet held onto the Undine’s hand. Melody waved at her with a smile. “Let’s meet again, Sister.”

Aria slowly led her toward the center of the pond. Kismet hesitantly walked after her, the water raising above her waist, then above her chest. She took one last glimpse of the sky. The sun had set, and darkness was setting in. The pond seemed to glow a magnificent crystal blue in the night. Her vision became clouded as the water rose above her head. She followed Aria deeper into the water, until she felt the Undine’s hand let go. Kismet continued walking, her hand searching for Aria’s but she could not find it. As she kept walking, she felt the water’s surface lower beneath her ears, then beneath her eyes. She walked out until she stood waist-deep in water, staring out wide-eyed in confusion. The polished stone walls, the lamp-lit room, the smell of milk and flower extract mixed with the pure waters from Rokan's Holy Fountain…it all seemed so familiar.




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