Fate - First Reply What Lies in the Shadows

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Morenli

Morenli

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For whatever reason, you are drowning in the middle of the night.

Perhaps it’s an adventure gone haywire, perhaps you just wanted to go for a swim and somehow ended up in this state.

The unforgiving darkness pulls you deeper and deeper, until you start to feel the overwhelming pressure on every part of your body and breathing seems impossible. Maybe you start to fight harder, or maybe you close your eyes and start to accept your fate.

Until a hand pulls you out of the darkness, that is.

A faint glow surrounds the hand’s owner, the bones visible through the transparent skin. Slowly, the pressure starts to come off, and your body eases from the weight of the levels beneath. Soon enough, you are able to breathe properly, and turn about to thank your saviour.

And then you realise that the one who led you out of there is…strange. And they look ready to tear you to shreds.

What do you do?
​
Note : Morenli, my chracter, is not aggressive but her actions can seem unsettling. She is a very curious Kivren, that's all.
 
That last bottle had been a mistake. Ok, maybe the bottle before that had been where the mistake was. It had been a rather successful night at the port, the ship and crew docked for a singular night to relax. Edward had played a few games and got lucky, that luck had translated to a lot of liquor.

He briefly remembered walking groggily back to the ship, but then darkness. One would think that the sudden cold and wetness would wake Ed up quickly, but his drunken state had made everything slow and seem kind of like a dream. It had to be right. Why else would there be a growing translucent hand reaching out to save him?

Such images continued to break through his unconsciousness before he finally felt himself fully come back to the world.

Edward opened his eyes to see, some sort of fish person. A kivren? Well, whatever they were, they were pissed at him. He scrambled backward knowing that he only had a knife in his boot.

"Woah, hey now. Let's talk this out. I don't know what I did to you, but I'll pay you back. Swear on my mother's grave." If only he knew where that grave was.

Morenli
 
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Morenli had no idea what she was looking at. She was just going to come to the upper levels for food when she had stumbled across this drowning being.

The creature was clearly not meant for being in water, given their thrashing and lack of buoyancy. She observed as the being slowly stopped struggling before taking their hand. It won’t be good for her little siblings to see a dead body in their home.

They looked shocked at her, shoving themself backwards—how can they move without a tail?—before saying something in a language she’s never heard, though she recognised the tone as somewhat pleading.

Seeing how scared they were, Morenli refrained from approaching and instead sat back on the rock, hands in lap. She tilted her head, trying to look as peaceful as possible.

This creature didn’t look like they were food—rather, the face looked somewhat similar to her own—and seemed too weak to attack, so she wasn’t worried about danger.

Edward Lorain
 
Ok, the first stage was going well. By that he meant, that he had not been eaten. The more he got a good look at this person? creature? It was clear how alien it was to him, but it was also easy to tell that they were sentient. It was in the eyes. They might be strange, but they were intelligent.

Edward took a deep breath as he seemed to finally be able to calm himself down. He wasn't dying. His recent drunken stupor was quickly disappearing thanks to the sudden cold water of the ocean.

He looked around at his surroundings before focusing in on the one that he thought had saved him.

"Uh...thank you, I think...My name is Edward. What's your name?"

He was still shivering from the cold but did his best to offer a smile to show he meant no harm.

Morenli
 
The being seemed to finally calm down. At least, he didn’t look like he was choking on kelp anymore. They—he?—offered Morenli a smile, saying something in their language. Since they weren’t scared and smiling, maybe they were thanking her? In any case, she should introduce herself. Perhaps that would help in progress.

The moon shone down on the water, casting eerie light on her body.

Pointing to herself, she said, voice low and almost raspy, “I am Morenli.” She patted her chest, repeating, “Morenli.”

Then, she pointed at him, “You?”

Hopefully this simple gesture would be understood. She often does this to introduce herself to far-flung Kivren, with whom they didn't share a single word.

Edward Lorain
 
He did not completely understand what she was saying. At least, he thought it was a she. All he knew was that she had repeated "Morenli" twice whole pointing to her chest. That had to mean that that was her name.

The fact that she still wasn't attacking him successfully calmed down Edward completely as he pointed to himself.

"You may call me Edward..." He mimicked the pounding of his chest and repeated. "Edward."

This was pretty difficult for Ed. He often uses his words, along with his quick talking skills to get out of trouble, but that really wouldn't work if the person could barely understand him.

He needed to figure out where he was. How far away were his ship and his crew? Were they looking for him? How long had he been conscious? Was he already dead? Ok, probably not that last one, but the others were still questions.

Morenli
 
She nodded. “Peace be with you, Edward.”

Edward. What a strange name, though not a bad one. Morenli was pretty confused with Edward—what he was, how he got so deep underwater (especially because he couldn’t breathe there), and of course, how to get him back to where he came from. From Edward’s face, he also had the same questions.

While she would like to help, they didn’t understand each other. But that’s okay, she wasn’t in a hurry today. If Edward understood her intentions and wanted her to help, she was up for it.

Just then, someone caught her eye, their blue scales glinting as they swam closer. She recognised the Kivren as her older brother Korenjo, who swam faster as they saw each other, soon coming up to her rock.

Korenjo and her were very similar in appearance, save for his skin being more of a blue-red mix than completely transparent. Her eyes lit up. Korenjo regularly interacted with the “Land,” perhaps he could help Edward?

Edward Lorain
 
Edward had grown comfortable around Morenli, by this point. What he had thought was aggression, earlier, had really just been his inability to understand her alien-like nature.

She said something again, but he did not understand it, although he did recognize his name again. He nodded to show that he recognized she was talking to him.

He had heard stories of the Kivren, but he had never interacted with any of them, so this would all be a new experience.

Ed tensed up when a new person arrived. It was clear they knew each other, and they both look alike, but that did not mean this new arrival would not just try to rip his throat out.

Morenli
 
Korenjo eyed Edward suspiciously, saying in a low voice “Moren, who is this human? Why are you with him?”

Korenjo probably thought the being was holding her captive. Morenli assured him, “He’s not here to harm. I saw him drowning so I picked him up. We can’t understand each other though. Is he one of those ‘humans’ you mentioned?”

Korenjo grunted in assent.

“Can you translate what he says? He is lost, I think.”

Korenjo looked back at Edward. After a few tense moments of him studying the human—that’s what Korenjo called him, right?—he speaks in accented Common, “Where did you come from? How did you start drowning in here?”

Edward Lorain
 
As soon as Edward her the common language a smile grew on his face. Alright, he could work with this now. He visibly relaxed on his rock.

"Oh, um where are we right now? Last I checked I think I and the crew were docking in Alliria to grab some supplies...I may have had a few too many drinks and I slipped, must have fallen into the sea. Tell your friends thanks by the way."

If he could just find out where he was then he could get himself back, for the most part. He might need a little help from the wind, but it was always there when he needed it.

Morenli
 
“This is the Kiva archipelago. No ships are sailing here right now, you will have to wait until morning. And this is my sister.”

Morenli asked, “What did he say?”

“He’s from Alliria—remember that ship I showed you? It was from there. He got intoxicated and fell into the sea. He said to thank you, by the way.”

She frowned. “When will his ship come to pick him up?”

“Probably not until morning.” Korenjo paused, then continued, “Let’s guide him back to shore so that he can be rescued next morning, mom was looking for you.”

Morenli was unsure. The shores didn’t have anything, would he survive?

Edward Lorain
 
Kiva? How to hell had he gotten here? Some of the gods must be playing some serious tricks on him. The crew might not even know the right spot to look for.

"If you can just get me anywhere with some trees and maybe some food, then I can do the rest."

He spoke confidently, it wouldn't be the first time that he would have to make a boat. He would just really owe the winds after this one if it all worked out.

"Thank you."

He nodded graciously towards Morenli.

Morenli
 
Morenli frowned, but nodded.

Korenjo looked at the nearest land. It was almost a speck on the horizon; it would be quite a chore to swim for a human. Hopefully this one won’t die in the process, they were so fragile. “There’s a forest there, but not many creatures. Wait till the morning to see if you can spot a ship.”

He silently led the way, Morenli close behind. She turned and looked at Edward.

Edward Lorain
 
Edward watched them begin to swim away and frowned. That was quite a distance. Thankfully, every pirate worth their salt learned to swim and swim well. He definitely could, but this distance would be pushing it.

"Damn it. I really liked these boots."

He began to take off his boots and anything else he could afford to leave for weight. He refused to give up his coat, and he kept a knife on him for when he arrived at the island.

Ed dove into the water and swam after them, wishing that he would have spent more time practicing his aquatic skills. It would be something he could think about when he was safe.

Morenli
 
So the strange-looking extremities were detachable! Curious. Morenli watched as Edward pulled out various strange objects, including one she had seen before. Won’t he need them?

She swam back and grabbed the detached extremities, they felt very strange. She then came beside Edward, taking care to make sure he didn't fall again. They soon came to the land, and Korenjo gestured to it. “Go.”

Morenli made sure to hand him his things, before diving down to quickly grab a struggling fish and hand him that too. She didn’t know whether there was food on the land, and he needed to survive the night.

Edward Lorain
 
The long swim was terrible for Edward. He really should get back into shape if he survived all of this. The exertion felt like a blur as he stopped paying attention to the distance and focused on just moving forward.

He didn't remember when it happened, but he eventually felt land underneath. He sprawled out onto the beach as he took in deep gulps of air as he pleaded with his muscles to relax.

His clothes were next to him, someone must have grabbed them for him. That was nice. He was about to pass out and take a nap right there when he jumped up as a decent-sized fish landed directly next to him.

He looked to the floundering fish and then at Morenli before smiling. "Many thanks. That solves one of my problems for me."

Morenli
 
Edward bared his teeth, but his tone seemed relatively friendly. In the sea, baring teeth was considered a sure-fire act of violence, but maybe these “humans” didn’t have the same implications? That’s intriguing.

Hesitating for a moment, Morenli bared her teeth back, revealing sharp fangs that covered her mouth.

Korenjo was calling for her now. She looked back one last time, and dove into the water. She would come tomorrow to see if Edward went home.

Edward Lorain
 
The showing of her teeth was unsettling, Edward had to admit, but he could tell she was trying so he laughed slightly. He waved them off as she dove back into the water leaving Edward alone on this small island.

A sigh escaped his list as he began gathering firewood. "It's going to be a long night."
The next morning Morenli would find a shirtless Edward finishing up on a very shabby-looking raft. His shirt was currently being used as the world's most pitiful sail.

The raft was an assortment of logs tied together with a mixture of ripped-up fabric and some vines. If this boat survived the ocean, it would be a miracle, but Edward looked at the vessel with satisfaction.

Morenli
 
“Moren, you have never been interested in the lands or anything like that; why are you so interested in him?”

The pair of siblings watched as Edward built what Korenjo called a “boat,” made by humans to pass the seas.

Morenli replied, “Why not? He needed help, so I gave him that. Besides, this is my first time seeing a human, and they are fascinating.”

Also, the man was just…helpless to Morenli. She had no idea how a creature like him survives in his daily life, and this pure curiosity drove her to almost study him, like a scholar might.

Korenjo stayed silent, before scoffing at what Edward made. “That wouldn’t survive a day in these winds. Forget it, even this shawl is sturdier than that.”

While they lived at the very bottom, some things from above still drifted up, like the red shawl Morenli was holding. They didn’t have much use to them, and this particular one, while being the best she could find, was still relatively tattered by the elements.

Morenli swam to the shore. Waiting for Edward to notice her, she silently took in the boat with interest. It was like those ships she would see from afar, though it was only a passing resemblance.

Edward Lorain
 
Edward was trying his best to secure more of the ship when he noticed the new arrival. He turned toward her with a grin on his face, completely oblivious to the obvious dangers that would come with using this vessel.

"Ah, hello Ms...Morenlie. Good to see you again."

He knew that she could not completely understand him, but he wasn't about to keep talking in simple speech. For starters, it was confusing to her and him. Second, it was just kind of demeaning.

"What do you think?"

He motioned to the raft as he began to drag it into the water. Miraculously, it floated perfectly fine, showing no signs of sinking into the sea.

Morenli
 
Morenli nodded in greeting. Korenjo had taught her the basic greeting in Common, so she hesitated for some moments before speaking, voice raspy and almost otherworldly, “Hello.” The word felt strange on her tongue, though.

She looked at the boat. Looking close, there wasn’t much on it, but since it was in working condition it should be fine. Morenli handed the man the cloth and leaned in to inspect the details.

It was made of a material she had never seen before, and she raised a hand to touch it before stopping. She didn’t want to accidentally break something.

Edward Lorain
 
Edward was surprised to hear her speak his tongue. He turned back with a smile

"Yes, hello. Nice to hear some words in my own language...that aren't me talking to myself." He said with a soft chuckle.

He continued at his boat before he noticed Morenli reaching out to touch the vessel, "That's wood. Wooood. Go ahead and touch it. She is a tough fighter."

Edward lightly smacked the raft twice in quick succession and noticed a small chip. His smile hesitated for just a moment before perking back up again.

"Emphasis on the fighter...She'll get me where I need to be. They always do."

Morenli
 
Eyeing the “wood,” she again raised her hands towards it. It felt…rough, some wedges, but Morenli felt surprised by the new texture. It was somewhat smooth too, reminding her of the debris tucked in corners of the sea-bed.

Korenjo came up behind here, staring at the boat. He was a bit curious too—it’s not like he got time to carefully inspect these vessels of the humans when they would meet—before coughing. Morenli retreated, eyes sheepish.

He looked at the human. “You are going in this?” Unlike his sister, the Kivren had noticed the slight chip on the side. “...Well, I can’t stop you. The wind is low today, so you probably won’t get blown away.”

Edward Lorain
 
Edward only noticed the arrival of Kivren as his sister retreated. He turned and nodded in welcome to one of his saviors.

"Yes, she'll do just fine."

Just in case though, he would not go about hitting the boat anymore. Edward looked up like he just noticed the wind, but shook his head. That would not do at all. She must be sleeping, or just being difficult.

"Oh, no she is just being shy. It'll pick up when I leave."

Edward was a strange man to begin with, but it wasn't uncommon to refer to a sailing vessel as she. However, it was strange to refer to a vessel in pairs of two...Unless was he talking about something else.

Morenli
 
Korenjo shrugged. “Fine.” He paused, then continued, “‘It?’ What do you mean by that?”

Korenjo felt confused by the sentence. Unless this human thought there were two winds or something, the words just didn’t make sense.

Morenli looked on, waiting for a translation.

Edward Lorain
 
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