13
Crescent Dusk
Orion’s Birth
Maanta’s heart beat heavily in the morning as he awoke, somehow Anna’s hand still resting softly in his. A clear clementine glow illuminated the water’s surface above, bathing them both in gentle warmth. I wish I could wake her so that we could share this sunrise together, he thought. But I can’t. She’s too beautiful while she sleeps and she needs her rest after the days we’ve had. I wouldn’t want to wake her from what looks to be such a peaceful slumber.
Anna’s head tilted beautifully to the side as small yellow fish scampered by.
He had been startled awake. He knew this, but at the same time it hadn’t been a panicky startle. A zesty fish scent swept across his nostrils. Where’s that scent coming from? He wondered.
“Do you prefer the scent of spiced squid?” Sift whispered while floating beside and above him in the waters, careful not to wake Anna. “When it is close to the nose it can awaken any beast. But I swept such a small piece across your nose to awaken you.”
“What happened to the good old fashioned shaking?” Maanta whispered back, grinning.
“The spiced scent will keep your senses alert much longer than any simple shaking.” The large man returned the smile. “Come. You will travel far this day. If you have luck and leave early you might find my realm before the darkness falls.”
Maanta swam away gently from Anna, careful not to let his movements or the ripples he left behind wake her. The currents somersaulted beneath his cupped webbed hands, pressing him in Sift’s direction, toward where the riding companions were resting. He looked back once more to Anna and smiled while swimming away, as the sight of her flooded him with a sense of tranquility.
Archa, Lola, Lisaly and the other riding fish dove and spun in the waters, as if playing a chasing game with each other, as Sift and Maanta dove down toward them from above. Archa nudged Lola’s side with her head and Lola in return sped quickly forward and back, gently whisking Archa’s nose with her waving tail.
“AAAOOO!” Archa beamed in reply, spinning in a circle around the large fish.
“Lola!” Sift beckoned to his riding companion. She glided swiftly to his side. “It is time to take our young friend Maanta to Baneal.” His large hands gently brushed back and forth on the fish’s vibrant scales. “Bring him safely to our home, Lovely Lola. I will miss you while you are away.”
As Sift said his goodbyes to Lola, Maanta also gave a temporary farewell to Archa, kissing her smooth head. Her long mouth nudged roughly upon his palm while she ate the salty crustaceans he had saved for her from last night’s feast. Devouring the last crispy morsel from his pale webbed fingertips, she then opened her mouth wide, bobbing it and smiling. “AO, AO!”
Sift stuffed something, bundled tight in kelp, into a pouch along Lola’s side. “Last night, as you slept, I spiced and saved leftover whale meat for you. Its spices will keep it safe to eat in days to come, and preserve its tenderness as well.” He spun a tiny dark piece of something between his lips. “And I have dried miniature morsels for Lola to also savor.” Another of the small dried things passed from Sift’s large dark fingers to Maanta’s pale ones.
The boy peeled it in half for smaller portions and mentally salivated while partaking of the salty treats. “Thank you. This is delicious. I’m sure Lola and I will appreciate this many times during our journey. Take care of Archa for me while I am away.”
“I will. Do the same with Lola, my friend. And take care while riding. The strength Lola possesses is far greater than that of most companions.”
“What do I do when I arrive to your people? Whom should I ask for?”
“The words you should use will come to you. And when you arrive, simply say to anyone that Sift has sent for them. Though my people have no leader, I am an elder and one whom they look up to. You must leave now for your journey, before sunlight rises higher overhead.”
I wonder how well Lola will accept me as a new riding companion, Maanta thought while petting her vibrant scales. He kissed Archa’s forehead once more, spun freely in the waters embracing his own movements, and slowly floated down upon Lola’s back. As he clenched his slim legs tight to her muscular sides, a strong feeling of respect for the strength of this fish surged through him. His webbed fists braced tightly to the holding stones Sift had placed along Lola’s front side. I wonder what riding with her will be like. How will it be different than riding with Archa?
Sift smiled sternly. “Fare thee well, young Maanta.”
“Fare thee well your self, friend.” With this Maanta pressed his heels to Lola’s sides, letting her know it was time to leave. Lola’s strength became obvious as she burst forth through the depths, as if a giant muscle carried him. He had to hold his body close so as not to be whipped off in the counter-flowing currents about her.
Faster and faster she sped, blurring all existence from vision as if a smudged cloud masked all things. Lola quickened more still and the waters around him dissolved to gray before a hissing entered his hearing.
“Ssssssssssss.” The waters barely tipped upon his earlobes while zipping by. “Ssssssssssss.”
This is maddening, Maanta thought to himself in the almost silence. I don’t know how Sift can stand to travel like this. He must have been holding back while riding with us before. Lola’s back bucked and sloped upward causing the boy to grasp tighter to the riding stones. His legs almost choked at the fish’s sides now. I don’t know why I was being so careful before when nudging her forward. It seems as if she barely knows I’m here with her. She thrust down again, to the left and right, quickly pivoting in a full circle at times. Whenever she did this, Maanta would almost lose his grip and spin off into the empty abyss.
With time though, hours it seemed, Maanta adjusted and became used to her movements. The hissing and blurry world took him mentally to a place where he was quite accustomed to being, a daydream.
Within the Daydream
Two nova white eyes glared at him, as he lay bonded to the darkness by molten chains. A chill breath rippled upon his neck, and he felt his singed arms and the foreign mind clawing, dragging at his soul. His stomach went clammy with blood’s pulse. Maanta was alone, not knowing where, but alone. Somehow this was familiar. Where was he?
“Come to me,” the spoken sounds burned within his mind. “Come and be adorned.”
“Who’s there?” Maanta replied. “What do you want of me?”
“I am power. I am strength. I am darkness.” Sizzling, the nova eyes glared through him as the words were spoken from the darkness beyond them.
“What do you want of me?”
“I am lust. I am hatred. I am fire.”
A shiver swept through Maanta’s body, sliced upon his skin. What was this thing speaking to him? What was happening?
“I am denial. I am jealousy. I am fear. Do you fear me?” It spoke in low ominous tones. “Come to me! Come and be adorned.”
Maanta huddled in a corner of the darkness with the light of the reflecting nova eyes shimmering across his face, unable to speak. Waters began to sizzle about him, forming boils upon his flesh. Tears flowed from his open eyes as his eyes themselves cooked like eggs and burst into the darkness.
The boy’s chest split, splattering the nova eyes with deep red blood, fizzling upon their touch. Then the world faded to nothing but rippled aquatic daylight.
Maanta convulsed as he awakened from the daymare, floating in open waters while Lola nudged roughly at his sides. Whatever that thing had been in his dream, he had no desire to see it again. “Did you throw me in the waters as I slept, lovely Lola?” He smiled to her; thankful she had noticed him missing and had come back for him.
To his surprise the daylight seemed to be nearing its end along the waters above, playing in pink hued colors now. He would have to rest here tonight, on a plain of open stone. Dark, glowing-eyed eels dipped and swooped after smaller fish in the far waters beyo
nd.
“Thank goodness for our leftover whale meat, eh girl? Do you think it will taste as good now as it did in the morn’s light?”
Lola spun in the waters with apparent happiness and hunger. As he took the meat from its bag, a spiced scent wafted up to make his taste moisten. Lola partook of the dried portions Sift had taken such care of preparing and the boy heated his meat cube over an open malta shell, browning it ever so slightly.
As he chewed, he reveled at the way it melted in his mouth.