Bloodlines of Archaea I. Afira

We had taken a faster route, which we had noticed from the top of Iuga, one which avoided all islands we had hit before, hoping to give the shadow creatures less of a chance to find us or to come close. We knew they most likely lurked close behind us, searching high and low for the crystal we had stolen, but still, the journey felt endless and as though we would never arrive. We ran low on food, supplies, and our water was down to droplets. We had to go several weeks before eating and days before drinking, even still, our supplies seemed to evaporate into thin air despite our measly attempts to keep it as long as possible. Even the seas seemed to become anxious, as they grew more and more active with each coming hour, almost tipping our boat many times, each time we came closer and closer to being eaten by the wild waves. My hands had long ago fallen into the rhythm of the waves, helping push ourselves closer to our destination, they were cracked and bleeding, but I ignored this and continued to row the boat, moving farther and farther along.

Akuma and I had ceased conversation and focused on our own, individual thoughts. It seemed somewhat strange, even somehow lonely not to talk with him. It was as though I had grown so dependant on him that I couldn’t even manage to think in my own, but having nothing to say and a fear to hide, I left myself thinking alone. I feared what would happen in the future, if I wasn’t capable of what I was foreseen to do. I shook my head, discarding my thoughts and deciding it was useless to worry. Instead, I allowed my mind to wander through my memories, picking and choosing which to play and which were worthless. I remembered a simple world which seemed to hide no secrets, my world was safe and secure, and never would I wonder when I would eat next or if the waves would absorb our boat before we even had the chance to fulfill our pre-decided destiny.

The island suddenly popped into view. Excited, I looked up ahead, realizing a deep fog had hidden our destination from view. A strong feeling of both excitement and nerve fluttered though my body as I thought of what lied ahead. I looked over at Akuma. He stared out at the ocean and hadn’t seemed to have noticed the island. I nudged his shoulder. His head turned, slowly, almost demonically.

“Akuma?” I asked, “are you okay?”

“By order of queen Sombra,” he answered, “the one the one they call Afi must die,” he said, drawing his father’s sword. He held my gaze captive with eyes which held no pupils, as if they had been turned inside out.