The Heir of Depths

In the same island, not so far away from were Arline had arrived, three young men were gathered in the shore, trying to catch some stubborn hakes unsuccessfully. Letting out a frustrating sigh and one of them stepped out of the water “This is absolutely useless, we really should’ve brought a Huntress” Zeroun Ralva was the oldest of the three with shiny, blond hair and amber eyes.

“Like any of them would’ve come” the other two said at the same time.

They gave up the idea of even catching a fish quicker than expected and decided to light a fire. The dark haired young man was feeling uneasy and both of his friends knew him well enough to tell he wasn’t all there.

“What is it with you?” The young man with a buzz cut asked him. Calix Lohs, who looked healthier than the other two only because of his tan skin and his well-built physique, had the eyes colored by the Caribbean Sea and his hair, well it used to be a light shade of brown.

“I don’t know, I feel funny” he said while scratching his left wrist “I feel there is someone near”. Larsin Dortamus was the young man with mid-neck, dark hair and moss green eyes, he was tall and slim, and his skin was fairly pale, just like Zeroun’s.

“Well the deer hunters are out there” Calix suggested but Larsin shook his head, waving his dark curls “Oh please, the sun is coming down Larsin” his friend complained as he realized what Larsin wanted to do.

“It won’t take long, just a check up and maybe we can find something decent to eat” the darker haired man quickly got up from his spot and gathered his weapons. The blond man just shook his head in disapproval and got up to join his friend.

“Stay alert Calix” he commanded and scrubbed his head for good luck. Calix just rolled his eyes.

Larsin and Zeroun were walking the forest quietly, armed and aware, listening to even the smallest insect in the darkening woods that could mean a threat.

“Just spit it Larsin, what did you feel?” Zeroun broke the unbearable silence placed in between them.

“A tingle in my hands, shivers on my neck and butterflies on my stomach” Larsin sighed, he didn’t look at his friend, feeling a little bit of embarrassment “Please don’t think I’m stupid Zeroun” he sounded like child not wanting to get in trouble.

“I believe you, I don’t know why” Zeroun chuckled.

Larsin couldn’t help but let out a small smile, feeling a little less ridiculous. They kept walking until, in the distance, they were lightened by the shadow of a small fire. They hid deeper in the shadows.

“I’m getting closer” Zeroun whispered. He got out of his hiding spot and Larsin followed him, covering his back.

Larsin took a grip of Zeroun’s arm to catch his attention. They were too close to the hunters to talk normally. His friend violently lifted his chin and furrowed his eyebrows but the dark haired boy just looked down slowly. There was a girl, the girl. Zeroun didn’t noticed her at first. Both of them seemed shocked and took a few steps back. She was deeply asleep.

“She’s who I felt” a barely audible whisper escaped Larsin’s lips.

“What are we supposed to do with her?” Zeroun mumbled while looking back and forth, checking on the hunters near them.

“We take her with us” Larsin showed decision on his tone, which took his friend by surprise.

“Are you insane?” Zeroun sounded horrified at the idea and violently shook his head and was ready to leave his spot, back to their little camp.

“We can’t leave her” Larsin complained.

“Don’t come and play the hero now” Zeroun was going back to the safety of the shadows.

“You know what could happen if they discover her” Larsin grabbed his friend by his arm with a tight grip to stop him.

They did in fact know what could happen and immediately felt a twisting feeling in their stomach. Zeroun took a look at the big men and looked down at her again. She was curled up in a ball, peacefully sleeping.

“What do you feel?” Zeroun needed a reasonable answer before doing anything.

“Static energy, everywhere” Larsin exposed without hesitation.

Despite wanting to fight his friend on this nonsense, Zeroun felt it too. She was like them and couldn’t leave her on her mercy. So he picked her up carefully, her not even flinching. She was lighter thank he thought and started walking away carefully, trying to not make so much noise and dove in the depths of the forest, losing themselves in the darkness.

Calix was playing with the fire, clearly bored, waiting for his friends, when he heard the crunch of breaking branches and picked up his knife straight away, pointing it at the dark.

“It’s just us Cal” Larsin was clearing the path for Zeroun.

“Please tell me it’s either a hunter or their venison” he was too hopeful until he saw the size of the silhouette his friend was carrying and his expression dropped “What on Earth did you bring?”

Zeroun shushed him while laying the girl next to the fire to warm her up a bit, accommodating her head carefully as if she was a newborn.

Calix was standing before his friends with his arms crossed, waiting for an explanation but before Larsin could give him one, he interrupted him “You and your damned tingles” Calix took a look at the still body “She looks dead”

“She’s not, she’s just freezing” Larsin barely touched her left cheek “Calix warm her up” he ordered.

“You better be joking” he looked confused, even a bit scared but approached her and put a hand on her forehead ”How is she alive?" he thought to himself.

Zeroun kicked him to get the job done. Calix couldn’t deny it either, his entire body tingled with static energy just in the presence of this mysterious girl. He felt obligated to do it. Arline was breathing slowly, pale skin and cold to the touch and her clothes were damp. She should’ve died, considering she surely didn’t eat and the weather to which she had been exposed only got colder as the night settled.

Calix placed his right hand above her neck and started to move it around her ears, cheeks, hands and collarbone. Life came back to her, her breathing was stronger and her cheeks and lips turned to it’s natural pink blush.

The three friends surrounded the fire, all seated, looking directly to this stranger and falling asleep slowly, while their stomachs growled and their limbs slightly shivered as the iced wind hit them. They would ask questions when she was awake, for now they were all going to rest.