Cilille just said that Umerangg didn't need to reach my sister again... Does that mean..?
The arriver came to a halt before us, making the following dust envelope us in a much slower halt.
"Good heavens, Cilille! He's not breathing!" Came a fiery voice belonging to the arriver, making even me realize that indeed, I had been holding my breath since leaving Umerangg's hut a second ago.
"What?" Cilille asked at first, before finally coming up to speed. "Oh! Oh, by the great scales! You're right!"
"I had almost forgotten--"
"Nevermind, I'll do it." The voice was still shrouded in sea dust that hadn't settled, so I still couldn't see her.
What I could see what a spot of golden-yellow gather and fly towards me, immediately shrouding me in a light the same color as she was when arriving. My clothes dried off immediately and oxygen came right back into my lungs. From where? Don't ask me.
"Did I ever tell you your forgetfulness can get someone killed?" She floated forward from the dust, finally allowing me to study her features.
She was shorter than me, maybe an average height, with hair that I would guess was shoulder-length, since it was nothing but a halo around her head. The hair was almost a gold blonde color but not quite, making me think it would shine under the sun.
Her face was oval-shaped, with high cheekbones and doey eyes, eyes that had an Amber tint to them and only appearing brighter with her magical glow but also with slightly bigger pupils.
"T-That's... That's my sister?" I mumbled to myself, wondering why her face, while beautiful and somewhat similar to mine, didn't ring any bells. My brows knitted.
Her eyes finally settled on me, going from angry to a mix of shock and relief.
"Car..."
Even her voice sounded foreign. I really didn't remember anything about this girl who called herself my sister. I was disappointed in myself.
And yet she seemed to know what I felt, like a true sister would. She turned to Cilille, who was still supporting most of me.
"What's happened to him? Why is he covered in covered on cuts and bruises? What's he doing here in Tumialan?" She swam closer, placing a palm on my sore cheek. "Why have his eyes lost their light?"
"Um, well hold on. I have to try to answer that in the right order, even though I can't answer them all..."
"I..." How does one say they don't remember their sister, to their sister's face? It would hurt her feelings for sure, but would it hurt mine? It should. But I don't have any memories of her, she's like a stranger.
"He doesn't remember you, Oona." Cilille beat me to it, thankfully. Though it didn't soften the blow.
She was absolutely taken aback by that, sparing no range of emotions.
"Doesn't... Doesn't reme--" Her eyebrows shot up, her pupils became more dilated. "Why doesn't he remember me?!" She half-yelled.
"Well, not you alone specifically," Cilille corrected. "According to Umerangg, he doesn't remember anything. Until a moment ago he didn't even know his name."
If heartbreak was a facial expression, she was the perfect mime to play it. It seemed to take her aback even more, making her hand leave my cheek shaking.
But all these introductions to new emotions-or rather a lack of-and people were taking a toll nonetheless, I couldn't help leaning on Cilille's cold body a little more.
"Look, we can address the issue later." He said, seeming to sense the increase of my weight on him. "He needs a lot of rest right now, he's passed out almost twice in Umerangg's hut."
As if snapping back from a trance, she pulled back her emotions and nodded. "I'll go see Umerangg then. You also come see me, after making sure he's safe and secure."
"On it," He half saluted. "Come on, buddy."
"I'll see you later, Car." She said, turning away before speaking again. "I'll figure this out, I promise you."
She promises...
She doesn't hesitate to help me get my memories back, no faltering...
Was I that good of a brother in my past? Or is she that good of a sister regardless of whether I was a caring sibling or not?
Why can't I remember even just one thing about her? About this underwater world?
"Not even about myself...?" I found myself muttering out the last part.
"D-Don't worry yourself too much with that," Cilille said from beside me. "We're already closer to finding answers with just your sister here now. She knows how to get the job done!"
Even though he meant it to be uplifting, it didn't do much to cheer me up. Any brother should feel proud upon hearing how efficient their sister is, though I couldn't even tell if she was the older sibling or I. I can't tell anything at all about my own sister!
"W-Where are we going anyway?"
"Umerangg said to take you to one of our spare huts, but Oona said to make sure you're also safe. And the only place that comes to mind that satisfies both demands," I was half attentive now, almost feeling a sudden weight in the water's atmosphere. "Is my hut!" He sang this time, sending a pleasant lilt up my spine.
But a terrible, inhuman screech destroyed that lilt the next second and I almost threw up. So did Cilille, I felt go completely tense.
"It... It can't be. Not here...." He hissed, acting very unlike himself all of a sudden.
He immediately let go of me, darting his eyes around, pointed ears trying to spot the source of the noise. I, on the other hand, sank to the sea floor, having gotten no rest. I wasn't sure if I could even move my limbs. I was only able to lift my head and shoulders, propping myself roughly on my elbows.
"Wh-What is it?" I choked out.
"They shouldn't be all the way here," His eyes finally settled on a direction, just as a distorted shape emerged, zipping around us in circles until it kicked up enough dust to fence us in.