I am Skylar Dawin, one of the many children coming of age, with one key difference: I am not of noble blood. My foster mother found me as a baby, her memories claim the sea brought me to the shore, although few believe her. My family, who raised me, lives on one of the smaller islands known as Eldkiwane. It is now often referred to as the Mortals' Island, as fewer and fewer children here receive abilities each year. The inhabitants believe this started when the sea brought me ashore; they blame me for everything, and my family bears the brunt of it. We are treated like servants, enduring daily torrents of words that break us. I came of age this summer, and like many others, there was no spark of ability in me. Just like any other day, words were spat at me when nothing happened during the nightly initiation ceremony. All hope shattered, for I was the last this year who could have possessed an ability. Despite their hatred for my existence, that night, I saw a glimmer of hope in their eyes, hoping that maybe I could succeed. Yet, I even took that away from them.
I started my day incredibly early, rising with the sun as I have for years, heading to the shore to practice. This day was no different. When the first light of dawn appeared in the sky, I slipped out of bed and, after putting on my clothes, quietly left the house. Since they can't stand us, I am not allowed to attend the training sessions. I've been my own coach since childhood, learning everything I could on my own. I managed to grasp archery and knife-throwing quite well, in my opinion. I practiced swordplay on a dummy made of tree branches, but it was never the same.
When I finished my daily routine, I took off my shoes and walked into the water. I closed my eyes, allowing the waves to gently caress my skin while the rising sun's rays provided warmth. Silence filled the village; only the sounds of the sea and the wind could be heard. These moments were the most precious to me. Listening to nature's soft melody, every minute was worth it. My peace was interrupted by the sharp sound of a horn, followed by the waves suddenly accelerating. I hastily left the shore, knowing what was approaching. A ship, which visited us every year on this day, in the hope of taking a child to the training camp in Wargolion. Last year, they took only one child, and I saw the pity in the warriors' eyes. This year, we would witness massive disappointment, as the gods hadn't gifted anyone. I ran into my mother's room and woke her up.
"Mother! Mother!" I called, and she blinked her eyes sleepily. "The warriors have arrived! They came early, and everyone is still sleeping!"
"That's bad, Skylar! Hurry, pull yourself together, and wake them up. I'll go help too," she murmured, struggling to get out of bed. I nodded, then rushed back into the courtyard of the island's governor. The guards immediately blocked my way, aiming their weapons at me with angry eyes. I knew they'd gladly knock me down; they hated me just like the others.
"Everyone needs to wake up immediately; the warriors have arrived!" I gasped, slightly out of breath from running, and in a panic, people scattered throughout the village, waking everyone up. My task here was done. As the command dictated every year, I walked to the shore, where the warriors were already waiting for us. Except for my mother and father, no one else was there, which the people across from us didn't view kindly.Summoning every ounce of courage, I walked towards them, then after a bow, words started flowing out of me.
"I apologize, we didn't expect you this early. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
"Who are you to speak on behalf of the islanders?" asked one woman, her voice high-pitched and sharp. I swallowed and stepped back, still gazing at the golden sand beneath my feet.
"Nobody... I am nobody," I muttered, then quietly moved beside my parents, still staring at the ground. We waited in silence as everyone withdrew. Slowly, the people gathered, and the governor arrived, wearing a sad smile.
"I deeply regret the trouble we have caused and are causing."
"What should I make of this, my lord?" the harpy asked again. Both I and the governor were taken aback; her hair stood on end, and her face twisted in a grimace.
"Regrettably, we must inform you that the gods haven't gifted anyone this year. Our last hope faded away during the summer," he said, casting a sharp glance in my direction, causing a faint blush of shame to cover my face.
"It seems our journey was in vain, your existence has become meaningless. Why should the empire continue to support you with food and money if you have nothing to offer?" The harpy's words cut through the air like a knife, and every inhabitant looked around with frightened eyes. We had heard of vanished, sunken islands, but this kind of punishment hadn't been applied for decades.
"Our empire will no longer support you. The sea will bring you peaceful tranquility. Warriors, board the ship! In the name of the king and my father, I will sink the island," she shouted, revealing herself to be the princess. My throat tightened; many people began to panic, rushing towards their homes to save their belongings, while others threw themselves towards the ship, but arrows stopped them. No matter how cruel they had been to me, they didn't deserve this dreadful end. I felt anger surging through my body, and I heard the faint whistling of the wind in my ears. The once-beautiful blue sea turned dark, and its level started rising around the island, forming a wall like a pack of wolves. Then the waves turned towards the shore. I closed my eyes and let the sounds of nature permeate my body. The wind almost whistled around me; the sea roared in my ears, and then I felt warmth enveloping my body. When I opened my eyes, everyone was staring at a single point. Me.
At first, I couldn't comprehend it, then I looked around. The sea, which moments ago had tried to sink us, now crashed into a barrier and spread around us like a sphere. It was as if we were underwater. I didn't know how, but I felt that this barrier originated from me, I did this. The harpy, who had sunk us, was no longer inside the sphere, only us, the inhabitants. I closed my eyes again; I felt myself weakening, so with my last strength, I did what I had to do. As if lifting a pebble from the ground, I lifted the island out of the sea. I felt the surprised gazes of those on the ship and the island, but I ignored them. I knew that with this act, I saved the people, and hopefully, we would survive this treacherous attack. Every part of my body was drenched in sweat, and I felt myself nearing unconsciousness, but I didn't give up until the island returned to its original state. Only after completing my task did I let my lifeless hands fall to my sides, and darkness engulfed me.