There was a faint sound of water lapping, stars far too bright were shining in the sky. Alone in a ship on an endless ocean. A faint shadow off the side of the boat, he could barley make out a pale form hiding in the reeds. Or perhaps it was being bound there? The seaweed holding its struggling translucent form, under the waves. A voice was calling him, as if from some distant unseen shore. He couldn't make out their words but he felt in his bones they were calling out for him. The starlight grew brighter the rays burning cold, as something scaled weaved through the waves towards him. Misery from below, hope above.
Note woke in a cold sweat. Tied up to a rotting pillar in what looked like an old boat house. The open end faced water. Which was graying as the sky grew cloudy. It was going to storm. Note couldn't hear any sounds of people around. Where ever he was must be a distance from the shopping district he'd been in. How long had he slept for? With the growing storm, it was difficult to judge the time of day.
A creaking door groaned as the priest strode in. Glancing his way, he didn't seem too surprised Note was awake.
"You're heavier than you look."
Note didn't care to respond to that. It had taken a lot of effort by his friends to fill him out. He was still far from being considered acceptable.
The priest huffed trying not to laugh at the young man who had reacted proudly to his jab.
"It took more then I'd expected to collect offerings this time. With the rats all scurrying away. I ended up a bit behind. Or else I wouldn't have bothered you. Consider it your own bad luck, huh. Don't blame me. But since you seem a bit weird, perhaps you won't be accepted. Or you'll survive. Who knows."
The man shrugged, yawning as if bored.
"I'm being fed to something aren't I?"
"Yep, sort of."
"It's something that slithers through the water. Isn't it."
The priest quirked his head, "Slithers? How did you? Have you seen it."
Note noted the sudden interest, "Are dreams not the usual side effect of your sleep spell?"
"You dreamed about it? Mind telling me what else you… saw?"
"Would sharing that help me?"
"It might. Who knows."
"I think you know."
"And I think it depends on what you've been dreaming about."
"Stars that burned cold. What did you say you followed again? Stars, right?"
The priest shifted a bit going quiet. He was just at the edge of Note's vision. Making it difficult to read his reaction. The storm began to stir, the rumble of thunder hummed in the distance. A movement in the water, a wave that didn't follow the current.
The priest moved up closer to the opening by the water. Pulling out an old looking ocarina. He hesitated blowing into it. Still thinking about what his captive had said. Why had he- It couldn't have been? Right?
As the man stood lost in thought, paws crept silently. When Note felt a soft muzzle brush up against his hands he nearly jumped. Oddly feeling at ease as the unseen beast rubbed against him. Barley containing his curiosity, the ropes he was bound with started to be tugged at and chewed on. Something with very sharp teeth and claws was freeing him.
The priest having debated with himself awhile, finally decided to raise the ocarina back to his lips. A dark shine caught the corner of his eye. The priest barley dodged away from the dagger that was flying at him. The vicious green glint of magic trailing after it. The dagger hadn't been aiming for him though. It was focused on the instrument that had been knocked out of his hand.
The priest tried to retrieve it, but was too busy having to dodge the swift weapon. As he was distracted the ropes around Note were quickly torn away. Feeling the tension ease, Note tried to stand. He must have been sitting there for some time, his legs were thoroughly asleep. He only stood up but the sudden sense of the blood in his body dropping nearly had Note tumbling onto his face. Suddenly Xian's arms were around his waist, steadying him.
The priest had managed to dive for his ocarina. The dagger having gotten a good slice in return. Only now noticing Note was lose and not alone. The dagger hovered protectively between them; they were in a stalemate.
The Priest sighed, "How the heck did you find us already. I know how to cover my tracks. The only way you could… Ah, you were already tracking him. That must be it. Dammit. Guess I'm the unlucky one today."
Note felt the fuzzy numbing of his legs begin to fade. He grew curious, they had him cornered right? Ravan was still concealed. So, they had the advantage? In that moment the priest risked the dagger's reaction. Throwing out something that as it hit the ground flashed brightly. Xian whose eyes were especially sensitive was blinded. Note's vision was spotting as he heard the light sorrowful tones of the flute. Before the sound abruptly cut off as a grunt of pain was heard.
The dagger was diving wildly, Ravan's sight must have been affected to. The dagger was defaulting to killing intent. It had already slashed the priest's wrist making him unable to play again. He was now busy pressing on the gushing wound. Note felt it would only be more dangerous if the dagger killed him now that he'd called to the thing in the water.
Reaching out with his own magic, Note attempted to will the dagger to calm down. Surprisingly the dagger shuttered a bit before stopping in its attacks. It did a few clumsy waves in the air as Note tried to figure out how to direct it. The magic trail of the dagger shifted to a maroon hue as it came to still; holding the priest at knife point again. Xian was gripping onto Note still struggling to see, as tears fell from his stinging eyes.
The priest weakly held up his wounded hand in a 'I give' motion. Note thought to the dagger, 'the slightest move of his mouth, go for kill'. He felt an affirmation respond back to him. Another ruckus of thunder tumbled over head as Ravan appeared beside him suddenly. Eyes wide he pointed to the water. Note followed his hand to see something was getting closer. The sound of the ocarina had been enough to tell it to approach.
Just like his dream, dark scales were weaving through the miserable water. Rain started falling so hard it was difficult to see through. This was how this thing hid. It couldn't be spotted in such a storm. A long serpentine body rose from the water. Its scales dull. Its great head scarred. Eyes a milky white. Note felt an odd sense of déjà-vu; recalling the shadowy monstrosity the pale scholar had become. This creature struck some sort of instinctive fear. Note could feel it. The way Xian and Ravan gripped onto him, told him they felt it too.
There was another feeling though. Somewhere in the back of Note's head he felt… pity. As if the creature before him was wrong. Was it the same as his ghost? Something that had lost itself?
The priest noticed the glint in Note's eyes. But as he nearly opened his mouth, the dagger twitched. Instead, he tested his hand, the dagger stayed still. The priest wiggled his fingers drawing Note's attention. He raised his hand as if asking to be allowed to speak. Note looked to the massive creature; it hadn't even used its tongue to sense the air. The dagger backed off a bit, Note giving him a chance to speak.
The priest spoke slowly in awe, "You feel it too, don't you?"
The priest glanced at the serpent. A doting and sorrowful look briefly flashing across his features. Before he concealed them again. Speaking as he stared at the creature.
"It's blind, has no tongue. Its fangs are gone too."
Note looked at the massive beast, "How did it lose them?"
"People, mortals stole everything."
Ravan faintly tugged at Note, the impact of the fear the creature instilled not allowing him to do more. Note understood, he didn't want him to trust the priest. Note didn't trust him, but he was too curious to leave without knowing.
Note asked, "Why?"
The priest shook his head, "I don't know the full story. This used to be a divine serpent, a child born in the realm of my master. It- They had lived amongst us on the mortal plain for centuries. Then as we all started forgetting, it's past kindness... Some humans from this region hunted it. Stealing not only its body parts. They even stole their divinity. Taking it for themselves."
Note recalled something, "That family, that you were hunting?"
The priest nodded, "The ancestors of the ones who did this. I thought it was only fair. Returning what was stolen. Then like rats they scattered, I had to start scrounging for anyone with a trace of divine blood or favour."
"Will it be healed? From all those sacrifices."
The priest looked down sighing, "No, not really. Perhaps if I hunted down every last descendent. But no family stays all in one place… My lord is wrathful, when justice cannot be made. Revenge is just as well."
"Is there no other way?"
Note felt Xian squeeze harder, worrying over him no doubt. The priest looked pale, but as he glanced at Note he almost seemed eager. Trying to not control the faint hope that was growing in his chest.
"Perhaps. I think my master has already glanced at you. If he is hopeful… Why don't you take a look? Maybe you can do more then I ever could."
Note stared at the priest. Not really interested in being tricked. The priest let out a strained chuckle. With a bloodied hand he pulled his holy symbol off, holding it out. As his wounds re-opened from the movement.
"With this it won't harm you. Hurry up, I'm bleeding out here."
Note slowly pried the death grips of his partners off, as he went for the symbol. Putting it over his neck. Slowly next he approached the water's edge. The serpent only shifted its head towards him after the holy symbol pulsed. The stars on the crest shining even in the dim light.
A wave of fear once again washed over him. As the creature turned its blind gaze to him. Then as he got a closer look at the deep wounds across the creature's body. The wave of pity that followed, once again allowed him to move. Note raised a hand; the serpent lowered its great head. Resting it on the edge of the dock. Note carefully touched the cool scales of its brow. Feeling the way, it shuttered. Note wondered if this was all still a trap. If reaching out with his magic would lead to his soul being devoured.
The memory of the dishevelled pale scholar bound to the ruins of their home. Again, flashed across his mind. What if he'd hesitated then? Note reached out tentatively with his magic. Seeing if any of the creature's wounds could be healed.
Suddenly Note's vision was flooded with memories; its memories. A reflection in a still pond, a handsome spirit with cunning playful eyes. Of vibrant cherry blossoms- no scales. They were scales, his scales. A realm full of eternal starlight and spring. The human world, full of silly weak stupid mortals. But how cute they were when they were small. The spirit couldn't resist doting on children. Taking them in when he found them abandoned. Sharing his divinity with humans to protect them. Calling them his kin.
Note felt the happiest years of this snake spirit's life flash before his eyes. As well as all the dark centuries since. The good memoires had been lost to it for a long time. His healing magic couldn't fix wounds this deep. Still, he reached out trying to warm the serpents' woes. Find a way to ease the misery. This old spirit's mind had eroded. Being trapped on this plain, being robbed of everything that could be stolen, then abandoned. A spark of an idea.
Note asked the great old spirit, "Ancient one. Are you willing to trade your final eons? I have an idea. A way to free you of this eternal suffering."
A worn out but kind old voice replied in his mind, "I am not afraid of endings little one. Do as you wish."
Note's magic thrummed; the massive body was swallowed by light. Ravan and Xian felt sense return to them. No longer paralyzed by fear. The storm began to part, rays of light cutting through the clouds. Ravan's dagger that had fallen once Note focused on his own magic, flew back to its master. Acting as if it hadn't obeyed another, moments before.
Xian glanced at the still bleeding man who had crumbled against the wall. Then to Note who was now standing alone by the water side. Looking down to something in his hands.
Before either could ask Note what he'd done. He walked over to the priest. Pressing a hand to his shoulder and healing him. Both the boys and the priest stared in shock as his wounds healed. Note then handed the man back his symbol. Before carefully placing a small pastel pink snake into his hands. The man blinked at the little snake, its red eyes looking at him as its tongue flickered.
Note smirked at his confusion, "From now on, just focus of spoiling this little fella. He's a regular snake now, so feed him normal snake things. Like mice, not people."
The snake relaxed into the faint warmth of the man's hands. His face still pallid from blood loss. He looked from the lounging snake in his hands to Note. Too dumbfounded to speak. He just raised a finger and gently traced down the snake's little head.
"I don't know if this will satisfy your god. But I think this one's quite content to live out the rest of his days as a normal snake. Though it wouldn't hurt to spoil him."
The priest chuckled, a genuine look of amazement in his eyes as he looked up at Note.
Nodding his head, "That sounds alright. I might as well retire too. Were too matured fellows eh."
The snake flickered its tongue. It's little face almost seemed to smile.