Navi
While training in the depths of the sea, my mind obsesses about Adri's new friend. Why
has she still not returned? Something does not feel right.
The uneasiness that settled in my chest gnaws at me. I had allowed her meetups to
continue with the hope that it would bring her some happiness, but now I fear the worst.
My instincts scream that something is terribly wrong.
"I cannot sit here and wait any longer!"
Setting off to find her, I zip through the water to where I last saw them together. The
faint trace of Kellan's essence guides me through the night and to his apartment. This is
where that troublemaker brought my snowflake? My heart pounds as I approach with a
sense of dread growing stronger.
The scene that greets me is one comparable only to nightmares. The walls, the floor,
and the ceiling are draped in thick coats of blood, and the remains of the human's pet
have been scattered grotesquely. Only a Zephyr could have unleashed such fierce
vengeance. As I scan the room for any trace of my daughter, I land on a badly
wounded, blood-drenched Kellan. The hapless mortal clings to his pistol beside an open
safe.
"You can thank your gods you have that thing," I mutter as I lift him onto the bed.
Too weak to respond and barely conscious, he nods as far he can as I promise to help
him.
My only concern now is getting him better so I can find Adri and bring her back home.
But first, I need my supplies.
Shooting through the giant hole in the wall the others must have made, I rush back
home for the equipment, my mind tormented by the thought of my snowflake in the
hands of those monsters.
The flight home feels never-ending, and the tears stream down my cheeks. I plead
helplessly for forgiveness from my dearest Kimara.
"Forgive me, my love. I have failed her. Failed you."
Every new breath feels like a dagger to the chest as my fears continue to grow. Arriving
home, Elleo, a Zephyr combat servant I knew well, awaits.
"Navi," he says, a mocking tone in his voice. "You have been summoned for treason."
I scoff, openly mocking him in return. "And they sent you to deliver me?"
His grin quickly fades, and he charges at me without warning, slamming my head into
the wall. The waters appear murky as I regain my senses and watch as he cockily steps
back.
"This isn't like old times, friend. I've gotten much, much stronger," he says.
I see Adrav is not taking any chances, sending only his strongest combatants to defeat
me.
"Very well," I say. And with fire coursing through my veins, I charge at him fiercely.
The intensity of our blows destroys the illusion of a home I have created. The rage
overpowers me, and I abandon all reason. My speed, coupled with this untamable
frenzy and thirst for his blood, I slaughter Elleo, leaving nothing but a mist of chum for
our fellow ocean dwellers to feast on.
Grabbing my supplies, I hurry back to Kellan's apartment.
∗∗∗
The next few days have been brutal, tending to Kellan, whose slow healing acts as a
constant reminder of my daughter's peril. Finally, he regains his strength and shares the
events that transpired the night of Carnival.
His eyes are haunted as he speaks. "Adri radiated with happiness as she enjoyed the
sweetness of freedom. But then she said she 'sensed' something—a wave of terror and
fear. She became adamant and demanded that we leave immediately, and we did."
"Then what?" His silence burns like the fires of Odoppia, the fires we had at the peak
when it was still resting in the heavens.
"She flew us back here for a quicker escape, but when we arrived, they were already
waiting for us. Four of them. One of them stood out to me, though. He looked nothing like
the rest. Almost like a demented King Atlan of Atlantis."
My heart sinks. "Adrav."
Kellan swallows hard, desperate to share what happened quickly. "He called her by her
name, claiming he was here to return her to the position destined for her by the Gods.
We fought them off as best we could, but by the time I got out my gun, they'd already
taken her. The one they left to finish me off only killed Zion, and even after I shot him, he
just walked out of the door."
Clearly, they left him alive for me to find.
As the fear grips my heart, the desperation clouds my mind. "Adri is at the mercy of our
colony and a king hellbent on carrying on his race. I have to surrender," I say heavily.
Kellan screams that my resolve is madness, as if he knows the true extent of my current
hysteria. His eyes are wide with dismay.
"There has to be another way! Adri will never forgive me if anything must happen to you."
Rage surges within me, veins pop out of my skin, and a glimpse of my reflection in a
broken piece of glass catches my attention. My eyes glow brighter than ever as I lose
control of my reserve.
"What chance does a human stand against a Zephyr?! And a Royal at that!" I roar. "You
could not even protect her, so what makes you think you will be of any use to me?"
He recoils; hurt and anger mingle in his gaze. "I love her. Please, I need to help."
My rage vaguely subsides as sorrow slowly replaces it.
"Love, human, is insufficient. The Royals possess abilities far beyond your imagination.
To save her, I must surrender."
Shaking his head with determination, he insists that we find a better way.
"Trust me, I can help you find a better way. Just give me a minute to think."
Deep down, I know he is right, but Adri's fate rests in the hands of those monsters. I feel
nothing but powerlessness. Preparing to leave, I plead with the gods for a miracle,
desperately hoping that I make it in time to free her from the nightmare that awaits.