Bastian's Song [Complete--Editing]

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Bastian swam as quickly as his exhausted tail muscles would let him. Varya kept a strong grip on his arm, and he was grateful for her incredible speed, but that same speed put a lot of stress on his shoulder.

And Bastian ached. His chest had an odd twinge in it, his head was foggy from all the crying he had done, and his stomach rumbled with hunger. He tried to remember the last time he had even eaten, and he couldn't.

His mind conjured up a tray, carved of fine coral, and laden with delicate rolls of fish and seaweed. The imaginary smell made him drool.

Varya looked over her shoulder at him and chuckled. "Are you hungry, Triton? We could grab a bite to eat."

Bastian didn't even have to answer. His stomach grumbled loudly enough for all to hear. "Uh... yes, please."

"Do not worry. Soon, there will be life aplenty for us to hunt. The ustrina looks after us." Varya turned her attention back to the ocean in front of them.

Despite the coarse black sand and glass that littered the floor around them, Bastian noticed more signs of leafy greens growing along the floor. Delicate plants that usually only spawned in shallower waters were thriving in the deep ocean. He wanted to stop, to see if they were real, but Varya dragged him on.

Soon, the water grew noticeably warmer. Bastian's muscles relaxed with the heat, and he had to fight a powerful urge to just close his eyes and sleep. He longed for his room in Nereus, with the soft cushion of seaweed and algae over his coral bed.

With the heat, though, came a smell that Bastian was unfamiliar with. It crept through the water and coated his tongue with an acidic after taste. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Ugh. What is this?"

Varya did not look back at him. "It is something the ustrina gives off. Along with heat and other things. I do not know what your people call it."

Shortly after that, the water began to brighten. Muted light flowed from cracks in the ground that also spat out jets of water. Varya swam carefully around them, so Bastian made sure not to touch them.

"We are near." Her voice sounded tense, and Bastian tried to figure out what her tribe would look like. Neither she nor Varick wore clothing, or seemed to care for it. Both of them bore scars, but Bastian had seen how fierce they looked in battle and witnessed their physical strength for himself, so he didn't think that was unusual for their people.

The ground sloped upward, the cracks flowing all along the new incline. Though it was dark, the light from the cracks revealed that this was not just a simple groundswell, it was a vast expanse of raised ground. The cracks rose up, taller than the palace in Nereus even.

Bastian felt very small.

Varya stopped, but she didn't release her hold on Bastian. She turned to him, and the look on her face was so vulnerable that he wanted to give her a hug.

"Varya? What's wrong?"

She shook her head and straightened her shoulders. "We just have to swim around the base of the ustrina, and we will be upon the meeting of the tribes. I..." Varya swallowed. "I wanted to thank you, one last time, for taking this chance. For coming with us."

Beside them, Varick and Zareb came to a stop and looked at one another. Bastian saw them draw close, out of the corner of his eye. Zareb pressed his forehead against Varick's and the two of them said nothing. They only looked at each other.

"Varya, I should be the one thanking you." Bastian turned his arm around and gripped her forearm with his. "Without you, I would not even know of this chance to make peace between our people. You've taken a huge risk."

Varya's eye glistened, but she did not cry. Something inside Bastian knew that if she ever did shed a tear, it would be only in a truly desperate time. He hoped such a time never came for her.

"Then there are some things you should know," Varya said. "But first, I think food is in order." She release Bastian's arm and turned her face upward. Above them, several schools of small fish swam in formation, moving with the tides. Varya swam toward them at a speed that suggested she wasn't tired at all, and immediately snagged several of the small fish in between her fangs.

It was a barbaric site for Bastian. Most of his life, he had been served fish that was already dead and presented to him with an artistic flourish. But as Varya hunted, and the smell of blood spread through the water, Bastian discovered he didn't care how the food got to him. He only cared that he ate as much of it as he could.

Bastian joined Varya in the hunt. His sharp fangs ripped into a small fish, and the taste of fresh meat and blood filled his mouth. The crunch of small bones filled him with immense satisfaction. Food had never tasted so good. When the two of them had eaten their fill, they brought some extra catches down to Zareb and Varick.

While their friends ate, Varya spoke to Bastian. "On the other side, all of the tribes will be present, celebrating the goddess and praying. Our leader will be there too. His name is Rodion."

Bastian nodded, his eyes solely on Varya's face. Though her words sounded calm, her twitchy tail revealed her nerves.

"No one will stop us from coming close. They will stare, though. Ignore them. And when you find Rodion, you must show no sign of weakness. Do not cry. Do not look away. If you do, he will never listen to you. We will have come all this way for nothing."

"How will I know him?" Bastian asked.

She smiled. "You will know him when you see him. Trust me on that. And he will know who you are. Even out here, we know the golden tails that rule our enemies."

Bastian nodded. "Okay." He took a calming breath. "Shall we go then?"

Varya looked to Varick, who nodded. Zareb moved to Bastian's side and spoke. "Just a little longer, Bast. Then we can go home."

Without his mother, Bastian wasn't sure that Nereus would feel like home again, but he didn't say anything. At least when they returned to their city, his Uncle would be waiting, and Bastian had some words for him when all was done.

They moved around the base of the volcano, staying close to the ground. Varya took the lead, with Varick at her side, and Bastian followed. Zareb brought up the rear, watchful and wary. It took them a half hour to fully round the base and by then, the moon had risen into the sky. When they finally saw the Selach tribes, Bastian nearly gasped.

Hundreds of Selachs swam in a giant, lazy circle beside the volcano, their grey skin lit only by the light of the earth fire. In the middle of the school of sharks, there was a roughly hewn statue of Selene dancing. Her form was captured in volcanic glass, so that she seemed to shine in the light of the volcano.

Above the circles of merfolk swam a single merman. His shoulders were broad, even from a distance, and his tail was by far the largest. As soon as they noticed the intruders, the lazy circles became tight formations, each Selach breaking out of the pattern to turn and watch the approaching party.

Varya climbed in the water immediately. She didn't look back to see if anyone was following. Bastian kept his eyes on the merman. When they were two dozen or so hands away, the merman lifted one large hand, palm out, in a stopping motion. Instantly, Varya froze in the water. The pack leader of the Selachs spoke, and his voice was a rumble in the water.

"Why do you bring these Naiads into our sacred celebration, daughter?"

Bastian looked at Varya, and felt distrust well up inside him. 

Daughter?

~~~~~~~~

Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuun. Who saw it coming?