Anomaly of Thra

Waters of Passage

Re-edited 

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With every passing minute, a cold deluge relentlessly pummeled her. She welcomed the chill that surrounded her, numbing her skin, the flesh beneath, and seemingly her very marrow. The water dulled the aching in her bones that grew every time the waves withdrew. As she stirred, sand bit into her skin, causing her to grit her teeth. Suddenly, she felt something salty drip into her mouth, causing her to bolt up in surprise. She choked and sputtered, gasping for air as she crawled away. Her vision was clouded, and she could feel her soaked hair clinging to her face.

"God... What happened?" Helen felt her muscles protest as she inched blindly toward higher ground. Dragging herself along, she figured this had to be a beach from the smell of salt. Finally, she found a spot to rest and rolled onto her back, shielding her eyes from the sun with a hand. Helen's eyes widened as she counted not one, not two, but three suns in the sky. "What the..?" she whispered, her heart skipping a beat at the sound of faint movement. She whipped around with a pained yelp. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as a shiver ran down her spine. She couldn't tell if it was due to fear or the cold biting at her limbs. "H-hello?" she coughed, her throat parched and raw from seawater. Was the river possibly an estuary? Struggling to see, the blonde blinked and strained to make out the blurry scene before her. No silhouettes revealed themselves as Helen looked around, only finding a haze of sea and sand. She glanced back up at the sky and rubbed her stinging eyes. "Dammit," she cursed, frustration and confusion building inside her. There was no other explanation for what she was seeing except for hallucinations, but everything felt all too real. Hypothermia hadn't set in yet, at least not fully. Then again, maybe it had progressed to where she couldn't tell anymore.

"Um... Hello? Is anyone there?!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the empty beach. Her legs felt like jelly as she struggled to stand up. Looking around the strange beach, she couldn't help getting a twinge of excitement. The sounds, the smells, it all seemed...different. She couldn't shake the suspicion that she was somewhere entirely new. With her arms stretched out at her sides, Helen floundered along the shoreline. The weight of her soaked clothes was like lead as sand crawled up her ankles and into her shoes with every step. Despite the vast expanse of the beach, it amazed her she had yet to encounter anyone. Was it a private beach? "Is there anybody here?!" Helen yelled again, using her hands to brush the soaked hair from her face. Her stomach clenched as she remembered her parents and brother. How long had she floated downstream to get this far? No doubt they were worried sick and searching frantically. When she began her second year in her program, they'd been ecstatic. The cabin getaway was supposed to be a gift to celebrate the start of the new semester. Now though, the guilt was overwhelming as she imagined search parties and tearful appeals in front of news teams. All this mess over her just wanting to get a closer look at the river... The sound of the sea mingled with the clatter of wood on stone, causing her to snap her head up. "Hello?!"

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The Mystic Valley hummed with life, a gentle buzz that filled the air as the urRu went about their daily tasks. As the first rays of morning lit up the sky, the Master had just emerged from his hut. However, the normal monastic routine was about to be disturbed. urSu heard it first, then the Ritual Guardian, as the ground trembled underfoot. The air was alive as two new melodies joined the Song, creating a sensory symphony. He began to hum, and the rest chimed in, their sonorous unison welcoming the pair into the chorus. These leading-tones brought with them a sense of impending change. Whether it would be for better or worse, urSu couldn't yet say.

As he watched urZah resume his sand paintings, a sudden stinging sensation erupted in his nose and hands. Closing his eyes, the Master took a deep breath, trying to smother the darkness rousing in his flesh. His shadow was foolish as he was stubborn, content to stain them both in rot. As he started back inside, he couldn't resist the urge to flick his tail ever so slightly. Meditation would soothe his troubled spirit, he thought, as the Chanter's gaze followed him.

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A blurry figure emerged up ahead on the shore. Helen's pulse quickened as she rushed towards them, only to stumble and crash into the sand when her knees gave out. She crawled forward, her fingers digging into the sand as she desperately looked for any sign of where they could've gone. "Wait! Please don't go!" she pleaded. The blonde turned around, her mind racing at the prospect of rescue. "Sorry I freaked you out," she said. "I just need help... I don't know where—"

Suddenly, the sound of shifting rocks caught Helen's attention, and she turned her gaze towards the source. A pair of wide eyes peered out from behind the rocks, causing Helen to fall silent. They were so small, they must have been a child... A child with long, pointy ears and fiery red hair.

Helen was speechless as she observed the child before her. They looked like a deer in headlights with how big their eyes had gotten. The child suddenly dropped what seemed to be a bag or sack and started backing away, their shaking hands raised. "Wait! It's okay, it's okay, I won't hurt you," the blonde said, trying to get closer, only for her foot to sink back in the sand and fall on her face. She hissed, brushing sand off her face while grumbling curses. She waved in a friendly manner, trying to prove she meant no harm. The child only pointed a sharp object at her, yelling at her in a language she didn't recognize. Helen could tell from the trembling in their words that they were petrified. "Okay! Okay!" she said while scooting away, trying to give them space. She thought it might be Spanish, but the words eluded her. As their motions became more frantic, the sound of shouting filled The air.