Unspoken Waters

Chapter 2: Wake

Her eyes glow a blooming green reflecting the depth of the ocean around her, speaking to the temple itself even. Her dreaded hair flows off her face behind her visual perception. With a rush of wisdom she begins to perceive herself for what feels like the first time in many years but how can this be? The name Rin'zara echoes through her bones sending waves of energy through the delicate water. A small shark can be seen watching with a curious nature as the top of her marble stone tomb rises above and begins to sink beside the chamber. Her rest was long and peaceful, she awakened with a sense of glee and ease. Old silvery garb rests on her shoulders and waist clearly representing a divine pattern of runes along the sleeves and pant legs. Just enough room to spare for her fins to gently fit through slits designed specifically to the shape of her. The temple grows brighter with deep mossy cerulean lights flickering in obscure shapes out of the tomb she lay in, fading away through the temple halls and faulty structural opening above her. A partially amphibious, or reptilian hand grasps each side of the tomb lifting Rin'zaras curious eyes upwards to a sitting position. She brings her hands in front of her face. Hypnotic colors masque her vision, warp her hands. Bright yellow and orange hues fading between turquoise and indigo. Carefully nudging their way between her hands peeking out to say hello, the small shark.

"Hey there friend." She scoops him like a cup.

"You sure look familiar, know anything about who I might be? I seem to have forgotten?" . The shark does not reply. In fact, it begins swimming down the corridor.

"Well wait for me please!" Rin puts out a defeated sigh as her legs begin to flutter her out of the arched doorway. Guiding her motion, perfectly woven holes to capacitate them in her baggy harem style pants, are large spiked fins. The fins assert themselves from her legs as Rin glides from the tomb.

Down this vast hall can be seen as a variety of accented stone with very reflective textures paired with matte silver and teal marble columns. Along the curved walls shaping the hall visualized in etched and painted work of an artisan is what can be interpreted as a once grand kingdom. Rin guides her hand along the bumps in the wall in an attempt to bond with a history she has no recollection in being a part of. Depictions of leaders, a thriving city of families and people swimming through marketplaces trading jewelry and other items of value Rin can simply not recognize. Her mind is wandering, looking to place all of the scenes in some sort of order to feel a memory sprout from her subconscious. One does not do this, unfortunately. As she flows further down the corridor with the shark she poses herself a question.

"Who is this shark, and why am I following them? I suppose having no other places to be, this doesn't particularly seem like such a bad idea. After all this is a pleasant view." Her shoulders relaxed as she drifted slowly along with her new friend. The shark seems very set on its course despite her freeing attitude towards her awakening. The two of them pass an opening seemingly caused by a form of destruction followed by decay leaving Rin in awe, before the shark makes a quick pivot down a new corridor. This one is less curved than the last. The beautiful rays reflecting through the halls have faded leaving a darker, more pale atmosphere. Although there is a slight aquamarine luminescence blooming from the algae and plant life that has spread along surfaces in a mossy pattern. The greenish light reflects from Rin'zaras amphibian-like skin leaving her eyes to be filled with fluttering surprised expressions.

Before the pair reach the stopping point of the stretch that is the ancient passage the shark slows down eying the walls slowly. Rin takes this time to approach a well crafted piece of art, the door before her. Lined with bronze and carved with a beautiful turquoise stone this door remains sealed, a crest lays on the center of the door. A hand reaches out to softly feel the crest with a curious mind behind.

Wriggling their way under the hand of Rin, the shark aligns itself perfectly in the shape of this crest, an outline of deep sapphire gradient light flows around them. What only represented a strange pattern in her skin before begins to illuminate a similar pattern on the back of her hand. The rough sound of stone scraping on the temple floor travels through the water in a muffled tone. Waves of euphoria pulse through the nerves of Rin'zara. Her hearts begins to slow pace as she relaxes, understanding the mysterious nature of the shark. The two tail fins of the shark wrap around her wrist, emanating a familiar energy to her spirit. As the door begins to open the shark swims away behind her, as Rins eyes begin to glow a bright emerald color once more. She felt lost, but in a sense still at home. All bundled together in one foreign sensation.

Before her stands a podium, one left in perfect condition. The structure of the dome shaped room is in near perfection, with not a scratch on it. She cannot shake the feeling that what lies beyond this door feels like a portal sending her back home to a time she cannot recall. Within the room astonishing visual art has been laid out across the ceiling of sea life, creatures she recognizes features of. Fish-like appendages just like her own in an array of beautiful cool colors. Her arms sway bringing her eyes closer. The first of this painted tale is preserved unlike the remnants of this dwelling Rin has passed through on her short journey here.

A figure holding a pastel gem with shades of lilac passes the gem from one woman to the next.

"A passing of heirloom through generations." a concrete decision has been made in her mind, with curiosity driving her further.

Rin follows the story of generational gifts to the end, where no chapter is drawn. Blank unforgiving emptiness. Her thoughts have come to a draw for how could she learn so much yet the story has not been finished? What is she to do now? Interrupting this conundrum she has been faced with, the shark. Ah yes the shark. You see what Rin fails to notice is the importance of the shark. Of course we cannot blame her, there were a lot of sea creatures in the artwork Rin had just browsed. To her surprise the creature places itself, belly first, on the wall between the previous chapter and the blank one. It is as if they are trying to speak to Rin. Fill in the rest of this ancient story.

"Well, that's awfully silly of you." Rin declares to the shark. "I wouldn't expect anything more or less however, we've only just met!".

Rin gives the shark a friendly pat on the head. Swiveling around behind her, she faces a very intact podium with a stone sculpture of a well written, very large tome resting atop. Of course she isn't sure how well written it may be, however it must be well written based on its size after all. She strikes a confused look, her brow scrunching in response. As she swims closer to the book, plant life surrounding it flakes off towards the gills on her neck. Each section of the different alien plant breaks into smaller pieces, down to a particle size. Eventually she has consumed it all, clearing the text of biological debris. Shocked by her anatomy she reaches for her neck discovering this phenomenon. "What am I?" she whispers. The book begins to glow, just as the door did.