Curse of the Sea

Appeasement

He walked towards the sea, dragging the bloodied corpse with him. Icy shards attacked his face with anguished screams, lashing at him with all the anger of the deep. The wind fought to push him back but still he stood his ground, breathing heavily with exertion.

Taking a deep breath, he straightened his back, steely eyes staring at the dark sea. “Sea witch! That who controls the great powers of the deep, see the blood which enters your salty domain. Let the fisher folk back into your waters… that I demand.”

Waves crashed onto the boulder with an almighty crash. The man watched impassively as a chunk of stone was torn away into the churning abyss of the sea. Salty air mingled with the copper smell of blood, the threat all too obvious. He knew the sea was angry and he would stay until it was appeased.

“The sea does not yearn for the souls of murderers.”

The man’s grip on the corpse suddenly slackened. Turning, he bowed his head, studiously observing the mottled grey stone on which he leaned on.

“Nor would I listen to your demands with the rudeness you have displayed. Though the ocean runs in my veins, I am not bound by promises to man. I do what I wish, tied to this treacherous element of the ocean. The fisher folk shall have to suffer.”

The corpse fell onto the rocks, but was ignored by the two which stood on the beach. Waves churned higher, their frothy tips murky grey as the jet black water attacked the rocks. A hand as cold as ice touched the man’s chin, forcing his face upright.

“You beckoned for me, now you do not wish to see me. Och, poor soul who displays such a false pretence of courage. Do not call upon my services again, mortal fool.”

He swallowed audibly, staring at the woman before him. She had not the long seaweed hair he had expected but her face was ethereal, tinged with blue. Grey eyes lined with wrinkles, they bore into his skull, forcing him to see his shame. Averting his gaze, his body tingled from the wisdom and power she gave out.

“Is there a problem with what you see?”

Drawing in a shaky breath, he glanced back up at the woman. “N-no ma’am.”

“Ma’am? Och, just a wee minute ago I was a sea witch, were I not?” She pursed her lips together, the wrinkles on her face becoming more defined. “Now I shall leave you be. Do not let that vile body stain the land next to the deep. We have enough dead murderers that have sank into the ocean.”

“Y-y-you can’t leave! You’re meant to be help!”

At that, the woman uttered a cold laugh that caused the hair on his body to stand to end. Her icy eyes stared into his own as she tilted her head to the side.

“I have not sworn to help anyone but the ocean that helps me. Why should I help a spineless coward like you?”

“It is the right thing to do,” clearing his throat, he pleaded with his eyes. “Surely you have some compassion?”

Swirling water suddenly cascaded over the two, the salty water soaking them through. The woman held a gnarled finger up, pointing at the sea. He followed her gaze, looking at the fathomless sea which was black as the night. Listening to the roars of the sea as it crashed against the cliff face, he found some sort of paralysing sensation seize his body. Glancing at the witch he wondered… was it her power that was causing his body to become numb?

“You see the sea? It hurls itself at a cliff face, constantly wearing it down. The sea cares for no one but itself. It is a treacherous place to live in, with no compassion. Why else would it hurl itself against the land with all the passion of a tempest? Why would I then have a compassion?”

“Because you are human. Though you have powers- unworldly powers, you have human.”

“The human parts of me died long ago. I am not human.” The sea witch paused, wondering why she was telling this stranger this. Then shaking her head, she turned to walk away.

“High tide is coming. I suggest you get far away.”

At that, the man’s face jerked up, his eyes almost bulging out of his sockets. Spluttering incomprehensibly, he turned to the witch but she was already walking away.

“Wait! High tide isn’t for another two hours. I checked!”

The sea witch paused, a smile playing on her face. “So you are not as foolish as you seem. You had enough sense to check for the tide. Nevertheless, I cannot give you what you want. It is out of my hands.”

“But you are the sea witch. You can calm the waters!”

At that, the witch grasped her staff with both hands. Looking at the staff, he saw the engravings of waves, shells and dolphins carefully surrounded by swirls and runes of power. Fire burned from her eyes, the heat coursing through the whole of her body as she walked towards him, her face searing with anger.

“Do not pretend to know the ways of the deep. You have committed a terrible offence and they shall not forgive you for it. You come ‘ere to repent, yet you will continuously make your mistake. You will continuously take what belongs from the sea and foolishly confine it to the land. They will not forgive you now… for you made a grave mistake.”

Stumbling backwards, he tried to scramble for some boulders which would shield him from the powers of the sea witch.

“I am afraid I don’t know what you mean,” he winced, turning away from the sea witch but all he could see was the swirling pitch black waves rising in anger at him. The frothy white tips crashed onto the land, the salty air causing his eyes to tear up. As the tears ran down his face, he squinted at the witch. “Please… try and understand me,” raising his voice, he held out his hands in front of me. “I do not wish to offend you or the sea itself, rather I came to appease it.”

At that, the sea witch shook her head, a scornful smile playing on her lips. Throwing her head back, she allowed the light of the full moon to soak her skin before turning to the man.

“You cannot appease the sea for it is not the sea that is angry of you. Rather it is the creatures that dwell in it.”

“What do you mean?”

A hand shot out of the water, the mottled grey skin . Grasping the man’s leg, it slowly began to drag him towards the sea. Gasping, the man fumbled, searching for some boulder to which he could shake off the creature that held him fast.

“Please… help me.”

The sea witch looked at him, her eyes bored. “I do not interfere with the elements unless it is of personal interest. You wish to appeased the sea… well they do thirst for blood. Particularly for men like you. Men who hold their wives captive with secrecy, thieves and lies.”

“Is that what this is all about?” the man asked, struggling against the cold hand which was beckoning him into the treacherous waves. “Is that why the sea is angry?”

Slimy green seaweed suddenly tangled his hands together, causing the man to fall onto the rocks. The ground shuddered as his body fell, but the insistent tugging of the hand in the water did not fail.

“You wished to appease the sea. Now appease the creatures whose anger is directed at you and men like you.”

His head was now the only thing above water. Gasping, he drew in sharp breaths, thrashing against the force of the waves. Tears ran down his face unashamedly, the salty water of his tears mingling with that of the sea. The crests of the waves increased around him. A scream rippled through the air, the bloodcurdling noise the last thing the man would ever utter. Black turned to crimson as the sea calmed down, waves lapping softly against the beach.

“Have you been appeased now? Or do you still thirst for the blood of men?” the witch looked at the sea, frowning deeply as the breeze went past her.

The answer came from below where the same mottled grey hand as before snatched the bloodied corpse, dragging it into the depths beneath.