Protector

A Glimpse of Home

[Orri]

As I lay in Desmond's lap I lost myself once again in his eyes. He wasn't paying me too much attention, instead he looked to the stream and its many contents of fish. With a grin on his face he'd glow more and more at the sight of every fish he saw. He gasped at some that jumped out of the water, causing his position to falter a bit. I didn't mind it, I just  got comfortable with whatever way he was then sitting.

"Do they ever try to come upstream at some point?"

"Hmm. I guess. I never pay much attention to them. My sister will be able to tell since she's always at the docks every other morning. The only time I really do is whenever someone I know is going fishing and wants me to tag along."

"Do y'all have dolphins? Sharks and whales?"

"We call those Divines of the Submerged, bigger citizens of underwater cities."

"For real?! Y'all got cities under y'all's land like that? Like mer people, but more than The Little Mermaid?" he seemed elated now.

"Yes and yes. Some with fish tails and some with just gills so they can walk whenever they come onto land."

"Wow. Dope."

"Yeah,  it's very much dope when you hear them talk using their minds. Quite something to see."

"I'll have to try focusing on the water the next time I come here."

"Why, no need. We can go there now. Let's just pass through to Talar. You'll find it quite mesmerizing there before the beach."

And with that I got up with his hands in mine and said a teleporting chant that brought us to the beach of Talari-Mo itself. Desmond's face said it all, he was simply,  shook.

"LOOK AT THE WATER! SPARKLIN' AS FUCK!" he was jumping all over as if he'd seen something new in the ocean.

"Yes, a beautiful scene from your origin."

He stopped jumping, turning to me like I said something shocking.

"O-origin? But I'm a native Georgia boy, born and raised in Thomaston, Upson County. I don't know jack shit about this place."

"You don't, but just know that you will. There'll come a time. You're a sacred of some sort, so I'm sure your parents will tell you. Just look at your people now."

[Desmond]

Origin? My people? I don't know a single family member's voice in the big ol' place!

I search the crowd of pedestrians, but only see painted faces.

"Orri, I don't know these people. How do you just say I'm from here?"

"Walk with me and you shall see."

Since u didn't have anything better to do I followed in suit while holding his hand firmly in mine. The last way I want this dream to end is with me being lost so I can ask my mama all about this place.

"Don't be such a baby, Desmond. You'll blend right in with the people of Talari-Mo. Just relax." Orri said in a chilled tone as he freed his hand from mine and latched it around my hip.

I relaxed some, but still kept my guard up. Especially with so many eyes now on us I wasn't breaking from Orri no time soon. I just looked on and about at the structure and flow of this city that's supposedly my home.

It's truly beautiful. So many expressing faces with these designs painted on them, then that's complimented with jewelry, headpieces, and then their actual outfit. These people were so beautiful I couldn't think of any other word to describe my attraction to them.