ATLOP: Trial by Fire

I Become a Known Fugitive

I smiled, this little vine probably saved my life. I slipped it into my pocket.

I carefully moved my leg again, the pain was fading. The burning was still there, faint but present, but it was fading.

I waited.

The river around me was still filthy, but any trash that drifted into my bubble of purity was cleansed.

Fump-fump-fump . A riverboat's paddlewheel churned above me, swirling the silt around.

I straightened as through the swirling silt I noticed another presence.

A new sensation brushed over me, too faint to identify.

Stand tall Persi-aia, rav rik otomai, your Metua believes in you.

I looked out, the drifting figure was almost invisible in the silt and seemed to be constantly shifting. The words seemed to come from everywhere, rippling through the water like a dolphin sonar.

"Where are you?" I called.

I felt her presence strengthen before I saw her clearly, a ghostly woman in the filthy water, away from my bubble of purity. She had long billowing hair, and her eyes, barely visible, were a striking sea green; the only thing visible in color.

I swallowed, her face, her hair, it all... it all resembled my mom.

It was like she was my mom's clone, except the eyes, they didn't change like my mom's.

Hello child, I am Dynamene, Nereid of the sea's power. I bear a message from your Father.

"What is the message, Dynamene-paru?" Why did He have a message for me? He'd never spoken to me before...

Go to the beach in Santa Monica. It is your Father's will. Before you descend into the Underworld, you must go to Santa Monica. Please, Persi-aia, I cannot stay long. The river here is too foul for my presence.

I swallowed, why did my dad want me there?

"Havu rao tahouk sa'ta ert papaira." I said, thanking her for passing along the message. My fingers automatically twisted into a motion of thanks.

She reached out and despite the distance I felt a current brushing my cheek as her presence started to fade.

You... go... Santa Monica! And, Persi... not trust... gifts.

I frowned, gifts?

But she faded, her presence gone.

"What gifts?" I muttered.

She brought a message all the way from my Metua. This was the first time He'd acknowledged me other than the claiming.

I wasn't sure how I felt about it.

I moved my leg again, finding the pain only a faint twinge. The burning faded from my senses entirely.

My leg would probably not be fully recovered for a while still, but I should be good enough to function.

It's time for me to go ashore.

OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO OO

I came ashore near a set of steps that led out of the water.

I saw the chaos above only a few steps out of the water.

Everything was drenched.

There were puddles all over, all the buildings were dripping water, and there were emergency vehicles all over.