I give up.

“Someone call the elder! He almost drowned!...”, the voice drummed in my ears, alongside the water’s drum playing in it. So… was I in the place of the dead?

*****

I was **** ****. 21 years old. Life was going pretty… well. For now it was. Hands on the cold railing, an icy wind greeted my taut cheeks, as I kept my eyes closed, inhaling the cold air of this deep, deep ocean.

I sighed, opening my eyes, only to be welcomed by a sudden impact, which hurled me off the railing from the fifth deck. I, without any tact, landed on my back on the fourth deck. Pain coursed through my back a while later but first came the inability to even move an inch. I writhed, desperate, calling out for the slightest help, yet my voice dissolved into the storm of chaos, and none heard my voice nor saw me lying. Their cries made my screams non-existent.

The deck tilted forward. I could hear violent water splashes—maybe people were jumping in water, maybe the ship was crashing in there, maybe lifeboats violently landed there, however I could only wonder. In the next moments, the deck steepened even more and finally I was back in motion, sadly towards the front railing.

With increase in steepness, I slid faster. This time my head slammed on the metal railing first—metal splitting it into agony and ringing silence, then I went in between the gaps and my hips stuck on the horizontal bar of it. Slowly, savoring the fall of once in a lifetime, I experienced the changes of angles first hand which, before, I had only studied in geometry.

Pain in back, pain in head, immovable body, yet adrenaline did not let me rest. Maybe I would savor death, by drowning, to its fullest.

I fell — when the angel was correct, I was unhooked from the railing and embraced by the cold air to warm up for the colder water that awaited.

Freezing water shocked my entire body, and yet again I couldn't just fall asleep. But, what was there even to do in this consciousness? A body that couldn't move but slowly die, just why couldn't it die and be done? I was plunged in its numbing embrace, slower and deeper, to the darkness from the dimming light above, every passing conscious moment.

Ah, I saw it. From deep within the ocean then I saw droplets falling like fiery beads of lava from the dark sky. Was it raining before?

The ship’s front plunged suddenly. Why did its speed surge? Maybe it had snapped in two, giving it that fatal momentum. Alright then, goodbye. Just don’t say “RIP” anywhere for me, that phrase irritated me.

The prow tore into the water, and aimed straight towards my limp body. I shut my eyes while choking for air. But desperation for survival forcibly opened my eyes for anything to survive by, and I saw it — the massive hull slicing down the water maybe just a fingernail’s distance from my face. The rush of displaced water hurled me forward, catching me in its violent wake that resurfaced me for a while, just enough to know its thundering loud, raining, and possibly a seastorm was brewing.

“Uowugh!...”, I gagged. My eyes dimmed again, slipping in and out between the furious layers of the raging ocean…

I resigned.

*****

“Carry him over there!”
“Is he alive?”
“He is breathing…”
…
“Push on his stomach!”

“Uowugh!...”, I vomited the disgusting salty water over my own face, which splattered on my face, and with teary tired eyes, I tried looking. Sun pierced them mercilessly, but still I could vouch I saw something similar to people around me. I tried mustering every ounce of energy to speak, but my achy throat only delivered a zero-volume moan which reverberated in my skull, not to mention the immense pain that answered in my stomach simultaneously.

Did I survive? Would I die on this shore? Then… why did I suffer so much? Couldn’t I just die alongside the crews of the ship?

Again I drowned in my slumber, this time with no hope, so hopeless that the sensation of someone or something touching me felt like people carrying my last journey — to my grave.

*****

Someone was at the door. I was laying… on my bed, lazily, aimlessly, towards no goal. And someone came to visit that very me.

“What is the answer?”, he asked firmly, sad melancholy in his voice.

The dark shade whose face was all too familiar, because this same face had cursed me when I looked in mirrors, but it couldn’t be me.

He looked at me with scornful eyes and screamed emptying everything he had inside like a wild animal roaring on its predator before death, “Will you run away again!”

“Haah! Hahh… Hah…”, I gasped as my eyes snapped open. I discovered myself in darkness, except a little orange light illuminating from my left.

My body was burning, throat hurt terribly. I felt a burden on my chest. I needed water inside my burning self. In desperation I stretched my arms a bit, it hurt. Terribly. As if each tiny movement got compensated by pain. In such pain, I released my arms and they fell on the fabric of whatever I was laying on. As I hadn't learned my lesson already, I tried turning my head slightly and immediately felt an agony lance through my neck. “Ah!”, I yelped.

I breathed hot air, I needed some water, please. My left arm slowly rose again, regardless of pain, I needed water, so I needed to find it, somehow, anyhow! My fingers landed on a solid surface, from the texture a wooden table? My shaky fingers moved along it, and soon they bumped on something on it. I slowly grabbed it, a rough and cold thing, its roughness suggested clay…? Could it be?! My fingers raced vertically along it to find a narrowness to grab it and I barely clutched, and as I pulled, the vessel fell on table with its cold water flooding my burning hand.

“Ah…Ah…Ah!Ah!Ah!”, I miserably tried to scream for water but only a single primal sound came out. I started crying, like a bird starving to death. My voice was thin, hoarse and wheezing, like an old man’s.

My cries felt scratchy on my painful throat triggering a long cycle of coughs, “Khhrrhh–uhhhff!”, each one louder and more excruciating.

“Oh, you have woken up!”, a girly surprised voice intercepted from ahead. W-who?

“A-ah…!”, I tried looking up towards her with a wet face from tears, she strode quickly, her one hand landing on my back, the other on my chest, pushing me slowly to sit inclined against the headboard. She quickly put something soft behind my back. Looking at the table, she straightened the clay water vessel, poured water into a clay cup and brought it near my lips. She carefully slowly tilted it for me, and I greedily finished the cup, some of which streamed through my cheeks to chin to droplets which pooled on her cupped hand below. Flowing water hurt my painful throat, but it felt like the fire inside was calming.

Her voice sounded like a guide to what awaited after death. Calming, soothing, caring, and for me.

I tried against my painful rigid neck to look at her, just once. I failed and gave up, and then I saw, in that dimly illuminated darkness, her mystically beautiful brown locks, as she bent, trying to look at my face and asking, “Do you need anything else?”

My head hung, eyes downcast, I couldn’t look at her face yet. A feeling of helplessness, a sense of lost opportunity, a longing for the face that was so close yet I couldn't see at will nor even express the wish to see washed over me. Tears ran down my cheeks, silently, and a soft fabric led by her hand wiped the streaks of it, and at her kind gesture, more tears flowed. I wanted to thank her, see her, the one who had let me drink water, talked to me. But I couldn’t.

“Please wait, I will bring the others quickly.”, she said before leaving.

A while later, I heard footsteps and overlapping voices, none distinguishable except hers.

“Greetings sir, I am Ronard Deklovich, son of Donard Deklovich, and grandson of Konard Deklovich. I am the village’s spokesperson, and I talk on behalf of the village chief and elder, Lord Rerand Durethsprit. We welcome you into our village. Our young ones found you on the shore of Mother Oceanys. Our physicians said you will recover in a few days with the blessing of Mother Oceanys. Please rest well.”, the man clearly and enthusiastically said.

I believed they also found it awkward that I was looking downward, the direction at which my head hung. Maybe sensing it, someone softly placed my head on top of the headboard, with something soft in between. “Lena”, a man firmly interjected, almost scolding. The girl quickly left me and took steps back alongside the man. My eyes followed her trail, but I couldn't see her properly.

My head was positioned upward, so I had to look down, yet I could still clearly gauge — several people were there, and they were extremely fair skinned, as if even in dark their skin alone was radiating white light. I presumed the man with medium stature was Ronard, and the man with the bluish-haired girl, Lena, was the chief. Rerand was a bit taller than others, and his posture was straight, emanating a dominant presence. Comparatively it felt shameful that I couldn't even move on will. These people wore long loose dresses and there were mostly men.

“Ah-A Ah…”, I tried again to speak but failed miserably.

I couldn’t still avert my eyes from them. Some had light sources in their hands so the room was more illuminated than before.

“Khhrr.”, chief cleared his throat, then, “We shall now take our leave. May Mother Oceanys look after her blessing.”, and started leaving the room and at the door he firmly called over his shoulder, “Lena.” The girl hurried after him, soon the room emptied except for two men.

One spoke, “I am Ris and this is my brother San. Please tell us if you need anything. We will stay right outside the room.”, they also left afterwards.

The brothers sounded very kind in nature, and sincere. Not to mention even these brothers were exceptionally fair in complexion.

*****

“...*slurp* *cough* *cough*...Lena?”, when I found myself drinking water again, assisted by a pair of hands on both my head and the cup, I thought it must be the girl who had helped me last time, so I assumed that girl would be “Lena” too, and to my surprise I could talk. Words were forming, albeit with difficulty.

“It’s me San, sir. Lady Lena is not here.”, he said calmly. “Oh…”, a moment later realisation came that I had forgotten to thank, “...thanks”, I quickly expressed. Ris made his existence known by asking if I needed something. “Can I please… have something to eat?”, I timidly asked.

“Yes. I will get it right away, sir. Anything you particularly want?”, he asked again.

“Fruits or slightly spicy cooked meals, or… anything you have…”, I replied.

“Okay, sir.”, Ris declared and then went out.

“Where was this place?”, I inquired, alone in the room with San. San appeared to be of same age as Ris, possibly 20s, so we are of same age group.

“This is the village of Durethsprit of Ocion city.”, San answered lively. He wore loose clothes, something like a t-shirt, with its head-cut bigger than normal, showing even part of his chest, sleeves smaller than normal, and pants of similar fabric, loose and till the midpoint between ankle and knee. Summer clothes, perhaps.

“I m-mean what country was it part of?”, I continued, clarifying myself. These people seemed kind and hospitable, I could expect a safe return to home.

“Country?”, San looked visibly surprised. Maybe he was not good in English, though he sounded native in it.

“Your city must be part of, uh,... a bigger land right? Like, a lot of cities were together including this one in that land, and that land had a name right?”, I tried hard to somehow convey that I wanted to know the country’s name.

“Oh, you mean Vyldymya. Vyldymya is the blessing of Mother Vyldyma to us and everything living on it. Why didn’t you know about it?”, he curiously questioned his confusion. These people seemed to care about honorifics a lot, now how to address him?

“Mister San, I am from a different country. I am from D’eshon, on the Aesian continent. You know Aesia, the biggest continent.”, I said.

“D’eshon of the Aesian continent? I had never heard of it sir. Was it far from Ocion?”, he asked.

“Uh… yes… I guessed.”, low voice was tough for my sound-system, it sounded like “grring”.

All I understood was I was in this village of Durethsprit in the city of Ocion of the northern regions of the country Vyldyma, which San insisted on calling “land” instead of country.

Soon, Ris came back with a tray. It was decorated with fruits, I assumed variations of bigger size apples, oranges, bananas, and some other fruits I didn’t know names of, alongside a cooked meal, like a fried mixture of many veggies and meat. The tray itself was huge. I tasted them, and indeed it was mostly as I expected, the meat also seemed to be chicken, spices were mild, but overall it was quite an appetizing and fulfilling meal. Regrettably I couldn't finish even half of it.

Sometime later “the physician” of the village came. He wore glasses. There was a blue design on the right of his white shirt’s chest.

“Good afternoon. I am Sawros Sauland of the Sauland family. I am the appointed head physician of Durethsprit. I examined your body previously. May I know your name first?”, he asked after sitting on the wooden chair in front of the bed.

“Ionis”, I answered.

“Mr. Ionis, people of this village found you on the seashore. You were gravely injured, but you promisingly recovered. I shall call surviving the trials of Mother Oceanys itself a miracle, but you also recovered so quickly, undoubtedly you are blessed by Mother herself.”, his face and even his words seemed to mystically glow when he spoke of “Mother”. This doctor seemed especially devoted.

“Si-mister Sauland, where was I exactly?”, I asked in earnest.

“You were on the soulful land of Durethsprit, on the city of Ocion, Mr. Ionis. May I ask which region you came from?”, he countered.

“I was from D’eshon of the Aesian continent. I was touring the Catalantic Ocean when our ship was destroyed in an accident. And then I washed up here.”, I replied and continued, “Thanks a lot Mr. Sawros, and everyone of Durethsprit, for saving me.”

“I am confident in my knowledge that I never heard of any of the names you mentioned Mr. Ionis,...”, he looked perplexed, “I may lack in my knowledge. However, worry not, Lord Rerand himself is deeply invested in your wellbeing.”, he ended with a smile.

The man then asked for my permission to do a check-up, and did a small examination, which concluded in his reassurance of my fast-recovery with nothing to worry.

My body felt quite exhausted, hence I excused myself to a nap.

*****

“Ionis, please wake up”, that same girly voice called me again.

I jolted upright, determined to discover her face this time! However, cold breeze of that empty room greeted me instead. No one was there. Even San and Ris were gone.

In the wooden table sat the clay jug with a lid, a cup, and the lamp. At one side of the room, in the direction of my feet, was a window. The outside through it looked dark. Night time it is.

Wondering this, I tried getting off the bed. My feet landed on the mat below, my body still burning, but energy returned quite a bit. I pushed both my hands on the bed to push myself up, and in one go, I stood up. I tried reaching the door, however my wobbly steps of a shaking body quickly failed and I fell on my back in a sitting position.

“Aaou…!?”, I groaned.

“You should have called for someone, Mr. Ionis.”, someone said from the door.
While supporting my sitting body with both hands on the floor, I looked in anticipation towards the figure in front of me.

A bright orange light from the lamp in hand illuminating the being in front of me. Deep blue eyes, dark blue flocks decorating that face, the person felt ethereal. She could have proclaimed herself as the Mother Oceanys that these people talked about, and I wouldn't have doubted a single bit. She was just that much mystically beautiful. A good height, likely 5' 6".

For some reason I wanted to call her, “Lena?”

“How did you know my name Mr. Ionis?”, she interrogated. So I was right.

“You were the one… who helped me yesterday right?”, I asked, realizing a bit late that the girl from yesterday had brown hair not blue! However, she looked visibly embarrassed?

“How did you know? I thought you were sleeping. I saw you were struggling to breathe, so I just adjusted the pillow higher…”, her voice faded in a mumble at the end.

Indeed a girl like her helping a boy at night, possibly alone, was extremely dangerous for her image, yet she kindly helped me, it seemed. Thank you miss Lena, however this coward has not learnt proper words to reassure you.

“Miss Lena… uh… t-thank you… for heping me lastnight.”, I fumbled! Don't lose your mind over a kind, beautiful, mystical, mythical, enchanting, attractive, ethereal, virtuous girl, Ionis! Get a hold! But what did I do! Her face looked like radiating beauty itself, as if the light of the moon was glowing from her own skin! I needed to take another nap before any unlawful thought even tried to soil its seeds in my mind!

She bent down and extended her hand, “Did you need help?”, she kindly asked.

“Yes, please.”, I shamefully admitted. Then she came closer and I grabbed her extended hand, while she grabbed the top of my other arm and pulled me up. I was still shaky, but I could at least stand.

“You are tall Mr. Ionis.”, she gently smiled. This very comment always left me shy and confused. I stopped from awkwardly grinning like always, because that always made me look idiot. I was well aware my height was above average. Last time I had been 6 feet plus when I measured, and I was sure I had grown up since then, but not significantly.

“Oh, I should call for someone to help.”, she said in a rush, as if she was correcting a mistake, and started looking outside.

“It’s ok, Ms. Lena. I was trying to go out too.”, I tried assuring her.

“Oh… Then I can show you around.”, she said, with still a little smile, like how some people have natural sweetness in their face.

“Th-thank you.”, I was slightly flustered, honestly even looking at her face made me shy. We got out, Ms. Lena didn’t seem to understand I was having difficulty walking, so holding on to my little remaining self-respect, I poured my all in following her outside the room.

“Be careful, we are at a bit higher level”, she said. Were we on a higher floor of a building? After leaving the room, I kept walking and wondered, even so, what to worry about…

“!!?”, I was visibly surprised and cautious at the same time upon seeing the scenario ahead of me. The entire place was lit up with small spheres of light, as if burning alive. In different shades of red, green, blue, yellow and others, and in the size of fireflies, they burnt the darkness. I kept looking in awe, mouth slightly open, brows pulled close. I couldn't afford looking away or looking at anything else.

“The divine Spirits of Durethsprit protect its people, Mr. Ionis.”, Lena, looking at the glowing spheres, stretched her hand towards them, as she spoke. Durethsprit… Sprit… Spirits…!

“...Oh”, I responded while still looking at them attentively. These things, could they not be hostile?

“That was our residence, Mr. Ionis.”, Lena inclined her head higher and pointed at something with her finger, past the Spirits, ahead of us.

A big house? But wasn’t that a big tree? No…! Those were windows, stairs, doors, and even extended area carved in that big tree!

“Lets get going, Mr. Ionis.”, Lena sounded slightly cheerful. As I followed, I noticed for the first time, the railing resembled a branch of tree shaped in that way, and just then, realizing, I turned around and saw the place I had been staying was also a big tree-carved-house, with leaves, vines and branches.

I tripped as I turned, and something from my right grabbed my left arm, steadying me with its body, “Be careful. Could you move?”, it was Lena, she asked, a note of concern in her voice.

“Yes…”, as I turned to answer her, I saw more tree houses. From various shapes to sizes to levels, tree-houses laid in front of my eyes, and there people were walking in the moon and Spirits lit Durethsprit. I followed Lena, and slowly descended the spiraling stairs of the tree.

“Good afternoon, Lady Lena.”, a group of people greeted Lena with a slight bent.

“Oh, good afternoon. May Mother Oceanys bless us all.”, she beamed in response, smiling through her ocean deep eyes.

“Father!”, Lena waved and cheerily called to a group of men talking afar. She rushed to them. I tried keeping up with her, but my surroundings glowed up—the Spirits gathered.

I saw light flowing from my body too, in waves? As if a strange energy was syncing between us. I felt hot, extremely. My body was shaking tremendously with brimming power. I felt like I could do many things. I could hear the ocean roaring and I could see the creatures of night marching in the sky. I could take these creatures down now—I felt.

Slowly, the darkness was fading, it was getting brighter, too bright, like a hot summer day, then gradually everything was as white as when the eyes looked at the sun directly, my eyes hurt from this brightness, and even closing the eyes didn't block this vision. I pushed both my palms on my eyes, but to no avail.

“Help!Aah! Aah! Help! Aah!”, I kept screaming.

I bent and ran.

Soon, every sense left my body.