Masked in the Coral sea

“Believe me, you know what you are, but you refuse to admit it. Say the word and save the Shore from destruction.”

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                        WAYNE’S POV

           Throughout that night, I could not sleep. I had the same experience of the former nights coming back to me. I shifted uncomfortably on the bed, yet like other times, I still could not open my eyes, to reality, or speak.

          Nevertheless, things slowly took a different turn in my head. I laid on the sands of the shore, facing the sky as I watched the stars sparkle in their glory. It was nighttime and I loved it, a smile spreading across my lips like that of a satisfied merchant as the cold wind flushed my skin.

          My hands were crossed behind my head to support it and my legs were stretched to let my feet touch the cool, silently waving Coral water.

          I suddenly had an eerie feeling and the hairs on my skin precipitously stood alert as a mighty gust of wind invaded me, not only that, it carried me without warning, plunged me into the water and stirred a violent wave that triggered a torrent of the sea. I was not in control of my body― my hands and legs thrashed at their will as the feeling of skidding down a cliff beset me.

          My survival instinct kicked and I tried to rescue myself from this seeming damnation, but hell, I could not! I heard my own voice in my head as I screamed my lungs out.

          Realization did not dawn so quickly on me when an unseen force drove me deep into the Sea despite the torrent. I released a gasp before the water rolled over my head, totally swallowing me up.

          I was vaguely aware of what happened next. Anyhow, the last thing I knew before I lost consciousness was the torrent coming to a stop and the fierce winds immediately ceasing its assaults. Yet, I sank deep into the Sea, my hands flailing over my head and water bubbles leaving my poor lips to the surface.

                                                           

          I felt a light touch on my shoulders. Hot breath pried my mouth open and found its way down my lungs as five sharp points pressed into the sides of my neck, causing a pain that made me gasp awake.

          My eyes slowly fluttered open, squarely meeting the face of a seemingly gorgeous-looking maiden as her hands left my neck. She tilted her head, regarding me with a pair of steely vale eyes.

          Unfortunately, I could not see the full beauty of her face, as they were shaded behind a leather black facemask, only leaving out her upturned eyes, heart-shaped lips, and cute, pointy chin to feed my eyes on.

          It did not take me much time, after seeing her wet hair, to realize that she was the woman whom Damien fought with yesterday, the woman who tormented me.

           I heard a whisper in my head. I could not decipher what I heard, but I could tell that there was a ‘say’ and a ‘word’ in the sentence. Whatever that was, it did not sound like pleasant news to me, as this strange woman standing at my front was enough to tell me that I was in cruel danger.

          Everything about her screamed ferociousness; from the dangerously tight gathering of her knot-bun hair, to the way she flexed her hands at her will as she raised them to pat my hair. It was only when she stared directly at me did I realize that I had missed the intensity of her eyes all along.

          Those chilling, vale eyes burned into mine so piercingly that I thought she could see my soul through them. However, despite the iciness in her eyes, they were still beautiful― large with long scarce lashes, and staring at me under thin-lined honey brows.

           She retrieved her hand and swam past me, leaving me with the wonder at how I was able to breathe and see clearly in the water, and how she was able to do so too. Nonetheless, I thought she left me behind, not until I felt her hot breath behind my right ear as her slick hands snaked its way around my waist.

          The sweet melodious tone of her voice jabbed me a fierce blow, sending chills down my spine. I thought only her voice enticed me, but then her accent was something else, it sounded like how a goddess would speak.

          “Just say the word,” She whispered. Was that what she said before? Probably, “Believe me, you know what you are, but you refuse to admit it. Say the word and save the shore from destruction,” She spoke clearly this time, tugging away from me, as I could not feel her hot breath or her hands anymore.

          I tried to speak. I had many questions― what she wanted, why she tormented me for years, why she killed my Father and why she was threatening me with the safety of the shore.

          However, I could see and breathe in the water, but the talking part was excluded; was she deliberately doing this? I expected her to answer my questions since she did not want me to speak. At least she could read the mind as a witch. Nevertheless, it seemed she really did not want to give out anything.

            I heard a slow hiss, and then a snap of her fingers. It could be her, but the wind troubled the waters, snatching my perception from me once again as it drove me to the surface of the sea, probably propelled to carry me back to the shore in the torrent, or somewhere worse. Her voice resounded in my head as I screamed in the water, ‘You know what you are within yourself. Just say the word. Tell yourself the truth...’ and then her voice trailed off.

          I gasped out in reality and opened my eyes to two pairs of eyes peering into my face in the dark. It startled me. 

          “Jeez! What is it with all the screaming?” I heard an annoyed voice mutter as the pair of eyes disappeared into darkness, then the candles lit up the room. 

          The first thing I saw was Lucerne's worried eyes blinking at me; he neared the bed and crouched, taking my right hand in his. “Korea, are you okay?”

            Was I okay? I blinked. Did I really scream aloud? 

           

          Lucerne held my arm and tugged my shuddering ass off the bed, while Damien leaned closer with a candlestick, which he drew close to my face. I narrowed my heavy eyes and watched him as he peered at my face, then my neck.

          I swear I felt a prickle on the part of my neck where the witch’s fingers pierced, when Damien’s eyes flickered there.

          A smirk crossed his lips as he withdrew the candle, “Seems to be another visit from his shadow lover. He is sweating profusely.”

          I am? I did not feel like I was sweating though. I felt darn cold with a thin line between my current conditions and literally freezing. Lucerne was the one supporting me with his hand across my back all these while; his free hand rubbed the side of my face. “Do you need a bath to cool off?” He asked worriedly, and my eyes bulged.

          “I am fine.” I wiggled his hand off my back and landed my butt on the bed, palming my sweaty forehead. Meanwhile, my brothers just stared at me; well I needed time alone to think. Everything was suddenly beginning to come together in a drastic way and I did not have enough headspace to contain them.

          “I am fine, I need to be alone,” I mumbled. Not sure if my brothers heard me. Well they did. Damien huffed and placed the candle in its holder, muttering the word 'freak' as he hurriedly exited the room. Lucerne however was not willing to leave. He squatted before me and placed his warm palm on my thigh.

          “Are you sure you are fine? I am always here if you need anyone.” I nodded and Lucerne saw that I indeed did not want him here. I am just hoping he is not hurt as he slowly stood to his full height and approached the door, casting me an assuring glance before finally closing it.

          Now it was I, for me and myself. The witch; the word she said, did it really make sense? I am trying my best to round this off as an outcome of my fear for the Shore, or just another dream; but no matter how hard I try, it keeps coming back to me. There is a voice within me, which keeps telling me that every word that came out of the witch's mouth was true.