Athol - Drowning

"Spoilers! Spoilers! Athol spoilers ahead!

Okay, well, this scene has been reworked a few dozen times now and it'll probably be very different when it makes into the actual book, but it's still spoilery. Proceed with caution! This is your final warning!" -Casey

Ciar awoke to the feeling of something cool blowing over him. He opened his eyes to find a blurry and rippling vision of the sky hanging over him. He realized with a jolt of panic that he was underwater and slapped his hands over his mouth. He sat up out of the water and gasped for air, though he didn’t feel the need to cough at all.

“Ciar! It’s alright, you’re safe,” Perditus assured him.

Ciar turned to find the elf sitting on the side of the stream where he himself had been lying. He climbed free of the water and shoved Perditus out of his way as he came ashore.

“You want to drown me now?!” he demanded, brushing his wet hair out of his eye. It was then that he felt the long scar underneath his right eye. He ran his fingers over it, suddenly remembering the Sage that had held a knife to him.

“I’m sorry,” Perditus insincerely apologized. “The poison had done its damage. If I hadn’t gotten you help, you’d be dead now.”

Ciar kneeled dripping wet on the ground as Perditus stood up and dusted himself off.

“Help?” Ciar repeated, wondering who or what Perditus would go to for help.

“He is an ungrateful little human,” chimed a voice, high pitched and slightly distorted.

Ciar spun around and found a small girl swimming up the stream, her skin blue and her eyes like those of a fish. She eyed Ciar dubiously, her mouth twitching at a smirk.

“Well, now I have him,” she shrugged. “Now he will have to work diligently for me.”

Ciar squinted at the creature, confused. Perditus shifted uncomfortably behind him, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ciar, this is the water nixie of this stream,” Perditus sighed. “She is the one that healed you.”

“Humans are not easily mended,” she stated, coming to the edge of the water. “But the elf’s deal was fair.”

Ciar turned to Perditus slowly with a look of both realization and distain. Perditus stepped back as if he was afraid that Ciar would strike him. “Nixies do not offer help without the promise of reward,” Perditus explained. “And she would not take my service as payment.”

“Service?!” Ciar snapped, grabbing Perditus by the collar of his jacket.

“Now, now!” the nixie interrupted. “The human will unhand the elf immediately!”

Ciar’s eye widened in panic as he felt compelled to release “the elf” just as he was order. It was a struggle, but he kept his hands locked right where they were as Perditus looked at him guiltily.

“I gave him an order!” she snapped, pulling herself onto the edge of the stream.

Ciar released Perditus without hesitation this time and then stare down at his hands in disbelief. He turned to the nixie lying at his feet, his expression grave. “How did you do that?” he asked.

“There is a magic in a nixie’s voice,” she explained. “And it’s especially effective towards those who are pledged to our service.”

“I didn’t pledge anything!” Ciar argued.

“The elf made the deal,” she said with a dismissive wave. “That was enough since the human was near death and his life was in another’s hands.”

Ciar turned to Perditus again, this time in more of a pleading manner than in anger. Perditus sighed, remorse in his expression. “I had no other choice, Ciar,” Perditus said. “I had to bring you into the forest. The witch meant to kill you with that blade. Even your doctors would have been useless!”

Ciar shook his head and then stomped away from Perditus, meaning to continue through the trees and get as far from him as possible, but he held his breath, guessing what would happen.

“Stop,” called the nixie from behind him.

Ciar stopped. He hardly even tried to fight the order. He just stood at the edge of the tree line with his back to the magical creatures. There was no running away from this problem. Perditus had taken even that from him.

“Such a stubborn boy!” the nixie sighed. “I liked him better when he was asleep.”

“You mustn’t be so strict with him,” Perditus whispered to the girl. “I told you about what transpired with his sister.”

“So the humans are turning on each other now,” she scoffed. “Do not expect me to weep for a traitor betrayed.”

“They’re not all witches and warlocks, dear nixie,” Perditus reminded her.

“You should know better than any that they are all alike, Perditus of the Lost People,” she taunted before diving down into the water and disappearing.

Perditus watched the stream for a moment longer before turning back to Ciar, who was also watching the stream. Perditus walked up to him, tugging at the flaps of his hat uncomfortably.

“I did not enter into this deal lightly, Ciar,” he assured him. “I shall find a way to alleviate you from this contract.”

“Promise?” Ciar squinted, causing Perditus to flinch.

“Uh…well, I’m afraid that I can’t swear to an action against what I already swore to the nixie,” he explained.

“Just what did you swear to her?” the boy demanded.

“That your life was in my hands and that if she saved you, you’d be her servant until she released you,” Perditus recited.

“How do we get her to do that?”

“I’m still working on that part.”

“The human will come with me!” the nixie called, appearing far upstream. “There is a log that needs to be removed from the stream!”

Ciar shook with the effort of staying in place for just a moment longer. “Perry…” he entreated.

“Just go along with her for now,” Perditus insisted. “She won’t let any harm come to her new servant, that I can promise.”

Ciar nodded and then allowed himself to step forward. Perditus grabbed him by the arm and added, “And Ciar, please try to be nice.”

Ciar yanked his arm out of the elf’s grasp and then followed the nixie begrudgingly.

Characters and Story (C) SuperheroGeek13