The scurrying feet grew louder and more frantic. The demon looked up in time to see the creatures crawling out of the dark. David couldn’t believe his eyes. He had never seen animals like the ones racing toward them. Rats were the furthest thing from his mind when he saw these little red and black furry beasts. Their size wasn’t threatening–they were no bigger than the palm of his hand–but their sheer number was overwhelming. There were thousands of them, and they were all hissing and running toward the sea demon.
Before she could cry out, they were on top of her, covering her like a vicious, chomping blanket. She screamed when the critters sank their teeth into her flesh.
David was repulsed by the horrifying sight, but too intrigued to look away. He felt paralyzed.
“David, do you see that?”
When Faren asked a second time, he pulled himself away from the shrieking, writhing sea demon.
“Is that what I think it is?” she asked, pointing to a far corner of the cavern.
From where the torch lay, it lit up a small burrow. Cobwebs engulfed the entrance, but just beyond the threshold, David could see a faint light. It had to be a way out.
They crept over to the hole as quietly as they could, rousing little suspicion from the furry monsters. Faren grabbed the torch and crawled into the opening, and David followed her, glancing back over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t being pursued.
Their escape wasn’t as flawless as he would have liked; several creatures caught on at the last minute that their meal was escaping, and they jumped into the river to catch up. David could hear them scurrying across the walls and ceiling, and when they first entered the burrow, he could hear them panting and squeaking. He couldn’t turn his head in the tight quarters, but their razor-sharp nails clicking across the rock gave away their exact location, and they were catching up fast.
Before the biting monsters could attack them, David and Faren wriggled out into the sunlight mere feet from where they first entered the caves. It was a well-hidden little tunnel, set back in the greenery edging the trail.
The rain had stopped, but the sun barely penetrated the tops of the canopy layer.
“What the hell were those things?” David asked, brushing the cobwebs off his arms.
“They’re called ogman–a Romean word for biting death. I thought they were–”
“You could have warned me about them before we went exploring. Why did you pick a hiding spot crawling with deadly, bug-eyed rats anyway?”
“I’m sorry, David,” Faren said. “We didn’t have many options at the time. Besides, the High Council always told us they were just a legend.”
“Why would the Spirit put animals like those here when he made the island to keep you safe?”
“Supposedly, when Cadence found out the Spirit had created Seneca he sent them here to destroy us.”
David took Faren’s hand and led her down the footpath. The falls rushed past them, a brilliant sheet of glistening water.
“I’m not mad,” he said, pulling her close. “I’m just glad we’re safe now.”
Something tore David from Faren’s arms and tossed him over the cliff. The pounding falls knocked the breath out of him. He couldn’t see anything, but Faren’s screams overpowered the roaring water loud and clear.
The moment David hit the river, he wished he had never reached it; it felt like concrete. The falls yanked him under. He dug his toes into the muddy bottom, trying to propel himself back to the surface, but the suction refused to release him. When he thought his lungs would burst, he floated quickly to the top. David fought the river, but he was helpless compared to its power. He looked back up at the falls, trying to find Faren, but he couldn’t see past the solid wall of water. David fought the current, but his arms and legs protested. He drifted helplessly past an extended family of giant otters lounging along the shore, fearful of where he would end up.
* * *
“You filthy beast!” Faren screamed.
“Do you know what I consider fun?” Suri hissed, ignoring her outburst. “Killing mers.” She kept her voice nice and soft. “The fight gives me a thrill. The anticipation makes the kill that much sweeter.” With every word, she crept closer to Faren.
Faren tried to run, but Suri caught up to her. She slung her over her shoulder and raced to the edge of the cliff while Faren scratched and kicked, doing her best to break free.
Faren envisioned David’s body floating downstream, face up and lifeless. He would become food for foragers roaming the forest if she couldn’t get to him first. That image made her fight harder. She pulled the demon’s hair and pummeled her in the chest and back, but her meager attempts to escape went ignored.
Halfway down, Faren grasped a rock jutting out from the face of the cliff, but it pulled free, hitting Suri in the head. That gave her an idea. She clawed and scratched at the rock wall, hoping she could break more pieces off. Every time they hit the demon, she smacked Faren’s legs.
“If you don’t stop that, I’ll throw you!”
Faren looked down and grimaced. They were over halfway down, but that still left thirty feet to fall. She decided not to chance it and settled down.
Once they reached the ground, Faren’s desperation returned, but her struggling only served to anger the sea demon more.
When she refused to stop punching her in the back, Suri threw her on the ground and grabbed her ankles. “If this is how you want it, so be it.”
Sharp sticks scraped her stomach and legs. She knew she had to fight, but her aching limbs refused. She searched the forest floor for anything she could use to defend herself. All she saw were shrubs, vines… and a long pointed stick poking out of the soil. She caught it and tugged.
Faren panicked when the stick refused to budge. Now it was almost out of reach. She let out a small cry and seized it again. This time it pulled free, and she dug it deep into Suri’s bell-shaped body. Faren stabbed the sea demon repeatedly, ignoring her shrill screams.
Suri dropped Faren’s legs and stumbled back. Faren jumped up and ran back through the woods, her breath catching in her throat. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw the sea demon hot on her heels.
“Get back here!” the creature screeched.
Faren tried to block out Suri’s voice as she ran. Panic sent her brain into a frenzied fit, altering her perception of reality. Her world transformed into a realm she didn’t recognize. In this demented domain, Faren was a stranger. The trees chased her; they ran alongside her, digging their limbs into her body.
Faren cried out when she felt Suri’s hand graze her shoulder; she looked back as the beast reached for her a second time. The demon’s smile faded, and she skidded to a stop, but it was too late for Faren. Before she had the chance to face the unseen threat, she was falling. All she saw were the trees moving farther away and the sides of the large hole closing in around her. She hit the ground with a sickening thud. It felt as though she had broken every bone in her body; her shoulder ached and sharp pains shot up and down her legs.
The last thing Faren could remember was the sea demon staring down at her. “I’m not going to worry about you anymore. Try and get back to the ocean now,” the monster teased. She smiled and ran off, leaving Faren for dead.
* * *
David had no idea how far he had floated. All he could say with certainty was he wasn’t anywhere near the rainforest. The vast savannah stretched on as far as he could see in every direction. In some areas, the grass was well over five feet tall, where in others it only grew a few inches. Acacia trees were scattered sporadically around the countryside, blowing in the strong breeze.
A herd of black and brown buffalo lounged around the river. Some of the enormous animals played in the tall grass while others lapped up the cool water. They didn’t seem to care that David was invading their territory; very few of them even gave him a second glance as he floated past.
David climbed from the river where the current was at its weakest and flopped down on t
he grass. The temperature could not have been higher than the mid-eighties, but the warm wind made it feel twice as hot. He rose up on his elbows and looked around.
A herd of zebras grazed farther off. David zoned in on one in particular. He looked like a faded version of his companions with light blond hair, as if someone had hung him on the clothesline in the sun too long. It was then David realized he was looking at an albino zebra–a very rare sight.
Out of the stretch of nearby timber, three lionesses snuck up on the unsuspecting zebras. Two chased down their meals, but one locked David in her sights. He took off running when she raced toward him at full speed. His heart was beating fast, and he didn’t know how long he would be able to run without stopping. Something he did know was that he could never outrun this queen of the grasslands.
She was on top of David before he could look back, but she never attacked. Instead, she rolled him onto his back and licked his face. The animal put her paw on his chest and lay down beside him, snuggling him as if he were one of her cubs. It was an experience unlike any David had ever encountered. Now all he had to do was make her understand she couldn’t keep him.
* * *
As Faren lay trapped in the hole, her mind wandered into a troubled slumber filled with disturbing images…
The sound of the waves hitting the shore welcomed her. The mood of the day was uplifting, but it held a certain fearful quality, as if foreseeing horrific events yet to unfold within her flawless paradise.
A young girl knelt by the edge of the sea a few feet away, but she didn’t seem to notice Faren. When the woman standing atop a nearby bluff screamed for her, she looked up. Then she shouted something Faren couldn’t understand. Although her words were unintelligible, Faren could sense her panic. All of a sudden, the stranger plummeted to the water-soaked boulders below, her shrill screams sounding across the beach.
Faren gasped when she realized what she was seeing. How could this be? Had she stepped back in time? Unable to pull herself away, Faren watched her child-self run to her mother’s rescue.
Faren sprinted across the sand with the roaring waves tossing back and forth in the background. The ocean grew higher until it was a nine-story building hurtling toward her like an out of control freight train. A massive wall of water crashed down around Faren, and the powerful undertow grabbed her body, tossing her around like a rag doll. When it stopped, the ocean grew quiet again.
Faren floated in a silent world of blue. She looked up to see the light shrinking smaller and smaller until it was gone altogether.
“Faren,” a woman’s voice called out. “Faren, I’m here for you.”
Faren searched the depths until she saw a graceful form swimming toward her. Her mother wasn’t alone; Genevieve’s companion, someone she had seen in dreams, accompanied her. The familiar stranger gazed at her with undying love. Her brilliant purple fins swayed up and down gently.
“Faren,” Genevieve said again, reaching for her hand. “The ring isn’t your only salvation. Cindel can help you. She has a rare gift that can help us all–don’t underestimate her.” Her violet eyes stared into Faren’s with such tenderness. “But there is another danger lurking close by–a secret danger.”
Faren felt at peace with her mother by her side. How she had longed for this day and now it was here. She never wanted to let her go.
“I’ve missed you.” Faren sobbed invisible tears of happiness. “Why did you stay gone so long?”
“I know you’ve had troubles,” her mother replied, “but you’ll get through them, I promise.”
Before she could gather her thoughts, Faren felt a giant hand reach down and grab her. It lifted her from the water and hurled her into the air.
“Momma,” she cried. “Don’t let it take me.”
Like a whisper in the wind, Genevieve comforted her daughter for the last time. “I’ll always be with you,” she said. “I love you.” Then she was gone, and Faren was alone.
Faren soared over the treetops with the wind whipping around her. The clouds were so close it felt like she could reach out and touch them.
The feeling of absolute bliss didn’t last long, because the next thing Faren knew she was falling back to Earth with her own screams ringing in her ears.
* * *
Two hours after he climbed from the river, David made his way through the grassland, keeping an eye out for sea demons. He saw many different species coexisting–elephants and giraffes, hyenas and ostriches. It was as if he had taken a trip to Africa instead of the Bahamas, and despite the unusual situation, he had to admit he was impressed with the scenery Seneca had to offer.
“You!” someone called out. “What are you doing here?”
David stopped and looked around, searching the savanna for any sign of human life. He saw another small elephant herd, a couple of meerkat sentries… and a man stepping from behind an Acacia tree. He wore a breech cloth of dark fur and carried a pelt over his shoulder. Two other men joined him, and they began chasing David. They shouted angrily, waving their fists in the air.
David ran from the strangers. The grass was now up to his waist and getting taller. The heat had taken its toll on him. It felt like he had lead in his feet, dragging him down; they were almost too heavy to lift. He was having difficulty breathing, but through his panting, David could still hear the men shouting at him as they drew nearer.
A herd of wild horses joined David. They ran beside him, shaking their manes from side to side. One of the horses stopped and nudged him; she knelt down at his feet, waiting patiently. David looked back at the raving men one last time before he climbed onto the mare’s back. They were up and running again in seconds. All he could think about, as the wind blew through his hair, was finding Faren, and getting back to the ocean before the moon came out. Maybe now he could.
* * *
Faren rolled to her side and looked up at the edge of the pit, twenty feet overhead. She gasped for air, and her swollen gills pulsated as they desperately tried to emerge. Images of her loved ones flooded her mind, giving her the strength she needed to get to her feet. She stumbled to the side of the hole and did her best to crawl up the dirt wall. Once, twice, three times she fell back to the earthen floor, trying to catch a full breath.
Faren lay there, staring up at the stars peeking through the treetops. She knew she was dying, and she was powerless to stop it. What hurt most was the knowledge that her family would never find out what had happened to her. Like Harmony and her parents, they would hunt for her for the rest of their lives, ignoring those who told them to give up.
The world dimmed around her, welcoming the unexpected peace waiting for her on the other side. Before Faren could succumb to her fate, someone called her name. Even with death right around the bend, Faren recognized it. A dim ray of hope shone down on her, bringing her out of her delirious state.
“Faren,” David cried again. “Faren, can you hear me?”
“I’m here!” she weakly cried between gasps. “I’m here!”
The footsteps stopped. “I hear you, but I can’t see you. Say something else!”
Faren screamed as loud as she could, “David!” She could hear him running toward her. He was so close she could even hear him breathing. “David!” Faren yelled again.
Moments later, he was looking down at her, holding another torch. “Faren, are you all right?”
“David, I can’t get out.”
“Hold on. I’ll get you out of there.” He disappeared from her sight.
Time seemed to stand still as she heard David hunting for her salvation among the ferns and underbrush.
“Faren,” he called, staring down at her. “I need you to wrap this vine around your waist and tie it as tight as you can.” He threw it down to her.
Faren grabbed the vine and wrapped it around her waist. She pulled the knot tight and tugged on it. “All right, I got it.”
Faren began to climb. Ten feet up the wall the vine came undone, and she plunged back to the gro
und. She sat up, sore and exhausted.
“Okay, try it again, and this time tie it a little tighter,” David called down.
Faren retied the stubborn knot. She tugged on it to make sure it was tight enough and yanked on it once to let David know she was ready. “I got it.”
Faren’s breathing was getting worst; she struggled for each ragged gasp. She walked the wall, hanging on to the vine for dear life. As soon as she appeared over the edge of the hole, David pulled her out.
As they ran through the forest to the waiting shore, the torch put off an eerie glow. It illuminated the trees and the curious nocturnal wildlife. An okapi wandered into the torchlight, timid yet fascinated by her visitors. She stretched out her long giraffe-like neck to get a better view of them, ducking back into the ferns when they ran past. A kinkajou foraged for ants among the high branches of a seru tree. Its large eyes glinted in the torchlight as if caught in the midst of a crime.
By the time they made it to the beach, Faren was dizzy to the point of passing out. Her skin was tight, and her tongue was parched. The pink sand felt like rough-grade sandpaper beneath her overly sensitive feet.
They leaped into the waves, brushing the sea floor on their way into deeper water. When the soothing liquid rushed past her body, Faren’s gills sprang forth, taking deep, energized breaths.
Reefs teemed with life, and shipwrecks scattered around the island promised refuge.
They swam into a sunken steamboat and made their way into the hold. Faren held David tight as they drifted to the floor, surrounded by a school of tiny green fish.
“I love you,” he said, kissing her.
“I love you, too.”
Chapter 14
Epic Battle
FAREN COULD NOT BELIEVE SHE WAS destined to play a major role in the war that would shape her world. In her mind, old disputes became meaningless and former jealousies faded away until they were nothing more than distant memories. She looked out over Seneca’s beach, watching mers come and go. While a handful of warriors hauled pieces of wreckage from nearby ships to the shore and set them up around the island to use as barricades, others rounded up horses and caught frogs to use for poisoned darts. It was hard to comprehend that hours from now many of them would be dead.
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