It might be coded

Beneath the Surface

The water had always been Acasia's sanctuary. The deep currents, the swirling schools of fish, the constant movement of the ocean—everything about it felt right to her. But now, with the Ice Wall looming ahead, everything seemed... wrong. The pressure, both physical and mental, was starting to get to her.

Thalina swam beside her, humming a tune. Her carefree attitude was a sharp contrast to Acasia’s unease. “What’s with the long face, Acasia?” she asked, breaking the silence. “You’ve been moody ever since we came near the wall. You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

Acasia scowled but didn’t answer right away. Instead, her eyes scanned the ice wall again, this time with more focus. Something had been bothering her about it, something she couldn’t quite place. The symbols she’d seen earlier seemed to call to her, like whispers beneath the surface. Could it really be that simple? Or is it just my mind playing tricks?

She didn’t voice her thoughts aloud. Instead, she waved Thalina off. “Nah, just thinking.”

Thalina gave her an exaggerated sigh, twirling her hair with a slow, bored motion. “If you want to talk about it, you know I’m all ears. But honestly, we should be focusing on more fun stuff! I mean, who knows what’s waiting on the other side of that wall?”

As they swam closer to the barrier, the symbols she’d seen earlier became clearer. They didn’t seem to be random markings. No, they were part of a much larger, intricate design—a map, perhaps, or some kind of code.

“See anything interesting?” Thalina asked innocently, peering over Acasia’s shoulder.

Acasia’s heart skipped a beat. She could feel it now—the same strange pulse she’d felt earlier, only stronger this time. The symbols... They’re not just a pattern. They’re part of something. A warning, maybe? She reached out slowly, her fingers brushing against the ice. The vibrations shot through her body again, stronger this time.

“Acasia? You okay?” Thalina asked, her voice suddenly more concerned.

She didn’t answer. Instead, her fingers traced the symbols, moving in an almost rhythmic pattern. She repeated the motion several times, almost as if she were trying to piece something together.

And then, she froze.

The symbols didn’t just repeat in random order. They were connected. Lines formed, one after another, each symbol feeding into the next. Acasia’s eyes widened as she finally recognized the pattern: It wasn’t just a set of random markings, but an ancient script—one she had seen before in the library of their village.

A chill ran down her spine. She whispered the first word aloud: “E’rathal.”

Thalina, unaware of the gravity of the moment, raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“Nothing.” Acasia quickly withdrew her hand. “It’s... something I’ve read about before.”

The pattern of the symbols suddenly felt more sinister. Acasia’s pulse quickened, and the ice seemed to vibrate with the same unsettling energy. There was something old, something wrong, about this place.

As she pulled away from the wall, her gaze lingered on a faint mark she hadn’t noticed before—a small, almost imperceptible symbol carved into the ice near the base. A circle, with a line through the middle.

“Don’t you find it odd?” Acasia asked quietly, her voice distant as she continued to stare at the mark. “How no one talks about the Ice Wall? How it’s just... there? It doesn’t feel right, Thalina.”

Thalina shrugged, still not catching the tension in Acasia’s voice. “I mean, people don’t really talk about it, but maybe it’s because it’s just... there, you know? Some things are just part of the world. No need to question them.”

Acasia turned away, frustration bubbling up inside her. How can you not question this?

Her gaze returned to the symbols. E’rathal. She whispered the word again under her breath. She could almost feel the meaning behind it now, like a name on the tip of her tongue.

“You know,” Thalina continued, oblivious to the weight of the moment, “I wonder if anyone’s tried to climb the Ice Wall. Like, maybe there’s a ladder or something on the other side. Or a secret door. Wouldn’t that be cool?”

Acasia didn’t reply. She had her mind on something else entirely now. There was a pattern emerging in the world around her, one she didn’t fully understand yet, but it was there. She could feel it.