Eternal silence of the sea

Chapter one: The abyss

Her head was as heavy as a brick as she opened her eyes. She was in a bed. One too soft to be hers. The room was dark. Lightened by the bright full moon that shone in the sky above. The room had no roof. Only four black walls and a floor covered by a grey rug.

'You sure took your time.' A man's voice spoke from somewhere in the room. The voice was deep. Indifferent. So out of this world. She had never heard a voice like his.

From the corner of the room a figure arose from the shadows. He was tall. Above six feet for sure. He had long black hair and a built body. He was shirtless.

She thought it to be a dream. She had had many dreams where she was immobilized. Frozen in horror. Or simply dead. There was always blood. Screams. Whispers. But this one was different. There had never been a man. There had never been anyone but herself and angry or terrified screams.

The man moved closer. Close enough for her to see the outline of his face. He had a sharp nose and a defined jawline. He had golden skin that seemed to shine underneath the moon. No this beauty wasn't human. He gave off the aura off a preditor. Power dripped off him. He was the imbodiment of all her nightmares. And she instictly knew who he was. He was the angel of death, and he had come to take her. To free her from the prison of her mind.

'Can you stand?' he asked. His voice unbothered. She wanted to say she could but her mouth couldn't make out the words.

He repeated his question. His tone a little rougher although his expression remained the same.

This time she managed a nod. But remained on the bed. 'Am I allowed to ask where I'm going?', she knew she wouldn't be going to heaven. No one would want her there. Not even her family. But she couldn't think of a possible reason why she would be sent to hell.

'Do you remember anything?', he asked, ignoring her question. He moved closer and stopped at the corner of the bed. Was it his?

'No.' she admitted. There was no point lying when she was going to die. 'I only remember being at the sea. Did it take me? Or did walk in?', she paused for a moment. 'Are you taking me back to hell with you?' she didn't really care. She was to be freed of her thoughts. That's all she wanted.

'Come with me.' he said, extending a hand towards her. He would take her. And she wouldn't get to know where until she was there.

The thought was unsettling, but she got to her feet anyway. Or at least tried to. She fell right back onto the bed. She was weak. Her bones numb. She heard the ripper mutter a curse.

'The effects were supposed to have worn off by now.' he said more to himself. 'Samari, what are you feeling?', his voice was gentler than earlier.

'Empty.' there was nothing more to it. She was a hallow pit. Black and cold. The feeling was so unfamiliar. So real. She felt everything and nothing at all.

The ripper came by her side, putting her hand over his shoulder for balance. 'Let's go. The sooner you know where you are the faster the effects will wear off. He helped her to her feet. They walked towards the enormous double door that was left ajar.

Outside it was a balcony. Below it was a village. A town. And on a high ground further away, was a palace. With seven castles and high gates. And on the gates was a huge royal crest. From what she could make up of it. It was circle with a blue rose in it.

A blue rose. It couldn't be. Even with her jumbled up memory she remembered the crest. It was her family crest. The royal family crest in the time of magic. When her predecessors ruled as royals. This wasn't happening.

'Where are we?' she asked, her voice a little louder than a whisper.

'You're in Indinah. Over a century ago. And right now you're in the body of a protector. Onisha Fa Maz.'

Bile rised up her throat. She didn't know if it was because of the news the ripper had just told her or the side effects of the time travel.

'How did this happen?', her voice was shaking. But she liked the fact that she able to feel something. To react. To have substance.

'The ring you found on the ground belonged to Onisha. It's magical. It's able to see one's deepest disires, and grants it. But only if the person wearing it is compatible.' She could tell there was more he had to say but he gave her some time to digest what he said.

What ring was he talking about? She never wore a ring. And who was Onisha? Why was she brought here? Was it even possible? Was this hell tormenting her? Was it her punishment for being alive?

'I will explain everything. But I need you to tell me anything you remember about yourself.' His voice was back to it's indifferent tone, but he spoke slowly, letting her understand every word he said.

She was Samari. An orphan. She lived off her family's inheritance. She was alone. Always alone. No one wanted to be with her. Everyone left her. She was alone. She wasn't weak. She wasn't sad. She wasn't lonely. She was alone. She felt nothing and everything. She loved the sea. The sea. She remembered the sea.

She saw it. It always spoke to her. It whispered stories to her. 'I remember the sea. It's gone silent. But it whispers to me. Did it bring me here?' she asked. She couldn't believe her own words.

'Relax your mind. You need to lay down. I'll explain everything to you later.' He looked at her and she followed his gaze to the tattoo on her left arm. It was glowing a bright red. A rose similar to the one of the crest.

She opened her mouth to speak but fell to the floor instead. She saw the tattoo glow brighter before she succumbed to the darkness at the back of her mind. The pit of nothingness.