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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 29, 2016 12:18:14 GMT -5
Hello again! I've pasted in the last two posts as well as all the planning we've done to keep track below.
A quick rundown: - Anya's attempted murderer is Kian's father
- The two were in love, she broke her heart, he accidentally killed her
- Kian and Anya will later embark on a quest (yes, yes, fantasy cliche) to find and kill him
( Well, we all know that I love me some Drama™ so I'm definitely down! I've redone the maths (because looking back on it, my late night hypothetical age mathematics probably aren't anywhere near my daytime maths) and I've come to the conclusion that if Kian's father was 18 at the time of his and Anya's relationship, he would have been 38 years old when Kian was born and 81 currently, which is reasonable enough, but much more than that and not so much. Obviously fifty-year-old fathers of newborns aren't impossible, but the two likely wouldn't be as close then as if he was younger since he'd be in his sixties when Kian got to the age where he'd start running around and wanting his dad to teach him about sailing and such (I need that to be their bonding thing for reasons) and he'd be nearing ninety now, which, again, not impossible, but given his life as a sailor exposed to the elements and constant sickness, I'm not sure he'd make it far past eighty honestly. Would that age range be alright with you? ) Kian nodded. He had these superstitions himself, for he was no less a sailor than the men who'd tried to drown these girls. He'd grown up listening tall tales of monsters and danger under the cold light of the moon or the warm light of a lamp. With a family of sailors going back generations, that was inevitable. They believed in these legends like others might put absolute faith in religion, and clearly at least some of it was true. "Well," he said after a few moments. "If he's not returned yet, he likely never will. Maybe you should go looking for him instead, seeing as you're running out of time." He couldn't believe that he was giving advice on how to murder a man, it seemed ridiculous that he would do such a thing. Yet here he was. Maybe it was the way she described being left without purpose and never really dying that had struck a chord with him, or maybe he simply wasn't thinking. It wouldn't be the first time. .. [Of course that sounds good! We'll adjust her age so it fits the scenario, not a problem ^.^ Okay question: do we want to bend the Siren's rules a little bit and somehow find a way for Anya to have actual human legs (going back to the mango thing, let's act like she didn't have legs because that was before I was informed about the tail xD) temporarily to go on land, or not worry about it?] "I have never left this cove, and though the ocean is now my home, it is a vast one. If he is on land, the closest I can get is the nearby shore." It was a strange feeling, but whenever a Siren neared the man who killed her, a pulse of a harsh heartbeat was felt within the Siren's. It is said to be the feeling of that Siren's final heartbeat before she had reached death. Revenge seeking creatures had to be granted their own lead on a planet such as this one, however the beat was only felt when within a few miles of the sailor. "But then I am in the predicament of leaving the water and seeking him out. I do not know your world anymore, I remember very little from my life before this. I would rather be the one killing rather than getting killed trying to cross your roads." It had happened once before, to one of the older Sirens. Roads were a bit terrifying now, even if Anya had never exactly been near one. "I only know his name, and just his first one at that. Think of this as trying to find--oh, whatever the saying. A needle in haystack." |
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Post by stormsong on Jul 29, 2016 12:24:35 GMT -5
I am so happy that this is up and running, and thank you for making the thread Ree ^.^
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 29, 2016 12:37:28 GMT -5
no problem! i'm really happy that this is here to fall back on, i honestly don't know what would have become of my life otherwise. actually i do, i would have aged like 40 years and spent my life crocheting and watching crime dramas because that's the kind of teenager i am when i'm not rping, haha. i'll post a reply as soon as everything is figured out if that's okay.
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Post by stormsong on Jul 29, 2016 12:38:54 GMT -5
Lol you and me both Ree. And take your time, no worries!
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 29, 2016 12:57:44 GMT -5
( Maybe we could change them slightly for plot's sake and say that in the water it's a tail and on land they turn into legs? Just for convenience's sake? )
Kian nodded slowly. He understood that. The ocean might be huge, but so was the land. There were so many places her killer could be hiding, or not hiding at all given how old he must be now. She might never see him again, let alone have the opportunity to kill him.
"Would you be able to tell if he died before you got to him?" he asked. What she had told him, as well as all she'd done to save him made him want to offer his help. She might not know the human world, but he certainly did. He wasn't going to offer yet, though, not when there was still the possibility of it being a wild goose chase. He did have other things to do with his life.
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Post by stormsong on Jul 29, 2016 13:21:23 GMT -5
[Okay, that sounds good!]
Anya nodded, tapping the space of skin just over her heart. The skin glimmered slightly, the strangely subtle pattern of what seemed like scales shone in the sun. "I have heard it is like a puncture to your heart, once the sailor dies. You recover, believe you are just fine, and then the transition gradually sets in." Anya shuddered at the thought, there had been times she had seen her sisters fade into a strange insanity before completely disappearing. It must be a strange death, but Anya wasn't interested in finding out.
"I imagine he is near the sea. It is a hard life to live when a sailor tries to force the ocean out of his heart, I don't imagine this particular sailor cared to be far away from the ocean." Anya ran a hand through her pale golden hair. Why was she telling this stranger the secrets of the Sirens? Strangely enough, she trusted him. Not with her life or anything, but he wasn't the worst of men.
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 29, 2016 14:04:33 GMT -5
Kian reflected on this for a while, contemplating what it meant and how he should adjust his thinking. Then, finally, he took a deep breath and nodded to himself. "Maybe I could help you find him?" he suggested, well aware that he would likely regret this sooner rather than later. Alas, in the moment he figured that he might as well.
"I mean, I understand life on land well enough to help you there. And I know how to sail, so crossing the sea wouldn't be a problem either." Clearly he was offering out of pity, but he thought there might be something else to it as well. Something like what Anya had described before, a feeling of being indebted. And even if he had saved her life once, she had done so much to help him that he might as well offer to do something for her.
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Post by stormsong on Jul 29, 2016 14:33:10 GMT -5
Her eyes flashed to Kian, narrowed. "Kian, I do not want your pity. A blood debt, I understand, but it is already lifted between us. You get nothing out of this, do you not? How could you want to help a creature who has lured men like you to their deaths?" It wasn't a bitter statement, no. Anya was merely stating the fact, incredulous at the thought that a man would be selfless enough to even consider it. Oh, but the debt. An ache of pride spread through her, almost as if she were feeling shamed.
It would be one thing, of course, to allow Kian something out of this. Perhaps she would be the one to teach him how to fight Siren songs or maybe just flat out steer Kian away from a cove of her sisters. But he wanted nothing. Nothing. Nothing but another debt on Anya's own head. It had taken her years to repay that. This would take an entire lifetime to repay, especially if the unlikely duo was successful.
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 29, 2016 14:44:54 GMT -5
Kian sighed. She was right, obviously, but it didn't feel that way to him. He had saved her life, she had saved his. That should be the end. But it wasn't. Unlike normal debts, this didn't come with interest. He had saved her life many years ago, he barely remembered the whole thing. Not to mention the way they'd both changed. She looked nothing like the girl he'd rescued. He did, however, clearly remember his own struggle with death.
"Sorry," he said after a moment. "I know. You should figure it out yourself." Not only was he regretting asking, now that he considered it, but he also felt like a fool. He sighed heavily, then stood. "I should be getting back. I can manage now."
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Post by stormsong on Jul 29, 2016 15:00:03 GMT -5
Anya smothered her own anger, imagining a hand pressing the emotions further from her heart. When she spoke, her voice was softer. "Wait, Kian. I am sorry. You were only showing me kindness, I am not used to that from mankind." Her lower body was dry, long tan legs replacing the once tail. The Siren stood, her eyes only reaching the man's nose, at best. "If you truly, truly--" with an extra emphasis on truly, "--wish to help me, then I will accept it. But please let me give you something in return, whether that be a favor of any sort." She paused. The warning hisses of her sisters whispered in her ears. Anya ignored them.
"Either way, that is your decision. But I can assure you, a Siren favor is something we cannot ever go back on. Think of it as a promise." What was she doing? Had she inhaled too much salt water? Kian was safe, he felt safe. Was he though? These men could lie, there was even a career--acting, or something--based on it. But Anya could trust him. At least that's what she told herself. Maybe she'd end up dead in a tank, maybe sent into insanity. But she knew this wasn't an opportunity to let go.
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 29, 2016 16:49:43 GMT -5
Kian sighed. Her logic was clearly not the same as his. She dealt in absolutes - one saved life negates the debt owned by another. The circumstances didn't matter, not the time, not the clarity or it, nor the reason for the rescue. He had saved hers, she had saved hers and that was the end of it. If that was the case, he would follow her rules, and not because he was bitter.
Well, maybe a little because he was bitter. But also because he was stubborn. He didn't want to flip flop back and forth, not when he had already changed his mind on this once. He shook his head once. "No," he said simply. "I'm sorry I even brought it up." He shrugged, breaking into a small smile. "Hey, maybe you'll save my life again and we can talk about it again?" He spoke in a light, joking tone now.
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Post by stormsong on Jul 29, 2016 17:32:37 GMT -5
Anya rocked back on her heels, away from Kian. So much for her chance. She couldn't push back against Kian, it wasn't his fault she rejected his efforts, but Anya couldn't hide her disappointment. "You must understand I do not know any differently, Kian. I am sorry to have offended you in any way." The Siren was pulling away, sinking back into her shell of independence. "As you said, it must be time for you to leave before the others start to wonder of your wellbeing. Come." She twisted lightly in the sand, padding towards the northern end of the island, the northern end in which faced the mainland. "I believe this might be our last time meeting, Kian, but give it some thought. If you change your mind, you will not be able to find this island again unless brought to it, but the ocean has it's ways of communication." She said this with a soft, knowing smile.
Anya waded straight into the water, not bothering to look back and see if Kian was following or not. He wanted to get off the island, she didn't have to check to know that. In a single, fluid motion beneath the waves, Anya's own legs seemed to mold together, the golden scales lifting and embracing the two into a single, powerful tail. Her arms were extended, not unlike a bird with wings, as she waited for Kian. "Do not worry, my sisters won't touch you as long as you are with me."
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 30, 2016 8:34:52 GMT -5
Kian shook his head quickly. "No, no you haven't. Not at all. Look, if you ever want my help, I'll help you. And if you want to help me in return, I won't say no to that. But if it becomes a transaction, I'm not sure I'd want to. Exchanging favours is all good but there's a line and I'm not in the mood to work for you. Help you, that's a whole different story," he continued, hoping that she'd understand what he meant. It was a hard thing to explain, how favours could be treated as payment if you spoke of it a certain way or if you started negotiations on what could equal what. He didn't want to do business with Anya, not if he could help it.
He sighed as he stood, then followed her to the water's edge. He paused, taking a moment to marvel at the way her legs so smoothly became a tail, then nodded. "Listen out for me, yeah?" he said lightly, looking as if he was speaking to the sea, though he paused to glance up at Anya after a moment. He was sure that he'd consider it, because despite everything else, he did feel for her. And he'd offered his help, hadn't he? Whether she accepted it or not, well, that was up to her. He sighed heavily again, then followed her out into the water. "Thanks again," he said as he stopped next to her.
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Post by stormsong on Jul 30, 2016 13:42:45 GMT -5
Anya met his glance with an even gaze, a small smile playing at her lips. "I like the way your mind works, Kian. I hope I will get to know it better soon. I will accept your offer of help, but you need time on the mainland first, with your people, before you decide to officially help a Siren." With that, Anya reached up, cupping Kian's head as if she were about to kiss him, gently pulling it down. But instead of a kiss, she raised her lips to his ear, and a soft, simple note of song sprang from her mouth. It was just enough to knock him out, mixed with just the right tone of music to offer his oxygen levels support until they made it back to the shore. It was a sacred movement, when a Siren brought a man to the island and allowed him to leave alive, he could only part while his conscious activity was low. Magic was at work around the island, of course, but it was an extra precaution to keep the island's whereabouts left as a secret.
Anya was to leave him resting on the shore, with the water lapping slightly at his feet. The moment she departed from him, the song would be finished, and Kian would wake. A small whisper of a "thank you" to his ear, and she would be gone once more, back to her sisters as though she had never left and it had been a dream.
[^^^^ I worded it like that so you would know her plan once they got to the shore, I just didn't want to God-Mod your character y'know?]
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 30, 2016 14:03:18 GMT -5
( Thank you for the consideration ^^)
Kian's small smile at the compliment quickly turned into a frown as he felt his head pulled down to her level. A sweet, simply note followed it and it the short moment that he had to think about it, he couldn't help but wonder if she'd changed his mind and if death really had returned for him today. And then he felt himself sinking, much like he had before, only this time he knew that he was not only sinking into unconsciousness but also into the water as he lost control of his legs. He let out a breathy sigh, and then he was gone from the world.
He didn't notice much on the way back to shore. He roused once or twice, but Anya was still singing and so it was only moments before he returned to unconsciousness. Where earlier this place had been terrifying, a place where he knew he would die, it was now confusing more than anything. At first because he would die, but why save him in the first place? And then, after he'd woken to realise that he was being taken back to where he'd come from, the sensation was slightly different, dim but not in a way that brought any negativity. Almost like a cloth had been laid over his eyes, blocking out just enough light that he couldn't make out what was around him, but letting in enough that he could tell that it was there.
Once he knew that death would not take him today, he didn't wake again. He would never be sure if that had something to with it, though he did wonder. The next time he opened his eyes he was laying on the shore, looking like a drenched cat with his dripping clothes and hair spiked up from the salt water. He took a moment to lie there, feet still touching the water, and reflect before he finally stood. With a final look out to the ocean he turned and walked away, not wanting to spend any more time so close to it. At least not yet.
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Post by stormsong on Jul 30, 2016 14:19:31 GMT -5
Anya's eyes lifted from the water, peeking out across the waves at Kian. She had remained to only make sure he would awaken. Sometimes the song sent some into comas, others woke the moment the Siren's song faded, it merely depended on the man. His eyes flickered open, and Anya sank beneath the water once more. She floated there for a moment, gazing at the sunlight as it danced across the scales of her tail. Odd light shapes were thrown into the water from it, mesmerizing near-by fish. "No more transaction." She repeated the words once more, narrowing her eyes and pursing her lips as if she were tasting a strange food. If Anya wished to sink into the darkness, there would be no more transactions. It was a strange concept, but understandable.
The Siren took her own time, on the way back to the island. There was no rush in returning, not if she returned to the murderous gazes of her sisters. She hadn't broken any rules, no, but there was no place for men on that island. Not live ones anyways.
The coral beneath Anya dappled in the sunlight, the sea grass softly waved in the slight currents of the ocean. Fish were scattered across the reef, small schools swirling in and out of the cavities and caves of the surrounding corral. It was a strange world to live in, Anya thought. One moment she was above shore and the world seemed too complicated to understand, and the next, she was below in the depths where the biggest concern was the small fish running their mouths across her tail. With a soft blow of water, Anya settled into the coral, stretching her hand out to a near-by blacktip.
[Okay, I'm ready to pump this party up and add some drama in. What are you feeling for? Jump right into the plot? Or have a build-up to it before the two set off?]
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 30, 2016 14:33:13 GMT -5
( Drama, did you say? Honestly, I'm all for getting into the plot sooner rather than later, unless that's something you have reason to disagree with. )
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Post by stormsong on Jul 30, 2016 14:57:41 GMT -5
[No, I'm all about jumping into it asap!!]
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 30, 2016 15:02:38 GMT -5
( wonderful! so, how should we do this? )
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Post by stormsong on Jul 30, 2016 15:05:17 GMT -5
[mmm, do you have any ideas off the top of your head?]
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 30, 2016 15:11:55 GMT -5
( well, they have to find each other, and there's several ways that could go down. maybe some time passes without them contacting one another somehow and so Kian goes out to sea, gets caught in a storm and either she saves him again or she gets washed out by the currents the storm creates and that's how they end up meeting again (dramatic, much like me) or we could do something more toned down like they literally just meet again? )
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Post by stormsong on Jul 30, 2016 15:18:08 GMT -5
[girl, you know I go big or go home with the drama. Let's do the crazy one! How would the two meet after she gets swept up? Like if he's out and their ship is getting torn up, she somehow gets swept up to the same area? I'm a little confused on that part, I just want a little clarification but I really like it!]
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 30, 2016 15:21:10 GMT -5
( i never tire of drama and dramatic writing, tbh. well, i was thinking an either or. so either his ship is destroyed in the storm in her area or she's swept up into his direction. we could also do both but it might be hard for either of them to save/help the other, then. )
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Post by stormsong on Jul 30, 2016 15:28:42 GMT -5
[Ohhhh, got it got it. That makes more sense, I agree that putting the two together would just get hectic. I can see it going in either direction, meaning if his ship gets wrecked and she saves him, it turns into a strange camaraderie of her being a "protector", but at the same time I feel like the swept up scenario is more Kian/Anya is y'know? Just because Anya definitely deserves to be in a compromised position, probably will humble her up a bit, and Kian having the upper hand showing that it doesn't have to be a transaction to help...you like?]
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 30, 2016 15:32:02 GMT -5
( yeah, i think her getting swept up might be better for the plot. and, like you said, since he doesn't owe her anything (at least not in her eyes) it might do something to convince her that help is not something you always buy. )
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Post by stormsong on Jul 30, 2016 15:35:04 GMT -5
[LET THE DRAMA BEGIN!]
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 30, 2016 15:37:13 GMT -5
( i'll post a reply in a moment! )
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Post by stormsong on Jul 30, 2016 15:39:19 GMT -5
Okay!
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Post by 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘯 on Jul 30, 2016 15:53:38 GMT -5
Some weeks had passed since Kian had almost drowned, been saved by a siren, offered to help her track down a man to kill him and then woken up on a shore with no memory of how he'd gotten there. Some weeks were not enough for it to leave him alone. It was enough time, though, to convince him to stop lingering by the sea in the hopes that he'd meet her again. As exciting as the idea of a quest was, Kian had to sail to make money. He had not been sailing and so he had not been making money, at least not enough to live on. Sailing the rich around the world on a ship that operated not with an engine but with sails, well, it wasn't a job many had or wanted. But the rich did have a knack for the dramatic, and so he could hardly count the number of times he'd hosted parties or honeymoons on the family ship. And it payed surprisingly well.
Fishing, which was his secondary work - it didn't pay as well but it did pay consistently - was something that he had been doing, just not as much as he should have been. After a few weeks, he was more or less out of money. So, when a man contacted him about hosting a pirate themed birthday party over a weekend on his boat, offering a sum that would last him a while, he didn't hesitate to take the offer.
And, so, he'd found himself out on the sea for the second day in a row. He'd missed this, not only being out but actually sailing. The darkening clouds didn't bother him, not like they should have, and so he wasn't back on the shore in time. By the time the storm broke out, he and the half a dozen kids and staff that worked with him were caught on the rocky ocean with no means of getting back.
There was no use in trying. So he urged the kids below deck and got to work with pulling sails down while the others got to work at securing everything. A bolt of lightning split the sky in two, and a huge wave loomed over them, crashing into the surface of the water beside them. This wasn't good.
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Post by stormsong on Jul 30, 2016 16:36:19 GMT -5
The sea was dark today. The waves were choppy, and the hint of rain was on the air. It was not a day to be out from the island, especially not near the reefs. And that was exactly why Anya was searching along the ocean floor. One of her sisters had been seriously injured by a shark off the shore of their little island, and the tentacles of a specific jellyfish was needed for the healing process. This certain iridescent jellyfish appeared only in this weather, and the Siren was adamant on being the one to catch one of the strange creatures. It was just one more distracting thing to do, see, feel. Weeks had passed since her last encounter with Kian, and the time stretch was a constant reminder of her own dwindling hours. Anya had given it thought of course, but it hardly hit her as hard as it did after she realized she abandoned her only chance on the shores with nothing but memories. A small flicker caught the Siren's eye, and Anya dove deeper. Massive shapes seemed to rise from the depths below, a strange glow emitting from the long tendrils trailing behind. Anya's mouth dropped, her eyes fixated on the jellyfish. A soft current tugged against Anya's body, and that was when she snapped out of her fixation. It was time to go. If she stayed any longer, she would be swept into one of the massive currents brought with the storm, and she was too deep to waste time. Yet the jellyfish required gentle herding back to the island, Siren's liked getting stung by jellyfish about as much as anyone else. Anya set to work, swirling around a single fish, guiding it towards the direction of her home. She had to be fast, not for the current's sake but for her own. These jellyfish were oddly protective of one another, take one and the rest drifted towards the offender. "Come on, come on." The current grew stronger, her hair floating. By the time she had given up on the fish, the jellyfish were surrounding her, their ghostly tendrils wrapping around her arms, stomach, tail, neck. The ache of shock rolled through Anya's body, as spots clouded her vision. It was too late for her. She wasn't dying, no. She was familiar with death. But her conscious mind had drifted too far into the pain of the shocks, her body was just slack enough, and without another sound, the ocean whisked Anya away.
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