It was quiet now. So quiet. Had been for the past few minutes or so…ever since she had drifted past the barrier. It was not a physical barrier so much as an emotional, mental and spiritual one. Terrible things had transpired in these waters. Scenes had played out that were worthy of nightmares, horrifying and real. As such, the area held a terrifying reverence about it. The local sealife avoided it, swimming in wide arcs around the circumference, never daring to come more than a few hundred yards close to the place. The rare traveler who did manage to ignore the signs and swim into the lifeless zone did not do so for long. An eeriness hung about that, according to one tale which had been told, seeped into the core of one’s soul. Another unfortunate had spoken of the oppressive silence. How it had pressed in from all sides, squeezing and tightening, sending him to the brink of a madness he had not known existed within himself.
Deino had heard these tales and many more like them. Yet she pressed on into the darkness and silence. For her, there was no fear here. Not anymore. Oh, there had been plenty of it before, when she was young. The entirety of her herd had been afraid of what rested in the depths. But that had been years ago now. Her fear had long since faded, replaced with sadness for what had transpired. The thing which had slumbered had awakened. To say the ensuing chaos and destruction was a catastrophe would be putting things mildly. It was an utter massacre. When all was said and done, after the beast had been- by no small feat- quelled, the survivors had assembled. So few remained. The large herd that had thrived here was no more, brought down to roughly a few dozen.
The multicolored Seathi continued to swim as the memories from that day flashed through her mind. She allowed them to flow, to flicker across her mind’s eye, holding onto each briefly before letting it drift back into the sea. Despite the passage of time, they were still painful to recall, especially here. She imagined, if she were to focus enough, she could see the ghosts of those who had been going about their daily lives. All of them unsuspecting of the disaster that was to come. Deino breathed a somber sigh. So much life turned into so much death. It was only through some miracle that any of them had made it out alive and, for that, she constantly thanked the spirits. They had been able to rebuild their lives elsewhere…somewhere further away from the ghosts and the nightmarish memories.
Many of the surviving members had never returned to the area, neither to pay their respects nor retrieve any sentimental items. In fact, Deino had been the only one thus far, at least as far as she knew. It had become her job, of sorts. Which is why she was swimming through the crystal blue depths. She was the ferrier of everyone’s respect to this sacred realm. What had led her to return the first time, let alone the dozens of times since, she could not say with any certainty. Part of her felt it might have been due to a sense of duty. Another part deemed it more from guilt. Whatever the case might be, it had become her ritual. Once a month, on the date of the tragedy, she would make the pilgrimage to her old herdland, bringing with her a wreath made by the herd. Every wreath was unique, and every wreath had something of each of the herd members. This month’s wreath hung loosely yet securely around Deino’s neck, resting gently against her chest as she swam. Composed mostly of coral and kelp, it seemed to drift in and out of sight, blending into the surroundings before suddenly gleaming colorfully in the light. An apt homage, in her opinion.
A glint of something in the near distance caught her eye. Ah yes, there it is. She gave a flick of her tail fin, increasing her speed ever so slightly. The shrine, or temple if one preferred, was not too much further. An array of wreaths from journeys past rested on the seabed. Some lay prone on the floor, others were propped against one another, and some sat atop flat stones. All of them were arranged around a decent-sized structure which Deino herself had hewn from the local coral. It had been- in her mind- a small gesture to make but a sincere one. And now it would have another decoration of reverence added to it.
Swimming forward, the mare contemplated the display briefly, quickly choosing the perfect location next to a more…dismal piece. It was the first wreath that had been laid here and, thus, the most weathered. Even at this depth, the ocean’s moods could have an effect on objects. Deino slipped the wreath from her neck and nestled it against the other, taking her time to get it just right. She then scooted back a few feet before offering up a prayer to the dearly departed. Another month, come and gone. Another wreath, delivered. She hoped the spirits bore witness, hoped they felt the love poured into the offering, as she had hoped each time she came. And as every time before, she vowed she would return. Until then, she would dwell with the living, making new memories and dreams.
Deino bowed her head once more in farewell to the shrine. Doing a lazy turn, she faced back the way she had come and began to swim. Back through the soundless waters she went, and on through the invisible barrier. The change was instant. Where stillness and death reigned had given way to vibrant life. Deino smiled softly. As it shall always be…
FIN
WC: 978
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