The Earth Shifter

Everything is set. Everything but me. I wasn’t ready to do something like that. I’m not even sure how I’m supposed to do it.

Tristan said that I should get in the water with the Garda but I told him that Aaron will keep the oxygen away from me to give him a head start so he doesn’t stay in the water with the Garda for a lot of time.

I asked Tristan to drown the island from another place away from the Garda but he said no because it was the center of the island and if I did it from another place it won’t work as half of the island will drown and the other half will still be up there then the island will end up turning upside down.

I was standing in the middle of the circle facing Aaron. I looked around me this fence was probably the highest thing on Eossoda. It should be able to hold the water back for sometime.

“Are you ready?” I asked him. My hands were already trembling.

Just don’t freak out and Everything will go fine.

I chanted in my head in order to calm my nerves a bit but the opposite was happening.

“Are you?” Aaron asked me with a wink and a simple smile. He took my white cap off his head and put the closed Velcro in Periwinkle’s peak, who was sitting on my shoulder. I put my index finger so he would climb on it.

“Give it to Lilly, alright?” And I let him fly away. This was supposed to be the signal so Lilly, Erik and Tristan would ride on their Deltars and wait for us in the water.

Aaron took a deep breath pushing his dark hair back with both of his hands. And I took a breath myself, I won’t be able to take any of these in a few minutes.

“Promise me again that you won’t let me drown.” I told him like a little girl. My pounding heart was so hard to ignore.

“Don’t worry, I won’t go anywhere. I promise you.” He smiled an assuring smile. Then looked underneath him at the big jaws and sharp teeth and gulped.

“If you don’t want to do it then we won’t...” I told him.

“No, it’s fine.” I was going to talk again but I couldn’t take any air inside my lungs anymore. I know I shouldn’t try breathing because I know won’t get any air, but I did.

The good thing about this, is that Aaron didn’t cut my supply completely he was letting some for me to stay alive and still conscious to what’s happening around me. And as soon as I felt the familiar weight above my shoulders, I pushed it down with all the force I’ve got. I was aware of the movement of the ground underneath me and the sound of the water flow.

Please don’t let me drown, don’t let me drown.

I kept praying inside my head.

I kept pushing down till I saw the water climbing the fence and fall down, getting closer to my feet. My fear suddenly came to the surface forbidding me from pushing the island down. I backed away from the water and it stopped falling from over the fence. The ground stopped moving too.

“No, no, no.” I heard Aaron whispers.

I suddenly could breathe again. My lungs were happy with the oxygen filling them now.

“Don’t stop Amber, Please.” He pleaded.

“I- I can’t do it. Not when the water is everywhere.” My whole body felt cold and trembling. I hugged myself tightly.

I can’t do it. I won’t do it.

“Amber, I know that you don’t want to be under the water, but you know what? I think you’re not afraid of it and I know you’re not afraid of the water or anything else.” I looked up at him. He’s just saying that so I would drown the island and be over with it.

“Truly, remember that day on the shore when I told you that you’re crazy and you take everything so differently?” He asked and I nodded remembering the day I first saw the real him.

“Well, I now know why you’re so different.” He shrugged.

“Why?” I asked him.

“Because this is what you’re supposed to do. You can save all of us including me and I’m just here to help. And the hardest part is that you’ve got to deal with some water.” He told me simply.

“You forgot the part where I suffer from the lack of oxygen.” I smiled nearly forgetting the seriousness of the situation.

“Yeah that too.” He laughed making me laugh with him.

“You make it sound so easy to deal with.” I told him the same words he’d told me that day.

“That’s because it is.” He smiled telling me the same answer I told him also that day.

“Okay, I’m ready.” I was still afraid of the water, terrified maybe. But I chose to deal with it not run from it.

At least I’ll try.

It happened all over again. And after some time I fell to the ground dizzy. The water was starting to fill this place. I looked at my hands. They were glowing with golden writings and drawings. The water covered my half and I kept my eyes fixed on Aaron’s.

It’s just water, it can’t harm you.

Just.

Water.

I kept taking in sharp breaths and gasps all the time. I only get oxygen that can’t even fill half of my lungs. I didn’t stop pushing the island down with all of my might. The heavy weight was getting lighter as much as the water was getting higher.

It was incredibly hard to keep pushing after the water was covering all of my face. I remembered Tristan’s instructions that I shouldn’t be apart from the island. Which means that I can’t swim to the surface.

Aaron raised a thumb for me saying that I’m doing good. His face puffy as he was keeping some air inside, but mine wasn’t.

The weight was light now and pushing it isn’t that much of a work anymore.

All of a sudden, Aaron’s face changed into wince and he opened his mouth for a silent scream. Many bubbles came out blurrring the view.

I squinted through the water to see what’s wrong. There was a Garda biting at Aaron’s side with it’s big jaw. I moved my hand pushing it away from him. Then my tiny oxygen supply returned back as Aaron focused on the task again. I guess he was making two supplies now that he’d lost his.

He nodded at me. I pushed the island down harder trying to make the time we spend here less. Then a countless number off the Garda came attacking Aaron from everywhere. He gave me a lot of oxygen when he saw them coming weakening my powers for a second. He was moving in all directions trying desperately to rip them apart from his flesh. The water wasn’t clear blue anymore, the blood has made it dark red.

The only way I can help him is to push the island down even if I don’t have a continuous oxygen supply anymore.

Don’t die Aaron. I can’t lose you. Just a little weight is left.

My body was going to shut down but I didn’t let it. I won’t stop pushing till the last second. Aaron hid his face between his arms surrendering to the Garda. He can’t keep resisting them.

Then suddenly I saw something coming from a distance. Is that a sting ray? Probably yes or probably my mind is doing tricks on me because of the lack of oxygen.

The sting ray was big and wide. It swam between Aaron and the Garda then did something like hugging him. It just stuck on Aaron preventing the Garda from getting to him. The grey sea creature kept swimming around Aaron in each place the Garda were trying to attack him from.

Then I saw it the Periwinkle mark.

No!

I waited till the weight has faded and I couldn’t feel it anymore then swam towards Aaron and Periwinkle. Periwinkle was wounded deeply but he swam away before I can get to him.

I hope you’re okay, Periwinkle.

I don’t care about the water anymore. All I care about right now is to help Aaron. The island landed on the sea ground and since that second all the Garda has left Aaron alone and swam towards the sides of the island like little soldiers. I think they’ve left him because I pushed him away from the island.

I held Aaron’s arm to swim with him to the surface praying that I can make it there before fainting. But luckily the huge air bubbles that came from the island under me, gave us a free ride to the surface. I took a sharp breath as soon as my face was out of the water. My lungs welcoming the big amount of oxygen.

Aaron wasn’t conscious anymore, his clothes were ripped and the only part with no wounds, blood or teeth marks was his face. I kept him on the surface. I used to know how to swim but after Ivan’s death, every time I get into the water all of my body gets locked. I pushed all of these thoughts away focusing on the life I’m trying to keep alive here.

“Aaron?” I said trying to keep the water out of my mouth. I was holding him with one arm and swimming with the other but generally my legs were the ones keeping both of us on the surface.

“Aaron, come on. Wake up.” I tried yelling but every time I yell, some water gets in my mouth. However, he didn’t answer.

What am I going to do now?

I wanted to cry but didn’t let myself. I’ve made it this far I just have to keep going till the end. Aaron was breathing but was unconscious.

After what felt like an hour of restless swimming, my shoulders felt numb and my legs too. I kept switching Aaron from one arm to another. But my body was exhausted.

I won’t give up on you. You didn’t leave me and I won’t.

Something poked my back. And I turned praying that It’ll be help.

I found a dolphin’s face looking at me and I smiled instantly. Glancing at Tristan I thanked him.

“Thank you, What took you so long?”

“Sorry, we looked everywhere but you were away from the island.” He answered me.

“Is he okay?” He asked as soon as he noticed Aaron.

“What do you think?” He carried him on the back of his Deltar. And I rode on the empty one behind Tristan’s.

I can’t believe it’s finally over.

Lilly and Erik met us on the way. They were looking for us too.

“Ugh, thank god you’re okay.” Lilly said in a relieved tone.

“What happened to Aaron?” Erik asked concerned.

“The Garda attacked him.” I answered him.

“It’s a miracle he’s still alive.” Tristan told me.

“Well, a friend helped him.” My heart tightened when I thought about Periwinkle.

Please come back. I need to know if you’re okay.

Then I remembered the leader’s word.

There has to be a sacrifice.