Chapter Text
A young triton squeezed his sister’s hand. Held it tight, as though letting go meant letting her leave forever. “Please, Edyn. Promise .”
“I don’t know if the Elders will let me–”
“They have to. If they want a chosen one, they’ll have to have a chosen… two.” He whispered to her as the two walked through a towering corridor. She smiled and he copied, causing her to snicker.
The tall triton ahead of them turned back to glare. Edyn squeezed Gillion’s hand and the two stayed silent. Footsteps echoed throughout the dim, sea-lit hall. Pillars and pillars passed, three, four… What comes after four? I’ll just start again. One, two… Gillion tried to count them.
“Gillion,” Edyn began to whisper, “I’m not sure if the Elders will let me visit you, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. Like how I tried back home.”
“You’re good at talking to them. They listened to you earlier.” Gillion watched the ground as he kicked a pebble, watched it float away.
"Yes, but they might not listen now."
Finally, the trio of tritons stopped by a large door. The Triton Elder coughed and the door began to slide open. They walked forward, but Edyn was stopped.
“This is as far as you go. He will be staying with us.”
“I–”
“You may negotiate at a later time.”
Gillion looked up at Edyn with a piercing sadness in his eyes. “She can’t leave yet.” He turned to the elder. “She can’t leave yet! Not until…" His hands swished in the water, as though the perfect phrase was hidden under this bit of the undersea. "Until training starts. That’s what you said.” Maybe he found it. The phrase that would keep Edyn with him, that would--
“Training has already started.” With ease, the Elder separated the two, pushing Gillion into the room and slamming the door shut.
Gillion fell to his knees while facing the door. “But…”
“You will need to be able to make choices by yourself. She can’t always be around.”
He turned around. “Please–”
“Pleading will not get you the rewards you desire. A servant will show you to your bedroom and you will get changed into your armor. It will take you to the testing chambers. We will meet you there.”
“What about–”
“We will meet you there.”
A weak-looking triton of about average height stoically stepped toward Gillion. They placed their hand on his back and began to walk. Confused, Gillion looked around, trying to stop, but damn was that fish strong. “Wait– Wait, Wait!”
Edyn was not there. Just the tall, menacingly long halls.
There were no ways to tell where the halls ended, maybe they never did? Maybe he would be stuck here forever.
Alone.
No big sis Edyn, no papa Reed, no mama Falyn.
Just little Gillion, born of moonlight, storm, and sea.