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“Those fucking idiots!” She pushed the merchant sized schooner into the water. “Didn’t fucking realize my incredible potential.”
She had been expelled from her homeland with nothing but a bag of belongings, a fishing rod, and boat. “Not even a fucking map. Where the fuck do they expect me to go?!”
She kicked the boat.
***
Days consisted of sleeping, checking the deck, (once a brainsucker crashed onto the deck and she didn’t see it until the next day) fishing, attempting to cook the fish, sulking, and then attempting to get drinkable water.
***
Thump
“What the fuck was that???” The boat hit something and stopped moving. She had already been sailing in the void sea for an immeasurable amount of time now and couldn’t fathom something being this far out. She ran to the lower deck from the steering wheel and onto the bow. She looked over the edge and saw a glowing purple orb floating in the water. That’s an odd fucking forge of sin.
She stared at it unmoving, almost anchored into the depths of the void sea. “Fucking hell, do you want me to fucking move you piece of shit???”
She climbed down the ladder and into the water. Immediately when she felt the water, she felt a rush of fear, cold, and loneliness wash over her. She swam towards the object, fueled by simply annoyance, hand on the dagger sheathed at her belt.
As she approached it she felt as if she was attracted to it, like something was pulling her in that direction. A fucking rip tide??
When she got a foot away from it she started hearing whispers in her head, “…take me… take me with you…Eylis…”
Terror fell across her face as she treaded in place. She spoke in a hushed tone, “What…what are you.” The orb’s light panted darkness on her face.
“My dear Eylis, take me to your boat and we may discuss.” The orb spoke in a whisper in her head. Her head throbbed with each word spoken. She carefully took the orb into her hand and carried it close to her chest. She could have sworn she heard something that could only be described as a purr from the object.
She quietly climbed the ladder with one arm, orb in the other.
When she got onto the deck of the boat she dropped the orb and panted, attempting to regain her composure after… that.
***
Her limbs sprawled across the deck, the orb now forgotten as she fell into the darkness of sleep.
***
She awoke on a cold, rocky ground. Her body ached, she had a migraine. Her heart was racing. Where am I-
“My dear welcome to the voidheart. I attempted to heal your wounds, please do tell me if it was enough.” She looked around at the empty abyss. There was ground and sky and that was all. A fog reached over the island as far as the shore. It was cold. She shivered. Her clothes were still wet and dripping in seawater. Her hair was a mess in her face and obstructed her vision. She could not see where the voice was coming from, but it was no longer in her head.
Her breath staggered, she grasped the ground and tried to get up but fell. “Ow-“ She did not feel the ground next, she felt a person’s arm at her waist to keep her from falling. “Shh. I got you.” Her breath hitched and she staggered backwards from the stranger. “Who- who are you...”
“A formless being. I was once like you. Like a human.” The being sighed, “Now my life is agony.” The shadow crept behind her. It was like a purple flame taking the form of a figure. “I wanted to discuss on your boat. You were quick to depart. Couldn’t speak to you unconscious.” She turned around to try to face the figure and immediately blinded herself. She yelped, “Ah. I must have forgotten the mortality of human.” Eylis could see the figure shrink in the corner of her eye while she covered her eyes from the blinding shadow.
“What- what did you want to discuss- with me…?” The figure sighed, “A deal.” Eylis breath staggered, “…why me?” She heard the being sigh, “Potential. I see it burn like flames inside you. Potential no one else knew.”
Eylis’s face flushed. The figure continued, “I know no one else was willing to help you, not even your sister, but I can.” Eylis coughed, “What do you want from me?” Eylis could hear her move closer to her. Eylis looked down at her feet. “What do I want? You to stay here. You cannot leave.” Eylis’s breath hitched.
“Eylis I want to help you. I know you can shine, burn like me too.”
Eylis faced the figure, it was an orb again. “Ah. I get to see your face.” Eylis stared at the orb, her breath shaky, “It’s a deal.”
She felt a warmth emit from the orb, like a fire. She had to keep herself from chasing the warmth in this desolate and cold world. “Ah. This feeling is pleasant. I feel it coming back. A part of me that wasn’t before present.” The orb glowed brighter. “The deal has been made. I am glad to have you, Eylis, the Punished Dreamer.”
