ANEW ||

Origin

Lexi and Mari tried for hours. They stretched their magic, pulled and loosened and yet nothing held. It had been ages since Mari had used her magic to this extent, so much energy wasted on feeble attempts to repair something so bloody old.

With Lexi exhausted and in need of a good rest, they both stopped by to check on Clair. Mari held Alaric's hand the whole time she stood there, watching as the two guards gifted with healing worked on her second. They were trying everything it seemed, and yet Clair's relentless thrashing only calmed when a heavy dose of an island sedative flooded her system.

It was only when she went to leave that she's noticed Hellion watching from a dark corner of the room. His face was pale and she had no idea how long he sat there.

"She's going to die," Mari said, "If something doesn't change, your sister will have killed my best friend."

Hellion met her gaze, a greenish tint had crossed his lips. Mari left without another word.

She walked the path to the edge on the island and waded into the water. When the ocean covered her head, Mari shifted. Sapphire and ebony scales crawled up her legs, the bones cracking to fit the movements required for her tail. Water entered her mouth, flowing into lungs that had shifted as well.

Mari swam down to the edges of the Gold City. The Olympians of this sector milled about, mostly unaware of the turmoil up top. That was the gift of the Gold City. It was separated from all the rest, the original structures still standing that were built at the beginning of their civilization. Even through two wars, the gold city remained unharmed.

She looked out of place down here, her black scales among the gold and green. Clair stood out too but not in a bad way like herself. Clair was the colour of the sky, her scales decorated with gold. Mari just looked like a demon in the glittering city.

The people waved to her, some came to say hello. She may look out of place, but the people in this sector adored her. Mari knew that was an understatement. The people of the Gold City loved her and Clair to a fault. She'd no idea why, but she wasn't complaining either. She loved them too.

The people who came up to her were told of what had happened, that their beautiful guardian lay on her death bed. That the island was in danger, that things were very, very bad. Many pressed their cheeks to hers, some headed directly topside to see where they could lend assistance.

Mari did not follow.

She kept moving right up until she hovered within the castle, right outside a closed door. Mari knocked once, hoping that the little scholar would be inside.

A moment later, Zenna opened the door. Her dark hair waved around her head in the water, her emerald tail working against the current of the open door. "Marielle," she squeaked, "I wasn't expecting you."

"I don't imagine you were," Mari replied, moving inside the door way and closing it behind her. It stifled the current, the water in the massive room no longer a vortex.

The room was floor to ceiling books, the islands books, protected with magic against the water and salt. This was the safest place for them, hidden way from the rest of the island. The room held their histories, their old and new laws, everything was in here. She'd neglected to spend more time down here. Perhaps if she hadn't, things might not have worked out this way.

"What do you need?" Zenna asked, tucking away the book in her arm onto a shelf.

Mari grimaced. "I need something on the barrier, about how it was created."

Zenna's puzzled expression only lasted a second before she flipped over backwards and swam into the shelves. A moment later she was back, four books in her arms. "This one is about the creation of the barrier," Zenna said, pointing to the bottom of the books. "This one is about its creator and the final two - well Clair requested I give them to you the next time I saw you."

Mari looked at the titles of the top two books. The spine of the one on top read 'Origin, Volume 1' and the second was volume 2. Mari looked at the books again, "Why would Clair want me to read these?"

"I'm not sure," Zenna said with a shrug. "She read them a while ago and must have read something she thought you might want to read yourself. They might very well be the oldest books in the library, although I'm not positive."

Mari's puzzled expression remained. "Thank you, Zenna. I have one more request, if that alright with you?"

Zenna gave her a bright smile. "Of course! What ever you need."

Mari swallowed the lump on her throat and began to explain what had happened on that beach in France, about Clair's current state, about Alaric and her own mate. When she was finished Zenna disappeared and after a few minute she returned with another three books.

Mari didn't bother to read the title's before she pressed her cheek to Zenna's and began making her way back up to the surface.

Her legs carried her deep into the jungle of the island, to the little house tucked into a beautiful thicket of trees. She could smell the tea already brewing.

With her hands full, Mari used her knee to knock on the door. The door took no time at all to swing open, but it wasn't Musa who answered the door.

Belark blinked at her behind her stacks of books. "What-"

Mari moved into the room, navigating the stack of book around him. Jass was sitting on the couch, his tea cup in his fingers spilling a little as Mari thudded into the couch beside him. As she spread of out the books on the table, Musa began to pour her a cup of tea.

"I need your help," Mari said, meeting Musa's eyes. "I'm sure by now you have figured out how deep in the shit pile we are?"

Musa passed her the cup of tea. "Of course," Musa said. "I just finished explaining it to Belark and Jass when you all but fell threw the door." Musa eyed the books, raising an eyebrow. "You went to see Zenna."

"Yes," Mari said quickly, setting her tea cup down without taking a sip.

"Alright," Musa stated, "Let's begin. Would you men like to join us?"

Belark stated to protest which Mari was not surprised about but Jass was grabbing a book before anyone had a chance to take their next breath. He flipped open the book on top of the pile. "This is all about the establishment of the mate bond!" Jass was already furiously reading the first page. "What am I looking for?"

"Anything that can help Clair," Mari said, quickly picking up another book. Mari turned to Belark and held out the book in her hand. "This one is about the barrier and the other one on the table is about the person who created it."

Belark sighed, but pulled the book from Mari's hand. Musa grabbed another book from the table and flipped it open as Mari reached for the first Origin book.