DEPTHSTRIDERS CLAN: SISTERS 3

“I can’t do this anymore,” Furor growled. 

She was frustrated with her body’s limitations, her competitive spirit was fighting against the exhaustion in her body. Kaimana and Cheiro were feeling the same effects. All three sisters were clinging to rocks while a strong current pushed past them trying to carry them off the wall. Cheiro looked around trying to find some way to get out of their situation, but couldn’t see anything. They were in a tight space between two openings. 

“Can’t you both wisp yourselves away?” Furor grunted as her claws slipped on the damp wall. 

Cheiro shook her head, “I’ve tried, but I’m too exhausted.”

Kaimana could only nod her head, trying to keep her focus on folding herself up. 

“There you guys are!” Ornaax exclaimed, causing Kaimana to fall into the water in surprise.

Cheiro and Furor panicked, but Ornaax assumed she would resurface. When Kaimana never came back up, and there was no splashing to indicate she was even trying. Ornaax dove back under to search for her. Cheiro and Furor remained on the wall, trying to get a look at the water around them. For the two sisters, it felt like an eternity before Ornaax resurfaced with Kaimana in tow. 

“Help me get out of here,” Kaimana sputtered. 

Ornaax released an awkward chuckle feeling uncomfortable in the tension. He looked at all three empyrians and asked them if they all needed help. Cheiro gave Ornaax a deeply sarcastic reply but urged him to help Kaimana first. Furor could only agree with her eldest sister seeing the Kaimana could hardly lift her arms. 

“I’ll be back,” Ornaax said to the two empyrians clinging to the wall and then he directed Kaimana, “Relax on your back and let the current take you. I’ll be by your side.”

The pale empyrian swallowed the nerves building in her throat and gracefully landed on her back. She felt Ornaax’s hand on her shoulder as they let the current take them. Thankfully, they were much closer to the shore than Kaimana thought, it almost made her feel embarrassed she needed help to go so far. Ornaax assured her it wasn’t anything to fret over. 

Cheiro and Furor couldn’t see where Kaimana and Ornaax were anymore, the rocks were blocking their view. Furor’s arms felt numb, while Cheiro was alternating between which set of arms were holding her up. Both sisters hoped they wouldn’t have to wait much longer, but neither one of them was going to last. 

Kaimana crawled onto the sandy shore and huddled into a ball before she quietly urged, “Go back and help them.”

Ornaax didn’t hesitate as he leaped back into the water to speed back to the other empyrians. Kaimana watched Ornaax disappear under the water and she started to shake. She pulled herself into a tight ball and waited. 

Back with Furor and Cheiro, they were contemplating just letting the current take them. Though before they came to a decision, Ornaax appeared beside Cheiro. 

“Who’s next?” He chirped with a smile. 

“Furor,” Cheiro pushed her sister to him. 

Furor wasn’t going to fight her, she couldn’t feel her limbs anymore. Ornaax gave her the same instructions as Kaimana and the pair vanished around the rocks with the current. Cheiro rested her head against the cool wall and tried to call her magic, but it was unresponsive. With a sigh, she waited. 

Ornaax guided Furor’s relaxed body through the maze of rocks once the current couldn’t carry them and saw Kaimana curled up on the shore. Ornaax pulled Furor onto the sand and left her in a pile near her sister while he dived back into the water. Kaimana raised her head to see Furor near her and she shifted so her smaller sister could get closer. The pair hugged each other to share some warmth as they dried off. Kaimana wasn’t shaking anymore, but Furor sure was. 

While Cheiro waited she tried to keep her mind occupied. She counted cracks in the wall and half-heartedly counted fish around her. She was relieved to see Ornaax approach her. Ornaax gave her the same instruction she had heard twice now and the duo was off. They floated through the current while Cheiro stared at the ceiling. She thought the journey was going to be much longer than it was. 

“This is it?” Cheiro mumbled. 

“Yup,” Ornaax said without the judgment Cheiro was expecting to hear. 

Cheiro saw her sisters in a pile on the shore and made her way there with Ornaax’s help. Cheiro slowly crawled out of the water and over to her sisters. She wrapped her limbs around them and relaxed. She felt fire in her limbs as her muscles screamed with relief. 

“Anyone know any fire magic?” Cheiro whispered. 

“Literally, the only time I wish I knew some,” Furor growled. 

Kaimana laughed and the three sisters simply waited to draw off as they slept off the exhaustion from holding on to the rock wall for as long as they did. 

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