Shifting Water

By: George Eloise Hosein

Prompt: A girl finds a spell and turns her sister into a cat, but can’t change her back.

The sunlight filtered through the glowing lake like strands of royal elven hair, dancing as the Skyfettered Tree swayed above. Out of the corner of her silver eye, a crimson shape flashed. Her entire semi-transparent blue body flicked towards its direction, dark blue hair flinging in her face as it darted behind a rock pillar with pulsing green plants that cast strange shadows against the surroundings. She edged closer, plucking the raw bone dagger from its sheath. Then, she waited, this was key when hunting Mequinj fish. Although they were fast, they were forgetful creatures and wouldn’t remember the predator who was chasing them if they lost sight of them for a while. Sure enough, after four minutes, the fish came moseying out from behind the rock, without a care in the world. It swam peacefully in the opposite directing, taking no notice of the girl. Silently, she glided after it with her dagger poised to stab. Just as she was about to thrust her knife into its tender flesh, a splash thundered above them. The fish darted away from her with the speed of a lightning bolt, leaving the girl to stare at the object that plummeted from above. 

It appeared to be an ornate glass cylinder with some sort of paper rolled up inside. The girl swam closer, brushing the bubbles away from the object and staring at it with a renewed sense of wonder. She followed its descent through the swirling water, too scared to touch it, but too mesmerized to leave it alone. Her fingers grazed its vibrantly colored surface, and a spike of warm energy flitted through her taut muscles, causing her to freeze mid-stroke. Her mind skidded through a thousand possibilities, as her hand unwillingly grasped its ice-cold body.

For a while, she lay there, floating in the water, the long tendrils of Quellgrass tickling her legs and chest as she waited for the item to relinquish control of her muscles. Eventually, the mystical energy faded from her shaking muscles, and she brought the object against her chest to examine it. The cylinder was composed of twisting bits of teal and amber slices of glass, with a round silver lid. Cautiously she popped open the top and let the air stream up to the surface. Then she reached inside with long webbed fingers and retrieved the rolled-up black parchment.

Strangely enough, the pale ink did not flood about the water like most parchment from above but held the ink, like how the sky captured the stars. The girl stared at the luminescent symbols, they were comprised in a language unknown to her. She let out a frustrated sigh, at least her sister would find interest in it. She rolled the parchment back into its container and shoved it into her pack. 

Her muscles ached with unprecedented exhaustion as she slowly flipped onto her back and gazed at the sun’s position. With a shock, she realized that she needed to catch something soon if she and her family were going to eat tonight. She let out a moan of frustration as she remembered the Mequinj fish who had barely escaped her clutches, she had been so close this time. She sighed, but kicked to the bottom of the lake, her heavy, oversized clothes dragging her down. There was no time to pursue another precious Mequinj fish, so she decided to pluck some Byojums from the bottom of the lake. Immediately, her fingers extended against the glowing peacock colored sand that was slowly alternating to emerald. She dug through the sand, uncovering small scaly spheres and placing them in her bag. One after another, she popped the balls into the satchel, over and over until the bag could hold no more. Closing her handbag, she launched off the lake floor with her feet and swam swiftly home. 

Her legs spun through the lake, faster then any merperson could. She split the water, spinning over houses formed from the fallen branches of the Skyfettered Tree. House after house sped past her, she swam between the colorful market stalls, leaving a cloud of glowing sand in her wake. Other water Carvent swam past her with matched speed, while others bargained over prices, and still others paddled about the fountain, playing in the streaming air that leaped to the surface. Abruptly she halted in front of a house across from the fountain. It was just as ordinary as the other ones, its branches taken from the tree above still growing thick as ever. She wondered if the branches would grow on forever until the lake was taken over by a tangle of fallen tree.

She extended her hand and knocked on the tiny, circular door. It opened with a creak that echoed through the surrounding water, and the lively blue face of her sister stared back at her.

“Did you catch it?” She asked expectantly, her curly azure hair twisting around her.

“Not today, little Bithsleen. But I can barely wait to tell you how close I was this time.” She replied ruffling Bithsleen’s web of floating hair.

“What happened this time, Dwiern?” Bithsleen smiled, looking expectantly for an entertaining story.

“I’ll tell you all about it after we get these cooked,” Dwiern promised, tossing her bag through the hole and swimming after it.

Crisp light flooded the one-room house as Bithsleen closed the door. Dwiern grabbed the bag from the water and slipped the cylinder into her pocket. She looked around at the gorgeous lanterns, which were comprised of glowing blue sand suspended in her mother’s magical bubbles. The house was composed of a large bunk bed on the right wall, one layer for her parents and one for her and her sister. A small circular stone table with wooden chairs in the center. And a little hot air vent on the far wall that they used to heat the house and their food. The rest of the walls were overtaken by shelves containing various objects, ranging from seeds to leather-bound books. She batted a lantern away from her face, swimming over to her father, who was opening the hot air vent.

“Hello, Zigi. I got some Byojums.” She said tentatively, guilt coursing through her veins as she remembered the Mequinj fish.

“That’s excellent Dwiern!” He said, taking the bag and embracing her with pride. “I’m so impressed that you have been able to feed the whole family without your Hama’s help.” He continued, winking at Dwiern’s mother who was petting her swelling stomach.

“I was so close to catching the fish this time, I’m sure I’ll catch it tomorrow.” She said, looking into his tired gold eyes.

“I’m sure you will.” He said honestly, swimming over to a shelf.

As soon as Zigi wasn’t looking, Hama shot her hand forward and cast a bubble around the hot air vent to trap the heat. Dwiern and Bithsleen attempted to hold back their bursting giggles as Hama went back to innocently petting her stomach. Zigi turned around with two long bone knives in his hands and stared at the vent.

“Unama! How many times do I have to tell you, no magic while you’re pregnant.” He said, pointing a finger at her belly.

“And how many times do I have to tell you that I can do all the magic I choose, pregnant or not.” She snapped back, flicking her wrist at Dwiern’s bag which abruptly empties its contents, and encased the Byojums in a bubble.

Zigi gave out a frustrated sigh but grinned at Hama’s stubbornness. 

“Very well.” He said, handing Bithsleen a knife, its jagged edge reflecting the lantern light.

Immediately he and Bithsleen when into action. They thrust their hands into the bubble, which accepted them with a pop and began skinning the scales off the Byojums with shocking speed. Hama stifled a yawn and swam over to her bottom bunk bed to lie down. Dwiern swam to the top be, being equally exhausted and lay down next to their watercat, Tique who purred enthusiastically at her presence.

After some time, Zigi and Bithsleen had finished cooking dinner. They had the remarkable ability to make even the blandest foods edible. The food was scrumptious, although Dwiern had felt that it would have been better if she had just caught that fish. After they had finished the meal, everyone went straight to bed, exhaustion overtaking them all. But, Dwiern had promised Bithsleen she would tell her about the day’s adventures, so they lay wide awake as Dwiern recapped the events.

“Oh, you were so close!” Bithsleen whispered, under the heavy blanket that kept them from floating away. Even though they were still slightly denser than water, and the chances of rolling off were slim, Zigi insisted that they use it.

“I know!” Dwiern whispered, holding the jet black parchment up to a lantern.

“I wonder what it says.” She said stroking the symbols that seemed to glow with the lantern light behind them, with awe.

“You know what? I think the symbols look a lot like the symbols in Hama’s magic book. The one that has the pronunciations you know?” Dwiern, said, her eyes growing wide with excitement. 

Without another word, Bithsleen threw off the blanket and darted to a shelf. Dwiern tossed the lantern after her so she could see what she was doing. She rifled through the books until she found a thick volume with the words “Sacred Avian Runes (Common Pronunciations)” inscribed into its spine. She grabbed the heavy book off the shelf and heaved it and the lantern back up to the top bunk.

After awhile of flipping through the heavy book and attempting pronunciations, Dwiern and Bithsleen had put the sounds together.

“Here goes, we still don’t know what it means, but let’s see if it sounds pretty,” Dwiern said, holding the parchment out in front of her. “Ok, Zarian Sii Jero Fe Zarian Cia…”

With a flash, Bithsleen’s body contracted into a ball of pale blue light. Tique jumped back with a small yawl, and Dwiern shielded her face, staring at the sight through her semi-transparent arms. The light subsided, leaving Bithsleen in a pile of limbs.

“Oh for Flewx’s droplets! Bithsleen!” Dwiern leaped to her and picked up her small body, fear for her sister’s safety roaring in her ears, her entire body shaking with panic.

“Meow?” Bithsleen responded, staring at her new-formed paws. She was bewildered at her new body and tensed up at the tremors she felt from her elder sisters frightened skin. Tique swam over to her, curiously pawing her translucent ears, unanswered questions swirling in his ears.

“Bithsleen? You’re a cat?” Dwiern whispered, staring at her water like fur with a horrified look on her face. Her flesh prickled and pulses, sending small bubbles up to the ceiling. “But,” She looked at the scroll again, a new surge of fear bursting in her skin. “That was the whole thing! It doesn’t say how to turn you back! Oh no, Zigi and Hama will be so mad.” Guilt surged down her back as she peaked at the lower bunk, miraculously their parents had slept through all of the racket. “You know what this means,” She said looking up, realization washing over her, demanding that she take control of the situation. “We have to climb the Skyfettered Tree and beg the Avianpeople to turn you back, and we better leave now if we want any chance that our parents won’t find out.” She rambled clutching Bithsleen to her chest, not wanting her baby sister to sense her emotions of uncertainty and dread.

Bithsleen jumped out of her arms and swam over to the kitchen. Tique and Dwiern quickly followed clutching the scroll and cylinder. Bithsleen grabbed a satchel and brought it over to Dwiern.

“Let’s see,” Dwiern tried to get her fear under control as she planned for the journey. She swam up the top shelf and peered inside, her hands shaking and causing the water to ripple, knocking rattling the objects surrounding her. “We’ll need Ream Seeds to keep us awake,” She put a small pouch in her bag, taking deep breaths to bottle her fear. “A couple lanterns,” She grabbed two sand bubbles out of the air and added them to the bag. “Some money just in case, although I doubt they have the same currency.” She grabbed a small handful of pearls. “And water.” She plucked an empty bottle and shoved it inside. “Ok let’s go, we don’t have much time.” She grabbed Bithsleen’s paw and sped through the door.

Tique raced after them, but Dwiern turned around and stopped him. “No, boy. You need to stay here and look after Zigi and Hama, ok?” She pet his head, and he purred pleasantly, he licked her hand and swam back up to the top bunk, she smiled at him and closed the door quietly. “Alright, let’s go.” She held Bithsleen in her arms and launched off the ground and to the surface.

After swimming all the way to the shore, Dwiern stared at the surface and thrust her head up. Immediately, her lungs began coughing up all the water and gulping down the air. She sat there hiccupping and sputtering until her lungs breathed breath. It felt so strange, the air gave her much more energy than water did, she felt as if she could fly. She reached underwater and pulled Bithsleen up to the surface, where she began to splutter as well. Dwiern smiled at her and scooped her trembling body into her arms. 

Then, she saw her hands. They had lost most of their blue hew and now were almost entirely transparent. She held them up to her face and scrutinized them, still getting used to breathing air.

They sat there for a while, staring into the moonless sky, the stars were so much sharper in the air, as was the tree which held many giant birdcages and flickering lights. Occasionally, a humanoid shape with wings would float from one branch to the next. 

After what seemed like decades, Dwiern dared to lift her transparent legs and lifted her shockingly foreign body out of the water, glowing sand sticking to her body and clothing. She gazed at the lake one last time, she couldn’t see the dwellings from her vantage point, only the glowing blue and green sand. Then, she turned around to face the trunk of the Skyfettered Tree. She pulled out one of the lanterns, letting its sharp light expose the many roots of the tree. Stepping forward, her body seemed light, but oppressive all at once. It was so strange not to be able to swim upwards, but she could move her hand through the air almost effortlessly. She adjusted her heavy green tunic and brown pants nervously. Her legs shook as she walked from the lakeside to the tree.

Dwiern looked up at Bithsleen, had climbed up her shoulder and fallen asleep. As carefully as she could, she used her one hand to slip her young sister into the soaking bag. Then she maneuvered around Bithsleen’s furry body and plucked a Ream Seed from its pouch. Quickly, she popped the seed into her mouth, bit down, and swallowed. A burst of energy filed her muscles like a cup filled to the brim. Looking down at her feet, she realized that her waterlogged body and clothes were leaving puddles everywhere. Well, she supposed, this is the price for having flesh carved from water itself, you leave everything soaked. She let out a withering sigh and walked around the giant trunk, searching for a foothold or low branch to ascend the tree. 

Mercifully, she found a narrow staircase, crafted from a mix of metal and wood, that circled up the tree, apparently for Avianpeople who had an injured wing. She looked upwards, it was a long way up. She swallowed, held the lantern out in front of her, and took the stairs at a run.

She ran, gripping the trunk as to prevent slipping. Occasionally stopping to rehydrate. Up and up she went, passing the first set of birdcages. They were made of humble wood, and its dwellings were on the less affluent side. As she increased elevation, the wood got better in quality, and soon included metal facetings. As the trunk started thinning the birdcages were entirely made out of precious metals, with jeweled ornaments. Dwiern jerked her eyes away from the gorgeous cages, reminding herself that she did not have much time, and sped onward. 

Most of the Avianpeople were fast asleep, but the ones who were awake gave her the most peculiar looks, making the water in her cheeks bubble with embarrassment. She steadied her eyes forward and continued climbing, stair after stair. The branches began to thin and clear, and what seemed like a dome of thick leaves became visible above her. She rose ever faster, leaving water in her wake along with pieces of glowing sand that children, who should be sleeping hurriedly scooped them into jars and bottles. 

At last, Dwiern burst through the final branches, and into the dome. She stood there, panting and looking with blurry eyes at her surroundings. It was entirely comprised with thick branches and broad leaves, with large holes meant for either windows or flying entrances, or maybe both. The trunk had thinned into spindly branches halfway up the very tall dome, which sported a small hole at the top. The thin limbs held cylinders with multicolored scrolls, not unlike the one that rested in her bag. In front of her lay three high thrones, crafted from branches and feathers. Attop the thrones sat three crowned Avianpeople with elegant features and gigantic wings. She edged closer, but two of the many armored guards blocked her path.

“What business do you have with us, Carvent .” Barked the Ruler on the right throne in Common. He had pale hair and skin with a face freckled like the stars. His orange eyes pierced her like daggers.

“I….I need… H-help.” Dwiern murmured back in Common, growing more fearful by the second.

“Why would a water creature like you need help from us.” He spat.

“Now, Pamin be nice.” The Avianperson on the top warned him. She had long wavy dark hair streaked with grey, pale, wrinkled skin, and deep black eyes. Pamin gave a humpf and crossed his arms but, remained quiet. “How can we help you, child?” She asked, kindly.

Nervously, Dwiern reached into her dripping satchel with shaking hands and pulled out Bithsleen by her scruff. Bithsleen woke with a start and rapidly scanned the unfamiliar area, her eyes falling on the elder humanoid with wings who was staring at her with an intrigued gaze. She meowed curiously.

“Y-You see,” Dwiern stuttered nervously placing her sister on the branched floor and pulling the cylinder out of her bag. “Th-this thing, it fell into our lake. I found it and took it to my house where my sister and I,” She bent down and patted Bithsleen’s sopping head. “F-found out how to pronounce it. Next thing I know, she had transformed into a cat, and I couldn’t change her back, so here we are.” She swallowed and looked up at what she concluded to be the Avian Rulers.

The middle Ruler looked gave the girls an understanding gaze, while the Ruler to the right stared down at them with a mixed glare of annoyance and disgust. Dwiern gazed to the left Ruler trying to gauge her opinion. The left Ruler had ebony colored skin with a cloud of curly obsidian hair and a pair of striking green eyes. Her expression was a blend of compassion and curiosity as she fiddled with a large ring crafted from amber on the middle finger of her left hand.

With a flick of her fingers, the middle Ruler signaled the guard closest to Dwiern. They quickly plucked the cylinder from her outstretched fingers and efficiently delivered it to the center Ruler, who gently received it with gnarled hands and brought it to her chest. Without a word, she popped the golden cap off and drained the lake water onto the floor. Then, she pulled the dripping scroll out with slow movements and scrutinized it.

“Ah, I see,” She smiled sympathetically and looked back at Dwiern. “The tree must have accidentally thrown the scroll into the lake,” She patted a branch behind her and turned to a guard. “Lonse, be a dear and put this away, when you’re done, bring me the Water Carvent Transformation scroll.” She tossed the scroll and cylinder to him, he caught them swiftly and flew off towards the far side of the dome. She turned back to the girls and yawned deeply. “I’m afraid we haven’t introduced ourselves properly, my name is Yaquoerm, High Ruler of the Skyfettered Tree. What might yours be?”

“T-Thank you for helping us, I am Dwiern, and this is Bithsleen.” Dwiern gestured at Bithsleen who was resting on the floor.

“Now Dwiern,” Yaquoerm said thoughtfully, “You have a potent magic spirit, I assume you inherited it from one of your parents?”

Dwiern nodded, thinking of Hama’s magic bubbles.

“Yes, and I would hate for that to go to waste so, I will give you five simple spells for you to learn and find the meaning to. In a moon’s cycle, I ask that you will come to me to present your magic. If you succeed in all five, I will give you a new set of spells. How does that sound to you.” Yaquoerm proposed, ignoring the shocked and angered look of Panim and the intrigued look of the left Ruler.

Dwiern was stunned. It would be such an honor to learn magic from the Avianpeople, but she didn’t know if she deserved it. Then she remembered that warm feeling when she touched the cylinder for the first time, and something inside her begged her to accept the High Ruler’s offer.

“I would be honored if you taught me magic.” She said, bowing her head, Bithsleen looked pleased, but Dwiern was not sure if she really understood the whole situation.

Yaquoerm beamed. “Oserna, would you do the honors?” She winked at the left Ruler who smiled and plucked five cylinders from the side of her throne and handed them to Yaquoerm. “Come here, child.” She said.

Dwiern cautiously walked through the column of guards and reached up to Yaquoerm who dropped them into her arms. Miraculously, Dwiern caught all five and quickly stuffed them into her bag. At that moment, the guard who had gone to return the spell flapped back over to Yaquoerm with big beige wings. He promptly dropped a cylinder made of swirling blue glass with a silver cap into her ancient hand. She popped it open and fished out the sky blue scroll. With a crack, she unrolled the scroll and held it up to her face.

“Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve done this one,” She said with mock seriousness. “Well, here goes. Flewx Siphore Quen Imo Flewx.” She spoke slowly and pointed a gnarled finger at Bithsleen. A shot of sapphire light sparked out of her finger and encircled the cat. 

When the light faded, there lay Bithsleen sprawled on the floor with leaf clothing that the tree had hurriedly grown on her.

“Well, that was exciting,” Bithsleen said nonchalantly getting up from the floor and examining her new clothing. 

 “Bithsleen, you’re back!” Dwiern said delightedly, running to her sister and embracing her.

“I think it’s just about time you two get yourselves home.” Yaquoerm prompted, gently looking out the window into the inky black sky.

“Thank you so much for everything.” Dwiern bowed, Bithsleen quickly following suit.

“Wait, can we jump into the lake from up here?” Bithsleen asked, hopping up and down excitedly.

“Of course!” Yaquoerm laughed, amused at Bithsleen’s bubbliness. She snapped her fingers, and two guards lifted the girls by the armpits and flew out the window above the thrones with a business-like demeanor. “Goodbye children, until next time.” Yaquoerm and Oserna waved at them as they disappeared into the night.

“You ready little sister?” Dwiern giggled in Aquafre clutching her bag and staring below at the shimmering lake.

“Yes!” Bithsleen grinned exuberantly. Without a word, both guards let go of the siblings, and they split through the air like two falling raindrops.