The Tidecaller

My rendition of Nami's lore. Chapter one? Just wanted to go a bit more in depth with her.

“You mean you’ve never done this before?!” He hopped on his trident and escaped another blow that could have well hacked his head off. Nami’s back was against the trench wall clasping her scepter close to her chest. She had no idea. She had no clue. “Answer me!” The sea creature tumbled into the shark’s mouth. Nami, fearing for the stranger’s life, summoned a bubble to conceal the shark so it would not escape. She was sure she had killed him. Her incompetence as a fighter killed that creature that tried to save her.

Nami held her bubble around the shark. Should she swim away? Can she even out swim this shark? Can she kill it? Every breath she took felt like her life was escaping her. She needs to decide now.

_“Nami!” _

She was awakened by a pink hand that thrashed her shoulder. “Nami wake up! They’re making an announcement at the court today! It’s about the Tidecaller! Hurry up!”

_“Sera it’s so early… The sun isn’t even up yet…” Nami moaned as she pulled more kelp over her. She turned her back on Sera and closed her eyes. The last few years was a strain on Sera and Nami. Once close sisters were drifted by the Tidecaller alone. Sera was picking up Nami’s crown and pearls to prepare for the announcement. Nami did not move from her bed and Sera placed the crown and pearls on Nami’s side. _

“You don’t care about the Tidecaller do you…” Sera whispered as she sat beside Nami. “You don’t care about our people… what could happen to us if those things get in.” Sera’s voice quivered. Nami heard the worry in her sister’s voice and clutched the kelp even closer. “Do you even care what happened to Papa…”

_“Don’t bring Papa into this Sera!” Nami threw her kelp blanket at her. Whenever Sera spoke of their father, Nami couldn’t get the image of his severed head delivered at her door. Nami was so sure that her father was the Tidecaller. That the crisis of finding one had ended. That her people can rest easy now that they have a defender. All her people did was deliver his head with “sincere condolences.” Since then, Nami’s mother has been quietly drifting in the house, Sera had a sudden sense of justice, and Nami’s bitterness towards the Tidecaller, whoever it may be, began. “I don’t care if the Marai die,” Nami whispered. _

Sera held her sister’s hand, “Do you care if I die Nami…?”

Yes. Nami did care for her sister. And at this moment when the shark was thrashing and snapping in the bubble prison that Nami engulfed him in she was sure of her decision. Whatever power was vested in her , she could feel it surging through her veins. The thought of Sera heated her heart and she sent out a powerful jet stream of water right at the shark’s heart. The shark flew against the opposite wall of Nami and the bubble popped.

The shark was simply dazed. The split moment where the shark hit the wall, Nami bursted towards the shark and sent the end of her scepter deep into the side of the shark. The flow of blood coursed through her fingers as Nami tried to dig the scepter deeper hoping to hit a vital organ. The shark whipped her away with it’s sheer massive size. It struggled to move with the scepter lodged at it’s side.

She closed her eyes, weary from the fear. This was all she could do. Nami was not fit to fight. She was foolish for taking on the quest for the pearl. If only Sera were here, she was the better fighter. Nami floated awaiting for the shark to kill her. She awaited to reunite with the stranger in it’s belly.

But she meet no teeth. Her limbs were intact. Her blood was not shed. Nami opened her eyes and saw the stranger’s trident protruding from the shark’s head. The shark was motionless and began to sink. Nami rushed to pull her scepter out. As she yanked the bloody staff, the stranger tore out of the shark’s mouth.

“Phew!” The stranger clung on a small ledge. He was panting for oxygen in the water as he relaxed his body against the wall. The ledge was too small to fit Nami but this stranger was agile, mobile, and had a small stature. He was blue with what seemed like tentacles that covered his head. Nami had never seen a creature like him before. There was silence between the two as they met eyes.

“I’m sorry… I-I thought you were dead,” Nami apologized.

“What are you doing in the Great Deep? Suicide or something?” The stranger wiped his forehead. The Great Deep was also known as a final destination for some. Might as well die fighting. “Name’s Fizz.”

“Thank you for helping me, Fizz. But no, I’m not here for that reason. My people need a pearl,” said Nami.

“Pearl huh? Are you the Tidecaller for the Marai? No offence but if you’re the new Tidecaller the Marai are in trouble!” Fizz laughed.

“No I’m not the Tidecaller…” Nami couldn’t help but take Fizz’s words to heart. She’s not fit for this quest. No one else took the quest but her. She is sadly the Marai’s only chance. If she could, she would pass this burden on to the stranger. But his demeanor struck Nami as odd. “Why are you here, Fizz?”

“For fun,” Fizz smiled. Now Nami knew she couldn’t trust this stranger. Fizz is dangerous. No one just goes into the Great Deep for fun. Many people died attempting to retrieve its riches. For her people, this destination is one that should not be taken lightly. But this stranger came here for fun. As if this hell trench was an amusement park for entertainment. This deep trench is an arena of death. The thought of this made Nami tense and her fists clenched. “What’s wrong buddy?” Fizz asked.

“We are not buddies. I am here for an important artifact, and you come here for fun. This place is not for fun, I don’t appreciate you taking it to lightly,” said Nami. She had Fizz’s full attention and he scratched his head. “I thank you deeply for rescuing me. I do. But this quest means more than a thrill ride. I’m going to pursue it--even if it kills me,” Nami began to swim deeper.

“Whoa, whoa, hang on,” Fizz swam in front of her. “I’m sorry I made you upset. Listen, I don’t want you to go down any deeper without help. This is just the entrance of the Great Deep. You will die, I guarantee it. Did you have a party with you?” Fizz’s eyes glistened and Nami took his changed expression to heart.

“No, it’s just me,” said Nami. She was soft spoken because of Fizz’s warning. “You will die” swam around her head. Fizz had something else swimming around his mind as well.

“Okay, I’ll go with you. I’ve never been that deep in the trench before. You seem like a genuine Tidecaller-- well soon to be. You’ll have a higher chance of living if I go with you. I promise you’ll see the pearl you’re searching for,” Fizz smiled and offered his hand to Nami.

“Are you doing this for fun…?” Nami asked.

“Absolutely!” Fizz was honest. His motives may not agree with Nami but she could bet he was honest. Realistically, Fizz and Nami joining together did have a higher chance and she could not pass up the offer. Nami reached for his hand and shook it.

“I’m Nami,” she said. “I hope you keep your promises, Fizz.” And with that, Fizz beamed showing Nami all of his sharp teeth.

--CH2--

Aim, aim steady. It’s been several days since Nami and Fizz made the promise to venture in the Great Deep. Fizz held himself steady, arms crossed in front of him, waiting for Nami’s jet stream to hit him. A jet of water streamed out of Nami’s scepter and hit Fizz dead on. It engulfed him for a moment and returned back to Nami.

“It doesn’t hurt, I feel nothing from it,” Fizz frowned. Hours ago, one of the terror octopus had flanked the two and Fizz took the moment to teach Nami some basic combat knowledge. Dodge left, tumble, if you twist your core this way you can swiftly move this way, adding your wrist can inflict more damage. Most importantly, Fizz wanted Nami to fully understand her bubble and jet stream.

During that fight, Nami stayed as far as possible leaving close combat to Fizz. She successfully bubbled the octopus several times but it never seemed to last long. Fizz had to make the most of the octopus’ imprisoned state. Just when the octopus was nearing its death, Nami hit a stream towards the octopus but hit Fizz instead. The jet streamed bounced from Fizz to the octopus and back to Nami.

“Perhaps it heals?” Nami asked. “The Marai can cast healing spells as well. Maybe that’s why it didn’t hurt you?”

“We’ll test it next time we get a chance,” Fizz swam off. Nami watched Fizz’s back turn against her and the new wound that was inflicted just yesterday showed. It was a clean wound that stopped bleeding. The way the gash seemed to blossom as Nami’s eye went from corner to corner brought a graceful light to Fizz. There was a small window that showed Fizz’s muscles flex and move as though the wound was never there. The wound was so clean. So tight and controlled. Nami convinced herself that Fizz was unkillable. And should anything mean to kill Fizz...

Nami will protect him with her life.

“Pearls and gold are supposed to be nearby,” Fizz said snapping Nami out of her thoughts.

“How do you know?” asked Nami. Fizz pointed at the glistening rock on the side of the trench. It was crystal clear like a mirror. They continued onward. They swam slower than they did before. It is said that when the adventurer has reached the bottom, even the sun abandons their aid. This is where the unheard of terrors that have harassed the Marai for so long come from.

The silence between them was gnawing at Nami. It was dark and Nami followed what little glint bounced off Fizz’s trident. She would occasionally hear Fizz bump into a rock and his fingers slide off leaving some pebbles to tumble down. She could hear the slight rush of water between his tentacles and his slow and steady breath. In the deepest of the trench, one could only rely on hearing.

Fizz bumped into something but no pebbles trickled down. It was a clunk. His trident hit the metal and it rung like when a ship blew its horn while traversing over the Marai waters. The clunk was followed by a bellow. It was a low and deep grumble that shook Nami and her surroundings. The trench was no longer pitch black as two red eyes stared the two in the face.

Whatever it was, Fizz awoken it. It began to breathe but by the sounds of it, it was breathing through a suit. Nami was familiar with the sound of divers breathing through a mask but she couldn’t make out what it was. It must much bigger than a regular diver. To her, it was a titan. A titan of the depths.

“Wha…” spoke the titan. Fizz was ready with his trident. The titan pushed through rock and dragged an anchor out with it. The titan’s suit lit up as if it came back to life and Nami could really see how colossal it was. It seemed confused as it shook it’s head in disbelief of how it got there. Fizz took the titan’s moment of confusion and lunged at the titan head on. The titan was pushed down and more rocks tumbled down. Nami saw a pink spark with the corner of her eye. It was the abyssal pearl!

“Fizz! It’s here! I found it!” Nami darted towards the pearl. “Let’s get out of here before the titan makes this place collapse!” She was struggling to get her words through to Fizz with the rumbling and cracking rocks. To her surprise, Fizz darted away once she reached him. Fizz wasn’t the type to turn down a fight. As they made their escape, Nami turned to see if the titan was defeated. She was departed with searing eyes and locked on her face. She felt that this wouldn’t be the last time she saw this titan.

Hope you liked it :D Thanks for reading ^_^