Ocean Of Fire

Chapter Three

The young Oceangoer kicked her legs slowly, holding up the jar so she could see the walls. Jali plucked some floating coral out of the water, gnawing in it as she swam. Like those who lived on the surface, Oceangoers often found ways to sharpen their teeth with broken coral or rocks. Most preferred coral, of course. Jali eventually came to a cave opening, with tunes carved around it. She set down the jar, put a rock on it to keep it in place, and went in.

The cave was dark, of course, but she couldn't bring the light in. It was forbidden. Jali was often the only one to go in, at least outside of the elders and the Mardux. The Cave Of Tiae was one of the few locations of it't kind, harnessing the power of the skywriter Tiae herself. As Jali kept walking, the cave started narrowing. She turned sideways to pass through a small opening, and into a large cave. In the center of it was a glowing stone, bigger than a aushrik, the largest creature in the ocean. It was a brilliant white, and Jali had to shield her eyes just to approach it. "Tiae, ancestor of the Ocean, prophet of the darkness, hear my wish.." she let herself sink the the ground, eyes closed as she places her hands against the rough stone. Jali's body hummed with energy, shapes and colors filling her mind. Bright orange, dark red, brown. Shapes like sloping mountains, sharp ledges, and branching coral. She drew her hands away slowly, the images fading from her mind. She had her answer, and a bit more than that. "Okay.." She whispered.

Jali was never a patient girl. She might be able to wait a few minutes while someone prepares for something, or perhaps wait for the local weaver to fix and make clothes. But when it came to larger thing, like receiving her tail, she wished she could march right into the clouds and demand the Skywriters to send a sign to the Elders to begin the ceremony. After she left the trench, Jali was irritated. Groaning in annoyance, she let herself float to the surface. It was a talent few possessed, but focusing on one's own weight and air/water intake was very helpful. As she surfaced, she noticed the volcano on the island she had just been on was smoking. The smoke was black, which could mean one of two things. One, a Volcanogoer was receiving a staff. Two, the volcano was going to erupt. Jali decided to go with One, as it was far more likely. The staff was something only Volcanogoers could use, something that channeled a special power. No one else knew how it worked, nor what exactly it did. Only that it was special, and once received, it never left the owner's side. Jali wished she could know what it was. Perhaps she might find out one day.. that thought irritated her more.