An Age of Mysterious Memories

My eyes flick open and blink rapidly as I furrow my brow, trying to recall my dream. I must have only slept for a few minutes to be as groggy as I am, not even a full REM cycle. It's hard getting my bearings, and to sift through the voices, or messages, in my mind’s eye. A roaring sound fills my ears, a sound that I realize is a massive wall of wind being pushed so hard that it feels like it’s crushing my ear drums. I suddenly feel much more alert, a moment too late, as an enormous, towering, wall of water crashes into the beach, sweeping myself and the Shellcrackers along with it, slamming us into the underside of the roof of their shell dwelling, thrusting the roof off into the air. My attention is drawn to the fingers linked with mine, Teuila’s grasp is all that is keeping me from being dragged beneath the waves by a terribly powerful undertow, I hold onto Lil with my other arm for dear life. Teuila manages to grip Laomati’s tail with her free hand, I notice that most of the Shellcrackers are latched onto either Agwai’s tail or Laomati’s tail, any free limbs are used to grip their family members.

The fore wave knocked us into the air, but the primary wave engulfs us all in hundreds upon hundreds of feet of water. I’m about to gasp for breath, but we’re still dozens, maybe hundreds of feet beneath the waves, when I realize that my lungs don’t burn for oxygen yet, as I would have assumed they would. Lil looks uncomfortable but is also holding their breath without gasping or accidentally sucking down water. Curious, I scan through my mind’s eye, sure enough, my name is Reggie Shellcracker now, and apparently with the name comes increased lung capacity, as far as I can tell.

Somehow, knowing that these otters shared their ability with me, and kept me tightly gripped in their sleep, and made sure I stayed with the group as the wave swept over us, fills me with calm. The calm is short lived, as I see small grey splotches in the distance underwater that must be Iakopo and Taito, and somehow those grey splotches are painted against a darkness that’s a deeper absence of light than anything else beneath the waves. I realize too late what that darkness is, the open maw of one of the great sea beasts as it closes over the grey splotches, erasing them from view, replaced by the massive maw, an endless evil grin and calculating carnivorous eyes. Though the serpent’s eyes are so red, and so massive, and my puny form an insignificant spec in comparison. I swear I feel the serpent’s crimson gaze lock with mine, chilling me to my core. I only realize the Shellcrackers have been crying out in dismay after some time has passed and my lungs begin to burn.

I realize the Shellcrackers have been making a concerted effort to try to break the edge of the wave as it still pushes inland, we must be traveling thousands of feet per minute, and we can’t gain enough forward momentum to beat out ahead of the wave, or upward momentum to break the surface. I also realize I’ve been subconsciously kicking along with the family, trying to thrust along with the swimming attempt. The pathetic flailing of my feet doesn’t add to the escape whatsoever. Several of the smaller Shellcrackers look worse for wear, and my own eyes are starting to bulge as I hold my breath. I swear I hear that tinkling cracking crackling sound of derezzing, which sets me to panicking, not wanting to lose anyone, nor to die myself. I check on Lil who appears to be unconscious, maybe in a sort of stasis, because at least they aren’t derezzed or gulping down water in a panic.

I actually feel like I might be the one derezzing as my lungs burn and ache and cry for air. I notice that Laomati is shuffling several of the smaller shellcrackers through, kissing them, even though they look to be unmoving. I figure her lungs must be larger, and she’s likely sharing air with them. My limbs feel weaker and weaker, my grip on Teuila slackens, and I swear she turns her gaze down upon me in sheer terror. Perhaps that’s my imagination though, as I think my eyes might actually be closed at this point, my eyelids too heavy to fight as every muscle in my body aches and burns intensely, something feels like it pops in my eyes, or near them, somewhere around the, hm, I guess they’d be called ocular cavities, I guess. All I can think to do is lock my left arm tighter around Lil, feeling as if I’m tearing my muscles apart by locking my joints into position. Heh, proprioception. I swear I feel Te’s tail wrap around my waist, but I realize that my vision is gone, like a television with a burned-in image. Te turning towards me and looking down with terror is a frozen static image in my eyes. Is this what dying is like? The last image in your eyes? I could imagine worse last images, she looks like she cares so much. I’m happy I got to meet them, the Shellcrackers, and Lil. I hope Lil is okay, I hope the Shellcrackers are okay as a whole, and that they can recover from the loss of Iakopo and Taito.

Wait, they’re still in danger, I can’t die yet. That thing is out there, and Lil wasn’t moving, something burns within me in a way that’s less painful than the ache for oxygen, a secondary fire, like a feeling of pure determination as I stare at that caring, terrified face. Even with this image frozen in my mind’s eye, filling me with determination, there’s not much I can do, except, wait, what happens if I displace several thousand liters of water with several thousand liters of water? I could swear I feel something silky, furry, soft, and smooth on my lips, and as if my lungs are hurting less, though the vision slowly fades to nothingness, I’m not certain if it’s black or white, it’s just, empty sight. I try to imagine where I was in proximity to each of the Shellcrackers, Ag and Lao were forwards and upwards, the main pull, Atamai was fiercely clinging onto Ag with their mouth, Luni, where was Luni, I can’t remember, I think she was being kissed by Lao, probably to give her air now that I think about it. Olioli I can’t remember where he was either, dangit, I nearly start to hyperventilate in frustration, but remember I’m underwater and keep it under control. Mataali, Manaia, and Manamea were holding in a triangle pattern around Agwai. Penina, Penina would have been obvious, she’s a very creamy white that nearly has a pearlescent sheen, where was she. Dang it! I can’t remember. I know Teuila was right in front of my face, as was Lil. Okay, okay, I’ll try my best. I divest myself completely, putting everything in my inventory, and could swear I feel silky smoothness against my skin. I hope it’s not weird, but I need every last ounce of supplies. Normally the plates and platters and wraps that the sashimi appear on disappear when the sashimi is eaten, but I try to separate them in my inventory, storing the sashimi in empty space, while using the plates as well to construct the shell I’m trying to build.

I truly only have a single shot at this, because if the shell fails, or the thrust doesn’t work, I won’t have any more supplies to make another attempt. I try to think of octagons, and dodecahedrons, I wrap and spool leaves and vines and sap and clay as much as I can with as many sticks and twigs and spears and clubs and various items I'd picked up while fishing that I never found a use for as I can muster. I mentally focus on filling the gaps with plates and platters and wraps, I leave a tiny hole where I picture the rear to be. I pray the pressure change won’t just kill us, and I summon this monstrous creation from my inventory around where I picture the Shellcrackers to be in relation to me. Immediately I imagine thrusting the several thousand spare liters of freshwater from my inventory backwards from ahead of me, blasting all the saltwater out of our shell, and all of the freshwater as well, and I feel a clump of furry bodies slam into me, and myself slam against the rear of the shell. I can tell the shell is rocketing forward, but that it’s also already failing, as water sprays in, but I take a deep gulp of air, and hear at least half a dozen other gasping breaths and sounds of confusion.

I try to patch up the shell with radiant energy, just copying sap-covered platters, but I have no idea if it’s having any effect, as my vision still hasn’t returned. This attempt massively eats into my energy pool, and doesn’t seem as if it’s having the desired effect. Instead I try to claim the water that surrounds us as it pours in, drawing it into my inventory, which is far more efficient, but it fills my inventory incredibly quickly, so I cycle it in and then out the back of the shell as much as possible. I swear I may have accidentally thrown out one or more bags in my haste, trying to bail out the water, as I thought my capacity was 1337, and now it’s 937. Frustrated, and realizing my body is not responding, I do give in and hyperventilate slightly. Thankfully there’s air to gasp in, in the shell at the moment, sort of, as there definitely feels to be an absence of pressure in the shell. It feels like I might have accidentally created a vacuum, but I think that vacuum drew some oxygen out of the water due to inventory shenanigans. I’m not certain how that would normally work, I don’t think normally matter suddenly displaces other matter from literally nowhere. Now isn’t the time for complex physics analysis by a complete amateur like myself. I just need to keep this up for a little longer.

Uncomfortable with the lack of a plan, and my own lack of sight, I ask, “Can anyone tell me, the shell I made, is it still completely submerged or are we riding the wave?”

Thankfully my sight in my mind’s eye isn’t destroyed, as I can see/hear the responses of the textboxes.

A voiced text whose owner I can't identify through my over-exerted befuddlement at the moment responds, “Not yet, your magic saved us, some of us.”

“Some of us!?” I cry out in shock and horror.

“We shall see, it may have been too late, we have definitely lost some, and may yet lose more of my loves.” Laomati’s calm response only barely betrays her desperate sadness, somehow the tone comes across, indicating a forlorn feeling that lays beneath her calm exterior.

I choke back tears and swallow a gulp, trying to focus on manipulating my surroundings yet a while longer. I resolve to find a way to just claim a massive amount of oxygen permanently in my inventory after this, compressed if I can, due to how often I seem to spend time on or submerged in water.

Confused by my inability to see, I ask, “Is it dark, or really bright? Normally I can see pretty well in the dark, but I don’t see anything right now.”

Lao's response comes from closer than expected, it's as if she's right in front of my face, though I don't see her, “Your eyes, my child, they’re glazed and grey, and full of blood. I fear the worst.”

“My, my eyes are bleeding?!” I barely manage to choke out the question, trying to maintain my focus on manipulating the water surrounding us.

“Something of the sort, I’m afraid.” I feel a tender caress against my cheek, and I notice I’m being tightly embraced by someone closer to my height.

“Teuila, are you hugging me?”

She haltingly, barely, responds, “Yes you dork, so is Lil. Just, just shut up and use your magic to get out of this.”

“Lil, are you okay?” I unintentionally ignore Te’s request that I shut up as I realize I can check in on Lil.

“Better than you Reggie, better than, better than some of us.” Lil’s voice cracks through the text.

With Lil being alive and conscious, an idea begins to form as I beg, “Lil, this might sound crazy, but when I say go, can you blow a big fire right into my left hand?”

Lil obviously agrees with me, “You’re right Reggie, that does sound crazy.”

I plead once more, “Please Lil, I’m almost spent, I can’t keep this up, I feel like I’m going to faint, and I have one last idea before this all breaks apart.”

Lil acquiesces easily enough, “Okay partner, just say when.”

“Everybody else please move behind Lil.” Feeling their bodies shift away from me, I feel Te linger for a moment, before there’s a light bonk as she raps my forehead. “Okay Lil, the biggest one you can muster, absolutely massive, pour everything into it, please?”

Lil virtually shrieks in text, “Are you CRAZY!?”

“Maybe Lil, please, please just do it, right now?” I hear Lil sob slightly but just after I say now, I feel the heat begin to form, and immediately start claiming all the fire as it comes into contact with my hand, and I keep claiming and keep claiming, Lil is honestly pouring on more than I thought they had available, I regret asking for so much as I feel my skin blister, crackle, and peel, the scent of the hairs on my arm and hand cooking is utterly revolting, and then in a flash, it ends, and I feel Lil flop next to me, spent, gasping for breath. I'm fairly certain the fire cooked the nerve endings in my nose completely to ash, a small mercy that I can no longer smell the burning hair.

“Everyone, hang on tightly to each other. Thank you for saving me, for letting me be a part of your family, I’m sorry I wasn’t stronger or faster. Here goes everything.” I basically say a silent prayer as I'm giving it my all.

A massive pool of fire in my mind’s eye inventory I try to replicate with radiance, expending everything except the amount of energy it will take to expel the real fire. I imagine attaching it to our shell as a thruster, exploding out rearward. Like a multi stage rocket we are thrust forward. I repeat it again, and again, and again, as I unleash my radiant fire duplications, trying to absorb any excess heat so as not to harm the others, feeling my flesh peeling all over my body at this point as I make certain all heat goes through me. Eventually I can tell we’re sailing through the air, and that I’ve regained a tiny fraction of energy. I feel paws clasping my tender burnt arms, it’s excruciating, but I reclaim all the supplies that make up the shell into my inventory, I reconfigure them into a massive cushion with multiple layers of support, and weight distribution, and below that, I expel the last of the real flame, as a sort of landing thruster.

I black out as I feel all of us impacting the cushion at roughly the same time. As I’m losing consciousness, I hear a heart wrenching sound, the cracking, crackling, tinkling noise of someone derezzing, and I can tell that my tear ducts are too burnt to cry.

Every nightmare is supposedly accompanied by a rider whose purpose it is to harvest the emotions, or pick the subject matter, something along those lines. My nightmare and rider must have looked at my charred remains in pity, as there was a wash of bright light over all of the horrors in my dreams, everything was too bright to perceive. Trees whose trunks contain sharp-fanged gaping maws? Awash in light. Spheres whose fronts open into fake faces that tear and rend? Awash in light. Bottomless depths of ponds from which tentacles arise? Awash in light. Caverns in which horrifying enormous spiders lay in wait? Awash in light. Serpents the size of continents whose motions cause tidal waves, whose bites rend the laws of physics? Awash in light. Yet somehow, this pity taken upon my poor psyche feels almost more horrifying. Now to have to fear the light, it’s almost too much.

I awaken, hoarse, I think I may have been screaming, or crying, or trying to, but I can tell no sound is escaping. Somehow I’m alive, but it seems like the burns are preventing me from recovering, or maybe I just wasn’t out long enough to recover. Normally a full sleep has me nearly healed up from just about anything, but I can tell I’m in exactly the same state as when I passed out, or worse, thanks to my mind’s eye stats page.

I can tell Lil is coming to, as they begin sobbing and headbutting my leg while wrapping their tail around my ankle. It’s excruciating beyond belief how tender my raw flesh is. Oh, I can’t move my limbs. I tried to move my hand down to pat Lil comfortingly, but I can’t move at all.

I hear more of that familiar derezzing sound of crinkling crackling tinkling, and a gasp from those gathered.