But in fact, the body was quite alive. It went by the name Freyja, named after the goddess associated with love and sexuality, as well as war and death. Full of conflicts, so was the young 21 years old, now lying silently, caressed by the sea. In her green eyes one could see the reflection of the sun, shining weakly in the sky. She was completely motionless, but in her head, a vortex of thoughts was wreaking havoc:
"I.. I couldn't strike them with my power. Why? What's happening to me?"
Her body was glowing with a bright blue light, visible to the darker shades of the water. She had light brown curly hair, falling to her back. In the water, the hair were flowing aimlessly around, and the bright blue glow around them somehow resembled a swarm of floating jellyfish, closely knotted together. It made for quite a surreal appearance. Her clothes were torn and burned down, a reminder of the flames that engulfed her not that long ago. Her pale skin was also burned and bruised, but with the aid of her healing abilities, was returning back to normal.
"I wasn't able to use my powers!! Something like that didn't happen to me since I was four years old and instructed by the confraternity of water mages in the glaciers in the North, on how to control the magic, seidr. I remember it clearly as if it happened yesterday. I was standing before the death pit. On its bottom, icy spikes awaited those sentenced to death. I was standing there, looking over the precipice and trembling from fear and cold. I looked at my father, who back then seemed a giant, but his face was expressionless. Heh, still today he manages to mask his feelings behind that thick brown beard of his."
Returning her thoughts to the past, she resumed her analytical reasoning:"He told me then, that I was his daughter, and therefore posses the immense power of the water, and have nothing to fear from it. He used his deep and stern voice, that was full of affection I managed to appreciate only in time, to tell me that my eyes will deceive me. That I have to feel the power that's inside me, and believe. And Suddenly, the spikes gave way to the water that welcomed my fall. So did my eyes deceive me? What did I see that blocked my abilities?"
Indeed, she was the daughter of the leader of the water mages in the North, the most powerful family that still survived the endless battle against their sworn enemies in the South. She was stunningly beautiful, and many boys and men alike were prepared to kill for her. Trouble was, that she was the most skilled and talented magician to be seen around, surpassing her father at the mere age of 11 years.
So no one actually had the courage to court her, and there was no one to envy and battle in order to win her hand. If she would eventually fall in love with someone, it was to be of her own choosing. And yet, on this particular day, all of her powers seemed to disappear from her, and she was an easy prey to the couple of fire mages that were ready to kill. She was lucky enough that the encounter was taking place atop a cliff, and she managed to fight the flames long enough in order to jump from the cliff overlooking the sea, and disappearing into its depth. Even without the active use of her abilities, she was sturdy enough to survive it all.
"They were a pathetic couple of fire mages. So eager to provoke and attack, without knowing who they were facing. Usually I could disperse with both them, and the bond their shared. My water powers would wash away the smile from her face. Together with their display of affection. Why am I thinking of them?" Her heart started pounding once again.
The calmness of the surrounding water did little to calm it. It was quite a shock to her, because her body healed completely, and the glow disappeared with it. She was being caressed by the sea, and, by use of her magical powers, her internal organs were rejuvenated again and were tranquil. She spent her whole life in the freezing North, trained in the arts of water, before being allowed to travel South. To the paradise that was in the middle of the land, separating the ice-covered lands from the volcano and scorched earth in the South. The ideal land in between was in a constant struggle between the two sides, that couldn't possibly work together. The water extinguishes the fire, and the fire vaporizes the water. So she could not understand what was that immobilized her from hurting them.
"When I saw them, they were in a passionate embrace, kissing wildly and being at each other. I'm not used to such display of emotions. The people in our lands are far more reserved. Is this the fiery passion that our elders condemn? To me it didn't seem that wrong. And in that instant, they suddenly realized my presence. She jumped at me, with her burning red hair, and an intention to kill. I could tell from her eyes, that were glowing circles of fire. He extended his hand, in an attempt - no doubt - to launch a spell against me. But I could not strike nor defend myself. His pose, his looks, something around him that rendered me completely useless. Is this love?"
When she realized her thoughts, she immediately kicked with her legs, and bended her back, to swim to the depths, where colder currents laid. She was kicking, and her whole body synced with her legs, swimming in a similar motion to the fish. She used her spells to be able to see better and breathe underwater, as well as protecting her body with a thin magic field, and she swam down below.
Farther and farther she went, feeling the welcoming cold currents, and admiring the underwater life. Her heart was slowing down, and she was regaining control. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, thinking: "Perfect!"
Before her was what she searched for. In almost complete darkness, as she reached the bottom of the sea and lured the attention of the immense underwater monstrosities, able to withstand the immense pressure of all the water above. She raised her hands, which started glowing an almost white-bright blue, and one of the creatures neared her. The creature extended its tentacles and she repaid with extending her arm in a mutual greeting.
As soon as they touched, the creature started glowing with the same color. It was bound by her will, and her thoughts would be its orders until one or the other dies. "Come, my friend. It's time for the second round of the match. The fire may be the first to strike, but water persists!" Away went here feelings of love, replaced by the knowledge that what she felt was impossible, and doomed to destroy her. And she would not have that. She swam to the creature and locked on to its shell. A moment later, the creature was racing towards the surface, and what awaited above.
Word count: 1255
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