Garin thinks it over for a moment before agreeing to help with the water gathering, hoping his physical strength will pay off. Edelinne nods in agreement. "I'm sure they can use all the muscle they can get. We go through so much water here, we are almost sending teams out constantly." She leads Garin up to one of the buildings close to the gate, and smacks her fist on the door twice. After a little commotion the door opens a crack, and then swings open, a large man stepping out into the sunlight with a large grin.
"Edelinne! Good to see you!"
"You as well, Levi. I have a new recruit for you today fresh from Rebirth;" Edelinne motions towards Garin. "Garin. More muscle for your operation there." She winks, and turns on her heel. "Take care of him now! It's his first time!" She turns to Garin and settles a hand on his arm. "You will be fine. I'll be saving a spot for you at the kitchen tonight, alright?" Garin nods in agreement before watching her walk away. Levi's hand lands heavily on Garin's shoulder pulling him out of his wandering thoughts.
"Hey kid, welcome aboard. Nothing complicated here, a twenty minute walk there, then twenty back twice a day. Easy, right? Better then slaving away all day inside the city in my opinion!" He laughs. Garin turns to face the brute of a man. It is evident he has seen a bit of sun, and has strong muscles under his tunic. He sports short cropped blond hair.
"Nice to meet you Levi, looking forward to it." Garin smiles and outstretches his hand. Levi happily engulfs your hand in his, showing his strength in his grip.
"Yea, me too." He chuckles with a smile. "Here, let me show you the rest of the crew and your gear, we are leaving for our last run today in a few, let's get you set up." He steps back inside the building, with Garin trailing behind.
---
The massive doors to the city close behind Garin, locking him out for now. Levi spots him casting a glance back at the impressive iron-reinforced doors. "Don't worry kid, they are always open for us. We will be back shortly." Garin nods in agreement. He now shoulders a crude wooden beam with a little cloth from someones tunic as padding. Levi wouldn't mention much about it. On either side of the beam hangs an empty wooden bucket. Both his hands rest on the beam, holding it in place just behind his neck. Levi was very clear that while most runs are very uneventful, and that the sun would be the biggest problem, there are attacks from time to time. However if there is one, water or not, Garin was to drop the beam and run. 'We can always make another run, and the buckets usually stay where we leave them. We can't get another you.' his words ring in Garin's ear. Garin wonders if this place really is as horrible as everyone seems to make it out to be. The wooded forests in the distance, and the nice rolling hills make for beautiful scenery. No busy roads filled with cars and jets marking the skies with their trails, and towering cities to tarnish it. Garin trudges forward with the eleven others. Four girls and eight guys. He is slightly surprised the girls can bear the same load as the guys, but it doesn't seem too difficult so far, and the beam is relatively light, for now. Just one step in front of the other.
---
True to his word, it's not long before they reach a wide blue lake, sparkling in the sun with gentle waves washing up the shore. No yellow beach here though, only rocks and grass. It still makes for a beautiful scene however. Everyone drops their beams on a small hill with a cliff face jutting out over the water, so Garin fallows suit. A little sweat rolls down his face, and he smiles, thinking about going for a swim in the nice cool water. Garin brings his hands up to the neck on his tunic when Levi's hand falls on his shoulder once more.
"Afraid not champ." He says, a somber look on his face.
"What do you mean? I was only going for a quick swim to cool off." Garin answers, a little annoyed.
"Aye." He nods. "We did too, was often the highlight of the day... for a time. Used to simply walk the buckets into the water and fill them, be done in a fraction of the time. Then one day Mark dived off this cliff, and never came back to the surface." He shook his head. "Found his garb the next day, ragged and torn just down the beach. And that was only the first time things went wrong. Now we use a spare bucket to fill ours, and take off as quick as we can. It's just not worth it." Garin can tell hes hurt by the story. Losing Mark must have cut him deeply.
"Alright, you're the boss. I understand." Garin nods.
Levi smiles at your understanding. "It's simple, just take the bucket over here and throw it into the lake. When its submerged, pull it back up by the rope and fill yours. Should take about two to fill each bucket. Once we are all ready, we depart. No need to shoulder it while we wait." He demonstrates as he speaks, stopping to take a quick sip from the bucket. "Ahhhhh, nothing is better than fresh from the source. Try it!" He beams and hands Garin the sopping wet bucket. Garin brings it to his lips and drinks a little of the water. It is surprisingly crisp and just what his dry throat was aching for. Beats the water from the taps back in the city that tasted like it was from a fish tank, it was hardly drinkable Garin thinks.
"I can get used to this." Garin smiles. Levi laughs. "Can't we all?"
---
Garin sits on the edge of the cliff having been one of the first to fill his bucket, taking in the sights a short ways from the others. The Cliff he rests on is only a few meters above the water. Filling has gone quickly and without much fuss. Garin looks into the crystal waters below, wondering how something so beautiful could be tarnished by a monster living inside of it. What kind of monster is it? Garin decides that he hopes to never find out.
Then something shifted in his peripheral vision, or at least he think it did. Garin casts a glance, but only sees ripples in the water. A fish? Garin wonders. Edelinne didn't mention any fish on the menu. He wonders if it is simply due to the fact of missing materials, or the danger of being here too long. Then Garin sees it, or her. Just below the surface, almost like a ghost, a woman glides with her black hair flowing freely in the water. Her chest is exposed, with black scales blending with her pale skin at her pelvis to form a single appendage ending in a large forked fin, almost like a crescent, but stretched, and sharper. She seems to smile up at him, now swimming in a circle, just below him. She beckons at him gently, before running her hands down her sides. While enticing, and perhaps he would be tempted if he wasn't in the realm of Exesus, but the stories Garin has heard kill any romance or magic in her offering. He turns back to the others. "Levi?"
Levi perks up from helping one of the girls with the bucket. "Yo! What's up?"
"Have you seen this before?" Garin asks, then turns back to the water... but nothing can be seen in the blue water.
"Seen what?" Levi arrives beside Garin looking confused.
"It... She... There was something in there. Looked like a mermaid I think?" Garin says. Sheer terror grips Levi's features.
"Did she see you?" He asks very slowly. "This is important."
"Yes, I'm pretty sure. She beckoned at me I think. What's wrong?" Icy adrenaline now courses through his veins.
Levi curses.
"Siren!" He shouts, hauling Garin to his feet. "Run! get as far as possible from the lake! We haven't much time! Go!" He yells as he retrieves something yellow from his pocket and begins to work it into his hands.
Garin didn't have to be told twice, and breaks into a dead run, following the rest of the men who have already done so. His blood pumps and his legs work, gaining a good distance from the lake before he hears it. A simple note. Long and beautiful, but it hits him like a bullet. Images of his first crush swim to mind, blurring his vision. Unable to think straight, Garin finds himself slowly coming to a stop.
Vennnnni.
The word rocks his whole body. More thoughts flood his mind. Flashes of love, and lust. His crushes full lips pressing against his. Her bare flesh as it glides against him. A great need builds within.
Succumbere.
His knees go weak. He stumbles forward but recovers before he hits the ground. The vision of her slowly changes into Siren herself which now dances in front of him, her finger curling towards her. Garin realizes it was he all along! He finally understands. She is here to save him! She has come to rescue him! He just needs to do what she asks.
Subde ad me... Veni...
The words are meaningless but his emotions tell him all he needs to know. She needs him to come to her. He begins to shuffle and walk back the way he came. She wants him to come, and he must do as she says. But no matter what, she is always just out of reach, pleading, begging him to come into her safe arms. Her eyes seem to tear up, why isn't he trying harder? Her outstretched arms empty without him. Garin tries to run now, desperate, but she still remains out of reach. Suddenly something grabs his arm. Something trying to stop him from obeying her. With one swift strike with his free hand they topple away and he returns to his run. His love looks relieved and once again outstretches her arms.
Veni.
He is so close, he can almost feel it. Just a little more!
Projice te in aqua
Garin tries to leap into her arms, but again, hands grasp at him and pull him to a stop. This time they manage to wrestle him to the ground. Garin screams and fights with his oppressors. They can't stop him now! He is so close!
Veni!
Garin's arms are held to the ground by some great force. He screams in rage. Something warm is pushed into his ear, before his head is roughly twisted, and then into his other ear. Like a wash of cold water, realization washes over him, and his judgement is no longer clouded. Garin looks at the two girls who have tackled him. They give him a cautious look before bringing their hands to their ears and cupping them. One of them is bleeding from her nose. Garin mimics them with his own hands, feeling something warm and soft stuck into his ears. They nod and smile. Garin realizes that he must have been under some sort of spell or trance, and since he can no longer hear it, he is no longer affected. Garin looks around to see other men sitting and watching the awkward race. The two girls rush off to grab one of the other men, and Levi is doing the same, and accomplishing what two girls can do alone. His right hand hurts, and to his surprise has a good amount of blood on it. However Garin realizes he sits only a few feet before the edge of the cliff. If the girls hadn't stopped him when they did... A shiver runs down his spine. To his surprise, sitting only a short distance from shore on a pile of rocks in the lake is the Siren. Her lips are moving quickly, and she is swaying back and forth, but none of her sweet song reach his ears. Garin looks back up to the water team behind him, at least he can still watch.
As he Garin watches the strange race unfold, he realizes Michael isn't going to be stopped in time. He has slipped through the girls who are busy with others and is rushing straight at him. One of the girls darts to her feet, her hand outstretched behind him, but it is clear she is winded while she is giving her all. Garin stands up, getting ready to block him, when he almost steps backwards off the cliff. If this goes badly either one of you could be going over the cliff. Without no time left to react, you decide to...
