The Sorcerer of Azurai

Sage thought back to where she accidently made Nyris upset, seeing the color of his hair change, feeling the heat that surrounded his body, his consuming rage.

"When he's calmed down he's ice cold, whitish blue hair and frosty eyes. when he's really high from a good day he's free like the wind, his hair can be a rainbow of colors and his eyes are like a reflective prism. When he's hard set on working, managing the land, he takes the element of earth, nature toned and super strong."

Piper bit her nail "But then there's his mystery form."

"Mystery form?"

"That correlates with the weather. I've never seen it before. But my sister says he once used this form to banish a dark power that once washed upon the shores. Of course that was a bit before my time."

"That is cool. Changing into the four elements at will, channeling them through emotion." Sage admitted.

"Oh, honey that is not what I was thinking of when I mentioned his forms. With each transformation his thing changes too."

"Thing?"

"Phallus." Piper bit down hard on her nail "I was a little fly on the wall watching from the shallows, the pond. When he's fire, his entire phallus is magma and igneous rock, when he's water it's frozen solid like a popsicle, when he's wind it's nearly invisible and whirling around at a quick pace, and when he's earth he's hard as the ground in the forest."

"A girl can dream." The alluring mermaid then dove into the water coming up half way in the waters, a few yards from where Sage stood. "Don't you want to know?"

"Not really." Sage blushed, she said "I don't think of Nyris that way."

"But you've only known him for a few days. You're not interested in being more with him?" She swam a bit closer as Sage took a step back.

"We're...friends."

"We could be friends, you and I." Piper extended her arm "Come be my friend, swim with me." Sage backed away once more and watched as the mischievous being's eyes became clear, Piper laid back against the water and began to hum. The smooth sound had took over the girl's body, instead of retreating she came forward towards the mermaid. Sage wanted to scream for help, but her body moved on it's own.

"Come to me." Piper hummed, the sweet tones pierced the air, and before she knew it Sage's feet were in the water, right, left, right, left, she was slowly walking into the water. As she began her descent she watched as two more tails came towards her and Piper, circling like sharks.

As Piper stretched to reach her prey a small chill ran down her spine, she stopped, and Sage stopped.

"Get out of the water, Sage." Nyris was standing on the beach, just as Piper said his dark blue hair had turned an icy blue and his eyes were snow colored. Sage ran quickly back to shore shakily.

"I'm sorry-

"Be quiet and stay here." Nyris approached the edge of the water, the two circling tails had now disappeared beneath the surface and Piper had swam some distance out sensing Nyris' wrath coming.

"I've warned you, on several occasions. Will you ever learn?"

"I-

"Any being who washes upon this shore is never to be food for your kind. You know this. Piper-

"Please, don't." Piper squealed "I-I didn't want to do it, my sisters made me. Please believe me. I wouldn't want to anger you, never Nyris."

Nyris remained calm for a second staring into the depths of her eyes "I believe you."

What? Sage looked at him as if he had snapped, just because she said she didn't want to didn't mean it was true. But maybe he had some sort of insight where he could distinguish between a true and a lie.

"When will your sister rise?"

Piper shrugged "I can't place her, she goes off on her own-

"I want to know why after all these years, why she would cross me now."

"She was curious about the girl." Piper pointed at Sage "She wanted to test if she was truly human, she doesn't appear as an ordinary girl. She thought you'd let it slide since you didn't like visitors-

"I don't like the fact that she plotted to drown and eat her. That is what I do not like. When your sister rises, Piper, I plan on making an example. And she better rise soon."

Piper nodded erratically "I'll tell her, I swear, I will." Piper kicked back on her tail and dove deep, in those eyes was a willingness to protect, a willingness to kill and she was not ready to die today.

Nyris walked Sage back into the hut "Next time don't wonder off without telling me. Just, because we're the only ones on the island doesn't mean the creatures outside of this perimeter won't try to lure you away."

"I'm sorry." Sage sat down on the couch and looked up as he changed back in an instant. He took a jar of water off the shelf and downed it.

"Thirsty?"

"No." Sage fiddled with her thumbs "Can I ask for a favor?"

"Depends on what it is." Nyris sat down across from her "Yes, you can ask me a favor."

Sage looked up at him, her amber eyes pleading. "I want to stay here."

"Aren't you already doing that?"

"I mean...permanently. Across the other side of the island, not to bother you."

Nyris looked at her, she seemed determined, yet anxious "Is that all?"

"No, I want to visit my parents. I want them to know I'm safe, and I want to settle my arrangement once and for all. And I want to know what I am."

Nyris sighed "I don't really see you surviving tomorrow if you get tricked this easily."

"Please, I made a mistake. But I'm trying to learn, to grow, like you said Nyris. I'll stay yards away from the shore if they come again, away from the pond and-

Nyris waved his hand at her "Enough, enough. I will grant your request."

"And in return I'll help you take care of the island, the upkeep, anything." Sage smiled. Nyris gave a smile back, she was a young girl trying to make it on her own, break free of her own past and build her new future. He had to admire that, especially since it reminded him of himself.

"That will be fine. I'll use a temporary time spell that will counteract my spell on this island when it comes to unexpected guests."

"How long?"

"Well your parents live in two different places, so two days, you want to find out what you are, that will take one. And I need a fresh supply of books, so four in total. Is that enough time?"

Sage nodded happily "Thank you so much, Nyris. When do we leave?"

"The day after tomorrow. Your wounds will be completely healed by then. For now just stay inside for today."

"Sure thing."

The next morning was glorious, the sun hit the gentle waves that washed upon the sands. The breeze was nice and cool, blowing through the trees, bushes, and leaves. Nyris was walking with Sage towards the pond to regain their ration of water. Nyris had walked a few feet away to collect some wild flowers to place around the hut with, he left filling the large water jar to Sage who happily obliged.

Back home she had servants who tended to her, not that it wasn't nice, but she never got to learn how to take care of herself. Never having to cook a meal or sweep a floor, wash a dish and wash clothes. But she desperately wanted to pull her weight, be able to provide for herself and for Nyris.

"You know mermaids are very playful creatures." Nyris spoke as he placed his fingers on the side of a marigold, it was larger than normal ones and had black spots all over it.

"They're sea heathens." Sage replied, it was a simple job to fill the jar, she slid it into the pond and back out, placing it on the steadiest part of the ground.

Nyris laughed again "They are very sexual creatures, it does not make them heathens. We're all born what we are without a say."

"Yes, but all the things she said were...well awful." Sage watched as he carefully broke the stem of the flower before placing it between his hands.

"I've heard the most vulgar language in all the lands at the small bars in the cities. Acting as you do now, men will be attracted to that."

"My naivete?" Sage gave a sarcastic grin.

"Your virtue." Nyris took another flower, breaking it's frail stem. "Everyone's first experience is different, imagined in some sort of way. Bad, good, perfect, everyone critiques performan-

"Geez, Nyris." Sage rubbed her ears "I'm not planning on having one."

"Oh, I'll be sharing my island with a spinster-

"Hey-

Nyris grinned widely "My first time wasn't perfect."

Sage became very quiet at the time, but she was curious to know "Did you love her?"

"Yes, she was around your height actually. With short white blonde hair, big brown doe eyes..." Nyris trailed off, flashes of his copper toned hands pressing against her pale pink skin, pressing into the flesh of her thighs as his lips pressed against hers. They were red and dewy, similar to Sage's, except Sage's were blush.

"She was the first woman that I had ever made love to." Sage held her breath, he trembled at the thought of remembering "She was human, she had no gifts, no powers. But she was skilled in medicine. Her townspeople adored her. She always helped anyone she came across."

"Including you."

Nyris turned to the small pale girl sitting in the grass, always wondering, wanting to know how the story ended even if it was not the ending she wanted.

"Yes, I may have learned magic from the village I was raised in, but when I settled in the town I learned how to fight, train, become a warrior. Village heads always wanted to take over bountiful lands, with gentile people."

"I had came back from a successful battle, I had suffered a large wound to my torso. She treated me when I could have likely died. She saved me. And we fell together. It felt like such a short time, but it was months of her visiting me."

"Did she pass?"

"I'm sure she did, but at least it wasn't in a violent way. We were torn apart by her need to treat her people and my need to defend them. When there wasn't anyone left I went again, but this time she came with me. And even though we seemed to share the same thought I was...in a hole of some sort."

"I was always on edge about someone or something wrong going on. I wanted to defend, protect her. But I held on too tight, it led to many disagreements. And ended in our mutual separation. I checked in, she of course didn't know. But I was glad, she was back as the town doctor, met a decent man who treated her no less than I."

"They were married and had three children. And then they grew and had their own families. It was a thread showing her lifeline, that's what I believe. Even now, I'm sure her descendants are somewhere living in peace."

"Did you feel lonely?"

"Yes." Nyris snapped another stem and gave a long pause "Any other woman beyond that wanted something from me, my magic, my heart to the extent of losing all traces of who I am. I couldn't yield."

Sage smoothed her hand onto the cool grass "If I fell in love, I'd never try to make the person that I love into someone completely different. Because that wouldn't be the one I fell for. People can be selfish and cruel, but they all crave the desire to love, if not a person then something."

"My my, someone's getting chatty." Nyris smirked at her "There's truth in what you say, but nonetheless I envy the fact that you'll never have to suffer such heartbreaks. Betrayals."

"Do you need help with the flowers?"

"I have almost the amount that I need, you just cool off for a second." Nyris silently began to prick the flowers, one by one. He apologized in his mind for such a harsh act to mother nature, but he would restore them soon after his return.

"Eeek!"

Nyris turned his head to see Sage struggling to free herself from an out reached hand that came from the pond. Sage swiftly kicked the hand off with all her might, something clawed up from the pond with flaming eyes, dark hair, and gray scales. It was a mermaid, a furious one at that. Sage ran back towards where Nyris stood and watched bewildered as she tried to climb up.

Nyris had a barrier spell placed around the entire island, mermaids could swim into the pond, nearby the shore, but they could not shift and reach upon the land.

Another hand shot up from the glowing pool and grabbed the demonic sea maiden down again. Neither Nyris or Sage could see what went on below the water, but whatever had left a twinge of pain inside Nyris' heart.

"Is that blood?" Sage asked watching the nice cerulean ripples turn crude and burgundy. A hand, weakly reached up from the pond, the body soon floated up seconds after. Soft greenish-blue hair. That's all it took for them to recognize Piper.

"Piper?" Sage walked nearer.

"Stay back." Nyris warned, he walked towards the pond and turned her over. Large jaw marks were centered on her side, her breath was rapid, her eyes half open.

"Please...help me." She made out.

"She saved me." Sage said out loud "She saved me, can't we pull her up?"

"I don't know if she can be completely trusted-

"But she could die, Nyris." Sage's face twisted in fear, never seeing death, never coping with a loss. He would spare her the pain, he moved Piper up, giving her his personal allowance through the barrier onto the grass. Her tail started to shine, brightly, into a blinding light.

Once the light disappeared two legs were in the place of her tail. Despite her body being completely exposed, Sage watched as Nyris placed a hand on her wound, she squirmed screaming out loudly, but soon became very still.

There was a burn mark on the left side of her body. "You sealed the wound with fire magic?"

"Something like that." Nyris muttered "I'll carry her, bring the jar and the flowers." Sage didn't stop to ask or poke at the situation, she did as he said. Nyris placed Piper on the couch and treated her once the way he had treated Sage. He placed a sheet over Piper's body before rubbing the back of his head.

"Are you alright?" Sage asked.

"Yes, we're still going."

"What, I-

"Set the jar down already, Sage. I don't expect you to hold it throughout the day."

Sage had forgot all about the jar, she placed it on the table before leaning against a wall. No one spoke, just waited. It was still morning when Piper regained consciousness.

"Woo...thought I was fish food." Piper groaned sitting up, the sheet moved down to cover around her waist, her hair still hanging low enough to cover her upper body.

"All healed up?" Nyris asked.

"I'm getting there. I owe you."

"You owe me an explanation. No one was supposed to come for her. Has Ursa lost her senses?"

Piper pouted "I tried, I got attacked. I didn't want this problem, Ny. I really didn't. But she's my eldest sister, I'm not strong enough to go against her."

"Thank you." Sage said instantly. "You really saved me, and almost lost your life."

"Oh that? That was nothing." Piper gave a fake smile, something Nyris could see through "My sister can really scrap, it'll heal soon. What's the word on going somewhere? I want to go."

"No."

"Come on, Ny. I just saved your friend, I can't get a little treat?"

"N-

"Yes." Nyris narrowed his eyes at Sage "Nyris, I owe her. It's four days, only four."

Nyris rolled his eyes "You have major issues with befriending individuals who are socially confused or psychopaths."

"And which are you?" Piper raised an eye before winking "Soooo, where are we going? Can we go shopping? I haven't been on land in forever-

"We are not going for a trip to the mall. Sage wishes to have a final word with her parents."

"What, why?" Piper stared directly at Sage.

"I'm staying here, on the island."

Piper gave a naughty grin before looking at Nyris "Forever and ever?"

"Just lay there and shut your mouth. You're a guest."

"So mean.." Piper crossed her arms, she was in Sage's opinion a big child. It shouldn't have been a surprise the way she tried to unruffle her the other day. She was really playing with her, before she tried to drown her at least.

"Where are we going?" Piper asked in a whiney tone.

"A place where you'll need clothes." Nyris waved his hand in the air as if indicating that nudity was an obscene gesture.

"You have human money?"

"No, but she does." Nyris smiled at Sage "Nobility has it's-

Sage held her hand out to him "Don't you dare say it. After traveling the word for all these years you have no currency?"

"No, but lovely sea currents." Nyris' smile never faltered when he was joking, it was natural, most of the times he was upset or frustrated with having to deal with this person or that one. Not that he ever refused to help a person who was ailing.

Soon the corners of his mouth turned upside down with a single thought "I never did ask you, but where were you sailing to before she shipwrecked?"

"Ambirose." It was a simple venture, she took a small pouch of silver coins from her father's desk, under a shawl she made her way towards the docks and purchased a boat. Despite her inexperience in life, Sage studied all she could on steering a ship. Learning about the mast, rudder, hull, and how to pull the sails in and out depending on where she was at sea was a small task.

For weeks she learned how to navigate her way to her destination. Every day she would test her inquiries by playing with a small toy ship in the garden pools. She would test the wind and determine which way it would take the boat if it were headed to Ambirose. Winds and tides changed all the time, it was smooth sailing until she felt the terrible grasp of a storm blow the boat off course. The rest was history.

"They have amazing festivals." Piper cooed "I swam all the way there once just to see the firework show. Sparkles in the sky are so pretty."

"Yes, they are..I was caught in a storm, it swept me away. When I came to, I was here." Sage finished.

"I thought her kind did that as well." Nyris pointed at Piper accusingly, she pointed back using her third finger. "Don't test me, Piper."

"I would never try to screw with you, Ny. Not unless you started it." Piper smiled seductively.

"Not interested. We're going to Clarcel and Lapise."

The little mermaid puffed her cheeks out "Boo, Lapise is just a skip, hop, and jump from here. It's boring."

"Well her father is nearest-

"Um can we visit my mother first?" Sage asked.

"Facing your fears-

"Nyris, please." Sage beseeched, her pale face sullen, and her strange eyes frowning.

"Fine, whatever. This is your mini journey after all."

"Don't mind him, he's bitter." Piper stuck her tongue out at him.

"Maybe in another fifty years you'll actually mature, Piper."

"I'm plenty mature." Piper crossed her arms which then pressed against her hair "Do you have a comb?"

"You're an infant-

Piper's eyes started to burn yellow "I am not an infant, just because I'm the baby of my family doesn't make me a child-

"Sage has more maturity in her pinky finger than you do in your entire being."

"I'm mature, I've had several men-

"Three-

Piper balled her hands into fists and hit at the top of the couch "So what?!"

Nyris held his hands up in surrender "I don't know many mermaids who've taken in less than twenty."

Piper gaped at him and then started to sniffle "You're a jerk, Ny..."

"Don't start to blubber. I think that's very chaste for someone of your kind. Having a list of conquests isn't exactly..."

"Respectable?" Piper pouted again, she wrapped her arms around her knees to sulk "This is who we are, we mate, and we feed. Not everyone can have a mundane life."

Nyris inhaled quietly unsure what to say, she couldn't change who she was or if she could by chance of magic, a potion, some mystical cure then she'd be leaving behind her sisters, those who raised her, loved her.

"Where is your mother?" Sage asked.

"She's a flit." When Sage didn't reply she began her explanation "She flits off to other seas, back and forth on her on whims. There are fifteen of us, with such a small family you'd think she'd be able to tend to us." Fifteen was small in a family of mermaids, got it. Sage nodded for her to continue.