2. Oarus

2

OARUS

The briny ocean air fills my lungs. The mist of the sea splashes against my face. This is where I want to be… in my element and in my zone.

My stomach growls with hunger, demanding its sustenance.

“Patience,” I urge myself.

I cannot satiate it just yet. I need to procure my prey before that can happen. I let my hunger drive and stimulate my movements, making me a more formidable, agile hunter. There is no better motivator than the pale embrace of desperation.

I hear my lunch approaching, so I lower myself into the water, taking my place among the rocks at the bottom of the cliff.

Just on schedule.

The casein approach as they always do. Every day at the same time, they feed from the piles of seaweed gathered around the sharp rocks. My hair mimics their appearance, making for the perfect camouflage as I dip my head beneath the water’s surface.

As I catch a clearer glimpse, my stomach grumbles with hunger and I can barely wait to consume their white flesh. I can already taste their savory, rubbery flesh and their bitter blood.

Just a little closer.

I await the perfect opportunity. A good hunter is patient.

The opportune moment presents itself.

A juicy, plump member of the school ventures just within reach.

Gotcha.

I normally catch a few at a time, but one this size will do for now. I lash out, striking and catching the creature with my bare hands.

It squirms, having seen and feared its inevitable end, but my appendages are well-suited for ensuring it stays in my grip. Nothing escapes me.

I pull until the head detaches from its body. Its squirming and writhing continue for a moment even without the head, but eventually, it finds the peace we all must.

The head will do for now.

I devour it and let it slime into my waiting mouth, opting to save the body for cooking. It will taste better and far more rewarding that way.

A panic stirs in the waters, the other casein fleeing for their lives. They are safe for today.

I submerge myself once more, beginning my swim home underwater. As I leave the hunting grounds, another predator comes within my proximity.

Its erratic movements and visible skeleton unsettle me briefly, its eyes whirling in all directions. It appears as a fish but is far larger and more unnatural.

But I am scarier.

To anyone else, this creature is a threat, a monster to be avoided at all costs. But he is not the only monster the sea has to fear.

Our eyes meet.

I do not move. This is my territory.

The predator knows this all too well. I’ve had scuffles with it before, always coming out on top. I see its eyes narrowing in on me with hatred, unfocused and crazed.

I tense up, my blood-red eyes glowing as I anticipate another fight.

The beast stares back, unyielding.

We are at an impasse momentarily, but I approach and it flees in fear.

My body inflates with pride, and I continue undisturbed.

A few minutes pass when I find myself down on the rocky outcrops of the caverns, outside of the water. In my hand is the cooked filet of the fish, a fire burning brightly against the brown and violet hues of the cavern rock.

Its skin is crispy, its flesh tender and flaky.

It will be enough for now, but there is always more to eat.

That’s one of many things I love about the sea. It brings me an endless supply of food.

I stroll along the bottom of the cliffs, admiring them and the way they stretch up so high.

“Beautiful,” I remark, coming to a halt as I take a seat on a rock.

There is nothing here to disturb me from my peace, at least not in the immediate vicinity. I shove out the thoughts of dark elves, replacing them with a reflection of the world around me.

My ageless form has granted me countless years on this planet and the privilege of seeing how the natural landscape has altered, including the cliffs. Each of their shapes and formations have cemented themselves into my memory.

I look to the sea, the only companion that’s never changed in my decades of solitude. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ve never given attention to my curiosities. The land is no stranger to me.

“How glad I am to have explored and observed you,” I say, looking to the outskirts of the nearest settlement resting on the top of the cliffs. This body has grown accustomed to walking on soil, stone, and all other natural surroundings of the land.

I ponder on how lucky I’ve been to witness the first settlers come and build their homes. It felt only right to have another species inhabiting the elements beside me. After all, I know myself that I only control the waters.

From day one, I have observed them and their habits. Watching the humans in the mines is how I learned to cook, although it took me quite some time to master it by self-teaching.

Sometimes I forget how long I’ve been swimming in these oceans and walking on the land, but I’ve never dared to stray too far away from my own territory. As confident as I am in my abilities, I know another predator would easily swoop in and take control of my area if the opportunity presented itself.

I spot a human child walking with its guardian near the cliff’s edge. It’s their kind who I’ve benefited from the most, having bartered and negotiated with them some over the years. Their handiwork decorates parts of my lair.

I watch the humans scuttle away, as dark elves linger not too far from them. Even the sight of those wretched creatures is enough to boil my blood. I have heard many tales of their dastardly deeds, and I would rather not alert them to my active presence.

“I deal with enough threats already,” I snarl, chowing down the last mouthful of lunch.

My mind recalls a close encounter I had long ago with them. I had slain a group that ventured into my territory. The rumors still circulate on the land that they know of my existence but choose to stay far away.

I stand at attention. The clatter of their armor and weapons are nearer than I remember.

I look up to my left, further alarmed by an ear-piercing scream.

My eyes land on a balcony-like formation jutting out of the cliffside.

A human woman emerges, fear written on her face as it floods with tears.

That’s all I need to see to know she’s on the run.

A group of them exit out of the hole she ran from, cornering their prey. It is a reminder that we could never coexist peacefully, for they’ve now knowingly ventured into my forbidden stomping grounds.

But right now, it’s the girl I’m focused on.

Her sandy hair, brown like the cliffs, waves in the wind. Judging from how beautiful she is, it’s an easy guess as to what the dark elves have planned for her. Their malicious grins only cement that thought.

I can’t just ignore this, but I can’t exactly intervene from where I am. The dark elves are predators, too, but unlike me, they don’t do what they do for survival. They torture for fun.

The stunning woman’s screams aren’t the first I’ve heard coming from the direction of the mines. I brush my hair back, trying to think of a plan.

My heart skips a beat as the woman steps closer to the precipice. Is she about to jump? Her face is writhed with desolate resignation. I do not blame her for wanting death.

Still, I cannot bear to watch a creature as breathtaking as her meet a horrific end. I blink, and suddenly she’s in the air, hurtling toward the water below. No more time to think.

I spring into action, diving into the sea so smoothly that there’s no splash. To the elves, I am invisible. My strokes are powerful and swift, allowing me to speed toward where I predict the girl will land.

My body will not tire out quickly. I remain under the water, looking ahead to see the girl land with a hard impact. She just narrowly avoids a painful end on the rocks, but she does not move, only sinking further into the dark depths.

There’s a chance she could be dead. At the very least, she is unconscious. If I leave her here, the sea will swallow her whole.

I descend to her level, drawing closer to the woman. Time seems to slow to milliseconds as her face becomes clearer to me. I wish I could stop and stare at her features, for she’s the most beautiful creature I’ve seen in my countless years.

But now’s not the time. I wrap her in my grip and take her to the surface, sticking close to the shoreline so that the elves cannot spot us. From the lack of their weapons and armor banging around, they’re gone anyway.

Still holding her, I step onto land, brushing away the stray seaweed and shells that her body caught on our ascent. She is still breathing. Good.

I don’t know exactly why I’ve gone out of my way to save her. Maybe it’s to push back against the dark elves, but one thing is for sure. I find myself completely and utterly enamored with this human woman.

It is a short walk to my lair. I will take her there to recover. There, she will be safe from prying eyes, away from the clutches of the gray-skinned bastards.

I cannot help but think of her as my greatest catch. I only hope she will be grateful for my saving her life. A creature as surreal as her does not deserve to live in fear.

I begin the journey back to my lair, hoping she’ll find a sense of familiarity amidst the human decorations.