Chapter 87: #84 Under Water

This is the worst. I'm completely defenseless, in the worst environment possible for a fire witch. Underwater. How could I be so bloody stupid to let myself be sunk so easily! I shouldn't have underestimated Naptera. I'm a bloody idiot.

*...ara! Mara are you okay!*

Half a dozen voices suddenly echo in my mind, and although they're ringing quite annoyingly, at least they're helping me stay awake, and focused. I have to fight this hellish nausea coming up, and my whole body shivering like crazy.

*Yeah, I'm... Still alive for now.*

I can't guarantee how long that'll be the case, though. Not when my enemy is facing me just a few strokes away, glaring and obviously she's got a much larger hand into this fight now. Can I even get out of here, or defend myself? I try to light my fire, but underwater, it's a bit depressing... I insist. This is magic fire, I should at least be able to do something! I got all sick when it was raining, but I wasn't completely harmless. It can't be that simple. Elements can work together, can't they? It has to work somehow. I'm not stupidly dying here, hell no.

I look around, hoping to find a clue, a solution, but Moon Goddess, it would take something akin to a bloody miracle now.

*Liam, don't!* Suddenly yells Nathaniel's voice.

*Mara, hold on, I'm coming!*

*Liam, stay out of here!* I shout back mentally.

*I'm fine, I can swim!*

*I don't doubt that babe, but I wouldn't bet on you saving me while avoiding getting killed by an angry water witch! Stay the hell out of here! I'll manage!*

That's one big fat lie, but I really don't want to have to worry about my mate on top of everything else. I can't, I already need to focus on saving my own ass first. Oh hell, why can't Spark come out when I really need a huge clue...

"You're such a big mouth," says Naptera, with visibly no issue talking underwater. "Now you'll finally shut up!"

I growl. I can't talk, but I can certainly growl, although it would be more convincing if I didn't continuously feel like throwing up... I feel weird. This isn't just about this nausea, but my whole body is going nuts, making me feel like I'm going to pass out, yet feeling electrified at the same time. There's something completely weird going on with me, and I have no idea what it is, where it comes from or how to handle it. It's driving me crazy.

Naptera moves her hand, and I'm suddenly blown away by a new wave. Is it bad if I throw up now? Because I sure feel like I’m about to, and I think it would help.

"You're right," she continues. "Sadia was my closest friend, and she chose to give her daughter a name close to mine... It was before she was betrayed by one of those bastard wolves though!"

Is she really going to tell her story now? Couldn't it have been done when I was above the surface and not trying not to sink?!

"She was so in love, and when that man left, she was so broken... She knew of the curse, of course. So many of us have fallen to it, and we keep making those mistakes, over and over like pitiful dolls. Yet, Sadia wanted to believe in love more. She thought she and her partner could break it once and for all. She had meant to find its origin, which she thought belonged with her ancestors."

She wasn't wrong. Nephera came down the line of that original witch that was the first one betrayed... Now I wonder how Sadia failed? She ought to know where her family was from, shouldn’t she? If she belonged to the Purple Moon Clan, to the Jones family, she should have ended up here, in Silver City. How did she fail? Then again, we always meet a dead end. Even witches who knew of the location didn't succeed in breaking that wretched Curse. So, how...?

"When she arrived at my door, she was exhausted and a wreck. Even worse, she was weeping at the thought of her daughter being cursed as well. Sadia wanted to try and save her baby at all costs, so she thought she ought to send her to another witch, to perhaps break that fate of hers."

So that's why Nephera was sent into Danica's care. Because her mother was Cursed, and while looking for a way to break that Curse, she had to keep her baby away... This is just too sad to think about. I feel bad for Sadia. Judging by how Naptera speaks and her looks, Sadia couldn't have been very old when she passed.

"She died before she could accomplish anything. Such a foolish girl... I tried to persuade her to give up, but she was obsessed with saving herself and her daughter. Sadia had always been a dreamer, and she believed too much, once again."

I can't blame her. I wouldn't be able to sit still either, if I knew a Curse was threatening my life and that of my child’s as well... I feel pity for Sadia, but now at least, that part of the story is clearer. Naptera's links to Silver City, that Curse and myself too. She isn't here for Silver City itself, or the Curse's dark magic like Ravena, she just wanted to end it. She probably didn't expect me to be there too, someone born from Sadia's blood and even more of that damn Curse... I wish I could reply to that monologue of hers though! Thanks for the explanation, but can we get back to what really matters? Her issue isn't with me, it's with that bloody Curse, we should be on the same page, not taking a swim!

I growl again, and to my surprise, my wolf seems just fine. She's not feeling that hellish nausea? Is she a wolf or a bloody fish! I try to focus on her instead and stop fighting. I can't come up with fire and I feel like the more I try to channel my inner fire, the sicker I'll get, so let's just think smart for once and stop. Damn, Selena was right, I'm so bloody stubborn...

I'm running out of oxygen though, and quickly. I struggled too much to fight off those waves. I'm surprised Naptera isn't attacking me more. I'm underwater, I should already be dead if she had any serious intention to kill me... Maybe she cooled down because she spoke, but I won't complain. It gives me a few seconds to think of a plan... or how I'm going to save my ass in this situation.

What's the thing with my inner wolf? I'm so much in witch mode usually, I didn't even think about her much. Okay, maybe I was leaning too much towards my firepower, but it's still pretty nice to have that much firepower in hand for fights! I decide to close my eyes and focus on her only. Strangely, I feel a bit relieved as soon as I reach out inside... I manage to align with her calm, and the lack of oxygen isn't so pressing anymore. What are you trying to tell me?

*Mara, we have more humans attacking!*

I'm sorry, but I have to ignore the others for a while. Why have I never looked deeper into my own aura, when I'm that good at reading others? I can't tell, but now, I notice, my wolf's aura is slowly shifting. How the heck are we doing that, I wouldn't be able to come up with the beginning of an explanation. It's like seeing two different colored inks melting. From a bright orange, my aura is slowly getting tainted by a dim, quiet blue. First, where is that blue aura coming from? Where was it all this time? I'd know if I had two different auras! However, the more I let it in and accept it, the more obvious it gets: my wolf is the one.

I try to summon my inner room, the one I was in with little Mara and my wolf... Of course now, my wolf is alone in there. She greets me with her blue and gold eyes, but once again, I feel like we're two separate entities. It's like right before I realized she was there, we're not in perfect synch. I may be a badass witch, but I'm obviously one poor excuse of a werewolf... Alright girl, let's ponder on the why later and act now before we die.

I focus, and let that blue aura of hers come to me. Although I said I wouldn't look into it, it definitely has Clarissa's signature.... I smile without thinking. Of course. Why didn't I realize sooner? This is the body of a bloody water witch, to begin with! It got into a lot of shit to adapt to little Mara's soul as she was a fire witch, but this is still a body meant for a Water Witch! How did I not think of that?

*I'm sorry, alright?*

My inner wolf growls a bit, but I don't think we have time for grudges anyway. I try to calm down. This is the body of a Water Witch. No matter how much it adapted to little Mara's fire, it can't have completely erased Clarissa's original body's capacities, right? I may not be able to bend water, but I should at least...

Oh Moon Goddess, it works! I stopped blocking my nose and mouth, and somehow, I can freaking breathe underwater. It's a bit... scary, but although I breathe water in and out, I'm not suffocating or anything. No need for gills, my lungs are just fine with getting a water influx, apparently. This is crazy... and I bloody love this. I get an adrenaline rush as well as an awesome confidence boost. Compared to the I'm-about-to-die from earlier, this is bloody awesome. My heat kept inside, my body doing what it knows on the outside, I'm feeling good. I'm feeling great even. Knowing that I'm not about to die drowning is kind of awesome.

"How are you..."

Naptera looks shocked, and I can't keep myself from grinning. Yeah, I know. Who could expect a newbie fire witch could make it just fine underwater? I can't believe my nausea is gone as soon as I shut my inner fire witch down too. I wish I had listened to my inner wolf earlier. Sorry, Clarissa. I promise I'll do better from now on, with what you left me. This is crazy, insane and awesome. I may not be able to water-bend, if that's even possible, but I know what to do. I take a deep breath, and move my legs around. I try going left, I try going right. I can swim, alright. Moon Goddess... The others are going to add this to my list of crazy stuff, right on top of the pile.

"Surprise," I say. "Cursed ones are full of surprises, don't you think?"

Okay, maybe I'm enjoying this a tad too much; but let's face it, I'm a total cheat in my own way.

"Now, want to hear what I think about your whole speech earlier?" I resume, losing the grin. "Well, I'm really sorry about what happened to Sadia. I really am, Naptera. I'm sorry about what happened to Nephera, and I'm sorry for everyone else who got cursed, including the two amazing young witches who gave birth to me. Yes, I'm a Cursed one, but I didn't choose to be born from someone else's ashes. I don't have a childhood of my own because of that, and Nephera's baby didn't even get to see the light of day with her own body! I'm really, really sorry about all that, but guess what? As much as it sucks, killing me and the werewolves isn't going to solve anything or bring anyone back!"

"Enough!"

This time, I'm prepared. I tame my inner fire, having it be faint and quiet for once, and let Naptera throw me across the water. What else can she do now? I can swim and breathe just fine. I don't think she's got anything to slam me against either, or so I hope. It's pretty dark in here... Alright. She can have me spin a hundred times if she wants, she'll have to listen to what I have to say to her!

As soon as she stops swinging me around, I get back to standing, and growl with my inner wolf.

"You know what? Yes, I'm cursed, and you can suck it! I'm a fire witch in a water witch's body, so if anything, I may even be the craziest and yet most positive thing to have ever been born of that Curse! I didn't sign up for any of this, but I'd freaking work to stop it if you'd calm down and listen!"

"You're nothing but a child, you know nothing!" She shouts back.

"I know fucking enough!" I growl. "You can call me a child, a brat, a cursed one, even a dog if you will, I don't give a bloody damn! By the Moon Goddess, I am what I am, and I'll fight that bloody Curse until it finally ends! I'm sick of you witches trying to kill me or use me for whatever! Can't we work together for once? You think I'm a brat? You think you're better than Sadia? You're an old wench controlled by your emotions too!"

This time, she closes her mouth, visibly shocked by my words. I was expecting another mean blow of anger, but it's visibly not coming... Well, it was high time I finally got some sense into her. She doesn't try to swing me around again, although I prepared myself for it. I focus on my inner wolf, and she's still there, fierce as ever, ready to take on a fight. Naptera doesn't try again. She's glaring as if she could kill me with her eyes, but she won't move, visibly stuck by anger.

This isn't our fight here though, and we don't have that much time to lose either. Now that I'm alright, I'm more worried about whatever's going on at the surface.

*Liam, is everyone okay?*

*Don't you ever ignore me again!* He immediately shouts back, his wolf furious at me.

*Okay, okay, I'm sorry... Are you alright, babe?*

*We're... managing; It's getting tense here. Ravena disappeared and Ayesha came to help us out, there are too many humans, and since we don't want to hurt them... What about you? We haven't seen you come out, how are you...?*

*Bonus power from Clarissa, I'll explain later. I'll try to get out of here as soon as I can, so please hold on until then!*

*I will, but please stay safe and come back to the pack soon babe.*

*Gotcha.*

I know Liam tried not to worry me, but from his words, the situation must not be ideal up there, and seeing how Ayesha had to stay behind to help, it's probably getting worse. I don't like the fact that Ravena escaped either. I'm not comfortable with the thought that this witch with a capital B is roaming free in my City...

"If you're done tossing me around..." I start, but Naptera's not having it.

"Shut up!"

She suddenly starts moving her hands around, and oh Moon Goddess I don't like what's going on. Water gathers in her hand, but it's... cold. Very, very cold. I've never seen this before. The water gathers like ice in her hands, and I suddenly feel not as confident about this. The water takes a sharp shape, something that looks rather long, a bit too big, and too pointy as well. My wolf whines upon seeing this and I'm not feeling great either. My confidence from before melts like snow. What the... an ice spike!

Oh, Mara, why did you have to open that bloody big mouth of yours...?

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