Prologue

Clay colored feet pitterd across marbled floors through the great halls, past rows and rows of totems, quietly sneaking towards the center of it all. Between corridors of hollowed white walls, in the midst of the celestial heavens lay an ancient pool of divine waters, separating the world from the mortal one. 

The feet stopped short of the pool, eyes, one silver and the other cerulean, gazed upon the mortals below. Rains poured heavily from the skies, cascading sheets amongst the rough seas. And in the middle of this chaos, a vessel rocked back and forth against the waves, struggling. A sea of faces that had never been seen upon the earth before. 

Swaying in the wind, large white cloths carried the boat over the water, giving it the appearance of flight. Yet the oceans would clasps its claws around the ship, dragging it back down to the earth. As it descended, the vessel tipped over, throwing one poor soul into the sea. 

She could hear the cries of the humans below. Hearts filled fear, souls crying out. Her hand hovering above the portal, tempted to touch. 

Pamuya had always been fascinated with humans. Such feeble creatures with short lifespans that were doomed to death, yet they fought for survival, for life and achieved such amazing things despite their odds. Spirits on the other hand knew the beginning, middle, and end to all, and thus didn't try to accomplish anything. For what would be the point to start something if you knew how it would finish.

Such a pity to waste one’s existence, even if it lasted forever. But perhaps she was thinking like a human. She couldn’t help herself. She wanted more than this eternity. 

She reached out again, dipping a finger below the rim of the pool, sinking into the mortal realm. She could feel the anger of the seas, the howl of the wind upon her skin, the terror of the storm. But it was the woe and sorrow of the mortals that struck her. Hearts heavy with loss, not yet succumb to grief but falling into despair and hopelessness, almost yearning for the end. 

Tears sprang forth upon her face, dripping into the human world below. Quickly, she leaped back from the portal, wiping her eyes clean. One drop into their plain could alter their existence, causing who knew what to occur.

She walked away, planning to never return until she heard something. 

Please 

She turned and looked upon the room. She knew it couldn’t be a mortal in the Garden. Only spirits could reside in the celestial realm, and yet she could have sworn . . .

Please, save me. 

There it was again, earnestly pleading. 

Pamuya took one step forward, then another, back towards the portal. Her hand hovered again but this time she protruded her foot, dipping a toe into the pool. 

She knew it was taboo to enter into the mortal realm without the Spirit King’s permission. But how could she ignore the cries of a life begging to be saved? Peering over the edge, she took a deep breath and plunged herself into the world below. 

The fall felt like an eternity. The humans seemed much more attainable before when she was reaching from the heavens above. But now that she was falling, she wasn’t sure she’d reach the human in time. 

Finally, she crashed into the ocean, drifting in the waves, searching for the drowned soul. His mind was still pleading, but his breath, his life, waning. She propelled forward, arms stretching, clawing through the seas, desperately trying to get to the boy. 

She realized her body wasn’t meant for this world and she adjusted to the water. Her legs melded together, scales overtaking her limbs as her feet fused into a giant fin. She discarded her robes, feeling cool yet rough water flow against her skin. She took in a deep breath, filling her lungs with enough air to last a lifetime as she drew closer to the boy. 

He was lifeless, his body sinking deeper into the sea, dark hair floating above him, eyes closed as air bubbled from his blue lips. 

She was too late. 

Sadness overwhelmed her, consumed with grief from his death and her failure. Swimming closer until they touched, she rested her hands against his face, cradling his head next to her bosom. Tears poured from her eyes, mixing in with the sea. She didn’t care about the consequences. She had failed this boy. She had failed herself. What was the point of being this powerful, immortal being, if she couldn’t do anything? 

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t come fast enough, young one,” She breathed aloud. 

Then she felt it, something beating next to herself. She placed her hand against his chest and felt it again. A heartbeat. He was still alive. But barely. 

She didn’t know how to save him. His life was fading, and it would soon be gone before she could reach the surface. Surely there was some way she could--then it hit her. Breath. He needed to breathe, and she had consumed enough air to last her the journey. 

She leaned him back, tilting his head towards her before descending her lips to his, breathing life back into him. 

At first nothing happened. He still lay there lifeless, floating in the sea. She pulled him close again, ready to breathe again when a tiny hand grasped her hair, scratching and cloying. He was trying to swim, holding his breath, his legs kicking ferociously. 

“Oh! Right.” She drew him to her again, holding tightly as she swam to the surface, breaking the crest of waves, popping above the seas. 

He was still kicking and squirming until he wasn’t anymore. Slowly, she pulled back from him, creating space between them until they were far enough apart. She commanded him to open his eyes and see that he was okay. 

Aqua orbs stared back at her, frightened and confused. He looked around, surveying his surroundings. 

“Thank you,” he spoke. 

Just as she was about to respond, darkness consumed her, and she was taken away from the human world from the boy, probably never to return again.