Written by user GlowRose

She swims in a crystal clear pond, rocks on the outskirts, closing her in. To her it's peaceful, a water nymphs dream. She wanted to stay forever, silently floating not only in the water but in her mind. Her beach blonde hair soaking in the water with its green and blue tips. Thoughts of grass and what's known as fireworks dance in her mind. So different, she thought, so wonderful.

"Marina! Marina let's go, you're going to be late!" Marina slowly opens her eyes,

"River, five more minutes." Marina says dreamily.

"Mamma said now, Mari. I don't want you to get in trouble."

She sighs swimming towards the largest rock. Once out of the pond, she slips a lilac dress on with silver flats. The now wet mess called hair, Marina decided, will have to fix itself. Roughly she jumps from rock to rock, only to meet her sister at the pond entrance.

"Marina," River whispers "you look pretty." Marina smiles down at her younger sister.

"My goal is to look like you, Riv, but I don't think I've reached your level yet." River smiles pulling a hot pink flower clip from behind her.

"You forgot this." Standing on her toes, River, carefully puts the pin into her sisters hair.

"What would I do without you little sister," she smiles "now lets go before we both get in trouble." Together they run through the curtain or greenery protecting the pond.

Marina pulled her dress above her knees to make sure she doesn't get it wet. Not much time must have passed, she says to herself. The skies are painted black, purple, and blue, the same before every sun rise. The sisters follow the path to their small cottage about seconds away from the pond. Marina lets River through the door first.

"Mamma we're back!" Raven calls. Footsteps rush down the stairs.

"Marina! Where have you been! You know better than to go out alone, especially not

in the darkness. Marina what were you thinkin'?!"

"Mamma calm down, I was just at the pond. I'm fifteen I should be able to go to the pond whenever I want." Why does she always act like this every time I'm not at home, Marina thought.

"Oh! Goodness! Look, your going to be late! Let's get going," Marinas mom takes a glimpse at her hair "what have you done child. This is why you ought to be stayin' in the house. Your ruining yourself. No guy will want to marry a girl like you, you hear me Marina? She forcefully sits her eldest daughter in a chair, brushing out the tangles.

"Yes, mamma I understand."

"Good, then stop this crazy acting your doing." She pats Marinas head with the brush. "We better be going now." All three women leave the cottage heading towards the lake.

"It shouldn't take us long to get there if you'd walk faster." Marina says under her breath. After a while, they come to the lake. Mamma pays for Marinas ticket.

This is as far as we go darlin'. Be safe, get a good prophecy!! Make your mamma proud okay?"

"Mamma I have no control over that. But I'll try for you and Riv. I promise."

"Good girl. Remember to stay with your group. No wondering. This is very important Marina, do you understand? Don't mess this up."

"Bye Marina," River embraces her older sister in a hug "I love you."

"I love you too. And you Mamma. I'll be back before you know it"

"Yes well," says Mamma "you best be on your way."

Marina gives her family one last hug before boarding the small boat with a handful of other nymphs. The captain was dressed in black from top to bottom. 'I heard, he used to be a prophet'. Marina shutters taking her seat in the front. Without making eye contact she examines the skeletal figure that will steer the boat. Peeking out from his robe are coal colored hands, they seem like they had been burned. His hood keeps Marina from seeing the details of his face.

When the captain starts the boat, a burst of air blows through Marinas hair. They sail quickly past the ocean sand that leads into the Coral entrance. Something about the Coral always excited Marina. The haunting outside didn't reflect the feeling she got every time she got near. According to ancient prophet legends if a fractured soul entered the Coral the soul would find instant peace and serenity.

She overheard other nymphs whispering about how the Coral scared them. It's foretold that if an evil aura entered, the being supporting that aura would vanish. That wasn't something Marina was worried about, she doubted that her aura is black.. Some nymphs could see auras but she wasn't one of them, yet.

The prophet will see you now, Marina Grey. She could hear the voice in the back of her head. The boat, rested against the stone grounds inside the Coral. None of Marinas fellow nymphs were near, they must be already talking to their prophet. She took a deep breath and followed the path that lit when Marina stood on the stones.

Her prophet stood less than a foot away from her now. Everything around them disappeared., Marinas prophet wasn't anything like she expected, she was almost let down. The blue, sparkling prophet had not yet opened her eyes. Her hands were over her mouth like she was trying to stop a yawn. She's slim enough to conclude that the prophet is female.

Marina Grey. Marina Grey, please wake me up.

Confused at the prophets wishes, Marina took a step back. "Wake you up? Your sleeping?"

Yes. Please wake me up.

The voice was silky inside Marinas head. She had no idea how to wake up her prophet. Carefully she poked the prophets head. The sparkling prophet glowed brighter than before, her eyes opened show bright white balls. The light made Marina squint and step back.

Thank you. Marina Grey.

"Your welcome. I think." The voice now was more vibrant and rough.

Marina Grey, your fate is not one of simplicity. You must learn the mistakes of your fathers father. Revisit the past to save the future. Or die trying. But know, if you die, you aren't dying alone.

Like a snap her prophet was gone, and she was back in the boat heading towards the lake. Marina didn't completely understand what the prophet meant or how she got back into the boat. How could she learn the mistakes of her fathers father when her father's dead. She overheard female nymphs complaining about how many children they'll have. Everyones prophet seemed normal, everyones except Marinas. Maybe she got a faulty prophet she hoped.

Mama was standing at the edge of the lake with River by her side. If anything her mother looked hopeful. How was she going to tell her mother about her prophet if she didn't even know what it meant. As soon as Marina stepped off the boat she was nearly tackled by her sister.

"Marina oh I missed you!" River croaked, excited.

"Why? I was only gone for an hour." River looked at Marina curiously. Something told Marina that she was gone way longer then an hour

"You were gone for an entire day. But never mind that. What did your prophet say?" Marinas mom asked while they were walking toward her house. Marina hated lying but she did it anyway. She told her mother the prophet predicted that she was going to work on the Kings Council. Why she thought of such a big lie, she didn't know. But for now she would ignore her actual prophet and go along with what she said, no matter how hard its going to be. The look in her mammas eyes sparkled. Marina knew that her over the top lie made her mother recognizingly happy. Great. How was she going to get out of this one?

Her mothers eyes squinted. "Why is your aura dark pink?" Her mother could tell she's lying, the ability to see auras was a gift her mother possessed. Marina didn't know how to get out of this one. She once heard that some nymphs can manipulate others auras as well as theirs. Sadly Marina didn't know how to do that.

"I don't know mamma, maybe I'm accidentally manipulating it." Seeing auras is a power her mom knew how to shut off and turn on. Why she turned it on, again another thing Marina doesn't know. What she did know however, is that her mother didn't stop staring at her until they got home.

There was a pile of dishes waiting for Marina in the sink. Great, she thought. Walking past the dishes, to her room, Marina checked her phone to see if she got any texts from her friends. Laying on her bed Marina scrolled through, finding a text front both her best friend Aqua and her ex boyfriend Jordan. How was the prophecy the text from Aqua read. It went okay ig, tlk to you abt it 2morrow she replied. She decided that whatever Jordan had to say could wait until tomorrow. She groaned, tomorrow is Monday.

Surprisingly Marina made it through dinner and the doing the dishes without receiving dirty looks or questions from her mom. Once settled into her bed, Marina attempted sleep but it wouldn't come. The prophets words kept reeling through her mind. Revisit the past to save the future. Or die trying. But know, if you die, you aren't dying alone, she heard the prophet in her head. Who else would die with her if she didn't die alone? Honestly the entire prophet scared her. I can't ignore this while my life and someone else's is on the line, she pondered. Marina wasn't scared of death, but she didn't want to be the cause of others dying. Trying to forget, she forced her eyes shut and sleep came slowly. But yet, sleep wasn't the only thing that came.

Marina found herself sitting in a chair outside a cabin. She looked around, this wasn't the water nymphs territory. "Hello??" She squeaked. The cabin lights were on but it didn't seem like anyone was home. It's just a dream she thought, willing herself back to sleep. The first one was soft, then it got louder. Screams, screaming children. Marina too wanted to scream but she couldn't. She watched in horror as the shadows inside the cabin, murdered helpless people. She was begging to leap out of her chair, to help, but she was frozen in place. Marina looked down at herself, surprised. She didn't look like herself, her feet were bigger and legs stronger. She looked, like a man. What The HELL she screamed inside her head. Finally the screams stopped, but she's still stuck on the chair. Two men came from inside the cabin with knives and a handheld gun. They stepped closer to her.

BOOM.

The pain was all too real, she woke up in cold sweats, screaming.