The next several days were lonely for Lunae. The Master and Fulch were nowhere to be found. She mainly spent her days walking the halls and looking at the carvings, trying to decipher what it all meant. She wondered if she was being punished for what happened during the dinner, but quickly decided that she was being selfish. The place seemed to go on for forever. Lunae found herself listening to what seemed to be waves. Was she by the ocean?
Fulch was right; there was no door to exit or enter. On the fifth day, she found a library; she was happy for something of entertainment, but trying to decipher the walls was becoming annoying. She picked up a book and tried to read it, but it was in another language.
“Come to me,” a voice seemed to say. This startled Lunae,
“Who’s there?” Lunae almost screamed, but there was no reply. She looked around the library, and when she got near the end of the room, she saw an altar with water in it. Lunae’s senses were heightened, and she could hear waves. The closer she got to the altar, the more it felt like she was in the water getting tossed and turned by the water. The closer Lunae got, the more she had the urge to touch the water. She put out her hand and was inches away from it. There was a slight sense of fear, but Lunae seemed to be in a trance, and she could not break away from it. Once she touched the water, it went up her arm. She tried to scream out, but soon the water had engulfed her whole face, it went down her throat, into her eyes, and her ears. Once the water completely disappeared inside her, she heard a voice.
“Welcome home,” it said. Lunae just stood there catching her breath.
“Ah, I see you found it. Pretty terrifying, isn’t it?” The Master said, snapping Lunae back to reality.
“What the fusht was that?” Lunae yelled, the Master had a look of surprise, and Fulch, who was further in the distance, started to laugh.
“There is no need for such language, my lady, I know it’s frightening, but no need for such words,” The Master said as he went over to Lunae and put his hands on her shoulders. Lunae was annoyed by this, with everything that just happened, some choice words would be expected. Lunae shrugged the Master's hands off her shoulders and turned towards the altar. That’s when she noticed that there was no more water in the altar.
“Fascinating,” She said while putting her hands on the altar.
“You think that’s fascinating, wait till you pick up a book,” Fulch said as he handed her a book. Lunae grabbed it, and as she peered at the illegible words, she noticed they slowly started to change into something she could understand.
“What the fusht!” Lunae exclaimed. The Master rolled his eyes at her, all the while Fulch laughed. She looked at the Master, and he smiled.
“Yes dear, the water lets you see, speak, and hear different languages. It’s one of the many gifts given to you when you learn to tame the waters. Come with me,” The Master said, going to the end of the library. Lunae followed, curiosity consuming her. She had completely forgotten to ask them where they had been and what had happened during the dinner. The Master opened up a door that seemed to appear out of nowhere. They walked through it, and Lunae could feel a tingling in her skin. Fulch stayed behind and gave a little wave.
“Why isn’t Fulch coming?” Lunae asked, and the Master grabbed a lantern and smiled.
“Cause my child, only the chosen can come through this door. This place holds the mysteries of the water. This is the place where you will learn to hear the water and understand its purpose,” Lunae was captivated. She couldn’t see very much in front of her, but she swore that the walls were made of water.
“Is the water the voice I have been hearing?” Lunae asked, knowing full well the answer.
“Yes, my child, in fact, I’m surprised that the water is talking to you already. This is important information, yes, important information…” The Master started to talk to himself, and Lunae smiled at this. She wondered how old this man was. He did not seem all that lucid, but it was endearing to her somehow; she felt like she was needed to protect this man, and in her heart, she knew that would have to someday. They finally came to an altar in a huge room, lights were floating in the air, and a blue light was cascading down onto the altar, filled with water. The Master took a deep breath, and when Lunae looked at him, he seemed to be shedding off some years. Lunae also noticed a tingling in her skin. She looked at her arms and noticed a scar that she had gotten when she was young disappearing.
“What the fusht is happening?” Lunae asked. This seemed to irritate the Master.
“I’m going to have to get used to your language, aren’t I?” The Master said. Lunae completely ignored him and was purely focused on her skin. She wanted a mirror to see if her face was getting younger; she had a suspicion that it was.
“Master, why is the water rejuvenating us?” Lunae said. This made the Master smile.
“I have been doing this for centuries; the water keeps you alive so that we can do its bidding,” the Master said. Lunae didn’t like the sound of that.
“It's bidding, what does that even mean?” Lunae asked, not sure if she even wanted to know the answer. The Master knew she would be skeptical; lord knows he was when he started.
“The water keeps the balance of the universes, it’s judge and jury. The world you were on forgot about the water's power, so we have to work in shadows with your world, but there are many worlds that still remember the power of the waters. Some praise it, some try to overthrow it. We are the emissaries for the water. We have power over the waters; it's our gift. We can call upon it and control it if we wish,” the Master said. Lunae was beginning to get excited. She wondered what life would be like if she could control water.
“You say your world, which world are you from?” Lunae asked, hoping to get more backstory of the Master.
“What planet am I from?” The Master said as if almost asking himself.
“To tell you the truth child, I do not remember it’s been so long, and I have been to so many worlds, it’s hard to keep track,” The Master said. Once the Master stated this, Lunae could tell that he drifted off into thought. She wondered if she would turn out like him someday, and the whole thought scared her. For the first time, she thought, what the fusht am I doing? Fear consumed her, and she knew she wasn’t smart enough or capable enough to do any of the things she was going to have to do, matter of fact, what would she have to do?
“I don’t think I can do this!” Lunae said with such might that it dragged the Master out of his own thoughts. He smiled at her, and Lunae could tell that he felt for her.
“My dear child, you have been called; there is no turning back. You don’t remember your early years, do you?” The Master said. This confused Lunae, and it also made her defensive.
“How could you possibly know that?” Lunae said, almost demanding an answer. The Master then pointed to the altar.
“Put your hands in and your memories will come back,” the Master said. Lunae was scared; she didn’t want to know, but she knew deep down she was missing vital information. She was always unalike within the different species of Kalindors. She knew that her past had the answers. Her hands were shaking, the Master was not unkind, he noticed and grabbed her hand into his and held it towards his heart.
“Trust me,” That’s all he said, and she knew at that moment that she could. Lunae put her hands in the water, and instantly, memories came flooding back. She saw herself as a baby being held by her parents; they sang to her a melody that brought tears to her eyes. Soon, the water transitioned the memory to when they were giving her up to someone, and the mother cried. The strange man took her to the temple she was currently in, and he spoke to her about the water and that sometime in the future she would be a part of it. She saw a young man come into the picture, and he played with her. She saw him get older, but she stayed young. Then he told her it was time to go, and she cried. Then Lunae was back to now.
“I was here, but for how long?” What happened to my parents?” Lunae asked. She was filled with more questions than answers. The Master smiled at her and gave her a journal.
“What’s this?” Lunae asked, grabbing it.
“This is my journal for when you were here. I wrote everything my Master told me about your world and parents. After the water told me to send you away, I was devastated, but I knew I would find you again, the water told me,” the Master said. Lunae needed a moment to wrap her head around everything. The Master grabbed her shoulders and walked her back to her room. Lunae didn’t say anything; she didn’t know what to say. Once they got to her room, Fulch was there holding grist and three glasses.
“I’m sorry, but I think I need to be alone,” Lunae said, realizing that they wanted to talk. Fulch ignored her at first and filled up the glasses.
“Don’t be daft, you need us right now, trust us,” Fulch said as he passed her a drink. She accepted the drink and sat down in a chair. She looked over to the Master and saw that he was the young man in her memories.
“So, for how long did I live here? Where am I from if not Kalindor?” Lunae asked. The Master accepted the drink from Fulch and took a seat beside her. He took a drink and slouched back in the chair.
“My Master said he had you for two centuries, and I had you for three. I left you on Kalindor to protect you, the water decreed it,” The Master said, taking a drink. Lunae couldn’t believe what she heard.
“But why?” Lunae said. The Master took another drink and sighed.
“There was a war that took over your world, millions died. You were the princess, and your lineage had to be saved. Do you remember the Rhudons from dinner?” The Master asked, Lunae wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Yes, what do they have to do with everything?” She said, but deep down, she knew, but she needed the Master to say it.
“They are the ones that attacked your world and countless others since the original war broke out; that dinner was a broker for peace. Not all wanted it, but they need water to come back to their world, and the water has refused until now,” the Master said. Lunae had so many emotions running through her that she didn’t know if she was angry, sad, or just confused.
“Why has the water finally agreed to come back to their world?” Lunae asked, taking a drink, Fulch chuckled, and the Master looked cross at him.
“Because their sovereign is back, your world used to control theirs, and the water has wanted the true leader to come back before giving them another chance,” he said. Lunae could tell that Fulch was clearly disturbed.
“They don’t deserve that chance,” Fulch said as he finished his cup and poured himself another one.
“Why don’t they?” Lunae asked, but the look on his face told her that she could already assume why.
“They destroyed my world. There aren’t many of us left. The Porpuraians have given us sanctuary and protected many other peoples who have been desolated by them. You are the savior millions have waited for, but personally, I think they deserve to die.” Fulch said as he looked off into the distance. Lunae felt for Fulch; she may not have been as angry about losing her home world as he was, but she could empathize.
“They are important, says the water, and they can learn to change their ways. With the new leader, they can strive for peace,” the Master said. Lunae just drank her drink and was trying to process everything. The Master went on about how the worlds need a new leader to put them back into sync with the water and how there needs to be a new Master of the water. Then a realization happened to Lunae.
“Wait, how can I run worlds and be the Master of the waters?” Lunae asked. The Master and Fulch went silent. The Master stood up; he stumbled a bit. They had been there for some time drinking.
“You’ll have to marry someone the water deems to be the next Master,” the Master said. Lunae was not happy to hear this.
“What the fusht!” Lunae said, standing up. She almost fell over, and her head started to spin.
“The water is being quiet about who the next one is, but it has let me know there will be two and that they will share responsibility as a union,” The Master said, but Lunae suspected he wasn’t being all truthful.
“Do I get a say about this? Can I refuse?” Lunae angrily asked. The Master walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“No one has ever not come to the call, but know if you decide this life isn’t for you, millions more will die, but you are unlocked now. Your life will be forever changed,” he said. Lunae didn’t like this much responsibility on her shoulders, and she was done talking. She asked them to leave, and this time they obliged.