The first scream pierced the air like an arrow. It was bloodcurdling, raw, and human. Then came another. And another. The once-celebratory square in the heart of Atlantis was now a chaotic frenzy of panicked souls. Shimmering torches lit up the sprawling plaza, casting their flickering glow on the angular stonework and polished obsidian structures that stretched toward the moonlit sky. At the epicenter of this chaos stood the Waterbearer, known as Callidora—a lone figure who seemed to command the tides themselves with her mere presence.
Her gold tiara caught the moonlight like a fragment of a fallen star. Long waves of sapphire-blue hair cascaded down her back, a stark contrast to the ivory tone of her skin, which gleamed with the sheen of seawater. She wore an intricately designed blue-and-gold garment reminiscent of a battle-ready goddess—equal parts elegant and practical. The bikini-styled armor was reinforced with golden scales that gleamed like molten sunlight, allowing freedom of movement while radiating authority. Around her wrists were golden bands etched with ancient Atlantean runes, while dangling earrings chimed softly as if whispering forgotten secrets.
In her hands, she clutched the ceremonial Aegis Vessel: a massive jug of azure crystal that seemed impossibly heavy yet moved effortlessly in her grasp. Inside, water swirled violently, alive with unspoken fury. Behind her, the sea—ominous and vast—rose beyond its natural boundaries, silver-crested waves threatening to consume the island city whole. Callidora’s jaw was set, her aquamarine eyes scanning the crowd for the source of the madness.
The sudden eruption of calamity had followed what was supposed to be a historic moment—the annual Convergence Ceremony that balanced Atlantis’s connection to the celestial waters. This year, however, the ritual went wrong. As Callidora had poured water from her jug into the ceremonial basin, the liquid boiled over with unnatural heat, singeing the sacred mosaics beneath. A luminous portal had formed above it, spewing forth creatures of an unfamiliar, nightmarish design. The Atlanteans called them “The Riftborn.” Hulking, semi-aquatic monstrosities with serpentine appendages, they now prowled the city in search of prey.
The Atlantean militia fought valiantly, their bronze spears and circular shields clashing against these invaders. But it was clear they were outmatched. These creatures weren’t simply brute strength—they were cunning, darting into shadows and reemerging with swift, clever strikes. The air was thick with salt, ozone, and fear. Buildings buckled and cracked under the weight of the Riftborn assault, their once-pristine Atlantean architecture crumbling into ruins. Water pooled in the streets, glistening red wherever the militia made their last stands.
“This is my fault,” Callidora murmured, her voice heavy with guilt. “The jug awakened something that should have stayed asleep.”
“No, my lady,” said Tyllias, a grizzled warrior clad in bronze, his physique strong though his face showed his years. He strode toward her, spear in one hand and blood streaked across his cheek. “The fault lies not with you but those who sent you to perform this ritual blind. The Elders should have seen the signs.”
“And now countless will perish,” Callidora replied, eyes narrowing at the streak of light crackling through the heart of the elevated portal. “Unless I end this.”
“My lady, you cannot mean—”
But Callidora was already moving. She swung the jug up onto her hip, her toned frame illuminated by the glow of both fire and starlight. Her movements were fluid, purposeful, like the ebb and flow of the tides. She stepped toward the towering remains of the ceremonial altar where the rift still pulsed with violent energy.
As she climbed, Tyllias shouted after her, his voice desperate. “You don’t know what lies on the other side! You’ll drown in there!”
“Then I drown,” she called over her shoulder, her aquamarine gaze fixing him with a fierce intensity. “And all of Atlantis survives.”
The silence that followed was louder than the screams and roars of the Riftborn. At the peak of the altar, Callidora held the Aegis Vessel aloft. She closed her eyes and muttered the incantation in the Old Tongue, each word resonating with ancient power. Her pulse quickened as the vessel’s water began to glow, vibrating with uncontainable energy. The portal above her writhed as if alive, sensing what was coming.
With a cry that reverberated across the square, she tipped the jug and released all its contents in a torrent of cascading light. The water exploded outward, forming an expanding dome of crystalline energy. It surged toward the rift, enveloping the creatures in its path and dragging them back through the dimensional veil. Their guttural howls were drowned out by the shattering roar of displaced seawater.
Then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over. The rift sealed itself with a deafening crack, leaving only silence in its wake. The soldiers and citizens of Atlantis looked on in stunned disbelief. The enemy had vanished, but so too had the Waterbearer.
Tyllias climbed to the altar, his weathered hands searching the scorched ground where Callidora last stood. He found no body, only the shattered remnants of the Aegis Vessel and a single lock of blue hair. The waves beyond the city walls receded, their fury abated. But Tyllias knew the truth—Atlantis’s savior had paid the ultimate price.
The people of Atlantis rebuilt. Songs were composed, murals were painted, and the hero’s name was etched into every corner of their culture. But the sea, ever watchful, held its secrets. Some whispered that Callidora still walked the ocean’s depths, a guardian spirit protecting Atlantis from the horrors of the rift. Others claimed she had ascended, becoming one with the celestial waters she had served.
And every night, on the anniversary of her sacrifice, the waves would light up with an unearthly blue glow—a gift, many believed, from their unseen protector.
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
The Source…check out the article that inspired this amazing short story: Channel Your Inner Water Spirit: The Blue & Gold Magic of Fairy Tail Aquarius Cosplay
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