Cody
The water in the Overworld is so strange. I can breath in it luckily, I think that comes with being an Atlantean, but it's so... Thick.

Never thought I'd have to use that word to describe water but at this point, I'm pretty sure I was swimming in clear syrup. How did people live like this?

However, trying to swim though this was the least of my problems.

We had finally expanded to the Overworld, but all was not well. While some people welcomed us, and we did gain new allies with Tanith's relations to her people, some people held grudges against Atlantis. Some let them go but others?

They never forgot.

Tanith and I took a group of Atlanteans, some guards and some were part of the council. We all went for the purpose of making peace on land with a group of bird-people, but a deep evil interrupted us. We didn't notice until it was almost too late.

I was the first to notice. We were all swimming along, struggling in the water when something deep within me put fear into my heart, and I stopped. I searched the mountains for something, and though I didn't find anything, the feeling never faded. The feeling of being watched.

Everyone noticed because I was leading the line and began to look around as well. Tanith's mouth frowned as she did and quickly pulled me aside for a sidebar.

"What? What is it?" She asked, still glancing around.

I held my breath for a moment, still feeling an evil energy lurking nearby. "I... I don't know." I whispered back, gulping. "But it's big. I don't know what it is but it's giving me chills like I've never felt before." A sudden thought occurred to me and I faced Tanith, head on. "You know about magic and feelings, what's going on? Are you getting anything?"

The hybrid went silent, pausing for a moment before she came up with an answer. "Not like you said but I am getting the feeling that we're-"

"-Being watched?" I finished, getting a surprised look. She nodded carefully, and spared another moment to check the surroundings. "Yeah, I feel it too."

Everyone went silent, unsure of what to do. I cleared my throat. "Should we move along or-"

Then I froze in horror as it filled my sight.

Guardians. A whole squad of them, around ten or so, charging right for us.
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I woke up in pain, the slightest movement sent my side into a deep pain that made me want to scream. My eyes shot open and scanned everything around me.

To my relief, there weren't many bodies on the ground, but there still was too much blood for my comfort. There were a couple dead guards but also guardians. As I slowly sat up, pushing myself off the ground and gritting my teeth through the pain, memories began to flood back. My hand moved to a protective stance over the wound in my side.

All I could recall before I blacked out was being knocked off of something higher up by a guardian and the spikes digging into my side. I groaned, searching for anyone who was left. I could remember sending off the councilors to safety with some of the guards to protect them.

Protect. The word whispered to me in the back of my mind until I was consumed by it.

"Whoa! Why are they only attacking you guys? They haven't even tried to hurt me!" An all to familiar voice filled the memory.

"I don't know... Oh! You weren't born in Atlantis like the rest of us, maybe they're not interested! Maybe they think you're not an Atlantean!"

"Based on how they're acting, you're probably right. I know you guys pissed of the krakens, but pufferfish too? Seriously, did Poseidon not like fish?"

"They're not pufferfish, they're guardians! They hate Atlantis, and- oof! Based on how they're focusing on me, I'd say they still hold a grudge on my Dad."

I could remember a faint laugh. "You think?" And then right before the memory ended, I heard her scream, "CODY WATCH OUT!" Before everything went red.

Tanith. Where was she?

I began to carefully make my way around all the bodies, avoiding the guardians especially, afraid they weren't completely dead. As I walked, I came across the biggest of them all, probably the leader of the whole operation. He was on his side, and the very top of that side was my spear.

Sudden images of jumping onto the guardian in rage, jamming the sword into him and sending a shock through his body came to my mind. I could remember how he almost instantly dropped, and skidded to the ground once I did, and how I stayed on him, like I was surfing.

That's what happened right before I passed out! They got furious that I killed their leader so they tackled me!

I raised my eyebrows, letting out a puff of breath, kinda impressed with myself before grabbing my spear from the guardian and continued on my search.

Lucky for me, the hybrid wasn't too hard to find, but my heart stopped when I saw her.

Her tail was bloody and bruised, making me wonder if she could walk at all with it in that condition. Not only this, but her entire left side was drenched in blood, making me wonder if she was alive at all. Her side was scraped, blood still coming out of it, and spots could be seen were clearly a guardian's spike got to her.

That's when another memory of her shielding me from an attack, not with her force field but rather her body, came to my rescue, taking the hit head on. I winched just remembering my own screaming as she did.

I rushed to her side when I saw her chest was still rising and falling. "Tanith! Hey! Wake up!" I said, carefully nudging her, not wanting to reopen the already heavy wounds. The blue eyes flickered open, returning hope to my heart.

"... Cody?" She asked, attempting to get up but stiffened and hissed in pain. I steadied her, making sure she didn't fall down and further hurt herself.

"Calm down, everything's fine!" I said, but even I could tell it was empty words. Tanith took one look at her tail and let out a dry laugh.

"They really did a number on me, huh? Oh boy."

Why wasn't she taking this seriously? She was injured for Pete's sake! Is she okay? I couldn't stop the fear from infiltrating my heart.

"I guess you could say that... Hey! You have healing magic, heal yourself! Stat!" I ordered, getting a little twitch from her. She slowly placed her hand on her tail, but only slight sparks came from it before stopping.

"I hate to break it to you, Cody but... I think I'm out of juice." I let out a long and panicked breath, getting a pat from her. She smiled weakly. "Hey, its fine."

"HOW CAN YOU SAY ITS FINE? YOU'RE BLEEDING OUT!" Then an idea came to mind. "First aid kit! You carry those around, right?" She nodded and looked around before spotting a red box, not too far away. It was dented a little, but overall okay. I snatched it off the ground and started to rummage through it before finding some gauze and starting to wrap her arms and tail with it. I didn't have enough for it all, so I focused on the worst parts. "It's going to be alright..." I mumbled, mostly telling myself that.

Tanith said nothing, and once I was done, we set off. I had to practically carry her, her tail was too far damaged to move properly. "The portal is only a mile away!" I told her as we walked. "We'll get there and get you all fixed up! You'll see!"

However, it was taking a while. The water was already slowing us down as it was, and with Tanith being unable to walk, it would take at least an hour to get there.

Tanith's body slowly but surely started to weaken, her shoulders slumping and eyes drooping low until she could barely keep them open. I noticed and tried to pick up the pace but has little success.

"Hey... Cody?" Her voice was softer than I ever heard it. "Can we... Stop? I'm so tired..." I gulped and nodded, straying from the main road and to a protected area in the mountains. I gently let Tanith down before scouting around, leaving her to rest.

"Alright, Tanith." I spoke out to her as I came back. "How are you feeling?"

She barely moved in response. "I'm so... Tired." She muttered again.

I began to sweat a little, but refused to show fear. "In that case, we can rest for a while longer. Keep your strength, we're half way there."

But Tanith sighed, creaked open her eyes and locked them onto mine, dead serious. "Cody, I don't think you understand. I'm so tired."

My eyebrows kitted together for a moment before horror filled my body. "Tanith... You don't mean-"

"1,023 years, Cody." She let out an exasperated sigh. "That's how long I've been alive and you know what?" Her gaze began to drop to the ground, slumping even farther down. "I'm so tired of it all. I've seen too much bloodshed and lived for too long in war. I don't want to fight anymore. In fact... I'm done." Her eyes began to flutter shut. "I'm just so... Tired."

I instantly bolted to her side and began to snap my fingers in front of her face. "No! TANITH! STAY WITH ME!" I screamed and just barely got her to open her eyes.

"Just... Let me die. It's okay." She grinned, but only just a little bit. "I've lived a good life. You and everyone else in Atlantis made it so much better, and I couldn't ask for more."

I was stunned, unable to think, move or speak properly. "Tanith?"

"Could you do me a couple favors? Think of it as a last request. For one, someone take care of Larry, he needs people's attention and two, please really try to make peace with KK. He's a good guy, just didn't grow up with a happy childhood. You two have a lot more in common that you think." She snickered weakly, then it turned into a coughing fit.

I wasn't sure what to do so I just lightly hugged her. I sniffed, trying to not let her see the tears starting to fall. "Anything else?"

She chuckled breathlessly. "You're a perfect king, you know that? You're just what Atlantis needs..."

I laughed sadly. "Thanks, I try to be." I said, glancing down at her.

Her chest wasn't rising anymore.

I bit my lip to try and stop myself from sobbing but it didn't work. I was stuck, crying over someone I thought would out live me.

Her greatest fear was dying alone after everyone else she loved did. At least that never came true for her.

My body shook as my crying over took me, but eventually I found the strength to stand. I took Tanith's limp body into my arms and began to walk. The water might have weighed me down, I wasn't going to stop. I had to make it to Atlantis.

"It's okay, Tanith." I whispered. "I'm taking you home."

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So I came up with this one night and then this was formed. I blame sleep deprived me for being so dramatic.

Here's this... Piece of sadness. Not really sure how sad so it's up to you guys. Also, I have an idea in mind for a part two, would y'all be interested in seeing what I have in mind, or leave it as it is?

Anyways, I hope you liked this! Be sure to comment and stuff, and farewell!

--JustAnAtlantisWriter