SHORT INTRODUCTION.
On Somelody, all inhabitants have a "cycle" that dictates their destiny. Two are available to Salieka: the red cycle or the blue cycle. This story will show you both cycles and how, despite her choices, her destiny is the same. Tragic and inevitable.
The RED cycle aka Salieka is a bitch.
I am Salieka. My eyes are aquamarine and my hair is honey blonde. I live on the planet Somelody, in Closehant, a village by the sea. I have a little sister, Merivia, and I hate her. She always gets on my nerves with her questions about everything and anything. My parents are like all the parents in Closehant, protective of their children and well anchored in traditions. One of their traditions is that all 18-year-old women must get married. I'm 18 and I, getting married? NOOOOO! My parents have already promised me to someone. Liu, the son of a mysterious fisherman. A strange redhead. I think he likes me. What do I think of him? He's an asshole. I hate him and I REFUSE to marry him! What my parents don't know is that I love women and not men. I'm already in love with someone. Taralise. She saved my life when I was a little girl and I thought of her often since that day. I love her, I know I love her. Now that I am old enough to get married, Taralise will be mine! Whether she likes it or not! Without realizing it, my Cycle, my destiny, is decided. My Cycle is the red cycle, the cycle of Hatred.
I get up early in the morning. I must find Taralise and possess her! I go around the village, no trace of her. That idiot Liu must know where she is. So, I go to see him at the pier.
"What do you want, Salieka?" the redhead asks me in a cold tone.
"Where is Taralise?"
"You know very well that she travels a lot." The fisherman's son says to me. "She set sail in the middle of the night."
"WHAT?! To go where?"
"She told me about Ryordant Island, but that's crazy."
"Why?" I asked her. "Is it the island where the Sirinaid are?"
The Sirinaid are aquatic and cannibal creatures. Humanoid beings with grey skin and black hair. Fishermen have already said they saw them on an island.
"No, but I heard that Ryordant is inhabited by a cult that worships a tentacled monster." Liu answers me. "This monster demands sacrifices regularly. Only women."
The thought of *my* Taralise being offered to the monster makes my blood boil with rage. I scream.
"NO AND NO!"
I then say I'm going to go look for her.
"And how are you going to do it?" Liu says to me mockingly. "You don't even know how to sail!"
"How do you think, you stupid bastard? You're going to take me to..."
"You always piss me off with your bitchy attitude. Why should I help you?
"Because..."
I need a plan. I know!
"If you help me find Taralise, not only will I not bitch with you anymore, but I'll marry you!" I said happily to the redhead.
These are lies of course. The fisherman's son doesn't find me funny.
"Do you know that you are a bad liar, Salieka? But hey, I'm willing to help you, otherwise you'll be busting my chops all day!"
I shout for joy and we set sail.
"Off to Ryordant!" I exclaimed happily.
"I don't think Taralise really went there," Liu told me, "but you're the leader."
A few hours later, as we approached the island, I saw something incredible. The tentacled monster that Liu had mentioned shows itself on the surface of the water. In its tentacles, it holds a dark-skinned woman and a Sirinaid.
"This woman... phew, it's not Taralise!" I said, reassured.
Taralise has fair skin and unnatural red hair. Liu tries to talk to me but I don't listen.
"Let's ignore them and go to the island. Taralise must be there."
"You should listen to me." The red-haired man said to me in a serious tone. "That Sirinaid *is* Taralise."
"Don't make fun of me, you moron Liu! Taralise is a human like us!"
"Taralise is a Sirinaid, like me. Her real name is Taralong. She took on human form because her sister, Celeong, has been missing for years. Taralise thinks she lives among humans."
I didn't listen to him, again.
"Uh... What did you say?"
"Are you listening to me?! Taralise. Is. A. Sirinaid. Like. Me!!!"
After this revelation, I scream that it isn't possible. Liu then tells me that his father fell in love with a human and that he was born from their love. His father remained in his human form, as a fisherman, and taught his son how to control his hunger for human flesh.
"By the way," Liu said, "my real name is Liurei."
I am too shocked to answer him. The fisherman's son continues to talk to me.
"The Sirinaid can sense Cycles. Yours... a cycle of Hatred... what a waste!"
Then my mind settles on one idea: Taralise is mine, *mine*! I don't care if she isn’t human. I'm going to rip her out of that scum’s clutches! Liurei yells at me not to do that but I jump into the water and swim towards the monster. The monster, seeing me approaching, laughs with an inhuman voice and one of its tentacles seizes me. I cry out in distress.
"Sea monster, free her right now!" orders Liurei.
The sea monster answers him. I didn't expect this.
"Why? She will be a perfect companion with all my other pearls in my castle under the ocean!"
"Your 'pearls'... the other sacrifices?"
"Yes ♫." Said the monster happily. "Who are you?"
"I am Liurei Akalis, this woman is mine, give her back!"
He is completely delirious. I am not his!
"Oh? That's too bad for you, but I'm keeping her." Said the monster. "Her, my beautiful Shantalia and that Sirinaid who dared to confront me!"
"In that case, I'll take her back from you! What is your name, sea monster?"
"Corali'hulu."
"Well, Corali'hulu, get ready!"
Liurei speaks words in a language I don't know and he turns into a Sirinaid!
"Asshole, don't do this!" I said, angrily.
He doesn't listen to me. He plunges into the water and tries to fight Corali'hulu. The sea monster tears him to pieces. Taralise, *my* Taralise, in anger, screams insults to the tentacular monster. Corali'hulu knocks her down to silence her and I shout a "NO" in rage. Shantalia, who had not said anything for all this time, starts to cry.
"Oh, don't cry, my beautiful one." Said Corali'hulu softly. "You will be a sweet pearl and..."
"CLOSE. YOUR. FUCKING. MOUTH!" I yell at the monster. "AND FREE *MY* TARALISE!"
"You, you're going to give me a hard time, but I'm going to teach you how to be a beautiful, sweet pearl."
His tentacle holding me tighter and tighter. I cry out in pain.
"You will respect, love and obey me!" Corali'hulu commands me.
On his words, he dives into the depths of the ocean to bring us to his castle. Strangely, I manage to breathe underwater.
It's incredible, but I must quickly face the facts. I will never be able to escape. I am going to be his companion, his pearl forever!
On the other hand, *my* Taralise is going to be a pearl too. Ha... I'm going to be able to enjoy it! She *will* love me, ha ha ha! Mwah ha ha ha ha ha ha!
RED CYCLE END
The BLUE cycle aka Salieka is an angel.
I am Salieka. My eyes are aquamarine and my hair is honey blonde. I live on the planet Somelody, in Closehant, a village by the sea. I have a little sister, Merivia, and I love her! She is so sweet. My parents are like all Closehant parents, protective of their children and well grounded in tradition. One of their traditions is that all 18-year-old women must get married. I am 18 and it doesn't affect me much. After all, what's wrong with getting married? My parents have already promised me to someone. Liu, the son of a mysterious fisherman. A strange redhead. I think he likes me. What do I think of him? I think he's a good friend, nothing more. What my parents don't know is that I like women and not men. I am already in love with someone. Taralise. She saved my life when I was a little girl, and I've been thinking about her ever since that day. I love her, I know I love her. Now that I am old enough to get married, if Taralise marries me, I will be so happy! Without realizing it, my Cycle, my destiny, is decided. My cycle is the blue cycle, the cycle of Mercy.
I get up early in the morning. I have to find Taralise and confess my feelings. I hope she will love me in return. I go around the village, no trace of her. Liu must know where she is. I go to see him at the pier.
"Hi Salieka!" He said, all happy to see me. "What do you want?"
"Do you know where Taralise is?"
"You know very well that she travels a lot." The fisherman's son says to me. "She set sail in the middle of the night."
"W-What?! To go where?"
"She told me about Ryordant Island, but that's crazy."
"Why?" I asked. "Is it the island where the Sirinaid are?"
The Sirinaid are aquatic and cannibal creatures. Humanoid beings with grey skin and black hair. Fishermen have already said they saw them on an island.
"No, but I heard that Ryordant is inhabited by a cult that worships a tentacled monster." Liu answers me. "This monster demands sacrifices regularly. Only women."
The thought of Taralise being offered to the monster breaks my heart.
"NOOOON!" I scream. "I have to go after her!"
"How are you going to do that?" the redhead asks me. "You don't know how to navigate."
"I know, but... I don't want anything bad to happen. Liu, will you please take me...?"
"Sure. Anything to make you happy."
I thank him and we set sail without further ado.
"I don't think Taralise really went there," Liu tells me, "but it's up to you."
A few hours later, as we approached the island, I saw something incredible. The tentacled monster that Liu had mentioned shows itself on the surface of the water. In its tentacles, it holds a dark-skinned woman and a Sirinaid.
"This woman is not Taralise," I said reassuredly, "but it's horrible!!!"
Taralise has fair skin and unnatural red hair. Liu tries to talk to me but I don't listen to him because I keep talking.
"Taralise must be on island, but this woman..."
"You should listen to me." The redhead says to me in a serious tone. "This Sirinaid *is* Taralise."
"Is this a joke?" I asked the fisherman's son. "It's not funny! Taralise is a human like the two of us!"
"Salieka. Listen to me. Taralise. Is. A. Sirinaid. Like. Me!!! Her real name is Taralong. She took on human form because her sister, Celeong, has been missing for years. Taralise thinks she lives among humans."
Following this revelation, I shout that it can't be true. Liu then tells me that his father fell in love with a human and that he was born from their love. His father remained in his human form, as a fisherman, and taught his son how to control his hunger for human flesh.
"By the way," Liu says, "my real name is Liurei."
I am too shocked to answer him. The fisherman's son continues to talk to me.
"Sirinaid can sense Cycles. Yours... a cycle of Pity... I feel sad for you."
Suddenly, I sink into a deep despair. I dive into the water and swim towards the monster. Taralise. My love. I don't care if she's not human. I must save her from the monster's clutches! The monster, seeing me approaching, laughs with an inhuman voice and one of its tentacles seizes me. I cry out in distress.
"Sea monster, free her right now!" orders Liurei.
The sea monster answers him. I didn't expect this.
"Why? She'll be a perfect companion to all my other pearls in my castle under the ocean!"
"Your 'pearls'... the other sacrifices?"
"Yes ♫." Said the monster happily. "Who are you?"
"I am Liurei Akalis, this woman is mine, give her back to me!"
Liurei. He is so brave, but what does he intend to do?
"Oh? That's too bad for you, but I'm keeping her." Said the monster. "Her, my beautiful Shantalia and that Sirinaid who dared to confront me!"
"In that case, I'll take her back from you! What is your name, sea monster?"
"Corali'hulu."
"Well, Corali'hulu, get ready!"
Liurei speaks words in a language I don't know and he turns into a Sirinaid!
"NOOOOOOO, don't do this!" I said, angrily.
He doesn't listen to me. He plunges into the water and tries to fight Corali'hulu. The monster of the sea puts him in pieces. Taralise, in anger, yells insults to the tentacular monster. Corali'hulu knocks her down to silence her. Shantalia, who had not said anything for all this time, starts to cry.
"Oh, don't cry, my beautiful one." Corali'hulu said softly. "You'll be a sweet pearl, I promise ♫."
I remain silent. Liu is dead. Taralise is knocked out. I'm going to become that monster's companion. This is so unfair! I cry in turn.
"You, you are also very beautiful." The tentacle monster says to me. "I feel that you will become my favorite pearl. You are going to love me... oh yes ♫."
On his words, he dives into the depths of the ocean to bring us to his castle. Strangely, I manage to breathe underwater.
It's incredible, but I'm going to be his companion, his pearl forever!
On the other hand, Taralise is also going to be a pearl. Hmm... I wonder if we could arrange a grand escape with this Shantalia?
BLUE CYCLE END!