Reunion

The fog started to let up as the sun began to rise, giving her a clearer view of the island. The small fishing boat was the only vessel headed this way that early in the morning and she hadn't thought twice about getting aboard, after all, she had been on board a ship for days before that, one more would make no difference.

From a distance, Calida could see the beach looked deserted, save for the lone figure standing by the shore. She knew it was Anahita. Even without seeing the exceptionally fluid, long hair, or the fact that the waves reached out further toward her, as though reaching out with the seas hands. Yearning, longing to kiss her skin, feel her touch. She would still have recognised her because she was a keeper, different parts of the same puzzle only brought together by their harbringer.

The keepers had always been able to sense each other, it was how they always knew where to find one another, how she knew exactly which Island she was supposed to go to and how Eirik knew which city to send his falcon.

Finally, the boat reached the shore and she stepped out falling into the open arms of her friend. Ana held her tightly and she reciprocated, both of them expressing with their warm embrace what words could never say. Calida pulled back first, a genuine smile on her face, the first in a while and the first of many she was sure.

"It has been far too long, Ana. We've drifted apart” Calida started in her deep, baritone voice.

"I understand what you mean sister and it may seem so. However, you must remember, though the seas keep lands apart, it also keeps them connected and as such, like land we never truly drift from one another" Ana replied holding Calida's hands in hers. Her own soft voice contrasted with Ida's, a stark difference between the two women.

"I have missed hearing your wise words.” She embraced Ana once again, the same soft smile playing at her lips. She took a deep breath as face turns serious and she pulled out of Ana's embrace. "Though I would love to hear more, I have not come to dilly-dally. I am afraid I come bearing not so good news."

"Come then we must not speak of such things in public, this is a small island and gossip will travel fast." Ana says, taking Ida's hand in hers and walking her to her hut.

They passed by a few fishermen heading for the shores. Ana stopped to greet them, introducing Calida as her cousin. As Ida looked around, she was reminded of just how simple Ana liked to live. The entire island itself was not even the size of her neighborhood in Teir city, she was sure. She couldn't picture herself living in a place where everyone knew each other's names. Yet, Ana fit in perfectly. She smiled at yet another difference between them.

Once inside the hut, Ana shut the door and the small window then, lighted a small lamp. She offered the only stool to Calida while she sat on the rolled out bed opposite her brunette companion. She would have offered her something to drink but by the look on Ida's face she knew whatever it was–though she had an idea–that had caused her to reach out personally was pressing. She turned so that she was facing ida and rested her head on her palms with her elbows on her thighs.

"Tell me sister, my ears are yours as is my mind." She says.

"I received word from Eirik" Ida started. "About unnatural forces causing strong and massive winds. The most baffling thing however is that it disappears without a trace." Ida's frustration showed on her face and Ana could see that she'd most certainly had a similar encounter.

"I have seen it too, rather felt. I was in the sea and I sensed something advancing toward me at an alarming speed but when I turned to meet it, it disappeared. I spent hours that night scrounging the water but could not find anything"

Calida's frown deepened as she listened. If Ana had had a similar encounter then it was safe to say their fourth member had as well. 'What could it possibly mean?' she wondered. None of them had been harmed in anyway but they had also not seen or sensed whatever it was. In all the years since she'd been a keeper she had never seen anything of the sort. She had battled quite a number of creatures with otherworldly powers but this was different. It felt different and the fact that it vanished after making contact was something new, she did not like the unknown.

"What do you think it means?" she asked when Ana had finished speaking. "You are very wise Ana, I may be the arrow head of this group but you are my bow and I rely greatly on you for guidance. You must have thought of something, what is it?"

Ana's gaze went to the floor, she sighed deeply before answering.

"I have racked my brain for an answer, I've read every book of old in my possession, none of our predecessors have had this encounter." She raised her head and locked her eyes with Ida's.

"However, the manner, the timing, it all points to one plausible conclusion". She let her words sink in before she continued. If what she suspected turned out to be true, then they would need to prepare for the worst.

"I believe it is a call. The summons, Calida. Do not tell me you have not thought of it." She had wanted to reach out to Ida when she came to the conclusion but when she felt her essence close, she knew she didn’t have to.

"I did think of it but Ana, why would it come in such a manner? It raises suspicions." Calida stared at the woman before her, face grim, body tensed,eyes focused as though she was telling her something without words, waiting for her to come to the same conclusion as she. Ida’s face turned ashen. Suspicion. If it was a summon, in the manner it had come, Ana was right it could only mean one thing.

"The harbinger is in danger, she calls for help." Ida said barely whispering but Ana heard her anyway. She nodded, her eyes still on Ida.

She would wait for the shock to wear off the keeper and then together they would set out. Once again, the keepers must rise to the call of their harbinger.