Abyss

Abyss
Setting: Europe, a few centuries b.c. at the beginning, but slowly moving on to present times.
Notes: Violence is hinted at later; fantasy elements; strong emotions
Rating: 18+

Chapter 1: First sight


He was on his way for months already. His father and brothers had given him a rough description of the course he had to take; still it was not easy to cross the whole continent and even a patch of sea to reach his destination. Admittedly, Pheus had not hurried. The opportunity to get away from the craze in his ‘family’ for the first time in his life was very welcome.

Finally, he arrived in the area humans in later times would come to call the Scottish Highlands. Pheus had been sent by his father to take a look at the son of the leader of the nymph tribe that lived in these mountains. Word had spread that he did not look like a nymph at all with his tall, muscular figure and black hair. In combination with the age of the young man – travellers said he was about Pheus’ age, perhaps a little older – those rumours led his father to the assumption that this ‘son of a nymph’, his name was ‘Ayve’, in truth had sprung from his eldest son’s loins. After all, he had been sent to the tribe exactly around the time this child must have been sired.

Now Pheus was to find out if their assumptions were true and if this Ayve was good for anything. If possible, Pheus was to bring him along on his return journey.

Pheus located the settlements of the nymph tribe. There were about two hundred people, living in four settlements all in all, of which each one was close to a lake. The people lived in wooden huts and ate a lot of fish together with herbs and fungi and whatever they could find. Some of them hunted as well, but they did not show much talent in that. Their lives were simple, full of privations; it had nothing to do with what Pheus’ father had told him about their past. They were suffering from mankind taking away their land by force as much as Pheus’ race was, forced to live in a barren countryside.

Pheus missed one thing, however – his target. This Ayve did not live amongst his people. Concentrating on him, Pheus sensed that he was living further up in the mountains. His plan was to observe his ‘nephew’ from a distance for a few days before deciding on further steps. Yet, Pheus soon had to realise that he was not the only one who was gifted with the skill of sensing people from a distance. Ayve was approaching him.

Pheus was disconcerted by this development. Carefully, he tried to read the other man’s mind to learn his purpose.

Was the other man this cunning or this innocent? Pheus could not see anything in his mind but a mild curiosity. Was this Ayve so skilled that he could mask his own thoughts with others, that he could pretend to be thinking something else than he truly did? No one in their right mind followed an unknown person just out of curiosity, without any sense of danger!

Pheus hunted a deer down; that would feed him for several days. He lit a small fire in the dale he had decided to spend the night in and sensed the other man slowly creeping closer. Why this cautious approach if he did not fear Pheus? Pheus’ suspicion grew.

The other man lingered at the peek of the mountain, looking down on Pheus. Pheus looked up, locking eyes with him. He clearly demonstrated that he was not intimidated – he had yet to loose a fight. This Ayve held his gaze, but his face carried none of Pheus’ determination. For all that Pheus could tell, he did not seek a confrontation.

Pheus did not understand this behaviour. If this nymph sought company, why did he not come down or at least say anything? After a while, Pheus grew tired of their staring. He turned away and started to work on his prey. The other one could either make up his mind or spend the night up there. Why should Pheus care? He had a light sleep; he’d hear him coming if this Ayve tried anything at night.

Yet, the man did not wait until nightfall. Whilst Pheus was eating, he crept down the slope until he was nearly on a level with Pheus, though still at a distance. Pheus pretended not to take further notice of him.

Ayve watched him eat, secure the rest of the meat and prepare his bed.

After a while, at sundown, Ayve left. Pheus mentally shook his head.

The next days, Pheus tried to find out more about the strange man. He circled around the nymph settlings, reading people’s thoughts, always hoping to find information about Ayve. He merely glimpsed snippets. The nymphs seemed to distrust their leader’s son. His own mother had refused to raise him because he did not look like a proper nymph and neither acted like one. Nymphs were quite small – in Pheus’ eyes – they were thin and had light hair; red it was usually, sometimes blond. Ayve, on the other hand, resembled Pheus noticeably, from what he had seen at their one encounter. He was tall, slightly more muscular than common for a nymph and had long, pitch black hair.

As far as Pheus could tell, his ‘nephew’ had chosen a life in loneliness because he could not stand the distrust of his own people. His ‘father’ (more likely his foster father since his genitor seemed to be Pheus’ elder brother) apparently had tried to mediate between the tribe and his son, and since he was the leader of his people they had listened to him – but only up to a certain point. Their doubts had never been fully erased.

Pheus sought to find any hint that their distrust was founded, any memory that showed Ayve as the temperamental person he was rumoured to be – he found none. On the contrary – it seemed Ayve had always tried to conform himself to the ways of the nymphs. All that stood in his way was that he was gifted with skills that scared them. Pheus learned that Ayve was a superb hunter – people gladly ate what he brought them, yet feared him just as much for being so strong, so physical. Nymphs did not care for such things. They seemed to associate a strong body as well as strong emotions automatically with a lack of control over oneself and a tendency towards violence – two things they loathed above all else.

Eventually, when Pheus was relatively certain that Ayve was indeed harmless, perhaps as naïve as he had seemed at their first meeting, he decided to approach him. It was late in the evening; his plan was to sneak up on Ayve, control the situation. Yet, before he came close to the cave Ayve slept in, his target appeared at its mouth, staring down on Pheus once more.

They watched each other for a while; then Ayve took a few steps back. Pheus understood this as a silent invitation; he climbed further up.

The fire in the cave burned low. His host revived it. Pheus stood at the entrance, looking about. At the back, a stock of wood, roots, and herbs rested against the rock. A bit of smoked fish hung under the ceiling. A bed of animal hides lay rumpled in one corner, indicating that Ayve had indeed already been asleep and had woken to the mere feeling of Pheus coming closer.

Pheus was intrigued by this young man who had developed his instincts and cultivated his skills without any role model to learn from. Nymphs were known for certain empathetic skills, perhaps a bit of mind-reading; but Ayve’s alertness, his sharp senses and his strong sense for people moving beyond his sight or listening range, even in sleep, was nothing he had in common with ‘his’ kin. This ability was clearly coming from Pheus’ branch of the family.

Pheus debated how to start the conversation. Despite his mother being a nymph, his knowledge of the language was limited. His father had not approved of the soft ways of education Pheus’ mother – who was a nymph - favoured and had limited their contact.

He looked closer at the man who crouched in front of the fire, feeding it with dried grass and small pieces of wood. He was about Pheus’ height, perhaps a little taller (but Pheus was still growing) and seemed to have just reached adulthood. Pushing thoughts about his father and his orders aside for a moment, Pheus had to acknowledge that Ayve was handsome, to say the least. Unlike the common colours of green or brown one usually saw in nymph eyes, his were shaded in different tones of grey, Pheus saw when Ayve gazed up at him, presenting his delicately chiselled features. He was of slight build; still Pheus could see why he was a successful hunter. His body perfectly combined the grace of the nymphs and the agility and strength of his own people. Pheus had been right; they were quite alike in appearance, although Pheus was slightly sturdier.

Ayve sat calmly next to the fire, waiting for Pheus to explain himself. Pheus saw expectancy in his mind. The half-nymph knew that a stranger had been involved in his siring and Pheus’ appearance kindled the hope in him that he would get to know more about this part of himself. Well, Pheus could meet his expectations.

“I am the brother of the man who fathered you,” he said in broken nymph tongue. It always sounded awkward, the way he pronounced it. The language of his own kin was hard, rough; the nymph language, in contrast, was flowing like the wind through leaves. It sounded more like whispers.

Ayve eyed him even more intently.

“My father sends me to invite you to visit us.” Pheus had no love for talking, therefore his explanation was curt. He made no friendly gestures either. He had no use for charm; there were other means of convincing people to do what he wanted. As for his ‘nephew’, Pheus did not truly care if he accompanied him or not. If his father had wanted his ‘grandson’ at all costs, he would have said so. Though, Pheus had to admit that Ayve looked like an interesting catch.

“Your father?” Ayve asked puzzled.

“Yes,” Pheus replied, still standing close to the entrance. “My father, the leader of my people.”

“I see.” Ayve looked at the floor and gazed up towards Pheus again. “Would you care for some tea?”

Pheus felt the impulse to decline the offer; he had a habit of saying ‘no’ – it was better in his family. Feeling the cool air in his back in contrast to the warm fire he was facing and that he was offered a place at, he changed his mind, however. After such a long period without any company, even a lone wolf like him welcomed the opportunity to spend a bit of time with someone else.

It took a while until the water had heated up in the stone bowl over the fire. Meanwhile, they sat in silence. After a time, Ayve spoke again. “Where do you and your people live?”

Pheus considered how to answer this question. “Have you been travelling?” he asked.

His host negated.

Pheus sighed. He looked about and found a branch. The fire spread only dim light, but his eyes were accustomed to see in the dark. With scratching noises, he drew lines into the layer of earth that covered the floor of the cave. Triangles in the upper part of his picture indicated mountains. “We are here,” he pointed at them. “Here,” he pointed below, “the land slowly flattens out. At some point you reach the sea.” With a few lines he created what humans later would call the English Channel.

Ayve came a little closer to have a better look at what Pheus was doing. All the same, he kept the distance nymphs always held to their neighbours, as Pheus had observed these past days. If he had stretched out his arm, he would not have been able to touch the other man.

“Where are our settlements in here?” Ayve asked.

Pheus made a few dots into the dirt.

“Then there,” Ayve pointed to the left, “is the coast as well. Is there more land further up?”

“I have not been there. I came from here,” Pheus said, pointing down again. “There are human settlements I had to bypass. Beyond the sea, there are vast lands as well. Good for hunting. Luckily, most humans don’t dare enter the deeper parts of the forest, so it is possible to travel unhindered. It takes about the same time that is needed to travel from your place to the sea to come from the sea to the feet of another huge area of mountains.” Pheus scraped more triangles into the floor. “That’s where my people are living, though I doubt we will live there in peace much longer. So far, we have been able to fight the humans off, but they are growing stronger.”

“You fight against them?” Ayve asked surprised.

Pheus smirked. Nymphs were a peaceful folk; they just moved on if humans claimed their lands. “We defend ourselves, yes.”

Ayve filled two wooden bowls with tea and handed one to his guest.

“So, what do you say? Are you joining me on my journey back?” Pheus pressed him for a decision.

Ayve glanced at him with thoughtful, indecisive eyes. The flames of the fire danced in them. “I have to speak to my father before I can give you an answer.”

“Of course,” Pheus replied. That indeed was something he knew only too well.

“It would merely be temporary, right? I could return home any time?” Ayve asked to assure that he had understood Pheus’ offer correctly.

“That is totally up to you.” Pheus emptied his bowl. “You know how to find me when you have made up your mind. Don’t take too long.” He placed the dish on the floor and left.

Pheus took a look into the other man’s mind as he moved through the landscape to his camp. Ayve was torn between the prospect of staying with his people that he felt attached to yet was not accepted by and going with him, Pheus, a stranger. Despite his problems, Ayve had still a close relationship with his nymph ‘father’, who had brought him up after his mother had repudiated him. He had never been far away from him and Ayve did not know what might await him far from home. Pheus had not even made an effort to look like a loving family member. If the rest of them were the same, Ayve could just as well stay where he was.

From what Pheus glimpsed, Ayve was not likely to come with him. Pheus did not blame him either. Ayve’s doubts were justified.


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