They were standing on the balcony, waiting for Gladriel’s command to start swimming.
“It’s so strange, as if something has broken the ocean and there is a crack in it.” Raror was wide-eyed, the clear lenses flickering off and on as his eyes adjusted to the air.
The sand was white, with just a tinge of gold. It was unlike any color Talina had ever seen. The sunlight sparkled off the grains like the precious jewels they were.
Earons, take to the water now. We are to make our way to the edge of the Isle and wait.
Their leader’s voice echoed through her mind, and without hesitation Talina dived into the depths. She let the water flow over her, and as her gills kicked in she took off. Speed-swimming was her favorite thing to do. To her left, Raror kept pace, although, if he needed to, he could almost double her velocity through the water.
Emerald hair streamed in the currents as their collection of members approached the golden sands of the Sacred Isle. For the first time in her life Talina was shocked to see the ocean floor tapering up. It became shallower until at last she could put her feet down and stand above the water line. She wobbled precariously, but as her lungs kicked in she found her feet on the squishy sand, digging her toes in for extra stability. Gladriel, who’d been the first to stand, shifted once or twice, but managed to stay straight at the head of their group.
“Do not move too quickly. It will take time to get used to the stillness of land.” Her lisped words echoed.
Talina glanced around her. Judging by the tumbles already being taken in the shallow water, Gladriel was correct.
She turned when she heard a clamor behind them. A foreign pontoon, blue flags flying, indicated that the Baroons had arrived. They were in the process of tethering to a nearby station. Her heart skipped a beat at the possibility of seeing Ladre, their intimidating leader. She swung back as Gladriel spoke again.
“We have permission to move onto the land. Take it slowly. Start on all fours for balance.” She waved everyone forward, and then turned away to concentrate on her own journey. Talina could see that their leader was still slightly off-kilter, but otherwise she made it onto the flat sand without drama. Realizing she would be left behind, Talina took her first hesitant step.
Her muscles made their usual adjustment for the sway and ebb of the ocean, but for the first time there was no movement from below. She over-balanced and sprawled headfirst into the shallows.
Raror moved to help her up, but he was just as un-coordinated as she was and splashed into the water next to her. Dragging herself forward on hands and knees, Talina crawled onto the still dryness of land. Her head started to sway, and an instant nausea rose as her body tried to compensate for the lack of movement it was so used to.
“I think I’m going to be sick.” Raror dived past her to heave his morning cucreamer all over the sand.
He wasn’t the only one.
Talina flipped over onto her back and, using the half-sun as an anchor, breathed deeply for a few moments. Finally the nausea abated enough so she wasn’t about to join the hurling ranks. Sitting up, she straightened her shaky legs before pulling herself up to stand.
She guessed that this was how it felt when learning to walk for the first time. Balancing without the movement of the ocean required different muscles and a center of gravity that Spurns lacked, but eventually most of the Earon clan was able to stand and move further along the sandy beach. Talina loved the delicious texture between her toes; it tickled as it scrubbed her feet.
Once walking became easier, she was able to observe her environment. And she wasn’t the only one; most of the Earon clan was trying to walk and take in the vast wonders surrounding them, which meant there were plenty of tumbles, golden grains flying up in small clouds all around her.
The sand started at the water line and drifted gently up a curved mound. From there on, it looked to Talina like a mix of sand and swathes of green vegetation. She knew that the entire island was only fifty miles wide and ten miles long. At least eighty percent consisted of the lagoona tree plantations, which she could see stretching out into the distance in long straight rows.
It was simply incredible to see. Everything looked so free and unencumbered with no water surrounding it. She was distracted at just that moment as Raror stumbled and fell down next to her. A grin spread across her face as she reached out a hand to help him to his feet.
“This is not exactly how I pictured this experience.” He shook his head, dispelling the masses of sand that had accumulated in his long straight hair. It was such a warm day that already sections of the emerald tresses looked dry.