#21 The Whispering Shadow

Kassia had been dreading another herbology test, but was relieved when the door opened to reveal a pleasantly lit room with a relatively non-threatening pond in the middle of it. She entered the room, hearing the door swing shut behind her. She approached the plaque near the white and black bucket and took a moment to read it.

Swimming? In here? She might as well have been asked to skinny dip in the Black Lake. Kassia eyed the pond with disgust. How stagnant was that water? What lived in there, exactly? Still, the door would not open for her unless she succeeded or failed, so there was no helping it. She sat down to remove her shoes and her heaviest garments, stopping at her undershirt and tights.

Kassia wavered at the edge of the pond. She put one exploratory toe in, and was pleased to discover that the water was as warm as the room itself. That encouraged her to move farther in, until she was immersed up to her shoulders. But her hair! Kassia reached back to her bag and pulled out a shower cap, tucking in her curls. There was no way she'd let it touch the filthy water.

Satisfied, Kassia stuck her head under the water and forced her eyes open. They stung, and she was able to get glimpses of kelp before she had to lift her head back up. Kassia could swim, but was mainly capable of treading water. She took a huge breath of air and then tried to dive down. She didn't get very far, and her ears started hurting almost immediately.

She returned to the surface and slapped the water in frustration. Kassia had forgotten about having to blow to release the pressure. She also didn't know how to descend properly. Looking back down at the kelp, she made a quick decision before gasping hugely and going underwater again.

Kassia grabbed the nearest kelp and gave it a sharp tug. When it held fast, she slowly began to pull herself down hand over hand. She occasionally stopped to blow into her nose, unblocking her ears. Her lungs were just beginning to scream when she reached the bottom and the bed of stones. Kassia snatched one at random, releasing the kelp and beginning to float back up.

Kassia resurfaced with a supremely unladylike gasp. She paddled for the safety of the pond edge as quickly as possible, hauling herself out and nearly losing her stone as she did. There was movement in the water, and she tried not to see it. She stopped to catch her breath and let her heart rate slow down before tossing her stone into the white bucket.