A Spirit Set on Revenge

Kalena emerged from the water with one goal in mind: Revenge.

The water was cool. The air was warm. The sand was hot. Everything was perfect. Except for the body half-buried in the sand. When she emerged from the depths of the ocean, Kalena found being on land to be constricting and almost suffocating. Being at the bottom of the ocean made her feel free, surrounded by open water. The air drifted through her damp hair, chilling her skin and causing her to shiver. She knew the small town on this Hawaiian island was known for its tourism thanks to its stunning beaches that locals spend hours of their free time cleaning so that every beach is trash and litter-free. Tourists have a habit of ignoring 'no littering' signs posted and throwing about their trash wherever they please.

No one knew what truly lay within the heart of the island. Some secrets are best left unsaid with only those that used to call it home knowing the truth. Kalena has one mission. To get to the heart of the island to find the treasure the gods left behind, buried deep within a watery cavern. 

Kalena grew up in a time when the water gods still reigned in strength and numbers with this island being the home of Kanaloa, Ukupanipo, Tangaroa, Tane Mahuta, and Kamohoali'i, along with all of the water spirits that served them. The various water spirits lived in harmony and everything was perfect. It was a time of peace among all the islands of Hawaii and between all of the gods. Then the humans came.

No one could have predicted the betrayal. When the humans first arrived, the gods and the spirits welcomed them with open arms. No one could have seen the revolt the humans would start against the gods. They were no longer thankful for the life and wealth bestowed upon them by the gods. They wanted more. They wanted control. They wanted the islands. They wanted gold. They wanted eternal life. The list grew and grew until the gods grew tired of the whims of humanity. The gods became angry and sent a decree through the island for all their water spirits to venture back into the water. It's been hundreds of years since that day when the gods went back to the sea, but now the time has come for them to return.

Kalena was chosen as the one to pave the way for her fellow spirits to reclaim revenge on the descendants of the island. She would be the first of many to return and would ensure that the gods had an island to call home once again. She made her way from the water, taking deep sharp breathes in of the cold strange air. The sand felt odd underneath her feet with clumps of it squishing between her toes. The shore glistened under the luminescent glow of the moonlight and brush of waves that collided onto the sands. Kalena searched the shoreline for any sign of life. Her eyes rested on the trees that quietly made up the forest nestled alongside the beach and stretched down for miles of coastline. In the distance, she could hear music and laughter. The humans that made this island their home. The descendants that took it from her people long ago were now partying and celebrating. Closing her eyes, she could sense the heat from the fire burning hot in the air. She could sense the smell of burnt wood as the flames ate away at the logs. She could taste the melted goo of whatever substance the humans were eating between two thin strange blocks. She made her way down the beach toward the noise of party-goers.

The noise of laughter drew her closer until she could make out the sight of the humans through the branches. Smiling strangers huddled together around a fire, leaning close to share in a laugh and a joke. They shoved each other by the arm only to laugh more, loudly and with quite the obnoxious boast. Kalena supposed they had plenty to be happy about as they reaped all the benefits the gods left for them. She watched as two of the party-goers made their way toward the water, stripping their clothes as they went. She follows them close, keeping to the shadows as to keep her reveal a secret until the perfect opening. Kalena gathered the clothes and made her way back to the beach, slipping them on as she went.

If she closed her eyes, she could almost remember what it was like hundreds of years ago. The forest was quiet. The darkness of the trees was cut with the light of the moon, outlining the shapes around her as she took her time walking through the forest. She could remember being a child and running through the trees after the colorful birds, determined to catch one and wondering what it felt like to fly. The familiar call of a toucan made her heart hollow out with a deep ache. Perhaps one day, she will find her way back to calling this place home again. She found peace within the ocean. Peace within the water and she finally knew what it meant to feel carefree. But the wrongs of the past couldn't be overlooked. It was time for the spirits and the gods to reclaim what was stolen.

Before coming out onto the sand, she runs into a party-goer and for a moment she studied them, taking in their strange clothes hanging off them as if they couldn't get the right fit. Kalena had only one option. She was seen before she was ready and the plan could not fail due to one mistake. She left the body buried in the sand, barely taking the time to cover it. The water beckoned her closer. The waves creating a soothing rhythm that made her ache for home. She would return soon enough. Kalena sat with her legs outstretched so her feet were touching the waves. She looked up at the stars to make one final vow to avenge the water gods.