Infinite Brine by Ai Kagi (books for 9th graders .txt) 📕

called CPR, but many people then did not know about it.
Ana finally coughed up water and opened her eyes. "I'm glad you're safe," Kano said, hugging her. Ana was surprised and even mores so when she saw Kano's bloody shirt.
"Kano, you're injured!" Ana exclaimed. He smiled, "It's fine. I'm glad you're safe."
"Kano! You need medical attention!" Ana pressed. "I love you," Kano said.
Ana was speechless. Then, Kano collapsed, with his head under her chin. "Kano! You need your wound treated!" Ana said again, but apparently, he had fallen asleep.
"Kano, I'm sorry, but I love someone else," Ana whispered. She put her fingers in his turquoise hair.
She couldn't seem to move Kano. So, she stayed where she was and fell asleep.

That night, "Oh, how quaint; the little girl is asleep and the only protection she has is injured," said a hooded man, walking up to Kano and Ana. "Hurry, Akano," said another hooded man.
"I'm hurrying, Kiru; not to worry," said Akano. Akano knelt down, kicking Kano over, who groaned. Then, Akano picked up Ana and threw her over his shoulder. The two hooded men walked off and disappeared into thick, white fog.

"Let's search this island," Captain Kire called out. "Okay," Tres replied from the ocean.
The pirates brought the ship aground. Tres walked up onto the sandy beach, meeting up with Captain Kire and Fukyuu.
"We'll go search this way. Fukyuu, Tres, you go that way and look for any signs of life or any clues," Captain Kire ordered. "Aye, aye," Fukyuu said, glaring at Tres.
About thirty minutes later, Tres and Fukyuu came upon Kano. "Is he dead?" Tres asked. "I don't believe so..." Fukyuu muttered. Tres pulled Kano's arm up over his shoulder, "Let's get him back to the ship; he needs medical attention," Tres said. Fukyuu looked away and took Kano's other arm, putting it over his shoulder. Then, the two rivals set off with Kano.

Chapter IV

"Mm..." Ana groaned, trying to turn in her sleep. She moved too far and fell onto a hard, cold, stone floor.
"Ow!" Ana yelped, holding her head. She slowly opened her green eyes to see a man standing in front of her; he had brown hair and maroon-colored eyes.
"Fukyuu?" Ana questioned. The man grinned, "No. I'm Hikaru Ori, his elder twin brother. I'm twenty and he's eighteen." "Are you an Eternia too?" "No..." he frowned, pointing at his left cheek, just under his eye, "I'm and Everlive. We are all marked with a different shape somewhere on our bodies." Ana squinted and finally saw the sideways triangles on his face where he was pointing.
"How are you older than Fukyuu, if you're twins?" she asked. Hikaru's face was emotionless, "We're actually the same age, but my body is two years older than his. He became an Eternia one hundred and eighteen years ago, and left home as soon as he found out what he'd become. When I was twenty, I turned into an Everlive; that was ninety-eight years ago. So, I'm only older than him in body, not in age. Both kinds age no more once they become one, but there are consequences; the Eternias must only drink Red Root potion and can't eat." "What about Everlives?"
Hikaru placed his left hand over the left side of his face, "We're not allowed to love or sleep." Ana couldn't speak.
Hikaru suddenly moved forward, towards her, and grabbed her hand. He led her out of the room, down a hall, and into a large throne room-like room.
"Does your arm feel better now and do you like your dress?" Hikaru asked. "Ah, um..." ana now realized that her arm was healed. She looked at what she was wearing too; a blue dress. 'Who put me in this?' Ana thought.
"Don't worry; we dressed you. You would have gotten pneumonia in those wet clothes," said a brown-haired lady with a crescent-moon Everlive mark on her right cheekbone. "She reads minds," a twelve-year-old girl said, coming out of the shadows. Ana didn't think that she'd ever seen anyone with this red of hair and crystal-like, blue eyes. The girl had her Everlive mark on her forehead and it was a crescent-moon shape like the other lady's, only longer.
"Hey, Hikaru-sama, should we make her one of us?" someone said. Ana turned towards the main doors, watching as five men and two girls came in. The one that had just spoken was a tall man with reddish-brown hair and sleepy, yellow eyes. Hikaru grinned, "We need to try a test first, Akano."
"Test?" Ana queried, confused. "Yes," the brown-haired lady answered, walking over to a table that was alongside a wall. She picked up a plate of grapes and walked back to Ana.
"Eat some," the lady demanded. Ana hesitated. "Oina didn't poison it; it's fine," Hikaru said. "Okay..." Ana said, taking a grape and eating it. Suddenly, she felt a burning in her throat and lungs. "Ack!" Ana fell over, clutching her throat. "You said it wasn't poisoned," she chocked out. "It's not, but food is poisonous to Eternias," Hikaru said, his face now becoming grim.
"We'll use her as bait," Hikaru said, then, he told the five men and two girls that had previously entered, "Tori, Tira, Akano, Eruba, Kiru, Solar, and Jun, go stand guard outside. Etoa, will give information to the ones searching for Ana." Hikaru's followers, fellow Everlives, obeyed and went to fulfill his commands. Etoa, the red-head girl, put her hood on and slipped out the door.
"Now, we wait," Hikaru said. He looked down at Ana, she was now asleep. So, they left her on the floor and left the room.

Kano had been asleep for a while and finally awoke when it was morning. His wound had been treated and was wrapped in bandages. He got up, walking out of the tent he was in.
"Ah, he's awake," Captain Kire said. "Where's Ana?" Kano questioned. "You know Ana?" Tres asked, grabbing Kano by his shirt collar. "Yeah, I took her when she collapsed on the deck," Kano explained, "I was going to get her somewhere safe."
"You...!" Tres yelled, pulling his fist back, ready to punch. "Would you intend to harm the Oceanse Prince, your ruler?" Kano said. Suddenly, Tres let go of Kano's shirt and fell down. Kano opened his hand, shooting a ton of water from it at Tres. Tres was now flat on the ground and his face was in the sand.
"Impressive," Captain Kire said, "Would you consider joining us?" "Sorry, I'm an explorer; I don't join pirates," Kano said. "Okay, well, could you at least tell us your name? I'm Captain Kire Morgan." "I am Kano Mystera, explorer and Oceanse Prince," Kano introduced himself, "I meant no ill will to Ana." "I know. We need to find her. Do you know where she want?" "No. I collapsed after a fight with Oceana; she's half Oceanse and half Eternia." "So, that's where that wound came from." "Yes."
Just then, a hooded person came running up to them and dropped a piece of paper on the ground. Then, the person ran away. "Ana?" Kano questioned. Captain Kire picked up the paper and read it, "Overlook Chateau." "Where's that?" Tres asked. "Follow me," Fukyuu answered, jumping down from the ship. He turned to Kire, "Bring your men."
Captain Kire and Kano looked at each other. "Come on, men!" Kire yelled, following Fukyuu; Tres and Kano went too.

It was sunset and Hikaru was sitting on his throne. Ana awoke and stood up; she looked over at Hikaru with a frown.
"It's time," Hikaru said, flicking his index finger towards himself. Ana felt her body being pulled forward and she flew across the room, into Hikaru's arms.
"Let me go!" Ana yelled, struggling to get away. "Silence," Hikaru said. Ana felt her body go limp and she felt tired.
Hikaru stood up and put Ana on the chair. He swept his hand through the air, causing thorny vines to come up out of the ground and secure Ana to the seat.
"They'll be coming for you," he said. Ana could hardly hear what he was saying as her vision and hearing kept fading in and out.

"Here it is," Fukyuu said, as they all got up a hill. Overlook Chateau was set on a cliff; it's dim and dreary, Gothic structure stood with an eerie erectness.
"There're guards, so, I'll go in by the front door while you all distract them," Fukyuu instructed. "Aye," Kire replied. Fukyuu bean to go when Tres said, "I'm coming too." Fukyuu sighed, "Don't get in the way." Tres nodded.
The pirates and Kano charged over to the guards. The guards immediately, without shock, began to fight back. The guards were Everlives, so, they fought with weapons and powers.
Fukyuu and Tres managed to sneak around the guards, entering the building through the front door. The two spotted Ana at the end of the room.
"Ana..." Tres muttered, walking forward, but stopped when Fukyuu thrust his arm out in front of his chest. "Hey!" Tres yelled. Fukyuu tilted his head, "you almost stepped on a trap. "Wha-" Tres muttered, now seeing the almost-invisible trip line. He smirked, "Sharp eyes."
"Just like always," a voice said. Tres looked around the room frantically. Hikaru appeared out of nowhere with a sword.
Tres quickly drew his own sword and blocked an attack. He thought he saw an opening, swinging his sword at Hikaru, but Hikaru flicked his own hand towards the wall; this action put a collar on Tres' neck and attached the collar up on the wall. Tres was now being strangled from hanging by his neck.
"Now, it's just you and I, brother," Hikaru stated. Fukyuu's face became emotionless, "Hikaru..."
"As you see, I've grown stronger, Fu," Hikaru proclaimed pridefully. "And still... not strong enough, Hi," Fukyuu replied.
"Shut up!" Hikaru yelled, sending a blast of black energy at Fukyuu. Fukyuu closed his eyes and the attack turned into white, dusty sparkles. Hikaru gasped, "How-" He was cut off when Fukyuu began running towards him. "I call this," Fukyuu said, shooting maroon thorns and energy, "March of Death!" Hikaru's eyes widened and he covered his face with his arms when the attack hit him. He flow backwards and crashed into the chair that Ana was in.
Fukyuu's eyes turned white and a black-maroon cloud appeared in the room, sending out black lightning bolts. "Let