In this edition of fun things from the physical archives - Echoes of Aravast and related sketches!

"Forgotten" Gemini Initial Sketch, unknown

This was early on when I got the idea of a "survivor Gemini" that may actually escape the Gemini Archives. She already has her sonic blade, her dog tag (back when that was an idea) and a surprisingly similar outfit (The two-toned hair was me trying on a wig over my existing hair and thinking it looked awesome lol).

Protection, 2013/4?

Ian was a new character in the Gemini Archives, and he quickly decided he was coming over to the new story with Gemini. I liked the initial story/plot I had going for Echoes of Aravast, but I was struggling to write it. All it took was changing Gemini's power and throwing her into one more Gemini Archive to spark the Westfall thread...

Ian ended up staying pretty similar to his current Aravasti variant - he was a Lux who could create light shields - only in Echoes of Aravast, he was born on Barea with Aravasti genetics and discovered his power by accident - like Ace would later. Actually, The Outlier takes the basic plot of Echoes, so I still got to have it to some extent :)

The Panic in Me, 2014

I have a digital drawing on this one, but since it's from a storyline that didn't make it, I removed it from my website 🤷 These 2 were going to have a very slow burn relationship that only showed where it ended up in a flash forward at the very end. At least their devotion to each other still made the final cut ;) The title/mood is from a song from The Road to El Dorado by Elton John. Great song.

Ian Sticky Note Art, 2015?

I found a couple of these colorful sticky note drawings! Not bad for pen on a 3"x3" sticky note!

Sparrow Sticky Note Art, 2015?

Sparrow and Gabriel were actually going to be in Echoe of Aravast... but alas, they just get to stay my token dancers :)

Cinder Sketch, 2015

So... yeah.

One of the ideas for Echoes was Ian accidentally getting sent in to Barea's past where he's in this weird feudal variant where humans and creatures work codependently (Narnia? lol). Ian ends up paired with Cinder the pied crow and they both serve a knight as his armor bearer and squire. Gemini eventually figures out how to get to where she sent him, and he's years older and embittered, but also stronger because of his experience. Cinder was kind of a comic relief, wise-cracking bird... but he was the first to be cut along with the rest of the rest of the talking animals.

The Outlier Awakens, 2020

A neat drawing of Ace when his Aravasti powers awaken underwater. The body proportions are kinda wonky, but those hands 👌 This would be a nice one to redo one day!

As Christopher breaks above the surface and takes in a breath of air, Sapphyre peeks out of the water with him. 

Chris: These gills are still here, even now. Perhaps they won’t go away?

Phyre: I don’t know. I’ve never used this power before; I’ve heard it was used long ago to rescue humans from drowning, but when humans began to look for and exploit merkind… we are not supposed to.

Chris: Well, that’s all right. That just means I can live in the kelp forest with you forever! Nothing to worry about–no cares… only you…

He looks at her when she doesn’t reply, and he notices her gazing almost longingly into the sky as a seagull flies overhead.

Song: "Flight"

At once, Sapphyre finds herself reaching upward, kicking her tail to rise and fall, almost dancing through the water. She leaps above, breaching like a while. All the while Christopher watches in awe.

When at last Sapphyre's dance concludes, he smiles wide. 

Chris: Wow... If I didn't know any better, I'd say you feel the most at home up here.

Phyre: ...So what if I do.

Chris: So… why do you? I have a feeling you're the only mermaid who does... that no others understand your connection.

Phyre: (eyes flash up) Connection?

Chris: (confused) ...What? 

Sapphyre darts under water.

Chris: (struggles to follow) Wait–what did I say??

–
This is the song that linked itself to Sapphyre and probably started this whole thing. It was at a ballet I was recording at my last job and I was floored watching little dancers swirl around to this gorgeous music, and being in my Sapphyre phase, the rest was history. And yes… I will continue the weird shallow dialog haha.

Song: "Love Dance"

Phyre: (remains turned away) I... I was not always a mermaid.

Chris: What do you mean?

Phyre: (looks over her shoulder) I was a human once. But I was captured. I was made to become who I am now. I woke up in a strange facility with no memory of who I was before–only that I was created... and that I was their prisoner.

Chris: Oh, Phyre–how? Why? Who would do such a thing?

Phyre: I don't know...

Chris: Then... how did you come to be here?

Phyre: (gazes to the surface) One of the men in the facility... he was kind to me. He helped me escape one night. I don't know what became of him, but I owe him my life... this life. Lady Aria found me hiding at the edge of the kelp forest. She took me in, brought me to the Enclave, and I learned how to become a mermaid. I tried to fit in... I tried to make friends and find a home...

Chris: But you were made to be on the surface, so it calls to you.

He draws close to her, turning her body to face his. 

Chris: And, perhaps, I was made to be here with you.

Phyre: ...Underwater?

Chris: Wherever you are...

They kiss, gently, then grow passionate. Sapphyre's tail curls around his legs, swirling them in the water between the tall strands of kelp and the surface of the water.

Phyre: I want to be wherever you are. Wherever you go–whatever you do...

Chris: Phyre... Sapphyre... I will go nowhere without you. 

Their foreheads touch. 

Chris: ...I love you.

Phyre's eyes open wide, only to drop closed as she holds him tighter.

Phyre: I love you too. 

Song: "Battlefield"

Voice: There!!

In Christopher's arms, Phyre gazes across the top of the kelp forest to find Lady Aria and a host of merkind approaching. They are dressed in crude armor and have weapons and shields, ready for battle.

Looking the opposite way, Christopher sees the Shark King and his army taking their place behind him. They also carry weapons and are covered in armor.

They at once pull apart to glance between the two groups, who approach until their lines are mere feet from each other–with Sapphyre and Christopher in between.

King: So! It IS true! You have been planning war!

Aria: And it is true that you have taken one of our own!

King: I have taken no one–YOU have sent your spy!

Keiki: And you have joined forces with the humans to attack us!

Aria: We have sent no spies! We have no allegiance with humans!

King: Then, who is this??

Chris: (boldly) I am Christopher–I am not a spy, and neither is Sapphyre! She saved me from drowning, and we have taken protection among the Kelp-Dwellers so that I may learn her ways!

Aria: Sapphyre–is this true? We thought you had been taken!

Phyre: It is true–I am sorry, Lady Aria. I did not realize I had caused so much concern…

Aria: You are one of us, my dear Phyre!

Kalli: Please–please come back home!

Sapphyre: (moved to tears) And… and Christopher?

Aria: He is welcome, too, if he wishes to remain here.

Sapphyre and Christopher look at each other and smile gratefully.

King: (incredulously) All of this has been… a misunderstanding??

Iolana: (nervously to Otieno) What are we to do now?? The King will have us beheaded!!

Otieno: (panicking, yells above the crowd) I–I don’t believe them! Why would they show up in full armor? Why would they be ready to fight??

Others chime in similarly.

Phyre: (Turning to the sharks) Please, we mean no harm to you or your kind!

Keiki: Lies!!

King: Keiki!!

But it is too late. In his youthful haste, Keiki throws a spear at Sapphyre. When she dodges, the spear instead strikes a merman in the army behind her.

Aria & King: No!!

Other merkind rush forward in retaliation as other sharks do the same. The chaos of battle at once erupts in the waters between the surface and the kelp forest.

During the battle, Christopher wields a spear and tries to fight, but without fins, he’s slow in the water and not much use. Iolana targets him, disarms him, and reels back to stab him with her own spear–only for Sapphyre to rush in his place. She is stabbed (the part where the song drops to just choir for a moment–chills, I tell you), but then struggles to continue fighting, wounding Iolana and driving her away.

As Sapphyre loses strength from her bleeding side, Christopher begins to lose his gills and struggles to get to the surface. They reach each other moments before the battle envelopes them. It rages on until shouts break the chaos.

King: No!!

Aria: Stop!!

At once, the two lines draw back to find Keiki has fallen. Filled with sorrow, the Shark King collects his son in his arms and cries with grief. Aria calls out for Sapphyre, but none can find her. When all realize what has happened and see what has been done–fallen bodies floating lifelessly as the wounded cower in the kelp among the kelp-dwellers–all slowly back away.

Sapphyre and Christopher are nowhere to be seen.

Song: “Aftermath”

As a mournful song fills the scene, Shael, his arm bandaged, and Kalli slowly drift near the kelp forest. A few merpeople are huddled on the outskirts, mending wounds and mourning losses.

Shael’s eyes find something on the ground. With horrified sorrow, he finds Sapphyre and Christopher lifeless at the sea floor. Christopher’s gills are gone, and Sapphyre’s body is torn, but they lie together, holding each other in their final moments.

Shael bows sorrowfully as Kalli joins his side and mourns, but when he looks up, he almost believes he sees Sapphyre and Christopher smiling at him from the edge of the kelp-forest. When he blinks again, he sees them no more.

Slowly, they turn and swim away.

–

………It’s a SAD ENDING. But the music is SAD! I didn’t know what to do with it! I think that contributed to why I stopped writing this one (also it’s really not a very complex plot or story or dialog or anythingggg…)

Ironically, I have since seen KA in Vegas, and the real story only has slightly more depth (it’s all pantomime and acrobatics)–but there’s also twice as many songs, AND it ends happily for the main characters. The evil village’s son gets killed in the battle and that ends the war, so I apparently got that part right. But the soundtrack doesn’t have the finale song, so here we are.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed that random trip down my memory lane!

Page 25

Song: "Threat"

Shael searches for Sapphyre... and finds her necklace at the edge of the kelp forest.

Kalli: Lady Aria! I've spoken to everyone! No one has seen Phyre!

Aria: Then it has been DAYS since she has been seen!

Kalli: She was alone a lot, but never for this long!

–
Brief time skip! I actually swapped 2 of the songs in the order on the album... hope no one notices :D

Page 26

Kalli: ...And I have to wonder... if it was my fault... I was rude to her... I shouldn't have said what I did. It's hard for her because... because of her... heritage.

Aria: (consolingly) Kallista, dear...

Shael: Lady Aria!!

Aria: Shael! What is it?

Shael: I... I found this...

Kalli: The necklace for Phyre!

Shael: ...Near the kelp forest.

Aria: ...No!

Kalli: You... you don't think...

Shael: I fear the SHARKS have taken her...

Kalli: Lady Aria-what should we do?

Page 27

Aria: ...We cannot risk war... we are not certain she was taken.

Kalli: Even if she doesn't think she is, she is still one of us.

Aria: ...And we will fight for her.

The scene transitions to the other side of the kelp forest.

Shark King: Otieno! Iolana!

Otieno: Sir.

Shark King: ...Where have you two been?

Otieno: We were scouting, sir. Like you said to. Patrolling the kelp forest and the outskirts of the Merkind's realm.

Iolana: And we found a MERMAID in the kelp forest.

–
Dorian as the scarred and bitter Shark King fits surprisingly well, hah. But do I remember his name? I do not.

Page 28

King: A mermaid?

Iolana: Yes... we have reason to believe she is a scout sent to spy on us.

Keiki: She's right!!

King: Keiki...

Keiki: But Father–

King: One mermaid alone is not a threat.

Iolana: She had a HUMAN with her.

King: ...Go on.

Iolana: This one is always alone... until now. It could be the merkind are using humans to better plan an attack!

Keiki: Father, we must do something! We must retaliate!

King: We cannot be so quick to fight, my son... To engage the Merkind in battle will mean casualties on both sides, and we are still recovering our numbers.

–
Keiki looks like he may be based on Henri from the Elemental Guardians fanfic who later grew up to become Phoenix in ToAG. Also still no one seems to be baffled by why a human is underwater but ok!

Page 29

King: However... if what you say is true, it would be best to prepare than to be caught off guard.

Keiki: So we will fight them?

Iolana: Should we prepare for war?

King: Yes. Prepare for war. But if there is no threat... (gazes at Iolana and Otieno) ...it will be on YOUR heads.

Iolana's form mirrors Sapphyre as they gaze blankly onward.

Chris: Phyre! (cozies up to her) Still as elusive as ever.

Phyre: I was waiting for you.

Chris: I suppose I did say I wanted to come up for air again.

The two swim up to the surface, past the edge of the kelp forest.

–
….AND that's all that's drawn. I'll try to fill in the rest of the story as best as I can remember using the music in one last part!