Chapter Eighteen
Serafina
Just as those fingertips reached my own I found myself being forced down into the depths of the ocean. My back scraped against the rough sand on the seafloor, causing me to gasp and swallow a large amount of salt water.
Clearing my mind I put all of my focus into investigating my surroundings with my eyes shut. If the sand was behind me then I was facing the surface. Remembering that I still wore the ring my grandfather gave me, I forced gills to form at the base of my jaw and then formed a see-through film to cover my eyes.
Taking in a sharp breath I was able to see where the ocean had taken me. Just as I suspected, the sun’s rays broke through the barrier above my head, casting light all around me. And what I saw was a scenery of pure magic and left me in awe.
Brightly colored coral, tropical fish, and sea anemones sat in clusters around me. Blue tangs swam around my legs as a clown fish raced through my strands. Many fish looked up at me in curiosity, as if asking why I was disturbing their afternoon errands.
Finding it hard to move around, I grew small fins on the backs of my forearms and calves. Soon I was moving with ease through the coral reefs and towards the surface.
Closing my gills as I breached, I inhaled the salty air, finding it not much different than the water I was breathing just seconds before. As I looked around I could see that I was much further than I imagined. The land seemed like a speck dirt in the distance and I was past the cliff that held the Temple of Cato. Knowing which way to go, I submerged myself and began my journey.
I tried to stay close to the surface to keep my sense of direction but as I drew closer to land the current became stronger and more violent. Multiple times I was pushed back down and had to readjust myself. The strain made my arms and legs burn from the endurance. But I couldn’t give up, especially after Elek was trying so hard to reach me. If for no other reason, I had to get back to spare him the guilt of not being able to catch me in time. Even if he could be an ass.
Again I was pushed down towards the seafloor, scraping my leg harshly on a piece of jagged driftwood. I hissed in pain as the water around me shifted in color. I needed to move faster. There was no way I could heal myself and maintain the transformation at the same time.
Breaching the surface again, I spotted the land. It was so close, maybe another eight-hundred feet. Going back under, I pushed myself forward to then see a curious set of reflective milky eyes facing me, just mere feet away. A gasp erupted through me as the siren grabbed hold of my shoulder with webbed fingers and pushed me down towards the seafloor. Their seaweed-like hair ensnared my wrists and ankles as its mouth turned upwards, revealing sharp and jagged teeth.
Unlike merfolk, whom I imitated slightly with my appearance, sirens were mutated from the time when they were once merfolk themselves. The taste of humans transformed them into little more than beasts who called out longing with soft voices for their next meal. Once turned, they could never split their fins into legs again nor take human form. Instead, their tails grew longer with fins sharpening at the ends, their hair became one with the sea as well as their skin, turning into a murky hue as their nails grew and their teeth sharpened. Any beauty they once possessed was lost forever.
My heart pounded in my ears as I tried to push back and break free, but their razor nails embedded themselves into my skin. More small droplets of blood mixed in with the salt water and she dug further.
“What a tasty little thing you are.” It hissed, drawing its mouth wider.
“I’m not your dinner.” I said, feeling the vibrations leave my throat and making the muffled sound of my words. Speaking underwater was strange.
A pointed tongue slid up my cheek. It was clearly ignoring my words. I thrashed within its grasp, only to have it grip tighter. A strand of seaweed hair wrapped around my neck and tightened.
She’s trying to decapitate me!
Again I thrashed violently, managing to pull a wrist free and bringing it up to jab my fingers into its eye sockets as far as they could go. The creature shrieked in agony as its hold on me loosened and I was able to pull free. Streams of blood pooled out of its eyes as it continued to wail.
Now’s my chance! I pushed hard towards what I hoped was land, resisting the urge to look back as the creature hissed curses at me.
“I’ll get you! I’ll eat you!” She shrieked.
Faster, I need to swim faster.
I could make out the bottom of the seafloor, with more light shining down on it as I went. I was so close. Just as I was about to break through the surface once more to see where I was, a slimy membranous hand clutched tightly around my ankle and yanked me backwards. The water flowing around us was painted with the mixed blood of my leg and the siren’s eye sockets.
Long hairs entrapped me once again, holding me close to its body. Its vile hands cupped each of my cheeks and held my head still as it sniffed around me.
“You’ll be delicious.” She hissed, her tongue darting out to caress my cheek. “And after having a meal as large as you, my eyes will return to normal.”
Its mouth grinned widely, all teeth barred as she came in for a bite of my neck. It was going to rip my head clean off if I didn’t think of something.
I jerked and thrashed but the hairs only gripped tighter as it inched closer, coolness like death emanating from its mouth.
Thinking fast, I thought about what I could use to save myself. A sharp object like a knife would have been ideal, but I had nothing like that. Balling my hands into fists, a small sensation of pain came from my palms as my nails dug into my flesh. If only my nails were longer and sharper, I could pierce the siren.
That’s it! I opened my palms that were being held at my side and pointed my fingertips towards the siren’s tail.
Grow. Grow!
The siren roared in pain and released me, as blood gushed out of the new five puncture wounds in its tail. Acting quickly, I then pierced through its chest and pushed it off me. Its face pulled away blank and distorted as it sank into the depths below.
I killed it, and with my nails no less. I thought to myself in astonishment.
‘That was impressive.’ A voice erupted through my senses. It was deep and ancient.
Inspecting my surroundings I spotted two glowing specks in the distance, shrouded in the darkness of the ocean. The specks moved closer, revealing large and luminous yellow eyes with green rings around the pupils. Then came a long snout covered in deep green scales. Before I could register what was happening, the massive sea dragon was before me. The deity to our human lands, and my true grandfather - Cato.
The painting in the gallery did not do him justice for his presence was enough to send armies to their knees in fear. His face had a similar shape to other dragons that I had seen as illustrations in books, similar to a horse’s skull, and a long neck that merged into an even longer body and tail. On the top of his head and traveling down his spine flew his mane with the texture of kelp. He was magnificent, as well as terrifying. I had to remind myself that he would not harm me, even as I stared into his maw that could easily swallow me whole or instantly shred me to nothing with his long teeth.
‘Do you know who I am, my child?’ He asked, though I knew it was only through my thoughts that he could be heard. I imagined that the vibrations from his voice underwater could cause tidal waves.
With a nod I answered.
“You are Cato.”
The beast before me gave an ever so slight of a nod. He seemed fully aware of what a form like his could do to the area around him.
“And my grandfather.” I added, to see him go still at my words.
Then his form began to shrink. Talons turned into fingers and his mane into dark hair as his face turned into that of a clean shaven man. The human form he chose was a handsome older man, closer to my father’s age. His eyes matched my own as they did the night that I was prepared to run away from all my problems.
“I am.” He finally said, though using his human mouth rather than telepathically. “And you returned back to the castle and found your black dragon.”
“I don’t think he likes me very much, but I’m willing to do what I have to.” I said, knowing that just being able to Regnum was going to be an adventure that I didn’t want to miss - even if it had to be shared with a partner.
“Genuine affection takes time. However, he will be the one to help you maintain the balance of our world.”
My face scrunched up. He had said something similar that night as well.
“What do you mean by that?”
Cato’s features turned sympathetic, making me wish I hadn’t asked.
“There are beings who desire to change how things are now and are causing a disturbance in the balance. King Oberron of the Fairies has enlisted necromancers into his service and has been slowly building up his armies. If his actions continue then there will be a massive shift in our world’s dynamic. Someone, such as the soul of Belinha, could be a deterrent for others that seek nothing but power.”
His voice was grave and it sent shivers down my spine.
“But I’m not Belinha, and I know nothing about negotiations. What makes you think I’ll be able to do anything useful during a potential war?”
A knowing gaze came from him as his lips formed a small smile.
“Because you can heal the world.” He said it so simply that it frustrated me.
“So I’m just expected to be everyone’s magical nurse?” It was clear that he thought too much of me. I only just began my lessons.
He shook his head.
“It’s a bit more complicated than that. With the presence of Belinha in the world, your influence can have believers not feel forsaken and can curb the ambitions of others.”
“But I’m not her!” My frustration came to a boiling point. “I’m a bastard - a complete nobody! No one will listen to me for such important things.”
Cato continued to stare at me with patience. The expression made me feel no bigger than a toddler.
“You are right. You are Serafina, the blessed miracle and keeper Belinha’s soul. And all of that is worth far more than you just being some illegitimate nobody. You have the drive to do great things and you have the ability to gain attention from the masses. You just have to find your voice. I’m sure it hasn’t escaped you that one day you will be a world leader along with the Dragon Prince. The stage will be there, you just have to use it.”
He made it all sound too easy. Here he was telling me that war loomed in the near future, that foreign monarchs were attempting war domination, and that I was the only one who could put an end to the events from happening. My head reeled from it all.
“Go home, granddaughter. Bind yourself to him and stay by him. The world will fall into place eventually, for now just focus on evolving yourself.” He said, pulling me from my chaotic thoughts.
I wanted to respond - to tell him that he was wrong about me. Yet, I also wanted to know more about why the conflicts were happening and if they would continue to happen after the Fairy King was stopped. But before I could put my thoughts in a line to question him, his body faded away, turning into sea-foam.
Starting to turn back towards the shore, I felt a strong and calloused hand clamp onto my upper arm. Just above me was my black dragon himself, peering down at me with relief and then utter terror. My fins receded back into my skin and I sealed away the gills, but I knew he had seen them.
We both gasped harshly as the salt air filled our lungs. One of his arms wrapped around my middle as he used the other to pull us to shore.
“I’ve got you. You’ll be okay now.” He huffed out.
It was then that I felt the full force of what using the ring cost me. My energy was fading away so quickly that my vision started to blur. Before I passed out completely I could hear Elek muttering towards me.
“Sera, you need to stay awake. We’re almost there.”
