Moonlit Waters: His Mermaid Luna

Chapter 10: Dangerous curiosity

AUTHOR’S POV

The guards, led by Oceanus, Oceana's father, rushed to the surface as the hailstones hit the water and their eyes widened in disbelief. None of them had ever seen such a phenomenon; it had been decades since the magical boundary sealed them off from the outside world, long before any of them were born.

Oceanus, a wise and learned king, only knew about storms from the ancient scrolls he had studied, because they did not exist within the magical dome that sealed them off. The section of the ocean protected by the magical boundary was no ordinary body of water. It exuded a gentle, magical energy that influenced the environment within, resulting in a self-sustaining microclimate unaffected by the outside world.

The enchanted ocean emitted vapor endowed with mystical properties, which interacted dynamically with the dome's atmosphere. This vapor behaved like regular water vapor but with magical enhancements.

The dome was more than just a barrier; it was a magical construct that controlled the internal climate. The enchanted vapor rose and condensed in the cooler upper regions of the dome, forming magical clouds.

When these clouds reached a certain density, they released moisture in the form of rain, which differed slightly from normal rain. The water had a subtle luminescence and a pleasant scent.

The dome also kept the ecosystem balanced by adjusting the temperature and pressure to mimic natural weather patterns. But despite this, they never encountered any storms. The magic ensured favorable weather patterns.

Given the unprecedented hailstorm, the only explanation appeared to be that the dome had collapsed. However, as Oceana's father looked up at the turbulent sky, he felt a strong, intuitive connection to the dome's magic.

He could feel the boundary remaining intact, with its protective magic still in effect, and this paradox perplexed him.

The guards turned to him for guidance, and he raised his trident, a symbol of his authority and a conduit for his magic.

The guards gazed in wonder as the trident's magic shot skyward, its tip blazing with a brilliant light that cast an ethereal glow across the storm-darkened waters.

Illuminative patterns emerged, revealing the dome's intricate, invisible lattice and confirming that it was still standing. They were still sealed off from the outside world.

Gasps of relief tore through their lungs as they knew what the falling of the dome meant. However, the relief quickly gave way to confusion. How could the storm have occurred if the dome had not collapsed? The weather cycle and patterns had never been disrupted since they were born, and their minds raced as they gazed at the hailstone-covered waters, a sight straight out of a nightmare, something none of them had ever imagined possible.

Oceanus lowered his trident, the glow fading, and just then, the stones seized, the rain becoming lighter and lighter as the clouds that had obscured the sun dissolved, and light shone once more, illuminating the water.

Despite the turmoil in his mind, he turned to face his guards, his expression firm. "The boundary stands," he said, even though the guards had seen it for themselves. "This storm does not come from the outside world. It is something else, something we must yet to understand.”

The guards nodded, their initial panic giving way to determined preparedness. As they began their descent back into the depths at his command, the king's words of encouragement boosted their courage.

“Are you coming, my king?” A guard halted and inquired, observing his immobility despite having given the order to retreat. He then turned to the guard and said he would stay for a while.

"Yes, my king," the guard said, and Oceanus spoke again, assuring him everything was fine and that he could follow the other guards. The guard nodded and swam away, leaving him standing there, looking at the sun before returning his gaze to the massive hailstones, which were melting even though they were floating.

His mind was racing with possibilities and questions. The dome had always kept them safe from anything outside its magical barrier. Yet, here they were, confronted by a storm that defied all their understanding.

The storm didn’t come from inside the dome, as he had told the guards. It came from outside and crashed through the dome, but he couldn't tell them that.

Everyone was still on edge after the shifters that crashed through the dome. Just like the storm, he had never seen a shifter until last month. He heard tales of them when he was a child. Even his ancestors had never seen them. They were a myth, and no one knew what distinguished them from humans other than their ability to change form.

This lack of knowledge is why he could not take chances and ordered his guards to kill them all, even after they realized they were not human. He was not about to endanger his people's lives. However, with this, he could not help but wonder if it was all connected in some way, and the thoughts knotted his stomach.

He needed to consult with the other kings. He was the gatekeeper, and he needed to inform them about the shifters and the storm, as he was unsure whether it had covered the entire ocean. His people relied on him for answers, and he had to find them. Their world's balance depended on it. The safety of his people and the survival of their way of life depended on solving the mystery of these unprecedented events.

So, with determination in his heart, he followed his guards back into the depths.

OCEANA

My mind was racing with worry as my mother and I cuddled up close, our hearts thumping in rhythm. The storm raged outside, and every second that passed without hearing from my father increased the unbearable tension.

My mother tried to reassure me that there had to be another explanation, that the invisible barrier that kept us safe could not have fallen. She whispered that the horrors that befell our people would never come true. But her words fell on deaf ears.

First, the dogs had broken through the barrier after years of peace, and now it appeared that the very wall that protected us had crumbled.

I leaned my head on her shoulder, feeling her comforting embrace, even though my anxiety didn’t lessen. The silence stretched on, grating on our nerves, making each moment seem like an eternity. But just when I thought I could not take it anymore, we heard the front door open.

We broke away from our embrace and dashed toward the entrance, hope and fear mingling in our eyes. My father entered, and Mother did not wait for him to catch his breath before asking, "What happened?"

"The barrier has not fallen," he said, his voice steady but solemn, and relief and confusion washed over Mother and me as we exchanged glances before asking together, "So, how did the storm come to be?"

My father sighed deeply and sat down as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "The storm originated within the dome," he explained, and I gasped, whispering, "What does that mean? We’ve never had storms before.”

"Times are changing," he said, his tone tinged with concern and resignation. "The barrier in which we thrive is magic created by the gods themselves. They could bring us storms if they wanted." He said and he was right, and I believed in the gods, but a part of me felt that invoking their name was sometimes an excuse for things we didn’t understand. It kept us from facing the terrifying unknown and freaking out.

My father's voice jolted me out of my reverie, stating that he would convene a meeting with the other kings to discuss what had occurred before turning to me. His eyes softened as he assured me that we were safe and everything was fine. But his words could not dispel the fear that had taken root in my heart. I felt like there was more he was not saying, and it did not matter if the storms were caused by the gods. They still filled me with unease.

Despite appearing unconcerned, his desire to meet with the other kings also indicated his concern. He asked to have a word with my mother, so I left for my room, and I was in there for only a few minutes before there was a knock on my door, and Mother entered.

She said she and Father would go out to meet with the people and give them the same assurance Father had given us, and she would prepare dinner when they returned. I nodded, and she left.

I swam to the window, noting that the waters were calm again, indicating that the storm had passed. I watched my parents leave and heard Mother say that the waters had calmed down again. Father agreed, saying she should have seen what it looked like out there, which made me curious.

I had never seen a storm before, and the fire blades that illuminated the waters flashed through my mind, sparking a dangerous curiosity within me.

I wondered if the meeting would take place in the great coral hall or the sunken temple. Both were quite a distance away, and I knew my parents would be there for a while. If I swam quickly, I could reach the surface and return before they noticed I was gone.

I was curious to see how it looked up there. Before I knew it, I was swimming toward the door, making sure to close my room, lock it, and leave my window open in case I couldn't use the front entrance in the unlikely event of an emergency.

I had just gotten grounded and did not want to be grounded again, so I had to act fast.

AUTHOR’S POV

Lykos came to and opened his eyes, realizing that the storm had passed. He raised his head, looking out from beneath the tree, and noticed that the dark clouds had disappeared. The blood had stopped trickling from his head, indicating that his healing had taken place which also meant that his body did not stop fighting, even when his soul did.

A sudden cough wracked his body, his throat parched, and he crawled towards a puddle of water gathered by the tree's roots. Gulping the water down, his stomach grumbled as if it were coming to life, and he gagged, unused to having anything in his stomach after so long.

The scavengers were gone, and as he looked across to where he had lain, all of his helplessness returned, and tears welled up in his eyes. He had lost his will to join Argon and the elders. He had failed.

A voice in his head whispered that maybe there was a reason he failed. Perhaps it was not as over as he thought. Maybe there was a way, somehow. He wanted to argue with it, to say it was wrong, but then the voices of the seamen standing above the cliff replayed in his mind.

He was right there in the grass, but they didn’t see him. It was as if the gods had formed an invisible shield around him, and it had to mean something--that there was a way.

He struggled to stand up at first but persevered until he could, his legs trembling. His stomach felt like it was on fire; he needed to find food. He no longer had the strength to lie there and be picked apart by the scavengers piece by piece, which was what would happen if he did not find his strength. They had seen him and were very close to feasting on him, so he knew they were watching.

He slowly moved along the cliff, looking for a way up. The seamen must have given up on him by now, and if he could get back to the rocks, he could try his luck fishing.

Each step was a struggle, his limbs heavy and uncooperative. The storm had transformed the surrounding landscape, making the ground soaked and treacherous. But eventually, he reached a point where the cliff's edge appeared less steep, a place where he could climb up.

His claws dug into the ground, pulling him up inch by inch as his muscles screamed in protest, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain. He couldn’t afford to fall now. He had fallen and remained down long enough.

At the top, he collapsed, panting heavily. The sea was calm, its surface glittering in the late afternoon sun, and the sight made him feel strangely hopeful. With his senses alert for any sign of danger, he stumbled towards the rocks, and the seamen were nowhere in sight. He hoped they had indeed given up on him.

He reached the cliff's edge and looked down at the rocks, which were barely visible above the water. The water had submerged the entire area, making it impossible for him to reach them.

He needed to find another way to get fish.

Just then, he heard the sound of birds, and he realized his next meal didn’t have to be a fish. The birds would do perfectly fine.

Limping, he made his way towards them, slowing down as he got closer to the unsuspecting birds. When he got close enough, he gathered all his strength and pounced. He just missed one, and they flew away, but not at a high altitude.

Some continued to run on the ground, and desperation drove his strides as he pursued them, but his legs gave way, sending him crashing into the sand.

He lay there for a moment, out of breath, until he noticed the birds had settled down again, just a little further away. He began stalking them again, but this time they saw him coming and scattered.

Once again, they were not flying high, almost as if mocking him. He gave the best chase he could, but he was weak and bit the sand again. He had used up all of his strength this time and lay there, realizing that it was not working. If he pushed himself any further, he would not be able to get up from his next fall.

Watching the birds now making a lot of noise as if laughing at him, his stomach burned with new vigor, and he took his gaze away from them, feeling that sense of helplessness he had warded off return.

However, a thud just inches from his face jolted him out of his sorrowful haze. His heart shot up, but it ceased when he saw what it was. The fish was thrashing desperately in front of him, and he wasted no time in devouring it, making desperate sounds with his mouth as he ate, convincing himself that it had jumped out of the water by accident.

Just as he was about to finish, another landed in front of him. He dashed towards it and ripped into it without hesitation. Once more, there was a thud in the sand, and this time he looked up to see what was going on; the sight stopped him in his tracks. It was her—the sea girl.