Sunken Empire

by Brandy Slaven

  We've been trapped inside a bubble for all these years. No need to eat. No sunlight. No access to our magic. Majority of the clans didn't survive losing their minds. What few of us that are left won't last much longer. Madness will claim us all in the end.

  Which is why, when a few days ago I felt something brush against my magic, demanding I leave the prison I've been confined to for centuries, I set out not knowing what to expect. No one has been able to leave since our imprisonment, so I fully expected to be spit back out when I tried to pass through. I was pleasantly and nervously surprised to find that wasn't the case. I was able to glide through as easily as as the sword through my mother, ending her life.

  Though I may have slipped through a loophole somewhere, that doesn't mean I'm any better off here than I was there. At least within the walls of my prison, I didn't feel like I was being hunted. I've not stopped for days for both that reason and the persistent beat at my ribcage. It started small, but the further away I swam I began to notice a flickering of my magic beneath my skin. Not enough to draw from it, and still just out of reach. A tiny doubt has begun to creep within my mind that I may be falling prey to yet another trap. Especially considering I've been lured too far away from the protection my prison offered. I'd never be able to turn back at this point. Plus, I haven't felt my magic stirring in days. I can only hope I'm heading in the right direction toward the last blast I'd felt.

  Sights and sounds surround me in a parade of a dreamlike quality, things I thought I'd never see again. If I hadn't been deprived of them for so long, I wouldn't have noticed as they begin to disappear. First the schools of fish that seem to have taken a liking to following me. Then the coral lining the sand at the bottom of the ocean bed. The color seems to have been drained from within, causing a rot of the likes I've only seen once before. Without warning, it vanishes completely. One swish of my tail, it's there in front of me and in the next, it's gone, leaving nothing but sand in its wake.

  That's when I feel the dark presence do a full circle around me. I can't see it, but it pushes against my magic, making me want to retch into the water. Using no sharp movements, I drop closer to the sand, and it looms closer than before. Malevolence pours from the being, undoubtedly preparing for attack. If only there were somewhere to hide and get my bearings before having to confront it.

  No sooner than the thought is put out there into the universe,I see a system of caves ahead. Now, the tricky problem of distracting this thing long enough to lose it and duck inside. I have no weapons in my arsenal other than my gods given body that hasn’t been in its true form for years and been driven to the point of pure exhaustion for days.

  An accidental stirring of the sand by a ray near my face gives me an idea. Without hesitation, I drag my tail in the sand whilst making a circle before giving it a vigorous flap, stirring as much sand as I can. The water turns murky almost instantaneously. If an opportunity was ever going to present itself, now is the time.

  Shooting off like a dolphin, I cut through the water, pushing myself to the absolute breaking point. Stopping to see if this escape attempt has worked isn't an option when I barely dare to breathe in my haste. The predator gets left behind for certain as the weight begins to work its way from my shoulders down to the tip of my tail until it disappears completely. Never one to be made a fool of, I don't deter from my initial plan. Forcing myself to keep going, I dreg the bottom of the barrel for the reserves of my strength as I shoot for a cave opening barely large enough to squeeze through.

  I'm within a few more flicks of my tail away when I feel the furious hunter bearing down upon me once more.

  So close.

  I'm so close.

  If only I can...

  The thought is left hanging as a sound cracks through the water loud enough to radiate pain through my eardrums. It's quickly followed by a blinding flash of light that makes the twisted hunter at my back screech and pull back, gifting me a few more seconds of much needed time. That's when I spot her.

  Sinking down toward the sand bed is the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes upon. Dark hair that's only a pitch lighter than that of the creature tracking me; however, the water flows through it, bringing more color to light that matches the vivid hue of her tail. A flash of gold at her ear could easily be mistaken for a glint of the sun. For a moment, I let her beauty distract me from the terror stalking and waiting in the shadows.

  Diving down, I swoop her up in my arms and aim for another cave. The opening is slightly bigger, but I'll need it to get us both through anyway. We've almost made it when those perfectly framed eyes open with confusion and quickly widen with horror. Thankfully, she doesn't put up a fight to get away. Otherwise, we'd both be dead as I can see a looming shadow slithering its way to us.

  My shoulder batters the rock on our way through the small opening, but I ignore the pain for more pressing issues. Doing a quick sweep of the cave to make sure there aren't any other predators lurking, I then flick my gaze back to the hole we just passed through to make sure we aren't being pursued. Seeing my distraction, the female in my arms starts to struggle. At the tightening of my grip on her, she opens her mouth as though to speak. Even knowing she can't speak human words in this form doesn't stop me from pushing her back flush against the cave wall and covering her mouth with one of my hands, trying to communicate the best way I know how.

  Don't move. Don't make a sound. We're being hunted and it's out there right this second listening, waiting for us.

  Her eyes widen in surprise as her chest expands against mine, making me acutely aware of her feminine form pressed against my rough hardness. Something I'd easily explore were it not for the fact that I'm pretty sure she understood the thoughts I'd pushed at her. Since being locked in our prison, all of us suffered one ailment or another. Mine was the loss of speech. I haven't heard my own voice since before that fateful day. Even still, I consider myself lucky compared to what the darkness did to some of the others, finding a way to mutate and make new monsters.

  Can you hear me? I ask her, merely to confirm I'm not finally losing my mind.

  At her nod, that feeling returns of a tether being pulled taut across my chest, the other end tied to her. This can only mean one thing.

  I found my mate.

  Arms lock around my torso, and I feel like I'm being towed through water. The vibe screams one of my mates, but the arms feel foreign. Lifting my sore lids, I find a dark-haired stranger staring back. His features are familiar, but the red eyes are throwing me off. I can't remember anyone having such a vivid shade since I came to this realm. Dark curly hair touches the tops of his shoulders as he hesitates for a moment then swims forward again. His tanned skin is a tad darker than my mates and his face is set into grim lines.

  That's when I finally take note of where we are. On the wrong side of the barrier. Terror washes over me so fast, I don't bother trying to fight the stranger as he carries us into a cave that's been formed from the sandy bottom. Within the darkest of the shadow-filled corners, my vision is still good enough to see that we're alone in here. As his head whips back toward the entrance, I try to put distance between us, only to be slammed into the wall at my back.

  Panic lights the stranger's eyes as he telepathically communicates our situation, and disbelief settles deep in my gut. I wasn't even able to hear the voices of my mates when they tried speaking to me. Who is this stranger who seems to be able to do so at a whim? It makes my heart race so fast in my chest that I seem to be having trouble breathing.

  He seems to share my surprise as he asks, Can you hear me?

  I nod mechanically since my brain seems to have been left under the barrier. Wait? What if this is a dream? It would explain how I got out here in the first place. I mean, I went from the bath to outside of the barrier without so much as barely blinking. Not possible. I'm probably still soaking in the tub, waiting on Zeph to return with food he'd planned on feeding to me.

  Still, my imagination must be pretty good if it can
conjure up the intense mer in my face. Not to mention the fear I can feel leaking from him as though it's a physical thing.

  Am I dreaming? I ask as loud as I dare.

  His nostrils flare with his shock and he shakes his head.

  Sadly, no.

  Where did you come from?

  He brings a finger to his lips in a shushing motion.

  We can figure this all out once we're safe.

  What's out there?

  Darkness.

  One word and my word feels like it's tilting on it's axis.

  No further explanation is required because I know this darkness he speaks of. I'd felt it waiting outside the barrier even before my magic started manifesting. The pitch is so dark that it's enough to leave what feels like an ink stain in your soul. If something is out there and hunting us as the stranger says, then he saved my life. I have no doubt whatever it is will gladly gobble me up for dinner, leaving no trace I was ever here to begin with.

  Sparing a moment to think of my mates, I wonder if they've discovered that I'm missing yet. Did they feel me break through the barrier? Life or death situation or not, they'd never approve of this unknown male continuing to touch me long after the threat seems to have gone.

  Those red eyes are locked onto the entrance of the cave, giving me plenty of time to take in the mer. His curly brown hair rests around his shoulders, leaving some to float around us. Familiarity of some of his features has my brows pulling down in confusion. Have I seen him somewhere before? Is he one of the others from beneath the barrier? One who has been able to keep the secret of being able to leave from his clansmen? His torso leads down to a wine-red fin, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's closer to the color of a cherry or ruby. The shadows here in the cave are making everything seem duller than they are.

  Clearly breaking the rules, I can't help but ask anyway.

  What's your name?

  A twitch of his lips, making them an even thinner line than before is the only hint that he's heard me. This time, when his voice snakes into my head, it feels like a soft caress across my skin.

  Aukai.

  He doesn't ask mine, but I tell him nonetheless.

  I'm Rubi.

  This draws his attention back to me. Staring into his bright eyes, a color which should thoroughly freak me out, I feel the exact opposite. It's as if I'm being drawn to him much like I am with my mates. That one word, mate, has me withdrawing away from him. I've already got three handsome mate princes. Why on Earth would I be allowing this magnetic pull distract me from that fact?

  Guilt weighs heavy in my gut, forcing a nervous flow of words through my head.

  Where did you come from? How long have you been out here?

  I've got enough sense to not mention my mates or them being princes. Even in this realm I'm sure being held hostage for some kind of ransom, or worse, isn't unheard of. Simply being taken like the other women in from the Yhalwgon Kingdom would likely be a closer possibility. Maybe it's better to take my chances with whatever waits on the outside. I know nothing of this mer in front of me, and if I want to get back to my mates, I'm going to have to play this wisely.

  The red-eyed stranger replies wordlessly to my inquiries with a head turn back towards the small amount of light piercing the gap between us and the open sea. It's obvious the darkness is receding by the glow his tail seems to emit in the harsher light. If the monster is leaving then this may be my only chance for escape. If I focus hard enough, I can mentally touch those threads connecting back to my Zs. They shouldn't be too hard to find. I'm just hoping I'm not too terribly far away. Swimming with my tail isn't one of my strongest attributes at the moment.

  As the muscles in his face relax in the shining brightness of the cave, I make my move. Picking a maneuver Easton taught me for whenever I find myself without a sword, I jam the bone part of my palm into his solar plexus. His arms immediately release me in surprise as he doubles over unable to catch his breath. I'd wanted to stun him long enough to get a head start not permanently damage anything. He did save my life, after all.

  The wheeze as he tries to speak is still there in our minds. That must hurt worse than I thought it would. I can only make out one word before I'm squeezing through the crack that leads to my freedom.

  Don't.

  I don't wait around to find out what else he tries to say. This may be my only chance. Harshly flicking my tail propels me forward at a speed I didn't think was possible. Our small pool beneath the barrier doesn't have the space for this kind of training, and I must admit, the feeling is exhilarating. If I can manage to make it back to my mates, I'll be sure to have them bring me out here more often under their protection, of course. Now that I know the pressure won't kill me and neither will drowning.

  My body is cutting through the water so quickly, the sandy bottom looks to be a blur, but speed obviously has nothing on the monster from the abyss who apparently set a trap to draw us out. And was dumb enough to fall for it. I should have taken the chance on trusting my instinct and stayed with my rescuer. Now I can feel the creature breathing down my neck as it gains on me.

  This is how it ends for me, huh? Caught out in the open alone. I wish I could've at least helped break the curse tying my mate and their people down here. It's the biggest regret I'll be leaving this world with, other than the heartbreak my sweet princes will suffer at my death. Determination floods through my veins reminding me I'm not the helpless human I was when I first arrived in this realm. I have magic now.

  Begging for help from the water, I feel it propel me faster along as I reach for the mirror of Zale's that I haven't had a chance to play with yet. Focusing on the currents, I force a hard stream toward us. Unfortunately, I’m ill-equipped to handle the pressure, and instead of helping, I'm thrown sideways into a small batch of coral. It scrapes my arm and up the right side of my ribs, leaving a nasty gash that's already leaking blood into the water.

  As if drawn in by the sight and smell, the creature finally makes itself known. My lips draw back as I let loose a blood curdling scream in my head. Anything I could've imagined is worse than what I'm facing. Rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth promise a most painful ending. Even more disturbing are the eyes. Where there should be some sort of eyeball, there's nothing but empty sockets. It's as though death himself has taken the form of this massive shark tearing through the water to get to my blood.

  We're both so completely locked on each other that neither of us see the red streak before it slams into the monster's side. Even still, its reflexes are like none I've ever seen in any ocean life. He whips his head to the side, teeth grazing down Aukai's arm before batting him off to the side. The shark's move is defensive but still sends Aukai sailing into another batch of coral, a fresh dose of blood turns the water around us even murkier. By the time I've got eyes on the two of them again, the monster is heading straight for the kill.

  GO NOW! Aukai screams at me, wearing the anguished expression of a man not wanting to die but willing to do so in order to save my life.

  Unacceptable. Untangling my fins from the coral and ripping a few in the process, I swim as fast as they'll allow to where he's been unable to move. There's no clear plan in my head; I just know that I'll never be able to live with myself knowing I let him succumb to this fate.

  Reaching out to the threads tying me to my mates and their magic, I pluck the blue one hard. A swift gush of water shoots up underneath the shark forcing him upwards. It's a short-lived victory as it throws the thing off course but allows him enough room to simply turn a full circle back around to us. I try to reach for the magic again, but it leaves me exhausted and empty-handed. I've never practiced to this much of an extent, and I’m simply not ready for it.

  A hand grasps mine and my jaw goes slack as I turn my attention to Aukai's mangled body in the coral. Whatever he's trying to do is giving me a boost of energy. For the smallest of seconds, I can almost see a faint pink line between us. Taking all he has to offer, I conjure up the strongest im
age of the Keep for motivation, hoping some form of inspiration will hit to get us to safety. Time just doesn't seem to be on my side as the monster rages on us.

  Straining to the point I fear a brain aneurysm, I tuck all the power flowing through my body close, preparing to blast the thing with everything I have. Even if it kills me, it couldn't be a death worse than the one he promises. Throwing myself in front of Aukai, keeping our hands intertwined, I wait until the beast is feet away before turning all of that pent up magic loose.

  A flash of light cuts through the water and momentarily blinds me. The next thing I know, my tail is shifting back into my human legs which promptly drop my ass on the ground. There are shouts of alarm, but I ignore them as I twist to find Aukai's hand going limp in mine.

  We're both naked as the day we were born and it's saying something when that's the least of my worries. Especially as male voices flood the space around us.

  "Aukai," I prod gently with a couple light taps to his cheek. Blood flows freely from his arm, pooling beneath him at an alarming rate. When he doesn't answer, my voice becomes frantic. "Aukai! We made it. We're alive. Wake up, damn it!"

  "RUBI?" Zanthus' voice booms, parting the spectators like the Red Sea. Material is draped across my shoulders right before my mate's body collides with mine. Tears flow down my face as he soaks my fear up like a sponge.

  "What the hell, Rubi?" he demands, rubbing smoothing patterns down my back. "What happened? We've been looking for you everywhere. Are you hurt?"