Looking down at the waves rolling in at her feet, she went to take another step but stopped when she heard a sound. Looking up she saw the merman looking straight in her direction, he was looking directly into her eyes. Cora stumbled. The merman stayed perfectly still as Cora’s heart lurched. No matter what she did she was not able to look away, she was entranced. She could hear the sound of rumbling in her ears, a far off distant rumbling. It took her a few more moments to realize the rumbling was coming from the sky. Deep dark ominous clouds were approaching, and a storm with it. When had she broken her eye contact with the merman? She never even saw when he had departed from the water. He tugged at her arm but she felt as if she were cemented to the spot she stood.
“You have to run.”
“What,” had he spoken?
A sharp bang echoed through the sky, Cora cried out and fell to the ground. The Mer went down to her, lifting her up. She scraped her legs across the sand, feeling the roughness of the grains across her body. She was up now, moving. He screamed at her to keep running, urged her on. An eerie voice called out from somewhere behind her. It howled and wailed in the deepest parts of her mind. The merman’s grip loosened, but she could not keep running, and she stopped.
“Where are you?” the voice hissed
Tears began streaking down her cheeks.
“I can feel your fear.”
Cora slowly turned to look back. Before she could, she felt two arms go around her. Her feet left the ground and she could see it moving fast below her. She was in the arms of the Mer, moving further away from the sinister voice she only knew too well. The terror of her dreams had found her once again. Frightened, she looked up into the merman’s face, but he only looked straight ahead as he raced for the entrance of the cave. She knew him now, the one that held her, he had saved her.
…
Magnus was already far out into the sea when the storm hit. Waves bashed and rocked his boat; the storm had seemed to come up on him from out of nowhere. Magnus fought with sure will and wits against the fierce winds to keep the boat upright. One hard wave would be all that was needed to rock the boat straight over and capsize it. Overhead, thunder and lightning lit up and pounded the night sky. The sun was soon hidden and replaced by blackness. As the wind howled, an eerie sound met his ears, one that returned his mind to distant memories. “I will not listen, it is only the tricks of the sea and this unnatural storm,” he told himself. Magnus wrestled with the boat against the treacherous sea as waves pelted him from every direction. His eye caught a glimpse of something, a mist forming in the storm itself. It took shape and became one of a familiar sight, one of black and wickedness. Magnus stared at the face before him and gasped in shock. He knew the person that bore this face only too well. “This cannot be, you are dead! I saw your lifeless body myself. I saw when your carcass was carried away to be fed to the crows. No, my mind plays tricks on me.”
“Your mind plays no tricks on you, wizard. I have been waiting and growing stronger, saved from the death you speak of. But death will find you, just as it did your son!”
“Batel, you are the reason for his death. I might have known you were behind this, witch.” Gritting his teeth, he fought down the bile taste forming in his mouth.
“It took you long enough, wizard. Or have you changed your profession as you have your name?”
“Whatever name I go by, trust me and hear me well when I tell you that I shall still be the victor in this fight, Morgana.”
“Is that what you believe? You are nothing but a washed up old wizard, Merlin, hiding behind a fake name like the coward that you are. Once I have destroyed you, every seer and guardian shall be destroyed as well. Every item that they possess will be mine. Then the world shall belong to me, and with it, the obedience of every mortal. But you Merlin, you will wither away with the past, just as my half-blood of a brother Arthur and his precious Camelot have.”
Reaching for his staff, Magnus gripped it in his hand tightly. Turning, he pointed it straight at the witch and shot a bolt of light piercing through her image. Her scream could be heard as the waves grew in size matching the storm around them. A large wave slammed into the boat throwing Magnus over its side. The boat rolled over capsizing. Magnus drifted down into the deep before shooting up out of the water with his staff held tightly in his hand. As he broke through the surface, another bright blast shot from his staff. This time, the image wailed and finally vanished, leaving the sea to calm and the clouds to break. Magnus pulled himself up onto the capsized boat, his body weakened and depleted of strength. His magic had not had time to fully return, nor was his power yet at full strength. As he rested, he could feel himself drifting off into those distant memories of the past, as the boat rhythmically rocked on the waves.
…
“It’s dragon’s blood; it will do what it is meant to, Arthur. Although, there will be consequences for such actions. Now, you will always have the heart of the dragon within you, as sure as its blood now runs through your veins.”
Arthur steadied himself pulling up to stand on his feet. “Sacrifices, Merlin, a sacrifice well worth the risk if it saves a multitude of people.”
Merlin offered a shoulder to the king. Arthur accepted groggily and walked with the support back to the chair.
“The side effects will wear off soon, but until then you must rest. But of course your head is about as stubborn as they come. I doubt you will listen to a word I say, Arthur.”
Arthur shook his head. “There is still far too much to be done. A king cannot be found resting when his kingdom is in dire danger.”
“The vision did not show me an exact time, only of those things to come. The deed has been done; rest assured you will rest long enough when the time comes. But for now, you will be of no use for your people if you do not allow your body to recoup from the effects of the dragon’s blood. I have already told you, Arthur, the dragon’s blood can also be your undoing. You would be wise to listen to me just this once.”
The king threw up his hands in surrender and let out a long sigh. “Fine, you win this time wizard. I will rest but for a short while.” Arthur paused. “For a short while, that is all.”
“Then so be it, as you wish you stubborn fool.”
Arthur laughed full heartedly. “You may be the only one that can get away with addressing me in such a fashion.”
“Be careful, Arthur. You may tempt me to say a few other things.”
“Then let those things be of the duties that must be done, old friend.”
Merlin was somber for a moment as he turned away from the king. “Every wish will be carried out with complete accuracy.”
“The people cannot know that it is not my body that burns, you must secure my body for safe keeping, Merlin. Promise me this Merlin.”
Merlin shut his eyes and slowly nodded his head. “As the king,” Merlin turned to face Arthur then. “As my friend, you have my word.”
…
To survive among a world of land dwellers, secrecy had always been a must. It was the life one must lead in order to survive. Sean had spent most of his life in the sea among his own kind, the merfolk. It was a tie not to be broken and the cost exile if one were to leave. Not one of them could ever chance the discovery of their existence, to do so would only bring danger upon them from the world above ruled by the mortals. But Sean had felt isolation from a world he yearned to know, a world from above. Once he had made the decision to leave the safety and serenity below, his exile had begun on the surface, never to return to a world he knew. But despite a love he held for that world, he embraced the world above allowing memories of the sea to wash away his memories of pain and solitude. And now this mortal had come into his life turning it upside down.
He entered the cave, the distance to reach it had seemed to take an eternity. Power, power and evil, Sean had heard the voice before, in a past forgotten, but never as he had heard it tonight. He knew the voice now, and with the familiarity of it, heaviness to the heart.
At one time long ago, the creature had a voice that nothing could match or even be compared to. It was one of power and beauty before it had turned to the darkness. Like a strong snake, the darkness had coiled itself around something that had been so precious to Sean, stealing something vital, shining and beautiful, until all life had been squeezed from it.
Sean stood there in the cave holding the woman, her eyes brilliant and shining as they gazed up at him. Enveloped by memories that danced around him like heartbreak, he was forced to remember things that made him hurt. He could still hear the haunting voice in his head, that voice that had called out to the woman he held. But this woman, a mere mortal, why would it be searching for her? What did she know of his world?
Carrying her over to the bed of seaweed, he set the woman down and stepped back. Her eyes were still fixed on him, no fear showing in them. “Why are you not afraid of me, do I not frighten you?”
Cora scooted her body back against the cave wall, her eyes wide and her mouth gaping. “Did you just speak? I heard you I know, but…your lips didn’t move.”
“I can speak to you telepathically, that is why you can hear me in your mind. Does it frighten you?”
“Umm, just a little, like you’re intruding.” Cora was not sure what to think. This guy standing in front of her was both a merman and telepathic. “Do you mind if we just talk the old fashioned way, like with our mouths?”
Sean shook his head and started walking over to the other side of the cave where he found a boulder to perch himself up on. “Impossible, I don’t have a voice like you. If I were to speak in my own tongue, I could possibly shatter your eardrums from just the sound of my voice. This is the only way that I can communicate with you, sorry.”
“Well at least I know I’m not losing my mind, even though this is starting to feel really weird.”
Sean nestled further up on the rock and saw the young woman staring at his legs. “Stop staring at my legs, they’re not going to turn into a tail.”
Cora cocked her head to the side and gave him an odd look. “Are you a mermaid?”
“I’m not a mermaid! Do I look like a female to you?”
Cora laughed and placed a hand over her mouth trying to stifle the giggle. “No, you don’t, sorry.”
“I can’t say that I’ve been more insulted, a mermaid.” Sean crossed his arms in front of him looking away from her.
“Now come on, I never meant any harm by it. It’s not every day that I run across a mermaid….err, merman. It’s only a harmless mistake.” He didn’t turn in her direction, and there were no voices in her head. Maybe she could ask him about that thing. “You kept me safe; you took me away from it before it could reach me. Why?”
“Would you have rather that I left you to it?”
That had got his attention. She shook her head. “No, I’m grateful to you, thank you.”
“If you really want to thank me, then tell me why it’s after you. What do you know about it?”
“All I know is that it torments my dreams, it’s a vile creature, a demon.”
Sean stood up abruptly and looked at her with torment in his own eyes. “It is not a demon! That thing out there, it has not always been that way. At one time, its heart was as good and pure as anyone with a good spirit about them. It has only become dark and evil because it was tricked into becoming so.”
Cora watched him, puzzled. “You know that thing?”
“Yes I know it! That thing you call a creature, a demon…that is my father.”
CHAPTER FOUR
OF ANCIENT MUSIC SING
Magnus lay lifeless on the capsized boat. The overhead sun beat down on his body further draining him of remaining and precious life. Dehydration and delusions ravished his body, as no wind blew to offer him comfort. The hand which still held the staff in a tight grip relaxed slowly as the staff fell from it and plunged into the water, sinking down into a deep abyss of darkness. A stone that sit in the center of the staff shimmered as it sank further. Many leagues down the staff finally came to rest on the bottom of the sea bed floor, a place cold and devoid of light. Then, as a weak ominous glow shown from the stone, a penetrating light burst from it, illuminating only that small amount of darkness surrounding it.
Off in the far distant depths, a sound could be heard, a song that hauntingly drifted through the deep waters. A large form approached as a mouth opened and took the staff between its jaws. Slowly rising to the surface, the form broke through the water breaching it just beside the boat. Spurts of water burst from it as it neared closer to the boat and the body that lay on top of it. Two more whales surfaced beside it, gently knocking into the side of the boat, each time rolling the lifeless body closer to the edge. With one last nudge from the whale, Magnus’s body rolled over the side and into the water with a splash and began to sink. A whale rose from the depths, and with it, Magnus lying on its back. Slowly moving further out to sea, the whale swam away with Magnus, and the staff that belonged to the wizard in its mouth. Not far behind them, a pod of whales followed. A song could be heard as they traveled through the blue sea, creatures of gentle nature and giant stature.
They would take Magnus to land and safety. For they knew him, his magic as old and ancient as the song they sang.
…
Sean stood staring at her. He wanted to take back the words but he could not, they had already been said. He saw the fear in her eyes as she looked back at him with shock. He wanted that fear in her eyes, that cold fear that his words had put there, his father had caused to disappear, and he did not understand these feelings, familiar to him, but not. All that he knew was that something deep within him wanted to keep her safe, protect her.
It was difficult for him to keep eye contact with her. Her fear worsened as much as it caused him unease. His father had seemed to want the girl so badly, a mystery to him why.
“What’s your name?” her voice brought him back from his thoughts.
“Sean,” he answered, without thinking.
“Interesting,” she said, relaxing a bit more. “That doesn’t sound like a name to be afraid of.”
“You don’t need to be frightened of me; I don’t mean you any harm.”
“I know, he told me that I can trust you.”
He gave her a curious look, puzzled by the words.
Glancing away from him, she said, “My name is Cora.”
Cora, Sean wanted to ask if the name was short for Coral, but he stayed silent.
Outside the darkness was starting to settle in as the sun began to disappear from the horizon. Sean moved closer to her, she glanced up at him, a question in her eyes. But, there was no fear in them, or at least not of him. He thought of his father’s voice and the dread he had felt from her. He wondered how she could be so calm when just a short moment ago; she had become almost paralyzed with fear. How could she look at him with those trusting eyes, such trust, when he was the son of her tormentor?
“Thank you,” she said quietly, “For protecting me.”
He could feel his chest tighten, and his heart begin to ache. “Don’t thank me.”
Again, she had that question in her eyes. “Why, you did protect me.”
He didn’t answer her immediately. She stood there, staring. “Aren’t you going to answer me?”
“It would have been safer if I wouldn’t have told you about my father.”
Cora continued to stare. “You saved my life.”
Sean grabbed her by the arm. She flinched, but he held on tight and tried to understand the frustration he was feeling. She jerked from his hold and stepped back. Sean leaned in close to her, he smelled like the sea.
“My father was sent here to kill you,” reaching out he jerked her closer. “He won’t stop searching for you until he does kill you. And he will, if you do not tell me why he is trying to.”
She did not blink, though he could feel the fear rising in her again.
“You saved me.”
“No,” he breathed. “Do not place yo
ur trust in me; I cannot always be there to save you.”
“I trust what I know, and what I’ve been told.” Cora’s voice hardened. “I trust what I feel.”
“You should not trust so easily. Words can betray, as do hearts.” His own heart ached. “Go back to your people, gather your things. Leave this place, and get as far away from here and my father as you can.”
Dread was displayed across her face. He reached for her again, being stern as he held her. But she still refused to listen.
“No,” she breathed, fear in her voice. “No, I won’t be frightened away. Tell me what’s going on, why does your father want to harm me? Why is he doing this to me?”
“I do not know why,” Sean said wearily. “I just know that he wants to cause you great harm. You are his target, and he wants you dead. He would have taken your life right here on the beach, if I had not been there. I could feel him there, waiting for you. I could hear him in my mind. I could hear him calling to you, as if, he never even knew I was there. He only saw you.”
Cora shivered at the words. Sean loosened his grip. She swayed from him, but did not step back. She was so stubborn; it was going to get her killed.
“What happened to your father?” she asked, keeping completely still.
Sean did not answer. He would have to show her, he owed her that much. He brought both hands up gently and placed them on each side of her head. He opened his mind to her and began to sing the story of his world. He did not force himself into her mind; he gently shared and allowed her to accept it. What poured through him were memories from so long ago, memories that were hard to think of. It was a song elegant and full of a beautiful world, a siren’s song, a lure to a world from deep below. His heart ached and embraced the song, memories, pure and painful.
Blue Moon: The Ring of Mer (Seer's Of The Moon) Page 3
