The Awakening: A Short Story

Like a hurtling mass of flames being submerged into the icy depths of the ocean, a soft hiss escaped the timid particles of water when they ventured too close to the deadly witch. Where there was water, there was oxygen, and each inhale sounded a brighter hiss. They were burning; the chemical bonds that held the form of water breaking and reconnecting with others.

At long last, Alemdha’s feet reached the river bed, upsetting the sand particles that stirred at the disturbance. Each exhale of breath sizzled and scorched through the frigid layers weighing on her smoking skin. The cold didn’t affect her, not anymore.

A lone figure in the far distance grew closer, the filtered blue light casting an eerie glow to rippling scales of a mossy green. Eyes of molten gold held steel resolve as her tail cut through the distance with ease. In a matter of seconds, the woman of fabled tales stood before Alemdha, her crown of silver glinting atop her golden locks.

Neither spoke a word as they challenged the authority of the other, their hatred boiling the water between them.

Finally, the Mer caved, uttering two simple words. “I know.”

“Of the abduction of my companions? Why, shouldn’t that be common knowledge for the fabled queen of the sea?” Alemdha responded, refusing to play into the Mer’s ploy.

“The prophecy, it shall destroy us both if it continues on its desired course. We must stop it,” the Mer continued, ignoring Alemdha’s deviation from the topic.

Alemdha’s eyes narrowed, focusing on the tint of red on the Mer’s lips. “Might I know of the bearer of the blood that taints your lips, Edeline?”

A twisted smile gnarled her lips. “Why the interest? Would it make matters easier if he was a

prince?”

“And if it did not?” Alemdha could care less for the foolish Prince; her main concern was Lucius. If the mers managed to peel back the layers of deception to stumble upon the core, then Alemdha had yet another issue on her hands.

Edeline’s smile faltered, and a frown strove forward to mar her delicate features with a lurking darkness. “Not all revolves around you, Alemdha. We have the other piece of the prophecy. We know.”

“You know? Know what?”

“Much, but not enough.” A vacant expression flitted over her features before they twisted to caution. “But not here. You’ll have to meet with our seer, she’ll tell you.”

“And why would I care to follow you into what is a pathetic attempt at a trap? If you don’t recall, our last encounter wasn’t very memorable.” Oh but it truly was! The half-witted Princess thought that she could outwit Alemdha by poisoning her food and killing the young witch in her moment of weakness. The plan backfired, and her poison ended up in the bloodstream of their latest victim. Suffice to say, many mers ate their last meal that day.

Even as centuries passed, and the Princess now grew to become a powerful Queen, she was still the same Mer that dare challenged Alemdha in her youth and remained one of her first enemies.

“I recall,” she bitterly spat, but then sighed as her tone softened. “But the past is in the past. Now, we must resolve our present for a better future.”

“I see you’ve matured since our last meeting.” Then, with a tilted smile, Alemdha added, “But you don’t happen to still poison your food source, do you?”