Chapter 33
Turbulence
The next morning, Amelia prepared to head back to Atlantica saying goodbye to the nobles including Cyra. "Shouldn't you wait to say goodbye to Meredith?" Cyra asked. "From the looks of how much she drank last night, I doubt she'll be getting up anytime soon. Take care of her for me, will you?" "I will, and thank you for everything you and Meredith have done." Cyra bowed her head in respect.
She began swimming Northwest. Into the Red Sea, she ran into a shark chasing after her. She knew that he was not nearby to just nab her. She then warded his memory. However, he regained consciousness and began chasing her again. She was puzzled on why it didn't work on him.
She then noticed she was bleeding but could not feel where the wound was. She knew she was in trouble because she had the mark of death on her. She hid in a crevice opening between some coral. The shark followed but he was discouraged by the barrier of the coral to pursue further.
As the shark swam away as to give up the pursuit, Amelia noticed her vision was blurring. She felt around her body until she met with a shock of pain on the back of her neck. She was bleeding from her gills. Amelia attempted to recollect anything that could have triggered the wound, but there was nothing.
Amelia, I noticed you were in great duress, are you alright?
It was Allura speaking telepathically. Amelia then responded back.
Yes, everything's fine, I'm just hurt nothing to worry about.
Are you sure that's all?
Yes, I'll be more careful as I cross over, I'll be back in Atlantica before the dawn breaks
Alright, be careful, we cannot afford to lose you at a time like this.
Allura disconnected and Amelia pursued on with her journey. She swam covering her neck with a kelp wrap around her to lessen the flow of blood from her. She came up to some caverns where she swam near them. She started coughing violently. She kept going regardless. She then coughed to the point that blood seeped through her mouth. She could hardly breathe but she tried desperately not to think about it as Atlantica was awaiting for her return.
After a few minutes, she became weaker not being able to keep herself afloat for much longer. She used her power to transport her to the cavern nearby her side. Her vision was blurred as she saw the blue sea ahead of her. Allura telepathed her once more but could not answer her due to her breathing difficulties.
"Amelia? Are you there? Amelia!?" Allura cried out.
"Is she alright? Can you locate her?" Rimulus asked. "I can try. Pray that nothing happens to her grimly." Allura said as she attempted to locate her. She showed struggle and after some time gave up.
"What's wrong? Why are you having a hard time finding her? I thought you could locate her?!" Lynae demanded. "I usually can, but only if they are alive can I sense them," Allura said looking remorseful. "You don't mean she's..." Lynae said gasping.
"I don't know. I can't read a trace on her anymore. Usually for me, that is a sign that they are gone." Allura said struggling to get the words out. "Gone? What do you mean gone?!" Lynae screamed. Rimulus stood there in silence stunned at the news at the possibility that Amelia succumbed to her injuries.
It was a peaceful day in Atlantica. The seas were as blue as ever as the sky light pierced through the waters. In a garden, two merboys were fighting with carved bamboo. The elder boy whacked the younger boy at an opening he left. "Ow, I don't know why you make me do this with you. Can't you make one of the guards practice with you?" The boy asked.
"They're out on patrol, and besides, I need you to learn how to defend yourself in case the fortress were to ever be under attack by the enemy!" The older merboy explained. "You know I don't like doing this, I am not even remotely skilled in this matter. Everyone knows that." The merboy pouted.
"Now what are you boys arguing about this time?" A younger mermaid appeared. "Sister Cirra!" The elder boy greeted. "Father says we should address her as Coronum Reginae Cirra, Lachlan," The younger boy scolded at him. "There's no one around, Scirocco, but thank you for reminding him." Cirra said patting him on the head.
"How were the royal duties, today, sister?" Lachlan asked. "Nothing out of the ordinary, attending assemblies, greeting the merfolk of Atlantica, helping with royal verdicts, and so on; Overall, my day was kept fitted." Cirra said eloquently.
"We haven't seen you so much since the twins were born. Are you sure you're alright?" Lachlan asked. "Of course she is, she is the future queen of Atlantica. She can handle anything!" Scirocco protested. "I didn't ask of you, brother," Lachlan shot him down.
"Yes, Father says that my time to assume my place is coming nearer every day. Then, I must take on the royal duties on my own." Cirra said as she glanced at a distance. As she finished her sentence, she had a piercing headache. She collapsed on the sea ground feeling pain enveloping her body. Then she became unconscious.
"Cirra!" Scirocco cried out. "I'll go get father!" Lachlan said as he dashed the other direction into the palace. "Sister, please, wake up. I don't want you to die." Scirocco said whimpering.
A mer with a long beard and donning an elaborate headpiece came rushing behind Lachlan. "Stand back, Scirocco!" their father said as he scooped up Cirra and rushed her inside leaving the two boys behind.
While inside a dark chamber, the king laid Cirra on a table where he was with an elderly priest and two priestesses by his side. "Seirus, I'm afraid it's gotten worse. She won't wake up now. What am I to do about this?" the king pleaded.
He swam up to Cirra and placed his hand over her eyes. He closed his eyes and winced a little as he saw much was going on inside of Cirra. "Indeed it has, the Coronum Reginae's power is increasing, but her body isn't tolerating it so well. I'm afraid there is not much I can do since it is out of my power now."
"There has to be something! I beg of you, I can't let her die. I won't let her die. She is the rightful heir to Atlantica – you said so yourself! Please, don't let her suffer. It is abysmal as it is to see my eldest daughter suffer since the day she was born let alone the prophecy that you gave her! Please I beg of you, Seirus!" The king pleaded while crouched down bowing to him.
"There is one thing I am able to do. However, I will need a mer for this method. Fetch me a mer and I will be able to alleviate your daughter's suffering for a long while."
Some time later, the king summoned a willing mer to the chambers. "Alright, I will need you to ingest this." Seirus handed a cup full of sludge to the mer. He sniffed it. "Ether Kelp?" The mer looked up puzzled. "We will need you sedated for this procedure." Seirus explained. The mer nodded and looked at the king. "Anything for my King," he said as he gulped the kelp sludge. He was then guided to the table next to Cirra lying there unconscious still. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep.
The priestesses took their positions as the priest chanted an ancient spell, "Di maris hoc audiret causa, quod dabit industria parte volens hanc rem"
Gods of the seas, hear this plea, give part of this energy to this willing entity.
This chant repeated as the priest and priestesses did their bidding to help Cirra in her comatose state. Red sparks of light built up as the chant grew louder. Then the light broke into lightning striking the two mer lying on the tables. The electrocution stopped after a few minutes. The priest and priestesses stopped their chants signaling that the spell had been cast.
"Is he?" The King asked. "No, we transferred a significant portion of Cirra's magical energy into him." The priest stated. "Be warned though, this will not stop her magical element from growing. We only relieved her temporarily; for how long? We do not know." The priestesses continued on.
"Will he be alright?" The King asked. "That would depend if his body would accept the new living energy. Either way, only time will tell if he will live or die." The priest stated. The King finally understood why the priest advised that this was a risky procedure – he is now responsible for this mer's life for the desire to save his daughter. Then he spoke once more, "Watch over the lad while I take my daughter to her chambers." "Naturally, Your Highness," The priest bowed.
After the King took her sleeping daughter to her bed chambers, he came back into the dark chamber where the lad was just waking up from his slumber. "Is the Coronum Reginae alright, Your Highness?" The lad asked. "Never mind that, how are you feeling, lad?" The King asked. "Warm. My body feels warm. What happened to me?"
"This information cannot leave this room for what I am about to tell, do you understand?" The King instructed. The lad nodded. "A part of Coronum Reginae's energy was transferred to your body taking you as its host. We needed another person to take part in alleviating the princess's condition. Without it, she would not have awoken. That is why, I am in your humblest gratitude for volunteering. Come back tomorrow in the Grande Hall for I will reward your generosity accordingly." The King announced.
"So I could do what Princess Cirra is able to?" The lad asked. "In time, of course, you will need to come to the Aula every day where we can keep a close eye on you and train you on this new bestowed gift." The priest explained. "Am I allowed to go home now?" the lad asked. "This is your home now. Right now I want you to rest here where the priest and priestesses can observe you at close proximity. We can gather your belongings and move you into the corridors of the barracks."
The lad's eyes widened as he heard the place called the barracks. This was where the knights would bunker and train. He realized now that he can never go back to his humble origin after volunteering to help Cirra. The next morning, he was summoned in the Grande Hall. In front of a crowd, he was asked to kneel down before the King. With a sword in hand, the King proceeded with the ceremony of his knighthood.
"For coming forth to the crown thinking none of himself while we were in peril, I dub thee, Sir Kaerius of Atlantica. From this day forth, you will no longer be known as Kaerius any longer. Rise, as you are a Knight in my court and among your brother in arms. Before me today, do you swear to follow the duties and the obligations a knight would have to protect the crown and defend your brothers with honor and duty?" The King asked.
"I solemnly swear, Your Highness," He bowed his head. Then the King handed him the sword. "This sword shall be your side forevermore as long as you honor the code of the knighthood and mer law all together. My people, please welcome our newest knight in the Atlantica court, Sir Kaerius of Atlantica!" The King pronounced. The crowd burst out in cheers as well as the knights accepting Kaerius into his new status.
After the ceremony was over, a fellow knight swam over to catch up to Kaerius as he wandered through the barracks. "Sir Kaerius, you're being summoned by the King. He requests your presence immediately."
Kaerius hurried into the courtroom where the King was sitting on his throne with his advisors and priest. He kneeled down as said. "You wished to see me, Your Highness?" "Rise, you seem to be feeling well. Have you felt anything abnormally for the past day?" "No, Your Highness, just being nervous on the ceremony was all." "That's nothing new in my eyes. I've knighted more than a handful in my lifetime as King. They all had that constraining look of apprehension. But afterwards, they feel relieved afterwards. So you haven't felt sick or anything troubling your mind?"
"No, Your Highness," Kaerius answered. "I see," He paused as he looked at the priest to confirm something. "In that case, I have an assignment for you. My personal guard for Cirra has age not being in his favor these days. And with all of the events coming forth on her, I feel that she needs another guard at her side." "Of course, Your Highness." "If you were to ever start showing signs of your energy coming forth, it is imperative that you know how to control it and as well help out Cirra with it as well. Think of it as shadowing her and in turn you'll be able to cope with her in due time." The King stated. "And if you notice any signs of changes, please see to me immediately so I can take a close observation of your signs as well." The priest added.
Time flew by and Kaerius noticed he started gaining his magical energy. He was able to hear the thoughts of others and barely move anything telepathically. While he was practicing, he noticed that the item was lifted with no difficulty. Then he noticed that it wasn't him doing it. It was Cirra. He kneeled immediately when seeing her. "Don't bother doing that at my every turn. You'll learn you will have a pass at showing courtesy as a guard."
"Were you in need of something, Your Highness?" Kaerius asked. "Don't try to change the subject. I know you have my abilities, and I know it wasn't from birth either." Cirra said as she peered into his face. "I apologize if I offend you, Your Highness," Kaerius spoke with remorse. "Offend? I'm relieved. I finally have someone to talk to about these powers. I have someone who can understand what I go through most of each day!" Cirra said with joy.
"So you know about the procedure?" Kaerius questioned. "Of course, I read your thoughts and now that explained why I don't feel a lot of pressure nowadays. How are you feeling?" Cirra asked. "Like I'm going to be sick at times." Kaerius responded whole heartedly. "That's normal. You'll learn to ignore it overtime. I can teach you how to move objects if you'd like," Cirra offered. "It would be an honor, Your Highness," Kaerius said graciously.
Amelia started waking up realizing that she saw a glimpse of Cirra's past. As she woke up, she saw that she was in a dark cave with a magma rock pit going. A mysterious man with olive skin, long brown hair that was jumbled up in a ponytail, his face was slender especially with his defined jawline, and had golden hazel eyes. He was staring at the pit while smoking his pipe while blowing out darkened bubbles filled with smoke.
As Amelia shuffled around, the man spoke, "Don't get up. You're still too weak." Amelia coughed and noticed there was a bandage on top of her gills. "Who are you?" Amelia asked in a strained voice. "A man that saved your life or trying to. Any more time you were out there, you would have been dead." The man said dismissively as he smoked his pipe. Amelia grew frustrated at the man. "Do you have a name?" Amelia asked. "If I tell you, will you shut up? You won't get better if you keep talking." The man asked annoyingly staring at her. Amelia nodded. Then he sighed as he let out smoke from his mouth. "I mostly go by Keanu. I've had numerous names over the years and almost lost track of my real name at times." He said as he stared at the fire.
Amelia started having a cough fit once more. Keanu goes over to her and opens up the bandage to see her gills. "Damn, still swollen shut." Keanu then opens up his satchel to pull out some herbs and mix it in with some jelly off of a jellyfish. "Open." Keanu commanded as he had the mixture in his hand. She opened and swallowed harshly as the texture and the taste overfilled her mouth. "What was that?" Amelia asked. "A mixture of Irish moss and Ecklonia with jelly. A common remedy for Lamellitis." Keanu explained as he put away his stash in his satchel.
Amelia looked at him with a quizzical look. "Judging by your reaction, you don't even know what Lamellitis is, do you?" Keanu asked. Amelia shook her head to indicate she hasn't heard of it. He sighed once more out of annoyance. "A common ailment to the gills which can be caused by a dramatic change in the climate you are used to. For example, if you rush through the changes between warmer and cooler currents, your gills overwork themselves to convert that new water into an acceptable temperature you are acclimated to in the pace you are going. Once they overwork themselves, the bacteria exposed in the ocean can enter the gills at a very vulnerable state and cause them to become even more inflamed, and start an infection into your airways." He paused before he continued.
"With the way your condition was, you were on death's door the minute I ran into you – meaning you could have contracted it weeks or so prior and not have given yourself the care you needed to recover fully."
"I want to thank you for doing that. I could never repay you for saving my life..." Amelia was cut off. "Don't bother. You were at a good hiding place when you drifted unconscious. I couldn't take the risk of leaving you here to lure in those sharks." Keanu said coldly.
Amelia rolled her eyes knowing that was not all true. "Well, I still want to thank you for your help before I head back to Atlantica tomorrow." "Were you not listening to what I just said? You are in no condition to swim anywhere!" "You don't understand, I... I am needed back home. I have a lot of mer depending on me to get back." Amelia explained.
"They can wait another few days, now hush up and go to sleep." Keanu said before he went back to smoke his pipe.
As she fell asleep, she tried something that she thought couldn't be possible. She tried calling out to Cirra. "Cirra, are you there? Cirra! Cirra?" "I'm here, why do you sound so distraught?" Cirra replied.
"That dream that I had with you and that merman getting some of your power. Who was he? What happened to him? Why him?"
"His name was Kaerius Lycenes. From what I can recollect him telling me, he was an oyster farmer before he became a knight in my father's court. When I found out he volunteered to help lessen the pressure of my increasing power, I felt guilty for a while, but he convinced me that he would do it all again if he could for me. As he learned to adapt to his new form of energy he had, I found that we had a common fear – losing control of an unnatural thing we possess that made us different from other merfolk. When he was assigned to me as a personal knight, I was skeptical, but overtime, he was someone I needed to regain confidence in myself and my ability to take my rightful claim to the throne."
"But?" Amelia asked. "But, like the priest and priestesses warned me and my family before, these powers come at a price if one is not too careful or who the host may be. One day, the energy he had became too much for his body to handle. He lost full control of his body while we were swimming out in the rock fields. His body tried to fight, but the energy damaged his body to the point where he died from his internal wounds."
"Dear God... is that what will happen to me? Will I self-destruct?" Amelia asked frantically. "If you were, you would have died a long time ago. Kaerius only had it for six months before he died." Cirra explained. "But that's how long I've had it for!" "No it's not, dear." Cirra calmly rebutted. "Yes, it is; when Allura transformed us, that was six months ago!" Amelia explained.
"Yes, but you were always a mer – meaning you've had your powers from the day you were conceived. Did you ever wonder why you had those seizures or when you were very sickly from when you were a child until that fateful night? Did you really forget about what Cirra said about the conditions of the transformation? Only those who have mer in their family line can transform, full-fledged humans cannot."
Amelia paused her panic for a moment to think about it. "I couldn't have been the only one you have reincarnated into. Were there others?" "There were, and all of them died in either infancy or in their childhood. They never lived to become adults like you. You were the only one that survived this long." Cirra explained.
"Cirra, there was one other thing, I haven't thought on it because my thoughts are not secure just like the rest, but is it possible when a person dies with the ability they had died with, can that person reincarnate with another person?" "What do you mean, Amelia?" "I mean, if I am the reincarnate of you, can another person be a reincarnate of Kaerius?" "I see now what you are asking but I do not have the answer to which you seek. The only knowledge I have of reincarnation is from experience. I've tried over a thousand years to reincarnate but all of them died but you. I am certain that I have not reincarnated into Allura or otherwise we would not have this connection right now between you and me. Besides, I think with reincarnation you can only reincarnate into one person at a lifetime. You're thinking that Allura might be the reincarnation of Kaerius, don't you?"
"Yes, and I'm a bit skeptical about her in general. Lynae is too, but she's been so helpful through the transition. Now it is making all sense to me. The reason why Allura and I have that thing in common, the reason why she is so protective of me, the reason why she is insistent that I assume the throne of Atlantica..." "But?" Cirra asked. "There's something about her that is bugging me. Something she is not telling me or anyone. Her thoughts are shut off from me – like I can sense the block is deliberately used for me. She's up to something, I'm sure of it, but I'm torn, Cirra, she's the only one who gets me." Amelia stated her concerns.
"She's not the only one. Haruto, Meredith, and Lynae feel the same way you are feeling with their powers. That was one lesson I never learned that I could rely on my siblings on wisdom not because I was the oldest or my power was different. We had that same fear. Don't let her influence you entirely. Don't let one individual influence entirely. Trust in your own instincts and advise to one of them on what you should do. Had I done that I probably would have lived longer rather than keeping it to myself and only rely on just one person. You have people you can trust other than Allura. I would learn how to block out your thoughts so Allura does not gain inside information on you. I have faith in you to turn the realm around. Just believe in yourself more."
As her voice faded, Amelia woke up. It was morning, the magna rock pit was no longer lit and Keanu was no where in sight. Of course, he is not here when he tells me to rest up! Amelia thought to herself as she struggled to get up. She then swam while clutching to the walls of the cave sneaking her way out to make her escape. As she saw the fish like creature tied up, she snuck up onto it.
As she did, she felt a heavy weight shift from behind her. "I see you're so eager to get our journey started. You couldn't have waited another minute while I collected some more anemone buds?" Keanu said coolly. "I... I thought you just left me? Weren't you the one saying I was needing rest?" "I knew you were gonna try something like this by sneaking off with my peng even if I tried telling you over and over again to rest. Well, are you ready?" Keanu asked impatiently. "Y-yes," Amelia stuttered. "Then let's go, Tsubasa, iku!" Keanu shouted as he whipped the reigns. The large fish got up and started going in the direction he was directing. "Is that his name? Tsubasa?" Amelia asked. "It's short for Tsubasa o motsu sakana." Keanu said while rolling his eyes. "I know you're rolling your eyes back there!" Amelia shouted while coughing. "Alright, I won't roll my eyes anymore if it'll stop you from coughing. Any more questions, kid?" "I'm not a kid, I'm almost twenty I'll have you know!" Amelia snapped back. "Still a kid." Keanu said bluntly. "And how old is a person when they finally become an adult?!" Amelia snarled. "When you hit thirty, then you can come back to me and talk about being an adult." Keanu replied without losing his temper.
"So that's how old you are, thirty?" Amelia asked. "Thirty-seven." "Okay, adult, what type of fish are we riding?" "A peng, got any snarkier remarks? I can ride circles around you all day if you want to play that game." "How did you meet him? I've never seen or ridden a peng before."
"That's because you won't most likely. Pengs have been endangered for a long time from ceasing to exist due to poachers in China. I was lucky to find this one when I was in Japan." "What was one doing in Japan, and what were you doing in Japan?" "I'd say it was smuggled over here and it got out somehow. And none of your business."
"Fair enough..." Amelia started growing dizzy after responding. It was silent for more than a minute before he spoke. "Hey kid, you alright? As much as it is relieving to not hear you talk, you're scaring me up there." Keanu shrugged her to respond and saw Amelia about to fall over. He swore under his breath as he caught her from falling on her side.