Continuing on their way, that strange creature still swimming in the same direction as them, Cormac and Melusine came upon a most strange sight. In the shadow of a sunken ship, whose figurehead was nonother than Jesus himself, there seemed to a multitude of races from Profound Ones to Mer people of many varieties while some being equally as strange as that swimming above presided over these people.
The being resembled a monk with a shaved head. It had a fish-like body with scales, a large fin and fins resembling claws. The large, skull-like head of the being resembled the miter of a bishop and so did Cormac and Melusine come down to investigate what seemed to be church on the ocean floor.
Seeing the two Children of the Storm, the being said: "Come and join us, children. From the map you carry, I take it you are travellers. You may rest a while and join us in our congregation." Join them the Young Egan and Helena of the Deep did and while the being spoke, Cormac and Melusine's eyes widened as he spoke of King Ahab, saying: "King Ahab once said that Israel had room for all gods and that is true not only on the Surface, but here in the Deep as well, my children! Though those who worship Acclaimed Avatar Phmyn, Paterfamilias Ikne and Materfamilias Sutec would see other faiths persecuted. My children, we must treat all faiths respectively, with tolerance, such as Ronemun the Sea King has done in Pacifica by allowing religious freedom to flourish!" Ronemun allowed religious freedom to flourish in Pacifica? That only caused Cormac to wonder what it had been like under Ronemun's predecessors. Intolerant of other faiths no doubt, but what was the full story? When all was finished, the being made the sign of the cross and said "Go now, my children!", after which he approached Cormac and Melusine and uttered: "Young lady, I was once at the court of an Emperor of the Deep who looks like he could have been your father!" Gesturing at her tail, he added: "Merman! All of him bright red, his top half scaleless and his hair tan coloured, but it was red in his youth. He had to give up a baby girl some sixteen years ago!" Cormac watched Melusine's reaction, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. If he was correct, then his compeer was probably questioning her past. "And you, young man! You resemble Ronemun as he once looked, skin and eye colour aside, as well as his father for the most part."
While Melusine tried to comprehend what the being had said, Cormac asked: "Wait a minute here, what do you mean by skin and eye colour aside?" Had Orlaith mentioned anything about Ronemun's skin or eye colour? He had no memory of her doing so, so that either meant she had not or she had and he had forgotten. "And what are you?"
"Young man, I am a Sea Bishop!" The being answered with a smile. "Bringing the word of Jesus across the ocean!"
"But… But you never mentioned him at all." Cormac commented.
"You just came late, son." Stated the Sea Bishop, patting Cormac on the shoulder. "As for your questions about Ronemun's skin and eye colour… It was most strange. Normally a Profound One hybrid should initially resemble their human parent in eye, skin and hair colour as well as physicality, such as this large, hooked nose you share with his father and once upon a time Ronemun himself… But Ronemun's skin and eyes! Most peculiar! Most peculiar!"
"What?" Cormac inquired. "What about his skin and eyes?"
"His skin was as white as the snow above and his eyes completely black, blacker than the Depths!" replied the Sea Bishop. "Features that he retains even after his appearance has changed completely into that of a Profound One. It is so strange for a member of Pacifica's royal family to look like that." Cormac's eyes were now wide as well and he was looking back and forth in confusion… Confusion? No, he knew he was not confused. He was shocked! The way Ronemun was described with pale white skin and eyes that were completely black, it made him sound like a devil of the profound. "Now, where are you two travelling to? You seem awfully young to be travelling on your own, my children. How long have you two been Children of the Storm?"
Looking to Melusine, Cormac could see she was still trying to comprehend what she had been told by the Sea Bishop. Thus, did he answer: "We are sixteen years-old, we only became Children of the Deep a little while ago, a week at least, and we are heading to Pacifica."
Taking a seat upon a nearby rock, the Sea Bishop inquired: "Where do you two come from originally?"
"Ireland, sir." Cormac answered. "I was born in Ireland and Melusine here was born in South Africa, but she immigrated to Ireland with her dad this year."
"South Africa you say…" uttered the Sea Bishop, a spark of interest in his eyes. "Most intriguing, however I don't understand why you are travelling to Pacifica, my children. The Celtic Sea has settlements you can live in, why Melusine here could live among the natural-born merrow-maidens, and if you wish to be city dwellers, what the Hellenes called 'Atlantis' is only in the Irish Sea, but I advise against it, it is a boring place, so boring that no people of the Deep dare populate it." Upon having everything explained to him, the Sea Bishop nodded and said: "Yes, there are few who would dare go against Ronemun and that would-be Deep Lord is the most notable of them."
"What can you tell us about him?" inquired Cormac, wishing to know more about this archenemy of Ronemun.
"His father is… was… could be either…" began the Sea Bishop, a look of uncertainty upon his scaly countenance. "His father is or was a member of the Pacifican royal family and a mage, Pacif by appellation, named after Pacifca's founder you know. He was of a different generation of Ronemun's mother, as well as his maternal grandfather Uikesh the Angelic One. He personally introduced Ronemun's parents, thus resulting in their union and his birth."
"So, they are related?" Cormac asked.
"That they are, son." The Sea Bishop replied. "That they are… Some sort of cousins, I can't remember what kind exactly. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to speak with someone here while I've got the chance. Good day, my children."
As the Sea Bishop stood up and swam over to speak with one of his flock, Cormac turned to Melusine and asked: "Are you alright?" Alas, she answered not. The Helena of the Deep did not even seem to hear him. Placing a hand upon her shoulder, Cormac watched as Melusine slowly turned her head in his direction. Again, he asked: "Are you alright?"
Melusine was slow to answer, but when she did all she gave was one word: "No."
"Would you like to talk about it?"
"Maybe later."
"Then shall we be on our way, Melusine?"
Quietly, Melusine answered "Yes", before repeating herself a little bit more loudly.
Standing, Cormac kept his mismatched eyes upon Melusine. She was slow to rise and even when she did, she was slow as she swam, a distant, uncertain look upon her fairly attractive face. Cormac could certainly understand wherefore. The Sea Bishop's comments about a merman who was completely red and had given up a daughter sixteen years prior, as well as South Africa being most intriguing, no doubt caused Melusine to question her past, question her very identity. Was she truly a human who had been turned into a merrow-maiden?