The country of Meryn is a world of the sea. With underwater cities and oceanic railways, it's truly a realm of wonder.
Boasting deep-sea castles and vast sea life, they say the capital city of Serré is the most beautiful sight in the world.
At the age of 5, when young Merynians awaken their water runes, they develop the ability to breathe underwater and can finally discover the realm of the sea.
But before that, they live in the town of Débu. Along with their parents, they patiently await their runes and when they do get them, they can finally experience the wonders below.
---
Town of Débu
A young boy no older than fourteen was sprinting past burning huts. His clothes were charred beyond recognition and tears couldn't stop rolling down his cheek. He cursed himself for forgetting his hairtie tie. His long black hair blocked his eyes. His mother in the distance had told him to keep running, but he had no idea when to stop. His dad had replied.
"Head for the sea!"
He had pleaded that since he had been the oldest boy in the history of Meryn who didn't have his runes, he would suffer an untimely demise. But never the less he had no options. He believed in his father. Those green eyes which usually looked so playful, looked stern.
He had those same green eyes. "The Eyes of Mer" people called them. Apparently, people who inherit these eyes become the finest water mages.
"What a joke" He would think.
"If only I were like sister. Maybe then I could save Mom and Dad. Maybe then I could--
His thoughts were interrupted by a burning log that fell in-front of him. It was hot. Ugh he felt so hot he could faint. It completely blocked his path. He looked for a way around but he was genuinely trapped.
"If I could just use magic!" he cried.
Behind him, what looked to be soldiers were running toward him. They had a certain hunger in their eyes. To Ariel, they looked like bloodthirsty monsters hungry for blood.
He panicked. This fallen log was as big as a house and there was no way around. The monsters grew closer. Ravenous. Foaming at the mouth.
He finally knew. He looked at the log. He looked at the monsters. And he realized It was time. This was his penance for being so talentless and unmotivated and lazy. He gave up. Maybe in the next life he would be born strong. The heat was lethal now. He knew he would be out in a few seconds. But amidst the heat he felt... cold?
A gust of cold water flew by him. Cooling both him, and the burning log. He looked up at the source.
Atop a hut was a soldier dressed with green armour. His blond hair and white headband made Ariel one hundred percent certain who it was. He felt a surge of relief.
It was Lukas. A mage tasked with guarding the city of Débu. Lukas had grown particularly fond of Ariel because Ariel would always visit him on patrol and ask him for tips on how to awaken.
Lukas would always see the other kids bullying him for having not awaken yet claiming he was the worst mage in the world. But Ariel would always smile, saying he was the only record-holder in the village. Ariel was always smiling.
He's not smiling now.
Lukas jumped down from the hut and stood in-front of Ariel. The ravenous soldiers were here. The runes of their backs glowing. Ariel was so scared that his pants seemed to darken in the area around his crotch
"He's pissed himself" the soldiers roared. Laughter emerged from all of them. Ariel's legs were shaking at the embarrassment.
"Ariel stay behind me" Lukas ordered. Ariel nodded.
Lukas's back began to glow a strange blue green colour. Ariel stepped even further back.
Lukas quickly thrusted his hand forward and a disk of water propelled itself toward one of the soldiers. Surprised, the soldier tried to make a shield of earth around himself. But the disk was took fast and the soldiers head was cut clean off.
The other soldiers looked upon the friend with shock. Then they turned back their heads. Hands at the ready. All the more monstrous.
"Ariel, the moment I attack next I need you to sprint to the ocean. Can you do that?" He whispered.
Ariel thought about reiterating the fact that he doesn't have his runes. But Lukas knew that fact more than anyone.
"Y-Yeah."He responded. Legs shaking more than ever.
"But there's-"
"I'm gonna move the log okay? Just get ready."
"Okay."
Lukas met the gaze of the soldiers. His runes began to glow brighter. The soldiers realized what was happening and dashed forward. Lukas raised a hand and released a surge of water like a flood which pushed the soldiers back. He extended his free hand and used the water disk from earlier to cut a hole in the log.
Ariel quickly sprinted through the hole.
Lukas turned back toward the soldiers. The flood pushed them back. But didn't inflict much damage. He had just recent been promoted to C class. He had taken that first solider by surprise but he knew there was no chance in hell he could take on five Adrian soldiers. But he knew that if Ariel could get away it would be okay. If he could buy time for Ariel--
"Beast Ignition"
Lukas turned his head towards one of the soldiers who had finally gotten himself together. The soldier began changing. Strange runes began glowing on his chest.
"Fuck me" Lukas said under his breath.
He knew what was about to happen. Lukas readied his runes.
The soldier finished his transformation. His head, arms and legs now resembled what looked to be a wolf. His muscles were bigger and covered in fur and his eyes more animalistic. The beast soldier dashed toward him.
Lukas knew it was the end. Beast Ignitions are said to multiply your power by unknown quantities.
The wolf soldier smiles at him at leaps toward him with full force. The wolf dives into him...
Wait... above him?
"Make sure you get that kid. He's worth like 50 silvers." One of the other soldiers hollered with a mischievous grin.
"NO" Lukas realized what they were after and unleashed a water whip to try and stop the lycan. But it was too late. The beast soldier was too fast and had already disappeared in the direction of Ariel.
Lukas tried to follow but the other soldiers hurled a barrage of fire and earth toward him. He tried his best to block but his magic was incomplete and his leg was charred by the fire. He stumbled to the ground. With his right leg unusable. He was practically dead.
A soldier appeared above him with a smile. The soldier readied a ball of flame.
"Meet you in hell" Lukas said as his face was incinerated.
His final thoughts were of Ariel. Hoping...
--
Ariel was sprinting through the forest. He was running faster than ever. Lukas, his parents, Everyone who had tried to protect him.
His sprint slowed down a bit. The tears he had been suppressing since his saw Lukas began to come back. But he kept going. He needed to make it to the sea.
Finally, he emerged from the forest and came across the cliff that Merynians jump off of daily in order to go down to the underwater cities.
--
Before he was five, he would always come here with his parents and watch people dive off.
He would brag to them about how he would take his first jump. He would do a spinning cannonball and make a huge splash as he split the waves and entered the sea. Then he would go and visit his sister who was a member of the royal guard at the underwater capital of Serré.
His parents would always smile at that.
--
"The sea," he thought. "Everyone told me to go here". He looked over the edge of the cliff at the crashing waves below. He wondered what he was supposed to do now.
Looking at the sea, the tears finally came in full force. It was a pitiful sight. Lukas screeched and cried while the village burned in the background. He hollered for his mother, for his father, even for his sister who he had grown to despise out of jealousy.
When he finally stopped crying. He heard a noise from the bushes behind him. He turned around to see a full fledged wolf looking monster staring at him. His crotch darkened.
The wolf pointed toward the sea.
"Why didn't you jump?" He said in confusion.
Ariel was too scared to answer.
"Wait. Are you afraid?" He asked.
Ariel quivered.
"AHAHAHA A MERYNIAN AFRIAD OF THE SEA!" The wolf bellowed through laughter. Ariel's legs had turned to jelly.
"Well nevertheless., payday is payday." He howled as he marched toward Ariel.
As scared as Ariel had been throughout his life, there was no greater fear than the fear he was feeling right there and then. He then remembered something his dad had said.
--
One day after he had been bullied by the other kids, Ariel ran away to the forest.
After some time his dad found him under a tree. Expecting him to be crying, his dad instead found him shaking. He asked him what was wrong.
"Will you and Mom leave me here?" He asked.
His dad was taken aback.
"Of course not buddy." He said rubbing his back.
"Well I told the other kids I would become a hero to protect you guys and they said that since I won't get my runes you guys will leave me here alone."
"Son, me and your mom will never leave you. That you can be sure of".
His Dad hugged him and put him on his back. They started back toward the village.
"Dad, how can I become a hero?"
His dad thought about the question.
"A hero is someone who conquers their fear."
--
He looked the wolf in the eyes and felt calm"
"At least I'll die a hero" He thought as he pushed himself off the edge toward the waves below.