The exit of the tunnel opened into a breathtaking coral forest, where light filtered through the crystal-clear seawater. The girls, unable to contain their excitement, darted among vibrant fish and shrimp. The beauty of the ocean was unparalleled, too sacred to endure pollution or intrusion by other races.
Beneath them were colorful clams, crabs, shrimp, starfish, sea urchins, rose corals, and algae. A sea turtle drifted lazily by, allowing Calypso to gently stroke its shell.
Looking upward, the water's surface shimmered, casting rippling patterns onto the seabed. The dancing interplay of light and shadow created an intricate, moving tapestry.
A school of manta rays passed overhead, their blue-black backs and white undersides forming a spectacle of gentle, smiling faces. Their bat-like wings flapped gracefully as they occasionally leapt from the water, flipping mid-air in what seemed like a display of acrobatics—whether to exercise or impress potential mates, they added a unique, musical charm to the ocean's rhythm.
Three white dolphins joined the group, playfully swimming with Seraphina and Calypso. Following Captain Kenny's lead, the dolphins towed them across the vast ocean with tireless energy. Dolphins were like the gallant steeds of the sea, carrying their bold riders across endless plains to explore nature's wonders.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, a shrouded island emerged from the mist like a celestial haven floating among the clouds.
This "Invisible Island" was part of the merfolk's oceanic kingdom. It served as a training ground for young merfolk who had completed their first evolution to human form, where they learned to adapt to life on land. Training included mastering their transformation abilities, the dual use of lungs and gills, and adjusting their digestive systems. The island also featured agriculture and livestock farming to provide merfolk with a limited supply of land-based food.
For Seraphina and Calypso, this island was no stranger, yet this visit was different—new challenges awaited.
When they were a few hundred meters from the shore, Captain Kenny stopped and signaled the girls to halt.
"Ladies," he began, "the underwater volcano beneath this island has been more active recently. The geothermal energy collector installed at the volcano's base has been adjusted accordingly. As a result, the artificial electronic fog barrier covering the island has shifted. You don't know where the new entry point is, so follow me closely to avoid trouble."
"I know!" Calypso interjected. "That electronic fog disrupts human brainwaves, causing memory loss. It's a protective layer to keep invaders at bay."
"Exactly," Kenny nodded. "The fog creates a magnetic field that disrupts compasses, leaving intruders disoriented. We've also added a new defense—the Mirage Projector, which displays illusions of the sun to mislead enemies into other directions."
"Wow! Invisible Island's defenses just keep getting cooler!" Seraphina exclaimed.
Following Kenny's lead, the trio swam past a series of jagged reefs and peculiar coral formations. As night fell, bioluminescent marine life illuminated their surroundings. To enhance visibility, Kenny removed the cloth band from his head, revealing a circular light-emitter on his forehead, a trait from his secondary evolution with the anglerfish sylphar.
Seraphina and Calypso followed closely, navigating the twists and turns of the reef until they began to ascend toward the island. Calypso glanced at her own dimly glowing light-emitter, a product of her evolution with a jellyfish sylphar, and sighed in self-deprecation.
Breaking the surface, they spotted a stone platform at the water's edge. Kenny extinguished his light and said, "All right, girls. Time to practice your transformation speed."
With a flick of his tail, Kenny leapt out of the water, spinning mid-air as droplets scattered around him like stars. In the blink of an eye, his transformation was complete, and he landed gracefully on the platform in human form.
"That was so fast!" Calypso exclaimed, amazed. Transforming required changing fish scales into fibrous clothing, splitting a tail into legs, keratinizing skin into shoes, reshaping a fish's head into a human one, and retracting fins into arms—all within moments.
Determined, Calypso gritted her teeth and leapt from the water. "I can do this!" she declared, her brow furrowed with effort. But in mid-air, the challenge became evident. By the time she hit the platform, her upper half was human, but her lower half remained a tail. Embarrassed, her cheeks flushed bright red.
Next came Seraphina, who knew her attempt would be worse. Bracing herself, she leapt but failed spectacularly, landing face-first with an incomplete transformation.
Uncle Kenny led the way, heading toward a small village on the island where faint specks of light twinkled like stars. Every now and then, he turned back to check if the two girls following him had fallen behind, occasionally letting out a chuckle. Already not the most handsome of men, his sneaky grin only made his face less appealing.
Behind him were two young women, supporting each other as they walked. Both were nursing injuries from their failed transformation attempts. Calypso had hurt her leg badly, while Seraphina, just as she finished transforming her upper body, had landed headfirst, leaving her poor face swollen. Watching their captain laugh at their misfortune, Calypso's jaw clenched audibly, whether from the pain in her leg or from frustration over her clumsy transformation skills. Seraphina, on the other hand, walked silently, her head hanging low—she knew she had room for improvement.
The winding path glowed faintly under the moonlight, its grayish hue soft and inviting. A gentle breeze teased the girls' flowing dresses, which were cleverly disguised biological adaptations. Evolution, after all, was a marvel.
Finally, they arrived at a quiet street. The road, a simple dirt path, was lined with charming wooden houses, exquisitely crafted despite their humble materials. The scene resembled a miniature fairytale village: rounded roofs, white walls, lazily turning windmills, and neatly arranged picket fences. Villagers bustled about, their heads wrapped in scarves, while a dog's occasional bark added to the ordinary yet serene atmosphere.
After turning a couple of corners, Captain Kenny pushed open the carved wooden door of an inn and announced loudly, "Mrs. Fanny! Your loyal customer is back! Serve us quickly—my students and I are starving!"
At the counter stood a plump, middle-aged woman wearing a white apron and a small flowered cap. She set down the glass she had been polishing and greeted them warmly:
"Oh, Captain Kenny, welcome back! Come in and take a seat." Her rosy cheeks and squinty smile hinted at a life of comfort—a mermaid clearly thriving on land.
"Same as always? A bottle of beer and a roast chicken?"
Kenny led the two girls to a table by the wall near a window and sat down. He asked, "What do you two want to eat? Mrs. Fanny's already preparing my usual."
"A plate of potato slices, please," Seraphina said, her voice soft. She had a fondness for potatoes.
"I'll have the same. I hear they're a great source of energy," Calypso replied with a slight pout.
Mrs. Fanny interjected enthusiastically, "Why don't I recommend something for you girls? We just got a fresh shipment of a grain called 'ripe corn.' Cooked into rice, it's aromatic and delicious! Humans on land are such creative eaters—they grow these grains that smell amazing even when they're burnt!"
"Alright then! Three portions of this 'whatever-it's-called rice.' Just be quick about it," Kenny said, unconcerned as long as it filled their bellies.
Before long, Mrs. Fanny brought out steaming bowls of fragrant rice. "This rice tastes as good as bread—if you want more, just let me know!" she said with a proud grin before retreating behind the counter.
The three travelers, hungry from a day of swimming in the sea, dug into their meal with gusto. The simple dishes—clear soup, roast chicken, potatoes, and rice—felt like a feast to their empty stomachs. Kenny, as usual, drank his sake while the girls savored the soup Mrs. Fanny had brought, marveling at the peculiar charm of life on land.
"Oh, by the way, Mrs. Fanny," Kenny began after a sip of sake, "your sylphar goats must have had a good yield this year, right?"
"Goats! Oh, I think I'm pretty lucky. Being a mermaid and all, it's funny that the sylphar goats are land creatures. That's how I ended up settling on this island. It's strange but wonderful. And yes, they're very productive—I'm an excellent shepherd, after all."
"Where's your nephew today? I haven't seen him around."
"Ah, Captain Kenny, I wouldn't have remembered if you hadn't asked. Well, since you're not outsiders, I'll tell you. The island is currently working on energy-efficient defense equipment. The idea is to keep the electronic mist barrier off most of the time, only activating it when outsiders approach. To achieve this, they need a surveillance system—patrol fish in the sea and seagulls in the sky. The pet owners are kept busy managing them in shifts. My nephew's in charge of the seagulls. He's been on patrol all day, but he should be back by now—it's getting late."
Just as she finished speaking, the inn's door swung open. In walked a handsome young man with golden hair, thick eyebrows, and striking features, though he seemed a bit unsteady on his feet.
The people in the hall all turned their heads. Calypso's pupils dilated in an instant. Her cheeks flushed a bright red as her lips parted slightly. From between her white teeth escaped a few small, shyly spoken words, brimming with excitement:
"Oh! He's so handsome..." Though her voice was quiet, it carried her fervent emotions.
"Who? Are you talking about me?" The handsome young man, eyes glassy and unfocused, muttered as he swayed on his feet. "I haven't done anything bad... You're not saying bad things about me, are you?"
"Hahaha! Kid, if you can't hold your liquor, maybe drink less next time," Uncle Kenny teased, recognizing the telltale signs of someone who had had one too many. Drinking men always appreciate fellow drinkers, after all.
"Oh, Captain Kenny, I must apologize for this silly boy. My nephew's made a mess of himself," Mrs. Fanny said, stepping forward to steady him.
Before she could reach him, there was a loud thud! The young man collapsed, his drunken body no longer able to support him.
From the side, Calypso's eyes sparkled as she whispered, "Wow! Even the way he falls is so handsome!"
No matter how much Seraphina waved her hand in front of Calypso's face, the girl remained entranced, oblivious to her surroundings. Seraphina thought to herself, We've been best friends for over a decade, and only now do I discover she's such a hopeless romantic.
Mrs. Fanny, demonstrating surprising strength, hoisted the young man off the floor with one hand as if he were a kitten, slung him over her shoulder, and carried him inside to settle him. Calypso, however, was still lost in her daydreams.
"You're usually such a top student," Seraphina sighed, "but now your IQ has dropped to zero, hasn't it?"
Finally, they could rest. Seraphina and Calypso were assigned to the same room. After blowing out the candle, the soft starlight filtered through the window, scattering gentle beams across the room. Seraphina stretched luxuriously and let out a deep sigh of relief. Turning her head, she noticed Calypso sitting on her bed, chin resting on her knees, staring blankly into space.
"Still dreaming about your handsome guy?" Seraphina teased lightly. She was utterly exhausted from a day of swimming and sightseeing. Within moments of lying down, she was fast asleep, breathing evenly. After all, no matter how beautiful the journey, everyone needs time to rest.
It wasn't clear how much time had passed when Seraphina was jolted awake by Calypso shaking her shoulder.
"Wake up! Wake up!" Calypso's voice was insistent, her eyes gleaming in the darkness.
"What is it, Caly?" Seraphina murmured sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
"Did you hear that explosion in the sky?" Calypso asked. As a mermaid, her sensitivity to sound was sharper than most.
"Is it morning already? If not, let's sleep a little longer. I'm so tired..."
"No! Look out the window—there's something amazing happening!"
Curiosity got the better of Seraphina. She dragged herself out of bed and joined Calypso at the windowsill. The clear night sky was painted with a twisting ribbon of gold and green light, stretching across the heavens like a magical veil.
"It's the aurora!" The girls exclaimed in awe. "If we can see the northern lights from here, we must be close to the Arctic!"
Seraphina's sleepiness vanished as she gazed at the legendary aurora. It was more stunning than any description she had read in books. Her wide eyes sparkled, and she let out soft gasps of admiration.
"Did you know," Seraphina said dreamily, "that Eskimos once believed the northern lights were torches used by spirits to guide souls to heaven? Other native peoples saw the lights as divine appearances, warning that fast-moving auroras could steal people's souls."
"Caly, do you believe the auroras are the spirits' lanterns, lighting the way for departed souls to reach heaven?"
"I think they're more like the tears of Aurora, the goddess of dawn and northern lights—tears filled with endless sorrow."
"Why sorrow?"
"In Norse mythology, Aurora fell in love with a mortal named Eälkr. To stay with him forever, she gave him an elixir of immortality stolen from Zeus. But while he gained eternal life, his mortal wounds never healed, leaving him in endless pain and sorrow."
"Caly, you know so many stories!"
"Well," Calypso continued, "Aurora's selfishness broke the cycle of life and death. Their love became a bittersweet memory, filled with passion, regret, and longing. Those emotions are forever hidden within the aurora's dazzling colors—vivid yet tragic, beautiful yet heartbreaking. That's why the beauty of the aurora is unlike anything else; it carries the weight of a story."
Seraphina listened intently, her face soft with a smile. In this age of imagination, she preferred Calypso's fantastical interpretation over the dry scientific explanations of solar winds, magnetic fields, and atmospheric collisions given by the elder mermaids.
"What happened to Eälkr?"
"He was eventually transformed into a cricket, doomed to chirp endlessly in sorrow. Perhaps he's still calling for the colors of the sky, for the radiance of miracles."
"Wow, you're quite the poet," Seraphina said, clicking her tongue in admiration.
"Red, orange, yellow, green, blue—the northern lights are Aurora's tears, eternally existing in a fantastical world of love," Calypso mused.
"Deep down, are you hoping for a love as grand and profound as that?"
Calypso, gazing at the ever-shifting colors of the aurora, turned to look at Seraphina's teasing eyes. With a grin, she raised her fists playfully.
"Are you mocking me? You'd better watch out!"
"Ah! I surrender, I surrender!" The two girls burst into laughter, playfully wrestling like they had done for years, until their tears came from laughter instead of sadness.
Before long, the aurora faded, leaving the sky once again quiet and tranquil in its slumber.