"Sheila." Kai weaved his fingers into hers, "what are we even doing? I thought, we were trying to reach your father."

"Exactly. That's what we are doing." Sheila beamed a proud smile, strengthening her grip around his fingers.

"But... how?" His face sagged down, "we don't have transformation pills, we certainly can't go back to Zaren. And all we have is this piece of paper."

"Kai," Sheila stopped, taking a moment to explain him things. "I am sorry for being manipulative, for persuading you to do dangerous things." She put her head low, her eyes now concentrated towards the slow movement of Kai's fin. "We need to complete the prophecy, that's how this bodily curse will break. That's what I think. Hopefully we become normal and live happily ever after."

Kai hesitantly lifted his index and held her chin up, "I believe you. I...trust you."

"Oh Kai," she held his fingers that were holding her chin and moved it upwards to her cheek, his thumb brushed her soft skin in appreciation, "let's do this."

They both waded across the colourful coral reef, holding each other's hand towards the orb of life, which stood like a beacon, twinkling, shining and lighting the whole abyss.

They swam along the mossy aisle, on either sides there lay a thick kelp forest. In the middle was a circular elevation , upon that was the huge orb of life. The sheer size of it was intimidating; they almost appeared as if they were ants in front of a giant elephant.

Kai closed his eyes, an unusual amalgamation of emotions created a hailstorm inside his heart. He slowly stretched his hands and touched the honeycomb like petals that were holding the orb. Each petal started to emanate bright light through its veins and started to curl inside and wilt exposing the orb.

Kai gasped and flinched, but Sheila rubbed his shoulder to comfort him, "it's alright."

Kai proceeded to touch the orb, "if I am the chosen one, if you're​ the one who led us into this. Show us what to do next." He pursed his lips and squeezed his eyes tight, as if he was talking to the sea goddess.

"Who's there?" A voice hollered at them, as his muscular body took form from behind the orb.

"Zar, it's us." Sheila rose, and Kai took his hand off the orb and joined Sheila.

"What you guys are doing here? How did you escape?" Zaren squealed, dragging them into the kelp forest beside. "God, you are gonna get us executed."

"Executed?" Sheila pouted her lips and crossed her arms, "I thought, you were our team. Prophecy? Prodigal children remember?"

"Rumour has it, that the sea witch is planning a new attack. The city is on high alerts, all the soldiers have been recruited to their respective outposts. I have been given this responsibility of protecting the orb." Zaren whisper-hushed once in a while, watchfully scanning the surrounding.

Kai grabbed Sheila's hand and said, "it's time." He looked at Zaren with a pair of expectant eyes.

"Time? Time for what?" Zaren deadpanned.

"Here, have a look." Sheila pulled the rolled paper out and handed it over to him.

"Not again, Sheila. I am done with your plans."

"No. It's the second part of the prophecy," Sheila informed him. The sentence itself intrigued Zaren's attention.

He plucked it from her hands and tracking his eyes with the bizarre spiralling lines.
"What are you looking at? Help me read it."

Sheila chanted the prophecy from the beginning to end, as if she had known it all her life. Kai watched her recite, with a sense of pride. But, Zaren's jaw dropped at the mention of 'a spittle, a sinew and a scale.'

"Are you saying this potion of some kind, is a weapon to kill the witch. Well, how are we gonna make her drink that potion or whatever?" For the unfriendly, uncooperative rebel he was, he wrapped a cloak of sarcasm around his doubt.

Kai and Sheila exchanged a look with each other, that only they could understand. "We are not sure whether it's a weapon to kill her."

"Great! And you want me to join you. Unbelievable." Kai threw his hands up and turned around to leave, but Sheila stopped him by holding his arm.

"This is our only chance, Zar. If we complete the prophecy, we might become humans again."

Zaren clenched his fists, as much he wanted to ignore her and leave, he couldn't. "Fine. I promised you that I'll do anything to keep you safe, I think that's still valid. Let's see what the adventure brings."

Sheila staggered and hugged him wrapping her arms around his neck, jolting him backwards. "Thank you, Zar. Thank you."

Kai rolled his eyes, went over and hugged them uncomfortably, figuring out a way to properly wrap his arms around them. Zaren grunted, flaring his nose at him. "Kai! Know your place."

"Zar, I love him. Yeah, I said it." Sheila lifted her face and broke apart from the hug. "Can't we be just friends? Enough of this Captain and slave thingy."

Zaren scrunched his brows into a frown, analyzing the situation to the best of his understanding. "Alright. Come here Kai." He stretch-opened his arms wide to welcome Kai.

Kai swam over and gave him a perky hug, his face now more uncomfortable than it was before. "Bro?" He raised one of his brows and extended his hand for a friendly fist-bump.

"Yeah." Zaren agreed and returned the gesture. He glanced at Sheila, rolling his eyes and mouthing 'what the hell?' about Kai's drama.

The trio held each other's hand and proceeded towards the orb and sat infront of it, bending their tails posteriorly. Kai touched the orb confidently and shut his eyes.

Kai shivered and jerked before he opened his eyes. Instead of his green speckled irises, there were a pair of twin moons shining inside his eyes, he seemed as if he was in trance. "I can see her, she mourns, she cries. She is in pain, so much pain. She wants to break free, she calls for us." He mumbled whatever he saw inside his mind, in a monotonous voice.

Sheila grabbed him, just before he shut his eyes and was about to collapse. "Kai, are you alright? Speak to me."

"My head hurts, but I am fine." Rubbing his forehead, Kai shook his head until he gained focus on Sheila's worrisome face.

"That was intense," Zaren chuckled and helped him stand up.

A shoal of jellyfish swam across the reef and towards the orb of life. A couple of them darted ballooning their hoods and tickled on Sheila's bare shoulders. The swarm soon rose up as if they were inviting them to join their journey. Sheila smiled, swaying her eyes between Kai and Zaren as if she was seeking their approval.

"Let's do it."

"Alright," Zaren tightened his fingers around spear and said, "let's go."

************************************

They followed the swarming jellyfishes towards the surface. The light of dawn was already shimmering the surface water, the place felt oddly familiar as they resurfaced, breathing the fresh air.

"There." Zaren pointed his spear towards a pointy rock and proceeded. A committee of vultures screeched and hovered around the pointy rock. On the mossy rock lay a still body. They waited for the person's breath to stop, so that they could devour him

"It must be him." Kai said, swimming faster than ever.

As soon as they neared him, Zaren swung his spear to scare the vultures away. Kai shook him vigorously, "wake up. Wake up uncle Jay."

Jay slowly opened his eyes, they appeared sunken. His lips were dry due to dehydration. He licked his lips before speaking, "water. Food?"

Sheila retrieved a candy from her stationery bag, and brought it close to his mouth. Jay started to slowly lick it and then completely plucked it out of her fingers due to his unbearable hunger.

"Why are you still here?" Zaren frowned, "weren't you supposed to fly back to your witch?"

"I am not the talebearer anymore. You saw it."

Kai sighed, "past is past. Now, tell us what you know of this bird who lost her love. It's certainly not you, since it's a 'her'."

"I know what you're talking about." Jay struggled to stand up on his weak legs, "it's the prophecy, isn't it?"

"Like, duh." Zaren rolled his eyes for a thousandth time.

"It has to be her, my wife." Jay stood strong, without any kind of support, "she is a seagull like me. After all, Sea witch cursed us together. She held her hostage and blackmailed me to become the talebearer."

"That means...we have to go to the sea witch." Sheila scratched her hood in confusion.

"Yes and I'll guide." Jay sucked in a big breath of revenge and nodded.

"Alright, can you swim?" Zaren asked Jay, "the active maelstrom here is a risk, but we'll safeguard you."

"Of course." Saying that Jay dived into the swirling water around them, raising and steepling his arms.

************************************

"Do you see that tower there," Jay pointed at the sand-castle afloat on the water. "She keeps the hostages in there."

Kai dashed into the water with a splash to look what was going on underwater. A dozens of anchors were hanging down towards the rocky seabed. Zaren mimicked his move and scanned all the eel fish tailed people cleaning the barnacles on the underwater part of sparkly sand-castle.

They resurfaced with a gasp, "I think I have an idea. We go underwater knock the guards down and infiltrate the castle and steal her."

"That's a suicidal move." Zaren disagreed.

"We are on a suicide mission, remember?" Sheila reminded him of how much risky this mission of saving the world was, in the first place.

"God, I regret not bringing my dad with us," Kai shook his head sideways remembering his ugly eel- fin, "anyways, we don't have any other option. Uncle Jay, you stay here."

"Don't call me 'Uncle'," Jay hissed, "makes me feel old."

"Right. Zaren, Sheila and myself, we attack from all sides. Our aim is not to fight them, but escape from them. Remember that."

"Let's do this." Sheila curled her lips inside and nodded.

"You guys are different now. You look different, you sound and act verydifferent." Jay eyed Kai's claws in particular, as if they were some weird animals talking with each other.

Kai leapt forward, Zaren and Sheila closely followed him upto a distance and parted their ways stealthily as soon as they reached the castle.

Kai smothered a guard and knocked him down, he did the same for next couple of eel fish looking guards. One of them pounced at him, shaking his long and ugly fish tail to and fro. Kai's claws moved forward and opened the pincers in defensive position. Kai caught his tail and ripped it off ruthlessly, the blood seeped out in clouds around him. He fought and disembowelled another guard's abdomen, a look of determination plastered on his freckled face.

'I'm done.' Sheila communicated telepathically with Kai, 'meet you on the other side.'

'Me too.' Zaren and Kai's thoughts echoed into each other, as if their minds were connected together in a single knot.

They passionately hugged each other after reaching the desired destination.

"Now, how to reach up there?" Zaren pointed his spear towards the sandy tower shimmering in the sun rays.

Kai sucked in a long breath. "I can do that, I am the best candidate. My claws." Saying that he brought his clunking claws forwards. "You guys safeguard this zone."

"Okay." Zaren nodded and gave him a brotherly fist bump.

Sheila hugged him quickly and ushered him, "go."

Kai nodded and back flipped into the water, he cautiously tested the wall by sticking his claws into the sandy wall like a dagger. It was strong, but it also cracked and crumbled at parts. Satisfied with the result, he started climbing on the wall, alternating his claws to grip himself on the tower.

After a painful hour of clawing himself up, he catapulted himself onto a window sill. Before venturing into the sprite of the tower, he looked down to check on others.

He was in a tower that almost appeared to touch the clouds, he instantly flinched back to hold his crumbling courage together. He tapped on the glass window to check the strength; with a third tap, the glass shattered into pieces. He carefully crawled inside.

There were many cellars and cages along the way, some empty and some with people- shackled, malnourished, dirty and smelly. He searched for a cage that contained a seagull and there it was at the top of a cellar.

He crawled towards it and a mermaid with diseased scales and rotting fins dragged herself towards him, "shh.." he mouthed at her silently, "prophecy."

The diseased mermaid grinned baring her dark gums and retreated back into her cellar, raising her hands as if she was sending her blessings.

Once he reached the bird cage, he clunk opened the lock with as much less noise as possible. He then creak opened the door of it, his face cringing. The sea gull stepped out of the cage and perched on his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered into his ears.

Kai smiled at her and crawled out of the aisle, gaining stares from other prisoners. A sound of rhythmic steps coming from the other side of door made his heart skip a beat. He stashed himself between the cellars and tried to breathe in and breathe out to let the nervousness pass by.

He grabbed the bird in his hands and crawled towards the window like an insect. The sound of opening door, prompted him to jump out of the tower.

He screamed, all the way through his free-fall from the tower, till he broke the water surface with a loud thump and a big splash. "Let's go, let's go, let's go..."
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WC -2340