---Silves POV---
It had been a week since school started and the classes were amazing so far. We were still on introductions to being a Siren and why it is important. Magic training would start in two weeks. It was weird being the only boy in the class, but that was expected. Surprisingly only a couple of the girls had a problem with me. The rest of the class stood up for me, it made me smile.
A lot of this was a review for me because my mother had been teaching me since I was 8 and we learned I was a Siren. She wanted to make sure that I would be able to protect myself, but that I would also have an easier time. To show that I deserved to be here. The love I felt when she was teaching me was almost palpable.
It was only the history and a couple magic spells she taught me. I wasn’t old enough to learn the control for a lot of the magic. She had been worried teaching me the two spells that she did.
Even after a week, they had been unable to find a Triton for me to room with. They were starting to think they might just have to place me with anyone. Which worried me, if they placed me with someone who decided to bully me there would be nothing I could do. Since classes had finished for the week I had the rest of the day and weekend to relax. All the assignments were already finished.
Swimming through to the dorm to drop my stuff off then drifting silently through the commons. Most people ignored me, though there were some who gave mean looks. It was something I ignored. After the big fight on the first day, no one wanted to pick a fight. It wasn’t even so much they were worried about me, but a guardian had shown up.
The back of the campus was the end of the city. There you would be in the open ocean. There was a spell dome around the city that kept certain animals out. It also calmed the waters inside. There had been a few times that I had been able to swim outside of the city and it was much more fun than being in the city. It was easy to see why there were nomadic tribes of merfolk.
Crossing the border into the open ocean my speed increased. Slicing through the water, darting around obstacles. Out here was safe, no one to look down on me, no one to pick on me. Though I would have to be careful of some animals, even some other mer, out here. Focusing the way mother taught me, calling out to my magic.
The water around me froze turning into a block of ice. Focusing to maintain its shape and position ahead of me as I darted around the water. After a couple hours the sun was going to start setting soon. Finding an outcropping higher so the light was clearer, the block of ice started shifting shapes. I stretched it out to look like a sea snake. Then a puffer fish, some kelp, to resemble the coral I was sitting on.
My magic was draining under the strain, but my understanding of the spell was growing. It was getting easier to create and hold the ice. It was harder to use ice magic here than in the Arctic, but we were tropical merfolk here. I had been hoping to form a connection to plants or animals as my specialty. Ice was versatile and could be very strong, but it would require tons of practice before it would be easy to use here. Since it was a branch of water magic, it even had minor healing abilities.
Though I had a feeling that my secondary skill was in healing, because of being able to mimic my mother's skill, though not to her level of understanding. But she had many more years of practice than I did.
Hearing a sound and turning to see a shark swimming towards me. Throwing up a shield of Ice to protect me, but it broke through. My magic was too weak from being used for so many hours. Mother would be angry with me, for forgetting an important rule, you could leave school grounds but never leave alone. Especially if you are going to be practicing magic. By school rules, a Triton should have come with me for this excursion. There were none that I talked to, though my brother and sister would have come with me.
Half of the Siren first years would have probably come with me as well, but they already thought my understanding of the sirens was weird. At least until I told them my mother was one, and a powerful healer. Already knowing my primary skill and even having a hint at my secondary one, would probably intimidate them.
I was getting ready to punch the shark in the face and hope it left when a spear flew through the air and slammed into the shark. Piercing through its side, it wasn’t a fatal hit, but the shark was not interested in me anymore.
Turning to see Echo swimming towards me, he had made that shot from quite a distance. It was impressive, and seeing him swim towards me brought a smile to my face. Something about him seemed different than others, Which left me feeling more comfortable around him.
“Silves, are you okay? What are you doing out here alone?” He asked dodging as the shark rushed him, pulling out his spear as the shark swam by.
“Be careful,” I called back.
“It’s just a shark, my father used to train me against them. Then my uncle showed me how after he left. You didn’t answer my question though, why are you out here alone.”
“I didn’t want to bother anyone, and I like being alone. Being around people makes me nervous. Watch out!” I yelled.
“Don’t worry about me, but stop screaming silly. You’ll attract more of them.”
Nodding and covering my mouth, watching as Echo battled the shark for a few more minutes before the shark decided to swim away. I felt bad for it, other sharks were probably going to kill it because of the blood from its wounds. Echo swam up to me and grabbed me by the arm.
“Come on, we have to leave, the scent of blood will attract other predators.” Echo said pulling me after him.
Siming behind Echo cause me to realize that other than my family he was the first person to touch me and it didn’t scare me. I looked where he was still holding me at my wrist as we swam. The spear in his other hand and I smiled, he had saved me. Even though he didn’t half to.
“Why did you help me? Anyone else would have let me get eaten for my foolishness. And back on the first day, you tried to help me too. You don’t think I’m a freak?”
Echo stopped swimming and turned to look at me. “I hate to see people getting picked on, especially for something they cannot control. My father was labeled a traitor, and now everyone treats me like I am as well. Even though I haven’t done anything wrong. You were born with a gift, so what if you’re a male Siren. It's not like it is something you can control.”
My face was red, “Oh…”
“You get bullied a lot don’t you?”
“Yeah, I used to be happy and loud like the other kids, but when I learned I was a Siren, they stopped playing with me. Then they started picking on me, my babysitter tried to kill me when I was 9 because of it. So now I’m nervous around people. You’re actually the first person who isn’t family to touch me and not have me freak out.” as I said this he looked down at where he was still holding onto me and he released my arm.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t even think that you might not like others touching you.”
“Its okay, there is something different about you, so it doesn’t scare me when you touch me. I’m not afraid you will attack me, for some reason.”
“Well that's because I won’t, well unless you attack me first or we are training or something.” he started rambling his cheeks turning a little red.
We were still swimming in the ocean, but we were not heading towards campus.
“Echo, where are we going?”
"There is a cave over here where we will be safe for the night. I’ve been using it for years. Father and I found it when I was younger. I connects to the island near us.”
Following after him, I soon saw the ground start moving up higher and higher. This was the closest to the surface I had ever been. As I started to get nervous a cave came into view and Echo swam into it. Following after him, we swam through a dimly lit tunnel, it was a good thing we could see well in the dark.
It took about five minutes to swim through the tunnel. When we emerged on the other side it opened into a large area. It was even well lit, it was beautiful.
“This isn’t even the best part of the cave.” Echo said, which confused me.
Looking around trying to see if there was another area that would lead to somewhere else. Knowing that Echo was watching me. Finally, I looked up, it was the only other place I could think of. I knew the water here was only a couple hundred feet deep, but the rock walls went all the way to the top of the waterline. There was sand on the bottom of the floor and that was good enough for me, but Echo gave me a smile and started to swim up. It almost seemed as if he was daring me to follow him.
Taking a deep breath I followed him, As I broke the surface for the first time, the light blinded me for a second. Looking around there was a hole in the ceiling that was allowing light into the cave. There were plants growing along the walls on the side away from the hole there was a sandy area and further down an area where there was shallow water but it was on stone.
“You can get out of the water for a bit here, or chose the area with water, but it’s to shallow for predators, so this place is pretty safe.”
“It’s so pretty,” my voice was quiet, but still seemed to echo around the cave.
I had never seen anything like this. There were tons of amazing and beautiful places underwater. This was a beauty I hadn't seen before. Following after Echo, and pulling myself up onto the sand looking around. Watching as the webbing between my fingers disappeared.
“You think this is pretty, just wait until after the sun sets. You’ve never been to the surface before right?”
“Right, but I know about stars.”
“Seeing a painting and seeing them in person is different.” Echo said laying back on the sand. “Let's rest here for a bit and we can take a look around the island later and find a good spot to look at the sky.”
“Okay, will we get in trouble for being away from school for so long?”
“Not as long as we are back by Monday. If you were out alone then probably, but with two of us we should be fine.” Echo said smiling at me.
Laying back like Echo, trying to relax. This was actually pretty nice, it was nice to get away from people who judge me unfairly. Here though surrounded by this beauty there wasn’t much that I felt worried about. My magic was recovering and Echo was a strong Triton, maybe not as strong as my brother.
I sat up really quick, my face must have given away my panic.
“Silves, What's wrong?” Echo asked sitting up, placing a hand on my back.
“I never told my brother or sister where I was going. They are going to be worried sick.”
“I saw your brother on my way after you, and let him know we were heading out to train. I had originally been looking for you because they asked if I minded if you became my roommate. I told them it was fine with me because the Triton I am with now is a real pain. Not that that’s the only reason I said yes,” he finished quickly.
Smiling, “Thank you, for everything today, it’s been amazing.”
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