---Echo's POV---
One month had passed, and in that time we had made it part of the way through our trip. As the days passed I started to miss home more and more each day. My mom was now all alone, and I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to her. And it was all because of others misjudgments.
I knew Silves and I would have to leave for the arctic someday. But I hoped not this soon or this fast. It was for our safety. My mom was already ostracized from society, this would make it even worse for her. My mom was a good Mer, she didn’t deserve any of this. My thoughts trailed to what Balth said about humans. My Brothers were taken by humans, I knew that. I also knew that they would never come back and the odds of them being alive were slim to none.
Tears welled in my eyes.
“Echo, are you okay?” Silves voice was soft almost comforting.
I sniffled, and quickly blinked them away. I was crying. I never cried. My father taught me that strong Mers never cried.
“Yeah” My voice hardened, trying to toughen myself up.
“We have stopped to eat and rest for a while. Maybe we can train some more.” His voice was still the same tone.
“Yeah” I was all I could say.
Training was different this time. Trying to maintain the constant temperature of the water around me, and fight Soaus at the same time was becoming more difficult. It was something I needed to learn and gain control of if I wanted to continue to be with Silves.
We had tried going the other route, getting me used to colder waters but it failed. I could only withstand temperatures down to 45 degrees before my body started to fail. The arctic waters could get anywhere from 35 to 28 degrees.
I wasn't sure if Saous could survive in those waters. It was clear that I couldn’t. Needing to constantly control the waters temperature had to become as easy and effortless as swimming. If I was to survive.
“Why don’t we rest for a while?” Saous put her trident back in her ring.
Silves was sitting on a rock, and reading. A piece of kelp was hanging from his mouth as he studied. Sitting next to him, I took a piece and started to place it in my mouth.
A scent reached my nose, and I sniffed the water. There was a school of fish nearby, and one of them was injured. The scent of blood peaked my interest. I darted from my spot next to Silves, chasing after the injured one. Catching it, I swam back to Silves, holding it in my mouth. Silves stared at me like it made him uneasy. He had gotten used to me eating fish somewhat.
I nibbled on the fish, before swallowing it whole.
“What? I there something on my face?”
Silves was still staring at me.
“No, your eyes,”
“What about them?”
“I have never seen your eyes change color before, they are black.” The way silves said it made it sound he was scared of me.
“I’m sorry” I looked away.
Saous, who was standing guard while she ate, swam over to us quickly.
“There are a couple of Great Whites in the area, It would be best if we moved on.”
Silves packed the book back into his bracelet. We made our way to leave, but not before the Sharks Saous had mentioned came into view. They spotted us, and came in charging. Everything in me wanted to turn and fight them off, but we all knew that was a bad idea. Especially with two of them chasing after us.
We swam as fast as we could, trying to get away from them. The sharks would just not let up. One of them almost got Silves, I turned and smacked them in the face with my trident, hoping it would slow them down. Which it did, and we were able to outrun them.
“That was close.”
Our pace slowed, but not enough to let the sharks catch up to us again.
We found a cave just up ahead, it was rather large at the opening. The cave turned small for a few feet then opened back up into a larger dome shape. Slives, Saous and I were exhausted.
“What was with those sharks?”
“I don’t know”
Our conversation was cut off.
“My, My what do we have here?” A voice resonated throughout the cavern. As I looked around to see where it was coming from I thought I saw a pair of maroonish-purples eyes staring at us from the cavern walls.
I was in front of Silves with my trident at the ready, just in case something were to happen. Saous was in front of me trying to protect us both.
“There is no need for such hostilities”
“Then show yourself.” Saous’ words were firm and direct.
A part of the cave wall started to move then detach itself. The redish-purple eyes came floating right in front of us. A figure formed, losing its camouflage.
They were tall. Unlike a tail, their lower half was comprised of 8 tentacles. No hair graced the top of their head.
“Cecealia” Saous breathed out.
Whether this meeting was a good or bad one, I wasn't sure. Saous seemed a little on edge. Silves hid behind me, his hand grasped on to my dorcel fin and the other touched my back.
“It has been a long time since I had any visitors.”
“What are you called?” I asked intrigued. I hadn’t seen any mers like this before.
“I’m De-es, a Cecealia of the northern seas. My kind has relations to the octopuss.”
Silves peeked his head out from behind my shoulder to get a look at them.
De-es swam a circle around the room. Before they stopped next to us.
“A female of the trident order, A volcanic Sharkmer, and a male siren, ” A tentacle wrapped around Silves and De-es’ eyes lit up. The very action made me uneasy. “But your not just a siren, I sense great power within you.”
A tentacle came up it wrap around me as well. I lunged my trident in De-es’ direction. Both tentacles receded and De-es swam around the room again.
“My kind spoke of this day. The day of the Oracles return.”
“How do you know about The Oracle?” I was calm but still on guard. Saous was as well.
“My Kind, the Cecealia, have been watching the fate of the world for millennia. We feed off the magical energy of the universe. Gaining and collecting knowledge throughout the world. As time went by and the magic lessened, my kind began to die out. The crack of the world stone has affected the fate of many species in land, sea and air. I too, I will someday join their fate. But for now I am the only one remaining who still knows of the Oracles existence.”
“If you guys knew this was going to happen why didn’t you stop it?”
“We were only meant to observe, after the lessening of magic, only then did my kind turn dark. Mettling with the affairs of others, using dark and twisted magics to try turning around the fate of the world. The countless lives of the merfolk and others who have had their lives and magics stripped away due to the corruption of my kind is very great. I too, sometimes feel the call, the need to do the same. But never act on such temptations.”
“I’m sorry for what happened,” Silves moved from behind me. His grip on my tail subsided, but his arm came to intertwine with mine. He held on to me.
“Do not be, it is not your fault,” De-es bowed. “It is, you here now, that gives me cause for great hope, Oracle. Though I may not live to see the fruition of your deeds. I hope they lead the world into a better place. Your journey to the arctic is long, and your journey to revive the world stone is longer still. You may rest here for as long as you need.”
De-es circled the room, spraying ink as they went. It clouded the area, separating Silves and Saous from me.
“Young one, Echo, The power in your blood has the capability of tearing all that you worked for asunder. The Oracle, who will need your power, has yet to sense its awakening. Steer your feelings and your actions. The Oracle must not be lead astray. The very fate of realms depends on it.”
De-es was out of view before the ink cloud dissipated. Saous came charging in with her spear. I dodged out of the way. De-es was gone, nowhere to be seen.
Three indents in the cavern wall, gave us some indication that us ending up here was no accident. They were the perfect size for us to sleep in. The hole I ended up settling into, looked like it could both fit me and Silves.
“Echo, Do you mind if I sleep with you?” His words were shy, and he wouldn’t look at me.
“No”
He climbed in with me, placing his head on my chest.
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