“Oh yes!” replied Brine. Trace swims back nervously.

“You’re not just some citizen?!” asked Trace. “I can’t be going to see royalty wearing these casual clothes! I need to get more presentable!” Brine laughed at the frantic Trace.

“I’m but a bored guard who was on a patrol of the Great Oasis as I always have been, but today I came upon our first human visitors in years. Of course I’m going to introduce you to the royal family”, said Brine. Zed looked at Brine with excitement, Trace stilled worried, and Psy remained as uncaring as he always does. The group swims over a wall surrounding the beautiful ivory castle. Over the gate revealed a stunning courtyard decorated by fancy coral shrubbery, tended by merpeople servants. The tall ivory castle appeared almost shining up close, covered in various colored seashells and windows. Brine leads the trio straight through the large ivory front door, Trace looking more nervous than ever. The group find themselves in the middle of a throne room and at the end sat three important looking figures. Brine kneels to the figures. “Good evening your majesty. I have something to report, but I’m sure you can see that yourself already.”

The middle figure stands up from his large throne. The man was tall, easily taller than six foot, and was a wide and muscular merman. Instead of a kelp toga like much of the merpeople wore, he was wearing an open red kelp robe, accompanied by red kelp pants. His face showed very little age but you could tell this man has lived a longer life. He had dark blue lightning bolt like patterns going down both sides of his chest. His chest and fingers were decorated by gold jewelry and gems, and atop his head was a golden, coral like crown. “I see you have brought us some guests!” the man bellowed while opening his arms. “Allow me to introduce myself! I am King Mahail, king of Oahantis! To my right you will see my beautiful wife, Queen Athena! And to my left would be our lovely daughter, Princess Kali!”

To King Mahail’s left sat Queen Athena, her hands rested in her lap daintily. She was slender and as tall as her husband. She was beautiful and had long purple hair that flowed from the bottom of her golden corral crown. Her face had four dark purple diamonds patterns underneath her eyes. She wore a dark purple kelp dress, and a light amount of jewelry dotted her neck and fingers. To the right of the King sat their daughter Kali. She was smaller than her mother and father, and had long red flowing hair from a smaller golden crown. She was as slender as her mother and wore a long light blue dress. Also like her mother her body pattern was underneath her eyes, but instead of diamonds four light purple circles decorated her face. Athena and Kali rise from their seats and curtsy to their new guests. “Welcome to Oahantis”, the mother and daughter spoke in unison.

“O-oh! No! Thank you for having us”, Trace stuttered as she attempted to curtsy back. Zed and Psy look at each other shrug, not seeing the significance in meeting royalty. Trace shoots up and grabs each of the boys’ heads, forcing them to bow with her.

“Th-thank you for having us”, Zed and Psy stuttered in unison.

“You may rise our humble guests”, said King Mahail. The three rose their heads, Zed and Psy looking annoyed at Trace. “We have not had human visitors in years! You people start hating on us merpeople?” the king joked.

“No! No!” responded Trace waving her hands. “I mean, we’ve never seen merpeople before but we had each stayed in our respective homes all our lives. If other people have stopped visiting you it might have something to do with Cyber Tech.” King Mahail looked at Trace puzzled.

“What is this… ‘Cyber Tech’?” asked King Mahail. Trace looks at the king surprised, but both Zed and Psy shake their heads in agreement because they had only just recently learned of Cyber Tech’s existence as well. Trace explains the situation of Unitia currently to the king, the royal family as well as Brine follow along nodding their heads. “So this Cyber Tech has been forcibly taking all of the continent’s human technology? Well that explains why we don’t see any of our human friends anymore, and also why we don’t see any of this Cyber Tech’s presence.”

“I would think that tyrant would attack such a wondrous place such as your kingdom. I wonder why he hasn’t?” questioned Zed.

“If what your blonde compatriot is saying is true, he’d have no interest in our kingdom”, responded Brine. “Not only is Oahantis hidden away in a lake in the middle of a vast wasteland, but we have no technology to speak of. In fact while on patrol, we guards have seen what you have described as robotic soldiers walk on by. Good to finally know what those clanky things were.”

“Yes, thankyou Brine for your inquiry”, said King Mahail. “Honey, would you like to tell our guests about how things are done here?” King Mahail gestures to his wife Athena to speak.

“Certainly dear”, Athena said in a soft voice. “Oahantis has no technology because we use magic and nature in our everyday lives. To the street lamps, to our kelp farms, everything you find in Oahantis is completely natural.”

“Magic, huh”, said Zed. “I’m not so good at the stuff, but my brother sure is. Right, Psy?”

“Meh…” Psy mumbled.

“Oh we are well aware of that. Aren’t we Princess Kali?” a new merman entered the throne room from a doorway. His face was thin and atop his bald head was a long fin. He face was decorated by a pattern of three golden streaks going down each of his cheeks. Three more golden streaks accompanied each of his forearms. He wore a red kelp toga, each shoulder strap was buttoned by a sand dollar. He stared at the group with stern intent and his arms are crossed.

“I don’t think this dude likes us very much”, whispered Zed to his brother.

“Seraphim!” said King Mahail. “You’ve come just in time to meet our guests. Humans, this is the royal advisor, Seraphim”

“I was aware of their presence the moment they came over the castle walls”, said Seraphim. “And I’m sure you’re aware of it as well Princess Kali. Your perception is even stronger than my own.” Seraphim turns his attention toward Princess Kali.

“What does he mean by this daughter?” asked Queen Athena. Princess Kali closes her eyes and begins to speak.

“The pale one”, she said. “His aura… it has an ominous tone to it… almost negative.” The queen, king and Brine all flinch upon hearing this.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” said Zed. “Why is this such a problem now? My brother’s always been a negative kind of guy… emotionally. But it’s not like he ever hurt nobody!” Zed confidently puts one arm around his brother.

“Brine! What do you have to say for yourself bringing such a malicious aura into Oahantis, much more the throne room of the castle!?” said Seraphim, still looking as stern as ever.

“M-my apologies advisor!” responded Brine. “I felt no harm coming from the humans so I thought bringing them down here could be the first positive interaction in years! I knew the pale one must’ve had a strong affinity for magic judging by the agape swarming around him, but I thought an animal would not want to get close to something that could hurt them. Please forgive me your majesty and your highnesses!” Brine bowed down to the royal family so much his head touched the floor.

“Of course you wouldn’t see anything”, said Princess Kali. “The merpeople race have always been very in tune with the magic of the natural world, some more than others. Unlike my mother and father, Seraphim and I could be considered some of the gifted few that have the ability to see that magical aura that all living things have around them. Though the pale one’s aura is strong and has a strange feel to it, the other two humans look remarkably average. They don’t appear to even have the magical ability of one of our children. If our loyal guard Brine believes no harm will come from them, I believe him and trust his judgement in wanting positive interaction with another race.” King Mahail regains his composure and clears his throat.

“Ahem!” King Mahail cleared his throat. “I agree whole heartedly. Now that that’s settled and you are so trusting of our guests, how about you show our guests around the courtyard and get them better acquainted with Oahantis my dear Kali?” Princess Kali curtsies to her father.

“It would be my pleasure father”, responded Kali.

“Tch!” snarked Seraphim as he leaves the room.

“Now then”, said Princess Kali. “Would you three care to join me in the courtyard?”

“We would be happy to”, responded Trace politely.

“Ya, sure. Sounds good as long as the fin head doesn’t join us”, said Zed. Trace glares at Zed, and Kali let’s out a soft chuckle. Brine stays behind in the throne room while Princess Kali leads the three into the courtyard. In the courtyard, the group is met by a group of mer-children being taught by an adult. Each mer-child has helix shells strapped to their limbs that shoot out jets of water. The children used these jets to clumsily dart back and forth in the water.

“What’s going on over there?” asked Zed.

“That would be a swim class”, answered Kali.

“Swim class?” questioned Zed. “Why would a mer-child need to learn how to swim? You guys live in the water. Shouldn’t you all just know how to swim?”

“Zed!” exclaimed Trace. “Don’t be rude to royalty! I’m sure the merpeople are adept swimmers naturally.” Princess Kali chuckles.

“Oh now that we’re out of the throne room and away from my parents, please feel free to treat me as you would any other person,” said Kali. “It can be so tiring to be so formal all the time…”

“Tell me about it!” Trace said excitedly. “Always having to walk around in tight dresses and walk all proper.” Kali smiles big and grabs Trace’s hands.

“And having to always use a polite tone of voice all the time!” Kali said excitedly to Trace. “I just want to be able to say whatever I want all the time, you know!?”

“You really get me!” said Trace. Trace and Kali grin big smiles at each other, signaling a close ‘rich girl got problems’ bond between the two.

“Ahem,” Zed cleared his throat.

“Hm?” Kali looked up at Zed. “Oh! The swimming thing! To a human, your point of view would be the correct way of thinking. But merpeople don’t really swim in the water but much more glide through it.” Zed, Trace and Psy look at Kali confused.

“What’s the difference?” asked Zed.

“Look at the children,” answered Kali. “They’re not kicking their legs, or using their hands to stroke. They’re letting the proothisi helix shells do all the work with their water propulsion jets. Merpeople have a natural affinity for magic, especially the magic that is always present in nature. Water is almost like a conductor for magic, always surrounding you and heightening one’s magic presence. Merpeople use this surrounding magic to glide right through water like an arrow fired from a bow. It helps us conserve our physical energy. Mer-children are not so used to doing this, so it’s easier to teach them the feel of piercing through the water with the aid of tools.” Zed looks at Kali with excitement.

“So what you’re saying is, I can jet around the water too if I tie some of those proothisi to me, right? Right?” asked Zed excitedly. Kali looked at Zed with a disappointing smile.

“I’m sorry,” said Kali. “But for the proothisi’s propulsion to work it needs to be tied to a body that has magic to feed it, and I’m afraid you just don’t have the affinity for them.”

“Oh…” a disappointed Zed responded.

“It’ll be night soon”, said Kali. “How about I show you three to the guest chambers of the castle?”

“We would be honored Pri- I mean Kali”, responded Trace with a smile. Kali smiles back as she leads the group back into the castle. Zed kicks at a shell, still disappointed that he didn’t get to try the proothisi. In the castle the group pass by a room housing a golden trident, the middle of the pitched crown is decorated by a large red jewel, on display in an indented part of the wall.

“What’s the deal with the golden fork?” asked Zed.

“That’s a trident, dumbass,” answered Trace wittingly.

“Excuse me for being the kid raised in an abandoned town half his life to not know what a trident is!” Zed retorted. Zed and Trace stare angrily toward each other.

“Settle down you two,” said Kali. “That’s actually the Trident of Pelagia. He was known as the hero of Oahantis and using the trident he saved the kingdom from certain destruction back when we were still part of an ocean.”

“How did he do that?” asked Zed.

“I’m afraid the answer to that question has long been lost to history”, answered Kali. “But even now the trident’s magnificent aura can be seen by the gifted.” Kali continued down the hallway with the group until reaching the guest chambers. “Here you all are, please get well rested and I shall greet you in the morning for breakfast.”

“Thank you very much Kali”, said Trace. Zed and Psy had already entered the room, attempting to lay on the beds while still underwater proofing to be difficult. Kali begins to float away from her new friends.

“Oh!” Kali said, turning around. “I almost forgot. You humans need to breathe air, so you’ll be needing more of these.” Kali hands Trace six, slimy green aeras slugs. “Don’t forget to eat up before bed so you don’t drown!”

“Th-thanks”, said a quickly turning green and reluctant Trace. Kali gave the three one last smile before scurrying off. Trace looked down at the squirming lifesavers, turns to go inside the guest chambers and closes the scallop shell shaped door.

“You bring us dinner, Trace?” Zed’s voice could be heard from the other side of the door.

“Shut up and eat one!” Trace’s voice yelled in response. Around the corner in an adjacent hallway, Seraphim leaned against the wall, arms crossed as his eyes looked to the side closest to the guest chamber where our heroes’ voices could be heard.