Iliana wanted to stay and argue that there had to be another solution, but Callias pointed out that if she stayed away for too long the sirens would come looking for her.

"Searching for a secondary solution is wise, but it will do you no good if they find him now," Callias explained.

She frowned, but knew he was right. "How do you leave here?"

The shallow pool flashed through her mind. Callias pursed his lips, no doubt thinking of the same problem. Then, he gave her that studious look he'd been shooting her since her arrival.

"What?" Iliana demanded.

"He is probably wondering whether it is possible for you to leave without injury," Melitta said, her attention focused on replacing the bandage around Kain's arm. "There are two ways out. Jump the waterfall, or swim the tunnels. The trouble is that you cannot breathe underwater. There is every chance you would drown."

She couldn't save Kain if she was dead.

"I could break my neck going down that waterfall," Iliana pointed out.

"We'll swim the tunnels," Callias decided. Iliana shot him a skeptical expression. How was that better than breaking her neck? "It is the only way."

"And the drowning issue?" Iliana challenged.

"I'll pull you along," he replied, shrugging. "Don't breathe and we'll be fine."

Her earlier irritation returned. He made it sound so easy, as if breathing was an option rather than a requirement to live. Still, when compared to a ten foot drop, almost-drowning sounded pleasant.

"Okay," Iliana agreed.

Callias pushed away from the wall, a frown on his lips. Does he ever smile? She wondered. He looked to the back of the cave and surprise flickered through her. A faint flush had creeped up to the tips of Callias's ears. Was he embarrassed?

"Face the front, then," he said.

Iliana cocked a brow. "Why?"

He seemed to hesitate, prompting a series of giggles from Melitta. Callias shot her a scowl, his entire frame going tense.

"It's not funny."

"It is," Melitta retorted, only giggling more at the frustration that flooded his expression. "I can't believe that after a decade as a child of the sea, you still have such human hang-ups."

Callias's eyes reflected a dark warning. "You're wearing clothing."

Oh. So that's what this is about. Iliana thought, blushing despite herself.

Iliana'd once heard a rumor about the merpeople--a majority of them preferred to forgo any clothing. The topic had been mentioned by sailors at a tavern, who pointed out that fabric beneath the ocean would just get heavy and uncomfortable. Of course, they'd been more interested in the idea of what this meant in regards to mermaids, not their counterparts.

It would seem Callias was too embarrassed to strip in front of her.

"That's different," Melitta replied, a small smirk on her lips. "But, if it makes you more comfortable..."

She reached down to tug her dress up and Callias threw his hands in the air. "Stop!"

Both girls dissolved into laughter, Melitta's amusement dragging Iliana into the joke despite her embarrassment at the situation. It was such a strange feeling, she realized. The action seemed to loosen up something within her that had been coiled tight following the end of the Airlea. She felt so much... lighter, brighter even. I really needed that, she thought.

"I like her," Melitta got out as she ran a finger beneath her eyes, as if to collect unshed tears. "If this doesn't work, I say we keep her."

"Keep me?" Iliana echoed.

Melitta nodded. "Like a pet."

There were so many things wrong with that statement that Iliana didn't even know where to begin. Perhaps with Melitta's pleased tone--as if what she'd said was perfectly normal. Deciding that arguing that it wasn't might not work, she turned her attention back to Callias.

"So, how do we do this?" she asked.

He pointed to the front of the cave. "You, look out there--"

"Oh, come on. I'm sure it's not that bad," she teased with faux confidence. In reality, she had no intentions of watching him change.

Callias locked his jaw, dropped his arms to his sides, then raised them to cross once again. Clearly, she'd made him uncomfortable, something that prompted another round of giggles from Melitta.

"Good or bad has nothing to do with it. Just turn,' he grumbled. Iliana rolled her eyes, but complied. Instantly, she heard Callias moving towards the back. "I'll change, then go jump into that pool in the back. You'll drop in after me and we go from there."

"Yes, sir," Iliana quipped.

He snorted, but said nothing else. It only took a minute for the sound of him plunging into the pool could be heard. She instantly spun around, approaching the back of the cave with a curious gaze. Where the ground dropped away, so did the light. From where she stood, Iliana could make out the sight of shifting water at least ten, if not twenty feet below. She took careful note of the distance, reminding herself that she'd need to make it a straight drop, as if she were diving into the pool. That'd be the only way to avoid injuring herself when she hit the water.

"Callias?" she called.

The blond poked his head above the water, Iliana's eyes widened at the sight. His platinum locks were plastered to his face and the shimmering scales on his tail were visible, even with the water acting as a decent barrier. She couldn't make out any details beyond the coloring being a mixture of blues and greens.

"A pet," Melitta mused.

"Hm?"

"Oh, nothing," Melitta continued. "I just thought... perhaps pet is not the best role."

No kidding, Iliana thought, and she turned back, her eyes focusing on Kain. "I'll be back. How long do you think he'll be sleeping?"

Melitta dropped her gaze to the unconscious Kain as well, lips pursing thoughtfully.

"I am not certain," she admitted. "He has only woken for minutes at a time thus far, and has not been coherent. Perhaps... stop by tomorrow after dark? You will be able to stay longer, and my brother and I will have spent time in the sea. The call should not be as strong after a day, making the visit easier for us as well. I will have Callias wait for you outside of the village... say... midnight?"

Reading the night sky was a skill she held, so Iliana nodded agreement. Then, she turned her attention back to the drop-off. "Midnight."

That said, she took a large breath, pinched her nose, and leapt over the edge. She plunged deep into the water. It wasn't as chilly as she'd expected, perhaps because it was fed by the tropical waters. Still, she couldn't help the small shiver that wracked her form as she surfaced.

"Cold?" Callias questioned.

She shook her head, twisting about to face him. Despite the darkness, it was much easier to see his new features now that she was only a few feet away. The end of his blue-green tail was frilled, thick strings of color curling through the water. Scales swept from the tip of his tail, to just above his hips where the pattern seemed to fade his skin.

"It's fine. So, how long do I have to hold my breath, anyways?"

She probably should have asked that earlier. Callias knitted his brow, as if considering this, before giving a small shrug. "I wouldn't know."

"I... see."

He offered her his hand rather than comment on her obvious annoyance. She hesitated, then started to take it, before pausing as her attention focused on his arm. Curving off the back of it was a small, blue-green scaled fin. The tip of it was no thicker than her fingernail, the base of it about the size of her pinky. The fin started just past is elbow and extended to about three inches before his wrist. That's definitely not in the picture books, Iliana thought.

Pushing this thought aside, she clasped his hand. Instantly, Callias turned and pulled her towards the back of the pool. Her eyes settled on his back where yet another fin extended from his skin. This one started in the middle of the small of his back and extended up to a few inches beneath his shoulder blades. At its tallest, the fin reached around three inches away from his skin.

"Take a deep breath," Callias instructed. "The first tunnel will be the easiest. There is another pool not too far away. It's after that where you'll have trouble."

"Got it," Iliana muttered, before following his instructions.

He tugged her beneath the water and swam down to the tunnel opening. The speed of the action astonished her. Being pulled along by Callias felt like she was being shoved forward by some current. The moment they'd entered the tunnel, the little light surrounding them disappeared. It was followed by the sound of Callias humming under his breath. It struck her as strange given that he didn't seem like the singing sort, but given the circumstances she couldn't question it, only listen. Perhaps the noise had something to do with navigation, because he moved as if he knew each twist and turn despite everything around them being pitch-black.

Just as her lungs began to burn, the rocky tunnel released them into yet another large pool. Callias tugged her to the surface of the water. Unlike before, there was no light. So, she kept her hand in his as she drew in deep breaths.

"That was the easy part?" she joked.

"It was," he agreed. "The next is twice the length."

Iliana shuddered at the thought. Still, there was no use worrying about it. She'd already committed herself to the path. So, she drew in a few more deep breaths before focusing on where she could faintly make out his shape in the dark.

"I'm ready."

"If you're certain," Callias replied.

He tugged her towards the right, then warned her to take a deep breath. She did so, then braced herself as they dove back under the water. Once again the duo entered the twisting tunnels and Iliana quickly lost sense of which way was which. Like before, Callias moved as if he could see, neither of them scraping against a single rock. Before long, her lungs began to burn and she bit down on the tip of her tongue, urging herself to hold the breath in.

Just a bit further, Iliana encouraged herself. You can do it. Just a bit further.

Then, Callias suddenly jerked to a stop. His other arm shot out, grabbing her arm as he shoved her behind him. The humming stopped and Iliana's heart leapt into her throat.

What's going on? She wanted to ask.

Then, she saw it. Or rather, she felt it. A giant, dark mass passing through the tunnel next to her. A sea serpent? The thought filled her veins with ice. Being trapped in a narrow tunnel with a Nightmare was not how one stayed alive. Actually, it pretty much guaranteed death. They may have been among the weakest Nightmares, but given she was unarmed and unable to breathe, they may as well have been dragons. Her mind pulled up the mental image of the rows of razor sharp teeth that were no doubt ready to tear into the first bit of flesh it sensed.

She brought her empty hand up to cover her mouth, as if to physically hold back the breath threatening to tear itself free. The creature continued past, Callias turning so that he stayed between her and the monster. Then, just as she thought they'd escape it without trouble, something lunged through the dark. She instinctively cried out, water filling her mouth as she jerked back.

Callias released her and met the creature. She couldn't see what happened. Instead, she focused on clamping her mouth shut and shifting backwards as he released her hand. The fighter in her urged her to help him, but the smart part of her knew that she'd only be a liability if she joined him.

A few seconds past and she was about to join him-- liability be damned-- when a hand suddenly clasped her own again.

"Let's go."

The words seemed to vibrate through the water, filling her ears as clearly as the singing of a siren. She nodded, letting herself be tugged forward once again. He tore through the tunnel with a speed that rivaled what he'd used before. Just as her lungs' screams for air forced her mouth open despite Iliana's knowing better, light appeared in the distance. The duo sped towards it and burst out into the cove. In seconds Callias had her spread out in the shallows as Iliana coughed up the water she'd swallowed.

"What. Was. That?" Iliana gasped.

Callias released her hand, his attention dropping to a waterlogged gash on his left arm. He eyed it with distaste before dipping it into the water and rubbing at the blood.

"A sea serpent," he said, verifying Iliana's guess.

"And we got away?" she demanded.

Callias shrugged. "I gutted it." She stared and something about her dumbfounded expression prompted him to reach for her hand once again. "Here."

He clasped her hand, maneuvering it so she had one finger stuck out before touching the tip to the edge of one of the fins along his arms. Iliana's eyes flew wide open as she realized that the fin wasn't soft, despite all appearances. Rather, it was hard and razor sharp.

"You... gutted a serpent with your arm," she realized. Callias nodded. "That's..."

Before she could figure out what she wanted to say, Iliana picked up on the sound of Rhode's familiar, melodic voice calling her name. It sounded a decent distance off, but it was there nevertheless.

"I'll go," Callias said. "Better if you're not seen with me just yet. Not while I'm bleeding."

Then, without waiting for confirmation from Iliana, he shifted forward and dove towards where the sand dropped away. She watched as he disappeared from view within seconds.

"There you are!" Rhode called out. "I've been look-- by the gods, what did you do to your dress?!"