I swam countless leagues, guided only by tales and legends. Until, on the sixth night, I finally found myself before a majestic palace made of massive, jagged stones. It was dark as the night and chilling as the abyssal waters. To the untrained eye, there would be no palace at all, merely a natural rock formation. But that is because magic only reveals itself to the right person at the right moment. That was how I knew I had to go on.

I ventured inside with caution. Suddenly, lights flared all around me, revealing the grand ancestral palace. I was in the main hall. Intricately carved columns upheld a lofty ceiling. Torches lined the dark rock walls, their magic flames burned under the water. 

A shiver ran through me; I had the eerie sensation that I had been here before.

I knew the sirens would soon appear before me. Nervous, I considered how best to gain their favor. 

The waters began swirling, and an enchanting melody reached my ears. In the distance, sweet laughter—gradually turning malicious—drew closer.

At last, I saw them. As beautiful as the stories describe them: their voices and laughter seemed to dance through the space, their long, vibrantly colored hair adorning their bare torsos, their skin was as pink as that of humans, their fins shimmering with the iridescent hues of the sea, and their faces... Oh! Their faces were as radiant as the stars. But their eyes were terrible, like whirlpools that threatened to pull in my very soul. I held my head up, my expression unwavering, though inside I felt I was crumbling.

Queen Xenea sat upon her magnificent throne made of mother-of-pearl. She was the queen of all sirens—her beauty indescribable, her power immeasurable. A legendary figure, known and revered across the seas. Her hair was green as seaweed and a crown adorned with shells and precious pearls rested upon her forehead. As she beheld me, a sarcastic smile curled her lips. Fake tenderness. She was not to trust.

I offered a deep bow while the other sirens laughed and whispered among themselves.

With a single motion of her hand, Xenea silenced them.

"Ladies, please, quiet. Today, we have a most important guest," she said, her tone laced with amusement. "Our dear prince, Erunestian!" 

The sirens squealed in delight. 

"To what do we owe the honor of your visit?"

"If Your Highness, in all your grace, lets me, I have come to ask for a great favor," I said, maintaining my firm posture.

"The very prince of Erymannen has come to my home to ask me for a favor. I am honored," she said, delicately placing a hand upon her chest. "And what might we do for you?"

"Fair ladies of the water, you know my people well. The good folk of the sea, who love and respect your waters."

"The good folk of the sea... how could we not?" Xenea mused, as the sirens giggled coyly. "They never fail to deliver their offerings. And yet, they fear us so! If only we could be better friends." 

They burst out in mocking laughter.

"Your Majesty! My people suffer!" I exclaimed, indignant. "My greatest wish is to end that suffering—to quell their hunger, to stop their mourning."

Queen Xenea grew serious. The other sirens whispered in astonishment.

"Dear prince, have you come to ask us to save the people of the sea? We cannot interfere with the fate of mortals, nor do we possess enough power to—"

"I know that law!" I interrupted. "I know that law... But as a mortal, I can interfere with my own fate. At the very least, I can try to change the fate of those who depend on me." The queen fell silent, looking at me with concern. I continued, "It is the men of the land and their ignorance of our existence that cause us the greatest harm." 

The sirens did not speak, for they, too, suffered from the ignorance of humans.

There was a time when men feared and respected them. But now, they believe in nothing, sinking ever deeper into their own reality, oblivious to the presence of others and the destruction they cause. The spirits of nature grow weaker as their homes vanish—so much so that many either perish or abandon this world for a realm where mortals can no longer disturb them.

"What do you wish for me to do?" Xenea sighed.

"Give me a human form."

"What? He has lost his mind! That is impossible!" The sirens gasped in shock, but the queen merely regarded me with surprise.

"That is my request. Humans would never listen to me in this form. I cannot appear before them like this. But if I were one of them, at least I would not be killed on sight."

"Erunestian, you have no idea what humans are like," she said, pausing. "There is something I want you to know." The hall fell silent. "Years ago, a great king came before me, grief-stricken by the death of his wife, and cradling his newborn son in his arms. Though it was forbidden for him to speak with us, he sought help, desperate to secure the prince's fate. The king wanted his son to live a long life, to be a worthy heir. For the child was small and frail, and some believed he would not survive to adulthood. The oracle told the king that when the prince grew up, he would come to love humanity and leave the sea, yet he would never get to see the land. Terrified, the king begged for our protection over his son. In return, he paid a high price, and vowed to make a great offering to us every year on the prince's birthday."

She came closer to me.

"That king... was my father..." I whispered.

"Erunestian, when you were born, your father broke a sacred law of the sea folk just to ensure your survival. You are a treasure of the ocean. We have protected you always."

"Every year, we offer the spirits of the sea the finest fish, coral, and pearls. Supposedly, to earn their favor, to ensure they let us swim safely in their waters," I said. "But in truth, my father has been repaying the favor you granted him—to guarantee Erymannen a prosperous future. For if I survive and inherit his throne, that future is assured."

"Fate is stronger than the deal your father made. I could deny you my magic, but that would not stop you. Even so, I ask you: Do you truly wish to take on a human body and leave the sea behind?"

She was imposing, towering over me with an overwhelming gaze. But I did not waver. I met her eyes and nodded.

That wicked smile returned to her lips. In a powerful voice, she declared:

"Erunestian Máfortion! Prince of Erymannen! I was tasked with guarding your fate. If this is your destiny, then I have no choice but to grant your request. The favor you ask is immense, and though I, your humble servant, have the power to grant it," she said, mockingly, "it is impossible unless you offer something in return."

Any deal made with those creatures is never free. And even if it seems fair, they always come out winning.

"Your Majesty can see that I bring no riches with me. What could I possibly offer you in return?"

"We sirens enjoy amusing ourselves with the suffering of certain mortals. Some time ago, we even used to kidnap and torture men," she said with a laugh. "But with you, things will be different."

She placed her hand on my shoulder and, leaning in, whispered:

"Look, I can't just give you a new body for nothing. It's only logical that you should lose something in return."

She gently grasped my chin and began examining my face. With a delicate motion of her hand, she addressed the other sirens:

"Ladies... I see here a pair of magnificent jewels. Would you care to take these eyes of lapis lazuli as payment for transferring his soul to another body?"

The sirens, astonished and flirtatious, approached slowly, enthralled. I heard their whispers:

"His eyes," "His eyes," "Erymannen's eyes."

My heart pounded. Did the sirens want to take my eyes?

"My... eyes?" I stammered. "I can't give them to you."

"Can you offer me something else in return?" Xenea asked. "Your immense blue eyes reflect the wildness of the sea! They reflect your rebellious soul. They reflect all the pain you have seen and all the pain you are yet to see. They are among the most magnificent gems I have ever seen on in my entire existence. I will place them on my crown! Give me your eyes, and you won't have to witness the horrors of the world. You won't be distracted by false beauty and will focus solely on your mission. Give me your eyes, and I shall grant you a beautiful body, one worthy of Your Highness."

I was horrified, trembling uncontrollably.

"But... how will I go through the world if I cannot see?" 

"Erunestian, you are under my protection. I will not allow harm to come to you. I will personally summon all the spirits of nature to guide your path."

"There must be another way!" 

Xenea glanced at the other sirens. They were obsessed with obtaining my eyes. Their beautiful faces were now twisted into demented, murderous expressions. I realized I was trapped—they would take them either way.

"I could bring you hundreds, thousands of precious stones like the ones you desire, and I will pay you later!... But I cannot give you my eyes!" I tried to negotiate one last time.

Xenea responded impatiently:

"Do you think what you are asking for is simple? That it is cheap? Transferring a soul into another body requires incalculable energy. If the gods do not allow it, I cannot do anything. I will even have to call upon the Moon for assistance! And you want to pay me with stones? Don't make me laugh!"

She went towards her throne and leaned against it elegantly.

"I will only perform this exchange if you give me your eyes. That is my final word."

I couldn't believe it. How was I supposed to pay such a price? I had swum so far and broken the laws, only to find that I couldn't afford the spell. I would have to go through life blind—and for what? I thought... for what? Was I really exchanging my eyes for a body?

No... I was exchanging them for the salvation of my people.

A pair of eyes, for hundreds of lives...

"Fine, I'll do it..." I said. "I will give you my eyes... for the salvation of my people, I'll do whatever it takes."

That hateful smile returned to her face. And then, she burst into wicked laughter, joined by the other sirens who had surrounded me, gripping me with their cold claws. My heart pounded with terror.

"Come forth, ladies of the water!" Xenea sang, rising from her throne with supernatural grace. "Dance beneath the powerful light of the full moon that grants us magic! Enchant the wind and the water with your songs!"

The sirens danced around me, and with their exquisite voices in chorus, they wove spells into their chants:

The sirens stirred the waters around me. I was surrounded by so many sounds and colors that my mind could no longer grasp what was happening. But suddenly, everything fell silent.

The sirens looked upward, arms outstretched in silence. 

The queen, before me, was lifting her face toward the heavens. Her terrible gaze fell upon me. Her face bore a lustful smile, and her gleaming eyes looked as large as the moon.

My scream was drowned under the water as an excruciating pain overtook my entire body. I felt as if my skin was being peeled away from my flesh. Ifelt as if I was being split in two by a burning blade. My insides were being twisted, and my heart was shrinking. My strong lungs, capable of withstanding immense pressure and hours underwater, suddenly became weak human lungs.

I was drowning.

The ineffable torture lasted an eternity.

I still had my eyes then, and though my vision was blurred and spinning, I could make out what was happening. My skin was now pink, my tail was gone. In its place, I had feet, and small hands.

I exhaled my last breath of air struggling to remain calm. I knew that if I panicked, I would drown even faster.

Xenea delivered her final warning:

"Do not return to the sea before you have fulfilled the mission you set for yourself. If you return before achieving anything, you will never have your body back, and you will die like any other miserable human... Now, I shall take your eyes, and you may leave."

The last thing I saw was her merciless face, her long fingers reaching toward my eyes.

She stroked my eyelids—

And all the lights went out.