Chapter 1
RYN’S POVI don’t know what force led me outside the holy gates. The sea has been forbidden for years after the ancient curse was placed on our land. Some speak of it as an entity or a vengeful spirit determined to punish us for our sins, both known and unknown. Yet, no one among us has a clear understanding . only whispered tales and stories that passed down through generations prove our blood, and the water must never collide, lest we invite ruin unto ourselves.
For as long as I can remember, tales of our kingdom’s tragic encounters with the shoreline spoke of those who wandered close, only to be swallowed whole by the depths.
These narrative wove their way into childhood fables and sacred books. Once, while reading an old script, I stumbled upon a depection of a figure that would lay atop the water’s surface with the name Marinel a being that carried vengense, and to provoke it’s wrath would bring dire consequences.
i was at the edge of the shore, my body numb as i delve further into the water and no mater how hard i tried i couldn’t halt my step or feel any sensation in legs beyond the gratty sand and icy sea nor could i differentiate between reality and hallucination.
it read that Marinel never targeted those who remain on solid ground, nor has it ever lured in anyone who did not approach it . It is to only retaliate against those who show malice and did not atone for their past sins .
my bloodline traced back to the Ice Clan, and we were a lineage imbued with powers unmatched by any other. My father’s ascension to the thrown was a testament to our family’s formidable magic, a force so powerful that none could rival it. Thus, It couldn’t be an enchantment ,but i can’t explain why my limbs moved despite my constant refusal.
,the only insident that comes to my mind is the Enid fruit I ate earlier to quell my nerves, much to the dismay of my advisors. But, I had never heard of the fruit causing whispers of voices resonating within one’s mind. however, i was certain something about this feeling was different.
It was enchanting, persuasive, and almost deceitful; a perfect description for a siren, the fable created to dissuade children from wandering too close to ocean waters. Yet, a part of my mind still grappled with disbelief. After all, sirens are nothing more than folklore spun to keep children on dry land. Nothing of the sort should exist in our world.
Yet: If such creature harbored malicious intent agaised us , it was bound to unleash the tide against the heir to the throne. . .
I submerged into the waters, anticipating the discomfort and the pain that would follow it would unleash, yet it felt unexpectedly warm. The ocean wrapped around me gently as if it were cradling a child. In its embrace, it pulled me toward the figure I had been observing.
despite the dark, I tried to get a good look in hopes of determining its nature. Perhaps a crude creature adorned as sirens in the illustrations , but the reality was far of. The moonlight cast a subtle glow, revealed features that contradicted the grisly image I anticipated.
Long, jet-black hair draped over its shoulders, with eyes so profoundly blue that they appeared to be born from the depths of the ocean itself. Just then, my father’s words echoed in my mind: he often spoke of a beauty, so entrancing it could steal one’s very soul.
my hands reached out instinctively, untangling the intricate knots that bound the creature, letting it blue tail swinging languidly after being freed.
“Who are you?” it asked, with glistening eyes
, my voice caught in my throat, and each limb of mine was still paralyzed. My gaze was locked onto those captivating blues, the mere effort required to shift my focus was immense, and my body seemed to resist my will.
This mystical being in front of me, could it be the entity protecting the ocean? my brain spun in circles, but it all led to nothing and only left those deep blue eyes embedded in the back of my mind before everything went dark.
When light finally returned, I jolted awake, finding my self standing sword in hand . The voice of someone unfamiliar pierced my reminiscing. “In what manner does his Highness wish to respond?”
i took in my surroundings; hit box targets and ice shards spells. This was the royal practice room, but I didn’t understand how i ended up in here. Light creeped out from the curtains, illuminating the icicles of my sword. I felt an uncomfortable sensation that forced me to take off my gloves. I looked down on my hand only to see a flaky layer of the salted waters causing my skin to irritate “Xod, what day is it?” I asked.
“It’s the 8th of the 2nd, your highness,” he answered, meaning it was indeed the next day. could it have all been a dream? Perhaps a prophetic vision sent for me to interpret? But the certainty of its reality left no room for doubt, especially when the evidence lay apparent on my skin. I should discuss this with the court and father. Surely they know what to do.
“Your highness,” Xod cautioned, “I wouldn’t advise postponing the gathering; his magisty is insistent that you join.”
A gathering so early in the morning? That only meant my father was aware of something critical. “No need, Xod. I am heading there right now,” I answered. He perhaps thought i would avoid this meeting like the last one, but today, i needed to talk to Father about an important matter.
“Thank you for reconsidering this decision, Your Highness,” he bowed slightly and followed behind me.
But when I strode toward the hall, an unsettling sensation seized me, and i felt the familiar force that had previously lured me toward the water. This mysterious feeling invaded my entire being, robbing me of control once again.
I was heading toward a room I knew well. And even before the guards swung open the heavy door, an inexplicable sense filled my heart. Somehow, i knew what and who awaited me inside.
