Ocean's Descent ||| Woosan (Ateez)

54

The sudden light made Wooyoung gasp. He couldn't decide if he wanted to pull San closer to him or if he should move away, so he just stayed where he was and watched...

A beautiful, golden light took over his human's entire body, outlining him perfectly.

Then a gentle hum came from the mermaid in front of him. It was enchanting, sending a rush of tingles across Wooyoung's body.

But... It wasn't just any mermaid.

Wooyoung was in front of the mother of his species. His goddess. The one everyone he knew turned to for guidance.

She was real.

And she was even more glorious than the stories said.

His thoughts were pulled away from that realization when San started to move away from him.

Wooyoung made to grab him, but stopped when he saw it was Mother Atargatis doing it. She was using her magic to guide San to the red moss beneath them, where she set him down and snapped her fingers.

The moss started to move, creeping up his fingers, over his arms, and slowly proceeded to cover his entire body.

With a small whine, Wooyoung darted forward and sank to the pyramid floor with his tail curled beneath him. "Sannie!"

"Fret naught, dear one." Water and bubbles swirled around him as Mother Atargatis settled down next to him. She gracefully curled her tail next to her and leaned against the wall. "You should rest. I can feel how exhausted you are."

"I-" Wooyoung looked between her and where San was, stumbling over his words. "I don't... How-"

His Goddess laughed, a sound filled with joy and magic, as she brushed her hair over her shoulder. "I'll make you a deal. Lay down, settle in, and I'll talk."

With a small nod, Wooyoung lowered himself to the mossy bed, his tail still bent and his hands pressed together under his cheek.

The moss was so soft, cradling his body and already beckoning him to fall asleep in its comforting embrace.

"Don't worry about speaking. I know all that is in your mind." Mother Atargatis' voice flowed over him, like the sweetest lullaby or a scent that reminded him of home. It was perfect in every way and it was a sound he never wanted to forget.

His eyes stayed focused on the mound of moss in front of him, and he had to use all his focus to not think about what it looked like...

But that thought was gone once Mother Atargatis started to speak.

"I know this entire place is a lot for you to take in, that seeing me feels impossible. That's how I want it. I've spent thousands of years exploring the oceans of the world and this... this is where I feel most comfortable now. If you hadn't noticed," She chuckled softly to herself, "I am a little bigger than you, and it's hard for me to hide from prying eyes. Both human and merfolk."

Wooyoung tilted his head so he could gaze up at her and bit his lip when he noticed how sad she looked.

"I'm alright." His Goddess flashed a kind smile. "I get fulfillment by watching the world through their eyes." She motioned to the fish swimming lazily around them. "I do what I can to watch over everything, while staying hidden. It wouldn't be good if others started to know about me, so I would appreciate it if you kept this a secret."

She paused for a second, then smiled again at Wooyoung's silent agreement. It was starting to get harder for him to keep his eyes open.

"This place has plenty of magic protecting it, which is why no one has discovered it. But you, sweet Wooyoung... The pleas in your heart touched my own in a way I haven't felt in a long time. That's why I decided to guide you here. You remind me a lot of myself when I was... much, much younger." Mother Atargatis laughed again and sighed. "You want so much more out of your life. Your curiosity is so fun and refreshing, and I've enjoyed watching you grow. Both as a merman, and a human."