Tales of Merlia: The Tale of Holly Day

Part 4

The kingdom of Merlia was a quiet place at night, that much is true. Deep below the deep sea where the water is clear as glass and the sand become soft, fine, and silver. A place where no human could reach without succumbing to death. A place where the fish are glittering silver and gold, and the sound of a seahorse's whiny can be heard, if you care to stop and listen.

Solaria waded through the water, her glittering golden scales like a gold coin among the sand. Her fan like fin pushed her through the amber gates of the towering coral kingdom, where many lived in houses and owned shops using the carved-out holes of rocks and coral of varying colors of red and white Each house and each shop was dark with sleep, all for an illuminated jellyfish charm outside of their doors to ward off the evil spirits that lurked within the depths ice of the waves.

The currant brushing past her ragged finned ears smelled of perch and seaweed salad as it ran through Solaria's golden locks.

Her amber eyes scanned the town carefully, her webbed hand holding the hilt of a copper colored long sword.

No sound, no movement, except for the sounds of a cooing whale in the far-off distance.

The water grew cold instantly as shadows covered the silver light of the moon. Solaria shivered and glanced up at the glassy surface of the water.

"What the fuck...?"

She was cut off by a sharp stabbing pain in her chest, causing Solaria to stiffen and grip her chest.

"Ah! Fuck-..."

Her eyes widened with horror as the pain began to fade slowly.

"No...nonono."

Solaria broke through the surface, only to be greeted by a sharp stinging cold wind and a trickle of white snowflakes. With this, her heart sank into her stomach.

She dove back down into the sea, her breath becoming shaky and the gills on her side flaring with anxiety. Her sword disappeared in a single flame, and with a free hand, a golden portal opened before her.

As she entered the portal, her scales melted into skin her fins split into brown sandaled feet.

Snowflakes met her bare skin tan skin as a frozen breeze blasted through her cloak, revealing the white toga with gold fastenings underneath. The crown upon Solaria's head stayed securely in place as she dove into the dying trees and grass.

Solaria could see nothing before her. Not the falling fruits or the browning leaves, not the frostbitten flowers or snow piled grass. Only the clearing ahead existed. Goosebumps prickled on her skin, her heartbeat dancing with the ringing in her ears. Quick puffs of frost escaped her mouth as she sped down the garden. Praying that the feeling of dread stirring within was nothing more than a fluke.

But as Solaria reached the open clearing, a circle of bare land surrounded by rings of oak, she stopped to catch her breath as the icy air made her lungs ache. And that was where she spotted Red-Tail bound in thick chains of light and Estellaria towering over him with a look of pure rage.

"You have made a grave error, Red-Tail."

Red-Tail did not struggle or show any sign of resistance. His long thick maroon hair fell over his face as bubbles floated upward into the sky from his eyes.

"I...I didn't mean to...it was an accident..."

Estellaria brought her sickle to his neck, making him wince.