Only Chance

13.

"Adelphia...!" Ozanne screamed as we plumeled, down, down, down. The wind and blood roared in my ears, the obsidian greeting my gaze. I flinched and rolled myself up into a ball, waiting for the impact.

SPLASH! "It's a lake! We're in the Eshaizar empire!" she finished, her voice strewn with fresh fear.

I looked around, surprised, by the sudden change of surroundings. The icy forest air was immediately misplaced by the even more frigid waters. The waters, glinting as black as the night, were giving off a small whirlpool, like someone stirring hot chocolate, except you were the marshmallows.

"I know!" I responded playfully to her, looser with relief. "Hey, at least we didn't get-"

I stopped mid-sentence to look at Ozanne, where my teasing quickly shifted into horror.

"Adelphia! I-" she gurgled, flailing around. "I- I can't swim!"

It took a moment to sink in.

"I've known you for three years, and you decide to tell me now?" I screamed.

"H-how was I-I su-supposed t-to k-know that we w-were going to f-face water on o-our journey?" she coughed, teeth chattering. "H-help-"

"Quick! Climb onto my back!" I yelled. Ozanne quickly paddled over to me, barely making it without drowning, and heaved herself onto my back.

Now we both were going to drown.

"Just leave me and survive," she whispered as she grasped onto my back with her aching fingernails.

"Actually, that would be a nice idea- Ozanne! Do you think I could do that to you?" I shouted, almost slapping her in realization. "You're my friend! I'm not going to leave you here!"

My head was bobbing up and down, the weight of Ozanne pushing me underwater.

"Adelphia! It's either we die or I die! And-"

Suddenly, a glimmer in the lake interrupted her words. I squinted at the flickered light, before, unexpectedly, a long, whipping fishtail stroke out of the water, flapping, with golden specks and scales, teal dots, and...

"Mermaid!" Ozanne gasped, choking up on water. I looked more closely at the thriving tail, and realized what it was.

"We're at the outskirts of the Eshaizar empire!" I choked. "O-of course there are mermaids!"

But the sudden appearance of the happy mermaid gave me an idea. Quickly, I splashed to the tail, and gently poked it with my pointer finger.

The reaction was immediate, the mermaid's tail sunk into the waters, and the beautiful upper body of her creature surfaced, looking at Ozanne and I with haughty eyes. I gulped.

"SAVE US!" Ozanne screamed. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!"

The mermaid had delicate pastel pink hair, light green, foamy eyes, and on her neck, there was a necklace made of the finest pearls, shining like tiny moons... probably best of ever had existed. She rolled her eyes at Ozanne's plea.

"It's against the law of the Eshaizar empire, us, so you know," she said in a soft voice, reminding me of Klide's oozing one. "In this empire, we believe everything happens for a reason. So unfortunately, I cannot save you."

"So you're going to just let us die?!" I screeched.

"No, but it's not I who can save you," the mermaid frowned, ripples forming around her in the water, silver and glorious. "Other... s, of your kind, of course, can save you..."

"Then-" I coughed. I stared off, trying to locate the shore, but the twilight swallowed it whole. I could barely catch my breath.

"Please- I'll do anything!" Ozanne begged.