Palaimon and the Sailor (boyxboy) Short story by L.J Harding

Chapter 7

As soon as we gave word to our pod of the Sirens' intentions, they rose into the battling spirit. The Naedruags, Relurs, Retnuhs and Rerehtags all worked together to work on creating weapons and powering themselves up.

I asked very quickly how the Sirens could possibly breach the seas. I was flooded with the answers of "They can't, they don't need to. Sirens have a lot of very powerful abilities that stretch more than their abilities of mind control and beauty. You faced the back of the flock, Palaimon. These creatures have a lot more powers than the ones you faced."

I grew more worried by those answers, not realising the danger. "All I wanted was to save a human.." I said with a rising sadness filling my body.

I grew surprised when my hand was touched, and then held by James. He soothed me with his words, which worried me slightly. "I'm beginning to think that King Poseidon secretly gave you the ability of seduction", I said to James.

James smiled shyly to me. "It's a gift I guess", I said, trying to muster some bit of confidence.

I gave him a strange look, "Why are you so nervous?", I asked. He began to blush, "Where I come from, this kind of stuff is taboo. You could die because of this, above the ocean. A man loves a woman, that's law." he answered through slight nervousness.

I looked at him, shaken a little. "That doesn't ever happen down here, we value love in all shapes and forms. Well, all except one. But it might change when we're finished here." I said, confident in my answer.

When he looked at me to explain what I meant, I changed the conversation.

"We have to prepare for battle", I said. Ready to take on what was coming ahead.

I strapped a layer of leather armour around my torso. The armour had buttons, but it also had metal shoulder guards which made me feel a lot safer.

There was many weapons to choose from, but I went for the traditional Trident that most of the other merfolk went for.

All of the merfolk ordered their youngest to stay in the grottos. The safety of the depths was a lot more suited for the young merfolk.

After that order was made, it was time for us all to set out. Even James joined us.

James was dressed the same as me, and he chose a trident too. Despite all his knowledge he was completely lost when it came to merfolk warfare.

He followed the pod to the surface, a historical event.

Little did I know when I woke this morning that today was the first day the pod would rise to the surface since we went into hiding.

The swim to the surface was empowering, we flew through the water.

Once we were at the very top of the ocean, the Patriarch turned to the pod.

"Today is the day where we no longer hide from the predators in the sky. The Sirens have plagued us with shipwrecks for centuries now, we have lived in fear and let them walk all over us. I say no more. Today is the deciding day that we defeat our enemies and strive to return our species to greatness. We will fight. We will win. We will thrive!" he bellowed in his speech.

I felt the electricity run through the water. The vibrations bounced all over the ocean as the warriors swam to the battlefield.

As soon as my head burst out of the water, I felt the difference.

A storm was rising above, as I felt my people already starting their battle tactics. It was time to fight.

A storm was rising above, as I felt my people already starting their battle tactics. It was time to fight.

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