Abyssal (ManxMan)

Ready

"I want to teach magic to Kai the half-breed first, not Kai the Spirit's host."

"What's the difference?"

"The difference, my Prince, is that even half-breeds uninhabited by the Spirit of the Sea can wield magic. You have your own magic dwelling within you, separate from the Spirit's."

Kai carefully considered Erasmus' words -and their implications- for a few moments. So, he had his own magic inside him, huh. Even if he didn't have the Spirit inside him, he could still wield magic. This bit of information was... eye-opening.

He recalled the first time he ever felt a hint of magic. When he nearly drowned at the foot of the cliff, the Spirit of the Sea emerged in all its golden glory to rescue him, giving him the ... uh... 'kiss of life'. That was the first magical incident in his life. He'd never known magic before that moment, never even believed it existed.

The mage continued to explain, "It is true that the Spirit magnifies your latent power exponentially, more so than I can ever imagine most likely, but you were born with magic. All half-breeds are, as are full-fledged merfolk."

"When the Spirit of the Sea first awoke inside me," Kai began, remembering the events of that fateful day as if it were yesterday, "I was drowning. He saved me."

Erasmus eyebrows disappeared under his hairline. "Drowning?" he repeated incredulously.

"Well, I thought I was. At the time I didn't know what I was, what I am, so I thought I was going to die. Could I have drowned without the Spirit's help?"

Kai could see the answer in Erasmus' face already.

"Impossible. You are a born half-breed, meaning you could have always breathed underwater if you so wished... if you knew, I mean."

Kai nodded and then chuckled lightly. It was a humorless laugh. "Wish I knew that when I was terrified out of my mind." The fear of death... he could still taste its bitterness, its desperateness, its wretchedness even today.

Erasmus' expression morphed into a sympathetic one. "He... your father should have told you. He should have come for you. I never understood why he didn't."

Kai looked at a brazier burning brightly on a column near them. "Nobody seems to do, apparently."

Perhaps Marius was right about his father...

Sighing, Kai focused on the present. There was no use dwelling on either the past or dead mermen. Besides, it was a cold, cold day in Hell before he agreed with Marius on anything.

"You got more rules or is it just these two?"

"Yes. One more."

Kai met Erasmus' eyes.

"You must take this seriously."

"Of course I will-"

"No, I mean..." Erasmus started shrugging out of his baggy shirt to reveal a well-muscled, well-proportioned body.

Kai's mind was still having a difficult time associating the adult male before him to the Erasmus he knew in a child's body. If it weren't for the same purple eyes, he would never believe they were one and the same.

"When I tell you to attack me, you must do so seriously. I want you to try and kill me."

Kai's eyes slightly rounded. "Kill you?"

Erasmus nodded slowly. "Yes. Every time we're in a training session, I want you to do everything in your power to kill me." The solemn expression he wore gave Kai pause.

He stared into the purple eyes, and they stared steadily back. There was no ounce of hesitation in them. Erasmus was dead serious.

Then, it was only right that Kai took this just as seriously too.

"Very well." Kai nodded, his resolution and determination flaring. "I'm ready." 

-To Be Continued- 

It has been a quite a rollercoaster ride! Wouldn't you agree? This was one of my favorite books to write, and I'm personally in love with some of the crazy and often daring twists I've gotten to include. As Book 1, it was intended to set up the 'universe' and introduce the main characters and the main conflict, while showing a little of the new world. I say 'little' because Book 2 will delve deeper into the merworld, exploring the world under the sea past Astria and Nostraza. It'll also include some major character development, though not necessarily for the better for some of our favorite characters. 

There's a lot at stake for both Kai and Marius, and they'll both do anything to get what they want.

Now that Book 1 is complete, I hope you'll look forward to Book 2. 

I plan to publish Book 2 sometime in November this year, though I may delay based on the cache of chapters I manage to write on Patreon. I want at least 20 chapters before I start uploading here. If you can't wait to continue the story, consider joining my Patreon and supporting my writing journey where you'll find Book two already available and exclusive NSFW Abyssal short stories and artwork!

Click on the next chapter to view Book 2 Description!