"Oh yeah right! That's Alter's moment meeting my mom, ain't it?" Geno tried to recall how Alter had narrated him his meeting with CQ. "Generally he described it went chilly, right. He got the blessing and became my guardian. Simple." The small skeleton thought.
"Wait-."
Geno snapped out of his thoughts as he had hear Alter talking in his sleep. He looked at him and soon the taller had started jolting. At first only for a very little while, but then intensively and for many more seconds, while muttering no. Again and again. Soon he was jolting nonstopping, his body flailing as if he had seizures.
"Oh sh*t!" Geno thought.
"N Œ!" Alter screamed one last time as he woke up, sharply waking up with wide open eyesockets and glowing cobalt pupils. He brought his knees closer to him, lowered his head and pressed his hands on the sides of it. He was still shaking, badly sobbing.
"He didn't mention having a panic attack before meeting my mom." Geno thought confused and worried. Soon Alter's sobs turned to heavy breathing and for a few seconds that was heard. But suddenly he raised head and Geno got terrified.
He couldn't recognise Alter over how changed his expression was from rage. His pupils were glowing blue in his wide open eyesockets and his teeth seemed so clenched they could break at any moment. But it wasn't over, as the tall skeleton slammed his hands down on the rocky floor cracking it and started screaming.
"R Æ ¥ M Œ N Đ Æ R | § T Œ Œ Œ! | H Œ P Ə G Œ Đ § Ə N Đ § ¥ Œ U T Œ T H Ə Đ Æ R K Ə § T P Ī T § Œ £ H Ə Ł Ł £ Œ R ₩ H Æ T ¥ O U H Æ V Ə Đ Œ N Ə!"
His scream echoed around the cave and Geno felt an ugly shiver running down his spine. But as the threatening message collided with the walls and bounced back even more disturbing and creepy, Alter seemed to snap out of his rage. He suddenly seemed terrified by his own voice and he pressed his forehead down on the ground. "Forgive me Lord..."
"What the hell is going on?!" Geno thought even more surprised and confused. Alter stayed down until his voice had stopped echoing on the walls of the cave.
He slowly sat normally and looked around. His pained expression changed to one of curiosity. Whatever he had remembered in his fit of rage seemed to have left him for now as he looked all around, from the ceiling to the water and the piece of land he was sitting at.
Suddenly two figures emerged from the water's surface. Alter quickly crawled back a little. Soon the figures came out, revealing 2 blonde women. Sirens. The skeleton seemed to be in shock seeing them. Same for them. No one spoke for a few seconds. Eventually Alter raised his hand and waved uncertain.
"Hi-?" He tried to say.
"Oh Stars you woke up!" The one siren screeched and climbed on the piece of land sitting to Alter's left. The other did the same sitting to his right and they hugged him.
"Mmm, 2 sirens hugging you, very good Alter!" Geno remembered when he told the priest that, to tease him. "Weren't the sirens' names Calypso and Circe though?" He wondered, only to soon remember that he was right, yes indeed these were the names.
"You were unconscious for hours!" Circe started.
"We are so glad you're fine!" Calypso then said.
"Where am I? You brought me here?" Alter asked. At that moment another siren emerged from the water and this time it was a brunet male.
"You're very lucky Calypso and Circe stopped me from killing you priest!" He said glaring at Alter. Ah yes. The one Alter wrestled with to save Captain Reaper and they both fell in the sea.
"Alter, this is Calchas. One of our Queen's most loyal followers." Circe said as she turned to look at Alter. Her face turned sad and confused. "We went back to the ship to see if we have any chance to take you away from the pirates. After we mentioned you to our Queen she said that she wanted to see you. But then we saw the pirates looking down the ship and Calchas was swimming away from them holding you unconscious. He declared he wanted to kill you. We barely stopped him. But then... he told to us what you did, how you stopped him from killing the Captain." She stopped hugging Alter, got in the water again and rested her arms to the ground.
"We thought that you weren't with them. But we wanted you to explain, to hear what you have to say, after all the Queen wanted you alive. Why Alter? Why did you save an enemy not only for the siren kind but also for everyone?" Calypso asked.
"You won't believe me, no matter how I explain it-." Alter said, getting interrupted as suddenly another woman's head came out of the water.
"Hi mom." Geno thought.The 3 sirens saw CQ and approached her. They lowered their heads.
"Your Highness!" Calchas said. The pink-haired siren smiled gently and then her look stopped at Alter. Her eyes suddenly darkened by an undetermined negative feeling. But she kept her satisfied mood for the most part.
"Thank you for bringing him. I took into account what you said Calcha and now I want to hear what he has to say about his actions." She said, her voice sweet and sympathetic. She swam towards Alter and sat next to him, her pink tail touching the water. "The girls really liked you, Alter. But you know, there is an eternal hate, between sirens and pirates."
"They said something about it." Alter replied.
"However whoever helps pirates, is considered as a pirate too. The girls thought that you were a captive. But when Calchas told us about your actions... we were confused. Please, tell us your story. And from the beginning." She said quietly but serious.
Alter stayed for some seconds silent. Then he decided to say what CQ had asked for. The sirens were listening carefully. When the skeleton reached the point where Captain was giving him the chance to be a member of his crew, there Calchas interrupted by hissing.
"You accepted to be a pirate too! You traitor!" He said ready to approach Alter. But one sign from CQ's hand stopped him.
"What were your thoughts then?" She asked. The priest explained, narrating just the way Geno could remember Alter telling him. That seemed to impress CQ but just told him to keep talking. The tall skeleton kept doing so until the moment he woke up in the cave.
"I see..." CQ said thoughtful.
"... Thank you for listening to me. Also, what is this place?" Alter asked looking around. And there, CQ got even more serious.
"This is just a little cave in the whole secret hideout me and some others are hiding."
"Hiding? From who?"
"The Queen-." Calchas was ready to talk. But a glare from the pink-haired siren stopped him.
"What's wrong?" Alter asked.
"... You 3 go away for a while. I'll call you back if I need to." She ordered the 3 sirens to leave, ignoring Alter's question. The sirens dived and dissappeared beneath the water, leaving CQ and the skeleton in an awkward silence. After a while, Alter decided to try break the silence.
"The attack in the ship... Were you the one who ordered them?" CQ didn't answer immediately. At the end she sighed.
"The ones who are with me, have so much hatred towards the pirates that even I can't stop them sometimes from attacking. Only Calypso and Circe are calmer because of me and although they hate pirates too, they don't participate often into fights."
"And you? Do you hate them?"
"... *sigh* Perhaps no. Not really. I never hated them. Nor landlubbers. Especially when an old good friend of mine... showed me a little part of their world and gave me her knowledge. Although tough and much more different than me with... not the best opinion for them. Later, I met a landlubber who taught me deeper things and details. He showed me more of how the world was and helped me to understand and learn more... *sigh* But then... she..."
"She? Who?" CQ paused and looked again at Alter's serene expression. And there, she suddenly pressed her lips together.
"Enough. This can't go on like this. You are so calm and patient, despite your situation... but oh Oceans, you're hurting so much, I... I know who you really are." She said as she stared at him straight in the eyesockets.
"She's crying!" Geno yelped. Indeed his mom had tears rolling down her cheeks, fighting to hold back her sobs. That one definitely hadn't happen- or Alter hadn't even mention such thing happening!
"What do you mean?" Alter asked and his pupils contracted in his eyesockets.
"I shouldn't have done that normally... but while you were unconscious... I sensed something about you... and I saw everything from your memories. My deepest condolences for your baby brother-."
"No..." Alter stopped her from talking. Now his eyesockets were empty. "You saw nothing. You know nothing. Stop τæłκīπg."
"You think I'm lying, or you're agitated of someone knowing the truth about you?"
"§ t ø p ī t." CQ sighed, still crying but more silently. She threw her head back and stared at the ceiling.
"... I know the way I suddenly changed subject is strange and abrupt, priest Alter. But... I understand your pain of loosing someone you care about. I know the pain of having to stay away from someone and whatever you've ever loved, whether by force, whether by choice. I've been there." She said. Alter looked at her curious, but his eyesockets stayed empty.
"... How do you know?"
"... I used to have a family. A wonderful monster, a skeleton who loved me with all of his soul. Together we had 3 sons. I was happy. In pure bliss. But it all came to an end. The mermaids tore my family apart. They are the ones me and many other sirens are hiding from. My love sacrificed himself for me and our boys, he distracted the mermaids so we could get away. Later, I had to leave my boys on a village, to survive without me. If I stayed with them, sooner or later the mermaids would have sensed me, find us all again and... we might were not given the chance to escape like the first time." She looked at Alter, her tears slowly drying up. "You grieve 4 years for all you've lost from your life at once, Alter. Someone took it away from you just because they could. I grieve 10 years for my love's death. I used to grieve for my separation with my sons too. But I also do so for my 2 youngest children's death. 3 years." She slowly placed her hand on his shoulder looking down. The other didn't move away from her, as he was listening to her, sad.
"... My sincere condolences, Lady." He said quietly. CQ nodded with a sigh.
"We are not so different. We have our demons and grieve for what we've lost or can't have anymore. We both bare scars inside of us. But you? You don't hold these types of scars just inside your soul, do you?" She asked staring not exactly at him but on his back. The tall skeleton folded his left arm and touched his shoulder as his bottom jaw had started shaking. But he didn't say anything.
"Doesn't she mean the scars Alter did to himself?" Geno thought.
"More than half of these, you didn't do these to yourself purposely." CQ talked again. Alter pulled his hood to hide his face and looked away shaking.
"EXCUSE ME?!" Geno thought.
"Płeæsə Lađy, st¤p talkiπg. I don't want to remember like this. I don't want to hurt more than I already do..." He said in a shaky voice. CQ stared at him silent. Her look fell for a few seconds on the cracks the rocky piece of land had from Alter's fists hitting it. She looked somewhere ahead on the wall of the cave.
"I've seen all that hurts you Alter. But there is something else that conquers you more than your memories. The thought of revenge is driving you mad." She said. Alter turned to slowly look at her and his eyesockets were filled with blue. A crazy expression, full of sadness and suffering but showing that CQ had once again his full attention. "That man who harmed you, I won't say his name as I can see that this by itself can anger you. What would you do if you had him right in front of you?" She asked. Alter looked down thinking of it.
"... I don't know. I had so many thoughts of ending him wīτh mγ °wη hænđς. I had and still have brutal thoughts of him dying in ways to make him slowly suffer. But then again, even in my fit of rage, I know, κīłłīng him won't bring back all he took from me. It won't bring back Sam a e l-..." Suddenly Alter started crying, but not quietly. He was almost screaming, anger and deep sadness at once echoing inside the cave.
CQ placed hand on her chest, her serious expression breaking a little from sadness. Geno swam closer and rested his arms on the piece of land staring at Alter. This man, who was most of the time so calm and collected, careful and gentle as he met him, who in sadness was managing to stay somewhat neutral...
"He was hurting a lot more before I met him. He's still hurting but hides it better. Oh Alter..." Geno murmured sad.
CQ slowly raised her hand and touched Alter's back, who didn't seem to realise the touch as he kept crying bitterly. However a few seconds later his sobs began dying down, until no sound was coming out of him, even though he was still hiding his face between his knees.
"Are you... using altruistic magic on me?" He asked slowly in a shaky voice.
"Correct observation." CQ said and she seemed ready at any second to start crying too. But she stubbornly pressed her lips together and stayed serious. "I want you calm Alter. Wipe your tears, for I have a proposal to make. I want and can help you."
"... How can you help me?" Alter asked slowly and still just desperate.
"I can grant you more power. I can help you stand and fight the ones who have wronged you. I don't say that it will help you immediately solve the problems you have..." As the skeleton turned to slowly look at her, CQ paused. When his eyesockets stopped at her, she kept talking. "More over, it will help you survive. There are a few things you need to be cautious of, but if you're willing and patient to listen, I can explain."
"Wait..." Alter stopped CQ. Silence of a few seconds followed. "... Are you talking about the Siren Symbol?" Geno had realised long time now that Alter had such knowledge. Wasn't sure how, but he had it and when talking about himself, he had shown he knew before he met CQ. That's why the smaller didn't get so surprised like his mom, who looked at the priest with raised eyebrows.
"Oh. Someone has studied siren and mermaid history as it seems."
"... No. Just... when Vincent allowed the mermaids to live on the islands of Azores, they spreaded enough knowledge amongst the landlubber monsters. And then that knowledge traveled to Lisbon and out of it. But it doesn't mean all monsters know."
"I shall assume mostly the likes of you."
"Mostly." Alter raised brow. "But I myself haven't gotten the chance to learn all about the blessings. About these, I know that if someone gets it from a siren, who has to be powerful and of royal blood, they are granted powers they're not supposed to posses... So why give such blessing to me?" He looked down. "I don't even know if I have a real purpose. I don't know if I can really go back. If I even deserve this... How am I supposed to do this?" He asked, but mostly as if he was talking to himself. CQ thought of it for a while.
"Do not despair. You feel that you want justice to be served as fast as possible. But that's not the case Alter." She started as she scooted closer to him. "Listen. For justice to come and have your revenge, you can't just attempt to go back immediately. The ones you care about and are still alive can't know that you're here. The enemy especially can't know. If you are considered as enemy, they'll be looking for you amongst many others. Perhaps you can endanger the ones you care about. First of all, think of the safest place you have in mind. Where would you go? I can take you there if you want." She said. Alter didn't think of it for long.
"I know a few places away from Portugal as far as possible. But on lands, rumors travel fast. Sooner or later, if I stay for too long in one place or don't get away from it fast, I might get discovered..." He looked at CQ straight in the eyes and now there was some determination taking over the despair and sadness he had. "You might not personally like this, but if you really can get me anywhere I wish to, I want to go back to the pirate crew Reapers." CQ looked at him with raised eyebrows but aside that, moreover calm.
"HOLD THE HECK UP!" Geno yelled. Once again, that wasn't something Alter had told him. Yes he said he wanted to go back to the Reapers, but under such circumstances it was different.
"Why do you want to go there?" The pink-haired siren asked.
"The pirates are on constant move. They don't stay in one place for too long. Many fear to meet them or even approach them. Landlubbers, sailors, even the powerful governments and important faces shake in fear thinking of what they could do to them. Yes, if I get discovered being with pirates, I might endanger not just me, but the ones I used to know even more than just getting discovered on land. They... R æ γ m ¤ π đ... presented me as someone who-... did something horrible. But seeing me as a pirate will give them even more real justification of arresting me and dooming everyone I know. Yet, I want to stay in the crew Reapers until I make up my mind of how to move next. For all I know, piracy has a big system of gaining info from anywhere and everywhere, as long as you have the right connections, to the right place and enough gold. As you said it, yes. You're right. I can't have justice being served so fast. I need to know what's going on, when being back home is out of my options. But the biggest reason of why I want to stay in that crew..." Alter paused.
"What? WHAT?! Speak Alter! Damnit, you say things you didn't reveal to me from our first time knowing each other!" Geno thought who was caught up hearing all that juicy information. But then Alter exhaled from his nose and a hint of a smile appeared on his face.
"If you've seen my past, then you probably already know what is my strongest reason of staying with that specific pirate crew." CQ hummed.
"Yes. Now that you said it, I realise it."
Geno screamed.
"That's why I'd rather hide with the pirates. It's risky, they might not be the safest option, but I know how to stand up for myself and they don't know me... Basically 'cause they don't know me. At all. I feel that my chances to survive hidden will be satisfying enough. Survive... I must..." Alter sighed staring at his hands.
"I support you. I understand. I wish my blessing can help you."
"Lady, I appreciate you wanting to help me. But such symbol, certainly it ain't for free or just because you pitied me. Tell me, why do the sirens bless people? What's the true reason behind it?" Alter asked and looked into CQ's eyes in wonder. "For what other reason you want to bless someone like me?"
"The biggest purpose of the siren symbol bearer, is to become guardian for the descendants of royal sirens. I chose you because despite all you've been through, all the pain that tried to strike you down, there's still purity and kindness in your soul. Which makes me know that you are right to bear the siren symbol Alter. There will come someone I want you to protect and I sense that you will do this successfully. But not yet."
"... So, in exchange of gaining your help, you want me to become a guardian. You had 3 sons you said. Is it one of them I have to protect?" Alter asked. CQ smirked.
"That's right. My eldest son. But only when the time is right, you will find him. Doesn't matter how or in what place. All you'll have to do for now, is focus on yourself. Survive Alter. Do what you want and have to do necessary. This will be your own purpose and you can accomplish mine when as I said, the time will be right."
"I see."
"One last thing however: the power you will gain, isn't just one kind. There are in total 6 powers of nature and they all are connected with the 6 negative emotions us sirens find the most dangerous. Your power will depend on the one of these emotions you are more vulnerable to. If you allow that emotion take over you, if you use your power to take someone's life when they aren't a threat for the one you will have to protect, the blessing will turn against you and even kill you. Do you understand that?"
"I should have guessed there were consequences if such power is abused. No wonder you grant the symbol only to the ones who you find any good in them. I understand completely and I will try my best to use my power wisely." Alter nodded.
"Good."
"Thank you, Queen of the Sirens."
"If we ever meet again, you may call me CQ, no need for such formalities." The Siren said cheerfully and stretched out her hand towards Alter. They shook hands, exchanging looks of trust and agreement. "Now, in order for me to bless you, I want you to come closer and lay down." CQ said as her eyes darkened from seriousness. She let go of Alter's hand, who slowly layed down while looking at the other. CQ placed her hand on his forehead. "Just so you know, it won't hurt when I bless you. And when you wake up, you'll be back to the Reapers."
"Understood." Alter just said.
"Now relax and get some rest. I'll sing something to help you sleep." CQ took a quiet deep breath and soon her voice had filled the cave. A minute or 2 later she stopped and looked down to Alter. He was successfully asleep. She looked at him thoughtful for a few seconds before she started talking. "... A quiet priest with a pure and good soul of gold... From all people or monsters I could ever meet, I never expected you. Not because of your identity as a priest, but..." She sighed. "... You've suffered so many things, you're hurting inside and outside. Your soul carries pain and torture I've never seen in anyone else. You stay strong enough to keep going and I see the potential in you. But deep inside, I hesitate. How capable will you be to bare the power I'll give you for your purpose? You... the prophecy said for you and I saw it too... melancholy inside and anger eruptive once it show. The previous guardians I blessed, I worried less if they manage to have control or not. Now with you, I can't help but be worried... From the deepest depths of my heart, I wish you good luck. You need to be patient, you know that. Getting tied will bring your fate and the others I blessed with mine. You have the element sirens, mermaids, all animals fear more than anything. Never, never let the anger get the best of you. You will harm greatly the others around you and quickly you will get hurt, worse than you already are."
"... Yes..." Alter murmured in his sleep. CQ slowly took her hand off his forehead and fell in the water. She looked at him and at last she dissappeared beneath the water's surface. All icon slowly dissappeared and got replaced by darkness. Geno looked around him, thoughtful and still trying to accept all he heard a while ago.
"Why would you hide so much Alter?"
"Forgive him son." Geno flinched and looked behind him.
"Mom..." He said surprised. She wore a long pink dress, almost covering her feet. "It has been quite a while since the last time we met each other like this, haven't we?"
"I know." CQ walked closer and stopped next to him. "Let's just walk around for a little while until you have to wake up." She said. Mother and son started walking together on a slow pace.
"So... now you've understood what element Alter got, right?"
"I don't know why I got late to understand, but yeah... now I know... Uuuh, how come you decided to visit me now?" Geno asked. As much as all he had seen had brought him so much confusion, seeing his mom after so long was surprising and relieving him.
"You might were not seeing me, aside the past me, but no Geno. It's not the first time after so long. All these visions about the guardians... you saw them of course, didn't you?"
"Oh! You sended me these?!" Geno asked. CQ nodded.
"Yes. A little mixed up, but, these were all the guardians."
"Why did you send me all those memories?"
"I felt I had to. Even though you've met only 2, Echo and Alter, you are still connected with all of them. If there's a chance you meet them, you should already know who to trust. They can help you too."
"If."
Again silence.
"Mom." Geno spoke after a minute.
"Yes honey?"
"What really happened with Alter?" The small siren asked. CQ sighed and looked ahead.
"In a few words, a lot." She looked at Geno. "I should guess that he didn't tell you not even half of it."
"Well, he lost his younger brothers he said. And where he lived, his village, it got burned down." CQ listened silent, progressing what her son said.
"I see... Has he already told you about his friendship with Bernard, or Vincent as his first ever name was?"
"Yes."
"Well, aside he... lost his brothers, he had to pay the biggest price just because he is Vincent's friend."
"Mom, what else happened to him?" Geno asked worried.
"... I'm sorry honey. But that is not something he told me. I found it by myself. He was right to feel mad when I told him I knew who he was after seeing in his memories. But I'm not the only one who has that ability. Magic is in most cases hereditary." She smiled softly, turning neutral again. "If you have inherited from me altruistic magic."
"What does altruistic magic have to do with seeing someone's memories?"
"Such magic doesn't just allow you to bare and break in 2 someone's physical pain. It includes mental pain or anything that causes trauma in someone's memories. And to understand the mental pain of someone, you have to access their memories." CQ's eyes got filled with sadness. "The memory I gave you access to, about your friend, there was more before that. I had went to check on him again before talking with him. He was way worse than as you saw him. He was struggling in his sleep, screaming and shaking, crying nonstopping. Keeping him motionless was hard. I used altruistic magic on him, thinking I could bare whatever was bothering him. But only a few seconds later, I was crying too." She covered her face and exhaled deeply. "It had never taken me so long before to calm myself down and bare one's mental pain. I even almost let go of him. It felt like... a tsunami hitting me... But I managed. When he was calm again, I dived back in the water to find the other sirens and recollect myself from all I had seen. And Geno, if you ask me again to say what more I saw than what you already know about your friend, I'd rather respect his request to keep silence." She looked at Geno with a more stern look. "Altruistic magic is even what I do right now. It's the way I've been communicating with you all this time. Now, at this point honey, you have 2 choices: first, you can attempt by yourself to breach his memories. I do believe you have inherited that ability, but you will need to train for it better."
"And what is the second choice?"
"... Wait for Alter to trust you enough to get off his ribcage the whole story of his life. Which I can guess can take very long." Geno sighed.
"He had promised to tell me how his brothers died. He has already started. But since you say he's hiding so much more than he says, how am I supposed to wait? He might never speak at all!"
"Forgive him honey." CQ said. Geno looked at her. "When you forgive someone, you don't just accept them back even after a mistake they have done, you forgive them their space and time. Forgive Alter, for, his behavior and tendency to hide are because deep inside he's still hurting a lot and is afraid to reveal himself, afraid to get hurt. If you are a good friend, you can wait. If he is a good friend, he will prepare himself to slowly share anything about him with you." The pink-haired siren exhaled from her nose. "Then again, you can always attempt the first I said you can do. Just make sure that whatever you find out, whether by yourself, whether because he tells you by himself, don't spread it around."
"I... I know." Geno said lowering his head and thinking of all his mom said. For long they fell in silence, each with their thoughts.
"Have you found Echo?" CQ finally asked.
"Ah, yeah. Right. Can I... tell you all that happened?" CQ hummed cheerfully.
"I'll be more than glad to hear my son talking about his experiences in Lisbon. And even if there are bad experiences, as I see you here, you have managed to overcome them."
Geno described everything from the moment they met with uncle Asy who leaded them to the secret path in Lisbon, until now. CQ was listening for the most part silent, but couldn't hide her excitement or happiness, annoyance or dissatisfaction for some of the most interesting parts.
Meeting Asy, interacting with the monsters, tricking the humans constantly, the flamenco battle, entering Vilanterna, participating in the council and all he heard, talking with Echo, almost getting kidnapped, the marriage and the second dance he had with the other skeleton.
"Yeah. I think that's all." Geno ended his talk.
"Very well." CQ only said at the end smiling. Geno looked at her in wonder. Was that all she had to say? The next moment his mom sighed. "I'm sorry if I'm being awkward or don't know how to respond Geno. I've been away from you for so long, that... if my absence from your life hadn't already make your life difficult and ruined, I feel I will ruin it even more if I'm saying the wrong things."
"Mom, it's ok."
"It's not Geno." CQ stopped walking. "Leaving you and your brothers in Hondarribia for 14 years?! I knew that staying away from you would keep the mermaids away from the village, but I just abandoned you to survive almost by yourselves. And when-... and when that pirate attack eliminated your brothers and almost you too, I felt my heart ready to shatter in a million pieces." She started crying silently. "How I wish I could have prevented that in any way..."
Geno looked at her silent for a few seconds as she cried. He sighed deeply.
"I miss them too, mamá. I wish they weren't gone in such way. But you couldn't have known... that would happen." He placed his hand on his chest and listened to the weak stable beats of his soul.
"I was so caught up spying on the mermaids and hiding from them, I wasn't paying enough attention of how you lived and what was going on. The news of the attack reached me 2 days later. I'm so sorry-." Geno turned and hugged CQ, stopping her.
"As much as I don't recognise it always, not forgiving you or holding grudge against you for not being there for us, won't fix the past, mom. I've already forgiven you anyways, remember? The ones who forced you to stay away from me and Error and Fresh, the ones who tore our family apart, they are the ones who will pay first. If I'm the chosen one, so be it." Geno said, looking up to CQ determined. She looked at him surprised. Slowly she kneeled and sat down. She wrapped her arms around the small skeleton and the 2 snuggled close. Knowing it was his mother's arms, Geno tried to recall from older times the tenderness and love these embraces had. But in this dream, that hug was just... almost empty. "Darn..." He whispered.
"What's wrong?"
"I wish I could feel your embrace outside of a dream, mom." He revealed. CQ looked away.
"... Geno, honey. Do you remember what the prophecy said, about where to go next?" She asked, her voice stable and serious.
"... It told me go to "The Pillars of Hercules". Any name with which I might know it better?" Geno asked.
"It's on the South side of Hispania. Mostly known as Strait of Gibraltar. It connects the Atlantic with the Mediterranean Sea. Also place where the Loner sirens rest on warm months, which means they'll be there and you'll have to face them."
"Uh oh."
"What else do you remember from the prophecy?"
"That exactly at this location, on the depths there is another Kingdom of sirens, not the Loyal ones I assume. What was their name again?"
"Right. It's the Kingdom of the Damned Sirens."
"The ones who see perfectly in pitch black?"
"Yes, them."
"And the prophecy also told me I need to get from them a gem, which will help me complete the necklace, but I'll earn it only if I prove to them I am the chosen." CQ groaned quietly in despair. Geno didn't like that.
"You will most likely have to fight them to prove that." She said and Geno's iris dissapeared inside his eyesocket.
"Crap."
"Have you gotten enough experience in combat?"
"Through my life, I've taught myself just enough to save myself most of the time. Very basic things. Being observant and my siren strength were what would help me the most."
"You need to be trained more son. Especially in combat underwater."
"How am I supposed to do that mom? None of these pirates I am with form tails or breath underwater!" CQ stayed silent while thinking.
"... I think there might be a way, but, until I'm sure it's possible, I won't say anything." She looked at Geno. "For the time being, when you are out of Lisbon, focus on whatever combat training you can be offered on land. Perhaps Alter will train you."
"Not perhaps mom. He will train me and there ain't no one else who will train me." CQ hummed cheerfully with her son's stubborness.
"I've chosen well as I see. You've taken a great liking to him, haven't you?"
"I guess..." Geno looked away slightly embarrassed. He soon got over it and looked again at his mom. "So... Melissanthi is my great grandmother huh?" He asked.
"Exactly." And CQ smiled cheerfully. "Oh, she's such an amazing siren Geno. Brave, smart, with a lot of experience about land. She had actually come to visit once and she met you when you were barely a month."
"She did?!"
"Out of the blue."
"What did she think of me being just half siren?"
"She didn't mind at all. She wouldn't stop admiring you and as for Stephan..." She paused for a moment mentioning his name. "... she didn't care about who he was and his job. Stephano, she told him, I don't care what your job is, I don't care that you are a mortal, I only care to know that you love my granddaughter with all of your existence and that no matter what, you will protect her and my great grandson if no one else can. Promise me upon your parents' ashes, that you will love, protect and care for CQ, that precious bean of a son you have and any other children you will have on the way."
"Woah." Geno did covering his face embarrassed, same as CQ. "Well, if dad did such promise to Melissanthi, at the end he kept it flawlessly..." He thought then and looked down crossing his arms melancholic. But he slowly turned to look at his mom. "Mom, when you were with Vincent, you said that Melissanthi was in trouble. What exactly happened?" He asked. CQ looked down to him sad.
"... She is captive of the mermaids. They keep her in a cell, just like many other Loyal sirens now." She said. Geno's eyesocket widened up.
"No... How... did it happen?"
"Just 2 years ago, mermaids were hunting me and a few others. They were leaded by Morganna's right hand mermaid and the very same one who brought her friends outside our house... 14 years ago... Calisia." Geno recalled the black haired mermaid and felt an ugly shiver running down his spine.
"That black haired mermaid, right?" He asked shaking and feeling he was turning even more pale.
"Her. The mermaids were catching up with us, they even killed one of the sirens. But then, Melissanthi commanded us to keep swimming and that she would try to hold them back. We didn't want to leave her behind, but she insisted. When I looked behind, she was fighting bravely many mermaids together. But then Calisia fought her and very quickly she had managed to knock her out. As much as I wanted to turn back and help, I had to keep going. Aside Calisia knocking her out, the mermaids didn't harm Melissanthi any further, nor killed her. After all, as Calisia said, their Queen had strictly commanded them to bring back alive all sirens with Loyal blood. They stopped following us and left, with Calisia holding Melissanthi and dragging her uncoscious body."
"Poor Melissanthi..." Geno said quietly.
"I've lost all connection with her ever since..." CQ said and sighed. But then her expression toughened and became serious as she looked at Geno. "Geno. I've been informed that something will happen in the morning. Escape with Alter as soon as possible from Lisbon. You've been long enough in the same place."
"If you've learned that some human is gonna waste our time, I know."
"Not just that. The mermaids will sense where you are and make your escape even more difficult Geno. But no matter the whatever danger..." And the pink haired siren's look became more stern and intensive as she stared in her son's eyesocket. "... trust Alter. He can and will protect you. Follow whatever he has to say."
"Y-Yes mom." Geno nodded surprised and worried. The dream suddenly started collapsing and mother and son separated as the floor had started swallowing them both.
"Time is over for now. I will call Edge and Red to take immediate action and help you escape Geno. I will meet you on the Pillars of Hercules."
"For real?!" Geno gasped.
"Yes! But first escape and train!" CQ prevented to say before Geno lost her from his eyesocket.
Alter's POV:
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Whatever Geno was seeing in his sleep, at first agitated and tensed, then snuggling closer to me all relaxed and at the end again agitated, he wouldn't stop talking. I heard everything he said. I didn't dare to leave him for even a second in case he gets attacked again. As for me, once again I couldn't close my eyesockets for a proper sleep.
I must have slept for just about 2 hours, walking back and forth in the room with a sleeping Geno in my arms. I can see as the stars closer to the line of the horizon slowly vanish one by one. It won't take long until the sunlight makes a more obvious appearance. I look again at Geno.
"Y-Yes mom." He says. Ah. He must be seeing Lady CQ. I look again outside... Today, if I have to bring myself awaken the Symbol, I don't wanna know what will happen if I loose control...
Now I feel frustrated. I let Geno lay on my bed and just get out of the room. I don't know when exactly Raymond will strike, but until then, I had better to prepare and think of all possible ways to escape with Geno. With the right preparation, if things manage to go well, I won't have to bring myself awaken my demons...
No one's POV:
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Barely a second after Alter left the room and closed the door, Geno woke up.
7060 words... 15 and more votes to unlock the next chapter. 15+ to both parts of "Memories are merciless" as well to get to the next chapter.