Rafayel was being dragged with the carrier, feeling like a fish out of water about to be sold and eaten. All his being called for him to flee or defend himself, but he decided to keep his charade on point.
He kept his mask of weakness, eyes shut and mouth hanging half open, weak breaths coming in puffs. He was a good actor.
Under the lights of the corridors, the guards and their trusted hunter chatted amiably about their respective families and daily routines, sharing stories and laughter as they walked. However, once they thought that Rafayel had drifted off into a deep slumber, too weak, the tone of their conversation shifted. They began discussing more pressing and sensitive matters that they were hesitant to discuss when they believed Rafayel was awake.
'Do you think that we will get attacked tonight as well?' One of the guards asked, looking at the Hunter with fear in his eyes.
The Hunter shrugged, looking ahead.
'It is highly probable that we will be subjected to an attack tonight.' He spoke in a low voice, his gaze fixed on the corridor ahead. His eyes then shifted to Rafayel, who lay motionless, his breathing slow and steady. The man seemed relieved that Rafayel was unconscious.
'Does the Lord know who did the attacks?' Rafayel paid attention to the discussion that was taking place between the two guards, keenly listening to what the other guard had to say.
'Yes, sir, It's strange that suddenly eight Lemurians disappeared and the families who kept them appeared murdered in cold blood' The other guard stated.
The Hunter shrugged again.
'It was expected to happen someday' He said. 'The question is to know if it was a human attack or...' He side-eyed Rafayel. 'a Lemurian one'
The guards marched forward, their footsteps echoing in the silence alongside the rumble of the carrier until they finally came to a stop in front of a grand metal door. One of them stepped forward and reached for the handle. With a swift motion, he pulled it open, revealing a vast open space beyond. The room was dimly lit, but the faint glow from a central water tank illuminated the area. The tank was massive, big enough to accommodate at least ten Lemurians, and its surface rippled gently in the low light. The guards exchanged glances, clearly impressed by the scale of the chamber before them. Only the Lord, The Hunters, or the Keepers were permitted entrance into the First chambers.
As they approached the water tank, the guards and the Hunter looked up to see a figure staring back at them. It was the first merman, distinguished by his flowing white hair and curious, bright green eyes. Despite his pale complexion, the merman's tail was a sight to behold - massive and covered in shimmering pale green and white scales that caught the light. Even though many years have passed, he still managed to possess colors instead of having a full white tail. As they drew closer, they could hear the sound of water sloshing around in the tank, and the merman's expression remained stoic yet watchful. He was beautiful, even though he had been with them for hundreds of years. His face was still young and alive, a little bit pale though. Still, the most precious and powerful mermen that Humankind had captured. At least until... the one they were carrying, who still had all of his colors intact, not paled away by dirty water and years of abuse.
As they approached the tank, Rafayel noticed a smaller tank nestled beside it. It looked ridiculous compared to the bigger one.
Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was designed specifically for Lemurians, resembling a large bathtub in size, where the whole of his fail would be able to fit inside. Rafayel surmised that the Humans found it more convenient to transport him in the smaller tank whenever they needed to take him to Enoria for a temporary stay instead of keeping him on the bigger one and trying to fish him every day. He suspected that in the future when they no longer needed to move Rafayel around, they would put him inside of the bigger, with a roommate.
The Hunter, who possessed immense strength, grabbed Rafayel once again with a firm grip and hurled him toward the smaller tank with great force. As Rafayel collided with the tank, water splashed in all directions, drenching the surrounding area. The force of the impact was so strong that Rafayel felt his body shudder upon impact. Maybe, a little bit embarrassed of himself, and screamed a little bit when his body hit the bottom of the tank, hurting a little bit.
After that, the three individuals left the two mermen to themselves and shut the door behind them, leaving the aquatic creatures alone in their own company.
Rafayel took a moment to survey the room around him. It was a bare space, with very few features to speak of. The most prominent item in the room was an enormous water tank, which looked like it took up nearly half of the available space. Other than that, there were just a handful of chairs lined up along the wall, with no other furniture or decorations to speak of. One wardrobe and one shelf with some old books. The room was completely devoid of natural light, with no windows or other openings to the outside world.
As The First swam through the water, the movement of his powerful tail created gentle waves in the tank. He approached Rafayel, the other now inhabitant next to the tank, and positioned himself behind the hardened crystal that separated them. The transparent barrier allowed for an unobstructed view of each other.
The First's piercing green eyes locked onto Rafayel, taking in every detail of his appearance. The silence in the tank was only broken by the soft sound of water moving around them.
'Who are you?' He asked, speaking in their language. Clear voice, musical even, with a southern accent.
Rafayel looked at him, feeling amazed and proud of himself because finding the First ever captured Lemuria was easy.
With a voice that was both soothing and commanding, he introduced himself simply by saying, "My name is Rafayel."
As he emerged from the water, he put down his facade of weakness and reveled in the sensation of the water on his skin and fins. Taking a moment to get comfortable, he crossed both arms behind his head as if he were taking a luxurious bath.
The shackle still gnawed at him, a persistent ache. Yet, it still hurt even though it was useless, as the name Enoria had given was incomplete and it was impossible to bind his whole essence with just encirclement from a mere iron... it was like trying to contain an ocean within a teacup.
Yet, Rafayel knew better. Because he had already forged a bond with the girl, years ago when they were younger and their hearts unburdened. It was a connection that transcended physical constraints, rendering any other artifact impotent. The shackle might bruise his skin, but it could never imprison the intangible bond that bound them together by the heart scale he had given her.
Caressing the area around the shackle, he sighed.
The first knocked on the crystal of his water tank, the sound traveling around the wide room and getting Rafayel attention back home.
The merman's relaxed posture suggested that he was at home in this environment, after years of being captured. His resignation of never being able to flee was palpable.
'It's been a while since I had company...' The first said, smiling. 'So excuse me if I may offend you with my manners' Signaling his heart, he put a hand there and bowed his head, hair flowing around him like a crown. It was obvious that he had been from a Lemuria noble house.
'It has indeed been a while,' Rafayel replied his smile a rare warmth in the shadowed chamber.
'Manners are but veils we wear, and sometimes they slip.' Lukian eyes, like polished emeralds, held the weight of forgotten centuries when they shone, half smiling at Rafayel's taunt.
'Let me introduce myself, they called me Lukian, of house Akarr, closer to Southern Shore, the first underwater lands to be bathed in sunlight when dawn kissed the earth, where waves whispered secrets to the cliffs.' Lukian said, leaning closer. He was too polite, Rafayel remembered of his own family, as well spoken as him.
Rafayel knew, that Lukian was the first to be captured and their land destroyed by Humans when they started their crusades. He also knew of house Akarr, as some of them still lived in the Capital, missing their home, their lost family members, everything in ruins, abandoned on sun-kissed shores, close to the Southern Shore where the first light painted the waves in gold and also the first ones to be attacked by humankind.
Lemurian nobles lived in the most luxurious and opulent houses, as well as the most beautiful and vast palaces located deep within the oceans that were only accessible to those who were privileged and had a higher social standing among the mermen.
Most Lemurians who were nobility were located closer to the surface, away from the common people, as this reflected their status and power. For the Lemurian nobility —the closer to the sunlight, the more power they had. Originally, only the Royal Family lived in a palace deep sea, in Lemuria, away from the sun, but they also had a vacation palace on the Island of Songs, closest to the surface. Now, mostly destroyed.
Nobles used to travel between the Capital and their above-water lands for meetings, banquets, or festivals. That was, until the Crusades, which shattered this delicate balance. The nobles, hearts heavy as anchors, abandoned their sunlit lands. The deep-sea palaces, carved from coral and memory, became their new homes. There, they clung to lineage, to whispered tales of lost shores.
Noticing Rafayel's silence and wandering thoughts, he coughed, bubbles escaping from the merman's lips.
'I've never heard about a Rafayel amongst our noble houses... but you are still young... so maybe you weren't born when... everything was destroyed by the Humans' Lukian expressed surprise at not having heard of him before. Throughout the conversation, Lukian seemed to be evaluating Rafayel's behavior and mannerisms, noting his lack of respect towards those of noble birth like himself... 'What is your surname?'
Rafayel looked smug. But his voice was gentle.
'Rafayel Ataroi' He stated, smiling when he noticed the recognition in Lukian eyes.
The name echoed through the chamber like a forgotten hymn. Lukian's eyes widened, and for a moment, the weight of centuries seemed to lift. The Atari, the lineage of the Royal Family, was etched into the very bedrock of Lemuria—a legacy of sovereignty. Ataroi in Lemurian language meant 'The People of the Sea', one of the oldest and most well-respected surnames from all over the Seas.
Immediately, he bowed low, his eyes wide with surprise, and trying not to look at Rafayel directly.
'Your Grace' Lukian revered, still bowing.
Rafayel smiled, smug.
'No need for such formalities' He said, kindly. 'There are many things to talk about and almost no time' Paused and cleared his throat, as he crossed his arms tightly.
'No time?' He repeated, finally looking at him. They had all night long to talk and get to know each other.
As if marking a point, without any hesitation, Rafayel willed his long, scaly tail to transform into a pair of long legs, and with a graceful movement; he stepped out of the tank where he had been resting. Lukian was taken aback by Rafayel's actions and couldn't help but marvel at the prince's liberty of movement, which seemed to contradict the weakness that he had displayed just moments ago. As if he was free from the shackles that stopped Lukian from being unrestrained since hundreds of years.
'I'm here on a mission' He stated, deep voice sounding calm. In a calm and steady voice, he declared. He explained that he was on a mission assigned to him by the King himself, a task that he had to complete as a part of his coming-of-age ceremony. Lukian paid attention, nodding.
Rafayel described that his mission was to save as many people of Lemuria as possible from the capital city located on the Southern Shore. Additionally, he was entrusted with the responsibility to seek and bring back the most prized treasure of the Humans to the Lemurian people. Lukian seemed to marvel at this, looking at him with hopeful eyes.
'But now you are trapped here, with me... in the most secured location to ever be built in this castle' He explained, sadly. 'This room is underground, so there are no windows. The door is sealed and can only be opened from the outside. How are you planning to escape?'
Rafayel smirked, still feeling smug.
"I have another way of transporting myself," he said, demonstrating a fraction of his power to Lukian. A flame appeared on his finger, illuminating the dimly lit room. "If I know where I need to go, I can teleport myself when visualizing it in my mind." He didn't mention that he could use sea animals to visualize places outside of his mind, allowing him to teleport almost anywhere, even if he hadn't personally been to those places.
Lukian seemed surprised to hear about that and Rafayel knew that his power was unique and quite surprising even to him, part of being a God of the Seas.
'That's quite convenient,' Lukian exhaled, eyes most hopeful. 'The Lord asked me about our kind, not too long ago, about if Lemuria would have the power of rescuing and assassinating Nobles...' He smiled, exhilarated. 'I suppose Your Grace did manage some saving, am I right?'
Rafayel shrugged.
'What did you tell him?' He asked, curious.
'That when I was captured, Lemuria was the home of peace, not a land of warriors...' He spoke with a sense of satisfaction, reminiscing about a time when Lemuria was a land of tranquility, not a battleground for warriors. 'Of course, I wouldn't have known that the Crown hid someone like you...' —extraordinary, strange, dangerous, incredible... whatever adjective could be used to describe Rafayel.
Rafayel himself, when he was younger and training with his masters, preferred to be called Lemuria's hidden weapon, even though he recently found out about his status as God. It was still strange to call himself God of the Sea.
He understood that the oldest captured merfolk wouldn't know about his existence, as Lukian seemed surprised at the fact that someone like Rafayel was hidden away by the Crown. He was born when hope was dark and Humans captured their kind non-stop, as Lemurians still had not adapted to the world balance changing against them.
'Rafayel Ataroi,' Lukian said, rising from his position, swimming even closer, "you carry the weight of ages upon your shoulders. To be of the Ataroi bloodline is to be both anchor and sail, a bearer of hope." His eyes held Rafayel's gaze. "Let me help you with anything you need"
Rafayel smiled, approaching the tank, and standing in front of the merman.
'My mission is to save as many as us' He explained. 'And to search for their most precious treasure...' Rafayel, looking at Lukian's orbs. 'Do you have any clue about what this treasure could be?'
Lukian thought about it, pensive.
'Rhetorically speaking, a treasure could be either an object or... a Human. If it's an object, it could be anything, from a crown to a weapon... if it's a person, it would be the princess herself'. He explained. 'Their most precious treasure... I would say the princess, Enoria, who is also trapped and believed to bring health and good fortune to the people of this Shore'
If what Lukian said was true, Rafayel felt a wave of anticipation wash over him. It was becoming clear that Enoria's rescue held more significance and importance than he had originally anticipated.
Rafayel decided to explain a little bit more about his plan. Lukian would be of enormous help to him, after living with the enemy for so long.
'I plan to save as many of us as I can' He promised, getting closer to the water bank, and putting his hand on the glass. 'Yet, I will have to save you last, as if I do it now, it will bring suspicions and mistrust, which I don't need' Lukian nodded, closing his eyes and bringing his forehead to the glass.
'What will you do now?' He asked, his voice small.
Rafayel smiled and decided.
'Now I go' He said, getting two paces away from the crystal. His face looked serious, a glint of self-confidence shining in his multi-colored orbs. With a smirk, Rafayel summoned his flames, bringing them closer to the Lukian shackle, redeeming the characters intelligibly without hurting the oldest. Lukian exhaled, feeling his bindings to the Lord disappear slowly. After doing so, he resumed. 'I have a feeling that there might be a time when you'll need to do me a favor. If you ever sense that someone is approaching your location, please think about me urgently and repeatedly, almost like you're praying. Visualize my face and call out my name in your thoughts. I will receive your message and come to your aid before any harm can be done.'
He desperately wanted Lukian to understand his words without sounding arrogant or pretentious.
Basically, what he wanted the older to understand was that if any enemies approached, Rafayel needed to be able to return to their shared chambers immediately so that his cover as a weak and powerless individual would not be exposed. The fact that he appeared vulnerable and powerless in front of the Castle was all part of a greater strategy, but Lukian needed to understand the gravity of the situation. Rafayel knew that the understanding of this could mean the difference between success and failure in their plan.
He also didn't expose his true identity, even though Rafayel thought that the First would know after everything was accomplished, he would have seen it all, after all.
'I will call for you in case danger approaches' Lukian promised. 'And I will aid you always'
Lukian's heart swelled with reverence as he reached for his Heart Scale. He held the scale tightly in his hand as he lowered his head and began to recite an oath in the traditional Lemurian way. This oath was not to be taken lightly, for it could not be broken under any circumstances. As he spoke the words, Lukian felt a powerful connection to the Sea, the life force that sustained his people, and to the deity that guarded it. A translucent fish appeared from his closed hand, sealing it. Even though he still had lingering shreds after being bonded to the Lord and had sworn his loyalty to him, Lemuria's oaths were stronger and more binding, rooted as they were in the very fabric of their existence.
In a sudden burst of flames, Rafayel turned his back on the massive water tank. As the intense heat radiated through the air, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving behind a lone merman with eyes full of awe and wonder at the sheer energy and power of his departure, wondering what other incredible feats the prince of the sea was capable of.
The First, then, understood, that Rafayel was much more than what he expected and that there would be hope for him, to go back home.
'Hope,' The First murmured, his voice like the murmur of tides. 'Hope is a coral reef that withstands storms —a beacon for lost.' His eyes, the color of forest, watched the flames dissolve. 'We will return home, young one. The sea remembers its own.'
Soon.