Lukian, the oldest of the merfolk captured by Humans, and Rafayel's friend, advisor, and almost brotherly figure, awaited Rafayel's return, floating endlessly on his tank, swimming past and forward, anxious for their prince, who dared to stay outside longer every day, risking it all.
When Rafayel appeared from his usual flames, Lukian sighed, relieved that he somehow managed to come back before the guards discovered his tank empty.
Rafayel stood before him, the memory of Enoria's laughter clung to him like salt on his skin.
But now, as Lukian's eyes bore into him, Rafayel's elation curdled into dread. The old merman's scales shimmered like an ancient armor, vibrating, showing that he was angry, his scales were still pale, but greener every day, and his voice carried the weight of his anger.
'You are reckless,' Lukian rasped, his voice a cold whisper. 'A fool blinded by mortal whims.'
Rafayel lowered his gaze, 'Buf Enoria...'
'Enoria!' Lukian spat the name like a curse. 'A human girl, Rafayel. A fleeting spark in the vast ocean of existence. The treasure that you need to bring back to our king, you bonded, yes... but are your fleeting moments with her worth risking everything? Risking our lives and Lemuria?'
'She is different,' Rafayel protested. 'Her laughter, her spirit... it makes me feel so alive Lukian, to finally be close to her, our bond feels so... incredible alive—'
Lukian's laughter cut through the silence, brittle as coral.
'And what of our duty? Your sacred mission to protect us? To save me from this chamber and solitude?' He whispered, sad. 'I stay here when you have fun outside, loving a girl that is distracting you from your duties. Where is the prince that bowed to save Lemuria from Humans... like her?'
Rafayel clenched his fists.
'I have not forgotten.' He whispered, all the joy from tonight turning into sadness and anxiety.
'Have you not?' Lukian's eyes flared.
'I love her,' Rafayel whispered, the words a desperate plea.
Lukian's laughter turned cruel. 'Love? A treacherous current that drags us toward the jagged rocks of oblivion. Do you think your heart matters more than Lemurian? More than your mission?'
Rafayel's chest tightened. 'She is innocent. She also hates her kin' He paused. 'She will come with me willingly, I just need more time to convince her—'
Lukian's eyes softened, and for a moment, Rafayel glimpsed the weight of centuries, the losses, the sacrifices.
'You are young,' Lukian said. 'Your heart still sings with hope. But hope is a siren's song, Rafayel. It lures mortals toward the rocks, and they drown. I just hope your hopes won't end in tears, your Grace'
Rafayel bowed, the weight of his love and duty pulling him under. 'Forgive me'
Lukian's gaze followed him as Rafayel transformed into his Lemurian form, stepping into his tank, and trying to sleep a little before the guards took him away, to his beloved. Yet, Rafayel's heart was a tempest, torn between love and loyalty.
He wondered if Lukian was right. Maybe love was merely a current leading them toward oblivion, towards their end, camouflaged with colorful bonds and laughter from their stolen moments whilst others suffered.
Rafayel hesitated but didn't want to leave their conversation as a mere argument, hating their uncomfortable silence. He hated the thought of Lukian being angry with him.
'Enoria... she is not like the others. She hates her kin, and yearns for something more.' He whispered, voice soft.
Lukian's laughter cut through the water.
'And you believe her love for you will save us all?'
'It's not just love,' Rafayel insisted. 'Our bond—it's powerful. It could bridge the gap between our worlds.'
Lukian leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.
'Powerful, yes. But at what cost? Lemuria depends on you, Rafayel. Our survival hinges on your choices.' He stated, firmly.
Rafayel clenched his fists.
'I won't abandon my duty. But Enoria —she deserves a chance. A chance of freedom, of surviving her illness... the chance to be with me' He wanted to cry but managed to endure it.
'Deserves?' Lukian's voice dripped with bitterness. 'Wishes are for mortals, my prince. We are bound by more than mortal whims. Your duty transcends love.'
'But Lukian,' Rafayel whispered, 'what if love is our salvation?'
Lukian's gaze softened.
'Hope, Rafayel, is a double-edged sword. It can save or destroy.'
Rafayel straightened.
'You waste precious time, my prince,' Lukian hissed, his voice echoing off the cold stone walls. 'You need to think that while you court her, Lemurian suffers.'
'I will find a way to balance both. Lemuria and Enoria.' He promised.
Lukian's eyes flared.
'And what of our people? You were entrusted with their salvation, Rafayel. It's been months, almost a year, yet, you linger here, mooning over a mortal girl.'
Rafayel turned away, his heart torn between duty and his love for the princess. Enoria's laughter haunted him, the way she smiled at him, her eyes alight with wonder. Her beauty, straightforwardness, her most caring side.
But Lukian was right. The Lemurians needed him. They were fading, their magic waning, and their Lemuria was crumbling, too full of homeless merfolk who lost everything to humanity.
'Remember who you are, young prince. Remember our history, your duty, and that years of destruction and tragedy won't be solved by the mere mission of a ritual of passing, your Highness. Your duties have just started, and this mission is the beginning of your life as our God of The Sea'
Lukian's eyes bore into his.
'You have one more week,' Lukian declared, his voice like crashing waves. 'One week to finish the mission given to you by our King, persuade Enoria to flee with us —the most valuable treasure of Southern shore. Fail, and... I will reveal your secret to the lord. Humans will know you as the god of the sea, and they will demand more than your fleeting attention. You will be obliged to act, forcefully but... we need you to do so'
Rafayel understood Lukian's hunger for vengeance, of wanting to escape as all the others did. He had seen how all freed Lemurians seek revenge over their slavers, and it was normal, that after hundreds of years of prisoner, Lukian wanted to leave as well. Rafayel told him that he would be the last, to avoid the danger of being found out, as they were placed together.
Yet, Rafayel recognized that whilst courting the princess, he lost time in gaining intel, saving his kin, and thinking about the future. Yet, his threat to tell the humans seemed like a bluff, he knew that Lukian would never hurt him, especially since he was the last hope of his people.
Rafayel's throat tightened.
'What do you propose?'
Lukian circled the water tank, his tail swishing against the cold water, eyes on him.
'You will save as many Lemurian as you can, your mission didn't say all of them, just most of us, and, you will convince Enoria to come with you, and if you cannot, well, we can just take her with us, without her consent, use your voice if it's needed... you can court her when we leave'
Rafayel's resolve hardened. 'I will not fail.'
Lukian's laughter was bitter. 'This is only the beginning, Rafayel. When the Lemurians learn of your godhood, they will seek your favor. They will beg for calm seas and vengeance, for our kin to be returned, not just from Southern Shore, but from all over the world. Are you prepared for that burden?'
Rafayel clenched his fists. 'I will bear it. For Lemuria.' He promised. 'For Enoria.'
Lukian's eyes softened. 'Remember, sea god, that power corrupts. Guard your heart, for even gods can drown in their desires.'
After that, he turned around, his back on Rafayel, pretending to be asleep, and just ignored the prince process, as if he didn't exist anymore. Rafayel noticed that maybe he was giving him time to process all of what was said between them, the weight of Lukian's ultimatum pressing upon him like the crushing depths of the ocean. The merman's words echoed in his mind, a relentless tide that threatened to drown his resolve.
Enoria, he thought, her name a beacon in the darkness. Her laughter, like sunlight dancing on the waves, had drawn him to the human world in the beginning, his bonded, his love. He enjoyed their time together, their fleeting moments of happiness, every moment felt like a miracle given by the gods. Yet, he supposed, she would flee with him, and they would have time, to continue to court her, maybe in hidden islands, away from the evil Humankind.
But now, as Lukian's eyes bore into his, Rafayel wondered if he had been a fool —a lovesick fool who had forsaken his duty.
The sea god's heart churned with conflicting currents. Enoria was mortal, fragile as a seashell, yet her spirit held a connection to the ocean, to himself, that defied reason. She had whispered secrets to him, under him, beside him, hands touching and warm skin meeting, and Rafayel had listened, enraptured, forgetting the urgency of his mission.
One week, Lukian had said.
But what if it was not enough? What if the Humans found him and swallowed him whole, leaving Lemurian to wither like kelp washed ashore? What if the prophecy turned real, and he was forced by humans to attack, instead of defending, and ended up destroying the world?
And Enoria, if he failed, would she wait for him?
Rafayel clenched his fists. Lukian was right; power corrupted. As the god of the sea, he held dominion over tempests and tides, yet he was trapped by mortal desires. Enoria's smile haunted him, the way she traced patterns in his body, her eyes wide with wonder. But Lukian's warning echoed louder: Prepare for what's to come.
The chamber's walls seemed to close in, regret. Rafayel vowed to save Lemurian, to retrieve the girl, but he knew this was only the beginning.
When His kin learned of his existence, they would demand more, calm seas, vengeance, bountiful harvests, and miracles. And Enoria... would she still love him when she knew the truth of what he was?
He leaned his back fully against his tank, whimpering. Inside of him, the sea whispered its secrets, the ancient currents, the forgotten legends. Rafayel closed his eyes, feeling the weight of Lukian's gaze, the promise of storms to come.
Enoria, he thought, forgive me.
And please, wait for me.
And with that, he dove into the darkness, searching for sleep a little bit before the guards arrived, his heart torn between duty and desire, the tides of destiny pulling him deeper into the abyss.
_______
Sorry but needed to be said.
Brace yourselves, this flight will last long.