The small island of Corona wasn't just known for the lost princess. It held many other secrets besides glowing hair. Yet something else stayed hidden in Corona, just beyond the horizon in the fathoms below…

A young girl named Nina lived along the shoreline of the small island. She was seventeen years of age with golden tinted skin and wavy deep brown hair that flowed in the wind behind her. Small sun kissed freckles laid around her petite nose.

Born into an unfortunate family, she lived with very little. Yet you could see the fire and spark she still had in her soul every time she looked out onto the surrounding ocean. The island gained most of its economic resources from fishing, which is why Nina's father and brother were fishermen.

Naturally with the low status of her family, Nina was an outcast among the village folk. She didn't have many friends besides her family and the occasional bird that followed her around for food. There was one in particular that liked her. Nina had named it Pike for the way it would squawk at her and walked unusually.

"Pike stop it!" Nina joked as the bird stood on her head and started to peck her hair. She sat along the shoreline watching the small waves crash against the land.

"SQUAWKKK" It answered her as if in pain, which it wasn't.

"Talking to birds again Nina? Just as I thought you couldn't get any weirder." It was Salem. The kid next door to her family's run down house. He had tormented her ever since they were children. Although it seemed impossible, Nina remembered a time when he wasn't a cruel human being.

"No, just trying to enjoy the quiet atmosphere of my home." Nina replied calmly. She had to keep her cool. She couldn't show him she was being intimidated.

Salem scoffed at her remark "Right and I'm just here to talk to you. How about the actual truth?" Salem turned around "Riley! Hedley! Come on over." his too sidekicks soon joined in the harassment.

"Salem is this necessary. Wow way to show your male dominance. By bringing two other guys over by a single command." Nina sassed looking up at him.

"Oh Nina," Salem crouched down to whisper in her ear. "You know, now that you've grown out of your old girlish attitude and body you should fix yourself up and let me take you out." Salem had whispered just loud enough for her to hear what he said but for Riley and Hedley to think he said some witty rude comment to her. Completely confused and conflicted Nina stared back to at him.

"I'd rather stay here with my bird then go out with you. He's better company than you could ever be." She yelled loud enough for his henchmen to hear.

"Ohhh," a quiet gasp was heard from Salem's friends.

"Riley, I have an idea." Salem said glaring down at her. She rolled her eyes, stood up, and began to walk away from them.

"If you need me I'll be back at my house!" She shouted as she walked on. Salem and his henchmen were talking together and began to walk after her. "Back at my wonderful house all by myself….WOAH! PUT ME DOWN! SALEM!" Nina was lifted up by Riley and Hedley and was being taken somewhere while Salem walked behind them with an evil grin on his face.

"Come on Nina, I just want to take a little swim with you?" Salem chuckled to himself a bit. He knew that Nina couldn't swim and didn't know how.

"You wouldn't dare." She glared at him as best she could while being carried.

"Try me." He looked back with just as much hate. Yet now she knew he had a secret he couldn't keep forever. Salem liked her. He should've thought twice before the years of traumatizing events he inflicted on her.

"I SAID PUT ME DOWN" Nina screamed at the top of her lungs as they all approached the nearest dock. It was a bit hidden from the others as it's purpose was for personal sailing.

"Oh come on I'm sure you can swim. It's not that hard just swing your arms around and kick your feet." Hedley told her.

"You're such the teacher" She mocked him.

"I'll give you a chance to think twice on my offer?" Salem said. Nina was waiting and pondering the idea of her going on a date with him. "Too late." Salem then signaled for them to do away with her.

"No!" She shouted only for the water to soon cut off her voice. She began drowning.

Her body began to go into shock as her kicking and struggling left her no result. She spotted Salem walk off looking down at her. Nina's head began falling deeper and deeper under the surface yet she still moved frantically to get air. Her muscles were beginning to get tired and helpless. Slowly she sank and watched the surface above her get farther and farther away. Accepting her fate Nina closed her eyes and let the breath from her lungs escape one last time.

It was hard to remember what happened next but a massive force had hit her body and began pushing her upward at an impressive fast rate. Large long arms were wrapped around her waist pulling her upward. Suddenly she had hit the surface again and was laid down on the ground. The bright setting sun was being blocked out from a silhouette with long shaggy hair. Nina could tell it was definitely a man by the build of his face but couldn't make out many facial details as she came back from life.

"Riley?" She asked the figure thinking it was him because of the hair. "Is that you?"

"Who?" He asked dumbfounded.

"Yes who?" She repeated stumbling for words. "I mean, who are you?"

"I'm a you, yes," He answered cleverly. "I'm actually a nobody you need to know of, you." He chuckled to mess with her.

"I, what?" She tried to comprehend. "Can I just say thank you?"

"You're welcome." He seemed proud. "Was it Nina?"

"How do you know my name?" She seemed shocked. Starting to sit up, she could make out small details. His eyes were an odd color. Very unworldly. As was his hair. "How did you save me" Placing a hand on her throbbing head.

"No, no, you should lay back down and I should get going." he started to panic turning away. He pushed her back down but before her head could touch the ground she reached up and grabbed something around his neck.

"No wait!" Nina pulled back on whatever was on her neck. Yet no one was there and a large splash was heard. Exhausted and tired she lay back down and became unconscious.

X X X

"SQUAWKK" Pike pecked at her head as she began to wake up.

"Pike?" Nina awaoke. "Thank goodness." She sat up to look at her surroundings. There were no footprints around her, no boot tracks from who over rescued her, no evidence at all. She opened her palm to look what she had stolen from her rescuer. A glowing necklace. It was a black cord with a raindrop shaped stone that gave off a luminescent blue glow.

"Don't worry Pike. He'll come back. I know he will. I have something of his now" She smiled before pulling herself back together and finally walking home.