After resting for a bit, Quiana asked for the map. Brittany gave her the scroll and watched as she gently unwravled it. She pointed to a spot in the jungle not far from the ocean. "Here's where we are at the moment." She dragged her finger a couple of inches. "The first relic lies here, in the cove next to the sea. It's guarded by mermaids."

Brittany looked up. "Mermaids?"

"Yes, Mermaids."

Before Brittany could question any further, Quiana heard a rustling in the bushes and dragged Brittany further.

In no time, they reached the beach after treading silently and carefully through the jungle. In the cliff side, there was a cave. "That's where the ring is hidden."

Brittany nodded and proceeded forward, but she noticed that Quiana wasn't following. She turned back and shot her a questioning look.

"This is as far as I dare go." She looked down shyly, ashamed at her fear. "Besides, each relic is protected by a challenge, and each challenge is one that you will have to face alone. This challenge, especially, will test your heart and your instincts. Listen to them both, and they will guide you where you need to go."

Brittany took a deep breath at the cryptic message and continued onward. The cave walls grew closer together as the light from the outside grew dimmer. It got to the point where Brittany couldn't even see where she was going and started tripping over random rocks and such. Starting to get frustrated, Brittany closed her eyes and remembered Quiana's advice. All she needed to do was to listen to her heart and her instincts and she would be fine.

As she stood there, she tried to listen to what her heart was telling her, but she couldn't hear anything. What was it supposed to say, anyway? Just as she was about to give up hope, she felt the breeze brush by her ears. As if in a trance, she began to walk forward, not realizing it at first. With each step, she the breeze grew stronger and stronger. She kept her hand on the wall and slowly made her way through the maze of the tunnels. Drops of water became louder in the distance. Every droplet made a sound that resounded clearly in her ear. The scuffing of her feet against the stone floor was drowned out as the echoes of the gentle breeze bounced off the walls and guided her deeper and deeper through the cavern. She could have sworn that she had heard singing as well. As she made her way, the singing grew louder and louder, the melodies entrancing her, comforting her. As she turned a corner, a bright light shined in her face, causing her eyes to fly open. She held her hand over her eyes, shielding herself from the light and continued to walk forward. As she crossed the threshold into a huge room, she looked around and found a small altar with a button resting in the middle. Cautiously, she made her way up some steps to the altar and placed her hands on the button. She closed her eyes, listening to her heart, and pushed it.

Immediately, the doorway leading out of the room closed, and waves crashed through the room, filling it up with gallons and gallons of sea water. Brittany started panicking as the water was already at her neck. She splashed around for a bit before the room had been completely full of water. She tried to hold her breath beneath, but she was slowly losing air. Her eyes fluttered open and closed before some strange figures appeared. Delusional due to lack of oxygen, Brittany couldn't distinguish who they were, but they took her in their hands and gently pulled her up.

She found herself above the surface of water and gasped for air. After several breaths she looked around her and saw beautiful women holding her above the surface. They smiled at her and gently brushed the hair out of her eyes. Brittany continued to look around and found herself in a circular, dome-like room filled with water. Directly in front of her was a giant rock, seemingly floating on the water. On that rock, a mermaid, with long ginger hair and a shimmering blue tail was brushing her hair and looking at her reflection in the water. At the sight of Brittany, she smiled.

"Welcome, my dear." The mermaid entered the water and swam up towards Brittany. She ran her fingers through Brittany's hair. "Are you okay, my child?"

Brittany nodded, reassured by the sweetness of the Mermaid's touch. The Mermaid gestured to the other two, dismissing them. The ginger-headed mermaid led Brittany to the rock and gave her a dry cloth to dry off with. The mermaid waited in the water as Brittany patted herself dry.

After she was dry, Brittany spoke up. "I trust you know why I'm here..."

The mermaid nodded. She pointed to a circle on the wall. "Press it."

Brittany walked over and pressed it without hesitation. For some reason, she felt just as trusting with the mermaid as she did with the Scarved Man. As she pressed the circle, a passageway opened at one end of the room, and circular stepping stones rose from beneath the surface of the water and led towards the passage.

"Come, my child," said the mermaid. "We have much to discuss."

The mermaid swam towards the passage, and Brittany followed, jumping from stone to stone carefully. The mermaid kept an eye on Brittany as she jumped, smiling as Brittany took care not to make a misstep.

"You have come to obtain the Cascading Ring and bring it back to the White Princess, have you not?"

Brittany nodded, and the Mermaid smiled again.

"We have been waiting a long time for someone worthy to come and claim the ring. These tunnels, you see, are enchanted. Only those who are pure of heart may navigate them. Those who cannot find there way perish, sadly."

They had made their way to another room, a room with a large opening in the ceiling that revealed the night sky. Brittany was taken by surprised by the night sky, for when she had entered the cave, it was clearly day light. There was a pool, separate from the rest of the water, in the middle of the room directly below the opening in the ceiling. Just as Brittany was about to ask where they were, the full moon emerged and shined through the opening. As it did, the pool in the center of the room started bubbling. Golden bubbles started rising, floating towards the sky. Brittany was mesmerized by the sight until the mermaid snapped her to her senses.

"Go forth, child. Put your hand in the water and watch what happens."

Brittany obeyed, walking slowly up the pool and placed her left hand in the water. It was hot and cold all at the same time, filling all five of her senses with a euphoric feeling. The golden bubbles tickled her skin, making her giggle with delight. Her hand started to glow, and as the moon made it's way back across the opening, eventually disappearing, the pool stopped bubbling. Brittany lifted her hand out of the pool and was surprised to find a sapphire ring on her ring finger. The gem was the biggest and the most brilliant gem stone she had ever seen.

The Mermaid propped herself up on the edge of the pool and smiled at her. "Beautiful, is it not?" Brittany nodded. "This is the Cascading Ring. From the gem, the purest water springs. This water has healing properties, as well as other magically properties as well. In your quest against the Red Queen, you will have to face a creature called the Simply Evil Xandersnatch. It is a wicked two headed dragon, a creature of fire that the Red Queen had adopted from the care of the Amazons in the north. You shall meet them later in your journey. The only way to defeat this creature is to douse it's passions with the Cascading Water from this ring. Do this, and the Red Queens forces will greatly diminish."

The mermaid took Brittany's hand and looked at her in a tender way. "This ring cannot be worn by just anyone. It has appeared to you because you have shone the innocence and the pureness of heart required to wield it, and while your heart is one of the purest hearts that I have ever seen, you cannot rely on innocence and naivety alone. To an extent, you have to grow in maturity to preserve this innocence. Protect your heart from the dirt and pollution of corruption and keep it pure as the water in this ring, and you will go far, not only in this journey, but in life."

Brittany nodded, honored at the praise that the Mermaid was giving her for the simple task of navigating a cave.

"I know you must be on your way, but can I ask a favor of you?" Brittany nodded. "On your journey to obtain the Skeleton Key, you will meet a man named Mill, the caterpillar man. Could you please tell him that I'm still willing to wait for him, no matter how long it takes for him to turn into a butterfly. Tell him that I will be waiting right here for him for as long as he needs." She grasped Brittany's hand tighter as tears started forming in her big beautiful eyes. "Tell him that I still love him."

Touched, Brittany put her other hand on top of the mermaid's. "Of course! You can count on me... uh..."

"Jaemma, my name is Jaemma."

"Jaemma." She looked her straight in the eyes. "I'll be sure to tell him."

Jaemma put her hand over her heart in gratitude. Brittany smiled and turned to leave but then realized that the way she came was submerged in water.

Jaemma giggled softly. "Just close your eyes and clear your mind."

Brittany obeyed. She closed her eyes, and as she did, she could hear the sound of the ocean crashing around her and smell the strong scent of the beach filling her senses. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself on the beach, right in front of the cliff where she started. She looked around and saw a surprised Quiana standing in front of her. She was about to ask where Brittany came from, but after seeing the ring, she closed her mouth, took Brittany's hand, and dragged her off in a rush, presumably to their next destination.


Not the most exciting, but you know. Lemme know what you think!