"You're safe now my dear Roderich…..I'll be back soon….."

When Prussia woke up once more he was alone. Completely alone. He sighed as he sat up and stretched. He was sort of glad for the moment of solitude since he could work on practicing some more magic and reading up on the Creature Compendium. He started with the spell book first, pulling it out as he rubbed his eyes and turned to the page he had marked. He wasn't far into the book after all and he had a lot more to learn. He froze when his eyes had cleared up and he saw his hand. The paleness and veins had spread to his fingers but not the back of his hand. He was starting to really worry about what was happening to it. He knew he had to find a cure or maybe his whole body would end up looking vampiric or something. He sighed as he let his hand fall and he started on the spell. It was a spell for translation and nothing more, something easy since he was a novice. He quickly scratched out a sentence in German before saying the spell slowly, only part of it being translated and also slightly translated wrong. He swore under his breath as he tried it again, reading out the words slow so he didn't trip up on them. He had better luck this time as the sentence almost perfectly translated. He smiled softly and wrote more sentences in German, trying to translate them to other languages with the spell from Dylan's notes in the margins. Welsh was still a task and a half for him though so he did trip up on the notes sometimes. Once he had gotten the spell down he closed the book and moved on to the Creature Compendium, flipping to a random page.

"Siren. A siren is a Greek woman-like creature with wings and a cousin to harpies. Their singing is used to lure sailors to smash their boats into rocks so that they may feast on the drowned victims flesh. They are never in a group as a family and have a hierarchy of the bird of prey their feathers appear as…...Holy shit that's a little harsh. Let's see next page. Mermaids. Oh that actually sounds pleasant! Mermaids are from Old English and are mythical half-human sea creatures with the head and trunk of a woman and the tail of a fish. They are usually depicted as beautiful with long flowing golden hair but their hair color can differ based on the region they are from. Their songs are ones of peace and do not attack humans, moreover they pick one man to mate with when the wish to produce offspring. The hierarchy of a mermaid pod, usually a family is a 'Queen' with two to three daughters and the rare son. When they settle into an area they make it their kingdom and protect all humans that inhabit the area. Their tail colors usually show the region or area that are from as more metallic colors are reminiscent of being born near the UK whilst pastel colors have been observed in births in a more Mediterranean setting."

He nodded to himself and tried to make sure he remembered it before marking where he left off and closing the book, putting both back into the bag. He then stood up and tried to stretch out his muscles to wake them up. He didn't know what sort of experiences he might face this time and wanted to make sure he was ready. He even got in some exercise before going over the contents of his bag. Creature Compendium, spell book, bandelier. He was set to take on the challenges. He gently took off the cloak and folded it up, placing it in the bag over the books just in case of someone managed to reach into his bag. He wanted the books completely safe like his life depended on it. He then grabbed an empty journal in case he needed it and placed it on top of the cloak. He was ready at last. Now he just needed to find the cave. He walked calmly around the cavern and its tunnels, the crystals around him glowing a soft ocean blue, before finding a cave that was definitely too small for him to walk through. It was half his height like it was made for a child! He sighed and knelt down, knowing he'd have to shuffle in this way just to fit. He gently wiped the dusty handwriting and nervously gulped. It was Modern English. Which meant it was a newer country. He knew now why it was so small. It was meant for a child. He read the writing and his heart nearly seized.

'One Day I'll be great. Now I'm real. September 2, 1967, Roughs Tower'

Roughs Tower. He knew who that was. Not a nation. Not a colony either. It was a principality. The Principality of Sealand. Last time he saw Peter it ended very bloodily for the little micronation. He shut his eyes and tried to breathe, to restart his heart so that he could think. Peter would only be a young child. He wouldn't know who Gilbert was but he knew he still had to be careful. He knew England and any German country would avoid the area but he knew that now that he was magic something would be after him to keep the child from becoming a micronation. He sighed and closed his eyes, lying down and army crawling into the cave. He didn't expect the immediate drop off and something akin to Alice in Wonderland happened. He fell. Endlessly fell it seemed into the darkness below until a light began to come closer and closer. He shut his eyes after that but felt a soft rocking motion and the smell of sea air. Well he wasn't dead that was for sure. He slowly opened his eyes to see he was in a little rowboat…...in the middle of the ocean. Just great. He didn't even know which way Sealand even was from where he was and now he had to find it. He knew there was tons of forts abandoned in the ocean around England but just maybe the one that was a speck in front of him was where he'd find Peter. He started to row, seeing no other option. He rowed for what seemed hours before he heard the soft singing of women who seemed to have slight feathers. Sirens. Shit he knew they lured sailors but why wasn't he being hypnotized and rowing towards the rocks to his right. Then he remembered he wasn't straight in the slightest. Their singing wouldn't work on him. He stopped the boat and watched them as they seemed to strengthen their singing and harmonizing, Gilbert sitting there quietly and staring with a small laugh. Their singing was truly beautiful when you couldn't be hypnotized by it. He sat there for a while before the notes became shrill as they realized he could not be lured and started to fly up and towards him. He swore as he tried to row away as quick as he could, having to make a few circles to avoid their dives to attempt to make him their prey. When he finally evaded them for good he couldn't see the fort anymore, only seeing the open ocean around him. He swore and put down the oars as he sighed. He was lost, so lost he didn't even know if land was close by. The he heard it, the gentle notes that seemed to come from under the water as he leaned over the edge of his little rowboat and saw glimmers of silver and bronze. Mermaids? He hoped they were or he might be doomed to whatever was waiting below him. The shimmering disappeared as a song began to be sung, words and gentle rhythm that went with the gentle rocking water. It started off with a single, very young voice that seemed strong yet nervous. It was soon joined by five other voices, strong yet confident and ranging in pitch and age but creating a chorus that melded with the waves and made Gilbert feel extremely peaceful.

'Into the sea

Hold you close to me

Slide 'neath the waves

Down into the caves

Kiss me my love

Come rest in my arms

Dream your dreams with me

Slide beneath the sea

Come to me my love

Forget the land above'

'Ooooooh oooh ooooh

Ooooooh Oooooh oooh

Oooh stay away from me

Release me from thy spell

Back to the land above

Spell is all but gone

Now you're free!'

He hadn't even realized he closed his eyes until the singing had stopped. When he opened them though there were six females surrounding his boat and seemingly watching him like he was a new concept to them. They didn't attack but just watched quietly. There was a woman with long ginger hair and a golden tail, a beautiful necklace of shells around his neck. On either side was a redhead and a blonde, the blonde having a bronze tail and the redhead had a silver tail and each had pearls for necklaces. The mermaid children with the pink and purple tails were blonde as well and had seaweed in their hair, looking like twins. The final was a brunette child, the youngest who had a tail of pure white and her hair was braided in a crown near the top.

'Hello weary traveler. I am Agatha, Queen of the fortress waters. This is my daughter Lucille and her twins Grace and Jane. My other daughter here is Mary and her daughter Guinevere. Are you lost?'

"I…..Yes dear queen. I am looking for the fortress of Roughs Tower but the sirens attacked me and I became lost."

'Ah. Antheia, Kora, Naeva, Yadira, Dabria and Paithoon. They are up to their old tricks as usual. I see you survived so you must not be lured by the hypnosis of their ways. I applaud you on the fact.'

'Grandma I wanna touch his pretty hair!'

'Me too! Me too!'

'Grace, Jane, leave the human alone!'

'Yes mom….'

"Could you take me to the fortress? I must get there before nightfall."

'We can. Let us take this man to his destination. It is what we can do to protect him from the sirens once more.'

Gilbert smiled at Grace and Mary, their pink and purple tails gently moving under the waves. He pulled the oars in even as the mermaids started to swim, pushing the boat in the direction he was meant to go. He learned many things about mermaids on his trip, including that Guinevere was not actually from their pod but a victim of a hunt from Russia that drove the child's real pod away. They had adopted her when she found them since Mary could not have children of her own. He wrote everything down that the book did not entail so that maybe someone would find her notes and eventually learn more than anyone could even fathom. When they reached the abandoned fortress Gilbert smiled and gave the adopted orphan his iron cross, knowing it would be safe with her. He didn't need it anyways as it reminded him of a time he would rather forget. He waved the beautiful creatures goodbye before he ascended up a ladder, t looking like it had been placed there recently. He wasn't too late! He could save him as long as he wasn't blown up. He just needed to use a little magic and everything would right itself. When he eventually climbed up and looked around he saw a little five year old in a British military uniform looking and the ocean, soft sniffles coming from him.

'Th-They left me…...They left me all alone. Everyone keeps leaving me all alone. Wh-Why…..First dad left me with his soldiers and now they left me. I-It's not FAIR!'

"H-Hey…...it's okay kid."

'Who's there! I'm Peter Kirkland you know and I will shoot!'

Gilbert put his hands up and walked over, sitting down so he was eye level with the kid. Peter was so small and fragile, shaking from fear. Gilbert smiled softly, remembering when Ludwig was that little and usually came in to cuddle Gilbert when he had a nightmare. Gilbert then lied and told Peter that the people that came had sent him to watch over him until they got back, which wasn't a complete lie. He knew they'd be back soon since he could already see the boat. Peter then talked about how his dad was a country and he wanted to be just like him! Strong and powerful! Peter wanted to show his dad how big and strong he really was and that he could even become awesome. Gilbert laughed with a happy smile, ruffling the kid's hair and then when Peter turned to see the people coming up the ladder Gilbert ran off and hid, listening to how Peter was now his own country. Gilbert moved his things in his bag and pulled out the spell book, opening it and concentrating, saying a spell for luck that he knew Peter would need. The last thing he heard before the bubble appeared and Gilbert touched it was Peter, his voice more of a twelve year old than a five year old.

'I'll call myself Peter Bates then! In honor of my leader! I, Sealand, will become the best country there ever was and shove it in England's face!'

He saw many, beautiful things flash across his vision. Sealand finding his friends, growing up and meeting Finland and Sweden who adopted him. Their Christmases together with laughter and joy with the other Nordics. As the light surrounded Gilbert he held a smile on his face before his feet was back on the ground of the cavern, hearing the echos as he opened his eyes. The cavern was calm and quiet which was calming for Gilbert. He had an easy fix but all that rowing had made him so tired. He smiled and laid down in his usual resting spot, expecting a pleasant dream but being confronted with something else entirely.

He walked through a door to where Sealand was laid out, trying his hardest to struggle against his binds, fresh blood trickling down his face. His skin was like paper and his eyes were filled with fear, something Peter wished he'd never have to feel again. Tubes were snaked in and out of his flesh, wires were strapped to his head, needles burrowed into his arms and legs. The room was like any other cell with the exception of fresh and old blood on the walls and pools of it on the floor along with the bodies of the other micronations splayed out on the floor, eyes glassed over and mouths gaping in screams that were cut silent. The entire area reeked of the smell of rotten flesh and copper enough to make anyone's stomach leap from their bodies. Old and bloody bandages covered wounds that could have gotten infected. They did want to keep him Peter after all. Sealand struggled and fought against the straps of the table as Prussia walked up to him.

"Pathetic. You're an adult and a country. You finally got your wish yet you still try to escape. Tell me where the Nordics are and I'll spare you unlike your petty friends."

'N-Never! I'll never tell you where they a-are! I'll take their hiding place to my GRAVE! So says the country of Sealand!''

"Then I guess I can just get rid of you, but first. A little fun."

Prussia took a knife and ran it down Peter's arm, earning a scream of pain from him. Gilbert only scoffed as he did the same to one of Peter's legs, running his fingers in the fresh blood. He positioned the knife over Peter's face and held one of the sockets open, plunging the knife in and literally digging the young nation's eyeball out with the tip. Peter struggled and screamed until his throat was hoarse. Only when the eyeball came out with a sickening pop did the digging stop. Gilbert held it up before severing the optic nerve, making the poor country's world start to go black. Gilbert then grabbed a hook which looked more like something for mummification as he plunged it into Sealand's socket and wrapped it around the brain stem. With one hard tug Peter's body jerked and then went limp, the brain stem having been severed. Gilbert then pulled out Peter's brain and tossed it on the ground, walking away. There was still work to do.

Prussia shot up and looked around fast. Peter's screams were still echoing in his head. Why did the nightmare have to be so vivid! He could feel the blood on his hands and see the dead looks so clearly. He didn't want to remember what he did. After the nations were dying or being killed the micronations had taken over the lands and become adults. Then Gilbert wanted the Nordics dead so he rounded the micronations up and killed them. At the time he thought it was the only way. Now he knew he was dead wrong. He curled up again and tried to sleep.

"I can fix what I've done wrong. I just need more time."