Hello, viewers! Just telling you one thing. Limbo is the same in a coma or in the pathway to heaven. Got some good surprises through this is bittersweet. Not telling you anymore. Bye! -Traveler.
(Eric's P.O.V.)
I weakly groaned as pain filled me, opening my eyes to a beautiful curtain of color, then I saw the statue of Triton and Athena. I realized I was in the family garden just like Ariel told me about. I moved slightly, and I shrieked, clutching my hand to my chest, glancing down to see three wounds leaking out heavily, and I knew Ursula got me wounded nearly to death.
"Eric, Eric, there you are!". Sebastian came into view, and I weakly grinned, "Hey..Sebastian..". I could barely speak, strength dwindling from me. Sebastian gasped in horror, "Poseidon, we got to get you to Triton! He can help heal you!". He tugged my hand tightly, and I pulled back, "I can't get up, Sebastian. I am dying.. it hurts so much..". I heard a unearthly scream, barely recognizing it as Ariel, and I exhaled heavily. "Oh..Ariel, I had to do something. I couldn't want another father gone from my life...".
Sebastian looked aghast at my comment, "Oh, Eric.. You saved the kingdom, the king at the cost of your life..you're breaking Ariel's heart...". I smiled at him softly, "I don't regret it, Sebastian..This world, the home of my Ariel, I feel like this is a place I could belong in..I know Ariel..she won't forget me..". Sebastian sighed softly as I was losing further strength, feeling my heart slow down, my eyes blurry yet clear at the same time as I won't give up glancing at the wonders, the beautiful flowers of the garden..
I heard Ariel's voice calling for me, "Eric, Eric, please answer me!". I weakly called out, "Ariel..". She swam so fast like a dolphin, her eyes gleaming, her face broken yet so flawless as she looked at me, sobs starting out in her voice as she picked me up into her lap, her hands into my hair and cheek. I spoke strongly as I could, "Ariel..I love you, my little mermaid. I never, ever regretted a moment we spent together.. I just couldn't bear to see your father to be taken away in your life..like me.. You're my family, never forget our dream... I am part of you, forever and always.".
Ariel cradled me softly as she leaned her face into mine, nuzzling softly, brokenly voicing, "Don't die, Eric. I just got you back! It's not fair! I love you so much! I wanted to have children with you! I won't dare love another as I love you, Eric!". I sighed weakly, raising a hand into her cheek, reacting as her hand covered mine, "Never forget me..". I leaned up as far as I could without aggravating my bleeding wounds more, kissing her firmly and passionately, and I closed my eyes at last, breathing in her floral scent, tasting her soft, lush lips, feeling her warm, smooth skin with my cheek-clad hand, and my other hand feeling her smooth, cool scales of her beautiful green tail. I finally let go, giving out a last breath as I felt my heart stop.
Like it was fog, there was a muffled scream, and there was heat, not the boiling hot kind, but more of the bubbling hot kind from a bathtub, and I knew nothing then, except for darkness. It was a sea of darkness..No time, no smells, no sounds, nothing. It seemed so long when suddenly, there was light, revealing a place that's somehow half above on land and half underwater, almost like a wall of glass is keeping them apart yet people, animals whom I can see, can change from a fish to a dog, or a human to a merperson as they cross from land into underwater and back.
The land half has a beautiful spread of pristine green grass, with the sky being crystal blue, and the water half has a darker tinted sky, having boulders of colorful coral and clear pale sand floors below. I was standing on two legs upon a boulder, at the point between the two sides, when I saw a merman coming up to me from the water half.
He had bright hazel eyes, a cropped haircut of pale red hair, tanned skin, and a indigo tail with sky blue fins. He grinned as he popped out from underwater, transforming into a human, wearing a blue shirt with black trousers, and barefoot, landing flawlessly upon the boulder besides me. "Hey, my future brother, looks like you're stuck here for a bit as Father had to heal you with the Trident.".
I blinked, then I remembered Athena's words about her lost son, and I spoke, "Tobias?". He nodded, proving me right, and I gaped in shock as he was literally in front of me, all grown up! "But how come you're-". Tobias chuckled, "Older?". I nodded mutely.
Tobias grinned, "That's the thing..I chose to age somehow while your folks chose to stay immortal here.". I widened my eyes, "My parents are here?". Tobias nodded, "Yeah, and oh, here they come! Uncle Oscar, Aunt Isabella!". He waved a hand, smiling widely, staring to the left of me, and I looked over to see...my parents, impossibly young as the day I remember.
My father almost looks like me, except for his style of hair which is more slicked back, with a goatee, and bright brown eyes, wearing a sun-bleached white shirt, with dark blue trousers, and gray boots, and very tanned skin. And my mother, I used to say that she was prettier than the moon to cheer her up whenever she gets sad, and I was right. She has silky brown hair with little curls at the ends in a braided up-do, the same ice blue eyes I had received, tan skin, wearing a teal dress, a beautiful gold necklace with a silver moon pendant, and black flats.
They came up to me from land into the boulder, with Mother sobbing lightly as she hugged me suddenly. I froze for a second, then I automatically hug her back, remembering how her hugs were so warm, so comforting. "Mama.". I whispered reverently. Mother sniffled lightly as she pulled back, "Oh, Poseidon, how I missed that!".
I smiled, "I used to say it to you after you read stories to me every night..". Mother nodded, kissed me on the cheek, "And now, look at you. You've grown, so handsome like your father!". Father chuckled warmly, "Indeed, and a beautiful fiance to boot as well.". I grinned, "You don't care if she's sometimes a mermaid?". Father shook his head, "Your lady very much cares for you, and loves you with her heart. We have watched you both, and we are so proud of you, son.".
Mother nodded, "He's right, Eric. We have raised Tobias since he came here as a baby, and we loved his differences as we are all the same.". Tobias grinned as he grasped my shoulder which is remarkably bare of the wound I saw before, "That's right, and I loved your folks too as my other parents, er, if you don't mind?". I chuckled softly.
"Ariel would've loved her older brother, indeed. I am happy that you weren't alone, you got my folks with you all this time while I was..alive.". Tobias blinked, "Eric, you are still alive. You're in a coma for ages!". Mother shook her head softly, "Not ages, Tobias, just a week.". I exhaled, "Wait, so I can go back?!".
Father nodded, "If that's what you choose. You see, this is limbo, the path to heaven. This is just a small piece of what it looks like in heaven. You can come with us, or go back to Ariel and the others.". I widened my eyes, and stared at him, then glanced at the sides of two worlds, the small slice of heaven as a representative of what to come if I choose to go with my parents and Tobias, then a image of Ariel appeared, her bright smile as she sang her part of that time we sang together in the Catfish Club, and I took a deep breath.
"I am sorry, Mama, Dad, but I gotta go back. This is the only chance I could have, and I love Ariel so much that it hurts.. Tobias, sorry about not going with you. I bet you got adventures planned, huh?". Tobias gently smiled, one-armed hugged/punched me on the arm softly, "Yeah, but hey, those adventures can wait! It's not gonna be the same without Ariel as the beacon for trouble, right?". I laughed softly, "You want me to tell your parents that you miss them, and love them, yeah?".
Tobias nodded, and then he grinned, "There's one more thing.". He whispered into my ear, voicing his secret to me, and as soon as I got it clearly, I nodded, "Got it firmly in mind.". Tobias smiled, and winked, "See you around, brother.". He then turned around, running toward the water half, jumping through, shifting back to his merman form with a shout of glee.
I shook my head, amused to realize that Tobias would have been the perfect role model for Ariel if he had lived. I turned around to face my parents, and we had this hug suddenly, with Father ruffling my hair out of habit and Mother cradling my cheeks in comfort, "Remember, we love you, son, and you better live well and long, and give us grandchildren as well.". I grinned softly, "I plan to, guys, and I will never forget you, and I will tell the children of your stories, Mama.".
"Give Ariel our love, Eric. This is not goodbye.". I nodded, and then suddenly there was a flash of light with my parent suddenly fogged up like faded memories, and I soon heard a sound of music, almost like my flute, no, it's my flute! I then slowly opened my eyes, beholding the most beautiful sight I had ever held to my heart. My little mermaid is playing my flute.