Chapter 6 - Poor unfortunate souls

"Oh, poor Arron." Said Flora.

"I didn't mean to tell her" said Stella "It was an accident!" Just then, she saw Arron swimming overhead, with two strange looking companions. She swam up to him. "Arron, what are you doin' with all dis?"

Arron stared daggers back at the crab.

"Going to see Ursilis." He said. Stella jumped at the name.

"Arron! No, you can't, he's a demon, he's a monster!" He grabbed at the boys tail fin, but it did little to hold him back.

"Why don't you go tell my mother?" He snapped at the crab. "You're good at that!" He flicked his fin, leaving Stella in a wake of bubbles.

"Whats going on?" Asked Flora.

"Oh, uh, I - ugh, come on!" Stella urged.

The eels led Arron into the mouth of Ursilis's lair. It was constructed within the bones of a mammoth sized animal. Arron was disgusted at the sight, but almost lost his lunch when he saw

the hundreds of polyps, all wailing an ear-piercing cry, almost telling him to go back and get out. Arron considered this. But then, what would he go back too? His mother that probably hated him by now? His destroyed secret cave? He had lost everything he truly cared about. He swam further into the cave, Stella and Flora following close behind.

Suddenly, he heard a voice that sent a chill down his spine.

"Come in, come in, my boy" Said the chilling voice of Ursilis. "We mustn't lurk in doorways, it's rude." He said in a sing-song like voice. "One might question your upbringing." Arron didn't say anything. He assumed it smart that in the presence of the sea sorcerer, it was better to only speak when spoken to. "Now, you're here because you have a thing for this princess girl, right?" He asked, though the prince could tell the octopus's attention wasn't completely on him, as he seemed to be attending to his hair the whole time. Arron nodded. "Not that I blame you" Ursilis laughed. "She is quite a catch, isn't she? Hm hm hm…" Arron was growing more uncomfortable by the minute. "Well, the solution to your problem is simple…" Said Ursilis. "The only way to get what you want, is to become a human yourself." Arron looked up at the octopus.

"You can do that?" He asked.

Ursilis grinned. "My dear sweet child, it's what I do!" He floated over to him. "It's what I live for, to help poor, unfortunate merfolk like yourself. Poor souls with no-one else to turn to…"

I admit that in the past I've been a nasty

They weren't kidding when they called me kinda strange

But you'll find that nowadays

I've mended all my ways

Repented, seen the light, and made a change

True? Yes

And I fortunately know a little magic

It's a talent that I always have possessed

And now lately please don't laugh

I use it on behalf

Of the miserable, the lonely, and depressed (Pathetic)

Poor unfortunate souls

In pain, in need

This one longing to be thinner

That one wants to get the girl

And do I help them?

Yes, indeed

Those poor unfortunate souls

So sad, so true

They come flocking to my cauldron

Crying, "Spells, Ursulis, please!"

And I help them

Yes I do

Now it's happened once or twice

Someone couldn't pay the price

And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals

Yes I've had the odd complaint

But on the whole I've been a saint

To those poor unfortunate souls

Ursilis took Arron buy the waist and led him over to his cauldron.

"Now, here's the deal. I know a spell that will turn you into a human for three days." Ursilis held up three fingers. "Got that? Three days." He moved over to his cauldron where he used his magic to create an image of a glowing heart. "Now, before the sun sets on the third day, you've got to get dear old princess-pooh to fall in love with ya" The image of the heart glowed brighter. "That is, she's gotta kiss ya. Not just any kiss, the kiss of true love" Arron looked at the image with amazement as it glowed brighter, his face in awe. "If she does kiss you by the time the sun sets on the third day, you will remain human permanently." Arron smiled, but a thought came into his crimson head, and his smile deteriorated.

"And if I don't?" He asked. Ursilis had been waiting for this part.

"If she doesn't, you turn back into a merman." Arron's face fell and he looked down. "And, you'll belong to me!" Said Ursilis, grinning brightly.

Arron's eyes widened in horror.

"No Arron!" Cried Stella, as she and Flora had followed the prince into the cave. But Flotsa and Jeena used their long tails to silence the crab and fish.

"So, have we got a deal?" Arron though about it, and mentally weighed his choices.

"If I become human, I'll never be with my mother or brothers again…" He said. Ursilis put on a fake pout.

"That's right, but, you'll have your girl, hm hm. Life's full of tough choices, inn'it?" He laughed. Arron couldn't disagree with that statement.

"Well, can't argue with that." he said as he rubbed his arm.

"Oh, and there is one more thing" Said the sorcerer, coiling around the boy just as the eels had done. Arron hated it. "We haven't even discussed the subject of payment, you can't get something for nothing, you know." Arron thought about what a powerful sorcerer could possibly want from a teenage boy.

"I don't have anyth-" Ursilis held up a tentacle.

"Oh, that's where you're wrong. I'm not asking for much, just something small, really, you'll hardly even miss it." Said ursilis, laughing faintly as he said these words. "What I want from you is…" Ursilis placed a long fingernail under Arron's chin, forcing him to meet his gaze… "Your voice."

Stella and Flora's eyes widened as they saw the look of horror on Arron's face. Arron placed a hand on his throat, as if protecting his voice from whatever might snatch it away.

"My voice?" He asked.

"You got it, sweet cakes." Said ursilis. "No more talking, singing, zip." He popped the 'p'. "But without my voice, how can I possibly-" Ursilis cut him off.

You'll have your looks, ya pwitty face,

And don't underestimate the importance of body language, ha!

The girls up there don't like a lot of blabber

They think a guy who gossips is a drag

Yes on land it's much preferred for guys just not to say a word

So really bro you've got this in the bag!

Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation!

It's the girls who want a chance to talk some more

But they dote and swoon and fawn

On a lad who is withdrawn

It's he who holds his tongue whom she adores

Come on you poor unfortunate soul!

Go ahead

Make your choice!

I'm a very busy man and I just haven't got all day

It won't cost much

Just your voice!

You poor unfortunate soul

It's sad but true

If you want to cross the bridge, my boy

You've got the pay the toll

Take a gulp and take a breath

And go ahead and sign the scroll

(Flotsa, Jeena, now I've got him, girls!)

The boss is on a roll!

This poor unfortunate soul!

A golden contract and fish-bone quill appeared in front of Arron in a puff of golden magic. He looked at the entrance to the cave, then to the sorcerer, then back at the contract. He sighed, then to the horror of Stella and Flora, Arron took the quill and hastily scratched his name on the parchment, not even able to look at it.

Arron

The contract flew into the sorcerers hand where it disappeared into smoke, and a huge, evil grin appeared on Ursili's face.

"It's done then…" Said Ursulis. Arron was terrified. The sea demon waved his hand and dozens of bottles flew out of shell cupboards and into the cauldron, exploding in hideous shades of teal. Ursulis began his spell. "Ballooga, severooga, come wind of the Caspian Sea…" A misty green whirlpool emitted from the cauldron and surrounded the young prince. "Larexis, glossitis et max laryngitis, la voche to me!"

With those last final words, two huge skeletal hands appeared above Ursilis, clearly mimicking his own. Ursilis opened his nautilus shell, it's purpose finally being fulfilled.

"Sing." He commanded. Sing? Sing what! Arron thought, his mind racing. So he sang the only tune he could think of; the solo he forgot to sing on his mothers birthday. It was a lyric-less tune but a sweet one none the less, and it got higher and higher as Arron's voice climbed the scale.

"Aa-aa-ahhh

Aa-aa-aaaa"

His throat began to glow.

"Keep singing!" Cried the sea sorcerer as the skeletal hands inched closer and closer to Arron's throat. And so, Arron did.

"Aa-aa-ahh

Aa-aa-aaaa-aa"

Suddenly, a horrible, cold, sharp sensation pierced Arron's throat as his voice was pulled from it. His back arched painfully, and his eyes were forced shut from the pain as the ghost hands dipped right down to the bottom of his throat. It felt as if his vocal chords were being ripped out but still he sang clearly, not sure where his voice was coming from anymore.

Stella and Flora watched in horror as their prince was robbed of the one thing that truly made him special; his voice. Stella had never thought the boy to be very smart, but she never imagined her friend getting himself into this much agony.

A golden ball of light produced from Arron's lips, and his eyes widened as he saw his voice take a physical form in front of him. He clutched his throat, a small tear dripping down his cheek.

Ursilis laughed maniacally as the little merman's voice was sucked inside his precious shell necklace. Another whirlpool surrounded Arron and he was ripped from his mer body. Stella winced, as she assumed having a tail split in two must not have been a very pleasant feeling.

Arron felt like he was on fire as his bones shifted and re-arranged themselves inside his body. A force that felt like a sharp knife cut through his tail, splitting it in two, and his scales shrivelled up as if burning. He thought his spine would break as he was arched so far backward, blinded by the insane light from the whirlpool he was trapped in. Then suddenly, it was over. He was human.

Arron didn't have time to admire his new human legs before he started choking on the sudden lack of oxygen. Stella and Flora had been released from their bindings and swam to the sides of the slowly dying, now human prince, and swam with all their might and Arron kicked and kicked, desperate to make it to the surface before the former merman drowned.

Ursilis cackled horribly as the trio swam out of the lair at lightning speed. It wasn't his concern that the boy could no longer breathe underwater.

"I suppose he's gonna have to get to air as soon as possible" Ursilis said to himself. "Or not."

Stella and Flora swam with all their might, desperate to get the boy to the shore before it was too late. Arron's head suddenly appeared above the water, desperately gasping for breathes of air. Exhausted, he collapsed into the waves, Stella and Flora carrying him over to some nearby rocks, towing another useless human body.