Hey guys, awesomerebel55 here. Just wanted to let you know that I hope you, my readers, become more engaged with this story. If you read you must give me your thoughts. Faster reviews means faster chapters. And I'm sure many of you want me to continue my other story, so the faster I finish the faster more will come from that story.
Now with that rant out of the way... on with the chapter.
Darkness was the only thing that Adam could see. He felt like he was floating in some kind of dark void. His whole body felt numb to the point that he couldn't feel anything, or wether he was on solid ground or on water. He could feel everything drift away from him and he couldn't do anything to get it back. He tried to remember what had happened but his mind was slow to wake up and he could just barely think.
That was when something came to his mind.
Adam...
It began like a whisper in his ear.
Adam...
Slowly it started getting louder.
Adam...
And louder.
Adam!
Adam's eyes snapped open as he was finally awoken from his dreamless slumber. His eyes stared at the humid stone ceiling above him. He could hear water dripping from the stalactites around him. The air was humid and the feeling started to come back to his body. His eyes quickly adapted to the light that was being reflected upwards. Adam felt a sting on his left shoulder as he slowly lifted his head.
"What happened?" Adam asked himself.
With a groan, Adam turned his body. He felt the wet stone floor press against his body as he managed to put both hands against the floor. His body now completely back to his control allowed him to see just where he was. He saw that he was in some sort of cavern right next to a glowing blue pool. He looked around to see the cavern, in hopes of figuring out how he got to this place.
"Where the hell am I?" Adam asked as he struggled to his feet.
Adam turned to his head spotting his ax laying only a couple of feet away from him. Suddenly, a light groan caught his attention. Adam turned around to spot the source of the groan with his ax in hand. On the opposite side of the cavern was none other than Star Butterfly, laying on the ground facing upwards like a wooden board.
Adam rushed to her side before he began shaking her.
"Star, wake up," Adam said only getting more groans as a response. "Wake up, you useless princess. We need to get out of here."
Adam continued shaking Star but was unable to get any other reaction out of her.
"Alright, that's it," Adam said as he pulled back his hand ready to slap Star.
But before he could wake her up, Adam heard a splash coming from the pool. He turned around and saw the waters moving and from below the surface of the crystal clear water he spotted a human-like figure swimming towards the surface. He couldn't fully make it out but Adam quickly went back to where he had woken up. He placed down his ax next to him and kept his eyes half open, pretending to still be asleep. He waited for the figure to pop out of the water, unsure if it was some kind of monster or lake spirit. Just then, he saw from the corner of his eye the figure coming out of the water.
The creature was female with long platinum blond hair that reached past her shoulders with a blue highlighted bit on her left side. She was beautiful with a young angle like face and a curvy body.
Adam almost went wide eyed but then he got a better look at her whole body.
The woman's body was tanned colored with blue scales in her arms, and legs with darker shades of blue in her upper arms, outer thighs and feet. She was dressed with a light blue shirt that showed a decent amount of cleavage and a brown cloth that covered her lower half. On her left wrist was what appeared to be a shackle of some kind. She then shook her head leaving her wet hair to get dried up in a matter of seconds.
Adam tried to stay as still as possible but he was forced to lift his head to see what the mysterious fish girl was doing.
In her right hand she carried a fish from the lake. She placed the fish on the ground before she knelt next to Star. She began sniffing her and looking over her body.
Adam feared that the strange female was going to eat them, if he didn't do anything. He reached for the ax but he accidentally dropped the iron horseshoe that he carried inside his jacket.
The horseshoe fell and clashed against the stone floor causing a 'chink' noise to echo through the cavern.
Fear crept into Adam's soul as the creature stopped what she was doing.
She turned towards Adam and slowly crawled on four legs towards him.
Adam closed his eyes but he could feel her body heat just hovering above him. The dripping from her clothes hit Adam's body like tiny taps from a hand. To Adam it felt like someone was poking him to see if he was dead or alive. He stayed as still as he could as he felt something the warm body getting closer to his face. He heard three sniffs around his face before she pulled away from him.
"You can open your eyes now human," a playful and laid-back voice said. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Adam slowly opened his eyes only to be met with the face of the strange female creature. He now could see her with much more clearness. She had pale blue eyes, a couple freckles on her cheeks with some blue scale spots under them, and an orange seashell necklace hung around her neck.
"Huh, brown eyes. I wondered if humans had other eye colors," she said before moving a few strands of hair off of his face. "What's your name, dude?"
"My name is Adam," Adam replied completely confused. "What is your name?"
"My name is Jackeilinda Aqualynn Thomas, but my friends call me Jackie," Jackie introduced herself before getting off of Adam. "I've never met humans before. You are very funny looking. Sorry for the whole pulling you out like that. I don't meet a lot of people. Fish?"
"I'm good. This is not the weirdest way I've ever met a girl," Adam admitted as he lifted himself up and picked up his ax. "What is this place? Why did you bring us both here?"
"This is my home," Jackie said. "Best view of the Lake of Avalon. I've lived here since I was a little girl."
"Seems lonely," Adam muttered as he looked around.
"Yeah, but as for why I brought you here," Jackie said before getting in front of Adam's face. "I really wanted to meet a human. I heard so many stories while growing up about them and I really wanted to see for myself. Tell me, do you guys really only have 270 bones in your body? Do you only have hair on your head or does it appear in other parts? Are you a male or a female? What is up with all these layers of clothes?"
Jackie continued asking as she circled around Adam looking him over. She was like a little kid seeing something strange for the first time in her life. She observed and examined with pinpoint accuracy to see if her questions could yield any answers. Jackie was trying to feel every part of Adam's body getting him to jump away from her after she touched his ass more than once.
"Hey, hey! Hands off the merchandize!" Adam said jumping away from Jackie's touch. "You don't touch people like that ever!"
"Oh man, I am so sorry! I didn't break anything, did I?" Jackie apologized.
"No, you didn't break anything," Adam clarified. "How do you know so much about human society if you've never seen a human before?"
Jackie rushed to the deeper part of the cavern. She moved a couple of boulders out of the way and she then began pulling out a large wooden chest.
Adam walked up to where Jackie had dragged the chest and saw how she opened the busted lid. Inside the chest was not treasure but many books. Some very old with leather covers, others with stitched backs and others wrapped in animal fur.
"Wow, that's a lot of books," Adam admitted as he looked at all the books inside.
"Yeah, a few years ago someone dropped this chest into the lake," Jackie said before she took out one of the books. "I brought it here and began reading all of these fascinating books. They are my path to other waters. More often than naught with a fish in hand."
Suddenly it all clicked for Adam. The desire for knowledge, the ability to survive underwater and the craving for fish. He wanted to kick himself for being so foolish.
"You're a mermaid!" Adam said out loud.
"Yeah, bet you expected flippers or a couple of gills, right dude?" Jackie said with a cheeky smile before opening the book in her hand.
"But aren't you supposed to be in, well you know, the sea?" Adam asked. "That's at least six days from Echo Creek to the South."
"Yeah, that's the weird part," Jackie said looking to her shackle. "One day I was swimming in the ocean and then I was brought here by the elders of my tribe. Something about keeping Caliburn under careful watch, that it was my destiny."
Adam couldn't help but feel bad for the mermaid. He knew all too well about how one can be pushed to do something that they didn't want to. Or have the choice to choose. He placed his hand on Jackie's back to make her feel better.
"But enough about that, tell me, is this fact or fiction?" Jackie asked showing a book page to Adam.
"What's that?" Adam asked looking at the pages.
"It's a book by some guy named Guillermo something or other," Jackie answered. "It tells all of human history all they way from its beginnings. Is it true that you came from monkeys."
"Wait, let me see that," Adam said before he began reading. "Wow, this guy makes a lot of weird sense."
Adam turned to see the name of the author, Lord Guillermo Del Toro, and recognized the book that he was reading.
"This is Toro's book A Brief and Weird Recount of Human Life," Adam said. "But this book and all its copies were burnt years ago by a mysterious fire."
Adam then turned to the chest and rummaged for more and more books. Every title he found was one of the books that had seemingly been lost to time and people only knew about them by word of mouth. These works supposedly took a deep look into sciences, astrology, and the life styles of different Fablefolk and magical creatures.
"These books shouldn't even be here, but they are," Adam said in utter surprise.
"Yeah, they are cool," Jackie replied. "Are they real or are they fiction?"
"I think this is all real, but why would they all be here?" Adam asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine, dude," Jackie said
Suddenly, a shriek caught them both off guard!
"YEEEEEAAACK!"
Adam and Jackie turned around to see what the source of that scream was. Adam held up his ax, ready to swing it against some monster or wild beast that was going to attack them while Jackie hid behind him.
The source of the shriek was of course Star Butterfly as she had finally woken up from her slumber.
"Oh man, I had the weirdest dream ever!" Star said. "I thought that I was running for my life through a forest and then I was drowning and I think I have a fish in my pants."
"Oh, the human girl, I completely forgot about her," Jackie said sheepishly.
"Trust me, you haven't missed much," Adam said lowering his ax. "And she isn't human. She's a Fablefolk princess. But she doesn't really behave like one."
Jackie gasped before bowing down to Star.
"I am very sorry for my actions, your highness," Jackie said while bowing down in front of Star.
"Ha, finally some recognition," Star said before standing up and looking at Adam. "Now you also bow down to me, human."
"Yeah, I don't think so. Please tell Jackie to stop bowing to you, it's uncomfortable," Adam said waving his right hand.
As Adam said that, the tattoo on his right wrist glowed.
Star suddenly felt a burning sensation on her left hand and was compelled to obey Adam's words.
"Stop bowing before me, Jackie. It's uncomfortable," Star said as Adam instructed before shaking up her head. "What the heck was that?"
"You finally listened to me," Adam said before noticing his mark. "Apologize for eating all my food." He said before waving his hand, seeing his mark glow.
"I'm not going to- I'm sorry for eating your food," Star replied as if she was on autopilot. "How is this possible?"
"Wow, looks like you two are spell bonded or something," Jackie guessed before going to the chest. "I think I read a book about that."
Jackie then pulled out a small handbook covered in green leather with a worn out golden outline and a title that read 'Bonding Magic'. She scrolled through the pages until she found the one that she was looking for.
"Here we go," Jackie said before showing the picture of the book. "The Super Bonding Red Ribbon spell, 'the caster creates a master and servant like bond that makes whoever is struck by the spell a servant to the caster. Whenever the master makes a command he or she must wave their hand and the servant does it even against their will'."
"Wait, now I'm his servant?! But I casted the spell!" Star barked.
"As messed up as that spell sounds, Star is right," Adam admitted. "She casted the spell. What do you usually do when casting that spell?"
"It says here that like any other spell of the bonding kind, 'the spell must have a line of sight towards the target and may be bounced off or back if it hits an iron based surface'," Jackie pointed out.
Adam then looked at his ax.
"So that's why it bounced, my ax blocked it," Adam surmised.
"Break he bond then!" Star demanded.
"How do am I supposed to do that?" Adam asked. "You're the one that casted the damn thing. Plus, let's not forget about the war that's going to take place up there if we don't do something about it."
"War? What war?" Jackie asked.
"Long story short, I found Star, brought her to Echo Creek and then she began causing chaos," Adam explained.
"Hey! They deserved it for lying about Glossaryck's words!" Star said getting in Adam's face. "Humans started the ancient war and we answered with a vengeance!"
"That's funny, because the version I and every single kid in Echo Creek has been told is that the Fablefolk have tried to destroy the Children of Man!" Adam responded butting heads with Star.
The tension between the two was so thick that one could easily cut it with an ax or a sword. But that didn't last long.
"Actually, there are two different versions of that story," Jackie added causing Adam and Star to turn around.
"What?" they both asked.
Jackie pointed to the chest.
"There are two versions of the Gospel of Glossaryck in the chest," Jackie said.
Both Adam and Star jumped at the chest in search for the two books. They elbowed and pushed each other in order to get to the books. Jackie couldn't help but stare at them in some amusement. Her only company were non-intelligent fish after all.
"Here, I've got it!" both Adam and Star said as they held up two different books.
They each looked at the books that shared the same title; 'The Gospel of Glossaryck'. They both opened their books and looked through the pages. They each were marked by handwriting and parts were highlighted. The story similar but significant parts were very different.
"I don't understand. How come there are two versions?" Adam asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Jackie said.
"Well it's obvious what's happening," Star said.
Both Adam and Jackie turned to hear the answer of the Fablefolk princess.
"Humans fabricated this version from the real one that the Fablefolk have known for generations," Star said with pride.
Adam and Jackie looked at each other with raised eyebrows.
"I think I hit her a little too hard," Jackie said.
"Nope, this is how she usually is," Adam said before looking at the book. "If these books have been spread around for years, then whoever wrote them must know what triggered the war years ago. They have been manipulating both the Fablefolk and the Children of Man into fighting."
Adam went back to the book and searched for any clues as to where the books came from. He then spotted some notes written in a strange language throughout the book. Questions kept piling on for Adam and he was getting frustrated for not having any answers. Just as he reached the last page of the book he found what appeared to be a final word of the one that made the notes. Adam spotted a signature at the bottom that read 'Selena the Shy'.
"Who is Selena the Shy?" Adam asked.
That seemed to catch Star's attention. She perked up and walked up to Adam.
"How do you know Selena's name?" Star asked.
"Do you know her?" Adam asked.
"She was my grandmama," Star answered waving it off like it was nothing. "Big lover of books and secrets, went missing ages ago."
"She wrote these notes," Adam said showing the notes. "I assume that she wrote the same thing in the other book as well. Can you translate it?"
"Nope," Star simply replied. "That's witch writing, only a witch can read it. And I just so happen to know someone who might. But..."
"What's the catch?" Adam asked. "As if I don't already know."
"Break the bond and I'll take you to her," Star said with a sneaky smile. "Sounds like a great deal to me."
Adam groaned in frustration at Star's childishness. There was no way he could just get rid of her with something this big happening. But how do you explain things to someone that isn't willing to listen. Adam rubbed the bridge of his nose trying to come up with some reasonable argument to get Star to stop being such a pain.
"If you take him to your witch friend, she can make sure he breaks the bond," Jackie suggested getting Adam out of his thoughts.
"Yeah! You can't trust humans," Star said before turning to Jackie. "Jackie, right? You are one smart girl."
"Well, I read a lot," Jackie replied. "But I-"
"Let's go now!" Star said as she walked away from Adam and Jackie.
"I'm not going to last with her like that," Adam sighed before turning to Jackie. "Are you sure we can take these two with us?"
"Yeah, I've already read them several times," Jackie said with sadness in her voice. "If you jump into the pool and swim for a little you'll be back on the surface. Feel free to drop by at any time."
Adam looked sadly at Jackie, she had been helping them and despite technically kidnapping them had been a great host. She had even offered them fish.
"You know, you could come with us," Adam suggested. "We can even help you get back to the sea. You don't need to stay here in this cavern, all alone."
Jackie put on a sad smile on her face before answering.
"I'd love to, but I'm forced to be here to keep Caliburn safe," Jackie said holding up her shackle. "Even if no one knows the sword is here."
Adam looked down in disappointment. He didn't want Jackie to be a prisoner away from her family. Especially if it wasn't her choice. If only that stupid sword wasn't here. Just then an idea came to Adam.
"Where is that sword anyway?" Adam asked.
Adam, Jackie and Star plunged into the water of the lake and swam out of the cavern. The clear blue waters of the lake were illuminated by the rays of the sun. It was as if one was floating in the air as many fishes swam around the group. If Adam could say anything underwater it would've been; life sure seems better underwater. As Adam looked at the lake he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Adam turned to see Jackie pointing to the middle of the lake. He and Star followed Jackie to the center of the lake where many fish were swimming around an object. Jackie swatted away the fish revealing the sword Caliburn, seemingly untouched by time or the elements.
Adam approached the sword before planting his feet against the ground and grabbing hold of the sword's handle. He pulled upwards, trying to lift the sword but it didn't move an inch. Adam tried again and again, but Caliburn wouldn't budge. It seemed like the sword was connected to the ground and pulling it was as if Adam tried to lift the earth itself.
Adam pulled on the sword until he felt his lungs were burning. He opened his mouth causing the air in his lungs to bubble towards the surface.
Star then began laughing and thus her air got out of her.
Seeing this Jackie grabbed hold of Adam and Star before swimming quickly to the surface.
All three of them broke through the water and took in a deep inhale of air.
Adam and Star coughed out water as Jackie easily lead them to the shore of the lake.
"Ok, so the sword didn't move," Adam said after spitting out water.
"What did you expect? Only a worthy Fablefolk may draw upon the mighty sword Caliburn," Star said before she used magic to dry herself.
"Well, I didn't see you try to lift the sword," Adam mumbled.
"It was a sweet try Adam, but I guess I'll have to stay here," Jackie said as Adam looked at her.
Suddenly, Adam got another idea.
"Jackie, you're supposed to stay here as long as you wear that shackle, right?" Adam asked.
"Yep, that's pretty much the gist of it," Jackie said holding up her shackled wrist.
Jackie tried getting out of the lake but then the shackle began pulling her back down. The shackle glowed until Jackie was back in the water.
Adam took hold of her hand and began looking over it. Years as a blacksmith had taught Adam that everything had a weakness. That meant that he could find a way to get it off of Jackie's arm. He spotted what looked like a bump that was where the shackle bended to open. He looked for how the shackle was constructed and if there were any other weak points, unaware that his hands were all over Jackie's arm causing her to blush.
"Um, Adam," Jackie softly said. "you have quite a grip there."
"Oh, sorry," Adam said being caught by surprise. "But I think I found something that might help get it off. Place your hand on the ground and don't move."
"Oh, really?" Jackie asked as Adam stepped back. "You planning on picking a lock or something?"
"Something like that," Adam said. "Now, don't move a muscle."
That last part caught Jackie's attention.
"Why do you say thaAAAT!?" Jackie screamed as she saw Adam holding his ax high over his head.
In a swift move, Adam brought down the ax against the shackle, forcing Jackie to close her eyes.
A loud chink echoed for a little bit before Jackie opened her eyes once more. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the shackle being cut in half.
"Man, that was a close one," Adam said pulling back the ax. "Sorry for that, but I needed to do it quickly before you tried to get out of it."
Jackie looked at her arm for the first time since she had been given the shackle that she could feel her arm freely. She stepped out of the lake completely, no weight pulling her back into the water and nothing holding her back. She was out of the lake and couldn't be happier. Jackie began screaming and jumping up and down in utter glee before she ran back and forth next to the shore.
"This is amazing!" Jackie screamed before hugging Adam. "I mean you scared me to death but you set me free! Thank you!"
"Um, yeah, you're welcomed," Adam said as a red blush appeared on his face.
Jackie then began to jump and run around again.
Adam smiled at how happy the mermaid was. He turned to where the shackle was and picked up its remains. Part of him told him that he had no right breaking it since it was a Mermaid cultural artifact and all, but another part of him told him that doing it was the right thing to do. Now Jackie could decide what to do with her life. It did seem like the bracelet was meant to be in this lake.
Adam then chucked the remains of the bracelet into the lake.
"If there's someone to lift that sword, then it'll happen one day," Adam said.
"Hey lovebirds! Move it then you can have fun!" Star called out.
"Fine, let's get this over with," Adam sighed turning away from the lake.
As Adam walked up to catch up to Star and Jackie, the lake lightly glowed before hiding its presence from any who weren't worthy of what lied inside it.
Caliburn stood at the bottom of the lake, waiting for the time for its master called upon it.
The newly assembled trio walked down the path through the forest, following Star of all people.
Adam had given Jackie a spare cloak to cover her body, not that he didn't enjoy the sight of her body. But because of her lack of other clothing.
As they continued to walk, Adam saw some of the most amazing trees that stretched high into the air. Their leaves were green emerald and the creatures that they ran across were magnificent. The light from the sun was perfect for the travel and there was no clouds in the blue sky. Adam wished that his family was here with him, they would've loved the fresh air. But the thought of his family made him think of how he left things. They had to be alright, he thought to himself.
As for the mermaid, she was loving the sights of the trees and the birds chirping away in the sky.
"This is so amazing," Jackie said as she looked at a butterfly. "There's so much stuff that you don't see in the lake or the ocean."
"You think this is cool? You should see my friend Janna's awesome play pad," Star said while walking like nothing was wrong with the world. "She knows how to get down."
"I just hope that she can get the bonding spell removed," Adam said. "Don't you think that I should wear something to disguise myself? I don't suppose that the Fablefolk town citizens will take kindly to a human carrying an ax made of iron."
Star merely shrugged off his worries with a wave of her hand.
"You know, this is why humans only last less than a century," Star said. "You worry too much."
"And you don't worry about anything," Adam replied when an idea popped in his head. "I wish you would be a little more serious. I could do with a little less bouncing."
Star suddenly stiffened up with the bonding taking control. She stopped bouncing and a more focused face appeared on hers. She started walking normally and whenever she tried to bounce she'd be pulled down to the ground.
"I don't like you," Star said as she walked angrily.
"Oh calm down, you'll get rid of the bond soon enough..." Adam said before he spotted something up ahead.
Everyone turned to where Adam was looking and saw a large stack of black smoke coming from the town further down the road. The town down the road was being attacked. Houses were being burnt. Supplies were being ransacked. Fablefolk were running in fear as horseback ridders attacked. But the ones attacking made Adam's eyes go wide.
It was the Warriors of the Sun attacking.
