Chapter 5
I don't think he's noticed me yet.
Levy's mouth turned dry and she licked her lips, her eyes never leaving the strange creature sitting on the hull of the ship. He fidgeted on the side of the ship, first rubbing his long tail, then leaning back against the hull. A breeze blew the salty scent of the ocean through her hair and ruffled the dark fringe hanging down the creature's back. The creature scratched his ear and turned, his head doing a double take when he caught her looking straight at him.
"Your Highness, it's getting late. The crew says it's time to start heading back."
"Oh yes, of...of course. Please give them my thanks!"
"Yes, Your Highness. Do not tarry too long."
Levy glanced over her shoulder to give Lucy a wave before turning back quickly.
The creature hadn't moved an inch. He sat stone still and Levy couldn't tell if he was even breathing. Pulling her mouth into what she hoped was a casual smile, she slowly lowered herself onto the deck. The creature's wide eyes followed her every movement, his fingers gripping the side of the ship tightly. She settled onto the deck, so close she could almost touch him.
Levy folded her arms under her chin. "Hello," she breathed.
She watched the creature swallow, his dark eyes darting to the ocean and back to her. His shoulders hunched until they almost touched his ears and his tail flicked. She swallowed, keeping her calm smile on her face and praying to the mages that she wouldn't scare him off.
After what seemed like ages, his deep, soft voice finally answered. "H-hullo."
Levy blinked slowly, pushing back her excitement. Her heart pounded in her chest. The creature's tail thumped quietly against the hull and Levy could have wept for joy.
A mermaid! I've finally found a mermaid! Er, mer...man?
She breathed deeply through her nose, forcing her words to come calmly and quietly. "What's your name?"
Would he even understand her? Perhaps a simple greeting was the only human word he knew. The merman closed his eyes and moved his mouth silently. His rigid body seemed to have relaxed a degree, so Levy took the opportunity to study him more closely.
He was much different than the picture books she remembered reading as a child. His long, dark tail hung off the side of the hull. A firework exploded overhead, making the mermaid's tail fin shimmer a light gray, almost silver color. Levy squinted in the sudden low light, certain she saw silver scales traveling from his tail, up the sides of his torso, and onto his shoulders and the sides of his neck. The merman tilted his head and Levy saw ears tapered into the shape of fins.
"Me...my name," she heard the merman say, turning to look back at her. "My name...become...Gajeel."
That's amazing! I wonder how he learned our language!?
"I'm Levy. It's very nice to meet you," she said slowly, enunciating each word carefully. The merman watched her mouth, his own lips copying her movements.
"Nice...toos meet you...also?" He grimaced and scratched the back of his head.
An ecstatic giggle escaped before Levy could stop it. "That was very good!"
"Very good?"
"Yes," she nodded, pointing to her mouth then to him. "Your words. You speak very good."
He smiled, revealing a row of sharp teeth. "Thanking you...thank you."
I'm talking to a merman! I'm talking to a merman! Calm down, don't scare him...puuuush it down.
She dangled an arm off the side of the deck. Perhaps if she was careful enough, he would let her touch him?
"Where did…" she asked, but a flash of light cut across the water below them.
Gajeel jumped where he sat and stared at the horizon. A wave lapped against the hull, rocking the ship.
"What is it?" Levy asked, much quicker than she intended. She drew her hand back, pushing to her elbows as she looked in the direction Gajeel stared.
A flash of lightning illuminated dark clouds gathering over the ocean.
"Light...sky. Water become anger," Gajeel turned and another flash of lightning showed his eyes to be a startling red. "Hooman...dangerous."
Levy shook her head. "What? No, no I'm not dangerous, I won't hurt you-"
"Sky dangerous...towarding hoomans."
As if Gajeel's words were magic, the ship jerked as the sails grew taunt. A shiver ran down her spine and she stared at the open ocean, the angry black waves beginning to lap up the side of the ship. Clouds billowed and rolled overhead and a torrent of water rained down, soaking her shirt to her skin. Her hair blew into her face and the ship lurched to its side. Gajeel's fingers reached up and gripped the opening, just inches away touching her and with a deep frown on his scaled brow. Water trailed down his face and she stared into his fear-filled eyes even as her own terror began to take hold.
"Hurricane! Man your stations!"
The merman ducked down out of sight, whether from losing his balance to the pounding waves rocking the boat or to avoid the heavy footsteps that pounded the deck as sailors ran back and forth to save the ship. The once gentle breeze blew roughly into her ears, drowning out the sailor's shouts. A rough hand yanked Levy to her feet.
"Princess! You must get below deck!"
Lucy's nails dug into her skin. Levy and her maid tumbled along the deck in a mad dash for the safety of the captain's quarters. Lightning flashed and a peel of thunder threatened to deafen her. A wave crashed over the side of the ship, drenching her boots with water. Rain stung her eyes and made it almost impossible to navigate through the frantic sailors. The ship lurched again and Levy crashed to the ground, Lucy landing on top of her with a heavy grunt.
"Secure the sails!"
Another wave washed over the deck. Levy sputtered and spat sea water from her mouth. A sailor floundered in the water, falling dangerously near the edge of the ship, and Levy was just able to grab hold of a sailor's arm before the wave washed him overboard. She felt Lucy move to her side and the two women pulled the sailor back to safety. With a quick nod of thanks and a command to 'get below deck,' the sailor ran past.
Levy turned to Lucy, flinging hair from her face. "Lucy, I can help them!"
"Absolutely not! We promised the king we would keep you safe!" Her companion yelled over the wind, dragging her back to her feet.
The two ran to the captain's quarters, the waves and wind making the short distance seem like an eternity. Lucy threw herself against the door, fighting against the wind to open the large, wooden door. Levy leaned against the wall, chest heaving.
Is Gajeel going to be ok?
A streak of lightning flashed directly overhead and set the large mainsail ablaze. Levy bit back a scream as embers rained down on the deck. Sailors yelled and screamed orders.
"We've lost control!"
"Incoming! Brace yourselves!"
"See to the princess!"
Lucy abandoned her post long enough for two sailors to rush over to Levy. They tossed a thick rope to the two women, shouting orders for them to tie it around their waists. A giant shadow loomed at the bow of the ship. A tremendous crash filled the air. The wood splintered and groaned, the ship buckling in half beneath their very feet. Levy frantically fumbled for a hold, barely managing to slip her fingers around the rope as the impact forced yet another wall of water over the ship. Water pushed her against the deck, water filling her ears and nose, and she was shoved against something hard and unyielding. The wave resided, making her sputter and cough up sea water.
Levy shook hair from her face and watched in horror as a fire spread throughout the remaining sails and onto the deck. The air grew hot and heavy, thick smoke billowing from the destroyed sails. She scrambled to her feet, jerking in frantic circles.
"Lucy!" she coughed, bringing her wet sleeve to her face.
She rushed across the empty deck, avoiding falling debris and smoldering beams. The ship screeched under her feet and the deck tilted at an odd angle. Levy scrambled over a fallen beam, legs like jelly as she climbed over the wood. Patches of fire sparked and grew larger, but Levy couldn't leave until she was certain her friend was safe.
"Princess!"
Her name screamed across the storm and Levy rushed to the intact side of the ship. Two lifeboats bobbed in the water, each filled with drenched sailors. Lucy stood in the center of a boat, her blond hair hanging in rivlets down her once clean dress.
"Princess, you must jump!"
"O...ok!" Levy gasped, holding onto the railing tightly.
The ship exploded before she could even lift her feet.
His arms burned with the effort to hold onto the side of the ship. The wind whipped his hair into his face and a large wave collided against his body. Fingers slipping, Gajeel flew through the air and crashed into the water below. His lungs burst from the impact and he gasped in the water, turning in a tight circle as he struggled to breathe.
Get a hold of yourself! You don't have time to do this!
Coughing and sputtering against the pain in his lungs, he swam for the surface, ignoring the warning calls of his friends. A red monster covered the back of the ship, eating away at the wood and sending its anger into the sky. The bright red light illuminated the troubled ocean, showing two small boats struggling in the waves.
She's not there!
He dove and swam to the front of the crashed ship. A large coral reef, much larger than the one housing his cave, jutted out of the waves like a dark sea monster. He shifted through the debris bobbing on the surface, tossing wood to the side in his frantic search.
"Le-vee!" he called out, tossing a beam of wood far into the ocean.
A thunderous roar, louder than the colorful explosions from before, covered the ship and flung debris high into the air. Gajeel dove underwater, narrowingly avoiding the onslaught. He quickly surfaced and his scales turned cold at the sight of a new red monster, stronger and more ferocious than the first. It consumed the ship and with a mournful groan, it slowly sank into the waiting ocean.
His heart seized in his chest and with a battle cry he dove underwater, using the small red monsters on the surface to light his way. He pushed aside large pieces of the wrecked ship, frantically searching for any sign of his human.
"Le-vee!"
No, please no! She can't breathe, she can't make it!
He pushed himself around a sinking wall and a patch of blue floated past his vision. Gajeel swam forward, catching hold of the wall as it slowly sank into the darkness. Bubbles covered the surface of the wood and caught in his human's hair. His human tugged at her trapped leg and the light from the surface slowly faded. Le-vee lifted her head, her eyes so wide and filled with terror that it almost stopped his heart completely. A rush of bubbles came from her mouth and her eyes rolled shut.
"NO!"
Heart screaming, Gajeel took hold of the wood and pulled with all of his strength. It splintered beneath his fingers, releasing its death hold on his human. Without another thought, he grabbed Le-vee beneath her arms and swam like he never had before to the surface.