(No P.O.V.)
For a week, Eric wouldn't help himself by thinking of the mermaid he rescued, and he desperately wanted to know if she's all right and more. His dreams of the sea increased, and he wanted to be one of them; a merman. He heard stories, rumors about this sorcerer, or is it wizard? Anyhow, he heard that this man has powers, abilities to do impossible things for a price.
He had told Max of his adventure, and Max believed him, yet Eric didn't dare to tell his Uncle, knowing how Grimsby doesn't believe in mythical creatures, leaving it all to his brother before he passed away, leaving Eric as one of the believers in mythical creatures, but he still told him and Max that he wanted to travel further down the shoreline for some time.
Grimsby was a bit upset about it, but he still supported his nephew, realizing that perhaps some personal time would help encourage Eric to look for love as he recently became 18 months ago. Max was sad to see his best friend go, but he knew that Eric is stubborn, and once he's deep into something, he has to see to it thoroughly.
Max, being 19 years old, knew how his best friend would be feeling as he felt the same sometimes with the village for he's a tad unusual with his looks. Max is a tad heavy on the side, having light black hair which contracts with his pale skin, and deep brown eyes, usually wearing a gray shirt with dark green trousers, and black shoes.
After bitter farewells, Eric left the village, heading to the forest where the rumored hut of the sorcerer was said to be. He was nearly caught by a pair of vicious and sly dogs which were roped up tight to two iron posts. The dogs were dominantly mutts, nearly identical to one another, except for their eyes. They had brown/black striped pelts similar to tigers, and their eyes freaked Eric out.
The dog on the left has a copper brown eye on the left side while on the right side is a muted yellow eye. Its companion has the copper brown eye on the right side while on the left side is the muted yellow eye. The way they stand together, their muted yellow eyes seemed to shimmer gold which spooked Eric, and he suspected that they are much smarter than they are.
The door of the hut opened suddenly, revealing a spry sort of elderly man who had a voice like it scratched against stones or something. He had tanned olive skin, white/gray hair in a windswept way, and violet purple eyes, wearing a gray shirt over black trousers, a purple sash, cape, and curved shoes. He shouted in fury, "Who dares to come to the house of Urs the wizard?!".
Eric called out shakily yet kept on strongly, "I am. Eric of Denmark, looking to make a dream come true with your powers' aid.". Urs narrowed his eyes, then grinned wickedly, "Oh, yes. That's right. The one who dreams of living under the sea. Flotsam, Jetsam, let him through!". Eric's eyes widen as he nervously went past the observing dogs, and came into the hut, following Urs in.
He was unnerved by the numerous paintings that has terrified people in different poses through he had swore that he saw some people move and shake their head in muted voices, seeing various bottles and vials on shelves and such, and he see a huge cauldron near the fireplace. Urs sat upon the head of a small table, with a glass ball supported by a green clawed hand. "Sit down, boy. Much to ask, and little time to do so, or is that the reverse?".
He cackled in delight at his own joke as Eric sat down in a stiff chair. "I hear you have ways to make impossible things come true.". Urs nodded, "Yes, I am skilled in that category. Now you have caught my attention a while ago, and I have observed that fateful night.".
Eric gasped, "Then you know that I saved someone then?". Urs grinned slyly, "Not just someone, but a mermaid princess at that!". Eric's eyes widened as big as saucers, "She's a princess...". Urs chuckled, "Indeed. And you want to see her, and I know what that entails. You desire to be a merman.".
Eric nodded, "Yes, I do, sire, and I hear that for such things like that, there's a price.". Urs smiled brightly, "Very learned, boy! Yes, there's a treasure down below where your mermaid lives. That's the price.".
Eric raised an eyebrow, "A treasure?". Urs cackled lightly, "Oh, yes. It is said to belong to your mermaid's father, King Triton. You must bring it to me to pay the price.". Eric averted his eyes in thought, then voiced bravely, "And if I want to be a merman permanent?".
Urs whistled lowly, "Now that's a commitment. Very well, if you want to be a merman forever, you must give your mermaid a kiss, not just any old kiss, but true love's kiss. And you have a month to familiarize yourself within the depths of your mermaid's kingdom, and you must make sure to get the treasure before the month ends. Otherwise, if you can't, and the month expires, you shall go back to being human, and your heart shall belong to me!".
The paintings suddenly seemed to shake furiously, but the muted voices weren't heard by Eric's ears as he was shell-shocked by the conditions. He breathed lowly, "If I become a merman, I shall not see Uncle Grimsby or Max for a long time again.".
Urs hummed deviously, "I suppose, but you are desperate to know your mermaid, the one you saved that day. If you stay here and refuse my offer, you shall be haunted in your dreams, forever wondering about what's under the sea, and her. It's a hard choice, I admit, but life's not fair sometimes, yes? Do we have a deal or not?".
Eric took a deep breath, and glanced at the glass ball, devoid of life, then suddenly, glowed brightly to reveal the mermaid, the red-haired girl Eric saved. Eric's breath hitched as he saw her smile brightly at something out of his view, swimming so gracefully. Eric remembered his dreams, his vow; he desired to know her, who she is, what she likes or dislikes, everything.
Then the glass ball became white again, and Eric looked up, staring at Urs with a determined expression on his face, "We have a deal.". Urs grinned, cackling, "Excellent!". His hands glowed brightly of a green aura, and there appeared a contract in shining gold parchment before Eric, with a inky black quill, and Eric took a deep breath, and signed it.
Urs exhaled deeply as the contract rolled up into a scroll, absorbing within Urs's hands, and he wildly got up from his seat, running to the shelves as the fire's orange flames became a bright blue, darting under the cauldron where water suddenly boiled, and Eric watched in horrified awe as Urs threw various bottles and vials into the cauldron, chanting in Latin.
The newly created potion was given to Eric, and with careful warnings, he left the hut, hearing Urs's cackling laughter and the dogs' barking. Eric headed down to the very same beach which he and the mermaid was upon, and once he shed his clothes, he treadled the water, and he drank the potion, screaming in pain moments later.
He became unconscious from a very painful combination of bones breaking and fusing, with a last thought of realization. He is now a merman, one of his greatest dreams coming true at last.