Outside the storm did not lay down at all, night and day, day and night, it was all the same to the humans living around these oceans because it would always continue being equally dark as the storm raged, the waves crashing towards the many stone cliffs, almost as if the ocean itself was filled with anger, demanding its goddess back where she belonged.
Rain clashed down, sometimes big ice lumps would fall down as well, big as the balls you would usually throw to your dogs, a lump ice that size falling from the sky could very well kill a man.
The moon was looming above, somehow in spite of the storm and clouds always visible and somehow looking eerily bigger than it should be.
Thunder, ice, rain and wind, clashing amongst each other in a mad dance.
And yet Hiyataka, the man whom called himself the lord of the ocean would not give up nor give in.
To proud, to stubborn.
In his mind this was all but a test, and he would stand through it, he would not give in.
His youngest son, the young Fujimoto how-ever, he to was showing his true colours.
Proud and stubborn, a trait he seemed to share with his father and oldest brother though none of them would see just how similar they were.
Fujimoto observed the storm from his window, and he could tell, he could hear the voices, calling out in anger demanding their goddess back, threatening to destroy all humans if harm was to come to her.
He could feel them to, feel their anger feel their hopelessness, and it made Fujimoto angry, so very angry as well.
The only reason he had not just gone out and commanded these oceans as they wished of him, was Granmamare herself, when he sat by her side on the other side of glass by the fish tank, hopelessly seeing her light fade more and more.
She was the one whom kept begging him to find another way, to make peace with his family.
But his family obviously didn't want to make peace, all they had in mind was war and even more war.
Hiyataka had been at war with the other lords around their land for as long as Fujimoto had been alive, now the man had clearly gone insane as he had went to war with the ocean itself, claming it for his own.
Fujimoto laid down on his back in his bed closing his eyes as he listened to the wind and rain outside drumming against the wall.
Alive, it was so alive… All of it, alive.
Out in the storm, Fujimoto was part of the storm itself, walking on the water.
Easily he lifted an arm and a wave of water followed his movement, he made a slight push and the wave crashed against the cliff on shore.
Fujimoto grinned, laughed as he lifted his arms and made the ocean itself rise and him with it.
"Master!" the ocean called to him. "Young Master!"
"HAHA!" Fujimoto laughed as he spread out his arms letting the waves clash together as he played with the storm itself, letting the wind tear in his hair and the rain splash down on him.
Freedom! This was freedom.
Then gleefully he opened up his arms and the ocean itself opened up for him, letting Fujimoto jump down to where he met a forest of pure light.
Fujimoto was not a human, he was a fish! Happily swimming around the ocean, in circles playing around the crystals that all seemed to radiate a light.
Fujimoto laughed together with all these other creatures whom happily swam with him.
Then they came, a big steam of gold, golden fish that all seemed to laugh and beam by the sight of him.
A hundred, a thousand small gold fish swimming towards Fujimoto, sourrounded him, tickled his body.
And Fujimoto howled in laughter as he fell backwards, stretching out his hands to touch the fish under his fingers.
"Fujimoto my dear." A soft female voice had spoken and Fujimoto looked up to see.
There she was, floating in the water, strong and made of soft light as she was supposed to, her long red hair floating around her as was that part of the ocean to.
"Granmammare." Fujimoto breathed looking at her together with all the small gold fish. "You're okay!" he sniffed, cried. "Thank god!"
Granmammare smiled at him as she opened her arms for him, inviting him in. "Fujimoto." She called.
"Granmammare!" Fujimoto yelled gladly as he ran towards her and into her warm embrace holding her, crying. "I'm so glad you are well, I don't know what I would do if." He sniffed.
"Shhh." Granmammara whispered slipping her fingers through his hair. "It's all good now my dear Fujimoto, you are home."
"Home." Fujimoto smiled up at her. "Yes, home." He barely whispered.
"Just look." Granmammara smiled gesturing at the underwater light forest in front of Fujimoto, filled with so many creaturs, spirits and fish. "You woved to protect them and they accepted you as their lord, this is now your kingdom!"
"My kingdom?" Fujimoto barely breathed. "But I don't.." he swallowed. "It's all so magnificent."
Just then, a black cloud seemed to come from above.
All the small gold fish screamed and tried to hide away as the black came closer and started to swallow the light. "What's?" he asked then turned to Granmamare, suddenly she didn't shine half as bright. "Granmamare?" she asked.
She though didn't answer just looked sadly a him.
Just as it came, a big iron ship from above, crashing right down into the middle of the forest bringing it's black sticky oil with it.
Fujimoto gaped. "No! you can't!" he exclaimed just as another ship crashed down smashing one of the corals making all the small gold fish scream as they fled for their life.
Black seeped out, the black sticky oil, alongside the red, red falling down from above.
"URGH!" Fujimoto yelled looking up. "THOSE DAMN HUMANS IS HAVING ANOTHER BATTLE ARE THEY?!" he yelled. "I WONT LET YOU DESTROY THIS!" he exclaimed jumping up but suddenly he realised he was stuck.
Looking down at himself Fujimoto realised, his feet's were stuck in the black oil that covered all of him. "Hey, get this disgusting thing off me!" he hissed. "ARGHHH!" he exclaimed struggling to get out though the black substance only seemed to grow, slowly covering all of his body, crawling into his throat into his lungs, strangling him. "Urgh!" he spat.
Just as a man appeared in front of him, a man whom called himself the lord of the oceans, Hiyataka. "It's for your own good Fujimoto I promise."
Fujimotos eyes widened as he struggled, he couldn't even speak as the black filled up his lungs and his stomach crawling down his mouth, he gagged and he coughed. He couldn't breath! The oil was killing him!
"It'll all be good in a while I promise." Hiyataka told. "It'll all be good."
And Fujimotos eyesight grew black now covered in oil, he tried to scream but not a sound would come out.
"ARGH!" Fujimoto sat up gaping for air wide-eyed looking around realising, he was merely sitting in his own bed, covered in cold sweat.
Outside the storm was still raging just as big as when he had fallen a sleep if not bigger, the voices still as present.
Slowly Fujimoto walked up and moved to the mirror, looking at his own mirror reflection and saw..
The man in the mirror had long bright red hair like a sea wizards, his eyes was blazing blue, his skin pale as moonlight yet seeming the eminate a weird light.. Fujimoto smiled as he reached out his slender hand touching the mirror image, then he glanced at the ocean out of the window only to turn back, though as he did, his smile faltered.
For what he saw in the mirror was not a red haired sea wizard but a black haired human.
It almost made him want to cry to see his old image looking back at him.
He was uninterested in this reflection, it didn't even feel like him anymore.
Then a great shout sounded through the castle. "GET ALL DEFENCES READY! HURRIE LORD BUSHIDO IS ATTACKING!"
Fujimoto raised an eyebrow by the yell, it was not uncommon that the surrounding lords would attack this fortress at the oddest of times, apparently this was a very attractive piece of land and ocean... Fujimito actually had no idea why, something about central location or something.
Calmly Fujimoto walked down the halls of the fortress as people ran back and ford readying themselves for attack, yelling commands.
Hiyataka was on top of it all, walking up and down barging orders followed by his two oldest sons. "So Bushido thinks he can take us by surprise just because of a little storm?" he asked. "HAH! Don't make me laugh!" he grinned then halted as he saw Fujimoto in front of him.
Fujimoto whom looked darkly back at him in a frown, the two brothers as well looked.
"Fuji.." Tatsue swallowed. "What are you doing here.. I mean."
"We don't have time for this right now." Odan snapped. "We must focus on this new attack!"
And Fujimoto smirked, a smirk that looked downright sadistic showing his white teethes. "Typical human behaviour." He commented. "The world is ending right in front of your eyes and all you care about is your precious little piece of land."
"Fuji!" Tatsue exclaimed aghasted.
"Stand back." Hiyataka asked his two oldest sons.
Fujimoto glanced at them, with superior downright arrogant eyes. "Hiyataka, your precious land is on the brink of destruction because of you, you can still stop it though." He commented. "I'll ask you again, but this will be the last time. Will you give the goddess of mercy back to her ocean where she belongs?" he asked.
Sternly Hiyataka looked back at Fujimoto, meeting his eyes without hesitation, the two men was starring each other down. "I never have and never shall yield." He stated. "No!" he then told.
Fujimoto merely lifted an eyebrow. "Very well then." He told. "Now no one can accuse me for not having given you the chance, go out then, go out and slaughter each other. Just know that anything that happens from this point, will be on your cape. Hiyataka self proclaimed lord of the oceans."
An icing feeling went down Tatsues back as he gasped, it felt like they were facing a demon merely possessing Fujimotos body.
Similar thoughts seemed to go through Odans mind as he held a hand over the hild of his own sword, ready to draw it.
Hiyataka though, stood as proud as his youngest son. "I shall not yield." He told. "I will not be broken."
"I knew it." Fujimoto told. "Truly, you will never change." He told and then walked past them down the hallway.
The three man he had passed did not turn around to look after him.
Tatsue looked pale as he swallowed, cold sweat running down his forehead. Odan looked ready for battle, ready to draw his sword and Hiyataka, stood as proud and stubborn as always.
"Father…" Tatsue barely whispered. "Fuji.. Maybe we should…"
"We don't have time for this!" Odan hissed. "We need to focus on keeping the land safe!" he hissed.
"Indeed." Hiyataka told sternly. "I will defeat this ocean and defeat the storm! I will show those spirits that I will never yield, so they must yield to me and I will have my son back!" he stated. "Come now, no time to waste!" he waved at his sons.
At ones Odan followed his father steps though Tatsue hesitated. "Father.." he spoke quietly. "Maybe we should give her back to the ocean, this seems to be far out of mere humans comprehension.. I don't like this." He told.
"I will not yield!" Hiyataka hissed. "Come now!" he demanded in a booming voice.
"Ye-yes sir." Tatsue swallowed as he picked up pace to follow up.
People had found out that trying to keep Fujimoto a prisoner or deny him his wishes was a bad idea, because it would just maybe make him use his magic and go insane.
That was the only reason he could still walk freely in the foretress and the only reason he could just go to Granmamare when he wanted.
Because they were all scared of him, and deep down Fujimoto was happy it was that way as he walked his path to his beloved goddess.
As he reached the door he just stretched out an arm as he demanded. "Leave!" at the guards.
"Sir!" One of the guards exclaimed. "We can't just."
At that Fujimoto lifted a hand and water splashed through the windows. "I don't care what you do, go aid your comrades in fight or leave the place, just leave!" he hissed.
Wide-eyed the guards looked at him, obviously scared, and then they ran, ran for their lifes.
Fujimoto slammed open the door and then he faced her, saw her there in the fish tank as she faced him, looked at him. "Fujimoto." She spoke.
"Granmammare." Fujimoto barely breathed as he walked in, swallowed.
"You have made a choice." Granmammare observed.
"Yes." Fujimoto told.
"And you are absolutely sure?" Granmammare asked.
"Yes." Fujimoto repeated then he fell down on his knee, bowing down before the goddess. "Granmammare! Goddess of Mercy! I'll pledge my life to you!" he stated closing his eyes. "I want to spend my life serving you in any way I can! I will protect your ocean with all that I got, whether you like it or not! And if at all possible, I will stay as close by your side as I can! I wont leave you!" he told with squinted eyes. "I wont let you die! I wont be a part of this madness! This madness of people hurting you and the things you hold dear! You said I could choose to change, to be something else." He sniffed looking up at her with tears streaming down his eyes. "THAT'S WHAT I WANT!" he told. "Please! I don't want to be part of this world anymore, I want to be in your world! I want to protect it! Please let me stay by your side!" he asked in a deep bow.
"Fujimoto my dear, do you know what would happen?" Granmammare asked. "Do you fully understand, what this would mean?" she asked.
"I.. I wouldn't be a human anymore." Fujimoto swallowed.
"Dear Fujimoto, you will always have been a human, that is your origin and that cannot change, it shall always be a part of you." Granmammare told. "However, if you truly do leave the human world behind, you would never be able to return." She told. "You would life far longer than any human and see the world fade and change before your eyes, into stranger lands different from what you can imagine as the centuries that walks past in front of you. Children on our shores will become adults, grow old and die while you barely change, it will be out of your reach, something you can never be a part of again, and you will never be able to set foot on dry land again… Never. The ocean will be your only home, the dry land off humans will be off limit forever." She told. "Is that truly what you want?" she asked. "Only answer if you can be true my dear dear Fujimoto, only speak now if you can speak true with sincerity."
"What you just said, that's all that I want! It's all I could ever wish for, as long as I am also by your side!" Fujimoto looking wide-eyed at her. "I have no interest in the shores of the humans, please!" he begged. "Let me serve you." He asked. "Let me stay by your side for the centuries to come, let me save you now so we may have that time!"
Granmamare lifted her hand, pressing it against the glass as she looked at him. "Very well Fujimoto, do what you must." She asked.
Fujimoto practically lighted up as he stood up on his feet's again. "Thank you, goddess of Mercy." He told and then spread out his leg, closing his eyes he concentrated, soon his hair started changing, from their roots and out as he concentrated, becoming flaming red, and then he opened his eyes just as the glass around Granmamare shattered and the water fell out together with a goddess made of light that Fujimoto captured in his arms, now holding her as if she was a bride, though her hair and dress floating so long like fog that it touched the floor and dragged behind them. "Come then." He smiled warmly at her. "Lets get you home, you've been away from there for far to long."