Morning has finally arrived and the mermaid princesses were outside in their palace gardens, playing scavenger hunt, collecting seashells and was busy enjoying their happiest lives under the sea. But Akauriana spent her morning listening to her grandmother's stories. Even though she remembers what Taliah said about humans, Akauriana can't help but want to know more about them. She could've seek no other than her grandmother to find out more. As the elderly mermaid brushes her hair, the little mermaid turned to ask her questions.
"Grandmother, I must know." Akauriana asked her. "Can people live forever?"
"Oh no, my child." the grandmother answered. "People die, just like we do. But the humans' lives are shorter than ours for they are not immortal. We, merfolk can live up to 300 years old and when it is our time to die, we dissolve into foam on the surface of the sea. When human beings die, their bodies turn to dust. Thus their souls can live forever from beyond and amongst the stars."
Curious, Akauriana thought about it for a minute then ask her grandmother another crazy question, hoping that she knows something.
"So how do I get a human soul?" the little mermaid asked.
"Well if you love a human who loves you in return, he'll share his soul to you and he'll still keep his own." said the grandmother.
"So that's what I have to do." Akauriana thought to herself. "I got to have a human soul in order for Prince Dominick to love me."
Knowing that Isabella told her yesterday, Akauriana felt that her floral mermaid friend will have a human soul because of Tristan's love for her and maybe she will have one too due to making herself known to her prince. After her grandmother is finished with her stories, Akauriana swims off down the halls. Meanwhile, at the secret sanctuary, Lee Lee found a marble statue of Prince Dominick which had sunk from the storm upon the sea. She thinks that'll make Akauriana happy when she sees it. With the help of two strong giant octopuses, the cheerful mermaid carried the statue to the cove and places it in the colorful meadow. Taliah happens to swim by to notice what Lee Lee brought to the cove.
"Hey, Lee Lee. What you got there?" Taliah wondered.
"Hi, Taliah." Lee Lee respond. "I just happen to found a statue that looks just like the human prince that Akauriana saved. I bet she is going to like this."
"So do I, girl." said Taliah in approval. "I have a feeling that she will."
Nixie, whom was exiting out of the mermaid cove, turn to see Lee Lee and Taliah staring at the statue. They plan to surprise Akauriana with it. Fueled with pure annoyance, Nixie storms out of the secret sanctuary in order to carry out her plan. She'll go and tattle on Akauriana because she can't stand her royal status, claiming that she deserves all the credit for what she did. To Nixie's belief, she thinks that the little mermaid deserves nothing more but a good wake up call by none other than her own father, King Aquarion. She swam to the guards who were guarding the palace entry and requests a audience with the king. The guards honored her request and they allowed her to enter the palace. The edgy mermaid found the sea king in his throne room and she approached him, bowing down before him.
"What brings you here to seek my attention, young lady?" King Aquarion asked.
"Well for starters, do you know princess Akauriana?" says Nixie.
"Of course." responded King Aquarion. "She's my youngest daughter. May I ask why you need to know?"
"We need to talk." said Nixie, getting right to the point.
She began spilling the beans to the king, informing him on everything that happened a couple of days before. Meanwhile, the mermaids from the secret sanctuary sent Isabella, Will and Paulina to find Akauriana. They found her on the ocean outskirts and took her to the cave. It is a surprise for her so Isabella told Akauriana to close her eyes. They escort her down the cave to the secret sanctuary.
"What did you guys bring me?" Akauriana asked in wonderment. "Can I look now?"
"Ok Akauriana. You can open your eyes now." said Isabella.
As Akauriana opened her eyes, she became astonished by what she sees. A marble statue formation of Prince Dominick. She happily thanked her friends and everyone living in the secret sanctuary for bringing her such a gift. The fiery haired little mermaid swam around the statue in pure joy.
"Oh you all are the best!" Akauriana shrieked joyfully. "It looks just like him and even it has his eyes."
The little mermaid dreamily lean on the statue's shoulder in hopes for the day that she'll meet him for real someday. Then suddenly, a loud thumping sound erupted in the pathways. The swordfish whose guarding the entrance door, got apprehended by the king's mermen guards. They stormed the secret sanctuary, terrorizing the small and vulnerable extraordinary creatures in their own territories. Akauriana and her friends were not aware of this. Scared, confused and became concerned for the creatures that dwell in the sanctuary. Before the princess knew it, a powerful figure came barging into the sanctuary along with his mermen. From what he now witnesses the very statue of the human prince he despise so much, the little mermaid is in trouble. That figure is her father, King Aquarion.
"This is how you treat your father!?" King Aquarion scolded.
"Daddy? I can't explain-" Akauriana says with a shaky voice but now interrupted by her father.
"You ashamed me severely!" thundered the king.
The other mermaids wondered how the sea king knows the hidden location of the secret sanctuary. Then they come to realization that one of their own gave them and the sanctuary away. But who did it? It was Nixie whom was right next to the guards, arms folded and disgusted. Not a care in the ocean world. In his rage, he ordered his guards to escort his daughter back to the palace.
"Yes, sir!" the guards responded as they escorted their princess.
"Daddy! You can't do this!" cried Akauriana, retaliating.
"It is already done!" roared King Aquarion.
The guards took Akauriana away from her friends at the secret sanctuary. Isabella and the mermaids are heartbroken. Before he left, King Aquarion turn around with his trident lighten up in full power and he fires at Prince Dominick's statue, destroying it. Then he storms out of the cave. The mermaids and all of the creatures of the secret sanctuary were devastated for they'll never see their friend again. In the palace, King Aquarion continue to carry out Akauriana's punishment for the very thing he despise so much. The saddened Akauriana lowered her head in shame.
"I am gravely disappointed in you, Akauriana." said the king. "I've been told that you went to the surface a few nights ago and save a human being from drowning. Tell me that it's not true!
"It's true, daddy." said Akauriana. "I have to do it. If it weren't for me, he would've died down in the sea."
"One less human to fear!" scolded King Aquarion. "And these young mermaids that you're hanging around with, are nothing but bad influences on you! My own beloved youngest daughter being encouraged to go up there and get snared by these fish-eaters' hook!"
"Daddy! I'm sixteen years old!" says Akauriana, stooding up. "I am not a little girl anymore!"
"It matters not to me how old you are!" the king harshly reassured. "You're still my daughter and I know what's best for you!"
"What's best for me?" Akauriana added. "Not being able to think for myself? Why won't you just lock me up in jail?"
"Akauriana! I advise that you do not use that tone of voice with me, young lady!" King Aquarion snapped. "Until you understand what you have done, I forbid you to go out there swimming alone and you are not to see those mermaids again nor I want you anywhere near to the surface! I told you before! Humans are dangerous, savage, destructive, fish-eating creatures incapable of any emotion and dignity! They should be-"
"No, they're not, daddy!" Akauriana interrupted him. "I know this because I met one."
Hearing that shocks the king even more the minute she said it.
"You what!?" King Aquarion shouted in shock.
"He is not dangerous to me." said Akauriana. "I know he's not. In fact, he made me feel wonderful about myself. I'm in love with him."
King Aquarion swam up to her and taps his trident on the floor, making a loud thunder sound inside the palace. He grew even more angrier than before.
"No! Have you lost your senses entirely!?" roared King Aquarion. "That guy is a human! You're a mermaid!"
"It doesn't matter!" Akauriana fired back.
"So help me, Akauriana! I'll get through to you!" thundered King Aquarion in a fit of rage. "Even if it means that I'll exile those bad mermaid friends of yours far away from Mermaidiana grounds! I can do that because I'm the king and your father! Mock my words, Akauriana! I'll do anything in my power to make you behave properly cause you are a princess! I strongly suggest that you start acting like one!"
Fed up with her father's hurtful prejudice, Akauriana turns to the door. Before she can leave, she faced her father once more.
"What if I don't want to be a princess anymore!?" Akauriana shouted in sorrow as she storms out of the throne room.
King Aquarion watch her leave, feeling rather horrible for his tough actions. Down the hallway, the little mermaid's sisters were swimming along. She passes by them without a word, leaving the sisters to wonder if she's okay. At last alone in the princesses chambers, Akauriana buried her head on the pillows, sobbing away. After hours of sorrow, she gazes at her orange flower hairpins one last time. Torn between her father's angry self pride and her love for her friends and Prince Dominick, Akauriana became fed up with her unbearable expectations of her family and others in the kingdom. At that very moment, her heartbreak becomes her new reason to leave Mermaidiana forever. She gathered all of her belongings and around dusk, she fleds the palace. So far away from Mermaidiana, Akauriana swam farther than she ever could in order to leave her royal life behind. She'll miss her best friends dearly but she can't bare the thought that she betrayed them, even though it is entirely not her fault. She couldn't come face to face with them anyway. The sea became darker and darker until the sunlight disappears. The little mermaid wandered off into the large kelp forest. She instantly got lost, leaving her feeling frighten and alone. This just in, a slithering sound startled her.
"H...H...Hello?" said Akauriana in a shaky voice. "Someone there?"
Just as she is starting to feel regret for leaving, then suddenly, the three bruty figures appeared out of the shadowy kelps. It was the three half mutant men half eels making themselves known before the little mermaid. Their white eyes gazing at her ominously, sending chills down Akauriana's skin.
"Who are you guys?" Akauriana quivers in fear. "What are you guys? What do you want from me?"
"Do not fear us, young mermaid." said the biggest brute eel-man of the three. "We only want to help you."
"We can't help but feel distress, distraught and heartbreak coming from you." said the spiky haired eel-man, surrounding Akauriana. "It pains us more than it pains you, seeing you like this..."
"But it doesn't have to be this way. Oh no no no!" said the last third eel-man, comforting her. "As you can see, mermaid princess. We represent a certain someone who can help you. Someone who can make all of your dreams come true."
The big bruty eel-man approach Akauriana, with his white soulless eyes gazing in her's. The other two eel-men swim to his side, wrapping their slippery tails together.
"The only person in the sea who has the power to give you what you want is the sea witch..." they all said in unison.
"You can't possibly mean... Eraza?" Akauriana says in fear.
The three terrifying eel-men nodded agreeably and grinning ominously. Akauriana hesitated to take their offer. She has heard of Eraza the demonic sea witch, from what she can remember that her father has history with the witch years ago.
"But my father told me that she uses her powers for evil." said Akauriana.
"We wouldn't believe anything your old man said about her." says the big eel-man in a strong voice. "And neither should you."
"Think on it, princess." the spiky haired eel-man says as he grins. "If you come with us, we will take you to her lair. May you and the human you love, be together forever."
"What do you say?" said the the third eel-man. "You want to be with him, don't you?"
"Your choice, mermaid princess." said the brute eel-man, folding his arms strongly.
Akauriana hesitated for a few minutes. She knew better than to trust Eraza nor her mutant eel henchmen. But sometimes love and heartbreak can make a girl do crazy things. Even a mermaid. Determined to be with her prince Dominick, Akauriana took a deep breath and agrees to take them on their offer.
"I'll do it!" said Akauriana strongly. "For Prince Dominick. Please take me to Eraza the sea witch."
The eel-men grinned wickedly for they are pleased with the little mermaid's decision. Evil as they come and terrifyingly brutal as they look. But being the gentlemen that they are, the eel-men agreed to guide Akauriana with them through the kelp forest.
"Follow us!" commanded the big brute eel-man as he leads the way.
Akauriana allows the eel-men to escort her to the sea witch's lair. Meanwhile, back at the secret sanctuary, the mermaids were all in their cove, except for Nixie, heartbroken for they will never see Akauriana again. Now that King Aquarion forbids her to see them again, Lee Lee cried more than Isabella. Taliah tries to calm them both down. As Isabella swam to her cove window, she suddenly spots four figures swimming out of the distant kelp forest from afar. While Will and Paulina were to busy talking about the incident with the king, Isabella was not listening to them. She's too focused on the figures swimming along.
"Isabella. What do you think?" asked Will.
"Um Isabella?" says Paulina, trying to get her attention. "Are you even listening?"
"What are those things out there?" Isabella wondered.
"What things? asked Will, wondering himself.
"Over there." said Isabella as she points out at the figures.
They swam to her side and saw the figures swimming away. Even though they're a tad far away from the secret sanctuary, Isabella could recognize the green aquamarine yellow stripped tail and the flowing red hair from the fourth figure. She knew it had to be Akauriana.
"Is that Akauriana?" says Isabella as she looks closely. "And who are those strange looking mermen?"
"I don't know, Isabella." said Paulina. "But they don't look too nice."
"Yeah, you said it, Paulina." says Will.
"I have a bad feeling about this." says Isabella, fearing for the worst. "We have to follow them!"
Isabella swim through the porthole. Will and Paulina follow behind her and the three aquatic friends heads off to follow the little mermaid and the mutant eel-men to the darkest trench of the sea. Along the dark eerie path, they encountered every creepy sea creatures that dwell in the darkness. Anglerfish, Gulper eels, Goblin sharks and other frightening marine mammals lingering in the shadows. The mutant eel-men lured Akauriana further into the hellish ravine and Isabella and her friends followed from behind without the mutant henchmen detecting them. They got pass the lake of boiling hot mud, an volcanic river and numerous whirlpools just to get to their destination. It's no easy task since it is dangerous and it took some doing but Isabella and her friends managed to keep up with Akauriana and the henchmen. Finally, they have arrived at the foot of the sea witch's lair. The same house made of the bones of drowned sailors. As the doors opens, Akauriana felt afraid to enter.
"This way, mermaid princess." says the eel-men as they escorted her in.
Akauriana slowly follows behind them into the lair. In the hallways, there were a lot of deformed living plants with eggs on them. The eggs on those plants are the souls of drowned humans and mer-people who has fallen prey to the clutches of the demonic sea witch. Akauriana can feel her heart pounding like it is being attacked by an unknown force or pressure pressed onto it, the minute she witness those poor unfortunate souls trapped within this disturbing prison. The three eel-men scatter away into the shadows when they reach the center of the potion room. Akauriana is now alone, not knowing what to expect. Then suddenly, black tentacles crept out of the shadows and surrounded the little mermaid. It was the sea witch, Eraza, now appearing before her.
"Welcome, my sweet child." greeted Eraza. "I've been expecting you."
"You have?" asked Akauriana in fear.
"Yes, my dear." says Eraza. "I see that my fine mutant gentlemen did a lovely job of escorting you here."
The eel-men appeared by their mistress's side, grinning ominously. Akauriana should be afraid of them but then again, Eraza manipulated her emotions by playing a saint in order for her plan to be set in motion. The eel mutants swam away, leaving Eraza alone with Akauriana. Isabella and her friends finally made it to the lair safely and unharmed. They quietly hid behind the pillars made of bones and watch their little mermaid friend being at the mercy of sea witch's presence.
"I heard that my father banished you here." said Akauriana. "But why?"
"The ocean wasn't big enough for the both of us!?" Eraza crackled. "And now it seems to me that he's driven you away too."
Akauriana looks down at her tail with sadness in her eyes. She remembers her father disapproval with her which breaks her heart even more. Her sisters and all of the other merfolk would look at her with cold stares and their harsh words of her.
"He doesn't understand me." said Akauriana. "No one understands how I feel. They don't care."
"Oh but I do, sweet princess." said Eraza as she pretends to be sympathetic. "I know just how you feel. In fact, we're so very alike you and I. Girls with ambitions! They don't like that, do they?"
Akauriana shook her head in an agreement with the witch. Eraza approach her with comfort.
"Now then, you can tell me everything." said Eraza.
"Well... I'm in love with someone." Akauriana says in a soft quiet tone. "But he's a human."
"Hmm... Yes! That human prince." said Eraza, nodding agreeably. "Not that I blame you, darling. He is quite a catch! Isn't he?"
"You know? says Akauriana in shock.
"Of course I know. I know everything." said Eraza with a wicked smirk. "Well lucky for you, the solution for your problem is a simple one. The only way to get what you truly desire is to become one of those humans yourself."
"Really!?" says Akauriana in a slight excitement. "You can make me into a human?"
"Why of course." says Eraza, grinning wickedly. "That's what I do. It is my specialty to help unexpecting young merfolk like you."
Isabella and her friends were afraid for Akauriana as they witness this ordeal. The demon sea witch summons her cauldron from the middle of the floor. The cauldron is brewing with black magic ready for a spell to be conjured. Eraza uses her tentacles to reach her cupboard, grab four potions and then pours them into the cauldron. Sinister spiritual power arises from the brewing smoke and it frightens Paulina and Will as well as Isabella. Eraza turns to Akauriana as she's done stirring her magic.
"Here's the deal, angelfish." said Eraza as she continues to strike a deal with Akauriana. "I'll conjure up a chi spell to make a potion for you. But take heed of this warning."
She slither closer to the little mermaid and looked her in the eyes.
"Once you received your human form, you can never go back to being a mermaid again." said Eraza in a wicked tone. "Which meant that you cannot dive back underwater to your home, Mermaidiana. You will never be able to see your friends, your father, your grandmother nor your sisters again."
Torn between leaving her friends and family in the sea and her love for Prince Dominick, Akauriana feels rather hopeless to the bargaining agreement. But Eraza is not finish as she continues explaining the rest.
"If you failed to win the prince's heart, you won't get a human soul." said Eraza. "This very moment after he weds another female more beautiful than you, your heart will break and then you'll turn back into a mermaid and belong to eternal darkness with me!"
Hearing this, shocks Isabella and her friends as well as Akauriana. Dreadful as it sounds, there's no turning back for Akauriana as she puts on a brave face.
"Is there anything else I must know?" Akauriana hesitantly asked.
"How good are you with pain?" Eraza wondered as she faces her. "Cause when you drink this brew, your tail will shrink into what men call a nicely shaped pair of legs. But the transformation can be painful. It will feel like a razor sharp sword slicing you in half. It does indeed will hurt when you walk. You may glide like a dancer but every step that you'll take, it'll cut like a knife."
Just as everything is going according to her plan, Eraza continues to manipulate Akauriana even more. Thus setting a unusual price.
"Oh yes! I almost forgot." said Eraza. "There's one more thing. My fee."
"But I don't have whatever it is you-" said Akauriana but she got interrupted.
"I'm not asking for much." says Eraza, patting the mermaid's cheek. "Just a token. Really, a trifle. What I want from you is the most precious possession you have in all the oceans. I want your voice!"
Isabella gasped in horror when she overheard this. Akauriana felt shaken from the inside. She has to give up her beautiful voice just to become a human being. Sacrificing a rare gift from her mother is tragic enough but feeling constant pain and everything so dreadful nearly have given the little mermaid a second thought, but she ask her one more question.
"My voice?" Akauriana utterly quietly in fear. "But how am I going to make Prince Dominick love me if I cannot speak?"
"You can speak to him with your eyes." crackled Eraza. "And you are beautiful. You got your legs, your hair and fair skin. It's enough to charm any man in the human world."
"Now...I'm scared..." says Akauriana.
"Unless you want to back out. Now will be the time to do so." said Eraza in a manipulative tone. "Too bad about the human prince though. It would be such a shame and a waste too."
Akauriana puts on a brave face and refuses to back out..
"No! I'll do it!" says Akauriana. "If this is what I have to do in order to see him again, then I'll do it."
The sea witch grinned ominously. Her manipulation tactics works on the little mermaid.
"I just knew you're going to say that." said Eraza. "Well then, let's begin!"
Eraza summons her dark magic to create a scroll for the little mermaid to sign which will mean that she has sold her soul. Akauriana bravely signs her name on the scroll. Isabella, Paulina and Will watched in horror as the dark demonic spirits of the sea swirls around Akauriana and Eraza, instantly enhancing her power.
"Now start singing!" the witch demanded.
Akauriana begins to sing. With a wave of her hand, Eraza uses her black magic to swirl around the mermaid's throat. In an instant, Akauriana's voice has now been removed from her and it's captured in a skull necklace around Eraza's neck. Satisfied, Eraza grabs a empty vile and fills her potion inside it. She turns to the little mermaid whom can't speak nor sing anymore.
"Now here is your potion." said Eraza as she instructed Akauriana. "Drink it on the break of dawn. That's when the spell will become effective and you'll have your legs."
The sea witch hovers upwards to summon her last spell.
"And now... Shall you be on your way to the humans palace!" chanted Eraza as she created as huge dark whirlpool in the center of the room.
The dark whirlpool lifts Akauriana up and drags her to the surface. Isabella and her friends holds onto something so they don't end up being sucked along with her. Eraza watches proudly, petting her anglerfish. She closes the watery portal.
"Good luck, little mermaid." says Eraza, smiling. "You'll soon be needing it."
The demonic sea witch lets out a wicked laughter in her success. Isabella and her friends quietly snuck out of the lair in order to find Akauriana in the surface. Somewhere in the Evanorian harbor, Akauriana found herself lying on the steps of the palace. The waves splashes on the end of the stairways. Now all Akauriana have to do is wait for the sunrise. By the time dawn is breaking from the east, she drank the bitter potion. Then suddenly, she felt the pain starting to escalate. The pain from the potion felt like a razor blade cutting right through her. It lasted for ten minutes until Akauriana finally saw her mermaid tail split into two pair of legs. Due to the painful transformation, it made her unconscious. One of the palace guards who was doing his duties, saw Akauriana lying on the stairs. He alerted the other guards to go check to see if she's alright. But Prince Dominick whom too have saw her, get there first. Being the gentleman that he is, Prince Dominick took off his cloak and covered Akauriana's naked body. Then he carried her to the palace. When the guards finally caught up with him, he ordered that she should stay for a few night until she feels better. They obeyed his orders and assisted Akauriana to the guest room. From the waters, Isabella and her friend reached the surface. She watches them from the harbor, hoping that Akauriana does win Prince Dominick's heart or else she'll be doomed to spend eternity with Eraza. The floral mermaid, alongside with her dolphin and parrotfish friends, dives back into the sea.
