THE LITTLE MERMAID IV
THE DARKEST TIDE
"There are more things between Heaven and Earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." —Hamlet, scene V
Chapter 1: A Monster, a Watcher, and a Traveler
Melody was falling.
Wind and thunder howled in her ears as she plummeted out of the black clouds blanketing the sky, her white nightgown torn to rags by the violent air. Her throat was raw from screaming, but she could barely hear herself over the bellowing voice of the storm. Breath was rammed into her lungs one moment before being sucked out the next. Her raven hair lashed against her skin with stinging force, tears streaming from her eyes. The world was a discordant blur of colors spiraling in a chaotic kaleidoscope. Her legs felt awkward as they kicked about, as though they were bound together with rope. She looked to her feet but instead saw the ruby red scales of fins. She was a mermaid!
A lightning bolt snapped past her, blinding Melody with its flash. The rent air blasted her ears with a sharp roar. A wall of searing air struck her, sending Melody into an uncontrolled tumble. Her arms flailed about in desperate grasping hope, losing all sense of direction. Her spin ended when an updraft struck her, stabilizing her fall.
The green and blue haze from the lightning flash receded from Melody's eyes, allowing her to see the world properly. The heavens were filled with dark thunderheads to the horizon. The storming green ocean roiled and churned angrily below her. Thick bolts of lightning arced every few seconds as waterspouts danced about in the space between storm and sea. White-capped swells tall enough to swallow ships whole rolled across the surface. Monstrous icebergs rose and fell with the raging waters, causing eruptive jets of spray when they collided with the waves. Spires of ice thrust upwards from the sea like a forest of glass stakes. It was as though the sea were ripping itself apart.
Terror gripped Melody with a barbed frigid grasp. Her mermaid form would not guarantee a safe fall into the sea. The water would treat her with same delicacy as stone, provided she did not hit the ice first. Fresh panic rose up at the thought of her mangled body sinking into the depths, only to be devoured by the creatures that made their home far from the rays of the sun.
She was going to die. That single thought rang in her head louder than the wind, stoking her fear. Her screams became hoarse as her voice failed. She was not nearly as afraid of the pain as she was of the end. Of the unknown that awaited her in the Otherworld where Death made its home. She did not want to die! Not here! Not alone, diving to a watery grave or impaled on the ice. She had so much life left. So much she wanted to see and do. New places to find. New people to meet. Adventures to take and memories to make. She did not want to leave it all so soon.
"Princess!"
The voice cut through the tempest like a knife. It echoed with a hundred different voices calling in unison. Melody looked about for the source, clinging to the slimmest but swelling hope its owner would rescue her.
"Princess Melody!" the voice called again, seeming to come from everywhere at once.
"Help!" Melody screamed, the wind immediately rushing into her mouth as though to silence her. Her cry was barely a whisper in her own ears. How could anyone hear her over this din?
Then a new sound reached her ears. A dull whooshing like the beating of wings behind her. Was she imagining things? No, it was definitely wings. Hope sprang anew in her heart. Had the Heavens heard her plea and sent an angel to her rescue?
Melody turned her head back to look behind. Her hope immediately turned to terror as her screaming renewed. It was no angel that pursued her.
It was a demon.
The only thing human about it was its overall form–two arms, two legs, a torso, and a head. Nothing else was remotely human. Its lean muscular body was covered by smooth black plates, forming an interlocking obsidian armor. Strange glowing orange lines covered it like roots of fire. Spikes ran down its spine to a long articulating skeletal tail with a bladed tip. More spikes extended along its forearms and from behind its pointed black ears. Its hair was a mane of fire, waving about like a torch. A pair of large black bat-like wings protruded from its back, angled backwards as it dove after her. Its mouth was a ferocious set of interlocking sharp black teeth. Eyes like embers in the heart of a fire were fixed on her. One arm was stretched out to her, a claw-tipped hand reaching for her fins. Even in the cold air Melody could feel the heat radiating off it.
"Get away!" screamed Melody. She kicked out with her tail and knocked the creature's hands aside. The plating was as smooth and hard as polished steel, yet hot as stone under a summer sun. She fell even faster, as if her fear could propel her away from the creature.
The demon fell back as though offended by her response. Then it narrowed its eyes and pulled its wings against its body for a full dive. It gained speed, quickly closing the distance between them. Its unblinking eyes followed her with the same intensity as a falcon hunting a dove, laser focused on its prey.
Without warning the demon let loose a soul-jarring roar that made Melody's entire body vibrate, drowning out the storm entirely. Its maw was a flaming orange furnace, as though the very fires of the Pit burned within. Its teeth stood out like black swords against the glow. The demon snapped its mouth shut and swiped for her tail. It missed, the claws catching Melody in the tip of her fins. There was a moment of sharp pain as it drew blood, and then she went into a tumble once more. She clawed madly at the air to regain her balance, flipping head over fins like a tossed coin.
Suddenly a strong hot grip closed around her wrist, stopping her spin abruptly. She found herself staring the demon in the face, mere feet from it now.
"I have you!" The demon reached for her with its free hand, flames dancing on its claws as they approached her face. "And now it ends!"
Melody's panic doubled, sending a fresh wave of adrenaline and fight through her. She lashed out with her tail and hand, flailing with desperate abandon as she tried to wrench herself from the demon's grip. "Let go let go let go let go!"
"You only make this harder!" said the demon as it used its free arm as a shield. Its tail whipped forward and coiled around Melody's fins, rendering them still. It reached for her face and she swung at its arm, trying to bat its hand away.
CRACK!
Melody thought the demon's arm would be hard and solid. Instead it was chalky and brittle, breaking like a charcoal log struck with a hammer. Its eyes widened in alarm as the fractured remnants of the limb fell away in a trail of sparks and soot. Then its tail met the same fate as its arm, the left leg following closely after.
"Already!?" the demon exclaimed as its body began to crumble.
Melody watched with confusion and relief as the luminous lines on the demon's body flickered and died, the gleaming black armor rapidly turning ash gray. The plating cracked and crumbled like clay left in a kiln, leaving a contrail of soot and sparks in its wake. Fires appeared in the defects, licking the air with dying breaths before the wind snuffed them out. The demon's fiery hair became thick black smoke. Parts of its wings began to break off, turning its once stable dive unsteady. Her shock at the monster's sudden degeneration wore off as the cracks spread over its face. She pulled her tail back as far as she could. "Let! Me!"
The demon's eyes widened as it realized her intent. "Stop!"
"Go!" Melody shouted, swinging her tail into the demon's side as hard as she could. Its torso shattered into fragments of charcoal and embers, leaving only its head and right arm intact. The demon let loose an enraged roar as its wings disintegrated, followed by half of its face. It pulled Melody close, the heat from its mouth baking against her skin. A black ring and slit formed in its remaining igneous eye as it glared at her.
"This is not over, princess!" it shouted as its arm crumbled away, freeing Melody. "I will not fail again!"
With that the demon's eyes went dark. The remains of its body turned white as talc became powdered ash to be carried off by the wind. Melody had no idea what just happened, but whatever it was the timing could not have been better. A small wave of relief swept over her at the stroke of luck. As Sebastian would say, she dodged that fishhook.
Which still left the whale-sized problem of falling to her demise.
Melody looked down again. The ocean was much closer now, and the fear of death returned with it. The icebergs that once looked large as ships were mountains now, while the rolling waves were tsunamis smashing against their icy faces. The jagged ice spires looked sharper and higher than before as well.
Something black and shiny broke the surface momentarily before the swells covered it one more. Was her mind playing tricks, or was something moving under the water? She focused hard. There was movement not just below her, but all around. The ocean was filled with them, whatever they were. She strained her squinting eyes against the wind, trying to make out the forms.
They were tentacles. Monstrous, black, sucker-riddled tentacles. The ocean was a writhing mass of them slipping over each other like eels. As though sensing her awareness of their presence the tentacles raced up the ice spires, dark purple suckers clinging to the ice. Others sprouted from the ocean below, rising towards her with frenzied eagerness.
Melody screamed like she had never screamed before as she slammed into the tentacles. It was like falling into a pit of ravenous bloated snakes. They wrapped themselves around her body, suckers pulling mercilessly at her skin and scales. They tore at her clothes and hair, squeezing her limbs until she thought they would break. Her screams turned into pleading sobs, despair wringing hope from her like a python crushing the life out of a rat.
"Help!" Melody cried out. "Someone! Anyone, please! Help!"
Then she heard laughter. A cold, vile laugh from the depths of her memory, reaching as far back as infancy. A laugh she heard as the ocean and tentacles began to freeze, frost spreading through her body. A laugh that should have been frozen for all eternity, yet now made Melody's blood run colder than the ice now coating her.
"There's no one to save you this time…sweetheart!"
Her screaming was cut short as a tentacle wrapped around her neck and began to squeeze.
WHUMP!
Melody was jolted awake as she rolled off her bed, hitting the floor on her side. Her eyes snapped open, adrenaline surging through her body like liquid lightning. The tentacle was still around her neck, choking her to death. Blood was rushing into her head. She clawed at the assailant, lungs burning as they begged for air.
Instead of a slimy tentacle she felt the smooth texture of linen bedsheets knotted around her throat. Her fingers feverishly worked the fabric loose. The moment that first sip of air hit her lungs she pulled as hard as she could, tearing herself free. She took deep panicked breaths as her airway opened fully, the aching fire in her lungs and the pressure in her head quickly fading away.
The world slowly came back to her. She was in her room. She felt the cool tile under her hands, her palms slick with sweat. Pale light from the full moon fell through her windows, casting her chambers in an otherworldly light. The floral seashell pattern of her walls resolved out of the dim night as her eyes adjusted. She heard the waves lapping at the beach in the distance, the calls of a lone owl mixed with the rhythmic heartbeat of the sea. A breeze from her open balcony doors gently rustled her bed canopy, carrying that familiar salty scent.
She sat up and leaned back against her bed, drawing in deep breaths as her racing heart began to slow. There were no demons or storms or tentacles. None of it was real. It had all been a dream.
Another terrifying dream.
Frantic footsteps approached room, growing louder with each step. Melody recognized the quick light feet of her mother and the heavier strides of her father. Moments later her door flew open, the yellow flickering light of a candelabra forcing her to squint as her parents rushed in.
King Eric was dressed in little more than a pair of black cloth pants and a hastily donned shirt. He may not have retained all the musculature of his younger days, but frequent swims in the ocean helped to maintain a physique many kings on the cusp of their fortieth year would be envious of. His face bore a thin layer of stubble and the faintest wrinkles framing his eyes, the result of drowsiness more than time's incessant march. His black hair was disheveled as though he went to bed straight from a bath. In his left hand was the candelabrum creating the offending light. In his right hand was his sword, the steel blade reflecting the firelight like a mirror.
A blur of pink and red rushed past Eric to Melody, encompassing her in an embrace so tight it was hard to breathe. "Are you okay? We heard you screaming and–!"
"Mom, I can't breathe," Melody wheezed. She regained her breath for the second time that night as her mother quickly released her.
If time had marked Queen Ariel at all, it had done so with the lightest of touches. Her hair was still vibrant arterial red, now tied in a braid for the night hours save a few rebellious strands dangling across her youthful face. Her deep blue eyes were tinged with sleep and concern, her red lips tight with worry.
"Sorry," said Ariel as she cupped her daughter's cheek, brushing hair out of her eyes. "But you were screaming so loud that we thought…are you sure you're okay?"
"I think so." Melody started to get up when a wave of dizziness swept over her. She sunk back to the floor, one hand clutching the side of her bed for stability. Everything continued to spin for several long moments, and then returned to its fixed state.
Ariel took hold of her daughter's shoulders. Melody could feel the worry in her grip. "Melody?"
"Just a dizzy spell, mom," said Melody, giving her head a shake before she stood up to sit.
Eric set down the candelabra and sword on his daughter's vanity table before sitting beside her on the mattress. "Nightmares again?"
Melody nodded, groaning as she rubbed a hand over her face.
"What was it?" asked Ariel as she joined them on the bed.
Melody tried to recall her dream, but like so many it was hard to put back together. As soon as she awoke the images fragmented and jumbled together, like a book with pages missing and in the wrong order. All she was left with were the emotions it stirred. The fear. The desperation. The panic. Those she vividly remembered.
"I don't know." Melody leaned over, pressing a hand to her forehead. "I think I was falling. There was a storm, and..."
It all came back to her in a flash. The storming icy sea. The dark cold clouds. The demon with its burning eyes. The tentacles closing around her body. The hairs on her neck prickled and her pulse rose as the terror she felt in her nightmare returned with a vengeance. The images clawed at the edge of her imagination, as though searching for a small gap through which to burrow out of her memory and into reality. Her hands started to tremble as sweat broke across her brow.
Shhhhhh…BANG!
A gust of wind caught the curtains of the open balcony doors and rustled them, producing a noise like flapping wings. A moment later another gust slammed the doors shut with a sound like a thunderclap.
Instinct and terror took control of Melody. Before she could understand her actions, she screamed and leapt from her bed. She dashed to her father's sword and grabbed it before bolting to the door as fast as she could. She grabbed the door handle and jerked hard on it, completely forgetting that it opened the other way. Its refusal to open only worsened her panic, making her pull harder.
"Melody!"
Her body went cold at the demon's voice. It was in the room! It was behind her! She could hear it running towards her! She could feel its heated presence! She spun around, pointing the sword straight at it as she shouted, "Get away from me!"
Except there was no demon. Instead she found her father hurriedly stepping back from her, hands held up disarmingly. He looked past the shaking tip of the sword to her, eyes filled with equal parts alarm and concern. On the bed sat her mother, hands covering her mouth at seeing their daughter almost skewer her father on accident.
Carefully Eric took a step towards her. "Melody...?"
Melody barely heard him. Her mind was fixated on the balcony. Paranoia had her in its grip, screaming for her to watch one second more in case the demon suddenly dropped from the sky to fulfill its promise. Her eyes watered from refusing to blink, pupils dilated and face pale. The tip of the sword shook, betraying the fearful tremble of her body.
Slowly Eric approached Melody, reaching out to place his hand on hers. "Melody, give me the sword please. "
The touch of her father's hand was enough to pull Melody out of her panicked daze. She became aware of how heavy and unwelcome the weapon felt in her hands. And that she had just pointed it at her father's heart. She felt sick. She quickly let go, as though holding it any longer would infect her with some incurable disease. It fell into Eric's waiting hands, who quickly set it against the wall before leading Melody back to the bed and a tremendously worried mother.
"Dad, I…I didn't mean to!" Melody stammered. "I was…I thought I–!"
"It's all right, Melody," said Eric as they sat down. "You got scared, that's all."
A trio of sharp knocks sounded from the door. "Your majesties, are you all right? I heard screaming!"
"We're alright, Grimsby," said Ariel as she draped a blanket around Melody's shoulders. "You can come in."
The door opened as the aging advisor let himself into the room, armed with his own candelabrum. He was still garbed in his sleepers, which were striped in eye-watering shades of lime green and bright orange. They hung so loose on his body that one would call him the very definition for "skinny as a rail." The addition of a floppy bobble-tipped cap on his head only added to the comical appearance of his sleeping attire.
"Another nightmare?" asked Grimsby.
Melody nodded silently. She took the ends of the blanket, pulling it tightly around herself. When she was a child a simple blanket could feel like impenetrable iron armor against whatever fears the world or imagination had to offer. Now it felt as flimsy and permeable as the threads it was made from.
Grimsby frowned with concern. "Shall I fetch some tea for your majesties?"
"Please," answered Ariel.
"And send for the physician as well," added Eric. "Tell him to bring his strongest sleeping–."
"No!" exclaimed Melody. Her shout was so loud and abrupt it caused everyone to jump, including Grimsby. He had to scramble to catch one of the candles that fell off his candelabra. "I don't want to sleep! Not again!"
"But Melody…" Eric clasped his daughter's shoulder, only to have her immediately shrug it off.
"I said no!" Melody bolted to her feet, turning on her parents. "They don't work! None of it works! Don't you get that!?"
"Melody, you need to sleep!" pleaded Ariel. "You'll make yourself sick if you don't!"
"I don't care!" Melody shouted, her eyes starting to water. "I don't care if I never sleep again! I can't keep going through this! Just stop! I just want it to stop!"
Melody ran over to her window seat, pressing herself into the corner as she curled up tight. She buried her face against her legs as the tears started. There was quiet for a few long moments, and then she felt the cushions shift as Ariel came and sat next to her. Without a word she gently took Melody's arm and pulled her close. Melody leaned into her, clinging to the contact as though Ariel were the only secure thing she could rely on. She heard Grimsby and Eric conversing, but she did not pay any attention to the words.
All her life she had been the brave one. The one who did not shy away from the unknown but dove headfirst into it. The one who was ready to go over, under, and through whatever walls life put in front of her. Sometimes literally. The one who did not fear the dark cave but wondered what lay inside. "My little explorer" as Ariel sometimes called her. Now Melody felt like a child afraid of monsters under her bed, her imagination rendering her completely helpless should they decide to attack.
Little did she know, her monsters were real.
The figure in the black hooded cloak watched Melody's room from afar. He stood on the ocean's surface as though it were solid earth, watching the queen do her best to calm her distraught daughter as the king and his advisor discussed what to do. The light of his luminous blue eyes shining in the shadowed recesses of his hood was lost amidst the reflection of countless stars on the forever shifting ocean surface. The crying of the princess was muted by the waves, barely audible even for his hearing. He continued to watch as Grimsby left, returning soon with the tea. The cries dwindled to small whimpers as Melody was encouraged to drink.
A malevolent chuckle rose from his chest as he smirked. He enjoyed the suffering of the princess, made sweeter knowing it must wrench her parents' hearts to have no way to help her. The nightmares proved not only how delicate the girl's courage was, but also provided him a dependable source of entertainment. How he wished he could see her suffering in person. That he could watch the fear corrode her spirit like acid dripping upon sandstone.
But he would be patient. Such a trait was one of many required to be a villain of his caliber. He waited for years already, hiding in the dark until the opportune time arrived. He could wait decades more if necessary, though if things progressed at their current rate he would not have to wait so long. His plans were moving forward with the slow unyielding gate of an impending earthquake, building in strength before unleashing death and destruction in a cataclysmic burst that would topple his foes. The game had already started, even if the opposing side was completely unaware of their involvement.
The figure's smirk became a dangerous smile as he sunk into the ocean without so much as a ripple, his mouth glowing with the same blue light at his eyes. Then he was gone, leaving only the waves and the sea behind.
Far east of Melody's room in the kingdom of Seahaven; past the lush Emerald Woods and the eerie slopes of the Howling Forest; past the forever snow-covered peaks of the White Iron Mountains, lay the desert known to the western kingdoms as the Sand Ocean. In the eastern kingdoms, however, it went by another and more sinister name.
The Devil's Steppe.
As anyone who traveled near this arid wasteland would tell you, the Devil's Steppe was a desert in a league of its own. The land was the definition of destitute desolation. Nothing but an endless expanse of scorched sand stretching for thousands of miles, bordered on all sides by perilously steep mountains. It was a land without trees, shrubs, cacti, rocks, and obviously not a drop a water. Clouds appeared between decade-long intervals of open sky. Sand and dust rolled on in mountainous dunes as far as the eye could see. Sandstorms as frequent as they were savage could blind instantly and peel away skin in seconds as they shifted kingdoms worth of sand in mere hours. Every day the sun burned the desert like an oven, raising temperatures far above human survival and ensuring the air remained dry as a potter's kiln. The cold nights were no less lethal than the day's heat. Temperatures fell far below freezing, the wind and open sky drinking heat from the earth and bodies like a leech suckling blood. This immense barren plain permanently divided the two sides of the continent, preventing any travel between the eastern and western kingdoms. No sane person would attempt to cross the Devil's Steppe, and no small number of fools had perished trying to for fame, exploration, or desperation.
On the desert's eastern border was a mountain range known throughout the eastern kingdoms as the Dragon's Teeth. These jagged mountains were no less treacherous and barren than the desert. The slopes were steep rock devoid of life except for various lichens and mosses that subsisted on snowmelt and thick seasonal mists. The peaks rose thousands of feet into the sky like the fossilized remains of some primordial colossus, lending them their name. The mountains frequently sent deadly rockslides cascading down into the narrow valleys winding their way between them, meeting the rolling sandy expanses in an abrupt wall of vertiginous stone faces. The same winds that generated the desert's sandstorms were said to be the mournful cries of those who met their end here, wailing for someone to guide them out of this natural labyrinth where even Death could not find them.
Tonight, however, there was someone to hear that plea.
A lone traveler knelt at the edge of a small plateau barely thirty feet across atop one of the saw-toothed spires. The full moon blazed over the western horizon like a second setting sun, the ghostly pale light blotting out the stars. It wore a dark gray hooded cloak, the ragged hem and frayed fabric blending with the rock. The hood was pulled low over its face, concealing it in shadow. The wind pulled at the hood as though the night itself wished to know the identity of this solitary individual. It was sifting through a tattered drawstring pack, talking to itself as it sorted the contents into two separate piles.
"Cipher, no. Telescope, no. Compass, no. Flint is fine. The whetstone is drake shale, so no. Blackbook, definitely no. Cord and dried meat can stay. Coins, no."
It tossed a purse jingling with coins into a large pile of stuff. The pile contained clothes, papers, maps, a few small journals, and other items of unknown purpose. A second and much smaller pile was set beside its pack. This one held only the barest of essentials for travels. Dried foodstuffs, several canteens of water, a length of leather cord, a spare set of clothes, and little else. There was not even a blanket for sleeping.
A gust hit the mountaintop. The traveler hunkered down as the frigid air lifted the cloak, revealing its garb. It wore a ragged sleeveless brown tunic and loose faded black pants, a black cord strung through the waist to hold it in place. Its slender arms and hands were wrapped in dirty gray bandages, leaving only the fingers exposed. Simple flat-soled brown leather boots were covered with fine ice crystals and grit. A straight bladed katana hung from a leather belt on its left hip. The moonlight glinted off the weathered steel pommel. The black shark skin wrapping the handle was tattered and faded from use. The blood red scabbard was riddled with scuffs and scratches, attesting to the multitude of battles both weapon and wielder had survived. It was a stark contrast to the new leather cord woven around the handles of a pair of tanto knives secured in their sheaths at the small of the traveler's back.
The wind lifted the traveler's hood enough to reveal its face–or rather, what was covering it. Its eyes were hidden beneath a pair of circular black goggles, the lenses too darkly tinted to see inside. A faded green and black shemagh was wrapped to cover everything else from the neck up, shielding it equally well from chilling winds, stinging sand, and prying eyes. Small puffs of steam slipped through the cloth as the traveler's warm breath condensed with each exhale.
The traveler rolled a grapefruit-sized bundle of rags to the larger pile as the cloak settled. Looking the piles over twice it began returning the contents of the smaller pile to its pack. It glanced to the unbroken plane of sand stretching to the west. Not a single feature as far as it could see, as though a giant hand had descended and wiped it clean. Small wonder easterners were quick to tell spooky tales about this place. There was an unnatural, ominous feel to it. It had a reputation as the sort of place where people went in and were never heard from again, and a body count to back it up.
Making it the perfect place for someone like the traveler to disappear into.
It knew this was a dangerous gamble. It was venturing into completely uncharted territory. This was where all the maps of the east ended. No one knew what lay beyond. This ocean of sand could stretch to the ends of the earth. Or perhaps it had no end, unfolding towards the sun's resting place for eternity. If there was habitable land out there it had to be thousands of miles away. Such a journey would be the end of a normal person. Even with the best of supplies and the fastest horses or hardiest camels they would have to turn back. That was assuming they did not become lost amidst the shifting dunes or succumb to the heat or dehydration, and they could get through the Dragon's Teeth alive.
The traveler, however, was anything but ordinary.
"That's packing done," it said, pulling the drawstrings of its pack tight and knotting them shut. "Just one thing left."
The traveler stood and drew its sword. Unlike its worn handle and scabbard, the polished steel blade glinted flawlessly under the moon's pale light. The traveler raised it overhead, seeing the few brightest stars reflected in the metal. "Claymore…"
Immediately the blade turned orange with heat. The air shimmered and distorted around it as a low hum emanated from the sword. The traveler lowered it, pointing the tip at the remaining pile of things.
"Destroy."
The heat traveled down the metal, bursting from the sword's tip in a plume of fire. It fanned out over the pile, engulfing it in searing orange flames. Metal became molten and then vaporized. Glass and crystal splintered and shattered with how fast they heated. Clothes, papers, wood, and food writhed before they too were reduced to embers along with everything else. Within seconds it was all obliterated, leaving only ash for the wind to carry away. There was not even a scorch mark on the rocks.
The traveler sheathed its sword. Some of those items had been valuable and unique artifacts worth more than the traveler's weight in gems, but the sacrifice was a necessary one. It could not truly disappear if it left clues to where it came from. Disappearing from this place meant leaving not even footprints behind. The desert would see to that, as sand was not known to keep a trail for long. As for its lost belongings, it had no more attachment to them than it did this forsaken part of the world and its people. The only thing it would be forced to take with it from this land were the scars on its weapons and its memories. Those could not be burned away.
How the traveler wished they could.
"What's this?" she asked as she took the box.
"Uh…just something I made. Happy birthday!"
She popped the lid off, eyes widening when she saw the bracelet of braided gold, white, and orange silk. It was an altogether unremarkable thing, like something sold by a street vendor peddling dozens exactly like it. Just colored strands of fabric woven together.
"You made this? For me?"
"Not the kind of birthday gift you're used to getting, I know. But it's the best I could–."
Her entire face lit up with how bright she smiled, blonde hair dancing as she shook her head enthusiastically. "You goof! I love it! Really, I do!"
She slipped it onto her wrist and held it up to the light, admiring how the bright colors wove together. "It's beautiful! Thank you!"
The memory abruptly shifted. Her laugh was replaced with the sounds of screaming and death amidst the roar of gunfire and cannons. Clashing metal rang out as images of swords flashed before the traveler's eyes. It saw the black skeletons of burned homes and charred bodies as the fires swept through streets. A castle on a hill was reduced to rubble as ships burned in a harbor. It smelled ash and the acrid stench of burnt flesh. A sharp pain pierced the traveler's skull, followed by a thousand other voices shouting in terror, panic, and anger.
"Get the guards!"
"Stay away from me!"
"Somebody kill it! Anyone!"
"Help!"
"Kill it!"
"Save us!"
"Kill the heathen!"
"Kill the monster!"
The traveler winced as it growled, pressing its forehead into its palm as though it could push the memory out of its head. It focused on clearing its mind, seeking the emptiness that would bring it some semblance of peace. The pain and memories dissipated, granting the traveler the reprieve it wanted. For now, at least. It knew they would be back. There was no drug or magic that could grant it reprieve from this torment.
For what it had done, it was a fitting but insufficient punishment.
The traveler grabbed its pack. "Right. Can't put this off anymore."
It positioned the pack over its chest and tied a strap around its waist. A check of the drawstring and ties to make sure everything was secure, and the traveler walked to the edge of the plateau. It peered over, giving a low whistle at the sheer vertical distance. There had to be more than a mile between it and the ground. It continued like that to the north and south clear past the horizon, the rock forming an unbroken natural wall.
The traveler turned around, casting one last look to the east. In a few hours the first traces of sunrise would chase the stars away. Another day would begin in the eastern kingdoms and the people would start their lives once again. The same harsh reality they had always known and likely always would in this wretched world of war and strife where the strong lived and the weak died. For too long the traveler shared in that reality, in this accursed land these people were forced to call home. It would not be here to share this new day with them. It would never return here, and it felt no regret in that decision.
Why stay somewhere that everyone wanted you dead?
A gust from the desert hit the mountain, turning into a fierce updraft. It raced up the slope, carrying sand and dust in a plume taller than a castle. The traveler saw it coming and pulled the cloak to shield itself from the natural sandblaster. It struck the traveler fast and loud, encasing it in a blinding flurry. The flurry was so thick that not even a shadow was visible. Then there was a brief flash of fire inside the whirlwind.
When the wind died away the traveler was gone, vanished into the night.
A/N: The first step starts the journey. The first sparks ignite the fire. The first raindrops announce the storm. The first stars herald the night. The dawn's first light beckons the new day. The first chapter begins the story. Fate has gathered her threads before the loom. Now she weaves them together into a new tale. What tapestry will emerge we can only imagine, for no one knows what the future holds.
Hello everyone! My name's DarkDragonFires12–not my real name, but my name I use here because, you know…anyway, Fanfiction! This is my very first! This story was spinning in the back of my mind for quite a few years before now, and I finally got the courage to put it on here back in 2013! My gratitude to you readers–past, present and future–for your enjoyment of this story is boundless and eternal!
Now for those of you hoping for frequent updates, I am sorry to say I must disappoint you on that end. My life outside writing is not free or regular enough to allow much of a schedule to my writing, though I do grab the opportunities where I can. I am also a bit of a perfectionist, so I devote more time to fine-tuning the chapters than I probably should. As such, this story is going to be a long-term project…and I mean looooooong-term! This story is going to be a multiple-part endeavor! But despair not, for I promise I will not abandon this story no matter how much time passes between the chapters! I will see this through to the end!
A lot of the inspiration for this story came from listening to music. The right song will cause scenes to play out in my head like a movie. It's both a blessing and a curse. I will be posting them into the chapters where they would start playing if this was a movie. All the songs can be found on a certain free online video sharing platform, whose name I cannot post here. These are for your supplemental enjoyment, so listen if you wish! Or don't! It's entirely up to you!
I greatly appreciate any comments/thoughts you may have while reading. Really, I do! I like hearing your opinions of the story and kicking ideas around with you. If you enjoy the story, by all means please favorite it! If you can't wait to find out what happens next, then please follow it! However, while I am willing to accept constructive criticism, know that I have absolutely ZERO tolerance for flamers and trolls. If all you intend to do is bash the story, then you will either be ignored or, severity warranting, reported.
Lastly, a very special and heartfelt thank you to my dear friend and fellow Fanfiction author, Mastermind4982! You have been a source of inspiration and encouragement for many years, and I hope you will continue to be as this story continues!
Well that's enough of my ramblings! I invite you to sit down, pull up your computer/phone/tablet, and experience a story of "The Little Mermaid" like nothing you've ever imagined!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own "The Little Mermaid," Disney, or any of its associated characters and intellectual property. Everything else, however, is mine =)
