Chapter 39 - Judgement

Chapter 39

Judgment

She knew this feeling all too well. She hadn't felt this since she came in contact with Cyrano. Next thing she saw was that she was up on the surface swimming in the open waters. She quickly looked around to see where the vision is taking place, but freaked out when a large, wooden, ship was coming straight towards her. She dodged quickly looking up at the sails and the sailors on board. "Sire, you must come see this." A crew member called out. A man later came to the edge of the ship asking what the trouble was but then set his eyes on the three mermaids swimming among one another. The ship slowed down and the three mermaids noticed they were being watched. He then spoke up in his native tongue but Amelia could understand.

"Are you in danger?" he bellowed. The mermaids looked at him bewildered at what he was saying and conversed to one another asking if they knew what he said. The crew overheard them speaking in a somewhat familiar tongue. "Sire, I think they speak Latin." Another crew member whispered this to his superior. He nodded in acknowledgment. He cleared his throat and spoke in Latin once more, "Do you need assistance?"

"He knows our tongue!" "What do we do? Do we go under?" The mermaids spoke in hushed tones wondering what their next move should be? "We mean you no harm." As he spoke to them, Amelia noticed one of the mermaids looked familiar. She was the palest out of the other two mermaids she was with. She had black hair that was tied up. Amelia then focused her attention to the mermaid as she convinced the other two that they should see what he had to offer.

After conversing with the men on the ship for some time, the three maidens agreed to go up to the ship deck. The crew stared blankly at their tails not believing their own eyes. The man ordered to bring some sheets for the maidens to cover themselves.

"What are your names?" The man asked. "I am Oria." The mermaid said with darker tanned skin with brunette hair. "I am Brigitte," Another mermaid said. She had lighter skin than Oria and had black hair just like the other mermaid. The last mermaid did not speak a word. "And what is your name, fair one?" The man asked. She spoke nonchalantly, "Astryd. And what is yours?"

"My name is Christopher Columbus. I am scouting for precious commodities in the far lands, but my expedition came short with some unexpected findings. I'm heading back to Spain to report back to their Royal Highnesses Ferdinand and Isabella on my findings." The man introduced himself.

"What is this Spain like?" Oria asked inquisitively filled with curiosity. "Spain? Spain is a country off the shores of the Atlantic way far out from where we are." "But I thought we are in the Atlantic?" Brigitte spoke up questioning his knowledge. "Oh, we are, but you see, this is only part of the Atlantic Ocean. See all this right here?" Columbus said circling the waters of the map he held. "That is all the Atlantic. We are here, and I came from all the way over there in Barcelona." He said explaining. The mermaids awed in amazement. "What will happen to us? What will you do to us?" Astryd asked. "I suppose we'll find some way..." Before he uttered another word, the maidens' tails started to change into two legs just like the rest of the crew. "My God..." "What is this?! What is happening? Are we dying?!" The mermaidens cried out. Columbus collected himself and kneeled down to calm the maidens. "You're not dying. It looks like you have legs just like us."

"Legs?" Brigette asked. "Legs. Legs are used to walk, run, jump, and do whatever you want with them." Columbus got up acting on the words he used to show what he meant. The crew laughed amongst themselves as they thought their captain was being silly. The maidens laughed at him. His eyes were set on Oria's while she was still giggling. "How do we use these legs?" Oria asked.

"Give me your hand, and I will show you," Columbus stretched out his hand for her to take. Oria looking back at her friends locked back on Columbus as she hesitantly grabbed his hand. He helped her up as she wobbled. She was beginning to fall, but Columbus caught her just before she hit the deck floor. "It's alright, I got you. Now take one foot and move it forward." Columbus instructed her calmly. She slid her right foot out and put weight on the ball of her foot. She shifted forward with Columbus still holding onto her. "You just took your first step." He said smiling at her.

Days flashed forward in the vision, and it led Amelia witnessing a change in the mermaids as they disembarked the ship. The three maidens were dressed in fine dresses with their hair pinned up. They also donned on jewelry that masked them to be fit in the upper class. "Christopher, when will we see your king and queen?" Brigitte asked impatiently. "Soon, my dear, soon, but first we must make one trip out to the market. Then you will be presented to them." Christopher said as he patted her hand gently reassuring her his promise.

Christopher then walked out with a couple of his men toward the direction of the markets by the harbor. The girls were looking around at their surroundings at the stop of Barcelona. The bustling of people moving in and out from the ports and docks kept them intrigued until they turn to one another. "This is what terra look like? From what I pictured; they were vicious creatures from the story legends." Oria said amazed while observing the humans' behavior on the port. "Don't be too sure of it, Oria. They show their true colors once you get close enough to one." Astryd scoffed. "But Christopher and his men were really nice to us throughout the journey." Brigitte countered.

"Don't be fooled, Brigitte. Men always act this way to find a way to get what they want out of us. Whether it be glory, sex, offspring, servitude, it always pans out the same way in the end."

"You sound as though you've experienced this already with a terra man, Astryd." Oria inquired. Astryd remained silent as she walked steadily on her heeled shoes.

"What if she was right, Oria? What if Columbus was using us for something like she mentioned before?"

"Then we'll just have to end that charade." Oria hinted as she pulled up her dress showing the dagger tucked away at her leg. "Where did you get that?!" "Found it, didn't think the men needed it for any reason."

One of the crewmen came down to the dock hustling items on the boarded walkway. He struggled with some of the heavy items but was surprised at someone helping him on the other side. As he set the items down, he saw that it was Oria helping him. "Ay, you shouldn't be helping me. I had it under control." He stammered. "You nearly dropping one of those items sure showed that you had it 'under control'" Oria teased. "Aye, thank you, but a proper lady shouldn't be doing all the heavy work, that's what Sir Columbus hired us for."

"What is a proper lady?" Oria peered into the lad's fair, stubble face. He stumbled back as he excused himself back on the ship.

One of the mates rushed back to the port to summon the ladies as they were ready for last minute touches before seeing the King and Queen of Spain. As they entered into the court, Columbus refreshed the maidens on what they needed to do in order to give a good impression. The maidens listened attentively as they were nervous to actually be meeting royalty for the first time in their lives.

As they made their way to the direction of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Columbus spoke humbly. "Your Graces, I have returned with findings from my voyage. May I introduce to you, mermaidens from the Atlantic." The three ladies curtsied and made recognition to the King and Queen. "Is this some kind of joke, Columbus?" Ferdinand glowered.

"Your Highness, on my way back to Spain, I spotted these maidens in the ocean bewildered. I've taken them under my care, clothed them, taught them many things somethings so trivial like walking, reading, and proper manners you see fit for a lady in court."

"A poor man can train a ragged dog many tricks. But my question to you is why do they not have tails like a mermaid if you say they are what they are?"

"Ah, but that is where we were misinformed about these creatures. They only have their tails when they come into contact with water. When there is not a drop of water on them, their tails form back into legs like a human." Columbus explained energetically.

"Columbus, we sent you on an expedition to produce exotic goods from the far West regions of the world not chase girls who happen to allure you with such beauty!" Isabella scolded.

"But Your Highnesses..."

Suddenly Astryd's attention darted for the far back right corner from her seeing an assassin trying to aim his arrow. Astryd summoned water from a nearby pitcher and sent it straight toward the man hanging above the court hall. The man stunned from the sudden splash of water fell over and landed on the court's floor. The King and Queen stood up in fear seeing this man was trying to kill them. "Guards! Seize that man!" Ferdinand ordered.

"I can't believe it. She saved our lives." Queen Isabella gasped as she looked at Astryd witnessing what she had just done.

Amelia then thought to herself, "That's impossible, she couldn't have known the man was there unless..." She looked at her closely putting together the similarities that she has seen before. Her eyes widened. "No, it can't be. That must mean..." Instinctively, Amelia took a couple of steps back. Not noticing her real surroundings from the vision, her back touched another article hidden away in the room.

The vision disappeared into another scenario where it would have taken place in the seventeenth century where America was recently discovered by English Settlers. Using her legs that she had in the vision, she ran towards the crowd holding up pitch forks and torches around what appeared to be a wooden stage. Amelia weaved through the crowd to find five people tied to stakes having bales of hay below their feet.

The sky was darkened but was still breaking daylight. A man in black robes walked up majestically holding a piece of parchment paper. The man held out his hand to silence the crowd. He then began to speak. "The Plymouth Colony under the British crown has found these individuals guilty of witchcraft and heresy. The sentence is death." The crowd roared as he echoed those words.

While the execution was being carried out, Amelia couldn't help but notice a woman standing near the steps where the priest had climbed up. "Allura? How is that even possible?" Amelia then stepped towards the woman to get a closer look. She tried touching her, but her hand went through her shoulder not noticing Amelia trying to get her attention.

"She's part of the vision. She must have been there to witness these executions. That explains how she got those visions planted in my head at the hospital."

As the sounds she remembered from the vision echoed her ears once more, she glared at Allura in disgust. "How could you let this happen? You were standing right there! Why the hell didn't you use your powers to save them?!" She shouted at Allura in frustration but she did not hear a word Amelia said to her. Instead she helped the priest down the steps and escorted him away from the site. "You had to do it to obey God and keep his many blessings flowing to this colony, Abner. Witchcraft has no place to steer the hearts of his children or anger the God we serve." Allura comforted the priest. "I know, dearest, it saddens me they chose the path of darkness and the wicked ways in which it comes. But they have chosen eternal damnation in the end." Abner sighed in grief.

As they entered into their home, Amelia watched them in a corner knowing that this was just a replay of a memory. Allura went into the kitchen area to make some tea. After some time of boiling the tea, she handed him the cup as he slouched from fatigue over the events of that day. "This will help ease your troubles, my dear," Allura said giving him the cup of tea. "You are most thoughtful to tend to me in tribulation. God has blessed me with a patient and compassionate wife." He praised her as he sipped the tea.

As he finished the tea that was in the cup, he spoke up once more, "I shall retire in my chamber. If anything urgent shall rise, beckon me at once." Allura nodded quietly in response. As he left into his room, Allura grabbed the tea cup he drank from and began to wash it using her telepathic powers cautiously.

"If Allura was alive all those times, then how did she..." Amelia was cut off from her thought process from a loud thud coming from the bedroom. Allura set the cup down and rushed inside. There she saw Abner lying on the floor struggling to get himself back up. "Rachel, get the doctor," he said choking. "First we need to get you on the bed then I'll go call the doctor." Abner nodded as he put all his weight onto Allura. She placed him on the bed. "I'll go get the doctor now." Allura maintained her composure as she ran out of the house. She then cried out for the doctor for help. He noticed Allura running to him, and she explained what happened to Abner as she was trying to catch her breath.

They made their way back to the little wooden house. The doctor scrutinized for his vitals checking to see if he had any more symptoms. After some time in the room, the doctor came out feeling beaten. "I'm sorry, ma'am, I've done all I could for him. His pulse is weakening, he's struggling to breathe, and more importantly, he doesn't have much time left." Allura gasped placing her hand over her mouth overcome by the news that her husband was dying. "You should probably be there for him, I'm sure he'd be comforted if you were there."

Allura made her way in the room going over to his bedside. "R-Rachel..." "Shh, you must save your strength. The doctor already told me."

"It must have been those things. This must have been their last spell they casted upon to get revenge." The priest said coughing. "Yes, yes, it is always the merfolk that must bring the shortcomings to us." Allura scoffed. "But what you also hadn't realized was you're one of them." She continued on as she turned to face him. He gasped for air in shock. "What are you talking about?" "Oh, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If I were to perform the ritual to complete your transformation, you will become one of them." "You what?!" Abner choked on his words. "You betrayed your own kind, and for what purpose? Do you think this pleases God? You're a fool, and you will die one as well." Allura said coolly.

"You...witch! You seduced me!" Abner gasped. "No, you were rivetted by me. You can thank part of your human nature for that. Now you will meet your Maker and have the chance to explain why you murdered so many all in the name of God."

Abner attempted to get out of his bed but he collapsed on the floor. His body later succumbed to the poison that Allura added in his tea. As she left the room, Amelia struggled to take in what she just witnessed.

Thoughts went rampant in Amelia's head. She killed her own kind. She could have saved those people at the stake but chose not to. She lived for many centuries unnaturally. But the question that was on Amelia's mind more was how she lived this long.

She slowly came back into reality looking at the room with the few artifacts stored in this dark room. Then she heard Rimulus calling out for her. She swam at a brisk pace to not worry him anymore. "Ah, there you are, I brought you lunch."

"Lunch?" Amelia asked. "It's high tide my lady." Rimulus explained. Amelia then realized she stayed up all night with all the reading and the visions she had from those artifacts. "You were up all night, weren't you?" Rimulus peered into Amelia's grim looking face. "I couldn't sleep." Amelia mumbled as her body was taxing her from exhaustion. "You have visitors outside the Archives, my lady. Perhaps a break from your research may help refresh you mind." Rimulus bowed explaining. She looked back at the books, but she knew he could see how burnt out she was. "For once, you win. Fresh water would do me some good I suppose." Amelia submitted.

The doors opened as bubbles went around the heavy double doors. Light came onto Amelia's face for the first time in a long while. Instinctively she shielded her eyes from the blinding light. Outside waiting for her was Lynae, Keanu, Haruto, and Meredith being held by the guards. Amelia nodded to the guards, and they let them rush over to Amelia. "Oh my gosh, Mia. I thought something terrible has happened to you. I thought..." Lynae cried. "You thought Allura held me captive," Amelia finished her thought. "Well, yes, but there is something you should know." "I know I can't trust her." "You know?" Lynae asked. "She's lived throughout time for the past few centuries. There was a corridor that was sealed off with some artifacts from the surface. How she did it? I don't know."

"She's been using blood magic to keep her youth as well as other things." Haruto chimed in. "That would be the only plausible explanation for this. Wait, you saw her do it?" Amelia asked. "Well, no, we only saw what she left behind – bodies of blood drained mer." Haruto answered.

"How do you know it's her? And how did I miss this?!" Amelia questioned frantically. "We got confirmation on one of the magicians she's seen, and well, we made a deal with him. If Allura were to stand trial, he would be granted immunity from past performances if he were to testify against her." Meredith explained. "She's been killing mer? The vision I saw then was right." Amelia gasped. "What do you mean?" Haruto asked.

"Those artifacts had a story. When I touched them, they brought me to where those artifacts have been and essentially when." Amelia continued on. "She was one of the three mermaids Columbus saw when he was returning to Spain. She went with him to see Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. Then another vision I had she was in America's colonial days. She witnessed an execution of mer, and was married to the priest that ordered the execution to happen. She then poisoned him afterwards revealing that he too was mer, but he went against his own kind. My god, I can't... I can't..." Amelia gritted her teeth as she began to become agitated and more frustrated.

"Hey, hey, Mia, don't get yourself worked up. We'll help you apprehend her and bring her to justice. It's long overdue apparently, but we'll make sure she pays for her crimes." Lynae consoled her.

Everyone around her grew concerned on how she was reacting to the news of Allura's activity over the course of time. Meredith swallowed hard thinking she would have to intervene if Amelia went off the deep end with her emotions. "Guards, retrieve Allura and arrest her for conspiring against blood magic. Let her know her trial will be set up soon." Amelia ordered her guards. "My lady," Rimulus called out to her. "Haruto, gather the council members for an emergency meeting." "My lady," Rimulus spoke louder but Amelia did not hear. "Meredith, find that magician, and tell him he is being summoned to give testimony." "MY LADY!" Rimulus shouted. "What is it, Rimulus?" Amelia turned to Rimulus agitated. "She's not at the Aula." Rimulus answered.

"What do you mean she is not at the Aula? I thought I told you no mer in or out at the Aula!?" Amelia shouted in frustration. "A guard was found unconscious; he must have tried to apprehend her while she was escaping." Rimulus explained.

"Why am I the last person to know this?! Seriously!" Amelia shouted in anger. "Amelia, he's doing his best, besides Allura has gods know what kind of abilities to aid her escape. Simmer down." Meredith chimed in.

"I can't because we have a serial killer on the loose! Who knows where she might be in the seven seas!" Amelia shouted even louder then had an unexpected sharp pain coming to her head.

"Amelia, what's wrong?" Haruto asked. "Grah..." Amelia agonized. "Dammit, Allura, stop this madness, or I swear to God..." she said gritting her teeth. "Is she telepathing you? What's going on?" Lynae asked. "No, she's on the surface...outside of Lewes. Gah!"

"We need to go, let's move!" Meredith commanded. "And leave Amelia writhing in pain?" Haruto asked. "I'll carry her up." Keanu chimed in. Everyone looked up at Keanu's surprised response. "Don't read too much into this. I'm the only one that can carry her, and I doubt this guppy here can lift her up." Keanu said gesturing at Rimulus. "He has a point; he was able to get most of her weight on him while we escorted her back into the sea." Rimulus commented.

"Alright, then, Keanu, get Amelia. Rest of us, let's swim up." Meredith barked orders.

The group swam up not knowing what they would run into when they come to shore. Each of them had a grim feeling that this may be the start of a fight to save humanity from Allura's twisted objection.