The Road Less Traveled

Underneath the ocean, Red had her mouth wide open like a fish about to gobble bait. She barely processed the incredible magic Ari had done.

Just before they had plunged, Ari had fashioned wind into a tiny sphere that had enough room to house both of them standing.

The bubble of air was so transparent to the point Red would sometimes flinch involuntarily as they slowly treaded the tidal waters, thinking nothing supported her and she was going to sink into the dark nothingness.

"Do not fret, Red. Sometimes it takes a leap of faith to trust what you cannot see." Ari said.

He sounded so old and wise it was kind of eerie that the words had to come from someone who looked like they were just fresh university graduates.

The sphere was tightly sealed with his magic, the immense pressure of diving deep into the ocean's abyss seemed to be so trivial. Red was grateful for the little pocket of air it provided and that she didn't have to experience the burning sensation of swallowing seawater again.

She tried to illuminate their surroundings by summoning her fire - careful to create only the faintest of glow like that of a night lamp. It was just enough to peer into her beautifully carved golden pocket watch for directions and observe their immediate surroundings.

Just as they had presumed, they were right to dive into the ocean for the clock's hands had pointed deeper and deeper.

Suddenly, a huge flash of iridescent scales whipped in front of their eyes and to Red's amazement, a mermaid had shown itself to them. The sudden movement reminded her of the thing she had seen when she almost drowned just this morning.

Her savior.

She was so beautiful that if a rainbow had to become a sea creature's body part, it would have to be her glowing scales. Smooth pearls decorated her waist, wrists, and tail fin that danced with the water as she floated.

Her fins were like a beautiful ruffled dress she wished she could reach out to touch and feel its texture in her hands.

She circled Red and Ari, flapping her tail in graceful swirls of rainbow paddles.

The mermaid's hair had tiny loops of braided locks while pretty seashells of various sizes and shape adorned her head like a crown. Her blue green ombre hair that flowed gracefully with the water's currents trailed behind her.

They stopped and inspected her as well, unsure as to why a sea faey would be curious with a man and a woman inside an air bubble.

Her neck had fish-like gills that closed and open in sync with the rise and fall of her bare chest. Her lips as taut and uninviting, and eyes reminiscent of how the herald's looked like.

'You had survived, Springfield.' They heard a woman's soft, silky voice say in their heads.. 'And the warrior lives.'

How did she know?

"Are you a herald? I never knew mermaids who were heralds." Ari voiced his suspicion bluntly.

'I am, warrior. The second trial will commence once all the candidates have arrived to the deeps of the trench up ahead.' She replied in a monotonous voice.

Like the herald Red saw at the first trial, she too had not moved a millimeter of her mouth to speak.

As if on cue, their surroundings began to glow, microscopic blue and white planktons sparkled in the water reminding Red of fizzy drinks. The mermaid herald pointed out towards what looked like a cliff about several meters away from where they were.

'Follow the winding path lit by stars,

A temple beneath its gates ajar.

Follow the straight scar into the murky depths,

And discover the tomb of forgotten wraiths.

Whichever path you choose there is no better,

Each to his own, should you or not see to the letter.'

"Do all heralds really need to speak in rhyming words?" Red cupped her hand and whispered to Ari.

"The cryptic messages are meant to challenge your wisdom." Ari replied kindly. He was always so gentle and understanding, never tired of all the questions Red would raise.

'I heard you candidate.' The herald spoke in silent lips.

Red jumped in surprise as she wasn't expecting the herald to hear what she said. Sweat dropped from her forehead and got trapped in her brow, right above her birth mark.

The herald's pectoral ears perked, her brows forming a bridge and thin wrinkles molded on her forehead in scrutiny.

'You are marked.' She spoke, pointing her scaled hand at Red, a sharp fingernail at the very tips. 'Curious little thing.'

"W-what do you mean?" Stuttered Red as she hid behind Ari's broad frame.

The mermaid only smirked and waved her hands in a grand manner as if announcing the winner of the grand jackpot lottery.

'You poor child! Doomed to take the road less traveled.' She said her head raised upwards, the three tips of her bejeweled fin-like ears glinted menacingly.

"What are you talking about Red?" Ari voiced out. Red's face was painted with bewilderment.

The mermaid had only spoken to her alone!

'You will soon know.' She said with finality. With that, the mermaid herald swished her tail and water swirled around her. The sound of bubbles popping was all that could be heard.

The herald vanished in front of their eyes and the moon's glow from above shone, making the seafloor just a tiny bit clearer to their slightly adjusted eyes.

Red could make out a tiny school of fish that swam from afar, sea creatures both known and unknown to her kicked away as soon as they got near. Some had bizarre features they could pass as aliens of the deep.

The life below was as magical as it was above them. The glowing micro-organisms of blue and white seemed to follow Red and Ari's little pocket of air.

As they descended ever so carefully, they arrived at the edge of the trench that the herald had instructed them to pass. Red glanced sideways, the little sparkles had gone away.

Perhaps they were scared of what lay below too.

Neither the moon nor Red's light was able to reach the bottom of the trench. It plunged deep; an abyss of mysteries awaited.

"Is this it? Will we really go down here as the herald said?" Red asked her warrior, scared. Her heart pounded at the thought of the dark.

She wasn't an avid fan of the shadows.

Ari held her hand and pulled her closer to him. His bare chest was only an inch apart from Red's face and she blushed at the proximity. He smelled so good.

"I am here." He said as he squeezed her shoulder ever so gently. "Remember that when you are scared. I will always be by your side."

Red raised her head and saw Ari smiling at her and her heart skipped a beat. Those green eyes she thought were actually a bright tinge of hazel with specks of green at closer inspection.

His hair had been ruffled by the recent mayhem they were in, and yet he managed to look so damn good with just a finger comb.

'What is this feeling? Am I attracted to Ari now?' she thought to herself.

Little butterflies fluttered in her stomach for a fleeting moment.

What the heck.

Not Ari.