AWAKENING PART ONE.

The pair of women panted heavily, neither displaying any intention of yielding. Omotola strained to disregard the pain throbbing in her shoulder, realizing the futility of attempting to outmatch Atika. Not only was Atika swifter, but she also wielded superior strength and age advantage over her. Amidst the escalating silence, their labored breaths mingled with the rhythmic chirping of crickets, dominating the soundscape.

"Give it up, Omotola. You'll never surpass me," Atika sneered.

"I know, but I won't allow you to reach big sister," Omotola retorted.

As the wind whistled around them, both women locked eyes, their hair dancing in the breeze. Charging towards each other, their knives collided, generating sparks. Atika seized an opportunity and delivered a swift kick to Omotola's stomach. Omotola stumbled backward, gasping in pain, clutching her abdomen. Atika smirked triumphantly, looking down at Omotola

"Surrender, Omotola. I'm cautioning you; I don't want to cause you harm," Atika warned.

"Like I'd ever surrender to a backstabber," Omotola scoffed. Observing Atika's disoriented state, she realized she needed to buy more time. Despite the ache coursing through her body, she rose to her feet, maintaining a stoic expression, concealing her pain from Atika's view.

She ran towards Atika's direction, Atika balanced her footing as she raised her now readying to give her a fatal injury, that should buy her enough time to find Belle. But something she wasn't expecting happened, Maja tripped over the broad branches and her throat went straight into Atika's knife, everything happened so fast, that Atika couldn't react as she inadvertently stabbed Omotola's neck, Omotola was too shocked could not make a sound as she saw her life flashed before her eyes, she never wanted to die but it was too late as she fell motionlessly to the ground.

Atika stood motionless, a whirlwind of emotions flooding her, tears welling in her eyes, and her trembling lower lip betraying her inner turmoil. Overwhelmed, her legs buckled, and she collapsed, weeping uncontrollably, feeling utterly lost.

"Awww, I was enjoying the fight,"

A shirtless, pale-faced man wearing a hat and a scarf approached, licking his lips as he neared Atika, startling her at his sudden presence.

"It's not every day you witness mermaids battling," he remarked, his laughter piercing through the forest, causing nearby owls and crows to take flight.

"Don't frighten her, Idoga," a muscular, shirtless man with a massive dreadlock hairstyle intervened, approaching Atika. "Hello, I'm Obi. Let's discuss business," he said, an ominous gleam flickering in his eyes.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FOREST.

Ohi's eyes narrowed, and tiny beads of sweat formed on his face. "Found you," she exclaimed joyously. Despite the fear paralyzing him, Ohi's head remained leaning against the tree, immobilized.

I love playing hide and seek, he could feel the evilness exuding from her body. Her sharp nails pierced his shoulder, Ohi screamed in agony, and tears ran down his eyes. "Don't ever try to run from me Ohi" Her face became dead serious. Ohi vision became blurry because of the amount of tears gathered in his eyes. Belle could not hide the snugness on her face, finally, the nagging feeling she felt was gone.

Despite her relentless efforts, when Ohi ran away, Atika couldn't locate him in the forest. It seemed as if an invisible shield hid him from her sight, leaving her frustrated. Eventually, luck favored her, and she stumbled upon him, resting with his head against a tree, his eyes closed. Anger surged within her, her frustration mounting as she scoured the area, desperately searching for the elusive Ohi while he was resting.

The forest echoed with a loud "Bang!" as a massive stone struck Belle's head, causing her to scream in agony. A dark, slimy liquid oozed from her forehead. Seizing the opportunity, Ohi, despite his injured shoulder, ran, driven by anger and fear of being torn apart by the enraged mermaid. However, she knew she had to deliver him to the queen.

Swiftly catching up to Ohi, she grabbed the back of his neck and flung him against a tree. Ohi, coughing blood, felt intense pain but was unable to scream or cry, succumbing to unconsciousness.

"Wake up, you mere human!" Belle roared, pressing her foot on his head, yet Ohi remained motionless. Her menacing laughter filled the forest as she dragged him, his head colliding with branches and stones along the way.

"You're out cold," she mocked, relishing in her cruel actions. Singing to herself, she dragged Ohi, envisioning the queen's approval. Her daydreaming continued as she cruelly dragged poor Ohi through the forest.

He blinked, finding himself lying on a harsh, warm gravel surface. Ignoring the throbbing ache in his head, he sat upright, surveying the surroundings—a landscape of shattered houses and shops. Rising from the ground, he noticed a wide, jagged crack running through the road.

"Where am I?" he pondered silently, the persistent pain in his head refusing to ease. Suddenly, a small voice called out from behind him, startling him. He turned around, unsurprised by the presence of the boy with the red-painted face, noting that this time, the boy was alone.

"What am I doing here? The last thing I remembered..." Ohi's voice trailed off as a loud, piercing whistle echoed in his head. Gripping his head, he let out a bellow of agony, terror flickering in his eyes. Memories of the recent events flooded back, causing him to writhe in pain. It felt as if thousands of needles were piercing his brain, each flash of memory intensifying the torment.

Stay calm," the little boy retorted, rolling his eyes impatiently. "My head feels like it's about to burst," Ohi's hoarse voice resonated as he knelt on the ground, hands clutching his head in distress. Frowning, the boy pinched between his brows, then seized Ohi by the collar, urgency in his actions.

"We don't have time for this. You're on the brink of death; you should be grateful for that protective bracelet," the boy insisted, trying to get Ohi to focus. Finally calming down, Ohi squirmed out of the boy's grip, feeling weary of being handled like a discarded object, especially by someone younger than him.

"What do you mean, the bracelet that protected me?" Ohi inquired, but the boy ignored his question. Ohi couldn't shake off the feeling of being unprotected, especially after Belle flung him.

They continued walking amidst the ruins, passing fallen transformers and streetlights, some still emitting electric sparks. Broken equipment and shattered glass littered the area, alongside cars abandoned by their owners, either crushed or scratched.

"What happened here?" Ohi inquired, turning to glance at the boy walking alongside him. "That's a story for another day," the boy replied cryptically. Eventually, they halted in front of an old-looking hut.

"Get in," the boy commanded, leaving no room for arguments. With a heavy sigh, Ohi complied and entered the hut.

Ohi stood in shock as he observed the scene—the figure on the small bed was himself, adorned with a white wrapper tied around his waist, a white sun tattoo on the right side of his chest, and brown-colored beads around his neck, wrists, and ankles. The sleeping figure lay peacefully, motionless except for the gentle rise and fall of the chest, indicating breathing.

Approaching the figure cautiously, Ohi was taken aback when the boy's eyes suddenly flew open, startling him.

"You're finally here," the boy spoke in a calm and soothing voice, addressing Ohi.

************************************************

The queen sat regally on her throne, peering down at the young mermaid who was restrained by her guards. They forcibly lifted the mermaid's head, presenting her bruised and worn face to their queen. Despite her plight, the young mermaid's underwater beauty remained evident, her bluish-green fishtail still vibrant.

"Do you think you'll escape retribution for this?" the young mermaid yelled defiantly at the queen. Unfazed, the queen sneered, taunting her, "I already have, dear. Who can possibly stop me?" Her smirk deepened, aggravating the young mermaid as the queen casually rested her face on her knuckles.

"I simply requested a small favor from your mother: for her colony to submit to me, with myself as their new queen. But they dared to refuse," the queen stated, her expression offended and resentful. The young mermaid sneered back, hurling insults, "You can keep dreaming, you worthless hideous monster."

Before the mermaid could react, the queen swiftly struck her, the force of the blow causing the mermaid to taste the metallic tang of blood and experience a stinging pain in her cheeks. Despite the injury, she pushed through, recalling her mother's teachings never to reveal pain or fear in front of her enemies.

"You have no manners," the queen remarked dismissively, inspecting her nails with disinterest.

"My queen," Belle's voice interrupted, drawing the queen's attention. "Look who I've brought," she exclaimed joyfully, dragging an unconscious boy before the queen with a gleeful expression.

"Lock our guest in the cage," the queen commanded, her mermaid guards saluting as they dragged the young mermaid away.

"Where have you been?" the queen angrily interrogated Belle, who quickly bowed, pleading, "I am sorry, my queen. I only wanted to make you proud." Belle's voice sounded pitiful, evoking sympathy from the queen. She harbored a soft spot for Belle, knowing the suffering the girl endured at the hands of humans, which had left her a bit deranged. The queen approached Belle, her elegant silver gown floating in the water, revealing her slimy green legs, and lifted Belle's chin gently.

"You should always inform me about everything you see and hear," the queen instructed calmly.

"I am sorry, my queen," Belle sobbed, tiny hiccups interrupting her speech. "It was Atika who deceived me," she cried, seeking forgiveness. "Promise me you'll never take action without informing me."

"I promise," Belle pledged tearfully.

"Atika," the queen mused with a hint of disappointment, "what can I expect from a girl with human blood in her veins." Belle glanced at the queen's displeased expression, realizing the gravity of her mistake.