The Merman Secret

Prologue

Deep under the Ezili Ocean laid a bustling city lit in gold and navy. Each building was taller and brighter than the last. Mermaids and merman alike swam in every direction to get to where they were going. Inside one of the largest golden mansions of the sea was a black-haired merman who was fighting for his life from the evil of his world. His name was Ervin.

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"What do you want?" Ervin yelled as he pushed a black-tailed merman away.

"You know what we want. You." The brown-haired merman charged at Ervin, knife blades sticking out between his fingers as his eyebrows creased together. 

Ervin swam to the right in a quick motion, easily dodging the man. He grabbed the floral vase from the wooden table next to him and smashed it on the man's head. Blood rushed out of the cut on the man's forehead, pieces of the glass lodged into his skin. Ervin watched as the brown-haired man floated to the ground. He smiled and felt relieved, but that was short-lived. Someone struck him from behind and he was sent flying across the room and into the violet wall.

Ervin groaned and placed his hand behind his head and rubbed. He turned around slowly, his vision a little blurry at first, but then it focused. He was faced with the large merman, the leader of the Seager group. The ones who bought havoc anywhere they went.

"Ervin," the muscular man greeted. He swam closer to Ervin, only a few feet between them. 

"Axenus." Ervin nodded and forced a smile. "What brings you to my humble home?"

"Not much. I hear you are very valuable, or should I say powerful? I want you on my side." The man moved closer, his eyes danced as he smiled.

"I will never be on your side and that is that. I'd rather die than convert to the darkness." Ervin looked down at his shining sapphire blue tail then up at the man before him whose tail was black. "Your tail represents your rank. You all are the criminals of the sea."

Three others joined Axenus. A devilish smile played on their lips as they moved closer, encircling him. Ervin looked to his right and saw his mother fighting one of the men. Blood seeped through a cut on her left arm. He looked to his right and saw his father fighting two of the Seagers. 

Ervin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He clenched his fists and screamed. His sonic scream sent four of the Seagers flying back. They smashed through the walls with a loud crash. Everyone in the room covered their ears, tears welled up in their eyes, glass shattered, and vases broke.

Ervin opened his eyes and looked around. Groans were heard from behind the broken wall. Ervin smiled and picked up a knife that one man dropped on his way backwards. He twirled the knife in his hand and smiled. 

'Don't mess with me,' Ervin thought. 'My powers won't be taken for granted.'

Ervin looked up and faced where his parents were still fighting. His mother was still going strong, but more cuts surrounded her body. He gazed towards his father and his heart dropped. His father was on the marble floor, eyes closed, body still. 

"Father!" Ervin yelled. He misjudged the knife, he twirled and grabbed it at the wrong end. The blade sliced his palm and blood streamed out. 

The two men who attacked his father turned to face him and darted towards Ervin. He swiped his arm from left to right, sending an array of gold darting towards the men. The two men were impaled in the stomach and slowly floated to the ground, their blood staining the water.

Ervin looked around his home. He saw his mother next to his father's unmoving body. He swam over to his father's side and placed his hands on his father's chest.

"Father! Father! Wake up!" Ervin screamed. He shook his father's body.

No response. His father laid still. Ervin placed his two fingers on his father's neck but found no pulse. No heartbeat. A tear threatened his eyes.

'They must pay!' he thought.

"He's gone, sweetheart," Ervin's mother said as she looked down, her blonde hair covering her teardrop-shaped face as a waterfall of tears fell.

"This is all my fault, mother." Ervin hung his head down, his heart became heavy as he too cried.