The Merman Secret

1. Why?

It had been a week since the Seagers attacked and every day since he had been looking at photos of his father. He refused to sleep. His hand stung, and the dried up blood caked his hand under the bandage. His body felt numb, and he had red circles under his eyes.

He laid down on his white and blue canopy bed, tears fell as he held a photo of his father close to his chest. His mind flickered to the events of that day. His mother currently laid on the medical bed downstairs. Healer mermaids worked their magic on healing her injuries. Her face was pale and her smile was faint as she reassured him it will all be okay. 

His mind flashed to his childhood. The memories of the happy family they once were, the endless laughs and the celebrations until that faithful day. The day that turned his entire life upside down. But why? Why did it happen?

Ervin sat up with a sigh. He swam off his bed and out of his room. His stomach rumbled. He made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. Black and white checked tiles greeted him, along with the marble countertop and wooden cupboards. He pulled out a can of sardines and opened the lid. He ate them whole. 

"Someday you will choke to your death, boy," his uncle's familiar voice said dominantly.

"I won't. I'll be fine, Uncle Kye. When did you get here?" Ervin inquired as he turned to face the muscular red-haired man swimming at the doorframe of the kitchen. 

"Ever since that Seagle killed your father, you haven't been your usual chirpy self boy. Your father loved you and your mother very much. He wouldn't want you moping around." The man crossed his arms, the veins visible.

"Why did they attack us out of all families here? Why uncle?" Ervin asked, his tears falling down his cherry pink cheeks.

"Look, the Seagles are the evil of the sea. You are a special man. Only you can shift into human form. Only you have powers. You are of great value." The man looked at his nephew and smiled.

"I'm not that special, Uncle. I don't even know how I turned out like his." Ervin stared at the floor. 

"When I find these Seagers, I will get my revenge." His uncle clenched his fists and disappeared before he could say another word.

"Great chat, Uncle," Ervin mumbled as he turned to face the cabinets again, closing his eyes.

"And here we are, son. Celestia Ridge. One of the most mystical sites in the Elizia Ocean," the auburn-haired man, Ervin's father, said as he held out his arm towards the place he was speaking about.

Ervin's young eyes looked around with excitement as he watched the colours of blue, green and purple danced out of the massive gap in the ground, colouring the sky in the same hue. The boy swam forward and looked down to find the source of the light, but a hand rested on his shoulder.

"Don't think about it, son. It is too dangerous to go down there," Ervin's father spoke, his eyes bored into his son.

"Why, father? What's so bad about it?" Ervin asked inquisitively as he moved his arms back and forth in a gentle swing motion, keeping himself in his spot.

"Down this ridge is a dangerous world. One you do not want to experience, my boy. Once you are old enough, I will talk to you about it, I shall even tell you about the rankings of our people." His father stayed in his spot, his shoulders raised, chest forward, and he smiled.

"What is a ranking?" the young boy asked once more while he looked up at his father with wide, curious eyes.

"A ranking is a position you hold in a group or tribe. You can consider it like a job, son." The man faced his son and smiled. Crows feet formed around his eyes.

"Dad, what's a j-" Ervin began again.

"Son, calm down on those questions. Too many at one time. Relax. Enjoy the view," his father said calmly as he turned to face towards the light once more, Ervin doing the same.

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Ervin blinked multiple times. He looked around the kitchen and shook his head. He smiled as he remembered the sweet memories of his father, then gazed down at his right arm where his mark laid. The beautiful ranking tattoos. A tribal tattoo and a camellia flower.

'Kano. The ranking of one of a kind, unique, power, loyalty,' Ervin thought to himself as he glanced at the clock across the room signalling 7:49 A.M. 'Shoot.'

Ervin quickly picked up his University backpack from the hook next to the door and darted out the door. Ervin rushed through the water, the clear liquid rushing through his hair, making it seem as if he were flying through the ocean.

He swam up to the water's edge where the red-orange hues from the sun rising coloured the skies as far as the eye could see. His head poked through the water, the cool winter breeze welcomed him. He looked around and spotted the upper land where the towns people live. A small smile danced on his lips as he dived back under the water, his tail splashing the liquid. He made his way towards the coast, a wall of rocks and several wooden pillars signalling the land. 

The hard, rocky ledge held the city up. Ervin could see the shadows of people on their boards above in the distance, various fish swam by. He held onto the pillar and slowly raised himself above the water's surface. His gaze landed on top of the Arlen bridge and the land to find no people there. He could see people on the beach far to the right, but it was quite abandoned where the bridge was.

He grabbed ahold of the base of the fencing and hauled himself up. His body scraped against the cold, hard rocks and concrete. The pain he felt screamed at him, but he shook his head. His breath quickened as he looked around. A sigh of relief escaped his lips to see no one was around. With a small wave of his hand, a golden aura circled him and his tail slowly disappeared and legs now formed. He was now wearing a grey hoodie and black joggers with matching sneakers. Slowly, he stood up and looked out at the ocean, a smile on his face once again.

The smell of the fresh salty sea filled his sense, the gravel making a soft crunching noise under his feet as the winter air pushed against him. 

"What are you doing here?" a voice asked from behind him, a heavy hand grabbing his shoulder.