Oceanum Collis

•Chapter 14• The Dreaded Ocean

"Are you feeling any better?" Orlando questioned. Serena nodded in response as she took a few sips of the water. "Good." He said, "Don't scare me like that again." He smiled at her. Serena returned the smile. "I can't promise anything." She tells him. She looks up at her brother. "Are they still outside?" She asked. He nodded in response. "Is there any way we could get out of here?" She questioned. "We have to wait here for now. Think of a plan." He answered. "I have a plan," Serena tells him. She sat up straight. "I might know someone who can help us." She said. Hayes frowned at her, not understanding her. Serena just looked at her brother. Hayes finally got the message. He shook his head. "No, no, no." He said. Orlando frowned at both of them. "What, what?" He asked them. Serena turned her attention to him. "There is someone who can help us." She tells him. "Yeah, a siren." Hayes cut in. Orlando snapped his head towards him. "What? Like those evil creatures that lure men towards their deaths when sailing?" He questioned. Hayes nodded in response. "She's not evil," Serena tells them. Orlando looked at her. "Just because she's your friend, does not mean she's an angel," Hayes tells her. "She can help us. The sea has powers unlike any of ours. She can help us." Serena tells them. "Who? The siren?" Orlando asked. "She's a mermaid and a siren. And she's my friend. She won't hurt us." Serena assures them. "She might not hurt you, but what about me?" Hayes asked her. Orlando looked at the elf again. "What about you?" He questioned. "The siren and I aren't the best of friends," Hayes tells him. "He tried to cut her head off," Serena added. Orlando's eyes opened widely. "What?! Why would you do that?" He asked. "She's a fish," Hayes said. "That doesn't change the fact that you almost cut her head off with your sword," Serena replied. "This is so not what I expected," Orlando whispered to himself.

After a while of trying to come up with other plans, the three were still hiding. The wolves outside were still waiting for them to come out. Hayes let out a sigh. "We have to find a way to get out of here." He said quietly. "I have a way," Serena tells. Hayes glared at her. "If only you would, for once, listen to me instead of your ego." She added. "We're not going to the ocean," Hayes spoke up. "Well, if you won't go, that doesn't mean I can't. I want to get out of here." Serena said. She got out of her sport and crawled towards the opening Hayes climbed through earlier to get water. She peeked through the gap. Three wolves were waiting for them there. She cursed under her breath. "We can't stay here forever." She whispered. She glanced over her shoulder. "Well, we can. You can't." She added. She took a deep breath before climbing out of the small gap. The wolves outside started to growl loudly at her. She pulled out her dagger and stuck it in one of the creature's eyes. "Serena!" Hayes called out to his sister. Serena pulled herself up on her feet. She pulled the dagger out of the wolf's eye and started to run off. Orlando couldn't help but stare at her as she fought her way out of the pack of wolves. "Wow, she...she's pretty good." He said. Hayes glared at him. "And way too old for you." He tells him. The elven prince crawled out of their hiding spot just like his sister. "Hey! You're just gonna leave me here?!" Orlando yelled at him. The prince pulled out his bow and started to shoot arrows at the animals. Orlando let out a sigh. He started to crawl out as well and started to run after Serena. After a few seconds, Orlando caught up with her quickly. He pulled her back by her arm. "Hey, what are you doing? Trying to get yourself killed?" He asked her. "Listen, if we're going to sit and wait here until blondie over there to figure out a plan, we won't be able to stop this war. Who knows what will happen then." She said. The young man puts his hands on her arms. "You keep telling me about this war, but I have no idea what you're talking about," Orlando tells her, "So before you go running off to your death, you might want to tell me what this is all about." He tells her.  Serena shook her head. "We don't have time for this, we have to get out before more wolves come." She tells him. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him along with her.

"Come and sail where our voices sound, deep below, underground. Hear my voice beneath the sea, that is where we live oh so peacefully. Waters dangerous as these will soon make you fall to your knees. Listen to our song from the depths, as you slowly sail towards your deaths." A beautiful voice sang. The sailors aboard the ship all looked down at the ocean. As they did. The mermaids that swam in the water, started to make the ship sail off towards the rocks that stood out in the water. Before they could do anything, the ship crashed into the rocks. Some of the mermaids then started to pull the ship back with their powers. The ship slowly started to sink. The sailors all jumped into the ocean. The beautiful ladies in the water pulled them back up. The men smiled at the women and thanked them for saving them. A younger man was being pulled up by a girl around his age. She had beautiful blue eyes and straight, black hair. "Thank you for saving me." He thanked her, "I probably would've been dead by now." He added. The young girl smiled at the man. She started to lean in for a kiss. The young man shut his eyes, leaning in as well. Instead of kissing him, the young girl leaned down. She opened her mouth and put her teeth into his neck. She pulled away again, ripping the skin off. She then released him, letting the young man sink into the water. "The sharks are gonna love you." She whispered. She dove back into the water. She swam towards her brother. He grinned at her. "You're evil." He tells her. She glared at him. "Am not!" She replied. The siblings chatted for a while as they swam back to their homes. The young girl felt something was off. She stopped swimming for a second. Her brother looked at her. "Something wrong?" He asked her. "I think so." She answered, "I feel someone's presence. Someone we don't know." She added. "More sailors? Pirates?" Her brother questioned. "Maybe." She said, "I'll swim back to check on the Wrecked Depths. You go back to the reef." She ordered. Her brother nodded and swam off. The black-haired girl waited for a few seconds to make sure her brother was gone before she swam off herself. 

"Can I get my hand out of the water now?" Orlando asked. "Not yet," Serena tells him. Orlando glared at her. "But it's cold!" He complained. The she-elf rolls her eyes at him. "We'll wait for her to arrive. It shouldn't be long." Serena tells him. A few seconds later, the top of a head popped up from the water. Bright blue eyes looked at the two. Serena's eyes met hers. The mermaid's blue eyes moved towards Orlando. "Val," Serena started. Orlando looked up to see the mermaid sitting in the water. She started to make her way towards where his hand was in the water. "Get your hand out." Serena ordered, "Get your hand out, now!" She added. Orlando pulled his hand out before the mermaid could get him. She hissed at him. "She seems lovely," Orlando said. Serena rolls her eyes at him. She walked over to the mermaid. "Val?" She said. The mermaid puts her arms on the land in front of her and pulled herself up slightly. "Serena, what are you doing here? With that?" She questioned. Serena let out a sigh. "Valeria, this is Orlando. Orlando, this is Valeria. The friend I was telling you about." She introduced. The elven princess then turned to her friend again. "Val, we need your help." She said.