The Little Salmonid

Part 3

Samantha swam through a dark and dangerous part of the ocean littered with Salmonid remains and venomous sea snakes. There were box jellyfish too, similar to those in Inkopolis, but they preferred to live underwater. They chased after her, thinking she was a potential predator, but she managed to outswim them. Two of the sorcerer's sea snakes were wise enough to know that she wasn't trying to prey on them, so they led her to a seemingly vacant island shrouded by a dark green haze, which was where the sorcerer's lair was.

Samantha was terrified. Her scales stood up on the back of her neck. She heard that dealing with the Steelhead Sorcerer was extremely dangerous, but she was desperate and couldn't think of any other options. She trembled toward the large building trying to gather her courage; but before she could open the door, it flew open for her.

"Come in," answered a gravelly voice.

Samantha dragged her tail into the lair, where the Steelhead Sorcerer stood before her. The mere sight of him was enough to send shivers down her spine.

"So, you actually came here after all," said the sorcerer. "I didn't think you'd have the guts to show up 'ere, li'l Chum."

Before she could open her mouth to say anything, the sorcerer continued. "I already know what yer here for. You want me to turn you into one of them squid people, so's you can be with that squid boy and live on land, ain't that right?"

"Well... y-yeah..."

"Now that's just plain stupid."

The little Salmonid frowned and was about to head for the door.

"But I can make you a potion that'll do just that."

"You can...?"

"Of course... but I have a fair warning. Now this is important, so listen up. Once you become an Inkling... you can NEVER be a Salmonid again."

"O-okay..."

The sorcerer leaned in closer to her. "You DO understand that this means you'll NEVER be able to return to the sea, or visit your pa, your Mawmaw, or your sisters again, right?" he bellowed.

"I understand," Samantha whimpered.

"Drinking' the potion I'm fixin' to make will make you feel like you're bein' grilled alive," the sorcerer resumed. "but when you recover, you'll be the freshest squid to anyone that lays eyes on you, and you'll ink turf like no Inkling has ever inked before, heh heh heh... but it's gon' hurt. Badly. Every li'l footstep you take will feel as if you were walkin' on the sharpest of blades, and your feet will bleed somethin' terrible. If you can win the hearts of that Inkling boy you love and marry him one day, your sufferin' will end. However... if your precious Inkling ever marries someone else... your hearts will break, and the very next day after his weddin', you will die and dissolve into foam on the ocean waves."

Samantha began to tremble, but she impulsively went onward. "And... what do I gotta give you...?"

"I've had my eye on a particular potion ingredient," said the sorcerer, "but no one's been willin' to give it to me."

"What is it?"

"A voice. I've been tryin' to make a potion for some poor fool who don't have a voice, but I need some strong vocal cords so I can brew it."

"But... if you take my voice, how am I gonna tell the Inkling I love him?"

"Let's be honest, sweetie. It don't take that much to charm an Inkling. All you gotta do is be 'fresh' and spray your bodily fluids all over the place... ain't that what they like? 'Sides, your little cords will grow back once ya marry him. Now, in exchange for that potion you want, gimme your vocal cords... or you can forget this whole thing if you're scared."

"No! I ain't scared! Make me an Inkling! I wanna be a land dweller!"

"Excellent."

The sorcerer reached into Samantha's neck with his bare fins and tore out her vocal cords, but he didn't leave a scratch. He placed them in a saline jar for later use, then he heated up a cauldron over a fire and began brewing the potion. The sorcerer added a moderate amount of Inkling ink, a drop of witch hazel, some mandrake root, and a dash of Inkling blood, all while constantly stirring the cauldron. When it was ready, he waved his fins above the cauldron and chanted an incantation in a language that had been unheard for millennia. The cauldron began making horrific noises, which sounded like thousands of cries of the damned, and suddenly ceased. The result was an orange concoction with a subtle glow. The sorcerer carefully poured the liquid in a vial and handed it to Samantha.

"That there potion will expire in twelve hours," he warned. "Swim up to the shore and drink it before time's up. Nice doin' business with ya..."

The Steelhead Sorcerer let out a loud cackle, and Samantha nervously left the island, now unable to speak.

...

At the Salmonids' house, which Samantha would never visit again, she took one last look at her at her mother and father, who were fast asleep in bed. She quietly crept to the bed and gave them a goodbye kiss.

"Goodbye, Mawmaw," she wanted to say. "Goodbye papa..."

Then she swam to her sisters' room, where they were all asleep, too, and gave them all slimy goodbye kisses.

"Goodbye, sisters... Silver... Pinky... Saki... Coco... Henna... I love y'all. I'll miss you."

After kissing her family goodbye, Samantha took a very long look at the house where she grew up and made many memories. She let out a deep sigh and headed for Inkopolis. When she arrived at the shore near the Inkling boy's house, Samantha nervously unsealed the potion and guzzled it down with a shaky fin. The potion had a very bitter and metallic taste. She began to feel an extreme burning sensation throughout her entire body, and it felt as if she was being grilled. She wanted to scream out loud, but she had no voice to do so. The Salmonid was silently writhing in pain, until she finally lost consciousness.