The Aquarian

Chapter 1

I swam deep into the waters. They engulfed me, as if there was some force pulling me to the bottom (that force was really my ambition to swim at its depths).
I pushed myself forward, but eventually, I swam back up.
You can see the shore even in the middle of the bay, which some elders have claimed it to be called 'Baya de Rosiere', since they saw an old sign with that written on it, but it washed on to the shore a long time ago.
The sun was shining off the glisthening rocks, the beautiful waters, and the old rusted buildings far off on the land.
We don't normally see any life forms on shore, although there where some brief incidents when I was a young child.
It was those years when I had caught a quick glance of those disgusting creatures we all hear rumours about.

From ancient times our people used to actually communicate with them, and they identified themselves as humans.

But us Aquarians could not socialize with them forever.
If only we had known the risks we where taking.
If only we had known the infrastructure and systems they had, not to mention their huge population; they must run the entire Phark!
From then on out, our population went into hiding,(most of us stayed here in this beautiful, yet abandoned, bay) afraid of what those humans could do, hoping we would never be found and could keep the capability of keeping to ourselves.
In my opinion that was the best, and only, option we had.

I always think about things from the past like that, (especially in history classes) even now, at 16 a-drops old, I often wonder how much land we leave undiscovered, and how much is contaminated with those dangerous humans, or what would happen if an Aquarian left the waters and crawled along on the land (everyone is to afraid of leaving there natural habitat to do that and I certainly don't want to brake the rules. Although, an emergency procedure would call for resting a hurt Aquarian on land, leaving there tail in the water).
My focus changed to the beautiful sun shining on the surface tension of the water, the glimmering air bubbles, and the few lively sea plants.
I continued my daily patrol of the bay, the sun making me very comfortable by radiating the water.
I was swimming the dolphin kick, then flipped onto my back and sighed.
Relaxation, after hard work in the dunes, finally.

I heard a scream, ending with a groan, which could never have been mistaken as anything but the cry of an Aquarian. I immediately flipped back onto my stomach.
I saw her close to the shore, a young Aquarian, but I have never seen an injury like what has incapacitated her.

Her face was almost peeling, unnatural green scales where appearing all over her, she looked like the blood had been drained from her face.
After a second of utter shock, I swam as hard as I could under the water towards her, the depth kind of dark on the ocean floor.
I could see her tail now, flailing and kicking in and out of the water.
I pushed with all my might. The only thing I was able to think was; save her! Help her!
I screamed it in my head.
Never before had I seen something so gruesome looking and fatal, but then again, I was no Medicinal Aquarian.

I was 3 tails away from her when she suddenly went limp and  fell from the surface into the water.
I dove down quickly, and successfully caught her.
I grabbed her by the waist and started pulling her above the water. She wasn't that heavy, but it still required quite a bit of effort.
We reached the glimmering tension and I held her above the surface,(sometimes oxygen helps to heal Aquarian wounds) but she gasped for water so I lowered her head.
I headed in the direction of the opposite shore, towards the center of the bay where our home dunes are.
I yelled for help as we got closer and to my surprise, a mermaid on my right was already rushing towards us.
I was very panicked. " I-I don't know whats wrong with her, I heard her gasping and screaming," was all I could get out. The lean Aquarian shook her head.  " It could be new disease-lay her on my back". She said.
I did what I was told.
The young girl uttered something to me, something about water, her bright blue eyes consumed in fear.
I put her head down  facing the water, hoping that's what she meant.
*
We swam at a racing pace, my surges of energy quickly fading, but I still pushed on hard, trying to keep up with the pace of the strong Aquarian mother.

I was scared for the girl, scared of what the Aquarian had spoke of a new and possibly contagious disease, but I knew I had to stay by her side to help. She needed everything she could get to survive.

We finally made it back to the coral reef sand dunes; our homes. The brilliant sun was shining over the collections of rocks and crystal hardware, making everything sparkle.
But I was not focused on that at all, I was calling nervously for help, and our deputy of the bay,(King Thorin's son) Morrigan, came. "What has happened?" He asked sternly. I couldn't answer, I was to shaken, but the mermaid  did-"Marina found her screaming- and in this state." Morrigan looked at the girl, and did not hesitate.

"She must be taken to the Medical Court." He said quickly. He took the young Aquarian , who I then remembered was in the care of my mother,  named Nahla.
He took her into his broad, muscular arms and hurried of, his golden blonde hair waving behind him. He swam even faster then the mermaid did, and soon disappeared from view.
After all that, I was just too shaken to go back on my daily patrol, or even stay in the clear view ocean, as I already saw some Aquarians prodding their heads out of their dunes, looking at me with questioning eyes.
I didn't even face them, I just turned onto the path I usually took to get back home to my dune.
How was I supposed to know what happened to Nahla? I've seen many patients go to the Medical Court, (which is about 12 tails from my house) and they all had multiple different injuries and diseases, but not one seemed to have something even remotely similar to what Nahla must have.
Yes, I got 100's in almost all of my Health and Biology classes, but that doesn't make me a Medicinal!
And yet I really feel a strong urge to know what's wrong with Nahla, and be able to answer the bystanders questions.
I can't get Nahla's image off my mind, and it scares me to think of it all.

I made it to my dune; tall and arching, and headed quickly to my room, ignoring my sister, Scarlett, and her questions concerning my whereabouts.

I collapsed on the pile of trodden sand, completely exhausted and tearful.