Dome of Atlantis

Chapter 24

     Edric looked at me with concern in his eyes  and then his expression changed to a soft smile. "I trust your decision. I'll do my best to protect you."

     "Thank you for trusting me. Now we just need to figure out how to make a hole big enough in the crystal for me to touch the creature's head."

     "I might have just the right tools." Edric walked over to a small pot in the corner. A chisel and little hammer lay by some hieroglyphs etched into the wall. He picked them up and brought them close to the crystal. He leaned over a part of the crystal to get a better look. "Maybe you should wait in the palace while I do this in case it breaks," Edric said worriedly.

     "I think it would be best if I stay here," I say concerned.

     Edric backed away from the crystal and looked at my expression. "Are you worried about me?"

     "Uh, well I'm not heartless. I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt," I said embarrassed.

     "Should I be flattered that you care or shocked that you don't think I can handle myself?"

     "You're overthinking this it's just better with more people."

     Edric laughed. "I just wanted to get a reaction out of you. Though if you cared about my well-being, I would be flattered. It's settled then. You should at least go stand in the other room while I work. I don't want the crystal to break off and cut you."

     My heart was pounding. He did get a reaction out of me, I thought. I was happy that he trusted me to stay. "I'll be in the other room. Yell if you need help."

     "Will do," Edric said and waved me goodbye.

     I walked back into the other room and could hear the tools start etching away at the crystal where Edric was.

     I looked at the shimmering amethyst and obsidian covered walls. The algae glowed and lit up the room. I crouched down and listened to the echo of the chisel breaking pieces away.

It took a decent amount of time before Edric called me back in the room.

"Vivian?" Edric called.

I walked back into the room and over to Edric.

"Is this hole big enough?" he asked me.

I walked over to the crystal and saw the crack Edric made. I lifted my hand up and started to reach for the crack.

"Be careful please," Edric asked.

I nodded my head and slowly put my hand in the crack to touch the creature's head with two of my fingers.

Once my fingers connected with the scaly skin, fuzzy images started to cloud my vision.

I looked at the creature's face and he opened his eyes. Red eyes with black slits gazed at me before my vision completely clouded with a memory.

Four girls were walking alongside a beach talking to each other as if they were best friends. A handsome merman swam up in a deep estuary nearby. One of the girls approached him and smiled.

The vision changed to the other three girls holding hands with elf men. The group of six walked up to the estuary and sat down by the fourth girl who held the merman's hand.

Multiple nights and days were shown of this same group of eight hanging out together.

My vision shifted to the three girls who were with the elves heading into the forest to pick fruits. The elf men started to make a fire alongside the beach and avoided interrupting the merman and his lady.

I saw the lady lean in and both the merman and lady kissed. He grabbed her face tenderly and silently pulled her into the water.

The water started to thrash and turn red before the merman emerged out of the water. The merman two fins were now human legs from the middle of the thigh down to the top of the feet. The end of his toes turned into black claws.

The elf men looked at the eerie merman they once considered their friend. The elf men pulled out daggers they had on them once they saw the lady's body float up to the top and wash ashore.

Her body had a hole where her heart once was along with scratch marks on her arms and face.

The elf man charged the merman, but their blades did nothing and they couldn't knock him down.

I felt tears run down my cheeks while I watched each of the elf men meet their end.

When the other three women came out and saw everything I could see the horror in their faces. One of the women's faces changed emotion as she pulled a necklace off of her neck. It had amethyst stones in different shapes.

This woman mouthed some words at the merman before he rushed for the other three. She yelled at her friends and I watched as each of her friends jumped for each arm of the merman and the third woman put the necklace over his neck.

He threw all three women back and reached for the necklace to take it off. It wouldn't budge and seared into his skin. The merman's skin turned dry and scaly before he shriveled up into the creature Edric and I discovered.

The vision changed to the women taking turns watching him in a cave while his weak body started to crystallize into amethyst.

My ears picked up a conversation between the woman who had the necklace and the merman.

"I put a curse on your kind, that once two more women give a kiss of true love to any merman I will be set free and all the creatures on this island shall die," he snickered to the woman.

"I heard you place the curse. Now I will place my own counter curse and seal you up so you won't be able to make any more curses. I counter your curse by surrounding this island by a water dome for no outsiders to enter."

The merman frowned and went to speak, but the woman pulled an amethyst stone out of her pocket and shoved it in his mouth.

"It's rude to interrupt," she said and continued her counter-curse: "If by any chance the dome weakens or changes its protective barrier over time and any woman enters this island, then this is my counter-curse: If she falls in love with just one elf of any kind and gives him a kiss of true love, your curse shall be broken. You will be free to die, the dome will release its hold and she will be allowed to go home."

The merman looked full of hate with the same eyes he gave me before I touched his head. He couldn't open his mouth because the amethyst crystal grew. The crystal started to envelope him faster than normal.

I watched as she put her hand on top of his head and closed her eyes. "If anyone comes across you, they will be able to see what you did to us just by you touching them or vice-versa. You will never hurt anyone ever again."

My vision unclouded and my ears popped. Edric stared at me and had one of his hands gently placed on my shoulder. "Are you alright Vivian?"

I realized I still had leftover tears on my cheek from seeing the deaths of their lovers and friend.

I slowly pulled my hand away and faced Edric. "Can you hug me?" I asked quietly.

Edric looked concerned and gently pulled me into a hug.

My body started to shake. I had been so close to believing Proteus.