The Sea's of Blood. [Merformers]

Chapter 5: Fight or flight

Eryin (Alysia) POV:

I inhaled deeply, fixing my gaze on the imposing door. 'Let's do this,' I muttered to myself as I swiped the access card. The cold metallic voice confirmed my identity, 'Personal Accepted' and the door began its reluctant ascent, emitting an unsettling creak that reverberated through the dimly lit room. As I stepped inside, the door closed behind me with an ominous finality.

The lagoon spread out before me, bathed in feeble light filtering through a solitary window. The water below was murky, resembling a swamp more than a lagoon. Dead kelp clung to the sides, and the plants surrounding it had withered into a state of decay, their once vibrant colors replaced by a sinister black hue. A catwalk traversed the lagoon, adorned with treacherously placed seaweed and railings that seemed more like obstacles than safety measures. An oddly positioned metal pipe near the entrance caught my attention.

To my right, a window allowed the only natural light to penetrate the eerie atmosphere. Miko, Jack, Raf, and the other mers observed me with a mixture of concern and tension. A wave of reassurance towards them was interrupted by a stern gesture from Ratchet, signaling a more cautious approach. Returning my focus to the lagoon, I noticed a damaged pipe at the far end of the catwalk along with wires sparking on the ground.

My feet echoed along the walls of the lagoon as I walked slowly. I kept my guard up as I didn't know what was to come. "So fucking dark in here.." I mumbled, my steps slow and cautious against the ground. About halfway to the catwalk, my eyes adjusted to the darkness more where I spotted a great white shark lying next to the busted pipe and wires, it was laying facing upward with some of its tail sticking in the water.

He looked seriously injured and needed medical attention as it lay motionlessly on the floor, but something didn't feel right.. I was about to step forward when something made a squishing sound under my foot. I lifted my right foot to find.. a seaweed ball.

Suddenly, I heard something moving in the water and looked around the dark lagoon. My combat instincts kicked in, and I assumed a defensive stance. The lagoon remained eerily silent, save for the echoing sounds of water.

I kept looking around carefully and slowly.. suddenly, multiple mers emerged from the waters.. no.. AT LEAST 30 MERS all had handfuls of seaweed balls. 'SHIT SHIT SHIT, WHAT THE FUCK?!' I thought to myself as I looked around the lagoon.

I saw all the mers, both left and right on either side of the lagoon prepare to throw seaweed balls, and I was the target.. "FIRE!" I heard something yell, and without any warning, all the mers cocked back their arms and through seaweed at me. I could practically feel Miko, Jack and Raf scream in horror in my mind..

But.. I felt time slow down.. before I felt seaweed hit me..

Suddenly, a surge of adrenaline surged through my veins, catapulting me into.. OVERDRIVE. As if time had accelerated, I instinctively arched my back, narrowly evading the onslaught of seaweed balls. In a blur of motion, I executed a dance of survival, weaving through the air with acrobatic finesse, utilizing the catwalk's railings for nimble maneuvers.

My training kicked in, and I became a whirlwind of evasion, backflipping, and skillfully avoiding every projectile launched my way. It was as if I was street dancing for my life, each move a calculated step to outmaneuver the barrage of seaweed. Turning towards the front entrance, I dashed for the metal pipe.

Reaching the long metal pipe near the entrance, I seized it and seamlessly incorporated it into my defensive tactics. With flips and agile spins, I continued to fend off the relentless assault. Amid the chaos, my mask was thrown off, threatening to reveal my identity. In a split second, I snatched it from the air, securing it against my face with my left hand.