Siren

Chapter 18 - Transformation in the Depths

The water was dark and silent around her, a vast expanse of nothingness. Marina's mind floated in the void, her thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind. Slowly, consciousness began to seep back in, a hazy awareness that something had changed.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself gazing through the murky depths. The first thing she noticed was the cold, the biting chill of the deep ocean, but it no longer felt unbearable. It was as if her body had adapted, the cold seeping into her bones and becoming part of her.

She moved her arm, watching in awe as iridescent scales shimmered in the faint light. Her fingers brushed against her skin, feeling the smooth, cool texture. Panic flared briefly in her chest, but it was quickly replaced by a strange sense of calm.

Marina tried to breathe and found it came naturally. Her gills fluttered, filtering the water effortlessly. She slowly looked down to view the rest of her body. Instead of her legs, she saw a tail, matching the iridescent scales that covered her arms and chest.

"You're alive!" a voice called out.
Marina turned around and saw a woman with a similar sort of allure.

"W-Who are you?" Marina stuttered.

"Hi, I am Persephone," the woman said, swimming closer. Her tail was similar to Marina's, and her blonde hair slightly lightened up the darkness of the ocean. She reached out and grabbed Marina's hand, forcing a shake between them. "Please call me Perci!"

"What are you?" Marina questioned. "What am I?"

"I'm a mermaid," Perci stated, glancing at her own tail. "And you? I have no idea what you are. Your tail is similar to mine, but it's far too long and slightly scary to be a mermaid's."

"This can't be real... How am I like this, and where are my legs?" Marina exclaimed, her voice tinged with panic.

"Your legs?" Perci furrowed her brow. "Wait... Look at me!"

Perci grabbed Marina's face and stared into her eyes. Though they were slightly larger, they retained the same turquoise colour. She grabbed a strand of Marina's hair, still as dark as the depths of the ocean.

"Are you the Sea Singer I've been hearing?" Perci asked, her voice filled with wonder.

"You've been hearing me?"

"I've heard this voice that the ocean has been listening to. I've been searching far and wide and finally found what I thought was your voice, but it turned out it was just a man on a boat."

"He really saw you," Marina stated. "My Uncle John—you're the mermaid he saw."

"He saw me!" Perci seemed shocked but not worried. "Anyway, I heard the voice again. The fish were so happy they started jumping out of the water, I just had to see who it was."

"I saw you, you're the fleeting shadow?" Marina asked.

"You're the Sea Singer?" Perci looked Marina up and down. "Well, you used to be."

"My names Marina." Marina took in Perci's words, her mind racing with questions and uncertainties. She looked at her transformed body, still trying to comprehend the enormity of what had happened. "So, what does this mean? What does this make me?"

Perci's expression softened, a mixture of sympathy and understanding in her eyes. "You're something new, Marina. Something ancient and powerful, just like the Sea Singers of old. But different. The ocean has changed you, imbued you with its magic."

Before the girls could continue speaking, they heard the storm raging above.

"The storm," Marina whispered.

"We'll be safe down here, don't worry," Perci assured with a smile.

"But the people up there won't be." Marina tried to swim with her tail, but she ended up zooming uncontrollably instead. Perci managed to catch her before she bumped into anything.

"What just happened?" Marina exclaimed, shocked at the sudden burst of speed.

"You're trying to swim like you have legs," Perci laughed. "Watch me." Perci demonstrated by moving her tail in a smooth, rhythmic motion.

Marina imitated the motion and began to swim upwards towards the surface, Perci hurrying after her.

As they broke through the surface, the storm's fury was in full display. Waves crashed violently, and the sky was dark with swirling clouds. Marina's heart pounded as she saw the chaos above.

"We have to stop this," Marina said, determination in her voice.

Perci nodded, her eyes scanning the storm-tossed waters. "What should we do?"

"I'm going to try and sing, see if I've still got some Sea Singer left in me," Marina said.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Concentrating, she felt the rhythm of the ocean within her. Then, she began to sing—a haunting, melodic tune that seemed to harmonise with the crashing waves.

Slowly, the water began to respond. The waves calmed, and the storm's intensity lessened.

"You did it," Perci said, her voice filled with admiration. "You really are the Sea Singer."

Together, they dove back into the depths, leaving the now-calm surface behind. As they swam deeper, the water grew darker and colder. The joy of their victory began to fade, replaced by an eerie silence.

"Something isn't right," Marina stated. She looked around and noticed a piece of cloth mangled in some seaweed. Her heart skipped a beat as she swam over to check it out. Moving the debris aside, she saw Sam's body entangled in the weeds.

A wave of panic surged through her as she scurried to untangle Sam, holding his lifeless body in her hands. "NO!" Marina screamed, sending powerful ripples through the ocean, throwing Perci back with the force.

She cradled Sam's face in her hands, her heart breaking. Suddenly, a vision flashed before her eyes.

"MARINA, NO!" Sam's voice echoed in her mind. She saw him pushing Mr. Harrison away, tears streaming down his face as he rushed to the edge of the ship, looking into the water where Marina had been pushed. "What have you done?" Sam cried out in anguish.

"What needed to be done," Captain Roberts said bluntly. "Now a choice needs to be made, Sam. Are you on her side, or are you on our side?"

Sam sniffled, his voice trembling but resolute. "I would rather die than be on your side."

"That can be arranged." Before Sam could reply, Mr. Harrison and Captain Roberts grabbed him and hung him over the ship's edge.

"You're both weak," Sam spat defiantly.

With no hesitation, they threw him over the edge.

The vision faded, leaving Marina trembling with fury and grief. She clutched Sam's body tightly, her tears mingling with the seawater. "They did this to you," she whispered, her voice hardening. "I'm going to destroy them."

Perci swam closer, her expression filled with sorrow. "Marina, I'm so sorry," she murmured.

Marina's eyes burned with a newfound resolve. "No more," she said, her voice like steel. "I need to figure out what I am, so I know how to destroy them."

"What happened to him?" Perci asked softly.

"Sailors took his life because of me," Marina replied, her voice a mix of sorrow and fury.

"We should take him to shore. Someone will find him and give him a proper burial," Perci suggested.

Together, they began the slow journey back to the surface, carrying Sam's body. As they swam, Marina vowed that the sailors would never again see her mercy.