Siren's Kiss

14: This Old Cove

Ciel woke with a start, believing himself to be at the pirate's ship, but his eyes pulled back he was instantly aware of the surreal unreality all around him. He sat alone in the middle of the endless ocean, the sky above a canvas of pulsating twilight hues. Yet the vast waters of the Seven Seas stretched out beneath him, shimmering with a mystical glow. Below, he could see the Scarlet Tempest, its sails catching a gentle breeze as it glided over the waves.

Glancing down, he realized he was naked, his feet replaced by his siren's tail. Seeing his true form filled him with a rush of anticipation. When was the last time he had swum in the ocean in this shape? A part of him was hopeful, wondering if he had made it back. But as he slowly contemplated on this, his instinct was to look around and see who had made it back with him.

This kind of feeling left him with a tinge of clarity...that he was longing to have Drake beside him.

Suddenly, a golden light descended from the sky. A magnificent bird with feathers ablaze in the colors of fire and sunset appeared, casting a radiant glow over the dreamscape. The phoenix landed gracefully before him, its eyes burning with ancient wisdom.

"Ciel..."

The way this god called upon his name made Ciel's heart raced, and in spite of the twinge of anxiety, he felt a sudden thrill knowing that the god would again reveal another path for him and his purpose in this world.

"Ciel," the Phoenix God called again, the voice resonating like the tolling of a grand bell. "Heed my words, for the path ahead is fraught with both peril and promise."

Ciel squinted as he turned to the voice that spoke to him. His eyes were slow in adjusting to the unnaturally bright light, but he desperately wanted to gaze upon the divinity even in this dream.

"Beware the isle of Eldoria, where shadows whisper and light falters. It is a land of secrets and ancient dreams. Many have lost their way within its boundaries, never to be seen again. A path of peril you must traverse, seeking the spring where waters heal. You are close, my child. Do not lose your way. Find the one guarded by those whose shadows conceal.

"But hear this, child of sea and storm. Within your womb, a new life will form. A precious gift, a future life. Trust in the bond, the love you bear. For in this journey, the truth lays bare."

The words thudded heavily in his ears and touched his heart. Ciel felt every cell all around his womb rising and swelling, each one seemed to be pulsing with its own kind of pounding, that brought forth a feeling of stinging ache and warmth. Instinctively, he clutched his womb and winced, looking at the divinity before him once again. Yet the bird was spreading its wings, and the surroundings began to fade.

"Don't go, Som! I don't want to open myself up to something I can't hold on to---"

"Let it go, Ciel," the god uttered softly. "Let go of control."

●～●～●～●～●

When Ciel opened his eyes again, he found himself staring at the canopy of the bed in the room he had occupied for the past few days. The familiar stirrings of the ship were absent, leading him to guess they had made a stop in a nearby cave to hide from their pursuers.

He emerged from the bed and walked out of the cabin to find a tranquil ship, the crew still dozing off. Fireflies continued to light up the sky, and the stars blinked at him from a far-off distance. The dream had reignited his desire to embrace his ancestry, and without a word, he stood by the plank and dived into the waters below.

He swam gracefully, unhurried, sensing no dangers in the cave's waters. The scales adorning his tail were delicate yet resilient, each one perfectly formed and overlapping in a flawless pattern. They caught and reflected the midnight light, making his tail appear almost magical as if crafted from liquid and precious gems. The fin at the end of his tail was large and elegantly shaped, flowing with a graceful, ethereal quality. It fanned out like the petals of an exotic flower, rippling with every movement, creating a mesmerizing display of colors and light.