A Merman's Tale

Fates: Chapter Thirty-Seven

Seirra

 As part of the Celari clan, I had been trained almost my entire life to always keep watch for surprise attacks. Being the leader of a large group of soldiers, I knew how fatal it could be if we ever let our guards down. It didn't matter where we were or what we were doing. Enemies could strike from anywhere and a mere second of carelessness could kill a hundred merpeople. 

It was one of the reasons why I had always been grateful of the Key of Saol. It was like my sixth sense and too much a part of me that I understood the meaning of nearly everything it ever tried to tell me. 

Thus, I couldn't even begin to comprehend how I wasn't able to predict the magic that surged through the darkness and shot straight at Margaret. It was pure instinct and a sense of protectiveness that allowed me to move fast enough and shield her from the attack. 

All feeling left me and the only thing I could do was smile--at least I thought I was smiling--because I knew that Marge was safe. At least at this moment. 

My eyes closed involuntarily and I felt her stiffen just before my weight forced her to stumble backward. Forcing my arms to move, I pushed her head against my shoulder to keep her from getting any more hurt than being crushed between me and the ground. She was still frozen from surprise as I willed my magic to heal me faster. 

And then I found out that even if she was frightened, it wasn't for herself. 

"No. Don't die," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around me. "Please don't die."

It was all the encouragement I needed. I thanked Neptune that I wasn't exhausted or I wouldn't have had the energy to wield enough magic to fight whoever dared to strike Margaret. Finally, I found myself strong enough to move but before getting up, I knew I had to ease the fear that was still so evident with the way Marge was now shaking.

"I won't," I whispered, moving my lips close to her ear. 

She froze again, stunned that I was still conscious. I would have teased her more if we didn't have our enemies advancing in on us. I used a bit of magic to temporarily protect both of us as I got up and scanned our surroundings.

There were just three of them but my instincts told me there were more. Or at least another one. None of these mermen exuded the kind of power that went beyond my and the Key's notice. They seemed angry about the fact that I was still alive and I braced myself for twice their efforts in killing me and Marge.

They didn't waste their time. My feet were not at all steady before they raised their swords, ready to strike at either me or Margaret. It was obvious they were planning to kill both of us. 

I was able to ward them off but keeping Marge away from their attacks made fighting twice as difficult. She was trying her best to be alert and avoid the enemies' swords but she was not a soldier and weaponless to boot. I barely managed to drag her away as an enemy lunged towards her from my left.

And then another followed to attack us from my right. 

This went on for about five minutes—Marge and I dodging while our enemies continuously struck at us. It was exhausting but I couldn't turn the tables with the odds so badly against us. 

And then worse came to worst when my defense weakened and all three attacked us. I was able to keep Marge from getting hurt—I practically threw her away from me, the enemies and the swords—but I was not so lucky. I could only deflect two swords and the last one pierced through my gut. 

Or so I thought. There was no way I could have stopped it from happening. I braced myself for the pain but it never came. I knew it would have killed me. I felt the cold metal touching my skin less than a second before I should have been stabbed.