Beyond the Surface: Feralla's Story

Chapter One: The Beginning

It starts with a heartbeat. Sometimes it's slow, sometimes it's so fast it's hard to breathe at that specific moment. Sometimes I even forget to breathe. There had been a war that recently ended above water that changed so many lives forever. Id had but one friend from the world above. She was a beautiful Empress of her city, Bukaal. Someday I was going to be like her in the sense I'd be an empress too. She died last year of an illness worse than any you could imagine. She sent me a message in a wine bottle telling me of the whole story, how she died, and how I could make my dreams come true. She told me of secrets of an unknown city in the depths of the ocean. She told me of my destiny.

I told my dad of all but the unknown city and my destiny. He was already outraged that I was 16 and ready to flee my home. "I will not let you leave. You're mother wouldn't either had she still been here." "But father! I must. Trust me, if Alessandra is saying we are in danger, then we are. She's the only one that knows of our existence." He sighs heavily and looks out into the vast emptiness of water. "It's been 10 years since your mother left.." Every time he spoke of her my childish instinct is to look down in sadness and guilt like a dog when you reprimand it. "Yes father, I know." He looks back at me, "Are you sure about this?" Little did he know I was planning on leaving regardless if I had his approval or not. "Yes. I must go see what the fuss is all about." "Then go my daughter. Please, remember if you need to, come home." He kisses my forehead and gives me my mother's necklace. I wasn't supposed to have it until I was 18, but he felt it would help keep me safe with her guidance.

That evening when it got dark, and the water was as black as an abyss I packed a small bag. I kissed my father's forehead as he slept and swam off into the night. So many thoughts filled my head as I started on my journey. Things like: what would mother think of this trip? Will my father resent me when I return? Is this all true? What will my future hold for me? There was only one way to answer all these questions. I was to complete this mission with honor, dignity and pride. I swam up to the surface to see where I was now. "Hmm, the north star is here which means I'm South. I'm to be heading south east in about 11 miles."