CYRON (Completed)

Chapter 10 -W.

      Mayu stood there, her heart accelerating as she desperately tried to stay calm. It wasn't working. There were centaurs surrounding her, actual fricking centaurs! And they all wanted to kill her and the group she was with. What was she supposed to do now, run? Fight? Hide?! She had a feeling none of those options would help. Besides, should she really just leave everyone like that? They were used to fighting, so they would probably be fine. Then again, maybe she should stick with them for that very reason.

"Assume defensive positions!" Zeza ordered.

Immediately, everyone got back-to-back holding their weapons at the ready. Mayu was pushed into the middle of the group, protectively. She had thought that the old ladies would be in the middle with her in order to be protected, but they were on the outside. Their hands and fists raised, emitting a warm, soft glow.

A few centaurs ran and leaped. Everyone scattering just before they landed in the spot we had just been in. Mayu backed against a tree in fear as she watched the horror unfold. The centaurs that had bows and arrows stayed back, shooting them at anyone they could. A few spears were thrown, killing people. Mayu's heart was beating so fast, her hearing started getting fuzzy.

She watched as the guy with blue skin was ran through with a spear, and the old woman who had healed her sprained ankle rushed to his side to heal him, only to be run through by a centaur wielding two swords. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run and disappear. She watched as Mesi and Zeza fought side by side fiercely. But she was forced to look away as a centaur approached her with an axe. She wanted to run, but her legs wouldn't work. They wouldn't move! She was just frozen in terror as the centaur raised it's axe and began swinging down. She closed her eyes tightly and awaited her death.

"RUN, Mayu!"

She opened her eyes just in time to see Zeza jump in front of the axe with his sword raised. But the axe came crushing down on his poor sword, and knocking it out of his hand. And with one swift movement, it came down on him. Mayu screamed, watching wide-eyed. Zeza, she had started liking him. He seemed so fatherly, someone she might have been able to trust. But now he was gone. He had risked his life to give her a chance to possibly live. She forced herself to run.

Panting. She kept running, and running. She didn't stop, even when she was exhausted and out of breath. But she could hear and feel the beat of the hooves running behind her, and she knew that without a doubt, it would be her turn soon. How could she outrun a centaur? They were half horse!

Her legs felt like they were on fire! She knew she was running on pure endorphins. She blinked back the tears that stung her eyes. But she felt her heart almost stop completely when a centaur grabbed her shoulder, and threw her at a nearby tree with what felt like nuclear force. She closed her eyes and braced herself.

But the impact never came. Instead, there was this sort of soft humming in her ears, and a soft electric feeling all over her body. For a split second, it hurt like hell. An electrifying feeling all over her body. Then, it was over. She opened her eyes and saw that she was still sailing through the air, but in the middle of an ocean. She took a deep breath when she started falling back down, and hugged herself, cannon-balling into the ocean, the almost ice-cold water gushing around her, with her eyes shut tightly. She struggled to swim to the surface for air, her arms and legs shaking from running.

But... She couldn't find the surface. Where was it? Her lungs were already exhausted, so she started getting desperate. She swam faster and harder, searching for air. Her lungs stung. She felt like crying, but then she would loose air. If only she hadn't followed Zoe. She stopped swimming.

That's right, Zoe. She would probably never see her again... It was starting to feel warm in the water, like curling up in bed at night, or relaxing next to a fire. The agony of not breathing went away, and she relaxed into it. What could she even do? Nothing, really. She let go, swirling into darkness.

*   *   *

      Little by little, Mayu started feeling cold, and feeling started returning to her body. She tried moving her fingers and toes, but it was hard, they were stiff. She started to notice that the only warmth on her body was on her lips, and slowly opened her eyes. She was still underwater, but there was someone holding her with strong arms around her waist and back. They were kissing her! No... Pushing air into her lungs! She was too thankful to be embarrassed and blush at the warm and soft lip contact. It was nice. She could stay there as if she was sleeping on her warm bed forever, if it weren't for the freezing temperature keeping her awake and uncomfortable. The person pulled back once they felt her move, and stared into her eyes. Mayu immediately shut her mouth to not let the air she was given escape.

Her savior had rich blue eyes, strong arms, biceps, and abs, short dirty blond hair that flowed beautifully in the water, and... A turquoise tail?! Her eyes grew wide as she realized that her savior was a mermaid. Or... Merman.

She stared, transfixed to his eyes, and holding her breath with her hands on her chest protectively as he clutched the sides of her arms. Her hair swimming over her head calmly. But when he grabbed her tightly by the waist and started swimming deeper to the floor of the ocean, she snapped out of it.

She struggled, trying to get away. She was trying to get to the surface, not away from it! It was no use though, her lungs were almost bursting, she needed NEW air. But she was super confused when the merman turned his head back and winked at her. Winked. While he was trying to drown her! What was UP with that? Those were her last thoughts as she felt herself drift off into darkness.

*   *   *

      When Mayu awoke, she was laying on a bed. A really comfy bed. She looked around the room, and gasped when she saw how fancy it looked. The walls were light gold, with swirly designs on them that were of even richer gold. Of course, everything was adapted for underwater use. The hugeness of the bed and room was overwhelming. Where was she?

Wait. SHE WAS UNDERWATER! How was she breathing? It's not like she had gills! Wait...

With a trembling hand, Mayu slowly reached up to her throat. She felt a few rough scales, and some slits that were opening and closing to her breathing. They were gills alright.