Mirrored Waters

Chapter 4: Bad Magic

Phantom had almost lurched from their hiding place the moment the youth had leapt out initiating the game with the other teens. He stared on, form bristling as he watched the boy lead the youngsters farther from the cave, wanting to scream his lungs out at such a reckless idea. If that game turned into a true chase, the youth would have bigger problems.
It was when the adults gave chase that the older black mer couldn't stand it anymore, letting his form rocket out from their original hiding place. The youth had disappeared off into the rocky depths, having continued going out of adrenaline having not realized the game had ended. Though any wound like that, however small, would still pose a problem in these waters. The scent would carry about, and he knew that there were other things than just this foreign shiver to worry about.
It was only a matter of moments before some of them took notice of him. One of which that drew near to inspect him was turned upon within an instant. Phantom's fins flared, in a luminescent threat, fangs bared in the warning that if he wasn't left alone he'd tear limbs off. The threat was enough this time. It was a younger male, maybe only a year or so younger than himself, but obviously not one of the higher rank. He was quick to back off; more interested in protecting what scraps of meat he'd gotten ahold of rather than picking a fight with a male who meant business.
Phantom held the reptilian hiss within his throat as the other backed off before turning sharply and descending into the depths. His form aglow in the dim, he looked very much like one of their own, aside from the fact that not a single band of jewelry could be seen on him, and the speed at which he moved was almost alien. Pushing past the group of adults that had joined in on the game, they startled, bewildered as to what had just occurred. It was almost like being hit with a rogue wave as his form shot through into the dim.
It was too deep for his liking, as the waters were dark and heavy, pressing in on all sides; and the deeper he went, the more danger he was in. The more danger the teen was in. This was foreign territory, and it was only a matter of time before the mers that had risen to the surface to feed, started coming back down, or realized what exactly had shot past them and came after him. He grimaced as the pressure caused his stomach to turn, feeling the cold sensation of the wild magic spreading through him in defense, shifting him from the appearance of a rather dark surface dweller to one of the deep as his fins came to life with the luminescent colors, his lateral line and emerald eyes burning a toxic green. The glow becoming more and more prevalent as he dived deeper, more so than the faint shimmer it had had at the depths of the sea mounts.
He paused as he reached a new depth, having suddenly lost the scent of the teen's blood. His eyes darting about in a panic as he tried to find some sign as to where the boy had gone. Gritting his teeth, he didn't like his options, knowing that one way or another they'd probably end up finding him, but trying to call for the boy in the heart of the stranger's territory was a death sentence in itself. There was also the strong chance that the boy had passed out due to his injuries, leaving him vulnerable to attack.
A snarl broke him from his frantic search, his form whirling round, coming face to face with a large, healthy, aggressive female, and a number of others that were with her. Phantom swore mentally as he pulled back, attempting to distance himself from them, only to find that the few others with her had shifted to practically surround him. He clenched his jaw, forced to bare his teeth in a defensive threat. He may be outnumbered it warned, but he was more than capable of severely injuring the lot of them if they made any move.

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When the teen awoke, he was incredibly disoriented. He didn't know where he was, he didn't know what was going on. His throat was parched and he felt incredibly dry. It took a few minutes before the other remembered what had happened. His hand instantly went to his left shoulder, cringing as he felt the wound.
Danny sighed before his accidental movement caused him to slip back into the waters. He flailed for a minute before righting himself and pulling himself back up halfway on instinct. His eyes narrowed in self-irritation as he pushed his wet bangs out of his face.
Quickly ducking back into the water, he was surprised when he found the exit; it looked far too small. He had actually fit through that? He groaned a bit as he wiggled his way out of the little underwater cavern. The young mer looked from side to side to see that he had apparently gone further underwater than he had thought; far enough down that his eyes and fins had taken to giving off a brilliant glow.
And then for the first time he looked to the injury on his shoulder, his face twisting in annoyance. The wound had stopped bleeding, thankfully, but it didn't take away from the fact that it hadn't completely closed, meaning that if he moved fast he risked reopening what part of the wound that had healed. This was the reason that he hated playing the game; because he always lost.
It didn't take long before Danny's attention was drawn to the deep waters as he saw a bright light approaching him. In fact there were several of them. Then he heard his name.
"Danny?! By Ceto, is that you?!" He recognized that voice; Sedna! The familiar scarlet tailed mer appeared not too long after that. Danny didn't have any time to even close his mouth before she had tackled him in an embrace, her dorsal fins spreading out behind her.
"Danny? He's alive?!" Nyx, an older male with an emerald fin tackled him in an exuberant hug not long after giggling and whooping.
"I can't believe that you're alive! When you nearly exceeded the time limit we thought that you were a goner!" The blond male had the younger at shoulders length to examine him.
"By the way, where's that hunk of man that was with you earlier?" The red haired woman asked brushing her shoulders against the younger tauntingly.
Danny looked at the other shocked and opened his mouth as if to yell something at her before his mouth was covered by the male, Nyx.
"Of course we were watching guppy! You didn't actually think that we were going to let you go through this alone did you? Besides, I say that it was quite entertaining, especially how you used that upper sea mer." The mer said in distaste.
"It was truly brilliant, the innocent act you put on for him. Such a success! Considering he's about to get torn to pieces in just a few seconds," Sedna added, examining her nails.