Alexandria and the Slavic Myths: The Wheel of Rod (Volume One)

Chapter Three - The Sea

She took in many deep breaths, contemplating whether or not she should enter the waters. She dug her feet in the sand, getting another feel of solid earth. However, she remembered that the only way to avenge her mother's death was to swim to the ocean's depths. With that thought, Alexandria bolted into the cold waters, swimming with her eyes closed until she felt that she was deep out. She kept them closed, afraid of the sting of the salt water. However, she was running out of air. What the hell! I thought Bereginia said I would be able to survive the lack of air! Her chest hurt, and she started losing consciousness. Out of instinct, her body forced her to take a deep breath in, and to her disbelief...she could breathe! The ocean water was like her air, and she felt alive again! Bereginia was right. But then, how would she see? So, she slowly opened her eyes. No sting at all. Just clear vision.

Below her, she saw a sparkling kingdom. It was absolutely beautiful. It was like an aborition of Atlantis, but she knew that wasn't real. Or...was it? Then again, she had never ever seen this oceanic castle before, even with goggles swimming in the sea, and she had been to this beach several times in her life. Maybe her new demigod realization allowed her to see things she had never seen before. Taking breaths in, she dove down towards the sparkling kingdom. It looked like a dream! There was bright coral decorating its exterior, guarded by happy dolphins. Colorful little fish swam around the kingdom's pearly gates, seeming to invite Alexandria in. So, she swam all the way to the castle doors, where she was nudged and greeted by all the beautiful wildlife. Alexandria was bubbling with hope and joy, and she hugged all the friendly creatures back. At last, they all pointed their fins to the kingdom's golden doors, and Alexandria knew she had to enter.

Inside, the kingdom was a glimmering array of glass chandeliers, shining statues built of seaweed, podiums topped with clams and pearls. The castle was marvelous, blindingly beautiful. Alexandria was amazed by how fabulous the castle looked, even when over half of it was decorated with pure, live nature.

Two colorful guppies bound through the water, swimming towards her with excited tongues, licking the air with friendly greeting. They swam all around her, creating a whirlwind of bubbles that tickled her face and made her smile. Everything about the sea was her favorite thing! When the whirlwind slowed and the guppies swam away, wagging their tails, a merman stood at the peak of a glimmering golden staircase. He was strong and powerful, topped with white locks that floated in the water. He wore diamonds on his neck, and held a tall trident that sparkled at its three prongs.

"Alexandria. You have made it to my kingdom," the man says.

"Yes, thank you. This palace is absolutely beautiful. All of your creatures have been nothing but kind and friendly to me," Alexandria tells the merman.

"They share a love for you. They know who you are, and who your father is. As do I. We are all glad you found our kingdom. Karna and Bereginia have guided you well. However, this quest has been motivated by your own determination, rather than the help of the divine goddesses. Which should prove to you how powerful you are." The man explains.

"Thank you, for the warm welcome, and your words. However, I'm not powerful by any means. I don't have any magical powers, I'm barely a demigod. At least, I haven't been able to access any powers yet."

"Which is exactly why my creatures have welcomed you here. My name is Morskoy Tsar, or Tsar for short. I am the god of the seas. Your father is my brother. I am welcoming you into my home to assist you with your powers. Your father's ability is strong within you, and with my help, you will be able to access the powers he gave you at birth," Tsar explains.

"So...you're my uncle?" Alexandria asks, looking down at her soon-to-be-powerful hands.

"This is true. Your father controls all the elements of the upper world, and I control all the elements of the sea," Tsar said.

"What about the underworld? Who controls that?" Alexandria asked, expecting the answer to be the evil Nemiza.

"That is a secret I must keep from you, per my brother's request. That answer is a part of your quest." Of course. More secrets from my father. "But for now, the biggest ruler of Nav is Nemiza. He has taken unrightful ownership of the land, and is interfering with my people's lives, as well as your fathers. And it is up to you to put a stop to it. So," Tsar raises his strong arms, and a whirlwind of colorful bubbles swirls around Alexandria, lifting she and Tsar up. They ride along this wave, until it gently releases them in an empty room. The room is humongous, and the walls are made of iridescent blue crystals.

"Where are we, Tsar?" Alexandria wonders.

"We are in the Room of Discovery. Built especially for your arrival by my merpeople and fish. Here, you will gain the first insight into your own powers, and you will learn to access a fraction of your father's gift. Now, where is it?" Tsar swims around the room, scanning the endless rows of blue crystals, all shimmering in their own ways. Finally, after digging through the walls, Tsar finds a gem bigger than the rest. This one, still a bright blue, is rimmed with something even more dazzling.

As Tsar presents it to Alexandria, she realizes that it's burning with red fire, sparkling with electricity, and dripping with ice. It's also a different shape; unlike the other diamond shaped crystals, this one is shaped like some sort of weird wheel:

With a twirl of his fingers, Tsar produces a golden string that attaches to the charm, and he places it around Alexandria's neck. Instantly, Alexandria looks with fear and amazement at her skin, which starts glowing golden. "This is the divine symbol of your father, Alexandria. The wheel. With this charm, you will have access to all of your demigod powers. As long as you wear this golden necklace, Nemiza will be no match to your strength. You have the powers of fire, ice, and lightning on your side," Tsar explains. So, in a way, even if my father isn't really here, he is providing help. Alexandria's negative opinion about her father began to change.

"And above all else, the power of the sun is now within you. Like your father, and the woman he loved, your mother, you now have the gift of warmth and love. And that is the most meaningful power of them all." Alexandria listens to Tsar's wise words, studying her own glowing skin and embracing her powers. For the first time, she realizes just how important she is, and her determination to avenge her mother is stronger than it has ever been.

"Tsar, how will I reach Nav?" She asks, boiling with new hope and strength.

"Your power and love for your mother will show you the way. Good luck, traveller. Your father will be with you the entire quest," Tsar says. Then, he swam through the walls and vanished back into his palace.

Alright, I guess that's the end of his help. It's okay. I can do this. I have my father's powers to guide me. She looked once more at her radiant skin and perfect medallion. Then, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and felt the sunlight tingle through her veins. She extended her hands, twirled her fingers, and forced the magic out from her fingertips. Suddenly, she felt the palace floor open from underneath her, and she fell into the abyss she had created.

She screamed, but her golden skin lit her way. She was falling through the seafloor at hundreds of miles per hour. In the rush of thoughts flooding through her mind as she fell downwards, she remembered what Bereginia had told her: "At the bottom of the sea floor, there is a portal that will transport you to Nav". Alexandria realized that she is falling towards the portal. She is falling towards Nemiza, falling towards the evil that she is questing to stop. The seafloor surrounding her started to feel hotter and hotter, and as she fell deeper and deeper, her glowing skin became suffocated by the overwhelming darkness that came with the ocean's increasing depth. Alexandria didn't let her fear control her though - she stayed determined and motivated to finish her quest. And now that she had her father's symbol, she had a new inspiration to greet the father that was silently supporting her.