Under Blue Skies

Chapter 1: Before

Hey guys! Thanks for clicking on :) Just a heads up, this story is inspired by The Little Mermaid, but I hope you guys enjoy anyway

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Maris Salacia: 

Life underwater was perishing. 

What used to be green and lively has withered to its undeniable end.

The blue of the sea was no longer. Life below the water had lost its magical essence and our encasing closure had never felt smaller. 

My tail propelled me along the sea bed, allowing me to scavenge for any possible life. What should have been filled with kelp, coral and red algae were replaced with dead plants. The place was deserted with any under water being  that may have once lived here nowhere to be found.

Venus said it was useless, but I wasn't going to lose hope just yet.  

As I searched through the vast space, I felt a sudden tug on my necklace. Like a lantern, the black opal gem shone a light that only I could see. A vivid, shimmering gold that was unmistakable.

Life.

Somewhere around this wilted ocean was a speck of life, on it's last limbs and in desperate need of help. My tail pushed me faster, following the heavy glow of the light. It grew stronger as I moved forward, I could feel it's light giving me the energy I needed to find the only lively being among the dead of the sea.

I came to a sudden halt. A cracked wooden board with scratch marks defined the territory that was meant to remain uncrossed. 

Barracuda Territory. 

The sign was menacing to most, but the light on my necklace didn't care for it. Ahead, it's light directed, before its too late. 

With one last huff, I swam past the sign with a flick of my tail and deeper into the dark. The light of my necklace shone like a beacon, but I was lucky that I was the only one who could see it's properties. A light this strong would have outed me the second I stepped passed the boarder. 

The Barracuda territory looked more or same like it's border, but you should not be fooled by it's vacant looks. There were more living beings crawling in here than other parts of the ocean, you'd only hope that you didn't run into them. 

I felt my blood coursing through my veins, the magic pull of the black opal bringing me closer and closer to where I needed to be. 

And then I spotted it.

A weakly looking algae plant, moving soundlessly against the water. The opal shone at it's brightest hue and I felt a coarse of energy light within me. It was exactly what I needed.

Quickly, I circle the algae before clasping a hand around my necklace. The smooth surface of the gem is familiar and calming in the grasp of my palm. The energy of the opal has reached it's peak. It's not as strong as it could be, but it is enough to help this plant. 

Summoning all it's power, I feel it form into the palm of my hand. My long brown hair lifts messily at it's strength until the energy has taken up my entire vision, exchanging brown irises for honey-gold. 

Reaching out, I let the base of my finger delicately touch the stem of the dying plant. 

Right in front of my eyes, the plant begins to resurface. The properties of the necklace works it's magic, straightening the little plant to unseen lengths. It grows and exchanges its dull colours for a vibrant green. 

At its growth, a newfound energy settles into my necklace. The exchange. 

As a trade off to helping withering plants, a newfound energy is put back into the Balance of the sea. The Balance is the energy that resides within each Mer-being. The more plants and living life there is underwater, the stronger we become. 

Ever since the plants started to wither, dying from new diseases and pollution that comes from the Humans, we've started to lose our strength. 

Slowly but surely, the Balance became uneven. We were told it was just for a little while, nothing to be concerned about but the hike in deaths tell us otherwise. As our numbers grew smaller and smaller, something had to be done.

Mermaids and Mermen were looking after plants, but only I could give energy to the Balance with my necklace. And despite my best efforts, it wasn't enough. 

It would never be enough.