Solivagant (Palaye Mermaid AU)

Chapter 1

Ten years ago...

"I don't know, Emerson. I know your intentions are purely selfless, but I can't afford to lose you, too." Remington had a feeling that his younger brother would volunteer to join a crew and venture out to the sea in order to find a extremely rare and useful herb known as Seeds of Amphitrite. They were said to be the most powerful and greatest medicinal plant that could heal any ailment or illness, no matter how severe, but the only thing it can't cure is death. Which is what their older brother, Sebastian, was nearing as he was too far into his deadly case of influenza to recover quickly. The hospital had him quarantined in a separate room so he would risk infecting anyone else, bit it broke their hearts when they would be able to help him through the pain and suffering of the disease. The only one who still came in contact with Sebastian was his fiancée, Larisa, who works as a nurse in the same hospital he's in, but it didn't help her to cope with his deteriorating health as she was around death almost everyday of her life. She did manage to bring letters and gifts from his brothers whenever they asked, and it revived her hope whenever she saw him smile to see her and his brothers' presence in their gifts and letters.

"You won't lose me, Remington", Emerson tells his brother as he tries on the sailor uniform he attained the same day he signed up to volunteer to join the voyage for the town of Aubade, he gets dressed in his bedroom and stands in front of the large mirror as he watches himself in the new clothes as well as glance at Remington who stands behind him in the doorway. "I'm the best swimmer in this family and I believe my reason is more strong than why the other sailors are going", he continues as he buttons up the coat and bearing a look of sheer determination in his sea-green eyes, "Sebastian has been like our father ever since ours left ages ago, and I'm not going to stand by and wait for him to die slowly after everything he's done to take care of all of us." When he's finished fastening the buttons, Emerson straightens himself out to see the uniform fit him more properly. Remington couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia burst in his chest as he watched his brother in his new uniform, looking older and much more mature than when he was younger and only found comfort in the art he created where he liked to escape when life was too much for him.

"I understand how you feel, Em", Remington nodded while hanging his head down, looking at his feet while the memories of Sebastian looking out for them both flooded his brain more than he wanted, "I felt like I was worthless when our dad left, as if no one would love me if he didn't. But Seb wouldn't give up on me or any of us. I couldn't remember the last time our mother was happy when she was left alone, but I'm happy now that we've helped to make her more proud than we could ever expect." He started walking over to Emerson who was watching him as Remington brushed off some dust on his coat, "And even though I still wish you wouldn't go for your own safety, Emerson", Rem expressed as he rested his hand on his brother's shoulder, then turning his attention to the mirror where they both gazed at Emerson in the sailor uniform, "Today, I'm extremely proud of the man you've become: someone who puts others first instead of himself, and there is no greater honor than a selfless soul and a pure heart."

The next day, all the soldiers were ordered to awake at dawn and report to the S.S. VOID where they would all be counted and begin to depart to sail out to the sea. Remington and Larisa came along with Emerson to wish him farewell on his journey before he had to leave him. No one was sure if he would come back, for the only way to the island is through a treacherous part of the sea known as Calypso's Wasteland, where wrecked ships populate the water and there's never been any sign of life there. Many have taken the risk to conquer it, but no one has ever returned. Alive. But when they try to warn him one last time, Emerson simply tells them, "If I die trying to save my brother who doesn't deserve to, its a sacrifice I'm willing to make if it means I won't have wasted my time not trying to do anything." They nod and hug him one last time before he goes to board the ship and wave goodbye to them as the ship starts to move into the water and float away with the empowering gale. His remaining family could only pray that if he doesn't die first, he would at least survive somehow, even if it meant they would never see him again.