Chapter 23:
Prince of Risks

'You stupid merphan, how could you do this?' No, I thought as I looked in his arms.  He held a limp and unmovable Isa.  Blood covered her, and I was forced to look.

'It was not my fault.....'

'You left her!  You were suppose to stay and protect her.  But because you were not there, she got hurt.  Spirits and humanics work together and took her out.  And it all your fault.  Your princess is dead!'

'Nooo!' I screamed, but I could only stare as my voice rung out and echoed forever and....forever...and...

"Is it dead?" Erghm, my eyes would not open and I could barely move.

"Nono, look.  It moving, barely.  Besides it took forever getting this young monster just to find out how they grow up.  If it dies all that biting and scratching.  My poor bloody arms!"  Where was I?  I looked around and saw two...
        I gasped.  Humanics!  The memories of a few nights ago refill my mind.

I...I failed.  And Isa, she....she warned me and I.  Argh, it was not right.  Everyone lied about them.  They actually are worse.

I remember going out that night, the sea was clear as dew.  A time like any other when I saw a group of merphans who raved to get their revenge on these humanics. With them I blended in and helped.

"We will fight them and get our revenge.  We will scare them away!  We will reclaim our oceans back for only beings of the sea.  Get out of our world, you intruders!" We all yelled and agreed.  I was to spy on them just waves under the ocean.

"Any sign yet?" I heard a strange voice, but unlike humanics, merphans can understand them completely.

"These monsters are becoming smart, running away.  But we will succeed and get a youngster."

"Mom!  Mom?  Hey has any of you seen my mom?  It about those two who we took in.  I think they are.... half of those monsters.  That girl Munza her hair is naturally dark green.  But they never appear nor do they know.
        Maybe they can help lure out the others."  Demisubphans? What?  I gasped out loud.

These humanics are the ones after us and will see the end.

"Celestial Rivers, your parents are in the laboratory working on equipment to catch those monsters.  They almost done, don't you worry swe- Gah!  Its presence!  It is here!  Everyone get your gear and capture those imbeciles!
             Get your ropes, teeth, hat, everything.  No risks, everything must be exact!"  Then I jumped into the ocean and we got prepared to fight.  But nobody told us how daring and strong they were.

They came like the sea on a fast wave.  They trapped several in seconds shooting out cages or nets.  But I wasn't giving up.  Some ran away in fear, but not me.  I gritted my teeth and ran straight into one, biting and using my magic against it.

         I used a rod of rope from the great seas to wrap around it.  That one begin to sink downwards unmoving before slowly floating upward.  But suddenly something hit my arm.  Some pointy dart....a I grabbed and bit it before it took over.  I heard about these things.  But then into me I was shocked and pierced.
        Never show weakness, I thought.  I still attacked biting and using my magic.  I looked around and everyone else was faced with similar fate, except they were all in ropes.

What?  How could this be?  Of the oceans, why?  Help us succeed!  But nothing changed.  Then several darts, spears, and swords hit me.  I felt drowsy all of the sudden.  I felt ropes and being tied up.  I tried biting them, but I felt slow and tired.  Then nothing.

And here I was.  I had blood stains on my skin and felt terrible.  Isa, what would she think.  Just thinking of her calms me down.  She was telling me I should not go.  She was telling me no.  But I...I should of listened.

Her voice like ice from a flower.

I risk it all.  For her.

Was it worth it?

And when I left after kissing her, she looked so sad and I could feel the water dropping to very colder than before.

"You!" Someone spoke holding up the electric thing that sent shockwaves and lightning out.

But there one thing I promised to myself thinking of her.

I will reunite with her.  I will come back for her.

So I should give these humanics a hard time.

I climbed up the walls of the clear cage and prompt myself up, looking around.  "Ze koi me da vu ka!" I called our random sounds, knowing they cannot understand.

"Ahhhhhhh!  It speaks, and it is up there." One of them started screaming.

"You, get down now."

"But...view...here ....better, humanics.  It is.... comfy." I grinned showing my teeth as I spoke their language slowly.

"Gahhhhhh!  It speaks our language, how?!" Then someone knocks the voice.

"Shut up, we must be strong.  You, will answer our questions or we will kill more of them."

What...so it true, they been killing the mermaids and that is why I smelled blood and death when I awoke.

"I really....do not care....about others.  I see, they...all dead."  I could not sense any that are alive.  I was the last.

"How you know you stinkin' monster!  Sure, we tested and saw what their bodies are made up.  A foreign substance that for sure.  Each one was different in a way.
         But that shot it killed them all.  So we decided to taste them like fish." My eyes widened.  T-taste mermaids.

No. No.

Noo. Noooo.

"But you younger so we keep you." How considerate, I thought.

"Why are you here?" Did the humanic just asked me that.

Grinning I say, " Some idiots....took me from ocean.  Yes, came.... plan kill and remove intruder...so Isa free...And we swim far...with Mina."

"I mean ocean!" He exclaimed, quite annoyed too, I must add.

"We here first meris ago..you humanics betrayed us, now you hurt us again.  Meris ago we gave...our magic..gift, but stole our emotion... feeling too.
       We erased memories... so be safe...but you captured us and hurt our sea... you must leave now or I kill too." I told them with a shrug.

I gave them the short version of what happened, but I still wondered what came over me to tell them that.

"So they always here, but we have no memory..... wow!" One of them exclaimed with amazement.

"Do you actually believe that?  That monster is lying!" He screamed and yelled. I then started grinning and scraping and scratching the clear wall with my nails.  It made a scrrreak noise.

Apparently it annoys humans.

"Ahhh my ears!  I hate that noise.  Stop!  Make it stop!" The feminine humanic complained and complained.

I just watched in amusement.

"You!" The masculine humanic banged on the wall making me fall down.  Immediately, I put my head above the water.

"How do you creatures grow?" I stared at them blankly.

"What is...grow?" They gave me a look of stupidity.

"Is it dumb?"

As far as I know, I can speak.

"Let me out and I will tell," I grinned.

"How about you tell us more.  You're in no position to be giving demands."

"You sure?"  And then I fling myself out of the cage and started biting and attacking them.  I took out my water rod and surrounded myself with it.  They attacked back, but I did not care about my injuries.  I need to see her again.

It stun, it hurt, I felt awful.

Was I dying?

I had no clue, but still I persisted.

Then I felt shock waves and a sharp point touch me.  I did not know what happened next, but I felt darkness once again.

~~~

"Alright any questions?  No...okay good!  And don't let the sea monster out this time!  How clueless can you guys be?  I gave you one simple job.  One job!" She yelled,
        "Watch it and make sure it stays alive.  And if it wakes up I wanted one of you to tell me.  Not talk to it for goodness' sake!  What were you thinking?  Even I know that and I am sixteen!  You all are like in your thirties."

I awoke to a feminine voice giving them a lecture. 

And I caused all of that, good for me!

"Sorry Miss Celestia...Rivers."  Rivers.... Rozen Rivers the one who remembered all.

"Ai yai yai!  Jeez.  Somebody get the doctors." I listened as the girl shriek, still pretending to be unconscious.

"Your parents?"

"Is there any other doctors around here?" The girl snapped.

"N-no, Miss." I heard a feminine's voice sigh and exist along with many of the others. But remained were a group of four.

I press my arms up to the sides.  I needed them to leave, all except one.   Then I thought of a clever idea.  I changed the pitch of my voice to match that other girl who was in charge,  "Everyone please... view sea thing... from outside.  We monitor that way.."

But they were idiots and I had a smart plan.  All left, but one who was in the process of getting its stuff.  I breathed in and took a breath.  I used my magic and expanded my water, grabbing the humanic.  And when it was perfectly intact, I lifted and swung it into where I was.

I jumped on it and took everything that could be a weapon off it.  "Tell me.." I demanded, "Outside?  How I go out...?"  He said nothing.  "Fine, then die here, you verlazeic sea humanic" I swore as I push him deep under.

I jumped out of the area and found some tray that moved by itself.  Well it had circle things on the bottom that moved it.  And I used my arms to help push it.  Well that what I was doing.  

I flew out with the cart and went out.  I saw as I went by.  Cut up limbs of them, those mermaids who lives were sacrificed.  I could not believe it.

I took a deep breath, but I still could not.

What if they were going to do that with me after they found everything they knew.

I felt worse than anything I felt ever and I felt pain a lot and really bad ones too.

But this ugh....

Stay awake, I thought.

Then I saw a clear thing on the wall that viewed the ocean and everything else.  I ran the tray into it and it shattered everywhere.

Urgh.. I muttered as a piece sliced my skin.  Silver as usual poured out of the wound and I just hope that I would land in the sea.

I fell, down, farther and farther down.  Then the water consumed me swallowing my body as I gave up moving for awhile.  I did kill two humanics, I helped Isa some.  The ocean is now safer by 0.2%.

A light filled my eyes and I could only think of one thing.

Forgive me.

Mother and Father were right there.  How did they know and why?

"Mivozene!" My mother's voice called.  "There you are.  We been looking for you for awhile."

"Why?  So you can force me to do more things you want?" I muttered bitterly.

"Listen, it not that at all.  We just wanted the council to appreciate you.  And they do, even if you did hide your sister.  They think you are!  Is that not great?" Mother exclaimed joyfully.

I had no time for this.

"Forget it.  I do not even know where to begin..." I scowled, "How could you.. Both of you!  From every mistake that you deemed terrible, from endless studies... And my sister!  Mina, you hide everything from her!"
           I felt myself get angrier by the second, "And I can never be with her.  And then you," I looked at my mother whose hair was dark red-purple.  "You never there for anything!  None of you understand!" I sighed, it was like pulling the ends of my hair out.

"I wanted to make sure your sister is okay.  And I saw something." Mother simply sad as she lowered her head.

"Mivozene, I did not mean it to be like this.  You hate both of us.  In all honesty maybe I was a bit too harsh, but it was to prepare you for the council and everything else.  Look what you just gone through." It was worse than anything ever.  In a way, he was right.

And I hated that.

"Still...No one believed me or listened.  The members!  They wanted to be on land!" I exclaimed, thinking of the last meeting between us, but my parents just shook their head.

"We find a way.  I see it.  And I just...." She sighed. "I..we always wanted the best for you."

"Why are you telling me this?  You saw something..." I muttered.  "You see vision, right?" I asked more clearly.

"Yes... You should head back.  Before it is too late."  Too late?  Too late for what?

"You know I do believe that, I should of listened to you.  Mermaids do not apologize, but forgive me...us." I stared at me and smiled slightly.

"Who cares..  After this it going to be the same way as before." They think I am going to forgive them so easily after everything they done?

"Mivozene..."

"No!  How could I?  Why would I?  You are right.  I hate both of you.  For everything you done to m..." It so annoying.

No one understands.

They even had me distanced myself from Mina.

"Mivozene... Here you should take it, it help you more than me." I glanced at father who offered me his pendant.  I did not understand.

"Why are you giving me this?  I am not even full yet...I...  Fine whatever." I grabbed his pendant. 
       Every royal mermaid had a pendant that had a gem of the magic crystals.  Father's included the Pacific and Atlantic since he grew up in the Atlantic.

"It was foolish of us to.  Everything, I regret most of it.  I wish I was there more for you as much I was for your sister.  Do you not see?  I was making sure your sister was alright."

I still could not believe him.

But him admitting his mistakes was a sight I never thought I see.

"If you were with Mina a lot, does that mean you knew..." I trailed off referring that she is the siren.

"Dearest, you were not the only one that knew.  There are many things I know.  Like how I am warning you, do not let hate consume you." Mother gently put her hand on my shoulder.

Hate?  Consume me?

Why?

I did not understand.

I shook my head, "I do not understand... Why would that happen?  I do not...I do not even have much emotions.  Mina stole most of them from me already."

"You need to be careful too, that word remember it.  The one that activates everything.  Keep it to yourself and make sure you never say it again!  Never let another say it either, especially to your sister.  Or that will happen again." I nodded.  Kyimosheiva was a word I could never say to her unless I pronounced it oddly.

"Should we go...Now?" We were still only a little waters down from those cruel humanics.  I was worried they realize I left and then they would come after and...

"We need to go now!" His Majesty...Father said realizing where we were near.  "We need to go." He took me and mother and begin swimming away faster than any speed I could ever swim.

"Noo..." I heard mother whisper, "I was right.." We were too late.  Those humanics covered the ocean floor.  There were four of them...  "Mivozene!"

"Get out of here now!  Hurry, quickly!" Father exclaimed.

They only kept me because I was young and I did not wake up yet.

They would meet the same fate.

And that scares me the most.

"No!" I yelled, "I am not leaving both of you.  Let just leave and avoid them.  Come on!" 

Easier said than done, I thought.

But it does not mean I could still think it.

I would never wish ill or death on them.

"Please..  That way we know you be safe.  We will help you from far away.  This is my fate...our destiny."  I did not understand.

"What?  I still..  Why are you hesitating?" I looked at them in confusion.

Mother and father both held me dearly as Her Majesty whispered, "Mivozene, when you get back tell Kakuri that I was right." A nickname I thought.

"Tell her yourse...." My words were lost for what was happening.  Right in their arms, right next to me...I saw it.  Life disappeared from their eyes.  I saw mother press below her neck where it was shot.  A piercing needle that sucked the life from her. 
         She fell slowly as Father did the same.  At the same time, in the similar place.  But I avoided it.

"Mo...Mother....F-Father!" I yelled desperately.  Maybe it just temporally.  It has to be.  Blood as silver as ever flew from their limbs.  

Why?

Why is this happening?

Just after they said everything?  How could I?

I was so terrible to them, but they did not help either.

They admitted it...  Why did they now?

Those merphan killer humanics!

Finally letting them go, I charged towards one of the humanics and pierced my teeth killing the humanic.  They are weak, but have strong weapons.  They die easily.  And then a voice from who knows where whispered to me:

"Be safe and return young prince of my ancient Kingdom that dwells in the pacific"

And a swift and deep current took my body and allowed it to go somewhere far, far away from them, but somewhere it the deep seas.

I rather die than live with myself.

Everything...everything is all my fault.  And I am so stupid and foolish.

She was right, everyone was right...Except for myself!

..... I think sometime afterwards..... I do not remember, but a voice echoed in my ears, "He is awake!"

AN// I'm still unsure about this chapter, but yeah this is it.

How they died.