Chapter 1: One- Abiska
[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: *ASA - AWE*]
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"Hurry, Abiska, hurry," said the water queen mermaid to her only daughter.
They had been at the edge of the water, enjoying the view of the sky through the surface when an enemy boat, a human vessel, sighted them. Now, the queen must do everything it takes to save both her daughter's life and her own.
Ten-year-old Abiska was having trouble swimming as fast as the merfolk queen, her tail flapping slower than it should. "Oh dear," the queen panicked and turned back to where her daughter was. "Take my hand," the queen said to her daughter.
She swam towards her and saw her daughter's eyes wide with fear. "What is going on, mother?"
But the queen did not have enough time to explain, for if they stayed there any longer, the humans might attack them.
She held her daughter's hand and squeezed it. "Come, Abiska, we must hurry so they will not hurt us."
Abiska's racing heart lessened, with her mother's hand placed on hers, she believed everything would be fine. Yes, she had nothing to fear, for her mother would protect her. "Alright, mother."
The queen smiled and gave her a tight hug. "Let's go." With the queen holding Abiska's hand tightly, they swam further into the deep sea, getting away from the surface.
Except they did not swim for long; shortly after, the water suddenly seemed to stop moving, or rather, they seemed to not be swimming further.
"Mother," Abiska said with panic when she saw the nest that had captured them. Her heart raced once again.
The queen looked at her daughter, saw the panic in her eyes, and caressed her cheek. "We will get out of here."
"We are being trapped. I can't swim," Abiska said with fear.
The queen looked above them. Indeed, they had been trapped by a human nest, one that was strong and big enough to take them away. However, she would never let that happen.
"Hold tight," the queen said with a raised voice. All of a sudden, she clasped her hands together, and a blue light glowed in her palm. Her eyes also filled with blue light, her arms breaking free and spreading out. Abiska stared at her mother with awe despite the danger they were in.
The queen then clasped her hands back together, and the blue glowing flames spread out, splitting the nest in two.
The queen wasted no further time and held her daughter's hand. They must hurry out of here. She should have known that this was going to be dangerous, coming out here to stare at the sky, at the beauty of the outer world. Her daughter wanted to see it, to experience how it would feel like being out here. She knew the danger, she knew the humans were looking out for them, to capture them, but she had listened to her daughter instead and brought her here, to this danger. However, she would never let any harm come to her.
"Mother, Mother." Tears were now flowing from Abiska's eyes, the fear clutching at every fiber of her body.
The queen held her closely and was beginning to swim away when her eyes caught a spear being thrown into the water. The spear was coming directly towards her daughter.
"No, No, No!" She panicked and, in the process, held her daughter and threw her away. Unfortunately, the spear hit her, right into her chest, toward the heart of the mermaid, the only place where their powers could not revive them.
"No!!!! Mother!!!!" Abiska swam in a hurry towards her mother, blue blood coming out of her hand. The glow from her body was beginning to dim, and if this glow stopped, it meant death. "I will take you out of here," Abiska's tiny hands held her mother's hand, dragging her, but the queen was too weak and just floated.
"Abiska," the queen coughed and stared at her daughter. Even her hold on her daughter's hand was weak. "You need to leave here," but Abiska shook her head. There was no way she was going to leave her mother here; she must find a way to save her.
"I will take you to Mura; she can save you," Abiska tried dragging her mother, tears began pouring from her eyes like raindrops. She must take her to Mura, their healer, Mura could save her.
Her mother sighed and tried holding her hand. Abiska must be out of here before the humans come; taking her with her would only cause delay, and besides, no one can save her life now. "Go, Go, Abiska."
Abiska shook her head, now hugging her mother tightly. "Mother, no, please, don't go. The kingdom needs you."
Her mother sighed, and in her weak state, she managed to take off her necklace, the one given to her by her mother. It was believed to be a generational gift for their protection. "Take this, keep it safely with you." Then she gave a small smile. "Go Abiska, go and never come to the surface."
And with that, the queen's hand went stiff, and her eyes closed, the blue glow from her body all died down.
Abiska froze, realization seeping in. Her mother was indeed dead?
This was all her fault. She had been the one who wanted to come here, and the queen had agreed, leaving her duties just for her. No, no, this couldn't—
"We got one," she heard voices above her and spotted them, the humans. No, they were coming.
Abiska wiped her tears and wore the necklace, then tried to drag her mother, but it was pointless. She had no power in her yet. Seeing how it was not possible, she swam off and hid behind a stone, watching as her mother floated.
Shortly after, the humans came; they had an armor worn on their faces to help them breathe underwater. Two of them, as she watched, grabbed her mother, and they swam out towards the surface.
Abiska stayed there and cried and cried and cried. It was when her fellow merfolks came to the surface of the water looking for her and her mother that they saw this devastated ten-year-old in shock.
They waited for years before they could fully ask her what had happened, and they helped her overcome her trauma.
Now, Abiska became queen, and she forbade the merfolks from going to the surface for their own protection and having nothing to do with the humans.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Zeera_Jay
Zeera_Jay My WSA Entry 2024.... Better late than never right? Hehe ｡◕‿◕｡
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone