The mermaid princess Ariel led Rhine and Aurora on a giant fish through the ocean currents. Along the way, Rhine recast the transformation spell on the dog-turned-giant fish to ensure it didnât revert before they reached their destination.
They passed through foaming whirlpools and muddy wastelands bubbling with heat, eventually entering a grotesque forest made entirely of coral.
Hanging amidst the coral were skeletons of drowned humans and even a few merfolk who had died by accident. Whenever sea creatures passed through the forest, the coral polyps would come to life, extending "arms" to try to seize them, intent on trapping them forever.
"This place is horrifying. Anyone who lives here can't possibly be a good person," Rhine thought.
Ariel, the mermaid princess, felt her heart pounding in fear. She kindly warned her two human companions:
âThe Sea Hag has a very peculiar temperament. When you meet her, speak politely, and whatever you do, donât anger her!
âShe wields terrifying black magic. Even my father, the ruler of this sea, avoids provoking such a dangerous sea witch!â
Ariel was worried that her human friends might underestimate the Sea Hag's terror. Not fully understanding human maturation rates, Ariel thought the two appeared younger than herself, which stirred a protective, sisterly instinct in her.
She wanted to shield them from harm, fearing they might be eaten for a careless word or mistake. While Ariel wasnât sure the Sea Hag would do such a thing, everyone said she was terrifying, so it wasnât outside the realm of possibility.
âWhatâs the big deal? Magic isnât that rare, and plenty of people are important enough to command a rulerâs respect!â
Aurora couldnât help wanting to retort, but one glance at her silent teacher kept her competitive nature in check.
âI only know a bit of magic myself, but my teacherâs magic must be far more advanced than the Sea Hagâs!â Aurora thought.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Based on their earlier conversations, Aurora sensed that merfolkâs grasp of magic didnât seem as strong as humansâ.
âThis starkly contradicted the legends!
The tales of mermaids summoning storms, sinking ships, or luring sailors to crash on reefs seemed like nothing more than misunderstandings.
Merfolk werenât the malevolent creatures described in human books but were as kind and vulnerable as most humans.
Was it possible for humans and merfolk to better understand each other? Aurora couldnât stop thinking about it.
âAriel, why are you seeking out the Sea Hag? Youâre a princess of the sea. It must be something serious,â Aurora asked, swimming up to the mermaid princess ahead of her.
Ariel lifted her chin slightly, her eyes filled with warmth as if recalling a beautiful memory.
âAfter I turned fifteen, I was allowed to swim to the surface, and I fell in love with your human world, with you wonderful humans.
âYour world is so much bigger than ours. You can sail across the oceans, climb mountain peaks that pierce the sky, and explore endless forests and fields.â
Her tone grew wistful as she continued:
âBut sadly, I canât truly enter your world. You can ride a giant fish into the sea, but I canât walk on land.â
Then she added:
âRecently, I fell in love with a human. Heâs a noble prince, a handsome young man. Hmm, heâs a bit older than you two.
âI saved him from a shipwreck during a storm, but I had to leave him behind.
âI want to be with him forever! I want to share his soul.
âBut my grandmother told me itâs absolutely impossible, urging me to give up on such an unrealistic fantasy. How could a mermaid and a human stay together for long? ÉÎÎð°ð±Îð´
âI thought, if the usual ways wonât work, perhaps the Sea Hagâs magic could help turn me into a real human!â
Aurora listened intently, piecing together Arielâs predicament. Could her teacher possibly help? If so, Ariel wouldnât need to rely on the Sea Hag!
Aurora pondered the mermaid princessâs plight deeply before suddenly widening her eyes and asking seriously:
âAriel, why canât merfolk and humans be together for long?â
What a strange question, Ariel thought.
She was about to answer but found herself at a loss, nearly freezing mid-swim.
Thatâs right. Sheâd never truly considered: Why canât merfolk and humans be together?
âWhatâs the real barrier preventing me from being with a human?â
âIs it my tail? Grandmother said humans find tails hideous, believing only âlegsâ are normal.â
âIs that really the reason?â
âWould humans reject merfolk tails outright? Or is it because I can only stay at the shore and canât venture further inland?â
âSo, does that mean if I fell in love with a sailor who spent most of his life at sea, we could be together?â
Arielâs head was spinning with questions, but fortunately, they had arrived at their destinationâa sticky clearing in the coral forest.
Here stood a house made of bones.
âThis is the Sea Hagâs lair,â Ariel introduced her human friends.
âThough it was her first time here too, she tried to act like an older sister.
âSpeak your wishes to the Sea Hag first. Then itâll be my turn,â Ariel said. âYouâre only here to ask her a question, so you probably wonât have to pay a heavy price.â
Still, Ariel felt a twinge of worry.
Her wish wasnât simple. What price would the Sea Hag demand?
âI never thought the day would come when Iâd turn to another magician to fulfill a wish,â Rhine thought, finding it amusing.