The Guardian from Below Princess Cemyle was born on both the best and worst day...The 600th Day the Bubbles Rise. The one day a year where people celebrated the Chosen who Ascended at the birth of the new cycle, and the day the people mourned the loss of her great-great grandfather, the great Maggiore. He lived for 160 cycles, built the mines, negotiated deals, including the final one that cost him his life. No one knows how long he could have lived if he hadn't made that deal, but his sacrifice insured the safety of all the future generations of the sea. He was revered even above the Chosen, with a shrine, temple, and stories about him. And the day he spoke with the Sky Devil was the first day the Chosen ascended, as guardians in the sky, training to fight and serve. Not much was known about the Chosen, just that they never came back and they served a noble purpose. Cemyle, being born on a day of sadness and happiness, was an unique child. In the first few moons, she was nothing special. Playing and swimming with the other seahorses, going to the Academy as expected of a royal. It wasn't until her fifth moon until something shifted in her. Some whispered that they felt shifts around her, and she was special. But like all the others, the Academy didn't test her until her 6th moon. No water magic was detected, but the reader which either was always clear (no magic) or blue (water magic) turned...purple. Murmurs spread, and the headmaster shouted "Silence! Continue testing!" before tilting his head strangely at Cemyle. "You're quite remarkable..." he whispered, before turning to his assistant, saying something in a strange language she didn't know. The assistant's eyes widened, and with a mix of confusion on his face, beckoned Cemyle to follow. "Stay close to me," the assistant explained. "It'll be a tough path to follow". With a flick of the wrist, the assistant opened a door in the stone, opening a dimly hit hallway. Cemyle, confused, swam along until the assistant opened a door into what appeared to be his office. "By all means, please sit down." he told her. After sitting down himself too, he looked hesitant before asking "Do you know how the Ascended are chosen?". Cemyle shook her head. "This'll be hard to hear but I'll try my best..." He then started to tell Cemyle how this all started. "Many thousands of moons ago, your great-great grandfather sacrificed himself to the Sky Devil in exchange for protection of our realm. But it's not that simple, of course. The Ascended are marked from birth, deep inside them. They are the people with the strongest magic. Up in the Sky Realm, they learn how to harness their powers in ways our professors could never teach them. They learn to create a protective bubble around our realm. They all use water magic. I'm sure you know what water magic is, and you also saw what I did to the stone. That wasn't water magic. That was earth magic - I can move things around. Water magic isn't the only type of magic, but in the water realm it's extremely rare to get anything but water magic if you even have magic to begin with. Two people each century are born without water magic here. I was born 30 cycles ago, a few years after the start of this century. Now, we have you. The purple on the reader represents emotion magic. The Ascended are only water magic seahorses - me and you, we have other purposes. Earth magic is stable, and those born with it are wise, so I help advise our Headmaster here at the Academy. Emotion magic is by far the rarest of the other magics besides water - fire, metal, and astral. The last person who had emotion magic was....your great-great grandfather. It's powerful but only in the right hands. We need you, Cemyle. Less and less Chosen ascend to protect us each cycle. Barely a quarter of the amount on that first Day the Bubbles Rise. The deal is waning, the water powers growing weaker, the bubble more vulnerable. We can't do this for much longer. Emotion magic....so powerful. We can fix this with you, Cemyle. We need you to restore the balance." The assistant finally finished speaking, and looked at Cemyle with a heavy glance, sighing. Cemyle trembled. "How though? How do I...restore the balance?" Cemyle was scared. She just wanted to go back to before this day, but she couldn't. The assistant's piercing gaze softened as he realized the weight of the revelation on young Cemyle. He leaned forward, his voice low and urgent. "Cemyle, your emotion magic is more powerful than you know. It's not just about influencing feelings—it's about understanding the very essence of beings, even those as ancient and terrible as the Sky Devil." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "The deal your great-great grandfather made is failing because the Sky Devil feeds on the fear and negative emotions of the Chosen as they ascend. With fewer ascending, its power wanes, threatening our protection." story continues in notes and credits
He stood, extending his hand to Cemyle. "It's a dangerous path, but you're our only hope. Will you face the Sky Devil and fight for our realm's future?" Cemyle trembled, fear and determination warring within her. But as she looked into the assistant's eyes, she saw a glimmer of hope. Taking a deep breath, she grasped his hand. "I'll do it," she said, her voice stronger than she felt. "I'll face the Sky Devil and save our people." The assistant nodded gravely. "Then we must prepare. The fate of our underwater kingdom rests in your hands, Princess Cemyle." Everyday after that was a flurry of training. The assistant, due to his earth magic, was assigned as her instructor, who taught her that deep inside was a core of elemental energy that can be harnessed. Cemyle was supposed to learn to visualize that and shape it, but it was hard. Sometimes a floating ball of purple fire would appear but most times it would not. The assistant, whose name was apparently Sol, said it just clicked for him one day and practice was the key. Cemyle couldn't figure it out, though. All she knew was that one day she would be able to make purple explosions that hit people with the emotions she wanted, like Maggiore. Day by day, Cemyle trained, until it was suddenly the 601th anniversary, and based on the grave look Sol gave her, Cemyle knew she couldn't afford to wait, even though her magic hadn't "clicked". "How do I...battle this Sky Devil?" she asked, with a trembling voice. Sol, looking doubtful, said, "I'll take you, there's a portal in the castle." After swimming back to the palace, they went up the stairs, to the very top. On the way there, they passed her mom, Queen Coral, who said "Sol! Why are you bringing my dear Cemyle up there?" Sol, looking a little scared, said "Our bubble is weakening every year, your Majesty. Cemyle's emotion magic is needed, we can't afford to wait any longer." Coral's eyes widened, realizing what was happening. "Does this have to happen? She's too young, Sol. Maggiore was 160 cycles before he made that deal. She's not even 2 cycles old." Sol looked down for a few seconds before saying, "It's for the greater good." Coral sighing defeatedly asked "Her magic clicked already at least?". Cemyle squirmed, looking at the tiles on the ground. "It usually unlocks in the midst of a battle or serious situation, you know that." Sol argued. "And if it doesn't?" Coral argued back. "We have to do this." Sol reiterated. This time, Coral slowly swam away, without stopping them. "Come back in time for dinner, Cem." Her mom hadn't called her that in ages. There was no "if" in that statement, but she could feel that it was there...taking another deep breath, she swam after Sol until they reached a swirling yellow and white portal. It was unlike everything she'd ever seen before. It's beauty distracted her from her possible fate of death....for about 3 seconds. She gulped. "Can you...go with me, Sol?", already knowing the answer. "Only one person can go in at a time. The portal will close until you come back, or until you....pass on." Sol answered. "Good luck, Cemyle. We're counting on you, and we believe in you too." Stepping in and closing her eyes, Cemyle opened them to see sky, which was like the ocean but....not? And there was no water, but she found she glided through the air like it was, but faster and without that resistance. A booming voice said "Who passes into the Sky Realm?". Scared, Cemyle responded "I'm Princess Cemyle from the Water Realm, and I'm here to meet with the Sky Devil." There was a pause, and then the voice said "You're in luck! This is my realm, and I am the Sky Devil. Are you here to make a deal like your predecessor? Maggot or something." The butchering of the name infuriated Cemyle, who said "No, I'm here to challenge you to a duel." as calmly as she could. A pause again, then booming laughter. "I can see your puny little figure down there, you know. You think you can beat me? HAHA! How old even are you?" the Sky Devil responded. rest of story in project
