The Cold Truth

Instructions

TRIGGER WARNING || Dark themes and violence Deep in the ocean, where no one but the deep creatures swam, lay a prophecy. The words were written so only Merians could read it, which were the people of the sea. The water-proof scroll inscribed these words; "look out for the red-haired mermaid, look out for the siren's call. Soon a disaster is coming, soon betrayal will arise. To stop the dreadful creature, who soon will ruin fate; reach out into it's heart, grab the golden chain, yank it free so the traitor will die beneath the deep." The siren who found it hurried to hide it, in a little chest she found above the land. She threw sand over it and put a heavy rock on top so only she would know of it's words. She would stop the prophecy before it could happen. She was sure of it. ... The young mermaid girl with shimmering red hair cried, and cried, and cried. She sat on the sand, her arms resting on her tail so no one could see her face. Her mother was gone, while everyone had moved on, but her. She would never feel her mothers warm touch, she would never see her fire-red tail, she would never see her perfect blue eyes or hear her sweet voice in her ear. Someone watched from a distance, her siren eyes pitch black. Her hair was black as the night sky and her tail was murky green. *Could she be the one?* The siren thought as she looked at the weeping girl. She was only a little thing and it hurt the siren (strangely) to see her cry. She felt an instant pull toward the girl, and suddenly felt the need to protect her. That was strange...sirens didn't usually have motherly instincts, but for some reason she did. Impulsively, the black-haired siren moved closer, her pale skin glinting in the light of the sea. The little girl with her red hair and orange-copper tail sat up, showing off her little green eyes. She gasped at the darker looking Merian, her arms shaking. Her mother had always told her to stay away from the darker ones, claiming they were evil. But this one didn't have an evil look in her eyes, only a curious look. The siren took a deep breath filled with water, and swam close enough to talk to the little mermaid. She flinched as the mermaid girl swam backwards a little. the siren reached out her hand in a kind way and said, "I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm here to help." She wondered why the little girl was alone, mermaids usually stayed close to their young ones, unlike the crueler parents of sirens. The little copper-tailed mermaid sniffled, "How? My mommy's gone!" She cried and sank to the ocean floor again. Her father had died right before she was born, so she had no one, no family at all. "And your...not a mermaid." She said with an edge of fear in her tiny voice. The siren felt so bad for the little mermaid. She was so young, maybe only 5 or 6. And she'd already lost her mother. "I can take care of you, I promise, I'm a nice siren. I'm not like the others." *not anymore...* she thought. She moved toward the little one and embraced her in a gentle hug. "R-really?" The little girl sniffled again. "You'd do that?" "Of course, I will protect you, I promise." The siren responded. The copper mermaid smiled slightly and said, "I'm Emerald, after my eyes. What's your name?" The siren took a minute to respond to that. Most of the time sirens didn't have names, unless they were royalty. But as she pondered she remembered a word in Merian that meant 'protector.' "My name is...Promina." She said with the biggest smile she'd ever smiled in her life. she'd forgotten all about the prophecy, and didn't intend to remember it. ... Emerald was sixteen years old now and almost full grown. She swam out of her home, hoping the glinting colors of her copper tail wouldn't give her away. Promina was out working and didn't know she'd left the house. She was sneaking out to meet her boyfriend, Wave. He said he would be waiting by the Dark Rocks, which was located near the beach but hidden from human sight. She swam upward towards the water to break through it, and she gasped when she came up. It stung to breath air form above, probably because she hadn't in a long time. She saw Wave out of the corner of her eye with his short dark hair, green eyes, and teal tail. "Wave!" she waved at him and her tail transformed into legs as she walked on the hard black rocks to reach him. He always wore the same heart shaped necklace with a silver chain. She smiled at him and he smiled back at her. "What are you doing?" She asked him. "Just watching the sun rise. Have you ever realized how beautiful it is?" His eyes grazed the sky with wonder. "Down below, it's hard to see and the colors aren't nearly as wonderful." He said in his wondering voice. That's what she loved about Wave, he was always wondering about something. There was never an end to his questions, which she didn't mind. It made him unique, while most Merians never looked beyond the waters. ( Continued in notes + credits )