Chapter 20: 2.06

Thera 2.06

The baby Mystic Turtle made sure Renatus and the other little Lophis stayed behind her as she uneasily trailed after that blue-scaled creature. 

It was a Mermaid.

A creature with the tail of a fish and glittering blue scales. Her upper body morphed into something else— with a different texture covering her torso and her slim shoulders. She had a pair of arms with opposable thumbs, and long flowing hair that fell over the strange garments she wore. And her face was small, relatively flat with high cheekbones compared to most things Thera had seen so far. An odd creature, to say the least.

Mors had told the baby Mystic Turtle that the Merfolk were intelligent and possibly kind, but conversely, Mors had also told her not to trust others so easily. After all, the ocean was a cold and dangerous place. So, when the Mermaid spoke, Thera halted warily and activated her [Indomitable Soul]. The golden aura flashed as the Mermaid turned around.

“M-my name is Viviane, by the way,” she said hesitantly.

Thera blinked. She waited for something to happen as the gathered Lophis hid behind her back. However, Viviane didn’t lash out or make any abrupt movements. A tense moment of silence passed as neither said or did anything.

Eventually, when Thera didn’t respond, Viviane asked, “Do you not… have a name?”

“I do,” the Vanima Testudine said, but didn’t elaborate.

Viviane tilted her head. Renatus peered curiously over Thera’s shell, yet the baby Mystic Turtle still didn’t speak. This could be a trap. So, Thera just eyed the Mermaid. And Viviane pursed her lips.

“Are you not going to tell me your name?” the Mermaid asked expectantly. When Thera still remained silent, Viviane shrugged and swam on, past the bright-colored reefs that expanded into clearer and calmer waters. 

The baby Mystic Turtle didn’t give chase, letting the sea current carry her until the waves were no longer pushing against her back. She craned her neck back to face the little Lophis hiding behind her.

“Should we trust that Mermaid?” Thera consulted with her counsel. If she continued on, perhaps she’d find safety. A true sanctuary. But if things go awry, the small fish would be in danger.

Renatus, the oldest and wisest of them all, exchanged a glance with his siblings. They discussed amongst themselves, an intense debate where Vigil and Dux dominated the conversation. It appeared they were on opposite sides— Vigil was steadfast in her stance, but Dux clearly didn’t agree with it. However, Dux eventually acquiesced, his point falling on deaf’s ears. Then all twelve of the Lophis nodded in unison, coming to an agreement. 

“Gnah!” they said.

Thera didn’t understand a single word or squeak they utter. But they looked like they were open to following after the Mermaid— at least, with the way they edged forward, almost pushing the baby Mystic Turtle to press on. With their best interest in mind, Thera swam beyond the end of the ocean’s current, catching up with Viviane.

The Mermaid smiled. “I almost thought you changed your mind. Come on, we’ve reached the Gulf of Nephlene. Nephleus should be just up ahead.”

Thera cast her gaze around this part of the reef. The area was far less populated with both fish and coral here, and the water depths were much shallower. It was only about a hundred feet or less to breach the surface here. This place felt… warm. It somehow put the baby Mystic Turtle at ease.

“…Thera,” she finally said.

“Excuse me?” Viviane blinked, glancing back at the Vanima Testudine. 

“Thera,” repeated the turtle. “That’s my name.”

“Oh.” 

The Mermaid didn’t give an immediate response. They just waded through the water in silence. Thera eyed Viviane suspiciously, waiting for something to be done with the name, but all that happened was a delayed reply. 

“I think it’s a good name.”

“I don’t know how I got it,” Thera said simply and glanced around with narrowed eyes. “Have we reached this city yet? This better not be a trap…”

“You really don’t trust me, do you?” Viviane shook her head and swam up, cresting over a dune in the water. Spreading her arms wide, she faced the baby Mystic Turtle. “We’re here.”

Thera slowly trailed after and halted when she saw what was on the other side. Her eyes went wide. Renatus, Dux, Vigil, and all the other little Lophis peered over her back and gasped. It was a sight to behold. They stared in wonder as the Mermaid grinned.

“Welcome to Nephleus.”

And beyond that underwater dune was a dense collection of colorful structures— buildings built out of coral and limestone and clay and kelp. These buildings varied in shapes and sizes. A building poked out of the sand like the entrance to a cavern, while some structures looked like giant pebbles stacked on top of each other. The city lay at the seafloor, in a clearing away from the reef, yet it had an entire section made from coral and clay that quite literally brimmed with life. 

In fact, the entire city was brightly lit. It was encased in a transparent bubble with waters clearer than its surroundings. And at its heart was what looked like a giant shell. One that spiraled upwards at an angle and poked out of the surface like a thin needle at the end. Kind of like a massive mollusk was lying asleep in the middle of the city. But it wasn’t a living organism— hundreds of figures entered and exited the shell for what it exuded.

Thera felt it in her soul. She heard it calling for her. The sense she had been searching for so long. The aura that the city radiated. She’d finally found it.     

“Safety,” the baby Mystic Turtle whispered. 

* * *

“You’re back later than usual today,” a Merman greeted Viviane as she reached the edge of the city. He hid his bright orange scales under a layer of chainmail and wielded both a shield and a spear.

Thera immediately tensed when she saw him, but the Mermaid just waved back at him.

“Captain Raen, it’s good to see you— urk…” Her face twisted in pain as she grasped for her injured shoulder. The Merman rushed to her side. 

“Are you alright, Viviane?” he asked worriedly. “What happened?”

“I-I’m fine. I just need to apply more Healing Paste to it, that’s all.” She rummaged through her Bag of Holding as more armored Mermen gathered around. Half a dozen of them. 

“Who did this to you?” Raen said as a dark shadow passed over his face. 

“Pirates,” Viviane said as she shook her head. “I would’ve been kidnapped too, but Thera saved me.”

“Who?” The guards blinked.

And their gaze landed on the baby Mystic Turtle hesitantly waiting behind the Mermaid. One of the Mermen frowned.

“What’s a turtle doing here?”

“I didn’t think turtles could fight.” 

“Hey there, little turtle,” a Merman said as he raised a hand out. “Are you lost? Are you someone’s pet?”

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Thera backed up, eyeing him dangerously. She would’ve slapped his hand away if not for Raen who swam forward and stopped the other Merman.

“Wait, that’s not a pet… that’s a Mystic Turtle!” Raen exclaimed as he stared at her. 

“What?”

“Are you serious, Raen?”

The Mermen looked towards Raen disbelievingly. But Viviane cut them off and nodded.

“She is a Mystic Turtle,” the Mermaid said as she gestured towards Thera. “And I know you have many questions— I do too. But I must ask of you all to leave her be for now. She’s a little…”

Viviane glanced back at the Vanima Testudine who had her flippers raised, covering the small fish accompanying her. Thera looked like she would lash out at anyone who got too close. Like a cornered wild animal, ready to bite off the fingers of the hunter who found it.

“...antsy.”

“Very well, then. I shall not pry further into the matter for now. But the king will want to hear about this.” Raen scratched the back of his head, speaking uncertainly.

“Thank you.” Viviane bowed her head. “And thanks for checking up on me, Raen.”

He nodded back at her as Thera just watched from the side. “We’ll make sure to be on a lookout for those bastard pirates.” 

With that, the Mermaid swam past him, ushering Thera forward as well. After a moment’s hesitation, the baby Mystic Turtle rushed after her. Renatus and the other Lophis followed as well— a stream of panicked little creatures entering the city one after the other. 

Thera swam through the bubble covering the city and blinked as the quality of the water changed. Everything was suddenly much clearer. It almost felt like she was back in the open air again. That made her panic.

She spun around to stop Renatus and his siblings from entering the city, only to watch them funnel in without a problem. They swam around her before reconverging on the back of her shell. Viviane waited for both the baby Mystic Turtle and the little Lophis to settle down. 

“What was that?” Thera eventually asked as she eyed the bubble-like barrier. Then she stared past it at the Mermen gathered outside the city. “And who were they?”

“They’re city guards. They keep Nephleus safe from pirates and monsters.” Viviane raised a hand and ran it over where there was a line in the water. “And this is a Bubble of Water Breathing.”

Thera cocked her head. “Water… breathing?”

“It’s in place for landdwellers.” 

“Landdwellers?”

“People who live on land… and I guess it sort of applies to you too. It means you won’t need to resurface for air as long as you’re in this barrier.” The Mermaid smiled as she gestured at the clear water around them.

“I can… breathe?” With a bit of apprehension, Thera gulped in a breath full of fresh air. She didn’t drown, nor did she begin to choke. Just as Viviane had said, she could breathe just fine here. “I can breathe…” 

“That’s right.” Viviane nodded before waving Thera forward. “Anyway, come on, I have someone I want to introduce to you.”

The baby Mystic Turtle was still wary and slightly suspicious, but she decided to trust the Mermaid for now. She swam with the Lophis in tow and navigated through the city. They passed by bustling buildings as Merfolk swam in all directions— up, down, left, and right. 

The city was mostly populated by these Mermen and Mermaids. They came in shades of blue, red, and green. Usually in brighter colors. Rarely ever with dark scales. They were seaweed and seashells as clothing, although some were decorated with glittering jewelry or a special kind of fabric. 

There weren’t a lot of fish. Not inside the city. But Thera thought she saw a few crustaceans. Large lobster-like people. Or as Mors called them, Lobsterkin. But they were far and few amongst the sea of Merfolk— which only meant that Thera stood out even more.

Heads turned her way and voices spoke in hushed whispers. It was like hearing a repeat of the conversation with Raen: Merfolk questioning why a turtle was in Nephleus, followed by someone explaining that Thera wasn’t an ordinary turtle but a Mystic Turtle.

That confused her.

“Why do so many of you Merfolk seem to know what I am?” Thera asked as she stuck close to Viviane.

“That’s because you’re a Mystic Turtle,” the Mermaid replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s hard to tell at first glance, but it’s obvious when you know how to spot the difference.”

Thera didn’t let up. “And how do you know that?” 

“After what happened a year ago… actually, I think I’ll let Wilmorn explain it all to you. I’m not really good at this.” Viviane spoke apologetically as she reached a shell-like building. 

It was relatively small compared to the other structure Thera had seen, but it looked like a replica of the main palatial spiral shell in the center of the city. Just much smaller. Viviane rapped on the doorway and waited. Her response had only generated more questions in Thera’s mind.

“Who’s Wilmorn?” the baby Mystic Turtle asked as Renatus poked his head out— the only Lophis bold enough to see what was going on.

Before Thera could get her answer, a tiny door swung open at the base of the doorway. It was barely a foot tall, and an even smaller figure poked its head out. A pair of brown eyes and a face full of a bushy white beard stared up at the Mermaid, speaking in a squeaky voice.

“Ah, good, you’re back, Viviane. I was just in need for your assistance. Come on in.” He adjusted his conical red hat and waved the Mermaid in.

But she halted at her tail. “Wait— I need to introduce you to someone.”

“Hm?” The bearded figure paused and turned around. “What is it?”

Viviane cleared her throat and moved aside. “This is Thera,” she introduced the baby Mystic Turtle. “And this—”

Thera narrowed her eyes as she quickly appraised the tiny figure. He was barely six inches tall. About the same size as Renatus if the little Lophis was standing on his tail. Not only that, it was clear that he didn’t belong to the ocean. It was clear he was… well, a landdweller.

“This is Wilmorn,” Viviane said proudly. “My mentor.”

[Gnome]

“Oh, another Mystic Turtle is in Nephleus, huh?” He crossed his arms at Thera as she blinked. “Well, ain’t that a sight to see.” 

“Another… Mystic Turtle?”