Sehun ran to Taura as the mermaid swam to the edge closest to him. He slid to the ground letting the dirt and rcks scrape his skin. He hugged Taura close him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto each other as if their lives depended on it, “You’re safe.”

            Sehun mumbled into the girl’s skin. Taura breathed a sigh of relief into Sehun’s shoulder as she hugged him tighter. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything but relished the fact her friend was alive and okay and also her savior. They finally let go of each other when Taura warned the Siren, “You’re mom is down there.”

            “She is? Is she okay?”

            Taura bit her lip, “She’s fighting her sister.”

            “Then we have to help—“ Sehun stood up and stripped himself of his shirt and pants before diving into the water. Taura sighed and dove back down to see that Sehun was already speeding after his mom. She caught up with him and pulled him back by his wrist, “We can’t interfere. Even if we did, we’d be putting ourselves in more danger.”

            “But—“

            “What can we do, Sehun?” Taura searched Sehun’s brown eyes when he sighed. He knew she was right. What power did he have to help?  Taura tugged him along towards the small tunnel from which they came from earlier swiftly not wanting to meet any unwanted sirens. Sehun looked back over his shoulder repeatedly praying to himself that his mother would be okay. He kind of felt that things were going to be okay but then again he wasn’t so sure. He looked back at the mermaid in front of him and the image of her dead friend on the island shore clouded his mind leaving no room for anything else but Ran. Sehun suddenly stopped. Taura looked back at Sehun who’s eyes were distant when she asked, “You okay?”

            He didn’t reply. He only looked up at the girl in front of him. Taura's eyes were already worn as it was and by her weary expression, he knew any more bad news would kill her inside. Sehun couldn’t bring himself to be the bearer of more bad news to Taura and shook his head, “Nothing. Come on, we should help out there.”

            Before they could continue on, a string of arrows rushed passed them as a charge of Siren guards came after them full force. Sehun was ready to fight but Taura pushed him behind him with a strong hand, “Cover your ears.”

            He did so without question as Taura took in a deep breath and released her power full force on the guards that were about to attack. It became much easier for Taura to control her power with the more use of it. The guards were knocked out giving Taura enough time to pull Sehun with her towards the small tunnel without trouble. Sehun gripped Taura's hand tight wanting to give some form of thanks to the girl without saying it out loud. He couldn't even begin to understand how Taura could be so strong even after everything she's been through. Sehun loved her even more for her courageous behavior and swore he'd keep her alive. They swam through it swiftly, avoiding the rocks that surrounded them. They could see the light at the other end but held their breath for what was to come.

            *~*~*~*

            Tayla and Tyna clashed repeatedly as they charged after the other. Their skin already badly scarred and bruised from their repeated hits and scratches. Talya had a bloodied lip while Tyna’s left cheek had scratched running down from her temple to her jaw line.

            They circled each other, Tyna laughing, “Come on, we can do better than this.”

            Tayla gulped and braced herself as Tyna charged towards her. She aimed to punch the latter in the stomach and did so causing Tyna to double over. Talya immediately grabbed hold of her sister behind her neck and squeezed hard. She swam behind Tyna and straightened her out, “You want to be queen? Fine.”

            Tayla let go of Tyna and pushed her forward, “Let’s settle this like we’re supposed to.”

            Tyna smirked, “To the death, then. I’m so sorry sister…that it had to end like this.”

            The two sisters backed away from each other. Their eyes turning black, neither held back the powers they had been suppressing. There was a reason the two sisters were favorite to become queen, they had powers that made them superior to the rest of their race because they were half mermaid, half siren. Tayla hands began to light up as bolts of lightning surrounded her skin like armor. Tyna on the other hand had water whipping around her like knives and she aimed them for her sister. They shot like torpedoes in Talya’s direction but they were immediately burned out once they hit Talya’s electrical armor. Tayla could hear the hissing of it and shot back at her sister with a few lightning bolts that managed to hit Tyna’s skin. She screamed out at the shock and looked down at her burnt arm, “You’re still weak. You could never fight your own battles even with your extra abilities.”

            Talya taunted knowing that was Tyna’s weakness. She took the opportunity to hit her again but Tyna deflected her attack and shot icicles right back at her, “I wasn’t the only one who was weak. If it wasn’t for your whole rampage after your husband got killed…I was the stronger out of the two of us!”

            Tyna’s attacks came one after the other but Tayla knew everyone one of her cheap tricks and shot them down easily. She could see the frustration and anger growing in her sister’s eyes and sighed as she attacked her with her own power. The bolt of electricity wrapped around Tyna giving her whole body one painful shock. Her screams rang loudly in Talya’s ears as she swam closer to her sister and laid a hand on her sister’s chest so that her power could directly take care of the source, “I’m sorry.”

            Talya shut her eyes, not wanting to the final moments leading to her sister’s death.

*~*~*~*~*

            “Taura look out!” Sehun pushed the girl away just as large debris from an exploding ship crashed into the water near where she swam. He do