A long time ago, the oceans laid in its most beautiful colors, its gentle waves caressing the ships sailors inhabited during their seafaring adventures. The resplendent hues did not originate from the ocean’s unique collection of colorful flora. These beautiful shining patterns of light violet, aqua, and sky blue derived from the tails of the bountiful mermen who dwelled in the depths of the sea.

They were magnificent creatures who helped burgeon the underwater ecosystem around them. Sailors knew of their existence, but they rarely saw the mermaids who lived in deep zones in the ocean.

Mermaids and humans co-existed peacefully, and they chose to avoid each other so that such harmony would continue without mutual encounter.

While humans casually continued with their conventional activities, many mermaids fantasized the world above theirs; they were completely captivated by the wonders of a world where the sky’s beautiful blues and the sun’s radiant lights were present. The mermen, on the other hand, were generally aloof to the humans and mainly dwelled in the Underwater Kingdom of Atlantis, as was the name of the home where mermen and mermaids lived.

Serah was one such curious mermaid who dreamed of seeing the human’s world.  She remembered surfacing on her 16^th birthday. Everything around her had been so clear and light; she instantly fell in love with the aesthetic scenery.

But she had surfaced without permission from her parents, and when her brother Luhan caught her in the middle of her act, Serah had gotten into so much trouble.

“How could you do that? Have you not thought about the dangers that might result from your ignorant behavior?” Luhan scolded.

“But brother, what’s the big deal? Humans and mermen don’t have any conflicts. The world above ours is so beautiful. The air and everything..there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of curiosity is there?” Serah pleaded, in hopes that her reasoning would work.

Luhan’s face remained stoic, and he shook his head in disappointment. How foolish of his little sister.

“No one told you that you could go up there. Come back home. There are other things to do instead of dreaming of unnecessary things.” He grabbed onto her wrist and dragged a depressed Serah back home.

And so Luhan, being the overprotective brother who he was, reported Serah’s mischievous activities to their parents, and since then, Serah was carefully guarded. She was given an early curfew.

But Serah did not give up. She wanted to view the human’s world once more.

This year, Serah was 18 years old, and she was more than determined to swim to higher waters when given the slightest chance.

“Serrah..you are so obsessed with the humans' home.” Sehun the dolphin joked as he lightly swished his tail on her shoulder playfully.

Serah was dazed, and both of her hands were lightly pressed against her temples in wonder. “I just…ahhh I’m craving to see it again..It’s not fair.” She pouted and lowered her hands to her neck.

“Maybe you ought to try asking your paren-?” Sehun began but was cut off by a soft sigh from Serah.

“Are you kidding me, Sehun? I highly doubt they would let me. They'd just confine me to my room again to reevaluate my childish thoughts.” She pursed her lips and then crossed her arms.

“It’s just not fair. What’s the big deal anyways? Humans aren’t a danger to mermaids so while can’t I just take another peek at their world again?”

“Well…maybe your brother and parents think you’ll not want to come back to your normal home..that is?” Sehun had a pensive look on his face as he surmised such a conclusion.

“Oh please..well maybe. But I wouldn’t be THAT caught up in it.” Her voice slowly died. “I have my own home and friends in Atlantis.”

“Just a little peek wouldn’t hurt?” She murmured while Sehun pensively watched her gaze at the clearer waters above her.

"That's it." Serah snapped her finger.

"A little peek." She smiled, and Sehun gulped in apprehension. "Are you sure about this?"

Serah turned around and sulked at her fish friend. "It's not that bad." She quietly murmured under her breath, and Sehun sighed, waving his long tail back and forth. "Ugh..alright." He couldn't help succumbing to Serah's pleading expressions, and so he quickly swam over to her side and accompanied her.

Serah's face beamed when she noticed that her friend had agreed.

"Alright, Sehun, you just watch my back." She whispered.

Serah's swam westward, the direction that led to the shores of the humans' home, and Sehun carefully followed her, occassionally stopping to look to see if they were being followed.  

"Serah...we're going kinda far...the waters above us have darkened too." Sehun commented, a troubled expression plastered across his his face. Dark shallow waters only signaled the presence of a ship. “The waves are also moving about strangely. There must be a storm.” Sehun gasped, but Serah ignored him, continuously swimming in the direction of the shore.

“Serah! We have to head back. The waters are getting dangerous.” Sehun desperately tried to call out.

“Oh, hush up, Sehun. This is an adventure.” She smiled to herself.

“I have a feeling that the shore is still a long way off.” Sehun spoke to himself and hurriedly swam after a hopelessly excited Serah.

To Sehun’s surprise, Serah suddenly stopped swimming westward and instead, was swimming upwards. “What are you doing?” Sehun asked.

“I think I’ve lost my sense of direction..I’ll have to check what’s up on the surface.” Serah gritted her teeth in frustration. How could she have been so absent-minded to lose the trail’s scent? She shook her head out of disappointment and swam up to the surface.

“Ah!” She breathed in air and realized that a violent storm was raging, and the strong winds were tearing at a ship.

Sehun surfaced also and did not like the looks of what was happening. “Please..Serah. Let’s just go back to Atlantis. This is too dangerous.”

But Serah refused to listen. She observed more carefully to see that the ship was no ordinary ship. In fact, it seemed to have a royal feel to it. The front of the ship was skillfully crafted, and the wood seemed quite exquisite.  A woman of the sea, who had long flaxen hair, had been carved in the front; her hands were placed across her chest, and her eyes were closed, almost in meditation.

Serah glanced over and noticed groups of worried, frightened men running about the ship to retrieve various supplies and other unknown things.

A flash of lightning struck the ship, and thunder rumbled in the distance. The ship had been split in the middle, and Serah’s eyes widened in astonishment as she beheld this horror. She swam closer to the ship, and the storm drowned out Sehun’s cautionary calls.

Thunder boomed once more, and an even more powerful crackle of lightning struck in random directions across the ship. Many of the men came into contact with the deadly strike of light and were immediately electrocuted on the spot. Others helplessly ran around to find supplies that would support them as they jumped off the ship and swam for shore.

There was one man, whose rank seemed to be the highest, and he was frantically trying to calm everyone, but the men on the ship had lost it when that final blow split the middle of the ship.

Serah looked even more closely and noticed that that man appeared to be the prince or someone. His blond hair, the red robe, and the calm and cool brown eyes all supported Serah’s conjecture.  He was most beautiful, and Serah couldn’t help but become mesmerized under his various gazes.

Suddenly, the ship shook and gradually shattered altogether, and the prince lost his balance. He tipped over the ship and plunged right into the dark waters.

“THE PRINCE HAS FALLEN IN THE WATERS.” A man voice shrieked.

“PRINCE KRES!” The sound of other mens’ voices mixed in depression.

The wind continued to harshly blow as the loud, petrifying sound of thunder combined to make an even more chaotic scenery.

“NO!” Serah called out loudly, and she dived under the spot where the prince’s body had sunk.

“He must not die.” Serah whispered repeatedly to herself and swam after the plunging body. Her speed was swift, and she instantly caught onto the prince’s limp body. She then broke air and hooked one of the prince’s arms around her shoulder and quickly swam to shore.

Sehun hurriedly followed her, worried as ever, but Serah was absorbed in another world.

Her heartbeat grew faster as she continuously looked back at the face of the unconscious prince. Her wet hair clung to his, and she felt light as she realized how close she was to him. She then bit her lip and gazed at him with utmost sincerity and solicitude.

“You must live, prince.”

update 8/15/13