Where is Irvette
Lindley successfully activated her power.
A mere moment earlier, she had been confined within that room, alongside twenty other innocent women. They were a macabre offering assembled by the mermaids, intended for the King of the Mermaid Land.
Over the course of these few days, Lindley had heard myriad rumors about the King. He possessed a penchant for amassing women, yet following his collections, it was his customary practice to cast them into the ocean. The mermaids lurking beneath would then ensnare and devour them.
Determined to defy her fate, Lindley resolved to rebel against the mermaids.
She discreetly extracted a surgical scalpel concealed within her attire. Lindley had been in the midst of performing a surgical operation when her life was claimed by a genetic heart ailment. Carrying the blade since her entry into this world, she had always kept it handy for unforeseen dangers.
As the mermaid guard positioned in the room began directing them to form a line and exit, destined to be presented before the King, Lindley launched her assault. Seizing the opportune moment, she struck the mermaid from behind with her scalpel.
The mermaid, oblivious to the impending danger, possessed skin considerably thicker than that of a human. The scalpel barely breached the surface. Instantly incensed, the mermaid resolved to dispatch Lindley forthwith.
When the mermaid's spear pierced through Lindley's chest, her singular thought was that she could not meet her end in this place. As a medical practitioner, her aspiration was to perish in the act of saving patients, not due to such a senseless cause.
Locking eyes with the enraged mermaid, Lindley harnessed her scalpel's power, steering her own hands to impale herself. Instead of inflicting yet another deadly injury, however, the blade mysteriously erased all traces of her wounds.
This scalpel possessed curative qualities.
In the midst of the mermaid's bafflement, Lindley's scalpel directed her to withdraw it from her chest, then guided her to plunge it directly into the mermaid's abdomen. The blade had been fortified by Lindley's power. This time, it wrought a fatal blow, causing the mermaid to crumple to the floor.
"When I opened the door, I witnessed your altercation with the guard," Lindley recounted, concluding her tale. "Employing the very ability I had acquired, I hurled my scalpel to terminate her life.
After freeing all the captured girls and reuniting with Lindley, the trio decided to swiftly depart the palace to avoid the risk of recapture. Currently, they found themselves within an abandoned warehouse, a location that Ophelia confirmed was devoid of any nearby individuals.
Upon hearing Lindley's detailed account, both Ophelia and Angus were taken aback by the extent of Lindley's power and the unsettling revelation that mermaids included humans in their recipe.
Angus, still awaiting the activation of his own power, observed Lindley and Ophelia's methods of invoking their abilities. While he noticed their shared intense determination to survive, he struggled to identify any other distinct commonalities. However, if determination was indeed the key, Angus felt confident he could harness it to trigger his unique power.
"Lindley, you're truly remarkable," Ophelia lauded sincerely. "But I have a question."
Lindley signaled her willingness to answer by fixing her gaze on Ophelia.
"Where's Irvette? Wasn't she with you?" Ophelia inquired.
"Irvette wasn't with me," Lindley replied, her brows furrowing. "When I became entranced and was transported to the palace, I was alone in the History of Pearl exhibition."
"Where were Irvette and Nixon at that time?" Angus questioned.
"They were at the mermaid exhibition room, captivated by the mermaids on display. They mentioned they'd join me later," Lindley recounted, recalling the events.
As she observed Ophelia and Angus's expressions darken, Lindley's heart clenched.
"Nixon is dead," Ophelia uttered mournfully. "He perished after being transformed into a mermaid and put on display in the mermaid exhibition."
"What?" While Lindley's interaction with Nixon had been brief, she had formed a positive impression of the jovial young man. "The mermaids killed him?"
"Rather than attributing his demise to the mermaids, it's perhaps more fitting to say that the Pearl of Sirenia claimed him," Angus clarified. "We believe that the Pearl possesses the power to grant mermaid traits while extracting a person's life force."
"Poor Nixon. He likely didn't comprehend what took his life," Ophelia said sorrowfully.
Angus, ruminating on the matter of power activation, had an epiphany upon hearing Ophelia's words. "Hold on, Ophelia," he interjected. "You mentioned that Nixon wasn't aware the Pearl killed him. Can you elaborate on the deaths that occurred in your initial world?"
Puzzled, Ophelia inquired, "What do you mean?"
"Lindley activated her power when she was nearly killed by a mermaid guard. Her will to survive spurred her," Angus expounded. "Furthermore, based on your earlier narrative, you activated yours when you were almost killed by a bomber you later identified as Isaac."
Understanding dawned on Lindley as she comprehended Angus's point. "Are you suggesting that power activation might be linked to our determination to survive and our awareness of the person responsible for the imminent threat?"
With a confirming nod from Angus, Ophelia began recalling the events of her previous world. "When the world began, five of us died instantly in a bomb attack. At that time, they didn't even comprehend the source of danger."
Progressing through the list of deaths, Ophelia continued, "Milton, a muscular and fierce individual, was the second casualty. We suspected he succumbed to a bomb while incapacitated. He had no way of knowing who was endangering him, being unconscious and unable to muster a determination to survive."
"Bradley, a young man avidly interested in gaming, was the next to perish. Though I can't confirm his resolve to survive, he shielded us from a bomb's explosion, indicating he was aware of the threat—though not necessarily the bomber's identity, as Isaac's role remained concealed," Ophelia recounted.
"Lila, a devoted mother, displayed little inclination to survive. When we were bound to a bomb, she simply spoke about her daughter and lay down. At that point, we knew Isaac was the bomber, but that was all," Ophelia concluded.
Angus promptly analyzed these scenarios in his mind. "So, the initial five deaths and Milton's demise lacked power activation due to an absence of both a survival drive and awareness of the threat's source. Bradley's case could be linked to his ignorance of the bomber's identity, his lack of resolve to survive, or both. Based on your account, Lila clearly lacked any will to survive."
While Lindley, a medical professional, possessed sharp intellect, Angus's deduction still presented a challenge, particularly due to the unfamiliar names and circumstances for her. "Let's not forget that both of us only activated our powers when we were on the brink of death. If your analysis is off, deliberately putting yourself in danger could lead to your immediate demise," she reminded Angus.
"Absolutely, Angus," Ophelia concurred with Lindley. "Survival is paramount, but I'm unwilling to sacrifice any of us needlessly."
"Rest assured, both of you," Angus reassured with a smile. "Our priority should be finding Irvette."
Ophelia's focus promptly shifted to the more pressing concern.
"There's something I'm not sure if I mentioned," Ophelia began. "When I encountered Nixon in his mermaid form, he repeatedly urged me to find Irvette. It seems he knew something."
Ophelia's revelation plunged both Lindley and Angus into contemplation. As their thoughts churned, both Ophelia and Lindley suddenly stood up in unison.
"Adversaries," Ophelia alerted Angus, who hadn't detected their presence. "There are many of them."
"This is likely the work of the mermaids," Lindley surmised.
Lindley's suspicion immediately set their senses on high alert. She retrieved her surgical scalpel, holding it ready in a defensive stance. The three of them exchanged tense glances, mentally bracing for any potential threat that might emerge.
As seconds ticked by, their anticipation heightened. Ophelia subtly readied herself to summon her needles at a moment's notice, while Angus adopted a more vigilant posture, his eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of movement.
The warehouse's shadows seemed to stretch longer, each one potentially concealing an adversary or a clue to the newcomers' intentions. The air was fraught with tension, the silence accentuated by the rapid rhythm of their heartbeats.
Despite their readiness, anxiety gnawed at them. Were these newcomers friend or foe? What could be the purpose of their sudden appearance? Ophelia's mind raced through scenarios, trying to anticipate their next move.
Lindley's grip on her scalpel didn't waver, her eyes narrowing as she remained attuned to even the faintest sounds. The uncertainty weighed heavily, and her years of medical training seemed distant in the face of this enigmatic threat.
Angus's analytical mind was in overdrive. He mentally reviewed every piece of information they had gathered, seeking connections that might offer insight into this situation. His fingers twitched, ready to activate his power at a moment's notice, but he knew that impulsive action could prove disastrous.
And then, amidst the tension, the newcomers finally emerged from the shadows. Their astonishment grew as the these people didn't possess the alluring beauty typically associated with mermaids; instead, they appeared mundane, akin to humans. Or perhaps more accurately, they were humans. Their ordinary appearance was both reassuring and unsettling.
Ophelia, Lindley, and Angus exchanged glances once more, silently conveying their shared wariness. This encounter could unfold in numerous ways, and their next actions would determine whether these humans were allies or adversaries.
All of them remained on edge, bracing for the interaction that was about to unfold. The journey had been rife with challenges and mysteries, but this unexpected development added a new layer of complexity. Their collective survival instincts urged them to tread carefully, prepared for any outcome.
Entering without brandishing any weapons, among the newcomers were two figures that struck Ophelia and Angus as familiar—the man with an earphone and the slender girl.
"Human?" Ophelia took a cautious step forward.
"Indeed, humans," replied the woman positioned at the forefront of the assembly with a calm demeanor. "I am Hayden. Pleased to make your acquaintance, my fellow defenders of the mermaids."