1 Into A New World

Mermaid Clan, somewhere beneath the Genryu Ocean

Kilometers below the endless seas, there was a magical underwater kingdom filled with life and activity. 

This was the last underwater stronghold in existence. 

It was just that, affected by the world of change, many things were different from what it was. 

It had been a thriving underwater paradise, but the once colorful abode now adapted muted tones, the variety of creatures much fewer, and the clear seas murkier.

However, the life inside was still the same, at least on the surface—nooks and crannies were still bustling with activity, and different living creatures and species mingled together in harmony. 

Schools of fish swam around in beautiful shimmering groups, while sea anemones waved their tentacles along the gentle currents. Underneath them, multi-shaped corrals provided beauty and sustenance to the clan.

There were scores and scores of mermaids laughing, giggling, and doing their respective tasks.

If outsiders were to venture here, they'd be fascinated. 

The mermaids were very beautiful with their delicate faces and proportioned upper bodies. Their beautiful multicolored hair was like ribbons catching the currents, flowing elegantly along the water.

They had extremely pale—almost greenish—skins. Their most prominent feature was their opalescent tails that moved gracefully along the waters. 

At this time, there was a handful of young mermaids—merlings—playing about, laughing, and creating bubbles in their wake. 

"Wait for me, wait for me!" A merling yelled, creating vibrations through vocal chords specific to merfolk. 

The sound traveled to his playmate far away, and it reached his friend very quickly—as it would because the water was much denser than the air above.

"Hurry! The others are waiting for us!!" Another merling, a blonde one, sent back, leading the way. 

The little merling waited for his friend to catch up, and together they darted through corals and reefs, passing through various adult merfolk doing their respective tasks.

In other parts of the underwater community, there were merfolk harvesting seaweed. The children passed and the waves they created were followed by the seaweed's flexible form.

Another group of mermaids sang, and the vibration of their voices moved through the water. Their voices were controlled and quite beautiful, and were destined to fascinate any other creature. 

Soon, the merlings arrived to meet their other friends and every little child had bright smiles on their faces. They greeted each other by tying their fins, immediately moving to play afterwards.

The group of younglings raced against the current, racing to get to the large seashell—one of the landmarks in the area—as their goal.

In most of the other parts of the underwater city, it was similarly lovely and full of life. Most mermaids were simple-minded creatures, after all, and they could find happiness in whatever was available. 

While the community itself was lively, it was quite the opposite inside the largest and most vibrant coral formations. 

It was located in the precise center of the city. 

Inside this formation was a deep cave network, lit by bioluminescent plants and creatures, giving whatever was inside a mysterious glow.

There was a large hall at its largest cavern. It was intricately designed with corals and shells and its walls were etched with patterns showing the history of their great clan. At this time, the elders of the mermaid clan convened for a critical meeting that determined the fate of their kind.

They swam upright around a circle. Each of the merfolk exuded an air of elegance, but their faces were adorned with tense facial expressions

An elder touched a coral beside him and his pearl-like eyes turned melancholic when it easily crumbled under his fingertips.

The atmosphere was heavy of collective worries.

They now had to bear the consequences of the warmth and filth of the world above. The currents have grown unpredictable, and increasingly dangerous. 

The destruction of the planet led to the near extinction of their clan until only one mermaid clan was left on the planet. Decades of adjustment passed before the remaining mermaid clans combined, finally creating this one city.

The Elders didn't gather often, but when they did, it meant it had a lot to do with their entire species' survival.

Now, they convened because they found out that the declining births had sharpened the past year. This was a very, very, dangerous sign. 

"We only have a handful of the younger generations and their numbers are declining," one elder said, "We only have a dozen newborns the past two years."

"This can't be…" An old mermaid with paling red fins and hair spoke, "The population had been decreasing for decades, but this decline is too sharp."

Her name was Elder Baba, once the greatest singer of her generation. 

Elder Hao, an old merman with green scales and locks, nodded in agreement. "Merlings… simply don't get born anymore, no matter how mates try." 

"This can't go on! We are the last of our kind!" 

They looked in the direction of the deep cave. "Has the Great Elder awoken?"

They truly needed his advice now. It was just that a few months prior, the Great Elder woke up from a dangerous vision, and she had locked herself in isolation since then. 

The other elders sighed, "If only the great Elder was here…" 

As if hearing their prayers, the sound of tapping emerged from deep into the cave 

The sudden sound made everyone flinch at first, but when they realized its direction their shoulders slumped in relief.

Emerging from the depth of the cave was an old mermaid with scales lackluster colors brought about by age and strain. 

"Great Elder!" The elders exclaimed bodies straightening and saluting the old merfolk.

Then they realized the old mermaid was unmoving, her pupils turning completely white, as if in a daze. 

Then, she spoke. 

"Hear my prophecy."

The elder mermaids froze and curled their tails and their bodies down, showing reverence. 

A second later, the Great Elder spoke, "In the age when tides grew treacherous and life waned in the shadow of a changing world,

"The mermaid of destiny, beacon of hope to her kind, shall rise from the depths.

"Her skin vibrant and her tail iridescent with the rarest hues—

"The most beautiful mermaid one could lay their eyes on, shall shine brighter under the sky—

"Her fins, the symbol of her birth, shall be traded for two legs to stand tall—

"Her voice would echo in the air above. Loved even in the depths of the ocean, her unique siren call would beckon even the darkest souls, saving them.

"She will become the light of the darkness, and she shall ascend as the guardian of our realm.

"Through her, we shall find salvation." 

The elders looked at each other, feeling complicated.

Some even looked at each other in pity, some in despair. 

Without a doubt, they had thought of only one mermaid: Naia.

The most beautiful mermaid of generations, and one with the most impactful voice.

But it was also that it was her… that the elders couldn't help but worry for their lives! 

"To think we will depend on that adventurous little mermaid…" one said, and no one disagreed with him.

On the contrary, they all looked at each other in worry. 

"Where is that young one?" Elder Hao asked. In response, Elder Baba only placed her slightly webbed palm on her face.

"Only the ocean gods know."