Sea-Maidens

"Head east, find the Hidden Temple… and, well, destroy the Sacred Altar. Seems simple enough, no?"

June said, his eyes still darting around from an inkling of fear caused by the lingering fog.

"No, nothing is ever simple."

Gemm replied, sighing. She seemed a bit detached, as if there was something gnawing at her.

Shrugging it away, June took a look behind him.

By now, the island where the lone skeleton remained was gone, enshrouded completely and obscured from view. However, it got him thinking… how awful it was to be imprisoned for eternity in a place like this. It was a cruel fate to be dealt.

Clearing his throat, June turned back to face the front. It was then that he noticed something. 

Partially to the left, somewhat obscured by the fog… there was a figure. Gemm seemed to notice it too, completely halting their movement.

'What is it..?'

Alarmed, June stood up slightly, squinting in hopes of getting a better look at what had caught his attention. Only, when he did, he felt an awful feeling crawl through his skin, as though simply looking in its direction was a foul deed.

"A-Aghh…"

Suddenly, it wasn't the only thing he had to worry about. Gemm began squirming in place, a slight moan escaping her. 

June's attention flinchingly shifted toward her, and he opened his mouth to speak:

"W-what's wrong…"

But she didn't reply — she gave no form of response. Instead, she fell onto her back, dropping the oar she held completely and clutching her ears.

"No!"

Reacting instantly, June lunged forward, grabbing the oar before it plummeted into the depths of the dark waters. Bringing it back up, he then tossed it onto the wooden hull. Immediately after, he turned around, attempting to help Gemm. 

However, the instant he touched her, she thwarted his hands away, still clutching her ears and gritting her teeth. She seemed to be in some sort of pain, but June didn't know why or what was causing it.

"D-damn it! What's wrong?!"

He asked nervously, confused as to what to do.

Barely managing to speak, Gemm uttered:

"Too loud!"

With only two words, she shut her eyes tightly and winced, rolling back and forth while bumping the sides of the boat, shaking it.

'What's too loud?!'

Struggling to keep his balance, June turned back toward the mysterious figure. Once more, a feeling of dread crawled through his skin as his gaze landed on it.

"Don't… look them in the eye!"

Gemm suddenly yelled. The fear in her voice was enough for June to disregard any questions that popped up in his mind from her warning, quickly shutting his eyes without hesitation.

"Is that what you did?!"

He asked, feeling out his surroundings with his hands in order to grip the boat and prevent him from falling over.

"No! I… Damn it!"

Gemm seemed to fall under another wave of pain, rolling over more forcefully and shaking the boat with her. Such an abrupt motion almost made June fall over, struggling to keep his balance as he stood in place with his eyes shut tightly.

"That damned Spirit led us to a hive of Sea Maidens!!"

Again, June almost fell over. But this time it was from the words that came out of Gemm's mouth.

"What the hell are you talking about!?"

June refused to believe her. The Shackled Spirit held no ill will towards them, why would it?! It had nothing to gain from betraying them… right? 

"Damn it! I shouldn't have listened, I shouldn't have!!"

Gemm shouted, writhing under the pain that still affected her immensely. Meanwhile, June stood at a standstill, feeling a new presence inch closer to them — no, several.

"Sea Maidens… the- they have cursed gazes. No matter what, do not look into their eyes!"

Gemm warned once more. Of course, June hadn't opened his eyes since her previous warning, and didn't plan to… but he was itching to. Every little sound or reaction — anything served as a reason for him to react and take a look.

'Damn it!'

Clenching his jaw, June kept his eyes shut. A moment later, a singular whisper reached him.

[OPEN YOUR EYES.]

The voice was deep yet feminine… with a demon-like tone to it.

"Don't listen to it June…"

He heard Gemm's warning, but her voice gradually waned under the approaching whispers.

[OPEN YOUR EYES.]

[OPEN YOUR EYES.]

[OPEN YOUR EYES.]

They grew louder by the second, forcing June to shut his ears. Not only did they assault his mind, but they seemed to seep into him… affecting him gravely.

'Shit, shit, shit!'

Eventually, June fell back on his bottom with a grunt.

[FILTHY MORTAL, OPEN YOUR EYES.]

[FILTHY MORTAL, OPEN YOUR EYES.]

[FILTHY MORTAL, OPEN YOUR EYES.]

With gritted teeth, June's hand tapped the hull to try and feel out where Gemm was. A second later, his hand grazed hers and he scooted closer.

"W-what… do we do!?"

The sound of June's voice barely reached himself under the countless whispers.

"I… I can't do anything!"

Gemm cried, her voice laced with a feeling of both anguish and sorrow. Compared to before, her state seemed worse — much worse.

"My… Element revolves around s-sound, and m-my innate ability grants me a higher sense of hearing. Sea Maidens…"

Gemm couldn't finish. However, June understood. 

The whispers were deafening enough for him, so for Gemm — who's sense of hearing was greatly increased due to her Element — she was experiencing ten times as much.

"We can't stay here… take us back!"

She yelled — almost begged. Following her words, the whispers grew louder:

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

[OPEN. YOUR. EYES.]

They were no longer whispers anymore. No, rather, they were the sound of creatures whose vocal chords surpassed what a human was capable of.

June smacked the hull with his palm once before reaching over to grasp the oar he remembered tossing.

'Go back…'

He could still hear Gemm banging against the sides of the rowboat, squirming in place. She was suffering under the inhuman voices, so going back was the only right move.

Yet… June felt different.

The Shackled Spirit had warned them: their path to the Hidden Temple would be guarded by many. The Sea Maidens were simply proof of that, and merely the beginning. 

So if they wanted to avoid certain death, they simply had to venture past the Sea Maidens, not return and continue where they originally planned on heading. Gemm's distress and pain clouded her judgment. 

Not just that, but her evident distrust played a role as well. Sure, she had trusted the words of the Spirit, but she never fully let go of the doubt surrounding it in the first place.

Shaking his head, June took a very long inhale, readying himself. Then, gripping the oar, he began rowing. The voices continued assaulting his mind, but he shrugged them away as best he could.