Chapter V : The World Outside ★

Bubbles. Bubbles.

Blop. Blop.

Reed let her body flow with the current. Its been a while since she wandered around freely like this. Although, she was already determined to find her Echo, Reed does not know where to could go. She received information from [Inherited Memories] but it said nothing about the places around the ocean.

So now, Reed swim round and round while holding her chin thinking deeply about what to do from now on.

Reed does not want to be conceit, and believed everything from that memories– thinking that she was all powerful and strong. Even if her body have huge connection to the sea, these world is still full of uncovered mysteries and hidden dangers.

'This is a fantasy world. Where everything is possible.'

She ponders deeply as she drift along the flow of water looking like a flower spirit dancing with the wind.

Reed blinked her aquamarine eyes and decided to swim over the surface.

She was new to this world, without any specific destination in mind. As a former human, Reed wanted to see the sky and of course the sun. She never saw the sun again after she let herself be imprisoned. And when she arrived, she was at the deepest depths of the sea.

Reed longed for the light.

So, Reed proceed by swimming upwards. She was going to meet her long lost friend– the sun. She let out a dazzling smile as she moved her body gliding towards the top.

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The huge sun is glaring at the endless blue sea below. The blue sky and the sea meets at the center making it seems the sky and the sea was infinitely extending forwards.

Beneath the sea waters, a shadow was slowly getting larger as it became nearer and nearer at the surface. And within just a moment, a young girl with ombre hair emerge from underneath the sea.

Her bright shining eyes squinted from the intense light coming from the sun. Her eye lashes quivered as she tried to open her eyes to see the majesty of her long lost friend.

Reed smile widely, she opens her mouth to utter a soundless, 'Long time no see.'

And then stared out the scene in wonder.

...

Reed ponders where she was as she does not met anyone on the way. Neither small nor big fish– Reed met no one. This makes her disappointed a bit.

It's been a long time since she met someone. She wanted to talk and have a conversation, since this world was something she was not familiar with. She wanted to at least have some companion to travel with.

Reed looked around, her eyes shrunk while they sparkles glittering light as she gazed at a certain direction above her. Her mouth open wide, letting out an "oh~" sound.

Islands large and small– float above the sea far away from her. Stream of large body of water connected every island and several waterfall link it to the land.

Reed hummed a simple but happy rhythm seemingly wanting to express her own delightful experience. Even though mermaids can't speak they can still utter syllables that they uses to create tune to sing. Reed sing along the waves and went through the direction of the floating islands.

Humming a beautiful and joyful tune, Reed thought of the miracles she experienced and how she was given a chance to be with Echo again. Her dynamic in melody changes and it became solemn with long high pitched and low notes.

It echos throughout the entire sea as if announcing her presence to all sea creatures alive.

Saying that she was still alive, wiggling her butt as she faces this brand new world she just awoke too.

This cause great disturbance, alerting all higher ranking creature of the sea, especially a certain Great Empire at the depths of the ocean floor. The king– the one that sits temporarily on the throne– warrant an all out search order solely for the owner of that voice.

Although Reed have some prior knowledge about Merpeople's abilities, and that they were the darlings of the sea. The very creature that sit at the top of the food chain. However she did not know that she can affect the entire ocean since she did not have any memories of the original. She can't guess the original's identity either.

So, Reed unaware of what she was causing remain unbothered to all of this and thus continued swimming, wagging her beautiful tail up and down while singing her emotions out over the surface of the water.

From then on, all populace of the sea will witness with their whole being the might of this sweet sounding voice during which the owner will remain ignorant.

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Swoosh~

Reed jumped high, spinning once when she reach the highest point and dive down towards the water. Reed then, emerge again at the surface looking up at the lowest island in front of her. She wanted to climb up.

When Reed reach the location of the floating island the sun was already slowly setting. Reed glance at the setting sun that already display a gentle glow and soft light.

Comparing the sun to her own world, the sun in this world was larger than the sun on Earth. Which Reed once again marvel how magical this world is. If this sun was switch to Earth, the Earth will surely be burn to crisps.

Reed can't help but chuckled as she glance one more time to the sun that almost occupied half of the sky. Then brought back her attention to the floating island above her.

When she jump earlier, Reed saw the island is abundant with natural resources. There is a clear lake with a small waterfall connected to the next island above it, where tiny and big fishes swim above and below the surface. Around it was many fruits trees and bushes. Flowers also scattered everywhere making the island fragrant and beautiful. And more importantly, Reed found out that only small furry and harmless animal live in this small island.

Gurgle. Gurgle.

Reed stared down at her stomach and caress it gently. She wanted to go up in the island for this (pointing at her grumpy stomach). She does not know what mermaids eat. Though she have those hundreds of tutorials from before in which holds this body's motor memory, intuition, and instinct. It does not say what kind of diet she needed to eat!

So all Reed think off was those fruits from the trees.

'Everyone eat fruits right? Even carnivorous animals sometimes change their tastes and eat something green.'

'Mermaids were not carnivorous, right...?'

Reed stared at her hands that was completely harmless. Her nail were actually trimmed and not sharp at all. She opened her mouth and feel her teeth with her pink tongue. Her teeth is not pointy like shark's. Although she have tiger's teeth, it was not sharp.

'See I looked entirely harmless. Just what kind of food am I supposed to eat, if I looked this easy to bully.'

Reed really wanted to thank her very good memory theater. If not then, even if this body still maintain it's instinct, without prior knowledge then it will trully a disaster. If Reed uses it unconsciously, with how much power this small body contains. Reed will surely kill herself off, again.

As if erging her to think and move quickly, her stomach growl loudly in protest. Reed shakes her head off and focused her attention again to the island above her.

She closed her eyes and feel the power inside of her. The warm and cold current of energy remains in her stomach, like a ying-yang still rotating slowly as it provide Reed strength she needed, specially her body was already exhausted. She just woke up, she was still weak. For her to travel so far away, it was already a miracle that she can still remain floating with a clear head.

Reed heard the sea calling out to her again, as the warm and cold current begin to quicken it's pace and it rotate incredibly faster and faster.

Reed opens her eyes, her pupils shirk as her turquoise iris shows ripples like water turning into a wave surging like a dangerous tide. She raise her hand and the water follows. Whenever she move her hands to, that's where the water goes. Reed wave her hand in an arch, and a stream of water raise from the sea towards the lake, connecting it together.

And of course, being a considerate mermaid. Reed did not casually mix the salt water of the sea to the fresh water of the lake.

A cylinder tube made up of water, like a road or a bridge for her to go to the island, Reed stared at her creation satisfied at the result of her first time controlling the water.

Reed dive down the sea, after a certain distance, she stopped. Gathering a momentum for a jump, Reed swim in high speed.

She launched herself up to the air. She wriggle her body and wave her tail like she was still swimming. She turn her body and spin in the air then dive towards the cylindrical water bridge. With a splash, she went in and continue to propel her body forward.

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It was already night time when Reed manage to settled herself into the island. Reed float at the surface of the lake weakly gazing at the night sky. Earlier, after she finished filling her grumpy stomach, Reed was about to take a rest when she caught a glimpse of a peculiarity at the night sky. She looked at it immediately and was surprised. Reed let out an 'Oh~' sounds with her mouth agape.

'This world have three moons!' Reed exclaimed inside. She looked at the moons nodding her head in satisfaction. 'As expected of fantasy world...'

In the sky, the was a big yellow crescent moon to the left. Beside it, at the middle, was another crescent moon that colored red. It was smaller than the moon below it and it was located slightly far away from the bigger moon. The third moon was really huge. It was smaller compare to the sun that almost occupied the whole sky, however it was still large.

'It is beautiful'

Although Reed felt happy this past hour, she still misses her Echo.

'...It was really beautiful. And I'm sure there's many more beautiful place here in this world.'

'...if you're with me, I'm sure it would looked more beautiful.'

'...Echo... Where on Earth are you...'

And just like that, Reed fell asleep under the three moons watching her from above.

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Since getting inside the island, Reed never thought of coming back to the sea again. The sea is full of wonder and uncertainty, Having a secure place with food and water is better than betting on exploring that endless waters.

'Nope, of course not!'

Reed needed time to plan. She expects that finding Echo will be a hard task to do, since she literally knows nothing. At first she thought she needed someone to asked about certain things about this world that she needs to know about.

However, as time goes by, even though she went back and forth from the island to the sea multiple times, she never met anyone. Not even one.

So, when she was about to give up...

Reed found them.

Reed peered down the waters of the lake, she reach out her hand below the water and a small regal tang went over rubbing it's whole body to her thumb like a cat greeting it's owner.

Reed let out a smile and rub the small regal tang back. Then close her eyes, and opened her mouth slightly to sing. Reed felt like singing right now.

It was a miracle to find a companion when Reed did not met anyone for few weeks. This was her third week staying in this island. She did not know that what she was looking for was always with her the entire time.

That's why she was really happy.

"♪♪...haaa...aaahhh~♪♪", Reed let out a soft and delightful tune of short melody. Her voice was mild and gentle, like a calm gentle water that ripples with a slight touch shivering with excitement.

Her glossy pink lips arched up, and her sea colored eyes shines. Stripes of sunlight touches her skin making it glow and glimmer. Her fin ears flutters joyfully as Reed expressed her heightened feelings.

Reed hum her short tune in rhythm, occasionally stressing some note or putting a rest in between. She also intensify some tone, sometimes lowering it.

Reed keep going and she sings more excited notes. The air vibrates with the sounds and with the wind it carries off this gleeful song and delivered it to the sea below.

Reed who was so focused merrily making another joyful song, failed to notice the peculiarity of the ocean below her. She does not know that causally singing can unleashed her own powers.

The waters trembles as the song echoes deep within the sea, reverberating throughout the ocean waters. Then, a large expanse of sea water gathering, producing a long body of water curling into an arched form, surging like a storm sweeping away anyone or anything it goes its way.

This phenomenon happened to every part of the seas. The creatures lived near the shores was alarmed and frightened witnessing the sudden outbursts of massive waves rushing out from the sea. They did not know what was going on underneath.

Contrary to all land dwellers, who experienced nothing but panic and terror. Sea creatures in all shape and sizes felt something resonating within their souls. They heard the voice again, this time they all heard it loud and clear. This kind of occurrence, everyone know it all. They feel it within their souls, their blood boil and their heart thumped excitedly. Even if they did not witness it themselves before, the ancestral genes that resides within their body was very familiar with it.

The creatures within the lake where Reed was staying was the most affected. They were very close to the source of power. They can see her with their own eyes, hear her own singing voice from her own mouth, and revered her beautiful, majestic image to the very bottom of their hearts.

It was their sovereignty.

The ruler that entirely hold the power of the sea.

The one they have been waiting for thousands of years.

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She has returned.