Your support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)The sea was vast, unfathomably deep and far. Enos stood on a narrow sandbar and looked out to the infinite blue with wonder and trepidation. He had left the reef before, journeying to the nearby island chains. Places familiar to his kind and no further away than his eyes could see. Little dots on the horizon, always close enough to find his way back from should he venture out. It was not uncommon for him to go and spend days or even weeks on one island or another, looking for relics and artifacts to bring back to the reef.
As one of the Mer Enos was naturally adept to spend long amounts of time in the water. His pale, pearly skin was hairless and his feet were broad and flat. He resembled a human in his form and features but his fingers and toes were webbed, he had sharp teeth and his hair was stiff and stringy, sectioned off with beads into heavy locks. His blue tattoos were a mark of his status among his people. He was one of many princes, brother to the king and a well respected scholar. For the first time in his life his work would take him beyond the reef. The idea scared and enthralled him. He stared at the horizon until the sun sank. Then silently, he submerged, dropping below the waves without a sound.
He swam down to an opening in the reef and then up into a large grotto. Two guards were slacking off at the entrance. A blue skinned male with a striped pattern down his back and a sandy colored younger male were bent over a game featuring brightly colored shells and a single pearl for each player. They took turns guessing which shell held the other players pearl and with each failed guess a trinket was thrown into a pile to be claimed by the winner at the end of the game. Judging from the size of the pile of shiny stones, coins and ornaments the two had been at it for some time. Enos resisted chuckling to himself as he approached them. With a single withering look from him the pair snapped to attention, the younger of the two at least having the decency to look sheepish. Unable to maintain his stern countenance he gave the lad a pat, "Try to stay vigilant, I know it's boring but you have a job to do," he said.
"yes sir!" the boy said, nearly tripping over his spear in an effort to stand even straighter.
Enos grinned and shook his head. Without further ado he walked through an arched stone formation and entered the kingdom. It was larger than one might expect, a giant underwater cavern that ran the entire length of the barrier reef and the island closest to it. The walls of the cave were lined with cubic structures and stair ways, small homes stacked all the way to the high ceiling. Various colorful Mer bustled about, most of them on their way home. Broad stone bridges connected one side of the cave to the other and in the very middle of the wide pool of sea water was a wide strip of rock upon which the town square and market place resided. This central hub was in the process of emptying out as vendors closed their stalls and people returned home for the night. Though Enos always stopped to peruse the goods on display tonight there was no time for it. he walked up to the end of the square to a large building. The palace, where his brother and the queen resided.
His brother was still in the front hallway, perched on a whalebone seat adorned with coral figures of past kings and queens. In front of him groveled a thin, eel like man with enormous milky eyes and bumpy, mottled, algae coated skin. Enos frowned in distaste, a muckling. One of the lower citizens, more creature than the rest of the Mer, this one didn't have a tail like many of them did but his mouth resembled a lamprey's, circular and full of needle like teeth. He did not speak, rather he signed to the King and made harsh sucking sounds that seemed to shudder his whole body. Upon seeing Enos the King waved the muckling away.
King Talos was a large and imposing man, his skin was a blue grey color, adorned with faded stripes, he had sharp features and a long, muscular body. His stiff white hair was cropped short close to his skull and he had a wide mouth full of sharp teeth. Though most Mer were ambiguous, resembling other fish or sea creatures primarily in skin pattern and nothing else it was impossible not to associate the king with a large and deadly shark. Though Enos recognized his broad grin as affectionate an unfamiliar Mer would have been intimidated by the predatory mouth full of teeth.
"I'll be sad to see you leave us," said Talos.
Enos smiled at him, "And I will be sad to go, but if my calculations are correct there are remnants of another Mer kingdom to the North East, I must go and search for artifacts, before they are found by humans," he added with a note of seriousness.
Talos rubbed his chin, "Yes, as much as I adore my wife I think it would be best if no more humans were allowed into our world. Are you certain you don't want me to send an escort of guards with you? Perhaps my lovely queen would even agree to go with you, she knows a lot more about humankind than either you or I. At least speak with her before you leave, even if you are determined to go alone."
Enos smiled, 'You know me well, brother, I feel that I'll have more luck being undetected if I go by myself. You know I always work alone, but if it will appease you, I will speak to her majesty."
As one of the Mer Enos was naturally adept to spend long amounts of time in the water. His pale, pearly skin was hairless and his feet were broad and flat. He resembled a human in his form and features but his fingers and toes were webbed, he had sharp teeth and his hair was stiff and stringy, sectioned off with beads into heavy locks. His blue tattoos were a mark of his status among his people. He was one of many princes, brother to the king and a well respected scholar. For the first time in his life his work would take him beyond the reef. The idea scared and enthralled him. He stared at the horizon until the sun sank. Then silently, he submerged, dropping below the waves without a sound.
He swam down to an opening in the reef and then up into a large grotto. Two guards were slacking off at the entrance. A blue skinned male with a striped pattern down his back and a sandy colored younger male were bent over a game featuring brightly colored shells and a single pearl for each player. They took turns guessing which shell held the other players pearl and with each failed guess a trinket was thrown into a pile to be claimed by the winner at the end of the game. Judging from the size of the pile of shiny stones, coins and ornaments the two had been at it for some time. Enos resisted chuckling to himself as he approached them. With a single withering look from him the pair snapped to attention, the younger of the two at least having the decency to look sheepish. Unable to maintain his stern countenance he gave the lad a pat, "Try to stay vigilant, I know it's boring but you have a job to do," he said.
"yes sir!" the boy said, nearly tripping over his spear in an effort to stand even straighter.
Enos grinned and shook his head. Without further ado he walked through an arched stone formation and entered the kingdom. It was larger than one might expect, a giant underwater cavern that ran the entire length of the barrier reef and the island closest to it. The walls of the cave were lined with cubic structures and stair ways, small homes stacked all the way to the high ceiling. Various colorful Mer bustled about, most of them on their way home. Broad stone bridges connected one side of the cave to the other and in the very middle of the wide pool of sea water was a wide strip of rock upon which the town square and market place resided. This central hub was in the process of emptying out as vendors closed their stalls and people returned home for the night. Though Enos always stopped to peruse the goods on display tonight there was no time for it. he walked up to the end of the square to a large building. The palace, where his brother and the queen resided.
His brother was still in the front hallway, perched on a whalebone seat adorned with coral figures of past kings and queens. In front of him groveled a thin, eel like man with enormous milky eyes and bumpy, mottled, algae coated skin. Enos frowned in distaste, a muckling. One of the lower citizens, more creature than the rest of the Mer, this one didn't have a tail like many of them did but his mouth resembled a lamprey's, circular and full of needle like teeth. He did not speak, rather he signed to the King and made harsh sucking sounds that seemed to shudder his whole body. Upon seeing Enos the King waved the muckling away.
King Talos was a large and imposing man, his skin was a blue grey color, adorned with faded stripes, he had sharp features and a long, muscular body. His stiff white hair was cropped short close to his skull and he had a wide mouth full of sharp teeth. Though most Mer were ambiguous, resembling other fish or sea creatures primarily in skin pattern and nothing else it was impossible not to associate the king with a large and deadly shark. Though Enos recognized his broad grin as affectionate an unfamiliar Mer would have been intimidated by the predatory mouth full of teeth.
"I'll be sad to see you leave us," said Talos.
Enos smiled at him, "And I will be sad to go, but if my calculations are correct there are remnants of another Mer kingdom to the North East, I must go and search for artifacts, before they are found by humans," he added with a note of seriousness.
Talos rubbed his chin, "Yes, as much as I adore my wife I think it would be best if no more humans were allowed into our world. Are you certain you don't want me to send an escort of guards with you? Perhaps my lovely queen would even agree to go with you, she knows a lot more about humankind than either you or I. At least speak with her before you leave, even if you are determined to go alone."
Enos smiled, 'You know me well, brother, I feel that I'll have more luck being undetected if I go by myself. You know I always work alone, but if it will appease you, I will speak to her majesty."
