ã€ŠSolaria Risingã€‹


 Solaria Rising - Chapter 1: Coming of Age

    The trading post hummed with energy, crowds of school-agers eagerly browsing all the coming-of-age deals. Off to one side, against a moldy wall dripping from disrepair, Calistya traced the sleek lines of the full-gill, open-ocean enhancement set. Her pretty reflection along the shimmering edges spoke to its quality, adding contrast to the discount district vibe.

    ¡°There¡¯s probably something wrong with it. Must be fake,¡± she whispered to herself.

    But despite her surroundings, the merchandise itself was top-of-the-line, unaffordably so, and she knew it. She felt a knot of anxiety as she thought about what it would take to get her hands on it. To have it installed, and to experience the fullness of life it promised.

    Everything would change, if she dared make the decision¡ªthe most monumental choice any Technoquatic would ever make. No longer could she spend any time in the dry zones, which encompassed some thirty-percent of their city, including all the youth habitats. She¡¯d never be able to walk again, which meant giving up one of her favorite hobbies¡ªjogging along the merchant¡¯s promenade.

    But the tradeoffs¡­the tradeoffs were more than worth the struggle. To be able to glide through the open ocean for as long as she wanted. No oxy-tanks to encumber her, no flippers or quasi-gillslats forcing what should be so natural. No more swim instructors¡ªtheir own flippers full and strong and marvelous¡ªtelling her how she needed to take it slow, stop trying to race the full-ones, and remember that she wasn¡¯t a mermaid yet.

    Calistya wished her parents could be alive to see it. She¡¯d never known them. They had passed on during the great dying, at a time when nearly half the population had perished. She¡¯d been at school when she received the word, and before she knew it she¡¯d been placed in a care-community with thirty-four others of various ages and backgrounds. It wasn¡¯t a horrid place, but it wasn¡¯t home, and it wasn¡¯t family. Techno-mers weren¡¯t known for having large extended families, so there simply hadn¡¯t been any place else for her to go.

    She often wondered if things might¡¯ve been different up on the surface. There were stories and legends about extended human families up there. Grandparents, aunts and uncles. Hundreds of dancing, running cousins to play with¡ªif the children of the care-community could be believed. Calistya often wondered, since they were so adept at spinning tall tales. But it sounded wonderful.

    As life settled down, the great dying passing into memory, then history, some of the children began to get picked up. From well-to-do families looking to be charitable, or couples who¡¯d dreamt of having a child but could not. Offers came from proper homes almost daily. But Calistya, being one of the oldest, was almost always passed over.

    She had met with a couple or two, awkward exchanges where she would eagerly tell them about her top marks in school, her dreams about going full-gill so she could ¡®help save the seas¡¯ (a vague aspiration she hadn''t quite figured out yet), hypervigilantly feeling them out and trying in vain to impress. Then came the realization that she was getting nowhere, plunging her into an anxious silence. She would float there at a loss, not knowing what to say to save things. Her hopeful dream, that they¡¯d suddenly exclaim, ¡®You¡¯re perfect. Let¡¯s go!¡¯, would fade into despair as the minutes passed, and they would finally excuse themselves without saying much.

    Her best friend in the community, and the one she most counted on when times got tough, was a girl named Khrystal. Not much for school life, this girl was a troublemaker and then some. Always teasing about what she¡¯s going to do with her undersea unicorn once she finds it and catches it and tames it for her own. How that was going to be her ticket to get out of here. Far, far from the school and all it¡¯s rules. Not that there really was such a thing as a unicorn, not in all the seven seas as far as anyone knew. But that didn¡¯t stop her from dreaming of an ethereal creature with a technicolor mane and a flowing tail, ready to carry her away to a safe place.

    Calistya asked her once if she¡¯d been talking about a Narwhal ¡ª not native to their part of the world, but at least a for-real creature that might actually, you know, exist. But Khrystal was adamant that she wasn¡¯t talking about a fish. That a unicorn was known to inhabit the warm waters of the south, and yes it had gills and could swim and everything else. And it would take her away from here. Then they spent an hour or so making up stories about what they¡¯d do with such a fine steed.

    Khrystal was fun that way, and good at keeping Calistya¡¯s mind off of sad things. Things like thinking about her parents, or how much she wanted to escape. Not that it was a terrible, or even a bad place. It was just the loneliness that came with it. Especially at night. When the waters went dark and they had to close up the place from predators, that was when reality really started to sink in. Luckily she and Khrystal shared a common room between their bedrooms, and on non-school nights they could stay up late. So they often shared unicorn stories and whatever other fun topics they could come up with.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°What¡¯d you wanna do with your life when you¡¯re a fully-grown?¡± Khrystal asked suddenly one night.

    She snapped Calistya right out of her sad reverie with that question, and the mergirl had to think for a minute. Khrystal, being a year older, had obviously given the matter some thought.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought so much about that, really,¡± Calistya had to admit, ¡°but I guess I¡¯d like to be a teacher. Help other mergirls with their math and oceanography, that kind of thing.¡±

    Khrystal wrinkled her nose. She wasn¡¯t the finest student.

    ¡°Well, what about you? What do you want to do when you get out of here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know,¡± Khrystal said with a sigh, ¡°lots of things, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Calistya prodded, ¡°there¡¯s got to be something that really excites you. Something special.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s stupid really,¡± said her friend, ¡°and impossible anyway, so¡­¡±

    Calistya moved closer, intrigued.

    Khrystal¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper as she leaned closer to Calistya and said, ¡°What I really want to be is a sentry.¡±

    Calistya recoiled at the very idea of a mergirl sentry. It wasn¡¯t exactly forbidden for females to fight. But it wasn¡¯t in their nature, generally, and it was so dangerous. Merfolk were a peaceful lot, by and large, but there was cause for keeping an army. What with all the dangers in the seas, and above, how could they not. But it was usually the boys¡ªonce they grew into strong mermen, of course¡ªwho went off to fight. But even for them it was a burden, not a pleasure. And Khrystal wanted that?

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Calistya said, taking in a deep breath and reaching down to blow bubbles into the common pool. ¡°You¡¯d really want to do that?¡±

    Khrystal backed off, looking fairly stricken by her friend¡¯s response. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was a smart idea. Just a dream is all.¡±

    ¡°A dream to get yourself killed,¡± Calistya said, ¡°or kill someone else.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Khrystal replied, ¡°you know perfectly well it¡¯s mostly shark-defense and border protection. That sort of thing. The sentries hardly ever fight head-on any more. It¡¯s just a way to protect the community is all. I think it¡¯s brave.¡±

    ¡°It is brave,¡± Calistya admitted. ¡°I just never thought you. I mean, what are you going to do, ride in on your unicorn and kill all our enemies?¡±

    The two mergirls laughed.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Khrystal said. ¡°A sentry¡¯s got to have some kind of steed after all. Not everyone can ride dolphins into battle.¡±

    They started laughing harder, picturing the picture books they¡¯d been given in first year, those old tales of mermen (and women, to be fair) riding off to fight the sea-devils and humans and killer whales with two tamed dolphins underfin. It was a fantasy from start to finish, but it¡¯d been more impressive when they were little, and they¡¯d almost believed those tall tales.

    * * *

    The two girls discussed full-gill enhancements a number of times. There were pros and cons to either choice, and not every Technoquatic opted for it even if they did quality. There were serious limitations, after all. It was one thing to put on the gear and enjoy the sea, but a whole other matter to have to stay there for the rest of your life.

    Little things changed forever. Like how you slept or how you ate. The way you cleaned and groomed yourself. Even bathroom breaks, gross as that sounded. It was just different. You could say it was like becoming another person, really. From a groundwalker to a seaswimmer was no small transition.

    ¡°Cali, it¡¯s not all that,¡± Khrystal would say. ¡°First, you can¡¯t afford it, besides which you have to give up your socializing. You really want to miss out on clubbing with me, when we¡¯re old enough?¡±

    ¡°They have events on the seafloor, Khrys,¡± Calistya would argue, though she knew her friend had a point. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s what we were meant to be.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just a fairy tale,¡± Khrystal said, ¡°we were meant to be right where we¡¯re at. And it¡¯s dangerous, too.¡±

    ¡°Not that dangerous,¡± Calistya said weakly, feeling she was losing the argument. ¡°I thought you wanted it, too.¡±

    ¡°I did, but¡­¡±

    Her friend didn¡¯t have to finish the sentiment. They both knew the reality, and it was just as true for the both of them. It was crazy expensive, and an indulgence neither could afford. Not as orphans, at any rate. Who was going to pay for some pathetic kids to get the enhancements, when people with actual money were willing to shell out for them?

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 2: Questions and Consequences

    ¡°Mr. Albi?¡±

    Khrystal had one hand raised, elbow propped atop her other wrist¡ªa pose which reflected a pre-planned obstinacy.

    The teacher peered out over unstylish glasses, pausing his lecture mid-sentence, then nodded permission.

    ¡°How come none of us ever moved out to the open sea? How come we¡¯re stuck here by the shelf? How come there¡¯re so few techno cities along the old coast? Why haven¡¯t we gone places like the history books say we did before?¡±

    Her teacher absorbed the rapid-fire grilling without expression. A patient sort, with an affinity for hard-luck cases, he¡¯d always listen willingly, though he was less likely to actually take the bait.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, Ms. Khrystal, what¡¯s say you and I meet up after class and have a good long search for those answers. Okay?¡±

    Khrystal deflated. After class? Seriously? Her disruption technique had failed so thoroughly. She tapped her fingers on the desk, scowling as Mr. Albi moved on. Fine, she thought. Be boring about it.

    Calistya¡¯s hand shot up. ¡°I¡¯ll join you guys, if it¡¯s okay.¡±

    A ripple of relief gave Khrystal a calming feeling. It was just like her best bestie to volunteer for extra duty. She knew Khrys needed her. She had a passing thought, I¡¯d do the same in Cali¡¯s shoes, but the rise of yuck in her throat told her otherwise.

    She kept quiet for the rest of the class, making sure not to get any additional punishments tacked on. When the last chime sounded and everyone else filtered out, she went straight to the teacher¡¯s desk and sat down.

    Mr. Albi waved at her to move it, and took the seat for himself, rubbing his legs and wincing.

    ¡°Mr. Albi, why didn¡¯t you ever get the full works?¡± Khrystal asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t wanna be whole?¡±

    Coming from another, it might¡¯ve been seen as offensive¡ªbut Khrystal was nothing if not curious. She wasn¡¯t purposefully offensive.

    Knowing that, he smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve just always liked my legs right where they were, I suppose. I mean, we can always suit up, can¡¯t we? I suppose I just found the limitations outweighed the benefits.¡±

    The limitations were real. Full technoquatic ¡®merfolk¡¯ couldn¡¯t move about in neighborhoods with lots of dry space, for instance. Pools and tanks had had to be installed to accommodate them in the early days, something Mr. Albi himself had taught them.

    Their school for the orphaned had several full-mers on staff, in fact, and a few classrooms featured a teaching tank for just that reason. As those were the nicest rooms, the teachers sometimes complained about unfairness when they thought the students weren¡¯t listening. ¡®mer privilege¡¯ and the like.

    ¡®Maybe that¡¯s why Mr. Albi stays half-tech¡¯, Khrystal thought. ¡®To have something to complain about¡¯. She laughed inwardly.

    But the tanks were unobtrusive, built right into the rooms. When no one was swimming them, they made for nice decorations. Like fishtanks with no fish. Most places were like that. And there were amazing benefits: the cool factor, for one. It really was prestigious to be a mer. Plus all the fully aquatic zones that were supposedly all-access, but being geared up wasn¡¯t practical. Most of all, the ability to live a fully 3D lifestyle, embracing their environment like an ocean dweller should. Khrystal couldn¡¯t see much downside.

    "When they let me, I¡¯m getting the full treatment," Khrystal announced, though her confidence wavered inside. Visions of the gold and shiny treasures it would take sank her spirits, but she pushed them down and raised her voice. "I will be a mermaid, you just watch me." The words felt as much for herself as for the room.

    ¡°And that¡¯ll be very good for you, my dear. It¡¯s just not for everybody. Now, let¡¯s turn to our chronology text. Who can tell me about the time expansion effect of the pelagic calendar? Not a one of you? Right, well, the resurgence of migratory patterns following the restoration of ecosystems in the southern¡­¡±

    * * *

    The headmaster and Mr. Albi spoke often about what to do with Khrystal. Her marks were extraordinary. Extraordinarily bad. History class was the only course she was passing at all, and that had something to do with Albi¡¯s rather generous grading curve. Her other courses were abysmal, and it seemed likely that she¡¯d fail out of school altogether. As it stood, her skillset pointed to a custodial role. Nothing to be ashamed of, but hardly an aspirational position. More a position to take for a period of time, before higher education for instance, rather than the end result of a scholastic career.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    But there it was. She was in trouble.

    ¡°Is there any¡­I don¡¯t know. Any extra-curricular interests that might suit our girl?¡± the headmaster asked.

    Mr. Albi chuckled. ¡°Is sea-unicorn riding an extra-curricular activity we might consider starting up?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Just thinking aloud. No, I think our Ms. Khrystal will just have to work things out for herself. I fear her path lies elsewhere from academics. Perhaps one of the trades?¡±

    * * *

    The headmaster met with all the primary teachers for all the students periodically, and as vexing as the Khrystal situation was, he had other pupils to attend to.

    Today he was meeting with Calistya¡¯s primary, Ms. Terri, which proved to be a far more uplifting conference. Calistya was one of the school¡¯s most promising students, with high marks in just about every subject, save literature. Given the fact that Ms. Terri was her literature teacher as well as primary, it would give them a good chance to discuss how to get Calistya¡¯s marks in literature in line with everything else.

    Calistya held so much promise, it was possible she could become the school¡¯s only higher-education candidate. Higher-education was normally a field reserved for wealthy merfolk and their offspring. With a degree from the higher learning center, one could find themselves working as a city planner, a healer perhaps, or even mayor one day. For an orphan such as Calistya, these opportunities were a phenomenal break from the usual merchant-class lifestyle such youngsters generally settled into.

    Ms. Terri was expressing concern for Calistya¡¯s budding relationship with the one-year-older Khrystal.

    ¡°Ah, Khrystal. Yes, that certainly is a worry,¡± said the headmaster, ¡°wouldn¡¯t want any bad influences to gum up the works. That poor girl is going nowhere, and the last thing we want is for our Calistya to follow her down.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re very close,¡± Ms. Terri said, ¡°and I¡¯d hate to break them apart without good reason. They don¡¯t have many friends outside of each other.¡±

    ¡°Be that as it may, Calistya should be encouraged to spend time with other high achievers. Like herself.¡±

    Ms. Terri nodded, but she knew that was easier said than done. Calistya was flighty, and didn¡¯t take to others so easily. She¡¯d been distant from all the merkids until she and Khrystal had grown close.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can,¡± Ms. Terri promised, ¡°see if I can¡¯t get Khrystal to start following Calistya¡¯s lead, rather than the other way ¡®round.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Saw Ms. Terri going into Headmaster Oliver¡¯s office,¡± Khrystal said. ¡°Becha they¡¯re talkin¡¯ about us.¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Calistya said. ¡°There¡¯s a million students they need to deal with. We¡¯re quiet and keep to ourselves. What¡¯s to talk about?¡±

    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Khrystal said, laughing, ¡°I¡¯m not quiet, and I make everybody¡¯s business mine.¡± She laughed harder, kicking up her feet.

    ¡°Watch it!¡± said Calistya. ¡°You¡¯ve got sand.¡±

    ¡°Do not.¡±

    ¡°Do too. You went swimming at lunch, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Who didn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve got sand.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go anywheres near sand,¡± Khrystal retorted, examining her feet. ¡°And besides, I wore a fin. Where would the sand go?¡±

    ¡°It gets everywhere. I hate it.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± she sputtered, on the defensive, ¡°who doesn¡¯t?¡°

    Calistya¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Actually, I read somewhere about beach sand. It¡¯s supposed to be nice. Fine. Pure white sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well we¡¯ve got no beaches down here. And what there is is all wet and soppy. And I didn¡¯t get any on myself, thank you much.¡±

    Whatever,¡± Calistya said, her voice growing distracted. ¡°So you think the headmaster¡¯s talking about us, do you?¡±

    ¡°Maybe not us. Just me. He hates me you know. Wants to expel me. He¡¯s got it all worked out.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. They want you to do better, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Tell you what, I¡¯ll get him first though.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I set him up. Wrote a letter to the city, saying he,¡±¡ªshe started giggling mock-maniacally¡ª¡±he beats us and tortures us and we can¡¯t get away!¡±

    ¡°You did not!¡±

    ¡°Did.¡± She smirked, holding out a notebook. Across the top, in her messy scrawl, were the words: ¡®Dear Magistrate of the City,¡¯. It felt ridiculous, even to her¡ªbut she loved the way it sounded, and the sense of control it promised, even if it was just a fantasy.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to send it, are you?¡±

    ¡°I dunno. Maybe if he ticks me off enough,¡± Khrystal answered, pensive now.

    ¡°That¡¯s awful,¡± Calistya said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡±

    Khrystal made as if tired of the conversation, though the emotional sinking feeling she had was of a friend¡¯s disapproval. Calistya had a way of making her feel small, without meaning to.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Tear it up.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡±

    ¡°Good. Feel like a swim tomorrow after class?¡± Calistya asked, trying to ease Khrystal¡¯s discomfort by changing the subject. ¡°A real swim, head to the aquacenter and stretch our fins.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not real, you know. We don¡¯t actually have fins.¡±

    The condescension was uncalled for, and Cali felt a wave of shame hit her for daring to entertain the fantasy, nevermind that Khrystal went along with it most days. She was just in a mood, they both said ¡®fins¡¯ all the time, dreaming of a time they could truly say it. Lots of young people did.

    ¡°Fine, we don¡¯t. Do you want to swim anyways, or not?¡±

    Khrystal shrugged. ¡°Sure, I guess. Why not.¡±

    Calistya sighed, rolling away from her friend. ¡°Would it kill you to show a little enthusiasm?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Khrys replied. ¡°I¡¯ll try it sometime. See if I drop dead.¡± Her laughter filled the room as she kicked sand over onto Cali¡¯s kelp-frond woven bedding.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 3: Currents and Crossroads

    No school, thanks to the latest blackout. Citywide outages weren¡¯t so rare, but this time the hydrogrid was down bad enough to send kids home early, curtail market hours, and leave the city eerily silent under the emergency lights. Khrystal was thrilled¡ªa day off was worth any disruption¡ªbut Calistya couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. So, into the city or out to sea? Their argument was already stewing before the school doors shut behind them.

    Khrystal, the material girl, pushed for a downtown hangout. But Cali wanted open waters, somewhere the day¡¯s stress couldn¡¯t reach. ¡®Is everything always going to break down? It¡¯s worse than ever,¡¯ she thought, her eyes drifting towards the gates like they always did when things went wrong.

    They took their full gear along. Just because they were in the city didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t a million ways to be a technoquatic. There were certain sections of the waterways and pools that were, generally speaking, full-gill exclusive, but the majority of the channels and lakes¨Cand the entire midtown aquacenter¨Cwere open to everyone.

    Sometimes one would swim while the other ran, a popular mix. Since the roadside channels were designed so that a swimmer and a walker could move along together, there was rarely a spot of pavement that wasn¡¯t complimenting a channel, or a park that didn¡¯t boast a meandering moat. Everything in the city was designed to be the best of both worlds.

    ¡°Nope, hang on,¡± Khrystal said, looking at her route scanner, ¡°midtown¡¯s on hiatus already. Damn, I thought they wouldn¡¯t shut it ¡®til 3. Stupid. Guess they¡¯re even running low on reserve hydro. Why¡¯d they make us do that stupid conservation initiative crap if it wasn¡¯t even going to keep the boutiques open!¡±

    Calistya sighed. ¡°Well, yeah, but I get it. They can only do so much.¡± She kept her stronger opinions to herself, those involving her fondness for the initiative Khrystal was insulting, and her hope that it might make things better someday.

    Khrystal shrugged. ¡°They can¡¯t even keep the stores open, and you think that¡¯s enough? Maybe I should be running the city.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah? Maybe I could,¡± Calistya shot back, laughing.

    ¡°Doubt it. I could run the city better than you.¡±

    ¡°Right. You can¡¯t even run your classes, nevermind the city.¡±

    Khrystal frowned, crossing her arms. ¡°Supportive.¡±

    Calistya, feigning the sarcastic bravado of her friend, grinned. ¡°Come on, race you to the central gardens. At least they won¡¯t be closed.¡±

    The pair did a quick rock/seaweed/shard to determine who got which position, and Khrystal suited up as the swimmer. When she was ready and in the channel, Calystya hopped on her back, and they were off.

    * * *

    The gardens were, as predicted, operational¡ªthough ¡®barely holding together¡¯ might have been a better way to put it. The crisis was evident at every turn. The waterjets were on intermittently, and parts of the facility were in blackout. They took turns swimming the waterways that flowed well enough, not enough to really stretch their limbs properly, then resorted to walking where the channels ran dry. But it wasn¡¯t as pretty as it used to be, either, because there were bold, official-looking signs posted all around.

    Your Energy! Your Future!

    Early to Sleep and Early to Risin, No More Blackouts on the Horizin!

    Did you reduce your flow today?

    ¡°Early to risin?¡± Khrystal snorted, her voice dripping with distain. She made a stick-finger-down-throat motion, then added, ¡°What kind of idiot wrote this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for little kids, I guess,¡± Calistya retorted, though she was cringing too.

    They were as eco-friendly as the next techno¡¯s, but tired of hearing about all the woes of their city. The situation had deteriorated since the drop in sea-levels had rendered the huge plants useless. Everyone knew that. But there wasn¡¯t much they could do, and besides, their school for orphaned technoquatics was about as eco-friendly as it could be.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    They tried ignoring the signage, but then there were city workers, walkers and swimmers both, coming up to hand over informational pamphlets. The day was becoming a bore, and Cali regretted not speaking up more about the open sea option. There was plenty enough to do out there, and no intrusive-minded park workers to contend with.

    ¡°You know what?¡± Calistya said. ¡°This isn¡¯t working. Let¡¯s head out.¡±

    ¡°Out? To sea? All the way from here? But we came all this way¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, we came all this way to have fun, not to get lectured to,¡± she said, knowing that her friend would take to that argument. A lump of shame rose in her throat. She hated how easily she¡¯d betrayed her own beliefs¡ªand her friend¡ªin the same breath.

    Yet she continued. ¡°We might as well¡¯ve just stayed in school. You¡¯re right, Krys, this whole city¡¯s a joke. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    And then, without giving her friend any say in the matter, Calistya suited up and got ready for a long swim. This required a certain amount of stretching, and a lot of fin-fanning if you did it the right way, which Calistya always did.

    Khrystal shrugged and started gearing-up herself, mouthing ¡®show off¡¯ under her breath as she watched her friend preen. She didn¡¯t mind a long haul, not really, but she did prefer the city. But she didn¡¯t feel like starting a fight, so she stayed quiet as they got themselves ready.

    Properly prepared, they headed for the nearest channel and dipped their fins.

    ¡°You want to check the route?¡± Calistya asked, trying to be nice now that she¡¯d gotten her way.

    ¡°No, whatever. We can just detour if we have to.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Calistya said, slipping into the channel.

    The channel outflow, built to streamline commuter traffic, flowed at a steady but throttled-back pace during the day, giving the girls a welcome boost. Although they were stuck with detours three times along the way, all thanks to hydroelectric power outages ¡®impossible to avoid¡¯, they got themselves out of the city in less than an hour.

    * * *

    Adult technos could leave the gates freely, but for youngsters, check-in with the sentries was mandatory. Each pair had to prove they were traveling with a buddy, and provide parental permission.

    This proved a hassle for Calistya and Khrystal, being orphans. They had to show their school ID¡¯s, and the school would have to be notified. However, there was one sentry, Marla, who¡¯d grown fond of her frequent adventurers. After checking in with the school a number of times, always with an all clear, she¡¯d taken to registering them without the formalities.

    Marla being on duty, they got through to the open sea hassle-free. Past the city limits, there were no more conservation warnings, no more detours. Nothing to stop them from having a good time.

    As they swam out, the city¡¯s din gave way to the calming rippling of water¡ªwaves rolling above, the faint crackle of distant breakers, and the blubs and bloops of a basin full of sea-stuff, as if the whole of it were breathing in and out.

    Although Khrystal had been reluctant, she was as pleased as Calistya to be out in the open, enjoying the currents and overwaves, and seeing all the sealife. They headed out a ways, since they had the whole day, and dared to deep dive perilously close to the dark.

    ¡®The Dark¡¯ marked the boundary between sunlight and the abyss of eternal night¡ªa foreboding, uncharted expanse. Even the strongest swimmers were advised against venturing down there, and for the children, it was strictly forbidden. ¡®No plunging into the dark, and no surfacing.¡¯ Those two extremes were disallowed, and for good reason. The girls knew the rules, but skirted the boundaries all the same, reveling in the thrill of defiance.

    The sunlight above dimmed as they dove deeper, the edge of The Dark looming like a heavy curtain. Calistya¡¯s pulse intensified, but she indicated nothing, unwilling to break the fragile spell.

    They spent hours trading swim-off techniques, practicing underwater calisthenics, and sampling the sparse plants sprouting just below the contamination zone. Most were rubbery and bitter¡ªfar from the delicacies they¡¯d imagined. They also spent time relaxing, floating and watching sea creatures, allowing their cares to dissolve into the expanse all around.

    Exhausted but satisfied, they began their slow journey back, the rhythmic flick of their fins echoing into the endless ripples. By the time the sentry gate came into view, the dusky hues of twilight had electrified the water in shimmering sparkles. Calistya paused, suspended in the open sea, weightless and free. The constraints of life back home loomed again, the rules, the sentry gates, the endless noise. Out here, it was just easier. She wasn¡¯t ready to go back.

    But Khrystal gave her arm a tug, uneasy about being caught out once nightfall came, another of the myriad restrictions they had to live with. It was funny, sometimes she was the one worried about the rules, sometimes her friend. They¡¯d be in trouble if they both decided they didn¡¯t care at the same time.

    Following her friend¡¯s lead, she headed back, noticing that Marla¡¯s smiling face was no longer at the checkpoint. Instead, a surly guard with sharp eyes watched their approach. The last flickers of sundown saved them from a reprimand¡ªthis time. Calistya glanced at Khrystal, who rolled her eyes. Back to the grind, Cali thought, her mind¡¯s eye lingering on the inky curtain that spoke to her that day.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 4: The Breaking Point

    Following their forbidden swim to the edge of The Deep, a fragile quiet had settled over Calistya and Khrystal¡¯s world. The pair talked often about their amazing day off, dreaming of another escape, but the normal run of lessons and report-ins didn¡¯t allow for it. At any rate they needn¡¯t have worried, for the stillness didn¡¯t last long¡ªand this time, it wasn¡¯t the grid.

    The alert system was color-coordinated, designed to be visible even to swimmers moving through the city. Audible alerts were impractical underwater, so the system relied heavily on shifting hues¡ªminor alerts, such as power grid watches, changed the calming, oceanic blues to a more yellowish hue, subtle enough to blend with the natural light.

    The cascading alert system then followed a predictable pattern¡ªthe more they intensified, the more serious, though still incremental, keeping the population on an even keel. The riots of Pelagic Year 104, the participants of which had inadvertently caused a breach, led to major shifts in crisis management. As the last of the floodwaters were pumped back out to sea, city leadership voted to overhaul the system ¡®from stem to stern¡¯, intent on preserving societal equilibrium at all costs. The calming escalation of alert hues was just one tangible result of their efforts.

    The shock of the classroom flaring a fiery red didn''t set off immediate panic. Instead, there was an excited buzz¡ªit felt like something out of the history books. But Mr. Albi¡¯s frozen expression, radiating concern of the utmost gravity, shifted the mood more effectively than emergency lights ever could.

    Then, shaking his head to clear it, he sprang for the door, far faster than his usual, deliberate pace, and yelled for them to get moving. Chairs scraped against the floor as the entire class complied without hesitation.

    The Shallows was on red alert.

    * * *

    Red alerts were so rare that the electrodes buzzed with neglect, dust filtering down off the suddenly hot bulbs. No gentle transition here, the soft hues of various conditions were integrated and fine-tuned, but these were a riot of antiquity. They were rumored to signal breaches, catastrophic air system failures, or worse¡ªthreats from the outside. Though the wartimes were long past, other settlements and societies were still a concern, theoretically.

    The students, drilled but never tested, streamed out of the building, teachers barked orders as they went: ¡°Single file! Single file! Stay calm!¡±

    They were ushered out the doors and towards the air shelter.

    ¡°Down the corridor out the doors! Out the doors! Out the doors!¡±

    The unified voices of well-trained teachers rang out, all of them looking stern as steel, but there were hints that they were just trying to keep it together themselves. Ms. Terri, usually such a calming presence, voiced her commands in a raspy, shaky voice, while Mr. Albi moved with the intensity of someone who¡¯d dealt with this kind of chaos before.

    The oxy-shelters were placed strategically throughout the city, and the one nearest the school was just a few minutes'' walk¡ªor swim. The students walked calmly, though it quickly became noticeable that other citizens were heading in the same direction, the younger ones looking rather more excited about it, the elders moving faster with each step.

    This prompted everyone around them to step up the pace as well, and the crowds grew. People were filtering out of work buildings and homes, the crowds growing larger, the single-file order quickly dissolving.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    When they reached the oxy-shelter, audible sirens had welled up, adding to the confused, heightened sense of tension all the redness was producing. Someone from high up must¡¯ve ordered that, the screeching sirens of old. It was as if the whole place had been slammed into survival mode.

    Aquasentinels were already positioned in front, clipboards in hand, looking stern and questioning the people who were reaching for proof of local residency. Only locals were allowed in, normally, though they were supposed to allow everyone through in an emergency. This was not happening.

    People were coughing, body to body now. The stench of fright and sweat mixed with an acrid, sickly sweet smell like burning rubber, filling the air and adding to the sense of imminent danger. A baby screeched somewhere in the crowd, and people started jostling one another, their movements becoming less organized by the second.

    With the students mixed in now, the trickle of people being allowed through included a few of them as well, though the teachers yelled for them to wait. Corralling the students before it was too late, they pushed them to the side. Twenty per class, six classes. A good number of them were already inside, but the rest were being told to wait. The students, of course, carried no IDs, but the teachers had their validation, and all of them were entitled to enter.

    At that point, the smell was beginning to nauseate people, and the panic grew. As the throngs intensified and the shelter filled up, Mr. Albi stepped forward and demanded that the students be allowed to in. ¡°¡­it being their local sector, of course.¡± He leaned in and listened, nodding. ¡°Yes, we''re from the Shallows Orphanage.¡±¡ªhis indignation grew, rising up against the curt replies he was receiving¡ª¡°These are the students. We need to get them inside!¡±

    ¡°Just hold on,¡± the sentinel barked. ¡°There''s too many of you at once. I can''t ID every student. Let me get the others inside first.¡±

    Albi¡¯s eyes widened and he balled his fists, raising his voice in protest.

    ¡°These children are residents of this district. They have the right to be sheltered immediately!¡±

    He matched the intensity of his words with a defiant posture, which the sentinel took for aggression. They both moved at once, and in the confusion Albi never saw the other sentinel, moving fast, until he cried out in pain as a stun-baton was thrust into his side, dropping the older man in a heartbeat.

    The sight of Mr. Albi crumpling to the ground froze the students in place, the momentary shock then giving way to frightened murmurs. Some cried, while others clutched their classmates, unsure whether to move or stay rooted where they were.

    The sight of more sentinels moving in made their decision for them. They scattered in all directions, running on instinct and adrenaline, any ideas of getting into the shelter abandoned. Khrystal grabbed Calistya¡¯s arm, her heart pounding. ¡°Out the gates,¡± she whispered. ¡°Now!¡±

    * * *

    Weaving through the streets, one leading the other, grasping each other''s hands tightly, they made their way through the crowds, working against the flow until they got away from the air shelter. The air grew clearer as they ran, the sharp, acrid fumes giving way to the familiar, salty-briny normalcy they were used to. It wasn''t the whole city that was affected, at least.

    They ran full-on, all the way to the checkpoint, stopping only to gear up. Calistya was shaking, unable to work the seams in her confusion. But Khrystal got her suit on in record time, then helped her friend.

    Martha¡¯s familiar greeted them at the gate, though her expression wasn¡¯t jovial this time. ¡°What are you two up to?¡± Martha¡¯s voice was calm, but her brow furrowed as she peered at the red lights. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be out here. The shelters¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re full,¡± Khrystal cut her off. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. Just please let us through.¡±

    Martha hesitated, her eyes examining their faces. ¡°You girls stay out of trouble, understand? Stay in range, and come right back at the all-clear.¡±

    Still hesitating as she lifted the barrier, the girls mumbled thanks and reassurances, then plunged through and out of her sight.

    They swam hard, faster than they¡¯d been running thanks to their gear enhancements. In an effort to put some distance between themselves and the chaos, they dispensed with any of the usual semi-vertical stream-flowing and instead relied on their mechanicals to push them at top velocity. This was a strain on the environmentals, but they weren¡¯t thinking ahead.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 5: Legacies Unearthed

    Pelagic 91 - two generations prior to the rise of the Solarians

    Danelia attended a prestigious school in the capital city of the western shelf. With a drive to become a politician and ''make things better for everyone'', she excelled in school, outshining her peer group and even stumping the teachers now and again. She had a knack for the ¡®old continentals¡¯¡ªher treatise on the dark times untangled a web of half-truths and political machinations which predated the great ecological collapse by decades.

    But her true academic passion lay beneath the waves. In particular, her own culture of techno-mers. Though she¡¯d opted out of the full-gill treatment, she loved the seas as much as any techno could, and spent her precious free time outside, surfing the big waves. Unlike in eastern regions, the west coast surface was safe to swim, and she enjoyed the ups and downs, not to mention the thrill of deep dives, from the surface to the abyss. There were moments, floating in silence, when she could almost sense something out there. Not dangerous. Just¡­watching.

    There were concerns about such primitives, so she and her friends had to stay a ways out. She never caught sight of them, though she¡¯d heard plenty of ghost-stories. How they¡¯d come crashing into the sea to take a young mergirl straight out of the water, never to be seen again. But most of the students realized that was little more than tall tales.

    Though she saw no such monsters, she did catch sight of ancient technology she wished she could¡¯ve gotten a closer look at. Power stations, thought to generate enough juice to drive entire ancient cities, stood rotting along the shores in many a popular surfing region.

    Beyond the simple work of her treatise, Danelia was considering a more intensive study. This involved the feasibility of getting some of those power stations up and running again. It had been many decades since the last of their kind had retreated back beneath the waves. It seemed logical to consider alternative power sources. The geo and hydrothermal power they now relied on was good enough, to a point, but their civilization was on the rise, and these limited sources wouldn¡¯t last forever.

    They had a hard and fast rule against fossil energy, given how the demise of civilization had played out around their misuse. But wind and solar were safe, well documented, and available to anyone willing to fund an expedition. That plus these mysterious, ancient stations that lined the shores, these behemoths that may have been nuclear, or some sort of sophisticated hybrid¡ªbut at any rate might be of great use for any sea dwelllers willing to make a go of it.

    Despite her efforts, Danelia was the only one truly interested in those antiquated technologies. There was still a great deal of fear. Society had ¡®advanced¡¯, their way was the best and only way. All else was deemed excessive and dangerous.

    But Dalelia had heard different stories, of a method of merging the old with the new, ancient wisdom that seemed to come from the sea, wisdom which had saved them, then slipped back beneath the waves. In that sense, these ways were all part of a continuum, with it¡¯s own place and purpose.

    There were reasons to revisit these resources, too. They had enough to get by now, yes, but down the road they¡¯d be looking at shortages, and finally collapse. So she persisted. She even proposed a shore excursion, so that the engineers could get a look at the old technologies. Perhaps even attempt to integrate some of it into their usual facilities.

    When she got no response from the department head of her school, she took matters into her own hands. With a handful of fellow students along for the ride, Danelia petitioned for shore access, a difficult to obtain privilege few merfolk took advantage of. In fact, only the department of anthropology even accepted such requests, so that was who they went through.

    The anthropology people were an interesting lot. They occasionally made near-shore excursions, so they were familiar enough with the ancient power stations in question. They¡¯d not explored them yet, but they knew how to find them. So she¡¯d be heading up with a few of their scholars along with her own friends. One big happy shore-leaving party, and all for the benefit of a technology most everyone refused to have any part in. Danelia was growing accustomed to being on the fringes of society, and she wasn¡¯t yet twenty years old.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    * * *

    The shore-excursion party numbered eight souls. Five in Danelia¡¯s group, and three others courtesy of the anthropology school. Allowing those bone-collectors into the fold was the only way to compose a full complement, so Danelia had reluctantly allowed them in. They had little use for technology, but were more than willing to explore the structures. They hoped to come across some glove or article of clothing, something worthy of being stuck in a museum. Or a book, even better. There were ancient-text libraries that would kill for a fresh copy of something or other to put on display.

    The trip to shore was uneventful, almost tediously so. Strict orders required them to scrub at the first sign of danger¡ªwhether it be natives, wildlife, or worst of all blackened vegetation or soil discoloration. Radiation remained the gravest concern, even after so many years.

    None of their fears came to pass. The shoreline was barren and cold, and still as a tomb. Any hints of vegetation were far distant, and hardly noteworthy. A solitary tree, a stripped clump of shrubbery. No hint of vibrancy along the entire shore.

    The anthropologists were busy at work, scouring the dunes for any sign of human relics. Their excitement was contagious, though Danelia felt an urge to order them back. Struggling to catch a decent breath, she tugged at her wetsuit collar. It was one thing to discuss an excursion in the abstract, but a whole other experience to abandon the safety of home. Then to find a place both familiar and alien at the same time, it was unnerving.

    Once the group composed itself and made ready to explore the structure, they first made a survey of the perimeter. There were barriers around the whole of the edifice, though fractured and broken in several spots. Getting inside wouldn¡¯t pose any problem. Danelia¡¯s group had little to do while they looked over the place, though the anthros had a field day picking off bits of metal and material from the fencing.

    Finally, they approached the entrance closest to the shore, allowing for a quick escape if needed. Danelia¡¯s colleagues all held light sources, as did Danelia herself, and they lit them up before venturing into the gaping hole in the side of the structure. It looked as though a bomb had gone off, though there was no significant radiation signatures to indicate that was so. It was likely just a symptom of age, though they¡¯d learn more once they got inside.

    The place dripped with water damage everywhere one turned, and the dank smell was at once musty and ocean-like. It might almost have felt like a power station at home, if not for the lack of creak-heavy ocean sounds that all true cities had. In place of that, there was an almost lighter-than-air clink-clank sound of wind against the outer walls, vastly more noticeable than what they were accustomed to.

    The corridors themselves were dull and utilitarian, offering little in the way of souvenirs for the anthros. As for Danelia¡¯s group, they were there for one reason alone, to get a look at the control center. From there they would determine if further study was warranted, or if the place was so far gone it was beyond any notion of repair.

    When they finally got to the large chamber that surely represented the heart of the place, Danelia¡¯s three halted, taking in the measurements and configuration for their report. The anthros had no such compunction to hold back. This place was a virtual treasure-trove of man-made junk. Random tools, clipboards, and personal items were strewn about, occupying just about every workstation. It was so much that they couldn¡¯t handle it all, and set about creating a triage system so they could determine what was essential, and what could be left behind.

    None of that mattered to Danelia, who set eyes on exactly what she was after straight away¡ªthe main control station. From there the vital functions of this power station were monitored and adjusted, and it was there that she would find the answers to her deepest questions.

    The blare of an alarm shocked the eight of them motionless. Overhead, lights flickered and fizzled, casting ghostly shadows in the cavernous space. Later, they would realize that one of the anthros must have tripped the alarm while trying to pry a wedged spanner loose from an emergency-stop mechanism. At the time, though, none of them understood what had gone wrong.

    Then came a grinding, frightful screeching noise, and the place lit up with flashing reds and whites that blinded them. Panic set in. Danelia later regretted not ordering them to stay put, at least until she could get a handle on what they were dealing with¡ªand maybe even how to make use of it. But that was hindsight. In the moment, she was just as scared as the others.

    They didn¡¯t stop running until they were out of the facility, past the fences, across the beach, and safely beneath the sea.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 6: Fault Lines

    With the shock of their escape still fresh, Calistya and Khrystal flirted with danger like never before. This time, they weren¡¯t careful when they got to The Deep. Feigning boldness, each daring the other to swim closer, they goaded each other to go first. They wanted in. Or out. Just.. away, really. Away from the violence, away from the harsh environs. Away to someplace calm. For ones who¡¯d lost parents, nothing could be more appealing.

    It wasn¡¯t as if there was anything for them in there. Not really. But as a surface runaway might feel a taste of freedom in crossing city boundaries, so they believed, beyond reason, that there was salvation down there¡ªif they could only gather the courage.

    There wasn¡¯t a lot of marine life this far down, the region being rather barren compared to a little closer to the sun. It was also cold down there, though their slipsuits took up most of the work in keeping the technos warm. As inhospitable as their sudden change in pressure might be, they enjoyed it. Their hearts pounded as they closed in on that looming shadowy beyond that promised adventure, and escape.

    ¡°Hey, you down there!¡±

    The authoritative voice was so commanding, the girls immediately stopped, arms by their sides in a reticent floating motion. Moments ago, they¡¯d believed they were in the right. Now they realized they¡¯d gone too far. And in doing so, had caught the attention of some border patrol sentinels.

    ¡°You girls want us to call your parents?¡± an imposing second guard transmitted, swimming up to join the first.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have parents,¡± Khrystal said, her tone sharper than it should have been.

    ¡°Oh?¡± said the first guard, ¡°from the school, are you? Which one of you is Calistya?¡±

    Cal raised her hand, a sheepish gesture, and hard to execute while treading.

    ¡°That¡¯d make you Khrystal,¡± said another, pointing with a neoprene-gloved finger. ¡°Yep, these are the ones.¡±

    The girls looked at each other with confused expressions, quickly turning fearful as the gravity of the situation grew clear. They¡¯d gone from escaping trouble to becoming the cause of it in quick succession.

    Still another of the authoritarian-looking aquasentinels descended in a cascade of bubbles, joining the first two to form a semi-circle. It smacked of confinement. The girls¡¯ breath fogged the inside of their glassplates as fear took hold.

    ¡°Your orphanage reported you missing an hour ago,¡± said the new arrival, ¡°as if we didn¡¯t have enough problems today. Drag us all the way to The Deep when half the city¡¯s on alert¡ªI¡¯ve half a mind to site you both for vagrancy.¡±

    He didn¡¯t sound angry. Just irritated. He looked over at his fellow guards.

    ¡°Orphans, huh?¡± the first guard one, his tone softening. ¡°Not worth the paperwork, I guess. Let¡¯s get you back before you cause more trouble.¡±

    * * *

    The girls were cast as runaways, not escapees of a near-riot, and they had no choice but to comply. What else could an orphan do in such circumstances? Scapegoats were needed, and the aquasentinels treated them as such, marching them back with a flourish of faux concern and rigid authority.

    A calm had fallen across The Shallows in their absence, as if nothing had happened at all. But whispers in the dorms suggested otherwise. Things had calmed down after Mr. Albi was struck down. Hospitalized rather than arrested, the authorities had scrambled to de-escalate, sidestepping blame as much as possible. The ventilation system had been restored in record time, and a desperate ¡®all is well¡¯ facade was quickly enacted.

    The rest of the students had stood around a while, forced to wait for the Aquasentinels to take statements. All but the ones involved in the altercation, Khrystal overheard. They¡¯d been taken away for their own debrief. The incident was being treated with some seriousness, at least, though there was no indication that they were going to be making any sweeping changes, either. They all just wanted to quietly put things back the way they were, no questions asked.

    * * *

    Calistya didn¡¯t see much of Khrystal the rest of the week. Both had lost privileges for having left the scene without permission and had been grilled separately, leaving no chance to compare notes. Calistya was warned against following friends blindly. Khrystal, she imagined, got a talking to for overly influencing a younger girl.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Since she¡¯d lost swim privileges, there wasn¡¯t much else to do besides schoolwork. Literature class was her favorite, thanks to Ms. Terri, a young, milky-skinned woman with a love for her subject. She was so sweet, too, prompting the students put out something extra so as not to disappoint her. Even Khrystal had remarked that it¡¯d been her favorite go-around the year before, giving Calistya something to look forward to. Most of Khrystal¡¯s other reviews weren¡¯t so glowing.

    Calistya sat and poured over the stories, Ms. Terri explaining complex passages from an obscure writer a hundred years gone. Although Ms. Terri¡¯s explanations made sense, Calistya sensed that others couldn¡¯t see the point. It just seemed like so many hard words and long phrases to most of them, but she loved it.

    ¡°Imagine this, class,¡± Ms. Terri said, her voice turning wistful, ¡°the author is talking about the old times, before the submersion, when we walked heavy on the land and had to bear the burden of farming the endless plains. He¡¯s explaining how coming down here was a liberation, that we¡¯d found our true calling. That we were meant to return from whence we came.¡±

    ¡°Lest we travail no more, to the depths and sweet surround, and through the bounty not of loam nor firmament, thus spake the truthseeker¡­¡± The words, resonant in her ears, swam in front of her eyes as her teardrops hit the page. Calistya slammed the book shut, horrified that she might¡¯ve ruined it.

    Ms. Terri looked hurt, misunderstanding Cali¡¯s reaction. ¡°Alright Cali, that¡¯s enough for today. I hope I¡¯ve made some sense of things, anyway.¡±

    As the others filed out, Calistya stepped forward, head bowed in shame. ¡°You made sense, Ms. Terri,¡± Calistya said, ¡°it¡¯s just a tough read is all.¡± She looked down at the book, now clutched to her chest, embarrassed that she¡¯d slammed it. But she didn¡¯t want to admit that the story of liberation had rung so false. The sea might well be their place of liberation, but not this school. And not The Shallows, either. No place but the open sea would do for her anymore¡ªhe¡¯d had too great a taste of it.

    * * *

    It wasn¡¯t until the end of the week that she caught up with Khrystal. By that time her worries about her outburst in literature class had been superseded by a wanderlust, making her all the more disappointed when Khrystal announced that she wouldn¡¯t be swimming a while.

    ¡°What are you talking about? The curfew was only a week. We can swim at next light.¡±

    ¡°Not me. I¡¯ve got things to do,¡± Khrystal replied, her tone clipped.

    ¡°What things?¡± Calistya pressed.

    Khrystal paused a moment, then said, ¡°Just things, that¡¯s all. Stuff I have to do. You should get busy with your schoolwork anyway. You¡¯re doing terrible in oceanography, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Calistya had almost forgotten about that annoying rocks and seaweed class, so she bristled at the mention of it. ¡°I¡¯m not that bad. I went for tutoring.¡±

    ¡°Good. You need it. Now leave me alone a while. I¡¯ve got stuff to do.¡±

    Calistya felt a hot rush fill up her cheeks. Her friend had never talked to her like this before. She wondered if she¡¯d done something. But other than their mistaken swim¡ªsomething they¡¯d both agreed upon¡ªshe had nothing else.

    ¡°Did they say something to you? About us? You mad?¡±

    Khrystal shook her head, then rolled her eyes. ¡°Look, Cal, you wouldn¡¯t understand okay. It¡¯s something for older technos. Mermaids really.¡±

    Khrystal paused, glancing at her friend as if she wanted to say more. But then her face hardened, and she shook her head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it, okay? Just¡­ go do your homework or something.¡±

    Calistya felt on the verge of tears all over again. She fought to keep the quiver from her lips as she said, ¡°Okay, fine. That¡¯s the way you want it¡­fine.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t fine. Not for Calistya. But what could she say? If her friend didn¡¯t want to be around her anymore, what could she do about it? She suspected it had something to do with the headmaster¡¯s comments, but she couldn¡¯t know for sure.

    Khrystal stormed off, just as upset as Calistya, though it¡¯d been all Khrys¡¯ fault. Cali had no idea what the cruelty was all about, but she wasn¡¯t about to go running after her. Khrystal wanted her friend to swim without her, fine. Calistya would swim alone.

    But as she sliced through the water, the reality of isolation robbed her of any enjoyment, the motions felt like work, the head-down silence, a solitary expanse. She felt both trapped and outcast at the same time. She finished quickly and climbed back onto land, her oh-so-human shivering and those chubby legs reminding her of all she was not. Just a lonely girl, hardly a maid of the sea, just trying to cope with rejection.

    * * *

    Calistya went out for her swim in the late afternoon, Khrystal watching her go. She¡¯d been watching all day, from the viewport in the headmaster¡¯s office where she¡¯d been ordered to report daily.

    She¡¯d kept quiet about her past troubles, for the same reason. For going to the breach, and for diving too close to the darkness. That it wasn¡¯t her first encounter with the border patrol, and that her punishment was far harsher than Calistya knew.

    Worse, she¡¯d been accused of being a bad influence. She couldn¡¯t admit that to her friend, it was too risky. She¡¯d hoped they¡¯d let it go, since the girls had so few friends to begin with. But this breach had proved the last straw. They were threatening to kick her out. And for an orphan, that meant very few options. She could forget about recreational swimming. Disgraced technos had to work, cleaning up the city drainage system or some other demeaning labor. If she didn¡¯t want that to happen, she¡¯d have to mind herself, and stay away from ¡®friends¡¯ who were always getting into trouble.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 7: From the Dark

    Calistya could barely see her way forward, her eyes squeezing shut involuntarily. Khrystal¡¯s biting words rolled around in her mind, a painful replaying that triggered head-shakes and muscle tension, making the effort of swimming an uncomfortable chore.

    She pressed on, swimming as hard as she could, striving for emotional release. She barely registered reaching the city limits and passing the gate with just a wave from her sentinel friend Marla. She never realized that Marla was heading for trouble herself, given that she had simply assumed Calistya was with her usual buddy, not noticing that Cali was with no partner at all. Such was their casual trust, which Cali had just mistakenly violated.

    Khrystal doesn¡¯t understand, Cali thought. She can¡¯t even. How would she know what it feels like to be so trapped? To feel crushed under every rule, every denial, all those walls closing in on me?

    With each stroke, Calistya imagined breaking through those walls, leaving everyone and everything behind. Forgetting that she¡¯d ever even been a Technoquatic.

    Mechanical mermaids, she thought bitterly, what a joke.

    Thoughts of home¡ªits meaningless rules, suffocating barriers, and sterile routines¡ªtightened her throat. Even the name grated on her. The Shallows, what was that even supposed to mean?

    She hardly noticed her trajectory, pushing downward purely on instinct. She didn¡¯t even notice the moment she passed through the twilight and down, down further into the darkness.

    She became aware of her surroundings only when the bioluminescence sprang up all around her path, coming up from somewhere deep below, swirling around her as she dove. The sudden glow startled her, threads of electric blue and green weaving through the water, snapping her out of her compulsive downward rhythm. She looked back, suddenly aware of how far she¡¯d come. And what the ramifications might be. If the aquasentinels showed up now, she¡¯d be in more trouble than she¡¯d ever known.

    A fearful pause later, she decided she didn¡¯t care.

    It was intoxicating down here, plying the forbidden zone. And the sealife was fascinating. Her upset fading, she started swimming more slowly, curving around and stretching luxuriously, pulling herself further down, further than even the stories she¡¯d heard, from older technos who¡¯d been down before.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Maybe I can stay for a while, go a little deeper even. The darkness felt like a run for freedom¡ªuntouched by the harsh glare of civilization, hers to claim and hers alone.

    Why not, what can it hurt?

    Going for broke, she swam hard again, pushing herself even more, feeling the surge of momentum as she sliced her way down into the darkness. She looked back once, her stomach dropping at the sight of the line between twilight and dark, now a frightening distance away. Still she continued¡ªto hell with the headmaster, the school. And with Khrystal, too. To hell with them all.

    She examined the rock formations that made up the sides of what seemed to be a chasm, arching downward in a narrowing wall. The glowing creatures clung to the sides for the most part, a few floating lazily here and there. No large fish to be found, though she saw motion far below that she assumed must be bottom dwellers. They usually minded their own business, but one couldn¡¯t be too careful. A wrong finfall, and they¡¯d make their presence known.

    Still, she wasn¡¯t sure where the bottom might be, so far down into the darkness the chasm stretched. She decided to take a little more risk, go down a bit more and have a look. After all, she was already breaking the rules, wasn¡¯t she? So what was the difference if she went a little further? Enjoy the swim and see what else there is to see.

    A surge of upcurrent pushed Calistya, forcing her into a violent reverse-tuck. She righted herself expertly, only to flail backwards as a rushing shift of water displacement revealed a shadowy figure. Her gasp overwhelmed the oxy-regulator, which chirped in protest. There, floating before her, impossibly deep for a free-dive, was a boy.

    Calistya¡¯s mind started spinning, trying to make sense of things. If he couldn¡¯t have swam down, he must have come from below. But that made no sense either. Having risen up out of the darkness alone, he must have been a wayward too, as impossible as that seemed.

    Looking him over, though, she felt a fresh surge of disbelief. He was wearing no oxyquipment at all.

    Could he really be gill enhanced? At his age?

    She peered at his neck, but where there should be scars from the implants, she saw only gills. Natural gills. As if he were born with them! It was patently impossible, and yet that¡¯s what she was seeing.

    The boy looked back at her with a mixture of expressions, perplexed and amused. He had bone-white skin and tapered, piercing eyes. She wondered if he were one of the exchange merkids they¡¯d hosted so many years back. But they¡¯d all gone home. At any rate this boy was less a familiar outsider than a truly unearthly presence. Like a ghost.

    And just like a ghost, he turned and vanished. Only bubbles left behind, reassuring Calistya that she hadn¡¯t seen an apparition. Not that her people believed in such things at any rate. They were too evolved for such tales. But the sight of him did give her pause. She had to know more, but she didn¡¯t dare swim down any further. And it had seemed as if he¡¯d swum back down. Down to a mystery more powerful than any pull to return home.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 8: Circling Sharks

    Pelagic 91

    Sentinel duty wasn¡¯t as perilous as it once was, but Marla still worried about her father. He took his duties seriously, not ceremoniously, and even now an attack on the city wasn¡¯t totally unthinkable.

    In the olden times, when the city was new, there were more oceanic threats, and occasional ships from the land-dwellers who still attempted to keep alive. They would send divers from time to time, and it was to the sentries to turn them back.

    Now, the role of Aquasentinel of the Gate served as a check-in system for city dwellers out for a day. They could be seen to if anything went wrong. More rescuers than warriors, they would take to the seas to help the stranded and stricken, though still ready as ever to fight if needed.

    When Marla¡¯s father came home, she always greeted him with an enthusiastic hug. Then she¡¯d demand to hear stories of comings and goings at the gate, practically before he¡¯d even gotten his work gear off. Her mother would scold, gently, insisting that she leave her father alone to have a rest. But in truth he didn¡¯t mind.

    Marla assumed that some of his stories were embellished. Who would believe that every sentinel watch included encounters with a giant squid, out to grab passersby and try to gain entry into the city. Or that a rarer-than-rare sailing ship would¡¯ve happened by, dropping off divers who were intent upon striking up trade with the city fathers, start up negotiating with the sentries, including Marla¡¯s lucky father.

    He told tales of normal comings and goings too, of course. Of children packed together in school pods, and families out for an excursion, some from as far away as the eastern shelf. And all manner of merfolk, both suited up and the full-gill variety, checking in with the sentries and then setting off on their sea-day adventure. Her father made the hustle and bustle of the sentinel gate appealing in the extreme. Even from a young age, she¡¯d decided that¡¯s what she wanted to do, too.

    When she¡¯d say that, though, her father would discourage her. ¡°It¡¯s really not all that it¡¯s cracked up to be, love,¡± he¡¯d say. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of tedium, manning the gates all day. And you¡¯ve got to stand watch for hours on end. You¡¯re better off going into the trades, or get yourself a higher education and maybe be a teacher or something. You don¡¯t want to do sentinel duty, love. Believe me.¡±

    But she didn¡¯t let his discouraging words get her down. She¡¯d heard the stories, and she wanted that for herself. It sounded adventurous and exciting enough, occasional bouts of boredom notwithstanding.

    The day Marla¡¯s father announced that he¡¯d be bringing her to work next week, she¡¯d just about lost it in her happiness. A whole day at the sentinel gate sounded like heaven. It was all a new program, too, allowing kids to see what the workaday world was like. It¡¯d been determined that the sentinel post was no longer a potential danger zone, at least not so much that children had to be banned.

    The day of the visit, Marla woke first, and pattered around the house. She was beside herself when her father announced that they¡¯d be taking the commuting channel, via water chute, rather than the long and boring walk. She readied herself with her swim equipment and waved goodbye to her mother, and they were off for the edge of the city.

    In truth, the main watch was fairly tedious, though she would never admit as much. He checked on groups and signed people in and out, and in between times he would stand the watch, looking out into the vast ocean. But it seemed to Marla that her father would rather be out there, swimming and having a time of it, rather than standing at post as he was, looking quite tired on his feet for so early in the day.

    When the call came forth that a group of children was in danger, Marla¡¯s first instinct was to follow her father out to sea. He gave her a stern look as he pointed at the sentinel station, where the oldest of them remained behind to watch the other children. She went back with a reluctant sigh, and then her father disappeared for almost an hour. When he returned, along with the other sentries, it was with a child over each shoulder, six in all attended by the three sentries.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    The other children of sentries looked just as impressed as Marla surely was, as they rested the children down on the ledge and began breathing life into them. They¡¯d been caught in an undertow, and their equipment had gone past its useful lifespan.

    Looking back on the incident, Marla knew that if it hadn¡¯t been for her father and his colleagues, these six children would have perished. She went from idolizing him to genuine hero worship at that point, and as soon as she grew old enough, she began to apply for the Aquasentinel Cadet program.

    * * *

    But it was another, more shocking incident¡ªduring which her life changed forever¡ªthat gave Marla the true drive to succeed. It went without saying that she attended the children¡¯s day every year, and her father brought her along proudly each time, introducing her around to his colleagues and informing them that she, too, wanted to be a sentinel when she was old enough.

    That final day, during which her father proudly announced that she¡¯d been accepted into the cadet program, was the day she lost him.

    The day had started out perfectly¡ªsunlight shimmering above to the surface, her father beaming just as brilliantly with pride for his daughter, introducing her to everyone he laid eyes on. Marla felt loved and protected. Then the alarm clanged, breaking the illusion of security, and a terse all fins to sea call blared out on top of it.

    This time she was experienced enough for her father to allow a swim along. Perhaps he¡¯d wanted the company, or maybe he expected her to help. A sort of beginner training, perhaps. She couldn¡¯t know, but she was thrilled to be tagging along.

    The coast wasn¡¯t known for shark attacks, but at any rate the merfolk had developed effective shark repellant technologies and coverings that made for effective deterrents. But that day, a group of reckless boys had ignored every protocol. They¡¯d gone out with spears, baiting the dangerous beasts for a thrill. Thinking they might bag a trophy, perhaps, or just enjoy the frenzy. They were breaking the law, but the Aquasentinels attended to their safety first and foremost, even at risk to their own.

    Marla spotted the boys first, huddled like prey inside a darkened cave as sharks circled its mouth. Under normal circumstances, they would merely sound off the sharks, or use their repelling equipment. But to Marla¡¯s horror she recognized why none of that would work. A red plume was spreading fast through the water. One of the youngsters had cut himself on the jagged cave entrance.

    With blood in the water, the sharks wouldn¡¯t be deterred. They might have to be killed.

    The sentries were equipped with deadly weapons for such occasions, but even they were reluctant to use them unless absolutely necessary. Living in harmony with the oceans was one of the primary tenets of merfolk society, born of a need to come into balance with their environs. Thus the respect for all creatures. But not to the peril of their own citizens. Marla¡¯s father and his fellow sentries swam forward to confront the sharks.

    Her father¡¯s weapon clicked¡ªnothing. Marla¡¯s heart thudded hard, and she screamed into her breathing gear. She started forward to try and save him but was held back by another sentry, just as the shark surged forward and blood filled her vision.

    The others killed the shark quickly, but the damage was done. The bite severed a major artery, and Marla¡¯s father slipped away shortly after, back at the sentry station.

    * * *

    The sentinel training program was akin to a peace academy, though with more of a focus on the pomp and circumstance of a ritualized role. There were more drills, both land and sea, and an attention to snap and polish detail that marked the proud heritage of a Aquasentinel of the Gate.

    Such positions hearkened back to the very beginnings of merfolk society, and sentries were highly respected among the populace. They were often requested to speak at schools and civic functions, offering talks on public safety and respect for the oceans. They were also a constant presence at citywide events and public ceremonies.

    Marla enjoyed every bit of it, but nothing made her prouder than the training sessions at the city gates. She and her fellow recruits would drill for hours on proper watch techniques. Though not permitted to guard as of yet, they took their auxiliary functions seriously, and were gearing up for more just as soon as graduation day was upon them.

    Though they weren¡¯t yet permitted to guard, they did participate in rescue drills, the kind which Marla was all too familiar with. Those reckless boys hadn¡¯t paid the price for their hubris¡ªher father had. But Marla carried no resentment. He¡¯d done his duty. Saved their lives. She would do the same.

    Marla saw the role of a sentinel as more than a job¡ªit was a chance to educate and inspire. Her public speaking engagements, especially with children, were just as fulfilling as posting the gates. With her signature enthusiasm, she captivated every audience, no matter their age, but the school visits were her favorite. ''Teach ¡®em young and get ¡®em out there''¡ªthat was her motto. Advisor. Protector. Aquasentinel.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 9: Friendship and Consequences

    Much as she was still ticked off at Khrystal, now that she had a mystery on her hands, Calistya was eager to bring her friend into it. If they could get back to getting along. And in order to do that, she had to find out what had set her friend off so badly. She needed to know why she¡¯d gotten into such trouble. So the first order of business was to ask. Point blank.

    Surprisingly, Khyrstal had thought it over, and had decided to spill the truth.

    ¡°I was never even supposed to make friends with you, Cal,¡± Khrystal admitted, her voice low. ¡°The headmaster and them all told me to back off. Said I was a bad influence. Because of my grades or whatever.¡± She looked down. ¡°And my attitude, getting in trouble all those times. They knew you were a good kid, and didn¡¯t want you to get into it I guess.¡±

    Her guilt lingered a moment, then her eyes flashed defiance as she leaned in conspiratorially and said, ¡°They said next time they¡¯d kick me out, but I don¡¯t care anymore.¡±

    Calistya¡¯s eyes widened. She¡¯d never suspected there was so much more to the story. Kick her out? ¡°After all that, after they told you to stay away and the¡¯d kick you out, you still wanted to be friends?¡±

    ¡°I know. Stupid, right?¡± She laughed. ¡°I like you, Cal. We¡¯re friends. I didn¡¯t want to stop hanging out. And I wanted to tell them where they could stick it, but this last time, when we were in so much trouble¡­well, the headmaster told me if you got in any deeper it could cost you your place in school. I couldn¡¯t let that happen. That¡¯s why we can¡¯t hang around with each other any more. I hope you understand.¡±

    Calistya had heard enough. ¡°Hey Khrys, how about you let me decide who I can hang around with, and what kind of danger I¡¯m willing to face, school or whatever. We are friends, and that means a lot. Maybe I don¡¯t care what they think. Maybe I¡¯m not afraid of that stupid old headmaster. We¡¯ll be friends in school, or we¡¯ll be friends on the city-sweeper crew. Whatever. So you just stop worrying about that, okay?¡±

    Khrystal looked as if a thousand pound weight were lifted off her narrow shoulders. She smiled, looking goofy in her crooked front teeth. The technos both laughed, and the stress was over.

    ¡°Now,¡± said Calistya, ¡°if you¡¯re ready for some real trouble, I¡¯ve got something to show you.¡±

    * * *

    Shadows flickered beneath the city lights, struggling to stay at full-beam. They girls used that for cover, darting through quieter channels, their whispers drowned out by the hum of the pipeworks. Now that Calistya was aware of the school¡¯s rules, she understood why her friend had been so reluctant to be seen with her. While she was certainly insulted by the fact that the administration seemed to be babying her, she was also keenly aware that they held all the power. If the technogirl pair were caught together, they¡¯d never be allowed within a fathom of each other. Assuming they weren¡¯t kicked out of school altogether.

    It still seemed patently unfair, and particularly now, when Calistya was the one who was causing the trouble rather than the other way around. Still, she got a little thrill from that fact, and almost wished she could shout it from the reeftops. Just so all those idiots who ran the school would know who the real bad girl was.

    She gestured for Khrystal to hurry, surging ahead with powerful strokes to escape the city¡¯s watchful eyes. Once past the gates, they only need worry about the aquasentinels, but even they wouldn¡¯t dare go where Calistya was taking her friend. The notion of being so bad gave her a rush, and she swam even faster, prompting her friend to call to her to slow up.

    Calistya did so, slightly, then when she hit the range of that ridge she suddenly dove.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Wait,¡± came Khrystal¡¯s voice, ¡°I can¡¯t keep up with you!¡±

    But Calistya was on a tear. She wanted to get down there as soon as possible, get away from all the merfolk who were causing her such misery. Find that boy with her friend and ask him where he¡¯d come from. She¡¯d all but determined by now that he wasn¡¯t from the city. He was too different. Too exotic. And his oxyquipment was like something she¡¯d never seen. It¡¯s couldn¡¯t be natural, even if that was how it looked. She wanted a second opinion from her friend, though she couldn¡¯t possibly know if he¡¯d even be down there again.

    They had reached the cusp of the dark.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Krystal screamed. ¡°Where are you going Cal? Cal!¡±

    ¡°Wait, Cal! Show down!¡± Khrystal¡¯s voice quivered over the ¡®com, her strokes reversing direction. She wanted to believe her friend, to trust her like before¡ªbut the admonitions they¡¯d drilled into her held her in place, whispering of dangers she couldn¡¯t identify.

    Calistya didn¡¯t wait for her friend, plunging headlong until she was back in that glowing, eerie ink in which she¡¯d found him. She heard her friend calling after her, and half-turned to go back, but just that moment Khrystal appeared.

    ¡°Screwed up your courage, did you?¡± Calistya said, laughing. Her voice was distorted from the breather.

    ¡°Are you crazy? The Deep is too dangerous? Did you come down here before?¡±

    Calistya shushed her, then turned to head further down, looking for that chasm where she¡¯d first seen the merboy.

    Khrystal made sounds of protest, but followed her friend.

    Calistya was surprised it was so far down. The first time, driven by impulse, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to how far down it really was. This time the journey felt endless, and she still couldn¡¯t make out the chasm. She almost called out, but rejected the impulse. There might be other creatures down here. Not so friendly to swimmers lurking where they ought not be.

    ¡°You sure about this?¡± Khrystal said, her voice quivering.

    ¡°Yeah, I came down here before. It¡¯s alright. Just a little way¡¯s deeper.¡±

    She didn¡¯t actually know, but Khrystal¡¯s nervousness made her feel guilty.

    After a few more tens of meters, they arrived at that sweeping chasm, and the two technos stopped for a rest.

    ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± Khrystal whispered.

    ¡°Something incredible,¡± Calistya answered, ¡°if it¡¯s still there.¡±

    She turned quickly and stared, hoping to catch a glimpse.

    ¡°Come on!¡±

    Calistya started swimming again, powerful strokes putting her way ahead of the older girl. Khystal didn¡¯t call out, though, but simply kept struggling to keep up. Cali knew she must be nervous. In truth Calistya was too. It wasn¡¯t like that first time when everything was so new. Now it was familiar, and the hints of dangers on wall and below were making themselves known. Mermaids were far from invulnerable, particularly the young.

    She got down to around where she¡¯d seen the boy, and floating there a minute, she peered down to see if he¡¯d emerge. Khrystal arrived a minute later, out of breath and full of bubbles.

    ¡°Okay already,¡± she breathed, ¡°what was so all-fire exciting that you had to drag me all the way down here.¡± She looked around, as if sensing the same danger that Calistya was. It wasn¡¯t an inviting place, that was for sure, particularly not the inky part below their fins.

    The walls maintained their slight glow, from whatever embedded creatures might be stuck in there, but otherwise no light sources were obvious. And the whole place might¡¯ve had a kind of eerie charm to it, if it weren¡¯t for the danger.

    ¡°What then?¡± Khrystal hissed. ¡°What¡¯re we waiting for Cali?

    Calistya waved her off, listening. She seemed to remember a whooshing sound just before the boy appeared last. She strained her ears, holding her breath. Was it? A faint whooshing sound seemed to rise up, but she couldn¡¯t say if it was from out there or inside her own helmet, maybe the rushing of blood in her skull. Or perhaps nothing at all.

    She waited some more. Looked around again. Even swam a little further into the black, prompting a gasp from her friend.

    But eventually she swam back. It was no use. If the merboy was nearby, he wasn¡¯t making himself known. Perhaps their sudden arrival had scared him off. Or perhaps he came from a traveling clan, one that was no longer in these parts.

    But she didn¡¯t think so. He seemed so at home, there in the darkness, as if he felt protected by it. Then, as if The Deep itself had swallowed him up, he vanished.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Calistya said, eyes cast downward, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± She refused to use the word ¡®home¡¯, as if a residence for technos could ever really be a home.

    They crossed the threshold and were grabbed roughly by the aquasentinels before they¡¯d even come into the light. Their iron grip reminded her that any illusion of freedom was just that. The rules, the enforcers, the walls of the city itself, all kept her where they could control her, along with everybody else she knew. She fought back the urge to struggle, going limp instead so they had to work to drag her along.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 10: Guilt Beneath the Surface

    The condemnation came swifter this time, with less of a sense of kindly tolerance. They separated the girls at once, like before, only this time Khrystal didn¡¯t return after the initial interrogation. Cali waited most of the night for her to return, tears welling up as she thought about how much Khrystal must hate her for all this. Just because she was so damned curious, and had she really chosen some stranger boy over her best friend? Maybe Khrystal had a right to want out. The thought of being abandoned sank her spirits to the lowest lows.

    Desperate to find a way to get Khrystal out of hot water, Calistya appealed to her teachers ¡°I¡¯m the one who egged her on,¡± Calistya said. ¡°I should be punished. I went down there before. I was just showing her is all. Kick me out, not her.¡±

    ¡°Watch your tongue, girl,¡± one of the water-sports coaches said, ¡°else it really will be you. And not a trade, either. Both of you will be out on your butts.¡±

    Calistya rode out the threat without retort, but pressed on with other teachers. Beside herself with guilt over Khrystal paying the price, she couldn¡¯t just let it go. Determined, she resolved to confront the headmaster the next morning.

    The city guards who¡¯d returned them this time were outside the office again when Calistya arrived. What¡¯s that all about? She wondered. She could hardly just walk up and ask them, so she took a seat outside the door.

    She could hear raised voices, one of them Khrystal¡¯s defiant alto, trying to mount a defense but getting shouted down. When she came out, they weren¡¯t allowed to exchange so much as a glance before the guards took her by the arms and marched her off. Though Calistya didn¡¯t realize it at the time, they were taking her to clean out her room, while Calistya was preoccupied in the headmasters room making ineffective apologies.

    By the time she got out, Khrystal was gone. She only knew from second-hand reports, other girls who saw her packing up. They were going to send her to the trade school across town, that was the scuttlebutt around the school.

    Calistya couldn¡¯t escape the crushing truth: this was all her fault. Khrystal, with her fiery courage, had always stood by her¡ªand this was how Calistya had repaid her?

    Without the ability to attract the attention of those that could potentially do something, she resorted to telling the tale to her classmates. Maybe she was hoping they¡¯d go back and tell their teachers. The headmaster, even. Though Cali hardly thought it¡¯d do much good. Khrys was already out of the program. Probably already settled in somewhere. Justice was swift when it came, and they seemed to be blaming her for everything. Why else then wouldn¡¯t Calistya herself have been kicked out too? She¡¯d been just as bad, broken the same rules. Even gotten caught twice with the same person. Couldn¡¯t they see there was a logic in punishing them both?

    And yet here she stayed. And they weren¡¯t even treating her badly. The students least of all. They, too, seemed to have decided that Khrystal was the bad influence. Clearly the teachers had been spreading lies, and Cali didn¡¯t know how to stop the lies from growing. She¡¯s already shouted herself hoarse. Nobody was listening.

    So against all rules and logic, in the face of an almost certain censure by the headmaster, despite the fact that she¡¯d gotten in trouble for it once already, Calistya headed for the dark. She was sick to death of being ignored, and not a little upset over the fact that she¡¯d escaped punishment. If they needed someone to blame, why not her? Who else, right?

    Thinking back, she realized that her escape was too easy. In fact, they hadn¡¯t even confiscated her breathing equipment. How foolish was that? She should¡¯ve known this was some sort of game they were playing. They were avoiding punishment for a reason. A reason she couldn¡¯t fathom but it felt calculated, like they were waiting to see what she¡¯d do next. And they seemed bent on allowing her to continue on the misbehaving way she¡¯d been doing with her friend. Again, for what reason she could only guess. Not even that¡ªshe hadn¡¯t a clue.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    She got to the dark line and looked around, daring the city guards to come forth and take her in. She almost wanted it, in a perverse way. If she were locked up, it¡¯d seem somewhat more fair that poor Khrystal would only be stuck with trade school. If she were thrown to the wolves, then the real punishment would finally fit the crime. If they came to take her in, though she saw no sign of them yet.

    So she dove back down. Down out of the shadows above, down into the glowing spaces that were fast becoming familiar. Down to where the sea creatures glowed with eerie luminescence, casting the chasm in a spectral light. A special, secret place where her merboy lived. She believed it now. He lived down there, somewhere¡ªthe real article, like in the history books.

    She didn¡¯t have to wait long for him to appear. And the way he looked around as he came whooshing up, she knew he¡¯d been nearby the last time, too. Watching, but not emerging. For fear of Khrystal, Calistya supposed, though why he¡¯d be afraid of her she had no idea.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she gurgled.

    The sound seemed to startle him, and he zipped backwards and down slightly. Lord was he fast.

    Calistya giggled at the sight of his discomfort. She realized that he wasn¡¯t much for talking.

    Or, maybe he just didn¡¯t speak the language?

    She pointed to her mouth, opening and closing it to mime speech.

    The merboy smiled, turned away, and sped off. In moments he was back, a head of kelp in his fist. He held it out with an awkward reverence, as if he were offering something sacred. But this wasn¡¯t ceremonial or symbolic. He was offering her food.

    She giggled and pushed it away.

    ¡°Talk,¡± she said, softly as she could manage in a watery setting, ¡°Can you?¡±

    He froze, his sharp cerulean eyes locking on hers. This time, he didn¡¯t retreat. Instead, he looked closely at her lips, pointed to his own, and said, ¡°Ghoi Nyu. Hya Kaial.¡±

    Calistya had no earthly idea what he¡¯d said, but it sounded beautiful and lyrical all the same. She tried to imitate it.

    ¡°Goi Nyoo. Is that your name?¡± Goi?¡±

    His smile flickered, hesitant, as if weighing her understanding.

    ¡°Hyhya Kaial,¡± he said finally, with a nod.

    He looked so thoughtful, she almost wished she could reply. Instead she said, ¡®I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying. You¡¯re saying you¡¯re Kyle?¡±

    He nodded again, but looked disappointed. Well, she thought, at least the kid¡¯s not scared of my voice anymore. And he was a kid, she could see that now. At least a handful of years younger than herself, though muscular and fit. He could pass for an adult at a distance. Being a seafarer tended to do that, she recognized, which made identification hard. Now that she was up close, though, she could see it clearly.

    He had an angelic face. Soft golden curls bounced in the surf. The rest of his chest and torso was chiseled and smooth, down to the fin, which was a deep green. He held his flipper behind his body, so it was hard to see the end of it, but if this were a mechanical thing she couldn¡¯t see the works behind it. It was some amazingly sophisticated technology no matter how you examined it. She wanted to ask him about it, but knew that level of conversation was beyond them for now. So she started simply.

    ¡°Calistya,¡± she said, pointing at herself. ¡°Cal-is-tia.¡±

    The boy looked amused, and made no attempt to mimic. He swam slightly backwards with a bemused expression. Then he grabbed her wrist, oriented towards the chasm, and swam the both of them downward.

    It was so sudden, Calistya had no thought to scream, but it did seem rather invasive, so she pulled up and started swimming the other way. This made her wrist hurt where the boy had taken hold, and still they were on their way down. For a smaller child, he was extremely strong. She didn¡¯t want to hurt him, fighting back like that, but she suddenly dreaded what she might find at the bottom of the chasm.

    She pulled hard and broke his hold. She didn¡¯t want to lose sight of the boy, but neither did she want to lose track of the light-line above. Bioluminescent creatures were pretty enough, but they weren¡¯t nearly sufficient to see which way was up, and she was feeling rather disoriented down here. Or perhaps it was simply her nerves.

    The merboy continued downward, undeterred. He barely even gave Calistya a backward glance as he made his way down. With a sinking sense of disappointment, she realized that she was going to lose him again. He wouldn¡¯t be coming back. It was almost as if he had an instinctual urge. Quite the opposite from her own, in fact. Beings of the sea generally flocked to the light, not the other way around. Not unless you were one of these glowing creatures she was seeing by on the rock-face.

    As his figure disappeared into the abyss, Calistya¡¯s chest tightened. The currents swirled emptily around her, and she was left wondering.

    Regret weighing her down, Calistya reluctantly pushed upward toward the thin sliver of light high above. She¡¯d managed her orientation easily enough, but now the inky depths where her mystery boy had fled were lost to her. Would she ever see him again? The lure was too great¡ªshe had to know more.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 11: Depths Unseen

    Pelagic 100

    Orwen Albi had pushed his solitary research as far as he could. Now he needed institutional support to advance his efforts.

    The Exploration of Marine Intelligence program, or EMI, was an elite field of research, biologists and neuroscientists representing the cream of the crop. Locating mythical Merfolk wasn¡¯t on EMI¡¯s agenda, and for a small timer from The Shallows, cracking into their elite circles was a daunting task¡ªeven for those without a reputation for crackpot theories.

    But Orwen had done his homework, and knew he had to play the game, at least at first. He reluctantly focused on aquatic mammals¡ªthe ¡®mundane smarties¡¯, as he saw them¡ªand quickly rose to the top of his field. Credentials in hand, he¡¯d won his way into the program. Once there, he ignored the research instructions they gave him and carved out his own agenda.

    He had no concrete evidence that such life even existed, but he had an inkling that something might just be lurking out there, beyond the reach of his meager research capabilities. It was painstaking, dangerous work. Normally such efforts were accomplished in shifts and teams, but he did it all by himself, segment by segment.

    He split his efforts between book work and field work, using the written records as leads. And the ancient records did indeed point to civilizations on the outskirts of The Shallows, though such records were spotty, mostly from the land-dwellers¡¯ research, and always to be taken with a grain of salt. The land-dwellers didn¡¯t believe their own eyes and instruments, most of the time, chalking encounters up to errant divers, or even undocumented sea creatures, rather than accept the obvious at face value.

    There were some mentions in the Shelfton records as well, early on in the history of technomer-society, when they first set legs down below and began to pattern their lives after the mysterious creatures none knew very well. There were recorded encounters from time to time, but generally speaking it amounted to spotty documentation, documentation that faded out after a sighting or two.

    Orwen began to notice patterns in these documents, given the fact that those who¡¯d seen something once or twice must have surely wished to see it again. And yet it seemed as though they, collectively as one, gave up and moved on without further investigation. This was odd in itself, and made him think there was something to do with the beings themselves that caused his own people to lose track. Some form of mind control, unbelievable though it seemed, would make sense in such cases of collective amnesia.

    He wondered, too, why these beings didn¡¯t wish for any sort of relations at some higher level. Surely they wanted the leaders of the cities, and the humans that came before them, to be aware of their presence. Otherwise, what was to stop civilization from encroaching on their territory? But then, it occurred to him that such arrangements might also be accomplished through mind control, at least at the level of city planning. And it was a truism that the cities had always remained firmly attached to the continental shelves, on both east coast and west, and rarely if ever ventured much further into the sea. They all had edges off of which merfolk could swim out, but technology was never allowed to spread. A curious fact that he¡¯d never given much thought to, until this scientific wild tuna chase he found himself on.

    * * *

    The day that Orwen encountered a true mermaid, he¡¯d all but given up on ever seeing one face-to-face. His research having fallen down a black hole, he was wrapping things up and preparing to move on. There was little more to be gleaned from mysterious sightings and vague references, and he had real work to do.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The reason he¡¯d found himself out to sea that day had little to do with the mermaid research at any rate, but instead was a gathering which had broken up early, leaving him with time on his hands and a wish to stretch his fins a bit before his next bit round of research came to the fore.

    He was traveling alone, skirting the bottom of the sea, enjoying the feel of the current on the bare parts of his skin, just north of the dark line. When the creature rose up, he fearfully thought it was predator at first. It appeared so swiftly and silently, he really thought he was done for.

    The mermaid was longer than he, with a dark greenish, whip-smooth fin and a face framed in red hair. She took one look at him, and smiled. Actually smiled. Immediately his fears were gone, replaced by a new one.

    Please let me remember you, he chanted to himself, feeling foolish for engaging in such fanciful mind-games.

    But she smiled more broadly, and shook her head ¡®yes¡¯. He felt his words had been understood, though he knew she didn¡¯t speak his language. He also felt, somehow, that she did have the power to erase his recollections, even his whole memory¡ªbut would refrain if he promised never to reveal details of their encounter. He found himself agreeing. Not verbally, and yet she understood, and that was that. She turned tail and vanished into The Deep.

    * * *

    His promise never to reveal the where¡¯s and how¡¯s was unbreakable, but there was nothing forbidding Orwen from documenting his findings in a general way. And he was far from the only merman who was looking into the mysteries of the deep. He approached one of the leaders in his field, Professor Lachlan was his name, to obtain permission to write on the subject. Surprisingly, Lachlan had an even bolder initiative in mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m launching a deep-sea expedition to find hard evidence,¡± Lachlan announced, leaving Orwen stunned. ¡°I¡¯d like you to join me.¡±

    This put Orwen in a difficult position. Given that he¡¯d already had an encounter, he was aware of the general territory of her people, and could easily lead Professor Lachlan in the right direction. His promise to the mermaid bound him, but he wouldn¡¯t lead him astray either. That hardly seemed fair. The third option, opting out altogether, was the safest choice, but left him feeling ill at ease. So he compromised¡ªhe would assist, but leave it to the professor to choose the where and how. That way he could participate without breaking his promise.

    Hedging his bets, Orwen wrote down every detail he could recall, in case he should run into the more hostile members of her pod. He put the writings someplace he was sure to find, if he forgot everything else, and then set out on the hunt.

    They searched in tandem that day, and for several days after, combing the ocean floor in search of vents or other evidence of mer-life. Orwen dutifully followed the professor, but never volunteered any information about where the merfolk might reside. However, even in keeping his secret with great care, they eventually found themselves in the region where he¡¯d met his redhaired beauty. Orwen felt a sinking feeling that he was betraying her, but he could¡¯ve very well lie to the professor, or otherwise attempt to veer him off a path he¡¯d clearly chosen himself.

    But Orwen had nothing to be concerned about. For all the searching, overturning just about every stone there was, churning up the seafloor in their efforts, no sign of mer-life was to be found.

    What Orwen came to believe later on in the course of his research was that no mer-life could be found unless they willed it to be. It had to be that way, because there was no way the mermaid he¡¯d met had appeared out of nowhere. And they were just about on top of where he¡¯d encountered her, so there should¡¯ve been some evidence.

    Orwen felt that there might well have been evidence, right under their fins, but that they were being nudged away from it by the very creatures they sought to engage.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose we could¡¯ve expected anything more,¡± the professor said, disappointment clear in his tone. ¡°If they exist at all, it must be far from the city, where they can hide properly.¡±

    Orwen shared the professors disappointment. He¡¯d been hoping to encounter that mermaid again, and perhaps even open a dialogue. But he couldn¡¯t let the professor in on his feelings, nor the fact that they¡¯d been far closer to success than the professor had known.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 12: A Deeper Call

    When Calistya returned to the school, nobody was there to greet her, nevermind punish her. As much as she¡¯d tried to implicate herself, it seemed that nobody was paying much attention. Left to her own devices, she didn¡¯t know whether to feel neglected or relieved. At least she didn¡¯t have to talk to anyone, not to authority figures, nor those so-called ¡®friends¡¯ who ignored her wishes when she begged them to tell the teachers it was her fault.

    Being left alone was a blessing, to be sure, but it was lonely without Khrys. Calistya had to wonder what she was up to, given her new situation and all. Was she in trouble? Was she regretting ever having met up with her wayward friend? Did she hate Calistya now? Cali hoped not, but she imagined she¡¯d feel pretty rotten if the seashell-tops were turned.

    She knew it¡¯d be impossible to do so today, but she made up her mind to seek Khystal out at her earliest change. If nothing else, she had to apologize to her friend for her role in this entire dreadful affair. Had to remind her that she¡¯d done nothing wrong, even as everyone else had sought to accuse her.

    Feeling emotion well up inside again, Calistya entered her room and threw herself on the bed. It accepted her tossed frame with indifference, the soft materials springing beneath her and almost returning her to an upright position. She reached down and removed her inner-flippers, the ones most everyone left on any day they were planning to swim at all. It wasn¡¯t much of a day if the merfolk didn¡¯t take a swim, though sometimes people did get tied up with one thing or the other, neglecting both the art and the exercise of it.

    With her feet unburdened, she thought about that boy again. She wanted to say ¡®merboy¡¯, but he hadn¡¯t been quite the same. Not exactly. He seemed like a natural merboy, something she knew couldn¡¯t exist. Could it? He hadn¡¯t been surgically enhanced, nor had his contours appeared ¡®worn¡¯ in any way. Nothing like her oxy-tanks and artificial flipper extensions. Not even like the permanent enhancements adult merfolk would sometimes opt for. None of that fit what she¡¯d seen. It was like an illusion. Like the boy were really part-fish. Impossible.

    There had to be a more simple explanation. Perhaps he came from a rich family, one that could afford cutting-edge technology she¡¯d not yet seen. That notion that he was a transient sprang to mind again. Perhaps he was using exotics from some other region. Part of a submersible crew, perhaps. The child of explorers.

    But then, it didn¡¯t make much sense that he¡¯d sink into the depths of a chasm. It would seem more reasonable that he¡¯d swim away towards the open sea, away from civilization. A submersible machine couldn¡¯t be kept in some small space like that, could it?

    It hardly seemed a space fit for man nor beast, never mind some elaborate machines. And at any rate, she¡¯d never seen so much as a single submersible in her life. She was only peripherally aware of them through her historical studies. Studies which outlines the times of humans, their ancestors, and their mighty machines and their deadly wars, and how they¡¯d eventually wiped out most all the life on the surface, and forced the rest of humanity to become creatures of the sea.

    So the boy wasn¡¯t the son of a submersible crewman. And he wasn¡¯t from any city she was aware of, nor did he look anything like the people she knew. What, then? What was this boy all about, this purebred merboy with so many mysTerrious qualities?

    * * *

    On her way home, Calistya spotted her favorite sentinel at the entryway, a statuesque mermaid named Marla. The girls often stopped and chatted, when they weren¡¯t up to something, and the sentries were generally friendly folk. More of a volunteer mission than anything to do with the city guards, they kept watch for danger, but more often than that served as guides to the lost, and hosts to the city proper when strangers approached.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°Best be gettin¡¯ a move on hon,¡± Marla said, it¡¯s almost dusk now. Don¡¯t want to be caught outside the city after dark.¡±

    If she only knew, Calistya thought with a dark inward grin.

    ¡°I will,¡± she replied, ¡°slow day today?¡±

    ¡°Not many ins and outs. Just you merkids. Older ones, just all work and no play these days. Shame really. What better way to spend your time, right? She swept an arm toward the vastness beyond her checkpoint.

    Marla was a full mermaid, completely enhanced, right down to the single fin/no legs beauty. Calistya though it was the most beautiful image imaginable. It just seemed right. And the boy¡ªthat much moreso for his natural appeal.

    It occurred to Cali that she was glad Marla hadn¡¯t been on duty when they were dragged back into the city by the city guards. That would¡¯ve been too much embarrassment to stomach, on her frequent goings to and fro. She hadn¡¯t even noticed who¡¯d been on duty when she was brought in, but she¡¯d have known if it were Marla or not. And surely Marla would¡¯ve had something to say. She clearly couldn¡¯t have heard about it.

    ¡°Anything unusual today?¡± Calistya asked casually, trying not to sound too eager.

    ¡°Unusual? Nope. Nothing unusual going on these days. Pretty boring, if I¡¯m being honest about it. Still, can¡¯t beat the scenery,¡±¡ªshe looked out with a sigh¡ª¡±Every now and then, something really unusual passes through¡ªkeeps things interesting.¡±

    The mermaid winked at Calistya, hinting was time to end the chat. Cali took the hint and headed for school. Just like so often, she felt a wave of gratitude for it being so nicely situated, so close to the gate. She wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.

    * * *

    Calistya spent her study time with Ms. Terri the next day grilling her on mermaids of the open sea. It wasn¡¯t a topic that was verboten, exactly, but nor was it thoroughly covered in their textbooks. Although Ms. Terri was in charge of literature, strictly speaking, that field of study did tend to encompass all others, and so she wasn¡¯t averse to the questions. However, she didn¡¯t have much more information to offer than did Calistya herself. So they started through the available literature to see if there was anything to be found.

    There was plenty, rafts of it really, when it came to fictional accounts, but not much in the way of real-life documentation. No biographies or historical texts, nothing that went beyond the ordinary city life of their city and the numerous others that ringed the coastlines.

    They¡¯d almost given up hope when Ms. Terri came upon something intriguing. The tome, Merpeople¡¯s of The Deep, sounded like fiction at first-glance, but its forward claimed it chronicled a real counterpart culture to the technoquatic societies of the continental shelves.

    In rejecting an attachment to the coastline, and as such a rejection to past history, these merpeople travelled far from the cities in order to forge a life for themselves in the deep. While they were rarely heard from again, tales of great biological and technological achievements have made their way back to the ordinary realms from time to time.

    As a subspecies of ourselves, they possess the same physical attributes, though we have heard tell of groups who abandoned our reliance on breathing gear and swim-enhancements in favor of more natural remedies. Whether that makes for a superior swimmer or fisherman is unclear, though it doesn¡¯t seem to matter overmuch as they¡¯re very much reliant on pack hunting and other cooperative techniques.

    By the third page, the books scholarly tone had her stuck in a thick brainfog. But Ms. Terri seemed intrigued by it all, particularly the biological descriptions. Cali was dying to tell her about the merboy, and her theories about his origins, but she felt it might damage her chances of getting back out there and seeing him again.

    The thought of confessing made her stomach churn. She was too jealous of the connection with that boy¡ªnot ready to trade it for punishment. Even the justified kind.

    It¡¯s true, I *was* out in the forbidden zone again, she told herself. But how could I have met him otherwise?

    No, she wasn¡¯t going to sabotage that. She kept her mouth carefully shut, and let the conversation fade. As far as Ms. Terri was concerned, she¡¯d already answered. Besides, Calistya had her own ¡®extended research project¡¯ to work on, and Ms. Terri could have nothing to do with it.

    Her secret was safe. For now. But if the merboy was hiding in The Deep, she¡¯d need to go deeper still to get her answers¡ªno matter the risk.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 13: The Guiding Current

    Calistya went to the chasm with a mission. She had no reason to think the boy would return or linger, but this time, she was ready to follow. Wherever he was from, she wanted to see it for herself.

    She nodded to the sentries with feigned nonchalance, but her heart gave a thud as she noticed Marla¡¯s absence. It always felt easier with her there. Guilty feelings sliced through her middle like a scalpel, a self-recrimination for betraying Marla¡¯s kindness, but it was quickly dissolved by her determination.

    But this time, even Marla wouldn¡¯t have endorsed Calistya¡¯s plan. This time, she was going to outright defy them all. No partner, no swim-plan, no estimated time of return. Marla had overlooked a thing or two out of casual kindness, sure, but even she would have taken note of this blatant disregard for every rule.

    Calistya made her way to the usual spot, looked around for the city guards, pretended she was waiting for someone until they lost interest, and dove through the sentinel-only channel when they weren¡¯t looking.

    Huh, she thought, almost laughing at the ease of it. Guess it¡¯s more of an honor system thing. She again felt the tug of conflicting emotions: half relief, half disappointment. They didn¡¯t really care, which dashed her image of the friendly protectors making sure she was safe. But, she could swim alone, safety be damned, and it was her life anyway.

    Growing accustomed to the plunge, she found it invigorating this time. The water temperature was colder, and though her equipment compensated for actual extremes, the fluctuation did pierce through. She shivered violently, then laughed it off. It was hard to tell if it was the temperature or the excitement anyway, really.

    She swam boldly through that curtain that enshrined The Deep, then slowed, squinting into the dimness. It was as pretty as ever, and she was beginning to really feel at home. She almost felt as if the creatures lit up the walls just for her.

    She waited at the mouth of the chasm for a long time. There wasn¡¯t much to do, so she hummed into the void, making up a tune. She wondered if the sound would carry, maybe get his attention. It was hard to tell, but perhaps the boy could detect her presence from the way she agitated the water, or¡ª

    There was a slight ripple that made her hold her breath, then another.

    But no. There was no boy. Not this time.

    Okay then. Do some exploring? More slowly than before, methodically checking for lurking danger, she plunged lower, deeper into the chasm.

    The bioluminescence dimmed, their scattered glows shrinking into pin-light against the void. Without their light, it should have been nothing but blackness, but there remained an eerie glow, somehow coming from further down? It didn¡¯t seem possible, but the fact was, she could still see. The space grew tighter, and Calistya¡¯s heart thumped as the walls seemed to close in.

    Nevermind, she said, voice-calming her nervous system. She pressed on.

    One thing was for certain. There were no submersibles down here. No machinery. Not possible, nothing would even fit. There was barely enough for a smallish techno like herself. No adult could possibly get through, so the boy must have done it alone.

    When she finally reached the chasm floor, the walls came together into a ¡®V¡¯ shape. She had only room enough for her arms now, palms-down on the sandy bottom. But first she checked for bottom dwellers. Down here, poisonous creatures were more common. So she had to be sure. Once more she had to talk herself calm, as her heart began to thump hard enough to push against the inner fabric of her suit.

    The sand was fine as dust, and felt nice slipping through her fingers. That calmed her as well, but she hadn¡¯t come all this way to play in the sand. She began hand-walking across the chasm floor, feeling her way along. She proceeded that way for a while, long enough to become bored. Then something shifted, shocking her, and with a turbulent whoosh, the entire bottom gave way.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    She backtreaded in panic, acting on instinct, horrified to see the bottom rushing downward like sand through an hourglass. It almost prompted her to flee. Almost. But she¡¯d come this far. Still holding her own against the flow, she gave one more upward glance, then kicked downward and surrendered to the current, allowing it to take her straight through the sand.

    She slid downward for an eternity, rushing ever faster, protected in the core of the powerful flow so that it felt less like a force of nature, more like the guiding hand of the sea itself.

    When the current finally released her, she tumbled gently to rest in a cavern so vast it seemed to stretch beyond sight. Her breath caught at the sight of that same strange, otherworldly glow, almost sun-warming in its intensity now, reflecting off walls of crystal and marble and shell, as if she¡¯d plunged into an alternate universe, vastly more spectacular than her own.

    * * *

    When Calistya didn¡¯t show up for dinner, it didn¡¯t immediately ring any alarm bells. Students were occasionally held up, in tutoring sessions or extra-curriculars. There was usually a good excuse to be had, so the kitchen staff hadn¡¯t brought it to the administration straight away. Even as late as night-check, there wasn¡¯t any alert given, though at this point it was the fault of a lax administration more than anything else. She¡¯d been known to be a wayward soul, and her recent interactions with the troublemaker Khrystal had given them plenty of cause for concern. However, she was not reported as missing until the final lights-out.

    Lights-out check was the only time where every student was required to be exactly where they were meant to be. In this case, bed. And it was plain to see that one mergirl was missing among the ranks of her classmates. When Calistya¡¯s name sprang forth, only then did the administrator on duty put two and two together, and hurriedly placed a call to the headmaster.

    Within twenty minutes, the entire staff was assembled in the headmaster¡¯s office. They were careful to enter quietly so as not to wake the students in the dormitories. But when they got inside, all hell broke loose.

    ¡°Did she say anything to you?¡± the headmaster challenged Ms. Terri. ¡°You and she have tutoring sessions this term, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Ms. Terri nodded, but had nothing more to add. Thoughtful, she did say, ¡°She¡¯s been asking some odd questions, about merfolk out to sea, that sort of thing. You don¡¯t think¡­¡±

    ¡°Think what?¡± the headmaster snapped. ¡°That she¡¯s gone swimming in the open ocean? What do you take me for?¡±

    ¡°I just¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s around here someplace. Somewhere in the school, most likely. Around the city at the very least. So we¡¯ve got to find her before we¡¯ve got to get the authorities involved. Got it?¡±

    The other teachers, with Ms. Terri in the lead as Calistya¡¯s primary, headed back out to search the school. They were less concerned with keeping quiet now, as the headmaster had ordered an all-hands search to be taken. That would certainly rouse the dorms at any rate, but it might not be such a bad idea to get the students involved.

    An hour of frantic searching later, during which they¡¯d disturbed the bulk of the student body, they were no closer to finding Calistya¡¯s whereabouts. They had narrowed it down, realizing that the last she¡¯d been seen was during Ms. Terri¡¯s tutoring session. So she¡¯d been missing for some seven hours now, and with it dark outside to boot. She could be anywhere, but there was no way to search the city without the help of the city guards. So the headmaster, reluctantly, put out the word.

    Within a short span of time, the city guards were all over the school, taking it upon themselves to search the same territory all over again, as if the faculty had no idea what they were doing. This wasn¡¯t far from the truth, however, as it should never have been such a long time between disappearance and realization.

    Ms. Terri was beside herself. She blamed herself for not noticing, though as several of her colleagues pointed out, she couldn¡¯t be expected to notice every clue. And there was little to be done if the girl couldn¡¯t stay put. All a teacher could do was encourage her to stay the course. Which, of course, Ms. Terri had done.

    The headmaster was cooperating, dredging up files and photo-records. These came as a surprise¡ªCalistya had a backstory he¡¯d never known about. Taken in under mysterious circumstances, with no record of her parents. The child seemed to have just appeared one day. A call had gone out to locate the parents, city guards brought in and the like. To no avail. She might as well have been a ghost.

    And now, she was a ghost yet again. The officers had already begun to search the city, but at this late hour, after nightfall, there wasn¡¯t much hope in finding her.

    ¡°She probably crawled into a corner and went to sleep,¡± one of the officers suggested.

    ¡°Yeah, or she might¡¯ve made her way up to the fin section. Sometimes little merkids like to hang around up there with the swimmers. She could¡¯ve found herself in an unfamiliar place and hunkered down.

    ¡°We¡¯ll keep looking, but our best chance is morning. She¡¯ll likely come out for food.¡±

    But as the city guards began wrapping up the paperwork, Ms. Terri couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Calistya wasn¡¯t just lost¡ªshe was drifting further out of reach with every moment that passed.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 14: Recalling Rumors

    Pelagic 101

    Before he became the respected Headmaster of The Shallows Colony School for Orphans, Oliver had been an idealistic apprentice at the very school he would one day lead. He was among the first to take up residence there and accept the full-time rigors a place for the downtrodden deserved. A school had long been needed, as mergirls often slipped through the cracks, becoming channel surfers or worse¡ªgutterstuck, a term for those unable to swim, left to struggle on the streets alone.

    The inability to swim, something so innocuous in the human world, was a great handicap among technoquatics. Even babies were waterbound, straight into the birthing pools. Oliver aimed to fix that, planning a program of rehabilitation and welfare programs, so they wouldn¡¯t wind up on the streets.

    Oliver was joined by Headmaster Callen and a team of fresh and ready teachers who wanted nothing but the best for the girls. However, they were in for a shock when word came down that funding had been slashed, before the school had even opened its doors.

    ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡± one of the newer teachers asked, ¡°we had hardly enough resources to run things beforehand. How are we even going to feed and clothe them with these cuts?¡±

    The other teachers, Oliver included, nodded in glum agreement. It felt as though their grand experiment was over before it¡¯d even begun.

    ¡°Is it because of the missing ones? They know full well it wasn¡¯t out fault. It¡¯s not fair for them to withhold funding when everyone knows they were lured out by¡­¡±

    ¡°Now hang on,¡± Callen said, raising a steady hand to quiet the group. ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves. For now, we¡¯re fine. The funding cuts don¡¯t go into effect until next quarter. Meanwhile, we set up the school as planned, and take it one step at a time. We¡¯ve got students to greet, facilities to tend to. So let me worry about the finances, and you all just worry about the students. Does that sound reasonable?¡±

    Leaving the meeting, Oliver thought they¡¯d really lucked out. Their headmaster was the calm, collected sort a school like this required. There would always be financial issues. It was how they handled it that mattered, and Headmaster Callen was just the technoquatic for the job.

    When Oliver walked in to find Callen quietly weeping, then, he froze¡ªfeeling as if he¡¯d entered the wrong room.

    He turned to leave, but Callen sniffed and waved him in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Oliver. Caught me in a moment, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°Are you alright, Headmaster?¡±

    ¡°I will be,¡±¡ªhe took a deep breath, then grabbed for some paper and blew his nose¡ª¡±it¡¯s just, well¡­you know how it can be. Things get to you. Things you can¡¯t change. And you just want to make it better but it never goes easy.¡±

    ¡°Of course, sir.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, Oliver, what¡¯d you want to see me about.¡±

    Oliver considered whether to bring up money, decided against it, and took a seat. ¡°I just wanted to see how you were holding up. Thought you might need an ear to bend.¡±

    ¡°As a matter of fact, I could use just that. And I¡¯ve been meaning to have a conversation with you anyway, we have things we need to discuss¡­

    * * *

    Their conversation didn¡¯t simply last the day, but turned into a series of deep talks, ranging from the welfare of the young ones in their charge, to who was controlling the purse-strings, and what those powers-that-be expected of the school, and her headmaster. All told, Callen had taken Oliver under his wing for the better part of a Pelagic Year, in order to properly prepare him for a role he''d never expected, nor particularly wanted.

    But that¡¯s why it has to be you,¡± Callen had said in response to any objections. ¡°I need someone to succeed me who realizes how damaging the position can be, if the desire to play fast and loose were to come into this office for even a moment. And in the end, the girls would be the ones who would lose. That¡¯s nothing to trifle with. The school had been through enough already, with wayward orphans having gone missing at an alarming rate, so much so that the administrators of The Shallows had put pressure on since before Oliver had arrived for a change of leadership. Though he¡¯d only learned about that slowly, and in bits and pieces.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    * * *

    When Oliver sat with his boss a final time, surveying the office that might soon be his, the "Headmaster" plaque on the desk a daunting reminder of the position he was being considered for, he still didn¡¯t feel ready. He ran his hands along the smooth, worn desk¡ªone of the few remaining relics from the shoretimes¡ªas if its groovelines might reveal secrets about the job he''d soon inherit.

    At only 45 pels, he was considered young for such a role. The lifecurrent of a modern technoquatic often stretched past the pelagic centurion mark, meaning younger ones often had to bide their time. But sometimes circumstances dictated change, and because of that the job was his, now¡ªif he wanted it. Time would tell whether the elevation would be bold, or premature.

    Headmaster Callen, his mentor and predecessor, was a figure as solid as the coral pillars that braced the city walls. Callen¡¯s greying streaks and weathered skin told the story of years spent keeping this orphan school afloat, even as the ebbs and flows of politics and economics threatened to tear it apart.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the verdict?¡± Callen asked, arms crossed, his voice conveying a calm Oliver had grown accustomed to. ¡°Are you going to dart, or do I finally get to retire?¡±

    Oliver gave a shaky laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Just wish I¡¯d known what a sinking ship we¡¯ve been steering.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all at the helm of sinking ships, my friend,¡± Callen said, his gaze drifting to the window where channel-water rippled through the glass. ¡°In one form or another. Question is, can you keep it from going under?¡±

    Oliver felt a gnawing pain that betrayed his lack of confidence, but he nodded positively anyway, ignoring his gut. But as the pain intensified, he realized how much more they had to discuss.

    ¡°What about the seafloor rumors? How¡¯s that going to change things?¡±

    The headmaster chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Rumors are always a grain of truth away, aren¡¯t they? That¡¯s the way they want it though, make it so we don¡¯t know what to think.¡±

    Oliver looked at his mentor, curious as to what he¡¯d say next. His boss had a way of leading up.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to cordon off the deeper zones. Keep us away from any ¡®dangerous sealife¡¯ that might threaten our survival. Or, more to the point, our perspectives on things.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s true? Oliver asked. ¡°The mindreaders they captured from the chasm, and then all hell broke loose?¡±

    Rumors of mindreaders and the chasm''s depths felt like fables, but why then did every mention spark a fragment of memory, as if he too had brushed the edge of the unknown?

    ¡°Until they formed a truce. Yes. And we retreated to our familiar spaces. Oh, they¡¯ll allow the grown Technoquatics access to limited areas out there, but we all know the rules now. We need to keep the children safe, though. The idea is to keep it from them. Let the rumors subside and fade, so that within a generation or two we¡¯ll have no more danger of interaction with those¡ªcreatures.¡±

    Oliver shivered. He never knew his mentor to be prejudiced, over the years, though opinions on the threat the mindreaders posed was mixed. The simple fact that encountering them could be the start of a sudden bout of forgetfulness that extended beyond the encounter itself was troubling, but at the same time, reports of their request that they be left alone made it clear they weren¡¯t out to do damage. Still, this was a power that frightened even the most hardened of technos, that some being could simply get into their heads like that.

    Still, to refer to such beings as ¡®creatures¡¯ spoke to something primal, and visceral. Oliver didn¡¯t know Callen was such a person.

    Then it struck him. ¡°You¡¯ve seen them, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± the headmaster answered, his voice drifting, ¡°I really couldn¡¯t say. I seem to remember. It all seems so clear. But then, it¡¯s as if it couldn¡¯t have been. Like it was from another life, or¡­¡±

    The words hung in the air, a story told to a group of pre-schoolers around a cooking pit, a warning of unfamiliarity. Yet from the collective memory at the same time.

    It made sense. Strange things like that happened whenever rumors of encounters were brought about. People couldn¡¯t quite recall, though they had some vague inkling.

    The headmaster drew a sharp breath and looked up. ¡°But one word still resonates in my heart from that memory¡ªor whatever it was. One word, I got it from them. Unspoken.¡±

    Oliver wanted to stay respectfully silent, but his curiosity needed an answer. He made as if to ask, but the headmaster stopped him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, Oliver. But I warn you. Once you hear it, you won¡¯t forget. And trust me, you¡¯ll want to.¡±

    Second guessing, Oliver wondered if he should just end the conversation. But they¡¯d gone this far.

    ¡°Was the word the same one they told us when we were little? The one everyone was told to forget before they made us forget.

    Callen nodded. ¡°The same. You know it, then? You remember.¡±

    "Solarian," they whispered together, bonding to each other in a sublime moment of understanding. The word, hanging in the air like an enchantment, promised wonder, but at the expense of all that was familiar.

    ¡°That, I remember,¡± Callen went on. ¡°Like it was yesterday. Solarian. But the rest¡­¡±

    ¡°Like seeing a ghost?¡±

    Callen nodded, his face pale.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 15: Pulled Under

    Khrystal didn¡¯t mind her new environment much. She¡¯d only been doing basic orientations so far, but what it really came down to was an apprentice program, learning how the city operated, and how to fix it. A life in the trades, for the ones who couldn¡¯t do better. She¡¯s expected nothing better when she got out of school anyway, so she looked at it like she¡¯d just boosted the timeline by getting here early.

    Besides, keeping her chin up was the only way to deal with the insult of being kicked out. She still couldn¡¯t figure what she¡¯d done so wrong, but she wasn¡¯t proud of herself anyway. She¡¯d been a bad influence, that¡¯s what they told her, and Cali being so impressionable¡ªit made sense why the school had decided they needed to be separated.

    So, getting into the groove some, and not minding the day to day so much, and almost happy to be here when her old headmaster and some school officials stormed in, insisting that they needed to speak with her. Surprise turned into irritation, as she was whisked off to see them all she could think was, ¡®Why can¡¯t they just leave me in peace? They haven¡¯t done enough?¡¯

    ¡°We need to know where Calistya has disappeared to,¡± Headmaster Oliver demanded.

    Funny that she¡¯d never even known his name until that very moment, when they had come and fetch her from her toolkit and training channels and dropped his name as if it were something significant. And now, seeing him off-campus and with a name badge and everything, he was both more and less intimidating than before, in different ways. Out of his element, sure, but also, he looked like he was ready to take any action to get answers.

    Khrystal had no idea what kind of an answer they were expecting. The city guards had picked them up at the edge of The Deep, after all. There was no reason to think she¡¯d gone anyplace else but there.

    Where else is there? she answered with a shrug, knowing it was the most logical thing in the world, and wondering why that wasn¡¯t obvious to these important people.

    No, she didn¡¯t know of any other sorts of places Calistya might be off to. There were no other places they gone together, aside from around The Shallows here and there. Even The deep was only a time or two, and look where that got her. So why would she even go back there again, either?

    The grilling went on for an hour. The same questions over and over. Why they were so frantic to find her, she didn¡¯t know, but she noticed that there was less of a scapegoating impression this time. They seemed genuinely concerned, but not necessarily for her safety. Just¡­concerned.

    One thing they didn¡¯t ask, and Khrystal felt no reason to volunteer, was anything to do with that boy Calistya was so obsessed with. Khrys was sure that was the reason Cali had gone back again, and although she felt a heavy sense of guilt for the fact that she¡¯d gone and gotten herself kicked out, and was no longer available to save her friend if need be, she realized that there would have been no stopping Calistya either way if she¡¯d been of a mind to go searching again.

    With a strong desire to do right by her friend, Khrystal quickly agreed to accompany the officials to the perimeter of The Deep, and show them where Calistya might had gone off to from there. In the company of these important officials, they were deferentially escorted past the sentries and shown straight out to sea, taking the familiar plunge down that Calistya liked so much.

    Down they swam, the whole lot of them, with Khrystal in front and the headmaster pulling up the rear, until they reached the chasm. Aside from the glowing creatures there was nothing more to be seen there, though Khrystal did mention that Calistya had seen something odd coming from down below. Despite the danger, the entire party began the long swim down into the chasm, until it grew so tight that they could barely all fit together in a row. Then, even deeper still, they could no longer fit at all.

    ¡°We never came so far,¡± Khrystal mouthed, pointing down with a headshake, then forming an ¡®X¡¯ with her arms.

    They got the message. There was no telling where the wayward girl had gone off to, but if she¡¯d swum all the way down here, she wasn¡¯t around anymore. And there was little more below but ocean floor.

    They attempted to call to her a number of times. Each in turn, shouting her name as the bubbles streamed from their breathing gear. They got no response, and at this point they were all feeling rather frustrated and foolish. It was entirely possible that Calistya wasn¡¯t in these parts whatever. That she might¡¯ve simply gone somewhere within the city, and even now might be back in her room at school.

    There wasn¡¯t any more to be done. If they were to sweep the ocean floor, they¡¯d need help to do it. If their lost girl were to be found, it would take a concerted effort.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    * * *

    Aside from the sea beyond the city, the city guards was fanning out, checking in every corner of the city proper for their lost mergirl. They even checked the swimmer section, though a girl of her abilities could only last there so long. Yet so was the case with the open sea, and it was unlikely that she¡¯d last more than a couple of days with oxygen supplies and carnivores to contend with.

    Not to mention the girl had no source of fresh water or food out there. Not so, in the city, so the general consensus was that she¡¯d have to have come back at some point. They swept the chasm several times, going off information gleaned from the girl named Khrystal. They even sent robotics down below the crack where grown men could not pass. Nothing showed up on camera nor sensors, so they brought the machines back up and called it done. The search would continue, but it would be confined to the city. If she were out there in the open, chances were she was dead already, so there was no sense in wasting resources out there.

    But they spared no resources in the city itself. They cross-examined every teacher, every child, every known associate of the girl. They had long conversations with the sentinel Marla, who was beside herself realizing that she was probably the last person the girl had spoken to the day she vanished.

    All their efforts yielded no fresh clues, and the trail was growing cold. It was a hard decision, to abandon the search, but it seemed as though there was little more to go on. When they brought in Khrystal one more time, to ask if she had any other ideas, they caused the poor girl to break down. She realized just from the looks on their faces that her friend was good and gone, probably forever. And Khrystal had taken to blaming herself, at least according to her supervisor, so a few of the city guards got into an argument afterwards about the wisdom of bringing her in at all.

    At any rate, they¡¯d done all they could. There was little to be gained from prolonging the inevitable. So the authorities closed the case and informed the school. Then the headmaster informed the teachers, and the teachers told their students. It was a tragic day for all, and there wasn¡¯t a dry eye in the place, save for the full merpeople on faculty who¡¯s eyes were constantly watery anyway.

    * * *

    As much as the sentinel patrols had been beefed up following the Calistya disappearance, Khrystal had been designated a full adult at this point, so there was little they could do to stop her.

    Don¡¯t go out there, Khrystal¡± Marla warned. ¡°Whatever you think you¡¯ll find, it¡¯s not worth the risk!¡±

    Khrystal didn¡¯t bother answering. She¡¯d already made up her mind. With a look that was part defiance, part misery, the sentinel knew enough not to push.

    Wending her way to the chasm, in not so much of a big hurry now that she¡¯d gotten on her way, she took in the beauty of the sea. Though in her current mood, it did little to sooth her spirits. It still offered a calming effect.

    She made the grand plunge just as she¡¯d done with her friend, and felt that same chill when she got close to the demarcation line between light and darkness. Only this time she never hesitated, plunging straight through and down, down into the chasm.

    When she reached the top she continued a few fathoms more, then took in a breath and screamed Calistya¡¯s name.

    She paused, letting it resonate.

    No response.

    She screamed again, until her throat turned raw.

    The silence that followed felt like an accusation. Every bubble rising from her lips seemed to pop open the same truth: You abandoned her.

    Khrystal swam down a bit further, calling out the whole way. She even tried calling to the boy a few times, though calling out ¡®merboy¡¯ seemed pointless. Would he even answer to that name? Would he answer at all? Calistya was the only one he¡¯d ever actually approached, at least as far as she knew. Maybe he only comes out when she¡¯s around?

    Khrystal reached the reverse-apex, where it became too tight for a grown merman to pass. Nor even a woman, perhaps, though Khrystal still wasn¡¯t fully grown herself. She was, however, a bit bigger than Calistya, and somewhat round in the midsection, so she wasn¡¯t sure she should chance it. What if she got stuck?

    A sudden thought, of her friend in crisis, stuck somewhere down there waiting for help, steeled her for the squeeze. She went through fin-first, then used her hands to help push the middle through before finishing the plunge with arms and head. It was a tight squeeze, but she never became dangerously stuck. It was an open question whether that would be true on the way back up, but she would cross that reef when she reached it.

    Now at the bottom, she wondered if their machinery had captured all that was down here. It was an hourglass cavern, with more space below than would seem possible. And still a lot of seafloor to cover. As she peered across it, she thought she saw the sand shift off in the distance, like something was stirring beneath it. A wave of unease washed over her, but after a blink and a shake of her head, it was still again. Just the floor, she told herself, trying to regain control over her quickening pulse.

    Thinking there was nothing more to do, she began to feel around much as her friend had done, searching for some hidden truth. And when she found it, she practically leapt for joy, or the watery version of leaping at any rate. The sands seeping downward offered the one clue the authorities had missed.

    Now Khrystal had another decision to make. She could try and dig her way down, see where this mystery portal wound up. Or, the mature and reasonable side of her said, she should go back to the city and alert the merfolk, have them come back with proper divers and equipment and the like.

    As it turned out, she hadn¡¯t the chance to make any decisions whatever. With a sudden ferocity, a pair of tiny hands poked up out of the sand, grabbed Khrystal by the wrists, and pulled her down under the seafloor.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 16: Lost Echoes

    Headmaster Oliver was in trouble. Nevermind that one of the missing girls wasn¡¯t even in his charge. Nor that the first girl had disappeared far from the school. Nor his track-record of never having lost a student in all his years, unlike the tragic failures of previous administrators which had led to his posting in the first place. None of that made any difference. He was going down as the headmaster who failed, allowing history to repeat again.

    The city was in turmoil. Two poor, orphaned, destitute girls, both vanishing without a trace. How could Oliver have allowed that to happen? Why wasn¡¯t he talking with the authorities? When would the people get some answers?

    Oliver had no answers to give, and he wouldn¡¯t appear before the cameras with nothing new to share. He¡¯d already reported everything to the city guards¡ªit was their responsibility now. Still, the press kept hounding him, ignoring the proper channels, as they always did. Public relations had never been Oliver¡¯s strength; if it were, he might have realized that repeating the same scripted answers would at least get them off his back.

    He rubbed his temples, the weight of the missing girls pressing in on him from the outside. He was as distraught as anyone over their loss, but what could he do? If the sentinels were at their wits end, what hope did he have of succeeding where they¡¯d failed?

    When Ms. Terri and Mr. Albi approached the headmaster with some kind of a scheme to go out looking for the technogirls, he reminded them that even the authorities were at a loss. Another round of searches, to all the same places, and the second girl hadn¡¯t turned up any quicker than the first. Perhaps it was a shark attack. Perhaps some freak double-accident. They simply didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Except for one thing,¡± offered Ms. Terri hopefully, ¡°Khrystal showed you the place¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve combed over it a dozen times,¡± the headmaster shot back, ¡°with us, without us. With sensors and equipment¡ª¡±

    ¡°But,¡± interrupted Mr. Albi, ¡°without these!¡±

    He produced several rock picks and sample bags. ¡°A way for us to crack the shelf. Go down there and have a look for ourselves.¡±

    The headmaster paused a moment before replying, taking a deep breath so he wouldn¡¯t come off wrong. ¡°Albi, Terri, look. Do you really and truly think that the city guards would¡¯ve neglected such an obvious thing, if they¡¯d thought it viable? Don¡¯t you think they considered such a plan?¡±

    ¡°A fair point,¡± said Ms. Terri, ¡°but they didn¡¯t really believe the girls. Not about that merboy. And not about secret lairs far beneath the seafloor, surely.¡±

    ¡°And why on earth would they, Ms. Terri? Who would believe such a preposterous thing? As you said, the girl took me down there herself and we had a look. There was nothing to be found.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been doing some research,¡± Terri continued, looking over at Albi, ¡°and we¡¯ve found that there is compelling evidence of other races out there. Races we¡¯ve lost track. In fact, Mr. Albi has a relative who did a great deal of research on the subject.¡±

    Albi looked uncomfortable, but reached into his satchel to proffer a well-worn textbook for the headmaster to see. Our Offshore Cousins, read the title. By Orwen Albi, Pelagic 93/94.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Your grandfather?¡± Oliver asked, raising an eyebrow at the name on the cover.

    Albi hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Yes, Orwen Albi. Bit of a black sheep in my family, but brilliant. He made a fortune off aquasensory patents¡ªgear that¡¯s still in use today¡ªbut spent most of it on idealistic expeditions. Artifacts, maps, wild theories. Half the family thought he¡¯d gone mad.¡±

    ¡°And the other half?¡± Oliver pressed.

    ¡°Thought he was a genius,¡± Albi admitted, eying the book with a conflicted expression of revulsion and reverence, and even affection, all mixed together. ¡°He refused life-extension enhancements too, even though he could¡¯ve afforded them. And yet, he¡¯s alive to this day.¡±

    Ms. Terri gave a small smile. ¡°Offbeat, maybe, but if he¡¯s still alive, he¡¯s done pretty well.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s done well in some ways,¡± Albi muttered, almost to himself, before turning back to Oliver. ¡°And he might¡¯ve been on to something. This research could explain what the girls saw.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps the girls met one of these proto-merfolk out there, under the chasm,¡± Ms. Terri said. ¡°By all accounts, that¡¯s where this boy was coming from.¡±

    ¡°And if the city guards had taken this research seriously,¡± Albi said, tapping the book, ¡°well, then maybe they¡¯d have paid that chasm a little more attention.¡±

    The headmaster thought for a minute. It was an enticing notion. And he desperately wanted to get those girls back. The scheme was so crazy, it might work.

    ¡°Alright, Oliver capitulated, ¡°let¡¯s get going then.¡±

    * * *

    There wasn¡¯t much prep-work to do, so within minutes Oliver, Albi and Terri were out the school¡¯s entryway and heading for the city¡¯s edge. As they approached the sentries, one swam over to intercept them.

    ¡°Warning¡¯s up, on account o¡¯ them missing kids,¡± she said.

    ¡°Well, ma¡¯am, that¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re on our way to look into,¡± Albi replied. ¡°The missing kids. We aim to find them.¡±

    The sentinel¡¯s expression shifted, her eyes wide as if she¡¯d been shocked. ¡°Say that again?¡±

    ¡°I said, we aim to find those girls. Now, can we pass, or can¡¯t we?¡±

    She hesitated. ¡°Well, sir, I saw those girls. Both of ¡¯em¡ªtogether and separate. And I wish I¡¯d stopped them. I feel awful about the whole thing.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°If you give me ten minutes to switch off my shift, I¡¯ll join you.¡±

    The three exchanged glances and quickly agreed.

    ¡°Great! Be right back. Name¡¯s Marla, by the way!¡±

    They called their names after her as she swam off toward the sentinel shack. Less than five minutes later, she returned, out of uniform and ready to join them on their search.

    * * *

    The office of the aquasentinels had been a hotbed of activity since the technogirls went missing. Hardly an hour passed without someone coming in, claiming to have seen the girls or to know something about their whereabouts. The flood of tips left the division drowning in paperwork, with little to show for it now that the case was cold.

    Lam and Alison, the two officers in charge, were buried in files, their only escape to keep plowing through. They followed up on the few promising leads they had, though most proved fruitless.

    ¡°Al, you think we should follow up on the guy from South Sector.¡±

    ¡°Which one was that?¡± Lam replied. ¡°The one who saw the girls in a nightclub?¡±

    ¡°Nah, that was East,¡± Alison said. ¡°This one says he saw them playing in the street early morning.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no. There¡¯s nothing to that. File it.¡± Lam leaned back, rubbing his eyes. ¡°You know, what if we¡¯re missing something that¡¯s right under our noses? Something obvious?¡±

    Alison looked up from her stack of papers. ¡°Like the school?¡±

    Lam nodded. ¡°I tell you, there¡¯s something weird about that headmaster. Prissy type, thinks he¡¯s better than everyone. I could see him getting mixed up in something shady with a student. What if one of the girls found out and he took care of them both?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like the aggressive type,¡± Alison said, frowning. ¡°And he¡¯d have had to plan it out. They didn¡¯t disappear together¡ªKhrystal was still with us for a while. She could¡¯ve spilled the story then.¡±

    ¡°Not if he was threatening her.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°Wanna look into it?¡±

    Alison sighed, gesturing at the piles of paper. ¡°More promising than this mess.¡±

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 17: Shattered Trust

    The teachers and the sentinel arrived at the point where reports described the chasm, but they had to search about for quite some time. They spent the better part of an hour swimming around before a yawning darkness opened beneath their fins, its jagged edges glowing faintly with bioluminescent threads, like the pulse of the ocean itself.

    Once they had the chasm to lock onto, however, they made their way quickly down. Relying on the biolum¡¯s as the girls had done, then proceeded as far as possible, and then broke out the tools. It wasn¡¯t easy going, however. None of them were workers by trade, and they weren¡¯t accustomed to shelf-cutters and the like. They hacked at the stubborn rock, their tools sending sharp echoes through the water. Each thrust felt futile, the ocean resisting their intrusion with an almost living defiance.

    ¡°Let me see if this¡¯ll work,¡± Mr. Albi said, taking up a sort of large mallet and trying to break rock with it. It did nothing more than to kick up dust, making it difficult for the rest of them to see.

    Ms. Terri swam backwards a bit, taking in the scene. ¡°Maybe if we move over some? There seems to be more of an opening back here.¡±

    The group hacked at the stubborn rock, their efforts clumsy and unfocused, until frustration bubbled over.

    ¡°Everybody stop!¡± Marla commanded, deciding rightly that somebody needed to take charge.

    It was a forceful enough statement to bring everyone out of their work-related reverie and bring their attention upon her.

    ¡°We¡¯re not getting anywhere like this. So here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do¡­Mr. Oliver sir, you collect the broken rocks, and move them out that way,¡ªshe pointed to a spot about two fathoms out¡ª¡±and Ms. Terri and Mr. Albi will chip away the stones, and I¡¯ll direct them. Sound like a plan?¡±

    They all agreed readily, particularly as it seemed there was little chance for them to get anything done otherwise. They got back to work, and for a while they seemed to be making progress. A few times they even managed to knock off a good sized stone from the ledge, which made it look all the more promising for an adult body to navigate.

    As they chipped away at the stubborn rock, a low, mechanical hum rippled through the water. A beam of blinding light pierced the murk, scattering the team. They looked up, dazzled and disoriented, as the aquasentinel craft came to rest just a few fathoms above their heads.

    Two officers emerged and floated down.

    ¡°Headmaster Oliver, Identify yourself!¡± called the first sentinel in the mechanical, regulated tone all underwater officials used. An imposing figure of about a fathom in height, it was clear he meant business.

    The second, though not as tall, followed the first with an even more commanding tone; ¡°We have some questions. You¡¯ll need to come with us.¡±

    Oliver floated forward, hands raised in compliance. He was confused by the sudden appearance of these officials, but not yet anxious.

    ¡°You folks shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± the smaller aquasentinel warned, her voice stern but edged with unease. ¡°Nightfall¡¯s coming, and these waters aren¡¯t safe for anyone.¡±

    The taller aquasentinel cast a glance toward the chasm, his expression unreadable. ¡°This area¡¯s off-limits for a reason, anyway,¡± he muttered, half to himself. ¡°Damned foolish if you ask me, messing around here. Get us all killed.¡±

    Ms. Terri opened her mouth to protest, and the senior sentinel shot her partner a warning glare, but Sentinel Marla stopped the escalation, motioning for calm. Both sides got the message and fell silent. No sense in further conflict when they were all about to leave.

    ¡°Where are you taking him?¡± Marla asked.

    ¡°Central processing,¡± said the shorter Aquasentinel.

    ¡°Can we join him there?¡±

    The two shrugged¡ªthey didn¡¯t care either way.

    ¡°Might be a while,¡± the taller one warned.

    As the officers led Oliver away, Marla¡¯s grip tightened on her tools. She¡¯d been the one to push the group forward, and now it felt like she¡¯d led them straight into a trap. She nodded at the two remaining teachers, and they began the long swim back.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    * * *

    There wasn¡¯t much for the teachers to do at city aquasentinel headquarters. The desk agent gave no information, and for all they knew the headmaster was under arrest, and would be staying a very long time. The sentinel had tagged along as well, despite the fact they barely knew one another. She had explained that she felt a certain sense of responsibility for the girls, given that she¡¯d seen them out of the city on a number of occasions.

    ¡°Do you think the guard officers could be right?¡± Ms. Terri asked. ¡°Could Headmaster Oliver have been behind it all.¡±

    ¡°Preposterous,¡± Albi said, ¡°Oliver¡¯s a good man. I¡¯ve known him round about ten years now. He wouldn¡¯t harm the hair off a student¡¯s head. What we really ought to be doing is getting back to that chasm.¡±

    ¡°You heard the officers, though. It¡¯s not safe in the dark.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re working down in the dark anyway,¡± said Marla. It seemed a sensible sentiment. They really hadn¡¯t had to leave.

    ¡°What say we go back in the morning, eh?¡± Mr. Albi suggested.

    The three of them agreed, and they waited an hour longer. Still with no word from the officers nor the headmaster, they saw no point in sticking around.

    * * *

    Deep inside city guard headquarters, in a little room lacking in light and amenities, Oliver sat and waited. They¡¯d spoken to him at length when he first got in, then asked him to wait a few minutes, and hadn¡¯t made a return appearance since.

    Not sure what to do with himself, the technoquatic thought back to everything he¡¯d been through in the past few days, wondering what he¡¯d done to deserve this treatment. He was no murderer, there was that much. Nor an abductor or any of the other things they might be assuming here. No, he was a good man, and that fact would see him through.

    Still, the situation was intimidating. Just a couple of hours ago he¡¯d been busily trying to locate his lost pupils. A cold knot tightened in his chest. Did he need to seek counsel? He wondered if he shouldn¡¯t ask for one right this minute, though to do so implied guilt in his mind, and he felt guilty enough as it was.

    ¡°Doing okay, Mr. Oliver?¡±

    The voice of the female aquasentinel startled Oliver, and he looked up with what he was sure was a guilty expression.

    ¡°Oh, fine. Just fine. Can I¡­go now?¡±

    ¡°Just another few minutes,¡± said Aquasentinel Alison.

    She entered the room alone. Oliver had no idea what happened to her partner, Lam.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s go over what happened to the girls. You say you had no reason to expect any trouble from Calistya, is that right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Yes.¡±

    ¡°And yet she was the first to disappear? And this was after you expelled her friend, is that right?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes. It wasn¡¯t related to the girls so much. Her school work had been slipping, and her teachers and I had been considering a transfer. The girl was really best suited to the trades, you see, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Right. Thank you. But even though Khrystal was the problem child, it was Calistya who disappeared first.¡±

    Oliver hesitated, the words catching in his throat. ¡®That¡¯s¡­correct.¡±

    ¡°The one who rarely got in trouble? The one who excelled in all her school work?¡±

    Oliver¡¯s hesitation was even more glaring this time. ¡°Yes,¡± he finally said, almost in a whisper. He felt an oozing trickle of shame, really starting to believe that he had somehow been negligent.

    ¡°And it was only after Khrystal was questioned by you and the school officials that she disappeared too.¡±

    ¡°Right. But¡ª¡±

    ¡°What did she say when you explained that her friend was missing?¡±

    Now he really hesitated. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should go on at all, but particularly not without legal representation. Because Khrystal had been in a state that day. It was to be expected, really, with her friend disappearing and all. Just the same¡­

    ¡°Headmaster?¡±

    ¡°She said it was all my fault. Said that I was causing the girls too much stress, and that she¡¯d probably run away just to get away from me. But, you see, Khrystal had reason to resent me. She knew I¡¯d been in talks about her schooling, and potential future placement.¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s talk about that a bit. Have you seen this?¡±

    Guard Alison produced a scrap of parchment, across the top of which was scrawled ¡®Dear Guard of the City:¡¯. It looked to be the handwriting of a young, rather sloppy child.

    ¡°May I?¡± Oliver asked.

    ¡°Be my guest,¡± said the guard, handing the paper over.

    Dear Guard of the City:

    My name is Khrystal, and I¡¯m a student at the Orphan¡¯s Collective Institute for Girls. I¡¯m writing to report trouble with our headmaster, Mr. Oliver. He beats us and tortures us and we can¡¯t get away. He also threttons us girls, and has threatened us on some occashuns. We the students ask for an investigashun. The girls have asked me to write to you about this danger. Help!

    ¡°Well, I just don¡¯t,¡± Oliver stammered, ¡°I mean, you can¡¯t possibly think this is serious.¡±

    The words on the page blurred as he read them again. ¡®Beats us¡­tortures us¡­¡¯ Surely, Khrystal hadn¡¯t written this. She¡¯d always been dramatic, but outright lies? Still, a dark notion crept into his thoughts¡ªhad he been too harsh? Had his anger at her defiance gone further than he remembered?

    Khrystal¡¯s face flashed in his memory¡ªthe defiant set of her jaw, the fiery glare. He buried his face in his hands and took a long breath, then looked up at the sentinel questioning him.

    If he was looking for empathy, he wasn¡¯t going to find any here. ¡°We take any mention of threats seriously, sir,¡± he said robotically. ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t seen this letter before?¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. If I had I¡¯d¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d¡­what?¡±

    Oliver took a breath. ¡°I¡¯d have had a talk with her.¡±

    ¡°I see. Alright sir. Sit tight. Let me get a few things together, and we¡¯ll talk a little more. Alright?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes but¡­how much longer am I going to be here? It¡¯s been a while now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, not much longer now. Just hang tight, we¡¯ll be done soon enough¡­¡±

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 18: The Forbidden Light

    Below the darkline, still deep within the ocean chasm but near the city of the land-legged, the merboy swam with purpose. He was no longer in search of a friend. This time, he wanted to explore. He made his way along the chasm wall, enjoying the sight of the biolum¡¯s as their pulsing lights glittered off the rock. He flitted powerfully upward, drawn to the brightest light above.

    He was breaking the first rule. No merfolk were permitted to break the line from darkness into light. To do so would be to flit too close to the surface, and that was verboten. The dangers were too great, enemies too mighty. Since before the time of recorded history the merfolk had lived deep, so much deeper than the others. Below the seabed itself. Quite literally under the sea.

    And yet his eyes were as strong as any. They had their own version of light and darkness deep down. So he wasn¡¯t particularly bothered as he approached the great light. And he knew he was breaking the rules, but now that he¡¯d encountered those lovely creatures from the city of the legged-ones, those girls with such ingenious technology at their disposal, he had to see more. Had to see the city for himself.

    As he broke through to the light, the boy¡¯s vision blurred, the brightness too sharp for his deepwater eyes. He shut them tight and treaded water, acclimatizing.

    Once his eyes adjusted to the dazzling brilliance, the merboy pressed on. He swam upward and forward, skimming the upper layers, where the brightness softened to a more tolerable glow. This high up, the water was delightfully warm. Almost hot. Like the volcanic vents he was so familiar with, used for relaxation and bathing. Like a warm kelp blanket wrapped around him. And the sealife! It was everywhere. Swimming, flitting, casting about for food. He saw a million tiny fish, and even a few larger ones that set his chest to pounding with excitement.

    But he wasn¡¯t here to see fish. He wanted to get a look at the city itself, that wonderful place the girls Calistya and Khrystal had come from. The city that they seemed so proud of, in their hearts, despite the notion that the very place they called home had rejected them in such punishing fashion. He couldn¡¯t understand that, but it made him all the more curious.

    He knew where the city lay from the description Khrystal had made, so he flipped around and cast off with a powerful flip of the tail. He sped through the currents and soon had the city in his sights, but there he stopped, hesitating. Without a disguise, the city¡¯s sentries would see him as an intruder¡ªan unmistakable alien. He made his way to one of the shelves outside the city, and found some suitable kelp and sandy mud-stuff.

    He made himself a belt from the kelp and arranged it around his waist. From Calistya¡¯s description of the full-gill enhanced ones, they had attachments around the waist and on the gills, but otherwise didn¡¯t look much different from pure ones. He took some of the mud and worked it around his gills, careful not to get any inside. He looked quite the filthy little waif, which wasn¡¯t ideal, but he might just pass for a full-gill enhanced denizen of the city.

    Swimming for the city gates, he drank in the enormous scale of the place, and how many of these ingenious legged-ones were in and about. His tribe was a mere fraction of these masses, and his was one of the largest. Swimming up to the sentries, he cast his eyes downward and hoped they would allow him passage. He wasn¡¯t at all sure what he might do if he couldn¡¯t get through. Swim for it, most likely. There wouldn¡¯t be much more he could do if they identified him as alien. This was precisely why it was forbidden to come here, but curiosity had gotten the better of the boy.

    * * *

    The trio had gotten off to a late start. Without the headmaster¡¯s help it¡¯d been difficult to obtain the necessary equipment. But finally Terri, Albi and Marla were on their way, out of the city and off to the chasm.

    It was quick going compared to the day before, since they knew where they were going now. And there was no sense of apprehension like there had been before, as far as breaking through to the darkness. Now that they were accustomed to it, it hardly seemed something to be afraid of, and with what little light was available, they made their way downward without difficulty.

    When they reached the bottom rock-shelf once again, they immediately went back to the place they¡¯d been chipping at, and got back to work. Within an hour or so they¡¯d made significant progress, almost enough for the smallest of them to slip through. That was Ms. Terri, and she tried several times before they decided to get back to the chipping. They¡¯d all have to get through at any rate, and that meant Albi as well, who was by far the largest of the three. They continued their work.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    When they finally got through the rock, such that a fully grown merman could slip through with a little effort, they put aside their tools and, one by one, slipped through to the underside. Once they¡¯d all made it, they swam the short distance to the sea floor proper and began to have a look around.

    It was disappointingly barren down there. Nothing to see. Not even much in the way of biolum¡¯s. And no cave-mouths or entrances or whatever else they¡¯d assumed they might find if only they could reach the ocean floor.

    ¡°The police did say they sent robots down here to have a look, no?¡± the sentinel asked.

    ¡°Yes, they did Marla,¡± Terri answered, ¡°but we were hoping¡­well, it was Headmaster Oliver really, who thought maybe the machines might¡¯ve missed something. Some little hidden entryway or, oh I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°The headmaster said that?¡± Marla asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Albi and Terri said together.

    ¡°The one the aquasentinels are questioning right now?¡±

    As much as they¡¯d been on his side a hundred percent the night before, now that they¡¯d come all this way only to come up empty. It seemed, almost anyway, as if he¡¯d been perhaps leading them on a wild goose chase. The notion of an opening through the ocean floor did seem rather far-fetched, come to think of it. Though Oliver had claimed it was Khrystal who¡¯d said so in the first place.

    They continued poking around for a while longer, but now that they¡¯d see this plain space for themselves, it seemed rather ridiculous that they might find a couple of technos down here. And with noplace left to search, the trio gave up on their mission and headed back to safety.

    When they broke through the darkline and found themselves surrounded, they had no idea what they¡¯d done wrong. All they knew was that there were more guards here than there¡¯d been at the entire school the past few days.

    * * *

    Now all four were being questioned, and not only by guard¡¯s Alison and Lam. There were whole groups coming in and out, all demanding to know what on earth happened. There was little they could do to get those girls back, and they were now convinced that they were somewhere in the city, being help captive. And that this gang of teachers was somehow plotting to kidnap them out by the chasm, using it as a hideout perhaps, then coming back in to take them one by one. And all of them lead by this insidious ringleader, Headmaster Oliver.

    His insistence that he couldn¡¯t have done it, because he¡¯d been here at city guard headquarters the whole time, didn¡¯t make any difference to them. They had their man, and his gang, and they were going to find those girls.

    ¡°Mind telling us again where you all were then?¡± Sentinel Alison asked.

    ¡°We¡¯d just been coming back from here, in fact,¡± Marla said. ¡°Are you suggesting we''d actually leave here, go and commit a crime, and then come skimming back in here?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not suggesting anything,¡± Lam said calmly, ¡°we¡¯re just talking. We have questions, you have answers. Simple as that.¡±

    ¡°But you are accusing us,¡± stated the headmaster. ¡°I¡¯ve spent half the night fending off your accusations. And frankly, since I have an airtight alibi, I believe I¡¯m within my rights to ask to be let go.¡±

    The sheer audacity of her statement took the sentinels by surprise, but Terri herself was feeling none of that power. Her chest was tight with a mix of fear and doubt, the weight of the accusations pressing in. For a fleeting moment, she felt utterly alone¡ªuntil Oliver¡¯s gentle smile reminded her she wasn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t going anywhere without her.

    ¡°I think this has all gone too far,¡± Oliver stated in a clear voice. ¡°I believe I¡¯ll be needing to speak with a lawyer.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Alison said quickly, trying to rein the proceedings back in. ¡°We don¡¯t have to drag lawyers into this, it¡¯s a simple¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, we do,¡± Albi cut in, his voice steady. ¡°It¡¯s clear we need legal representation. This is no longer some simple misunderstanding.¡±

    Terri and Marla nodded their agreement, and with that, the inquest was over. No further questioning was permitted under the law, though their next step wasn¡¯t immediately made clear.

    As they turned to leave, a sudden vibration rippled through the water. Terri froze mid-step, wide eyes scanning the ground.

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± she whispered.

    The low, rhythmic sound rose from the depths, steady and unrelenting, like the heartbeat of something ancient. It pulsed through the channel waters and thumped against the walls, growing louder with every passing second. The trio exchanged nervous glances as Albi murmured, ¡°It¡¯s coming from beneath us.¡±

    Above them, the aquasentinels sprang into action, their calm demeanor replaced by urgent movements as they signaled their superiors.

    ¡°Report this immediately,¡± one sentinel barked, her voice tight with alarm. ¡°Full perimeter sweep!¡±

    Marla¡¯s gaze flicked between the sentinels and her colleagues. With all this chaos, maybe our request for counsel will get lost in the shuffle, she thought. And maybe, for now, that¡¯s not the worst outcome. But as the strange pulsing sound continued, she couldn¡¯t shake the chilling certainty¡ªwhatever was stirring deep beneath The Shallows, it felt primal and raw¡ªand vastly more dire than some perfunctory inquiry.

    * * *

    From a shadowed alcove near the city gates, the merboy watched the sentries spring into action. Their sudden urgency piqued his curiosity, but he resisted the urge to follow. He had a mission of his own¡ªone that didn¡¯t involve getting caught. Flitting deeper into the currents, he disappeared, leaving the echoes of alarms and the rhythmic pulse of his home come to life behind him. The enmeshment of the two societies had begun again, as it always had, but that was a concern for others. He wanted to see more.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 19: Carried Away

    In the heady excitement of meeting up with actual, true-life finless ones, the merboy had barely gotten himself back in time. It was dangerous to be up there for extended periods, the enriched oxygen could only be tolerated for so long, and the warm water soon turned uncomfortably hot, slowing him to a perilous, sluggish pace.

    He¡¯d enjoyed his time in the city, and in particular the prize he¡¯d run away with. The key to the school his new friends had come from. With that, he could access all sorts of places, maybe bring some of their friends out to the chasm. He was eager to please, and wanted them to stay with him forever, so he had to have access to their comfort goods.

    This sort of manipulation would make the elders unhappy, he knew, but they didn¡¯t need to know what he was up to. He¡¯d found an unused portal and that¡¯d been his way out and about for some time now. But he¡¯d never interacted with the legged-ones until they¡¯d come close.

    Now that two of them had entered the portal, he¡¯d been hoping for more, but the ones who he saw now were not beautiful or young. They were elders, and he had no use for them. Authority figures as well, which meant danger. He had no use for them in particular. He was a youngster himself, so he wanted young companions. And he wanted to have them for his own. As many as he could.

    He¡¯d gone to the city with the intention of looking around, but found it particularly difficult to get around. For the ones he heard being called ¡®full-gill¡¯, there was a series of tubes and tanks, like a fish in a maze it felt, and there was an upper level with more room to move but he feared someone would notice him. He was too young to be full-gilled, so he stuck out. He realized this immediately, so he stuck to the lower levels, flitting back and forth and seeing how far he could go between barriers.

    And the city was rife with barriers. Bolted doors here, passcode protection there. Each whir and click of the city¡¯s locks set his nerves on edge, but his nimble fingers, trained on seashell clasps, found a way through. Ever closer to unlocking that mysterious school Calistya had told him about.

    ¡®Told¡¯ isn¡¯t the right word, he realized. She¡¯d envisioned the school in her mind, during a time of homesickness, and he¡¯d picked up on the imagery she¡¯d created. The Solarians had such abilities, and were able to make use of it during times of deep connection. They couldn¡¯t carry on conversations with strangers, not like they could with each other, but they could sense things. Loved ones. Familiar places. Important things like that.

    In this way, he knew the precise structure where the girls had come from, though he sensed that the girl Khrystal no longer belonged. He got an impression of where the girls lived, where they studied. All of it. And because it existed in Calistya¡¯s mind, he also obtained a vision of where the headmaster kept the emergency egress key. In the flowering bed outside the back double-entrance.

    Because such access allowed for both fin and leg, he would be able to enter anytime he wished. And he wished to do so often, learn what the girls needed to survive and thrive, and perhaps entice another of their classmates to join the adventure. In his mind, making Calistya happy would adhere them, a bond even the vast currents that separated their worlds couldn¡¯t break.

    When he found the girl in the classroom, she¡¯d been crying. Perhaps waiting for a teacher who¡¯d never come. Or a companion who¡¯d deserted her.

    Her sadness pressed against his mind like a heavy tide, too raw to ignore. He had to show her the world he¡¯d given Calistya¡ªthe chasm, the portal, everything she would need to be happy. She¡¯ll understand, he thought. She¡¯ll want to stay, too. Just like Calistya does.

    He waited until she looked up, startled, but his gaze relaxed her, and he made her follow. She went with him to the city gates, put on her breathing gear and fin, and followed him to the chasm and down to the portal, all in a haze.

    He sent her through first, examining for a moment the damage the legged ones had done to his shelf. It wasn¡¯t nearly as hidden as it¡¯d been. If too many of them started clomping about, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use his portal.

    He slipped under the seabed, tossed up sand for cover, and closed the hatch. Then he checked in the glass orb which showed an image from above, making sure no legged ones had appeared meanwhile. They had not, and his secret was safe.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    He descended with the girl in tow, blissfully unaware of where she was headed.

    * * *

    The city was in a state of panic. A pair of missing girls, friends at that, could have been seen as runaways. One even had a troubled history, so there was that. But a third missing girl meant a disturbing pattern, one that required they turn the city upside down to get to the bottom of. The history of The Shallows was dark with stories of such abductions, and the technoquatics wanted answers.

    Despite the fact that the girls were all taken from the same orphan¡¯s school, parents were fearful for their own. They pulled them out of school, stayed home to care for them, and generally ground normal life in the city to a halt.

    City loudspeakers blared the curfew order, their metallic voices slicing through the usual hum of The Shallows. ¡®All students are to return home immediately,¡¯ a voice echoed, monotone and sharp. Parents herded their children indoors, some clutching their arms tightly, others murmuring reassurances they didn¡¯t believe themselves. Above, the city¡¯s bioluminescent warning lights flickered in an unusual pattern¡ªa sharp, disjointed pulse of pale greens and yellows, signaling an unfamiliar escalation in the alert system. It cast the streets in a sickly, surreal glow, one meant to set the population on edge, but without sparking outright panic.

    The ¡®gang of four¡¯, as the teachers and their sentinel friend had been branded, were reluctant to be seen in each other¡¯s company. There were too many accusatory stares, too much to lose. Though there was scant evidence against them, that hardly mattered. Until the girls were found, they would be looked upon with suspicion.

    ¡°We should go public,¡± Albi whispered, nervously scanning the hallway for prying eyes. ¡°To what end?¡± the headmaster replied. ¡°They¡¯ve already made up their minds.¡±

    Their voices fell silent as a patrol swam past, their sloshing displacement reverberating like a passing storm.

    They agreed to avoid each other for now, and go back to work¡ªthree in the school, Marla at her post. For now. None of them had been formally charged, never mind let go, but the hunt was on for a scapegoat. Or four.

    The atmosphere in the school had turned grim. Guards roamed the halls, in order to protect the young technos and ensure no further abductions would be possible.

    Ms. Terri had no more classes for the day, and had taken to retreating into empty classrooms at such times, to avoid accusatory stares or, from the guards, aggressive posturing. Of all the ¡®gang¡¯, she was the youngest, and the least accustomed to confrontation. At times she felt as if she might die from the fright of it all. But she soldiered on for the sake of the students, even if the students, too, were looking on her as if she were some sort of a monster.

    In the empty room, she took a seat at the teacher¡¯s desk and proceeded to review her notes for the next day. As she tried to focus, whispers of suspicion gnawed at the edges of her mind. She¡¯d never felt so unmoored, even among her students. A glint behind her snapped her back into the room, her heartbeat loud in her ears. She took one look backwards, and screamed.

    The scream was mere surprise, it was hardly a frightening sight. Quite the opposite. An angelic figure floated in the full-gill tank, but this was no technoquatic. He was far too young for full-gill, for one thing¡ªhe looked as if he belonged in school himself, not in a teacher¡¯s tank. His piercing green eyes stared back at her, seemingly intrigued and repulsed at the same time.

    She shook her head, clearing away the boy¡¯s unsettlingly angelic appearance. He was just a child¡ªlost, vulnerable, and impossibly out of place. Whatever had brought him here, he needed help, not judgment.

    What do I do with him?

    He didn¡¯t belong in a school for girls, obviously, and his presence would raise a million questions. She thought to call in the sentinels, though recent experiences had left her skeptical of their intent. So she was on her own. But as she couldn¡¯t get into the tank directly, she needed a way to make the boy stay put.

    As if reading her mind, he looked up and kicked off, his powerful fin propelling him straight up into the ceiling. But in his haste, he misjudged the curve of the tank, and smacked his head, right on the edge. He floated down, stunned, eyes shut, and Ms. Terri screamed again.

    The guards, sweeping the school as part their missing technoquatics investigation, hadn¡¯t reacted to Terri¡¯s outburst the first time. But the second scream, louder and sharper than the first, brought them running. They took one look at the tank and dashed out of the room. They¡¯d go to the upper floors to dive in themselves, or call one of their full-gill colleagues to go in for them. They knew as well as she that this boy didn¡¯t belong. But for Ms. Terri, her only concern was for the child. The last thing she wanted was another traumatized child on her conscience.

    So she went up to the tank and, gently, started speaking to the boy.

    ¡°How did you get in here? Are you okay? I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    The merboy¡¯s eyes fluttered, there was that watery green again, and as his eyes locked on hers, she felt her own eyes grow heavy.

    ¡°What are you? How are you doing that?¡± She shook her head to clear it. The boy was casting some sort of spell, it seemed. Or else he was so angelic that she was truly falling under the spell of his attractive looks.

    She shook her head again. This boy was just compelling. That was all. This child had some sort of a way about him, but she was an adult, and a teacher, and she would be having none of it.

    ¡°You just take it easy, we¡¯ll get help for you.¡±

    A long arm reached down, followed by the head and torso of a full-gill city guard. He grabbed the boy around the arms and raised him up.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 20: An Ancient Pulse

    Ms. Terri was joined by the headmaster and several officers in the pools near the upper level of the school, where the stricken merboy lay, an egg-shaped bruise swelling on his temple. He was struggling mightily, and looked to be in pain, but as soon as the guards lowered him back into the pool he relaxed.

    Looking closely at his neck, Ms. Terri saw a line of grime where the attachments should¡¯ve been. She reached forward and wiped away the muck, only to reveal bare skin.

    ¡°He¡¯s natural,¡± she breathed, the awe in her voice mirrored in the wide-eyed disbelief of those around her.

    The guard with his arm around the boy¡¯s midsection lifted him up slightly, so they could all get a look at his flash-green fin. No waist surgery was evident. It was as if the fin simply extended naturally from his torso.

    ¡°How is this possible?¡± the headmaster whispered. He was voicing what everyone in the room was thinking.

    Terri leaned down to the boy¡¯s head and said, ¡°are you alright, hun?¡±

    His eyes fluttered mightily, as if he were struggling to get them opened.

    ¡°Easy, son,¡± said the guard, wrapping a strong hold around the merboy in case he decided to flee. At the moment he didn¡¯t seem to have any such energy, but he¡¯d been strong as a bull just a few moments ago.

    The boy¡¯s eyes opened, and he said something in a high-pitched, scratchy voice.

    The adults looked at each other. None recognized the dialect.

    ¡°From some other city?¡± headmaster Oliver wondered.

    ¡°Or some other planet,¡± quipped the other city guard. In reaction to the dirty looks he added, ¡°well just look at him. He¡¯s unnatural.¡±

    In Ms. Terri¡¯s view it was quite the opposite, but she understood the opinion. The boy wasn¡¯t remotely similar to citizens of The Shallows, that was for sure. Even if he were full-gill enhanced, which didn¡¯t seem the case, even if that were true he¡¯d have been much too young for it. There were no cities Terri was aware of that allowed for anyone not yet of age to undergo the procedure. But again, he didn¡¯t seem as if he¡¯d had any procedure done whatever. He seemed to be a pure, true merman. Or at least a merboy, soon to become a man.

    And magical, she couldn¡¯t forget that. The odd way he drew her to him. It wasn¡¯t natural either, that much was true. There was nothing natural about it, though it¡¯d been seductively enticing.

    Where did you come from, she wondered. And beyond that, she wondered if this mysterious appearance had something to do with all those disappearances they¡¯d been experiencing. It seemed to odd to be anything coincidental.

    * * *

    Within the hour, the school practically felt like city guard headquarters, what with all the officers who¡¯d come to see the merboy. That he would appear in a school for girls, right around the time that a number of those girls went missing, seemed rather odd on the face of it. But even more perplexing was the fact that they couldn¡¯t even ask him about it.

    He¡¯d been joined by a number of full-gill officers, so they could communicate with him naturally, underwater. But that wasn¡¯t the starkest of their communication difficulties. In fact, the boy could tread just above the neckline and talk to anyone in dead air, and he was able to surface for some minutes at a time at any rate. He didn¡¯t express any of the sort of discomfort he¡¯d experienced when he was out cold. Even so, above water or below, there was no speaking with the lad.

    His language was entirely unfamiliar, unlike any coastal dialects or foreign tongues taught at the school. It was altogether alien. When he spoke, the high pitch they¡¯d heard in air became full and resonant under the water, a sonorous, sing-songy cadence that sounded lovely, but made no sense at all.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    And it wasn¡¯t much different when they tried to speak with him. He listened attentively enough, smiling and appreciative, but he didn¡¯t seem to catch a word of it. It was as if they were speaking gibberish, and he didn¡¯t bother trying to reply.

    It was only when Ms. Terri brought out a picture book that they started making headway. Used for the youngest of the young, it contained pictures of the city, the walkways and waterways, the surrounding waters, sea creatures, and the like. The boy was immediately intrigued, pointing to dolphins and fishes and parts of the city with a knowing grin.

    As Ms. Terri voiced each of these components, the boy attempted to mimic her, and given her skills as an educator she soon had the boy voicing a rudimentary vocabulary. When she pointed to herself and said, ¡°Ms. Terri, I¡¯m Ms. Terri,¡± he seemed to understand her meaning straight away.

    He pointed to his own chest and said, ¡°Kyle, I. I Kyle,¡± in that sing-songy voice.

    Ms. Terri ignored the hypnotic quality it conveyed, instead focusing on her role as educator. ¡°Good, Kyle! You are Kyle. I¡¯m Ms. Terri.¡±

    ¡°Telly,¡± he boomed, then burst into laughter that filled the chamber. Ms. Terri chuckled, her tone encouraging. ¡°Good try, Kyle. You¡¯re doing well.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Does someone want to tell me exactly what we¡¯re supposed to be doing with this¡­boy?¡± asked the chief of the guards. He¡¯d made a special trip to the school just to speak with the headmaster, and find out what was going on.

    In the short span of a day, Headmaster Oliver had gone from high-suspect kidnapper extraordinaire, to sudden consultant to the city guards, all thanks to the mysterious appearance of this alien merboy at his school. Somehow this incredible X-factor changed the rules all around, and the officers were no longer looking on Oliver or his companions with the same kind of suspicion.

    While he appreciated the gesture of faith mightily¡ªgiven how it placed him on the right side of the law and all¡ªhe was a little put out by the fact that the chief of the city guards now seemed to be relying on him for all the answers he himself could not deliver.

    ¡°I honestly can¡¯t tell you, sir,¡± Oliver answered truthfully, ¡°except to say that a school for girls is clearly no place for the boy.¡±

    Oliver turned to Mr. Albi and said, ¡°I take it there¡¯s no need for the boy to be hospitalized?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, the school nurse took a look at that bump on his noggin. He¡¯s tough. He¡¯ll be alright.¡±

    ¡°Now sir,¡± said the chief, ¡°are we any closer to communicating with the boy?¡±

    ¡°Not in any meaningful capacity,¡± said the headmaster, ¡°no sir.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I suppose there¡¯s no way to question him on the whereabouts of those missing girls.¡±

    ¡°What makes you think Kyle knows anything about the girls?¡± asked Ms. Terri.

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know,¡± said Oliver, ¡°perhaps just the fact that this alien creature right around the time those girls went missing. A creature who has no business in the city at all. Do you not think that might be something of a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°What if it is?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°A coincidence. What if the girls simply ran away, and Kyle ran away too. Found himself in the city, and made his way into the school because it seemed a safe place to be.¡±

    The chief didn¡¯t look as though he was buying it. ¡°If we get no further, I¡¯ll accept the idea that it¡¯s a stroke of luck, but for now I¡¯m inclined to at least want his side of the story first. Is there any possible way that we could communicate with this youngster?¡±

    ¡°I honestly can¡¯t see how, with our limited time,¡± Ms. Terri said, ¡°unless you¡¯re somehow able to find a linguistics expert.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve found him,¡± called a resonant voice from across the room.

    All eyes shifted to the new arrival, and Mr. Albi let out a gasp. A stout, professorial man stepped forward, his movements remarkably fluid given his age. Wisps of foam-white hair floated around his face, framing round features and keen, knowing eyes. His presence radiated an eccentric, commanding authority.

    ¡°Headmaster,¡± the stranger continued, ¡°thank you for the call.¡±

    Oliver nodded deferentially, as the rest of them worked to process this new dynamic, none more than Mr. Albi, who looked as if he¡¯d seen a ghost.

    ¡°The name¡¯s Orwen. Orwen Albi,¡± he declared, the familial name landing like a challenge as he winked at his stunned grandson. ¡°I¡¯m an expert on native mer-cultures, and I¡¯m here to speak with the boy.¡±

    As he strode forward, an intense thrumming shook the chamber, followed by a deep, rhythmic pulse, like an ancient heartbeat. It was a sound they all knew by now¡ªfamiliar, yet no less disconcerting. Only the boy and the old man seemed unconcerned.

    Looking square at Orwen, the merboy opened his mouth and uttered a single, joyful tone. The group exchanged uneasy glances, their hands instinctively seeking support as the resonant pulsing increased, vibrating through air and water like some living force.

    ¡°Grandfather,¡± Mr. Albi called, his voice breaking through the tension. ¡°What¡¯s happening? What is he saying?¡±

    Orwen turned to his grandson, then swept his gaze over the group, his voice an ocean of calm. ¡°He says, ¡®They¡¯re coming.¡¯¡±

    Behind him, the boy let out a joyous laugh that bubbled the waters into a frothy foam as he power-stroked around the tank in time with the ancient rhythm.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 21: The Hidden Threshold

    Calistya jolted awake, drenched in a cold sweat. She sat upright, her hands instinctively searching for the cover that wasn¡¯t there. The air, sharp and biting, gave her a shiver. Looking around, she saw another girl on the beach, sleeping. Slowly it all started coming back. Powering her way down here, coming to rest in this cove. Spending time with that boy. And then Khrystal coming to join them. And the fun times they¡¯d had down here, away from it all. She never wanted to leave.

    The boy had been gone for some time, but he left them with everything they¡¯d need. Food and water, and games he was enamored with, but that she couldn¡¯t quite puzzle out yet.

    She had no idea such places even existed. There was nothing in the oceanography class about them, nor in any of the history texts. But here it was, just a few leagues away from the city, easily accessed¡ªif one knew where to look.

    Calistya lingered by the water¡¯s edge, her legs tucked close to retain warmth. The cove encircled her like an amphitheater of chalk-white stone, its silence broken only by the rhythmic shushing of waves.

    She looked around the cove. The water circulated through a vast cerulean pool, too deep for light to penetrate, suggesting a secret world waiting to be found. The rock walls were white and, she recalled from a stolen lick, salty. They curved around to match the shape of the bay, and far above was a sort of ceiling. Above that, she imagined, was the open ocean. Though she¡¯d entered through the sand under the chasm, she hadn¡¯t come directly down into the cove. Rather, she¡¯d negotiated a number of slippery slopes on a downward trajectory until she ended up in the pool somehow. When she¡¯d popped her head up and seen the cove, she went back down to confirm the exit was where she thought it was. That done, she made her way up onto the beach. Later that day, the boy had returned. And the next day or so¡ªshe couldn¡¯t really keep track of time down here¡ªKhrystal had shown up.

    She¡¯d been about to leave when that happened. She had explored all there was to explore in this place, and the boy wasn¡¯t really the best company after a while. They had language barrier issues, for one thing, though from time to time she got the distinct impression he was somehow reading her mind. Though the environs were cozy enough, it was always chilly down here, and the odd natural light¡ªthe source of which appeared to be a number of shells ringing the top of the cliff¡ªnever subsided. It became rather difficult to sleep after a time, though Khrystal didn¡¯t seem to have as hard a time with it.

    At any rate, with Khrystal in the cove with her, she had a kindred spirit, someone to commiserate with. And it was more fun interacting with the boy now there were two of them. Although Khrystal would¡¯ve stayed forever, Calistya was concerned they might be missed.

    ¡°You think they¡¯re gonna care about a couple of orphan girls?¡±

    True point. Still, Cali thought it unfair for them to just ghost.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think we should at least report in? Tell them what¡¯s going on?

    Khrystal brushed off the notion with a dramatic wave, doubling over in mock laughter to drive the point home. ¡°They¡¯ll think you¡¯re suicidal. Or nuts. What¡¯ll you say, ¡®A real live merboy invited me to ditch civilization and play house under the sea¡¯?¡±

    Cali felt her skin turn a hot blushing shade at the idea. Khrys was right.

    * * *

    When the boy didn¡¯t return for nearly a day, they wondered if he was gone for good.

    ¡°Maybe he went back where he came from?¡± Khrystal thought aloud. ¡°I mean he doesn¡¯t live here does he? On a beach by himself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about that,¡± Calistya said. ¡°I think his people live down there.¡±¡ªShe pointed out to sea and downward¡ª¡±I mean it seems deep enough. Maybe there¡¯s a colony or something.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°Wanna find out?¡± Khrystal asked, surprising the both of them.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s safe?¡± Calistya asked.

    ¡°Why not. We¡¯ve still got our gear. I¡¯d ask the boy to take us himself, but¡­¡± She waved her arms in the air, indicating the lack of a companion merboy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for him a little while longer. If he¡¯s not back by morning, we¡¯ll go explore.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. I could use some more sleep.¡± And Khrystal curled up and slept. Calistya, still chilly, didn¡¯t sleep at all. And at ¡®dawn¡¯ by her reckoning, she was ready to follow Khrystal on their next adventure. Only Khrystal slept. And slept, and slept.

    Calistya had eaten breakfast and lunch by the time her friend came to. And even then, Khrystal wasn¡¯t ready to leave. First she had to eat¡ªfair enough¡ªbut then she had to get herself ready. Do something with her hair. Make sure her outfit looked right.

    ¡°Jeez Khrys, we¡¯re not going on a date. We¡¯re just going for a swim.¡±

    ¡°Well, you never know who¡¯ll you¡¯ll meet down there, so¡­¡±

    When Khrystal was finally ready, then geared up and thrust fin into the cove. The moment they submerged, the water¡¯s chill enveloped them, intensifying with every measured descent. It was just as Calistya had expected¡ªno bottom to be found. If anything, the cove was something akin to a cave entrance, in the sense that the water seemed to open out into a vast, oceanlike body as they descended, deeper than either girl had swam before.

    They felt the mounting pressure, a physical reminder of how deep they had ventured. Not enough to be uncomfortable, but enough to know they were going down in real terms. Any deeper, and they¡¯d reach the limits of their gear¡ªa sobering thought underscored by the relentless bite of the cold. They couldn¡¯t stay down here for long.

    In fact, Khrystal had already given the sign for them to rise when Cali made the sign for ¡®just one more minute¡¯. Khrystal reluctantly agreed, but just as even Cali was about to give up as well, they found themselves across from a crevasse-like sea-shelf. Crossing onto it, the water¡¯s sharp bite dulled, replaced by a tepid warmth that felt almost hot against their chilled skin.

    They treaded water for a minute, calming their shivering bodies, then looked around. Inside the shelf was a rock wall that recessed into what appeared to be an undersea cavern of a small sort. The further they proceeded in, the warmer it became, until it was very nearly comparable to the waters around the city. Still several degrees colder, but certainly tolerable by their standards.

    ¡°Undersea vent?¡± Khrystal said.

    Calistya nodded. It had to be volcanic. The thought added an eerie sentience to the shelf¡¯s warmth. Though they¡¯d read about such things in their textbooks, and some cities boasted them as part of their getaway invitations, the girls had no idea that such phenomenon could be found practically on their doorstep.

    And speaking of doorsteps, Calistya thought. Startled to think that what she was seeing was real, she swam backwards until she almost bumped into Khrystal.

    ¡°Hey, watch where you¡ª¡±

    And then she saw it too. Etched into the rock, the door seemed less a creation and more an inevitability, its edges glowing faintly as if awaiting a long-forgotten purpose. And beside it, an opaque substance that could almost be taken for a window, assuming such things as doors and windows existed so deep under the sea, beneath a hidden cove, near a volcanic vent that kept the water safe and comfortable.

    ¡°You think we¡¯d better knock?¡± Khrystal said, her voice dripping with scared sarcasm.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Calistya replied, pushing backward as hard as she could, until she bumped into some¡­thing that hadn¡¯t been there before.

    Turning around with great amounts of trepidation and just as much caution, she came face to face with a merboy. Another merboy, not the one that she knew from above. This one was smaller, and looked frightened. No, he didn¡¯t just look frightened. She could feel his fright. Somehow. Knew it to be true as if it were her own.

    And she, too, was afraid. There was no doubt about that. But their emotions entwined in her mind like the threads of a fishing net¡ªhis sharp and hypervigilant, hers yearning to soothe and protect.

    The sensation was compelling, and she was immediately drawn to him. She wanted to calm and comfort him, elicit more pleasant emotions. Care for him. He needed care. Wanted to be cared for.

    When Khrystal screamed, it was as if that emotional bubble simply popped. She could practically hear the noise of it. Like the connection was severed, cut in two. It was almost a painful thing. She looked over at her friend in disgust, thinking that she¡¯d just ruined perhaps the most special event in her entire life.

    But Khrystal didn¡¯t care. She was still screaming, bubbles streaming from her breathing gear. And she was staring. Not at the boy, nor the door, but out towards the open water. Calistya looked, and gave a start. There, framed by the cavern walls, was an imposingly large, fully grown, fearsome-faced merman.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 22: Unspoken Currents

    Orwen¡¯s gaze lingered on the exotic-looking merboy, who stood out like a floating enigma amidst the huddled teachers and guards.

    ¡°If he can get through to the boy,¡± Headmaster Oliver was saying, ¡°then perhaps he can help us find out what happened to the girls. We can only assume that he knows something¡ªthree disappearances in as many days can¡¯t be dismissed as coincidence, and now this one shows up? He must have a role in all this.¡±

    Orwen, for his part, was trying a few different dialects to try and communicate. Thus far he hadn¡¯t had much luck, though the merboy seemed to take it as a great game, and he laughingly played along, mimicking the sounds as the man was making them, turning it into quite the cacophony.

    When Ms. Terri stepped away from the headmaster and made her way to the tank, her movements escaped notice. Then she started talking to herself. That got everybody¡¯s attention.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright though, don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡±

    A pause.

    ¡°Yes, my name is Ms. Terri. I¡¯m a teacher here¡­¡±

    Another pause, and her expression softened.

    ¡°Kyle?¡± The word seemed to surface in her mind as if it had been whispered to her. ¡°Is that your name?¡±

    The merboy tilted his head, his gills flaring slightly. Then, with a slow nod, he seemed to confirm it, his eyes narrowing in what might have been curiosity¡ªor something deeper. Like he had a question.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not in any trouble,¡± Ms. Terri said to nobody in particular. ¡°We just want to understand you, that¡¯s all¡­¡±

    ¡°Ms. Terri!¡± the headmaster barked, ¡°what in the world are you playing at?¡±

    Ms. Terri put a hand up to silence him, her entire focus on the boy¡ªon Kyle. She didn¡¯t know how she knew his name, but it had come to her like a thought-flow poured straight into her mind. No, her heart. It wasn¡¯t her voice that said it, but it wasn¡¯t his either. It was something shared, something entirely new. A thrill of awe mixed with fear raced through her. What was this connection, and why her?

    ¡°No, he won¡¯t hurt you either, Kyle,¡± she said, warning the headmaster with a glare. ¡°No one will.¡±

    The merboy had gone silent, along with the rest of the room, but unlike them, he had a look of concentration on his face. As if he really were carrying on a conversation. And he continually flexed his gills and temples as if trying to express himself. Ms. Terri wasn¡¯t looking directly at him, but he was staring intently at her.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t go! Wait!¡±

    Taking advantage of the intensity of the moment, the merboy kicked back and away from the guards, dove under the water, and fled the room.

    Ms. Terri called after him. The full-gill guards flipped around and gave chase. The rest of the room looked on, mouths agape, shocked to see the alien merboy make a dart for it.

    * * *

    He was faster than any of the guards, moving like a oiled dolphin through the tanks and tunnels of the school, then out the hatchway and into the open waters of the street level. From there, he could go about anywhere, and without an obvious lead, the guards soon slowed up and headed back to re-group.

    ¡°We were caught flat-finned, no excuse for it,¡± admitted the lead aquasentinel.

    ¡°He can¡¯t have gotten far,¡± Headmaster Oliver pressed.

    ¡°We¡¯ll send out patrols,¡± the lead sentinel growled, his techno-gill slits flaring with frustration. ¡°But he¡¯s fast. We¡¯ll need to deploy tracking gear if we¡¯re going to stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°Well, do it, man!¡± Oliver snapped, seizing the opportunity to direct rather than defend himself.

    ¡°Now Ms. Terri,¡± Oliver said, turning to his colleague, ¡°would you mind telling me what in the name of Atlantis you were doing with that boy before he made his escape?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Terri said absently. ¡°Oh, the boy? You didn¡¯t hear him?¡±

    ¡°Hear what?¡± Mr. Albi said. ¡°The merboy didn¡¯t say a thing. You were the only one in the room talking. It looked like you were play-acting or something, talking to the air like that.¡±

    ¡°To the air? No, he was talking to me. Although at the same time it seemed¡­almost seemed as though his voice was in my head.¡± Ms. Terri¡¯s hands trembled slightly as she replayed the moment in her mind. How had she understood him so clearly? The voice had been unmistakable, an easygoing stream of thoughts that bypassed her ears entirely. But why her? And what did it mean for Kyle¡¯s kind?This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Orwen chimed in.

    They turned to the expert, who¡¯d been so quiet it was as if he wasn¡¯t even in the room. He was gazing back and forth between the boy and Ms. Terri with an expression of wonder.

    ¡°They¡¯re engaging in a form of telepathy,¡± he stated, musing to himself at the same time about what it all could mean. If even a fraction of the stories were true, this encounter could validate years of dismissed research.

    Or, he thought with a sense of long-suffering resignation, it could just add to the ridicule.

    Still, he knew what he was talking about. Always had. And these others had no inkling of what was right in front of them.

    ¡°There are stories that cannot be ignored, sir. Accounts of fantastical civilizations.¡±

    ¡°And how did you come to know these¡­stories?¡± Oliver challenged, his tone still skeptical.

    ¡°It is the very foundation of my work,¡± Orwen replied, his voice growing firmer despite Oliver¡¯s accusatory tone. ¡°I have spent more decades than I care to count researching, verifying, and then verifying some more. I daresay longer than you¡¯ve been alive.¡±

    The headmaster went silent, his confidence dimming in the face of Orwen¡¯s credentials.

    Orwen nodded, seizing the opportunity. ¡°There are accounts of mer-civilizations so advanced, so sophisticated, that they¡¯ve developed their minds to a highly attenuated degree. These advanced races are thought to communicate not only with each other but with all life¡ªa natural, empathic understanding that transcends simple speech.¡±

    Orwen Albi knew how to command attention¡ªthat was becoming undeniably clear. Even Headmaster Oliver seemed to be softening to Orwen''s steady, confident tone. And his grandson, too, sat in rapt attention, his eyes shining with something Orwen hadn¡¯t seen in years: true adoration. The skeptical mix of emotions that had clouded his expression minutes before had dissolved, leaving only awe.

    ¡°And it¡¯s not just stories, Headmaster. It¡¯s research. A great deal of it my own. And now¡­¡± His gaze flicked to Ms. Terri. ¡°We may have just seen proof.¡±

    ¡°Well, either way we won¡¯t be getting anything more out of the boy unless we,¡±¡ªhe re-directed his accusatory vibes towards the aquasentinels¡ª¡±get our hands on him again.¡±

    * * *

    Bursting into the open waters of the city, Kyle opened up his full range of motion and tore through the warm waterways, taking joy in the freedom. The merboy¡¯s heart raced, excitement propelling him through the water. The currents felt like home, but the thought of those legged ones chasing him added a sharp edge. He didn¡¯t trust them¡ªnot yet¡ªthough he couldn¡¯t ignore the powerful connection he¡¯d felt with the kind-eyed woman.

    Pressing forward, he noticed how strange these waterways were¡ªrigid, artificial veins pulsing through a metallic world. Back home, the currents shifted with the will of the waters themselves, but here they felt confined, forced into patterns that ignored the rhythm of the sea. He preferred the raw power of open water, the unconstricted joy of swimming without barriers. But he also felt a strange fascination with the city¡¯s glittering edges and the legged ones¡¯ trinkets. They were so different, so alien, yet they, too, shimmered with a kind of magic.

    They¡¯re not really so different, he thought.

    He hadn¡¯t meant to dart away so quickly, but all those adult legged ones, not to mention the few who seemed to be somehow enhanced, had made him rather nervous. Besides, he was starting to feel cooped up in that one little pool. His normal range was many leagues there and back home again, as far out as he might wish to go without wearing himself. While he wasn¡¯t allowed to go inland, strictly speaking, he was free to go out to sea as far as he liked.

    Compared to that, even the entire city was rather limited, but this was still a chase, at that, and he was very good at chases. So he didn¡¯t swim in a straight line, but rather zipped this way and that in an effort to obscure his trail. He did his best to avoid detection, and when he was spotted he made sure to speed up so they¡¯d be able to report nothing more than a green-tinged blur.

    Even as fast as he was traveling, he gave himself time to take in the city sights. He felt as though he might never get back here, and so now was the perfect time to get a look at the place. The traveling pools seemed to run alongside the walkways, so that the enhanced ones could travel side-by-side with the legged. Buildings were erected every fathom or so along the way, so that both legged and special could enter through the front via a sort of offshoot of the current. He couldn¡¯t think of how else to describe it. Sometimes he rode currents, and looking for whirling pools of offshoot were the easiest way to get off the main way.

    From time to time, these waterways and pathways would converge on large pools, giving the impression these were communal gathering places. And indeed he did see large numbers of legged¡ªadorned in water-gear for undersea breathing¡ªand enhanced ones getting together in these pools. Some under the surface, some bellied up to the edges enjoying drinks or snacks. And there were other legged ones there handing out the various snacks and drinks in exchange for what looked like shiny trinkets.

    He was tempted to give it a go for one of those trinkets, or even for a snack, though he wasn¡¯t that hungry yet. He rarely ate much more than every seventh sleep or so. The trinkets, though, they were tempting. So shiny. Silver and gold. Mostly round, or with slight edges. He wanted one badly.

    When he reached out to grab one that had been placed on the edge of the pool, he hardly expected the commotion that followed. The people were every bit as excited as the ones he¡¯d left behind in the school pool, pointing and shouting and blowing whistles. Keeping a tight grip on his prize, he dove hard and almost hit the unforgiving bottom, barely escaping his second injury of the day. He got his bearings while under, and made for the furthest waterway he could find. Surging forward, he made for a remote part of the city, far from where he¡¯d begun, and far from the ocean side he was familiar with.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 23: Silence Speaks

    Khrystal grasped Calistya¡¯s hand and pulled her out of reach of the merman¡¯s outstretched, webbed fingers, pulling her friend safely away from the water. Their land-legs faltered on the slick cavern walls, each faltering step upward a false hope, as the safer path twisted cruelly back toward the water below. They jumped in, attempting to make for the opposite shoreline. Stunned slow by the icy water, the merman had little trouble catching up with them and wrapping them up in his strong arms.

    They thrashed against his grip, but their movements faltered. Fear coursed through them, yet a strange calm overcame their limbs¡ªlike a wave they couldn¡¯t resist. The urge to fight melted away, leaving only the tremor of shared confusion that asked, wordlessly: What will this being do to us?

    As it turned out, not much. He brought them back to the house-on-the-shelf, pushed open the door, and showed them in. Inside, the house exuded a cozy warmth, the walls shimmering faintly with bioluminescent algae. A merboy appeared briefly, his curious eyes taking them in before he darted away, leaving ripples in the water that seemed to spin for an eternity in his wake.

    The merman didn¡¯t speak, but he didn¡¯t forbid them from speaking either, so they whispered to each other about what was going on. Just as they¡¯d decided to try speaking with the imposing creature, another swam in. A mermaid this time, statuesque and graceful, and just about the most breathtaking creature either girl had ever seen.

    The silence was so disconcerting, finally Khrystal worked up the nerve to say, ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Khrystal. Mrs.?¡±

    Getting no response, Khrystal looked to the male and repeated herself.

    The pair stared back, implacable. Then they looked at each other, and suddenly the mermaids voice filled their minds, a harmony that transcended words, weaving images and emotions into a perfect understanding.

    You¡¯ve come such a long way, my little ones. Are you alright?

    An approximation of the meaning the mermaid conveyed, but there was so much more to it. Warm and loving, concerned, and welcoming.

    The girls didn¡¯t know what to say. They looked at each other, then back at the grown merfolk, real merfolk. Not like the ones in the city, which called themselves such, but in reality were merely humans, descended from the cities of man before the great plunge. Technologically enhanced, not true denizens of the sea.

    Not like these gorgeous beings before them. There was nothing human about these merfolk. They were natural. Perfect. Not a blemish or a mark, chiseled and shaped like porcelain museum pieces.

    As the girls, and they really were girls¡ªno point in calling each other technos any longer¡ªstared at each other, Khrystals eyes began to flutter. Calistya realized that she was having trouble seeing straight, and she wondered if her eyes were of the same quality. But the room was spinning far too much to be concerned with the condition of her eyes, and¡ª¡±

    With a whoosh, they were in motion. Caught in the powerful grasp of the merman, he sped them for the surface at an incredible clip. When they reached the undersea cove, he quickly placed them on the beach and removed their breathing gear. In the excitement of their incredible discoveries, they¡¯d completely neglected the fact that they¡ªunlike these magical creatures¡ªcould not breathe underwater for an extended amount of time. They¡¯d forgotten to charge up their breathing gear, which had been on the go ever since they left The Shallows. They should¡¯ve thought to fill up when they were in the cove, but in all the excitement¡­

    I¡¯ll watch over you girls, came a voice inside their heads. They looked at each other, then over to the merman who rose proudly out of the water. He looked as if he could breathe air if he was of a mind to, but it seemed more likely he was simply holding his breath for an extended period.

    I am Sammel. My wife Sara and I will take care of you, until you are ready to return to the realm of the legged ones.

    His words formed perfectly, but the girls were still confused and not quite sure of themselves. Calistya wanted to say thank you, but she didn¡¯t quite know if she should voice it, or if¡ª¡±

    You¡¯re welcome, child. But you don¡¯t belong here. We must return you to your people soon. They¡¯re certain to be looking for you.

    With one more thought that was emotion more than words, a comforting, have no fear emotion that conveyed ¡®I¡¯ll be right back¡¯, along with a dozen lesser sentiments, the merman made a high-pitched, real sound of preparation, then jumped clean out of the water and into a dive. If the feelings he¡¯d conveyed were correct, he¡¯d gone back to his home for supplies. The girls collapsed onto the sand, exhausted.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    * * *

    The merfolk let the girls sleep in open air, and when they awoke their breathing gear lay beside them, fully charged. They couldn¡¯t recall if they¡¯d done it themselves during the night, or if the merman had done it for them. All they knew was they were feeling much, much better, and were ready to do some exploring.

    They hadn¡¯t been told not to, so they girls dove down to have another look at the icy cold shelf where their new merfolk friends lived. They made it to the door without trouble, and then, taking a moment to warm up, they knocked.

    The merboy answered. He looked slightly shocked at their appearance, but swam aside and allowed them through. Inside the house looked much the same as it had the day before. There was no sign of the adults. The merboy looked as though he wanted to say something, but he made no sound. Then he stared at them, concentrating, and they got the distinct impression that they should enter the living quarters and be comfortable.

    Calistya thanked him¡ªthe audible comment seemed to catch him by surprise¡ªand they trio made their way further into the cozy abode. There seemed to be a food preparation area off to one side, and there was a tunnel that seemed to extend up into another level. But the boy had invited them specifically into the living area, so that was where they came to rest.

    The boy showed them around the room, teaching them about various objects by rote. There was a resting place carved into one wall, with soft corals that felt like sponges under hand and flipper. It was a very comfortable space, and there were two available so the girls could try it at the same time.

    Then there were some clever little hand and flipper warmers, easy enough to get a handle on once they were shown. They used them, then put them back in their place inside the wall. From the looks of it, that section of the house was slightly warmer than the rest. Perhaps attached to the volcanic vents that existed all around them? Calistya made a mental note to ask her oceanography teacher if there was any evidence of such volcanic activity anywhere near their city. Clearly there was, unless this was an entirely new source of energy they¡¯d never been taught about. But volcanic activity seemed the most logical.

    By the time the adults came back, the girls had had enough of exploring, and were growing slightly tired of their confinement. It occurred to them, based on the dimensions of this place, that the family rarely spent time at home. It seemed as though this was merely a stopover sort of place, for eating and resting, and then heading back out to sea. And from the powerful physique of these beings, they must have spent a good deal of their time on the move.

    Not that they didn¡¯t look quite comfortable at rest. In fact, the couple bore a striking image as they floated there in front of the girls, and not for the first time Calistya found herself quite drawn to that compelling merman who¡¯d rescued her from drowning just one day ago.

    We must speak with you about our son, said Sara.

    He hasn¡¯t returned in several tides, and we fear for his safety, added Sammel.

    It had gotten to the point where they could define which of the two were ¡®speaking¡¯ based on the emotional resonance of their thought patterns. One ¡®sounded¡¯ distinctly female, the other definitively not. It wasn¡¯t a sound, though, not high or low pitch or anything like that, but rather a quality of thought, impossible to describe, but compellingly clear to experience.

    ¡°How can we help?¡± Khrystal¡¯s voice broke the stillness, startling the merboy. His wide eyes darted toward Sara, seeking reassurance, before flicking back to Khrystal with a mixture of hesitation and hope.

    My son, go to your chamber for now, thought Sara. Wait there for us to return.

    The merboy hesitated, his gaze locking on the silver necklace Calistya wore. He recognized it immediately. Kyle had noticed that very same trinket when he¡¯d first become fascinated with this girl, staring at it with a strange intensity Kip hadn¡¯t understood at the time. His brother often shared memories that didn¡¯t make sense, though, so he¡¯d thought nothing of it.

    But maybe it wasn¡¯t the girl that had captivated Kyle, the boy thought now. Maybe it¡¯s that shiny pretty on her gill-space. He squinted as he observed her neck, and the glint of metal on it, and realized with a start that there were no gills on that space. So odd, these creatures.

    But they mattered to his brother, or their shiny possessions did, at least. And if such things mattered to Kyle, maybe they could mean something to him too. Maybe they held the secret to why his brother had changed so much, or why he¡¯d vanished for tides on end.

    Go to your chamber, Kyp, Sara¡¯s thought repeated, firmer this time. And wait there.

    Kip started, the compulsion broken. He turned and swam off, with one last backwards glance at the glint of silver on that gill-less being his brother so adored.

    Calistya caught his stare and smiled, eliciting a shy reaction as he swam away faster. Kyp. What a cute name, for such an adorable little boy. Merboy, she corrected, still finding it hard to believe.

    Some of your kind seek to harm us, Sara¡¯s thought-voice sounded once her child had removed himself, all-business now. Cool and unyielding. ¡°They long for something they do not understand. We fear they may use our child as a pawn in their schemes.¡±

    We must be ready, Sammet added, his resolve resonating throughout the chamber as if it had been audibly delivered, rather than silently conveyed.

    The adults, distraught in the realization that their older son was in peril, failed to realize that Kyp remained within thought-shot. His eyes widened as he took in the details about his brother, and the danger he may be in.

    With a shiver, he began swimming in circles, uncertainty rising into a child-like panic. Then, he made a decision, and began swimming away from where his parents, too preoccupied to pick up on his distress, were still in communication with the strange guests. He knew where they''d come from. Knew that his brother was interested in that place, as well. Realized his brother might not know what was in store. He had to do something.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 24: Hidden Designs

    Keeping eyes at the waterline so as not to be spotted, Kyle touched minds as he went. A simple mental handshake and a hello. Nothing invasive. And they all seemed receptive. Just a connection with a being they didn''t realize wasn''t one of their own. Little more than the pleasant feeling one gets when one passes a stranger and makes eye contact.

    The fleeting connections felt warm, grounding. A tiny spark of belonging. Yet guilt crept in with each mental encounter¡ªwhy had he fled the ones who truly cared for him?

    He decided to go back, but first he had to explore the imposing structure he''d spotted near the center of this amazing place. The largest structure he''d seen, though he couldn''t know the purpose.

    It was the main ministerial center. Just a few gates and locks stood between him and the powers that controlled this place, though he wouldn¡¯t know that either, until he entered the place. He had little difficulty making his way in, finding side channels and easy locks. Not so many of the mechanical swimmers were entering this building, either. Most of them were legged, all of them in a great hurry.

    So he swam through and around until he reached the core of the place. And when he reached out to connect with those he found there, he stopped short in horror, nearly taking in water through his unused lungs.

    In the process, coughing and sputtering, he treaded and tried to recede mentally from the disturbing thought streams that were invading his mind.

    He fled, darting away as fast as he could. Pushing hard. Pushing out the mental pictures that had been fed him by unwitting officials who had no idea they''d connected minds. Images of expansion. Invasion. Plans and plots involving not only the city but the entire realm, including Kyle''s own home. These beings had designs on it. They would push his people out, or worse, all for the desire for ¡®breathing room¡¯, a new phrase he had to process on a number of levels before it made some sense to him. It still sounded horrible, but he was beginning to understand.

    Terrified, he swam top speed away from those men. Away from those invaders and their enormous, unnatural structure they all plotted from within. In a panic, he feared they would realize he''d touched their minds, and make chase. He thought he could feel them behind him, closing in, wanting to do him harm, though he couldn¡¯t say whether this was here and now, or if it were future fears based on the bloodthirsty plans he¡¯d inadvertently become privy to.

    He made a rash decision¡ªhe would wreak havoc as he went, in an attempt to distract any pursuers. They can''t find me if they can¡¯t follow, he reasoned.

    With more strength than he realized he was capable of, he lashed out. His fists connected with the glass tubes, sending sharp vibrations through his arms as tiny fractures crackled outward. Streams of cold water were sucked through, stinging his skin and pulling him deeper into the chaos he was creating.

    Forcing water to gusher every which way, Kyle worked to disrupt the legged ones, slowing their pursuit and making swimming after him nearly impossible. He barely escaped himself as the channels dipped dangerously low for swimming, forcing him to push harder.

    He followed the chaotic flow, diving lower and faster, smashing ducts and glass as he went. His gills worked overtime, pulling in nutrients and oxygen, while his limbs powered him forward¡ªsmash, dart, smash. He left destruction in his wake, confident the mess would keep them busy long enough for him to make his escape.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    But as he glanced back, his confidence shattered. The walls of the waterways were somehow repairing themselves.

    What¡¯s this magic? he thought, heart sinking.

    Kyle had no understanding of nano-technology, or how The Shallows functioned beneath its surface-level simplicity. He didn¡¯t know that the city¡¯s designers had prioritized survival above all else. Catastrophic failures couldn¡¯t wait for repair crews¡ªnot when the sea itself could destroy their fragile ecosystem. The self-repair systems were ancient, built into the very arteries of the city to handle breaches like this in seconds.

    Which meant that Kyle¡¯s chaos wasn¡¯t chaos at all¡ªit was an inconvenience at best. The realization hit like a palm to the gills. He wasn¡¯t causing the havoc he thought. He needed a better plan...fast.

    * * *

    Aquasentinels Alison and Lam were back on the case. Following the disappointing performance of their colleagues, they¡¯d been returned to the school to follow up with the teachers and get to the bottom of their missing merboy Kyle. Headmaster Oliver wasn¡¯t too keen on his would-be interrogators suddenly working side-by-side with him and his staff, but city guard headquarters hadn¡¯t given him much choice in the matter.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you guards have some method for searching the city?¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± Lam replied, keeping his voice deferential, ¡°but as we¡¯ve only ever tracked children who were on the run, it¡¯s a far more difficult matter to track a boy through the pools and lakes of the city. He could be anywhere. And assuming he can stay under as long as he wishes, we can¡¯t even necessarily keep an eye on the surface.¡±

    ¡°Well, in that case,¡± Mr. Albi said, ¡°perhaps there¡¯s some way we can draw him out.¡±

    ¡°How do you figure?¡± asked the headmaster.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But he seemed particularly drawn to Ms. Terri. Perhaps we can send her out calling? Or a voice recording, perhaps? He seemed to react very positively to the spoken word. For that matter, we need to get all the full-gill guards to jam those waterways and call his name. We do know his name, don¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Kyle,¡± Ms. Terri said softly. She¡¯d been quite reserved ever since the merboy made his escape. Perhaps she felt somewhat responsible, as she hadn¡¯t made note of his agitation. Clearly a boy so young shouldn¡¯t be flitting about in the channels and pools of the city, without an adult in tow. He must be frightened, she thought.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get out there then,¡± the aquasentinel Alison said, ¡°Ms. Terri, if you would¡­¡±

    Terri followed the aquasentinels out of the room, and out to the street where a temporary command center had been set up. They¡¯d been there looking for the stray girls in any case, now they simply had to switch up their operation to search for one alien merboy.

    * * *

    Reports of leaks and ruptures wouldn¡¯t normally reach all guards on duty. But with an all-points bulletin for ¡®anything strange,¡¯ it was called in.

    A full-gill saboteur was an odd occurrence at any rate, since most full-gills were professional folk, or otherwise contributory members of the community. It was more likely the work of a street-rat who¡¯d gotten himself some diving equipment, though even that would be an odd approach. Easier by far to steal on the ground than through water, except that this thief was quick as lightening when they tried to catch him.

    Putting two and two together, the city aquasentinels headed out towards the refreshment pool with Ms. Terri and the other teachers in tow. Also along for the ride, the sentinel Marla, who¡¯d been on the case ever since the girls went missing, and intended to see the whole thing through come hell or high water.

    There was no sign of the merboy when they got there, but there were only a certain number of channels in and out of the refreshment pool. They decided to record Ms. Terri¡¯s voice, asking him to come in, and then send her off personally on the most likely avenue of escape.

    The other teachers and Marla would split up and accompany an aquasentinel crew. Somewhere out there, Kyle was still on the move¡ªand in terrible danger.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 25: Echoes of Belonging

    After a meal and a bit of rest, Calistya and Khrystal felt refreshed. The food was unlike anything from The Shallows¡ªsimple, fresh, and pure. The greens tasted crisp, the fruits held a gentle sweetness, and the drinks, drawn from natural springs, carried a lightness that seemed to wash away their concerns. Every bite reminded them of the organic nature of this place, a stark contrast to the engineered efficiency they were used to.

    The room they stayed in was quiet and comforting, its softly glowing walls and the faint swoosh of the water outside creating a soothing soundscape. For the first time in what seemed like forever, they could let go, their overextended frames easing into the serenity around them.

    Yet, even in this tranquility, they felt like outsiders, their every experience reminding them that this was not their home. The living space felt alive in ways they couldn¡¯t quite describe, every object seemingly placed with purpose, every surface carrying an almost sacred harmony. They feared event the smallest movement could upset the delicate balance, their limbs being so clumsy in comparison to the effortless grace of their hosts. So, they stayed in the living space they¡¯d been shown to, careful not to stray.

    When the collective thoughts turned to what to do about the girls, there was an agitation between the couple so palpable that Calistya and Khrystal felt their trepidation, though they couldn¡¯t understand why. They clearly didn¡¯t want the girls to go back, and although the pair of them wanted to stay, they couldn¡¯t understand why Sammel and Sara were so frightened for them to return home. Though at times stifling and constrained, neither of them had ever seen The Shallows as dangerous.

    When Sammel came back in from one of his forays, a load of food in his arms, he dropped the bundles in the kitchen and came back to see them. Sara joined him at the head of the room.

    We have been in contact with our counsel of elders. The entryway you used to come to our world was a lost portal, one we¡¯d not realized was still viable. We need you to promise it will not be used again. Then we must return you to your kind, though it brings us no joy to do so.

    The girls couldn¡¯t keep the sense of disappointment out of their heads, though they knew it was being read. Content to return home, if they had to, they hadn¡¯t realized they wouldn¡¯t ever be allowed to come back.

    ¡°What about the boy we saw?¡± Khrystal asked, her challenge masking a deeper fear of rejection. The attitude felt wildly out of place here, but she couldn¡¯t back down now. ¡°He¡¯s one of yours, and he¡¯s up in our world. He gets to stay. Why can¡¯t we stay, or come visit sometimes at least?¡±

    The mercouple looked at each other in confusion. Then sudden realization dawned on Sara¡¯s face.

    You¡¯re seen our elder son?

    Although she couldn¡¯t know for sure, something about the look of that sweet boy she¡¯d encountered seemed perfectly matched. It all made sense now¡ªof course Kyle was theirs.

    He¡¯s an adventurous boy, and often goes off for tides on end. We had no cause for concern in the past, but he was not to contact the humans.

    The girls flinched at the reference. Human. The image the mercouple projected was clear and undeniable. Yet the girls had been raised to believe they were something special. That they were technoquatic ¡®mermaids¡¯, not humans. But here, in the presence of true merfolk, the reality of who they were sank in deeply. And the realization of why these merfolk kept their distance set in deeply as well. Well treated though they were, they were still ¡®dangerous humans¡¯, and didn¡¯t truly belong down here in the true realm of the merfolk.

    * * *

    Although Sara and Sammel would not accompany them all the way back to The Shallows, they would take them as far as the cove, and see them through to the other side.

    The girls said their goodbyes to Kyp, who wouldn¡¯t be joining them, and collected themselves and got ready to go. The merfolk bid farewell to their son and showed Calistya and Khrystal out the door, and they started their ascent. Up they went through the icy water, hand in hand with the mercouple so they could move all the faster, and then emerging with a whoosh into the hidden cove where the girls had spent so much time. It was familiar and alien at the same time, now a gateway to a place they could never go.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Show us where the portal lies, Hammel thought, the impression conveying a gentleness, yet it was a command all the same.

    Although the girls hadn¡¯t, to that moment, even realized they¡¯d used some sort of an otherworldly method to get here, they suddenly knew exactly where it was and how it functioned¡ªas if it had been clear to them the whole time.

    More wondrous mer-magic, Calistya thought. The way they can make us understand without saying a single word. It¡¯s so amazing. Are they really magic?

    Her face went hot and she shoved the childish thought away, afraid the others might read it. These beings were indeed magical, and she didn¡¯t want that sense of wonder to be known for some reason. Perhaps it was because she wanted to belong, to be one of them. And wanted to be magical, too.

    It suddenly reminded her of that long-ago desire to be full-gill, such a silly notion now looking back. How could being an artificial swimmer compare in even the slightest way? This was so much more natural. And beautiful. She felt a swell of envy in her chest as she resigned herself to her true fate. Only human. Nothing more.

    So they ducked back under the waterline, swam along the shore in the direction of the cave wall, and followed the contours to the place where the hatch lay hidden.

    This is where we leave you, Sara thought.

    She felt sad. Which made them all feel sad. As much as they didn¡¯t want anything to do with ¡®humans¡¯, they¡¯d been enjoying the extra company. Both girls could feel it. Felt that the mermaids were somewhat lonely. That they¡¯d enjoy having girls around. Sara in particular.

    Sammel opened the hatch and Khrystal began to shimmy her way upward, but before she was halfway through she stopped herself, kicking downward and flailing to turn around.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s up there!¡± she sputtered.

    * * *

    Sammel sealed the hatch behind them and swiftly led their retreat to the cove. There was no telling if those above would try to come down, but they wouldn¡¯t be sticking around to find out.

    Tell us what you saw, Sara thought at Cali.

    ¡°There were mermen, er¡­I mean, men up there. From The Shallows. Workers. With machines.¡±

    The pair looked at each other, fins twitching as they silently communed, then turned to Calistya. Think about what the surroundings looked like when you first came down here, came a voice that was both of them and neither, all at the same time.

    Calistya felt nauseous, but did as she was told, imagining the chasm and those biolum¡¯s, just as she¡¯d known them when she first discovered the merboy. And the contours of the walls, and how they came to a point where only a small one could fit through. And then she imagined the space beneath, where she¡¯d touched that fine sand and found the portal, where the sand ran through like the fine grains of an hourglass. And she remembered how she¡¯d slipped through.

    The couple looked at her with understanding, slight smiles on their kind, not-quite-human faces. They felt familiar. Like fairy tales, not aliens.

    They turned to Khrystal. There was silence for several minutes. The expressions on the mercouple¡¯s face grew tense, then concerned, and finally horrified.

    When Khrystal was done with her thinking, she turned to Calistya and explained what she¡¯d seen.

    ¡°They¡¯ve dug away at the chasm since we¡¯ve been down here. Those machines they brought cut real good. I saw a few while I was up there. I saw men, too. Geared-up, not full-gills. They were digging up the seafloor deep. I think they¡¯re aiming for the portal.¡±

    We must address their leaders, Sammel announced in his silent way, but for now, we return home. You two will stay with us. It¡¯s too dangerous for us to access the portal now. I¡¯m sorry.

    The apology seemed out of place. How was it their fault? Besides, Khrystal and Calistya were thrilled to be spending more time with the mermaids. It was exactly where they wanted to be, with Sammel and Sara, and Kyp. For a pair of orphan girls, finding a magical family was the most amazing sort of miracle. Only the fact that Kyle was missing spoiled the mood.

    They couldn¡¯t help but be concerned, however. Clearly Sara and Sammel were worried about this breach. The girls had no idea why workers from The Shallows would be messing around by this secret entryway, but their disappearance probably had something to do with it. If so, their hijinks had put the mermaid¡¯s realm in danger, and they both felt sick about it. Worse, they were experiencing that guilt in the presence of psychic beings who could feel their every emotion, and they knew it. But trying to tamp it down only made it worse.

    It was Sara who made them both feel better. Stop worrying, girls. Whatever happens, we don¡¯t blame you. It all started with our own son, mind you. And he was well trained not to go playing around the human city. So don¡¯t blame yourselves.

    Her thoughts projected a wave of comfort, as well, easing their fears away. All is well. The sense of motherly care washed over them. We will not allow anyone to harm you.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 26: Unveiled Resentments

    Mayor Danelia¡¯s offices occupied a full quarter of the main government building, prominently adjacent to the city cross-channels. The position, the location, all of that spoke to status and deference. Danelia often felt the weight of that status bearing down, and expected a certain level of respect to make up for the burdens of the office. Most of her visitors seemed to recognize that, save for the rare crackpot types who actually thought that she worked for them.

    Orwen Albi was one of those crackpots. She¡¯d met with the man on a number of occasions, always with demands that she engage on some wild chase, demanding that she search yet again for long lost cousins of man. She had complied from time to time, just to get him off her back mostly. None of those endeavors bore fruit, though that never stopped him from coming back to demand more.

    Only this time, the expedition she¡¯d authorized on his behalf had actually found something. Their sonar projections had revealed a large cave beneath the sea, and additional waterways and all sorts of promising leads on resources.

    That, coupled with the reports of a real-live merboy loose in the city, had prompted her to dispatch a full crew. But she still needed answers. Reluctantly, she put out a summons for the researcher Orwen Abli to appear, and as expected, he was at her door mere minutes later.

    ¡°You really think this boy comes from the city below? He¡¯s not some sort of a mutant or something? I¡¯m risking a lot on this, Albi.¡±

    ¡°Mayor, I assure you, this merboy is no mutant. He¡¯s a perfectly natural, perfectly¡­perfect specimen. The first we¡¯ve seen in ages.¡±

    ¡°Alright, so they¡¯re real, then. And we have reason to believe they¡¯re a threat. The boy is proving it as we speak. So what do you propose we do after we draw them out? Detain them? Start an all-out war?

    ¡°Certainly not!¡± Orwen replied. ¡°Well, not necessarily at any rate. No. We simply want to meet them. Communicate with them. Study them, perhaps.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright with opening up that doorway, if only to expose it to the light of day. We don¡¯t need any secret entrances they can use to plunder us in the dead of night. But as far as going any further is concerned¡­¡±

    ¡°But Mayor Danelia, we must. If not, they¡¯ll find another way up. They¡¯re on the move now. This boy is proof. And they will come for us if we don¡¯t strike first.¡±

    Orwen could see that he wasn¡¯t getting through. He considered his options.

    ¡°And besides that,¡± he gambled, ¡°they¡¯ve got resources not yet realized. Geothermic resources that could power this city for generations.¡±

    That got the mayor¡¯s attention. The promise of endless power was tantalizing, but the thought of uprooting an entire civilization for it left a sour taste in her mouth.

    ¡°In order to exploit such resources, we¡¯d have to displace them. Wouldn¡¯t we?¡±

    Orwen shrugged. ¡°It would be hard to set up our operation otherwise. But I¡¯m sure we can strike some sort of a bargain.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t even communicate with these¡­beings. And you propose to strike a bargain for their territory? You seem awfully confident.¡±

    ¡°We have something they want,¡± Orwen replied, ¡°or at least we will have him soon enough. The entire aquasentinel is out in force looking for the boy, but what if I told you I had a way to catch him?¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡± the mayor replied cautiously.

    ¡°I do. And then, we¡¯ll have a means to bargain. That¡¯s all these merpeople respect, and it¡¯s precisely what we¡¯ll give them. You¡¯ll secure resources and ensure the safety of our city, all while demonstrating decisive leadership in the face of uncertainty. In short, Madam Mayor, you¡¯ll be a hero.¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    * * *

    Headmaster Oliver, Ms. Terri, Marla and Mr. Albi decided to take matters into their own hands. After their researcher and advisor had been ¡®suddenly called away¡¯, they¡¯d sat around and wondered what to do for a long while, until they finally had to do something. They decided to find out what they could about the origins of the merboy, in order to get some idea of where their students might¡¯ve gotten off to, and perhaps at least find some resolution there, if there was none to be found in the city.

    So they went back out to the line of demarcation that represented the edges of The Deep. What they found there shocked them to the core.

    The dark line was no longer dark. In fact, it was lit up as brightly as a summer¡¯s day, with no line of demarcation showing whatever. Deeper down, there was still no sign of the light letting up. If anything, it grew all the more dazzling. The bioluminescent creatures had fled, and the chasm walls shivered as if an earthquake were rocking them to and fro.

    The four of them descended as far as they could, until they were stopped by a pair of workmen.

    ¡°Not allowed past here for the time being folks. You¡¯re below the darkline anyways.¡±

    ¡°The darkline?¡± Headmaster Oliver said. ¡°It¡¯s bright as day down here.¡±

    ¡°True enough, but it¡¯s still off-limits. Got a project going on down there.¡±

    Oliver looked past the men, and indeed he could see heavy machinery down below.

    ¡°What sort of project springs up overnight?¡± asked Marla. ¡°On who¡¯s authority?¡±

    ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s overnight?¡± the second workman said.

    ¡°We were just here,¡± said Ms. Terri.

    ¡°Well, be that as it may, you can¡¯t be here now.¡± The first workman squinted at them, his eyes fairly dazzled from the worklight¡¯s glow. ¡°So beat it.¡±

    The four swam back a good ways, enough to stay out of the crosshairs of the workmen at any rate, and compared notes.

    ¡°We¡¯re not getting anywhere near that place on our own,¡± Oliver reasoned, ¡°so there¡¯s no sense in staying out here.¡±

    ¡°What could they possibly want with this place? There¡¯s nothing down there but seafloor, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Albi said, looking thoughtful.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Marla asked.

    ¡°Something about the seafloor. Related to the ring of fire, a region from the old texts. Volcanic activity, and seismic plates. We¡¯ve known for a long time that our city rests on an earthquake zone. But what if there were geothermals way down there as well? Could it be possible they were after some sort of an energy source?¡±

    ¡°That makes a great deal of sense, but why now?¡± Oliver said.

    ¡°The boy!¡± said Terri and Marla together. The others nodded. It made perfect sense.

    * * *

    Back at the school, the teachers¡ªand Marla¡ªattempted to figure out just what was going on at that chasm.

    ¡°Why would they be tearing it to pieces, to get at that boy?¡± Oliver asked.

    ¡°The boy¡¯s here,¡± Mr. Albi responded, ¡°why would they be looking for him down there?¡±

    It made sense. If they were after the boy, they¡¯d surely be searching in the city. And even if they were going after his home, what purpose would there be to bring down heavy equipment?

    ¡°We¡¯re not,¡± said Orwen, demonstrating his usual flair in entering a room just in time to toss out a pithy retort.

    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Marla exclaimed.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Orwen. ¡°Me again. And I¡¯ve got an explanation for you, if you¡¯d like to hear it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± Oliver said. The others perked up as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s about your missing students,¡± Orwen said, ¡°those poor girls. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve forgotten about them, have you?¡±

    ¡°Certainly not!¡± Ms. Terri replied. ¡°We¡¯re been sick with worry ever since they vanished.¡± Ms. Terri¡¯s voice cracked, betraying the guilt she carried for letting her focus drift to the merboy while her students remained missing.

    ¡°Well, what if I told you I suspect they were forcefully abducted by those very same mer-society the boy hails from, and that they¡¯re being used as pawns in a game of conquest!¡±

    ¡°Why on the high seas would they go around abducting innocent girls?¡± Oliver asked.

    ¡°Because we abducted one of theirs, of course.¡± Orwen raised a finger, silencing the inevitable protests before they began. ¡°Believe me, these creatures are as primitive as they are dangerous, driven by instinct and territoriality. I know them all too well.¡±

    And with that, Orwen rolled up a sleeve, revealing a long gash from the back of his hand to his elbow. ¡°As you can see, I have some experience. And I fear for the safety of your girls, and I intend to get them back safe and sound. That¡¯s why I called for an expedition. It¡¯s all connected, you see¡ªthe boy, the chasm, the missing girls. They¡¯re playing their part in a larger game, whether they know it or not. That¡¯s why all that heavy equipment is down there. It¡¯s not going to be easy, but we¡¯ll get them.¡±

    ¡°Get them?¡± Mr. Albi said, his voice trembling, his eyes looking deeply into the face of his inscrutable grandfather. ¡°It¡¯s as if you¡¯re talking about revenge.¡±

    The elder Albi said nothing, but a hand reached over to protect his wounded limb, as if the beings he was suddenly so afraid of might do him more harm still.

    ¡°I had no idea,¡± his grandson whispered, looking for all the world as if he didn¡¯t know the man at all.

 Before the Next Chapter - A Different Kind of Story

    Hey Solaria Rising Readers¡ªI want to tell you about a very different kind of story that I''ve just published.

    I¡¯m shifting this week¡¯s second release to Monday so I can share it with you, but don¡¯t worry, Solaria Rising will continue as usual next week!

    Like Solaria Rising, every story I write these days¡ªwhether sci-fi, fantasy, or something else entirely¡ªexplores themes like transformation, healing, and self-discovery. And Wounded Angels, my newest book, goes straight to the heart of those themes.

    It¡¯s been a long time coming, this journey from writing Wounded Angels to finally being ready to share it. I¡¯ve had a few trusted folks reading for a while, and I posted an excerpt or two in private groups. But this? This is the real deal. Anybody can read it now. And reading Wounded Angels is to read me.

    And as you¡¯ll see when you read Wounded Angels, I¡¯m afraid of you¡ªthe one who could judge me, misunderstand me, tell me I¡¯m no good. Inadequate. A loser.

    And yet, you could also become my newest connection. Someone to vibe with, be happy to hear from, bounce ideas off of. Maybe we¡¯ll even inspire each other.

    So I¡¯m taking the chance. I¡¯m handing the book over to you, now. At least some parts of it.

    Below are two excerpts¡ªone about my lifelong craving for intensity, and another featuring a conversation with one of my inner children that changed everything. If they resonate, I invite you to reach out.

    <hr>

    Excerpt from Chapter 5: Intensity

    Why do I crave something so painful?

    I¡¯m trying to get to the bottom of the way I crave intensity in relationships, which leaves me deep in chaos, enduring oil-gushers of toxic shame. My worst fears, that of having relationships break apart, become self-fulfilling prophecies¡ªI have lost nearly all the people I ever dreaded losing.

    From where I sit now though, calmer and more introspective, a look back reveals the stark truth¡ªI¡¯m better off without them.

    My role as scapegoat meant my part in the drama was always front-and-center. So extreme. So easy to point to and say, Enough from that guy, I want out!

    At the same time, the more subtle dance of the willing participant manifested in ways that were easy to miss, like subtle manipulations, blurred boundaries, lack of forthrightness, empty gestures, broken promises¡­

    All of which I played right into, but never recognized as unhealthy such that I could do the inner work and create my own framework on how best to go forward, if at all. I was too hung up on judging myself for any such nuance back then.

    It has been years since the last time any important relationship had disintegrated. Ups and downs, sure, but I¡¯m still on good terms with everyone I was close with as far back as a couple of years ago.

    The thing about intensity is that I often received it in return¡ªto varying degrees¡ªfrom willing participants, all of whom were seeking a similar connection. I loved them, and wanted that bond, but they weren¡¯t safe for me.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Nor I them, painful though that is to admit. The groundwork was all wrong, the attraction unhealthy from the start.

    And yet I was the one who ramped up, eventually. Maybe to entice them, at first, but it pushed them away by design. Because their intensity was too much for me as well. Intense in different ways. Intense displays of their pain, or their focused awesomeness which I never recognized as love-bombing or toxic positivity until much later. My body knew it, though¡ªtoxic shame was a dead giveaway.

    This intensity draws me in, and I want it. I love it, in proper doses, and I don¡¯t want to give it up. I want to focus it and understand it. To do that, I need to understand the part of me that seeks it out most actively¡ªthe first responder.

    This ¡®first responder¡¯ is a fearless risk-taker. He¡¯s ready to smash down a door if that¡¯s what it takes. He¡¯s bound and determined to make things work, which is great, except when they don¡¯t, because then he just keeps on battering down the doors¡ªeven when they¡¯re there for my benefit.

    <hr>

    Excerpt from Chapter 9: A Conversation with My Inner Child

    ¡°What do you need most from me right now?¡± I asked the child.

    And the answer came: understanding.

    ¡°What would make you feel happy and safe?¡±

    To be in a safe place.

    ¡°What are you most afraid of?¡±

    That the numbing out won¡¯t work.

    ¡°Can you remember a time when I felt really joyful? What were we doing?¡±

    Watching the Brady Bunch, when there would be some happy ending. One of the Brady kids would learn a lesson, or realize they had what they really wanted after all, and I would feel like, "oh, they¡¯re okay now."

    ¡°How do you feel about forgiving those who hurt me?¡±

    I feel okay with it. Now that I see the patterns, and I want to, even though what they did wasn¡¯t right and it was very hurtful.

    ¡°What advice would you give me for today?¡±

    Love your daughter. (The sentiment here being, "Break the generational pattern," coming at me clear as day from somewhere far, far beyond¡ªor maybe before¡ªmy experience...)

    ¡°What changes do I notice in our life now compared to before?¡±

    Everything. It¡¯s all changed. You never noticed me before, but that¡¯s okay because you weren¡¯t ready and you weren¡¯t well, and you still needed my help numbing out. See? I was always there to help you. You¡¯re welcome.

    He says all that in such a loving way, and I can hear his gentle laughter mixed in. Maybe these inner children are lightening up. Or maybe it¡¯s me¡ªfinally seeing them in a different light, and lightening up too.

    I never did have a problem with the boob tube, in moderation or otherwise¡ªas entertainment device, or even as coping method. So when I slip into those less-than-productive modes, I¡¯m gentle with myself, knowing the need to cope, to check out sometimes, is a long-standing self-care decision I made at an early age.

    It isn¡¯t just about willpower or screen addiction. It¡¯s also about a little boy who needed to cope, and who helped me survive. Knowing that, knowing myself, makes a world of difference in perspective and understanding.

    And understanding may just be the most valuable habit of all.

    <hr>

    Why I¡¯m Sharing This With You

    I''d like for you to read Wounded Angels, and I invite you to reach out if you feel drawn to it. I really want to touch base with the people who are sensing the importance of what this book represents. To connect, to hear your thoughts, and to find out how we can help each other.

    Wounded Angels is currently $4.44 on pre-order, and once it launches, the price will go up. If you¡¯d like to lock in the lower price, now¡¯s the time. Beyond the savings, every pre-order helps Wounded Angels gain visibility, making it more likely to reach the people it was meant for.

    To those who have already placed their trust in me and my story¡ªI am deeply grateful.

    Wounded Angels is unlike anything I¡¯ve ever written. It¡¯s raw, real, and terrifying to share¡ªbut that¡¯s exactly why I have to. It¡¯s not just a memoir; it¡¯s an invitation. A deep dive into my inner world, my wounds, my healing.

    If any of that speaks to you, you might find something in Wounded Angels to inspire your own journey.

    Thanks for holding space for me on this. Whether or not I hear from you about Wounded Angels, I look forward to seeing you next week with the next chapter of Solaria Rising!

    ¡ªDavid

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 27: Tides of Reckoning

    Aquasentinels Alyson and Lam swam through the central channel, perplexed at finding it so empty. On such a fine day, the waters should have been bursting with technoquatic energy. With the temperature just about perfect, so it would stand to reason that plenty of full-gill and pleasure swimmers would be out.

    It was unfortunate they¡¯d left themselves opened up to an issue since they¡¯d been shut off from the city early warning system. Whenever major issues cropped up, there were systems of loudspeakers both above ground and below the surfaces, but for non full-gills there was an unfortunate middle ground. The normies, as some full-gill merfolk had taken to describe their bretheren, weren¡¯t able to hear underwater over the sounds of their breathing equipment. And if they should surface, it would take time to strip down and get into normal street clothes, during which time they could easily miss announcements then, too.

    Of course, these two were aquasentinels of the city, and they had their own ability to keep abreast of what was happening in their city. While they had left their communications equipment behind in favor of a free-swim, they had emergency beacons on so as to keep in communication with aquasentinel headquarters as needed.

    When their beacon began flashing, they exchanged wary glances. A routine call? Or something worse? Only the second time did they decide to ascent to street level and see what the fuss was about.

    When they broke the surface and saw the brown wave heading in their direction, it didn¡¯t immediately register. Something irregular, that much was certain. A mud wave, perhaps?

    The wave of muck that splashed over them was free of toxins, but clung to their skin and gear nonetheless. The smell was hardly pleasant, however, and it got everywhere. Including in their swimming equipment, which forced them out of the water and onto the street beside. All along the way, people were stopping to look, turning away with expressions of disgust on their faces. The waters began rising from the muck that contaminated it, and full-gills began spilling out into the streets as well. It was a dangerous situation they found themselves in, but there were emergency breathers located along each waterway so they could hold out for the time being, at least until some form of mass transport could be arranged back to their living spaces.

    Fortunately for the full-gills, most of their living spaces were located on higher ground. The under-street channels they used for commuting and recreation were seeping under the strain of contaminants, but the upper levels would remain clean. Assuming they could get up there.

    * * *

    Surging forward with all his might, Kyle fought to stay ahead of the sewage flood. He wasn¡¯t particularly worried about his well-being. He¡¯d swum through worse in the open ocean from time to time. Leftovers from the time of land-dwelling humans who used the oceans as their garbage dumps. He¡¯d been unimpressed then, and he was not particularly moved by the filth now, but if he could put some distance between himself and the floors he¡¯d be all the better for it when he got out of the city. Less of a mess to clean up at any rate.

    Kyle surfaced occasionally, grinning as he saw the city¡¯s guards scrambling to contain the chaos he¡¯d unleashed. His plan was working.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The guards of the city were moving inward, heading for the origin of the contamination, those ten or so pumping stations he¡¯d made a mess of. They would have their hands and flippers full cleaning up that mess for some time. Although he was equal parts regretful and amused by the whole affair, he did consider it to be a necessary evil. He¡¯d never have gotten out of the city if the entire guard force had been out looking for him as before. Now, at least, he had a chance.

    At the city¡¯s edge, Kyle paused, weighing his options. A single wrong move could mean capture¡ªor worse. Though the sentinel posts were still manned, he could see that they were looking back, curious as to what was going on in their city beyond. Kyle could attempt to power past them before the sewage arrived, or he could wait for the muck and try to float out with the garbage. Odds were the sentries would abandon their post when the filthy water struck, but he couldn¡¯t be sure of that.

    He decided on a compromise. He would wait for the brown stuff to get there, then swim just ahead of it, hoping the sentries would be ducking out of the way by the time he reached their position.

    He had judged correctly. He kept just ahead of the brown wave, watching as the sentries hesitated before stepping away from the approaching muck, their expressions a mix of disgust and alarm. Their job was to monitor the ins and outs of The Shallows, not to act as plumbers, and they could close off the city gates from inside just as easily as out.

    He could feel the gates¡¯ currents pulling at his tailfin, a terrifying riptide straight back into the city, but he powered through with a final burst of strength.

    He let out a laugh of joy at finding himself with leagues in which to stretch. He looked around at the fishes and sealife for a few moments, then back at the city that¡¯d been such a glorious source of amusement. He felt a twinge of regret for the mess he¡¯d left them, but at the same time, he was eager to get back home. Much as his wanderings occasionally took him far from home, it was never far from his thoughts. And on that front, he felt lonely for not having the chance to think with anybody for such a long time.

    He turned tail and flipped hard, away from the city. Swimming faster, feeling the streamline of water on his lithe frame, he powered for home.

    * * *

    Speaking with the custodial sector, the aquasentinels, and a reporter from the Sentinel Post, Mayor Danelia got a read on the situation. The renegade who¡¯d prompted Orwen to call for all-out excavation had wreaked havoc citywide, destroying public property and alarming the citizenry, and leaving a number of full-gills displaced, their systems of mobility compromised for who knows how long.

    There wouldn¡¯t be any swimming in the streets for some time, either. It would take forever to disinfect and scrub down all those channels. And the budget shortfalls might even bankrupt the already beleaguered aquatropolis.

    As she watched the city struggle under the weight of its newest disaster, Danelia¡¯s thoughts drifted to Orwen¡¯s scheme: the promise of geothermal energy, locked away in merfolk territory.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time this was considered. Throughout the history of The Shallows, they¡¯d attempted to open up relations with those mysterious beings. Thwarted at every turn¡ªeach attempt to gain a foothold drove them further away, retreating into the abyss until they were more myth than fact.

    But the mayor knew about them. And men like Orwen weren¡¯t so rare. Plenty of advisors had whispered the geothermal notion into her ear, when the press wasn¡¯t listening. But until now, she¡¯d never had a proper excuse. Now that ¡®they¡¯d¡¯ attacked her city, however¡­

    She called for her assistant. ''Get Orwen in here immediately.'' As the assistant left, Danelia watched the repair crew through her window, their frantic work a grim reminder of her city¡¯s fragility¡ªand her opportunity to make them stronger than they¡¯d ever been.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 28: Waves of Departure

    The elder counsel¡¯s assistant communicated little when he appeared at the dwelling of Sammel and Sara, merely handing over a counsel declaration with little fanfare, then flipping over to depart, just as formally as he¡¯d entered.

    The rogue humans from the city above were to be brought before the counsel for questioning. The order was signed by none other than the eldest, Oryion, and the mercouple was expected to deliver the children immediately.

    They didn¡¯t have any particular reason to buck the counsel. They were decent citizens, sentries of a sort with their residence located so close to the unfortunate portal that was causing all the trouble.

    The order explained that spies had received word that the humans had taken the boy Kyle into custody, and sent these girls down as spies at the same time. It made no sense, given that these were merely children, but Sammel and Sara had not the power to defy the counsel.

    What they did have, however, was a method of getting those girls off to safety, handed over to their own kind so they¡¯d no longer be in danger. Sara¡¯s gill-filters quivered, betraying the sorrow she was trying to mask. Sammel¡¯s usual calm had an edge to it. He informed them that they¡¯d need to return to the cove to refresh their breathing devices. But Calistya and Khrystal both knew full well they weren¡¯t due for a refresh for quite some time. They could probably go a half-a-day without any trouble.

    Feeling the ache almost as keenly as their hosts, they knew something had changed. Although Calistya was reluctant to ask, Khrystal had no such reservations.

    ¡°We¡¯re in some kind of trouble, aren¡¯t we?¡± she said plainly. ¡°Because we came down here without permission? They want to see us about that. It&s okay, we¡¯ll tell the truth.¡±

    We can not allow you to become a trading shell, Sara thought. We¡¯ve been harboring you too long, so the counsel has grown concerned. It is considered vital that you be returned to your kind. Returned to your homes...

    The sentiment rang hollow. These girls didn¡¯t have homes. And yet, for all her grief, Sara knew she could not protect them from what came next. Her anguish filled the chamber, heavy and inescapable.

    The girls felt it too, and despite their own sadness, they exchanged a glance¡ªan unspoken understanding dawning on them. They didn¡¯t blame her. How could they? She had wanted them. Not just as protectees or burdens, but as family. It wasn¡¯t her fault.

    Khrystal reached out, brushing her hand against Sara¡¯s arm. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said softly, the words too small for everything she wanted to convey. Calistya added a hesitant smile, her own sadness so profound she dared not try to speak.

    They gathered their belongings with slow, reluctant hands. When they were ready, they followed Sammel to the door, pausing one last time to look back.

    Sara floated in the doorway, her expression resolute but her eyes glistening, filled with the affection only a mother could express. Calistya and Khrystal shared one last look, then rushed forward, throwing their arms around her in an embrace as much for her as for themselves.

    ¡°We know you tried,¡± Khrystal whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    Sara didn¡¯t respond aloud, but the waves of sorrow softened, warmed by the gratitude and affection they were radiating. When they finally pulled away, Sammel took them by the hands, and they swam off as Sara watched them go.

    The ocean shifted as they ascended, its icy embrace growing brighter, sharper, as though guiding them toward an uncertain fate. When they reached the cove, they were hit with more sad news. Sammel would not be able to accompany them to the portal. They should rest here, then go on by themselves when they were ready. This, too, was a directive Sammel had no say in. His entire being tensed with the desire to go on with them, protect them as they deserved.

    Your people are waiting for you, they will see you safely home.

    Meanwhile¡­the merman closed his eyes, took a deep nose-breath, then palm-slapped the surface with a tremendous force. The waters radiated outwards like a tsunami, and within moments, a bottlenosed dolphin appeared, leaping out of the water with a joyous squeak.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Our companion animal will see you safely to our side of the portal, Sammel told them.

    Calistya didn¡¯t even have to ask what the creature¡¯s name was, as Sammel thought the term aloud while watching his pet.

    ¡°Salty,¡± Calistya laughed. ¡°It¡¯s perfect!¡±

    Salty gave a little flip, and bobbed his way forward to make the girls¡¯ aquaintence. They laughed and patted him, careful not to touch his blowhole lest they stop him from breathing.

    Though The Shallows had their share of local sealife, it was rare to see a creature like Salty, and even more rare to have a personal, up close encounter such as this. As sad as the girls were to leave their host family, they were pleased that they could spend a little time with something so powerful and adorable.

    And now, my girls, I can accompany you no further. I am forbidden to approach the portal. As will my sons be after this unfortunate set of events. It pains me to bid farewell.

    The girls suddenly choked up. It was all happening so soon. They¡¯d barely gotten to know the mercouple, and their precocious sons, and now they had to go.

    They waved as Sammel swam away, then turned their attention to their new friend Salty. Adjusting their breathing gear to account for the new depth, they waded back into the cove and descended to the sandy bottom. Then over to the rock wall, following the contours they¡¯d become familiar with on the way down, through the twisty passageways that Salty seemed intimately familiar with. When they finally reached the portal, they were ready to return home. Calistya reached for the handgrip that would allow her to open it up. She gave a shove. Then a harder push. It wouldn¡¯t budge.

    * * *

    While Kyle was accustomed to swimming full-out in the open ocean, he wasn¡¯t so used to these shallows, where he had to avoid rock outcroppings and other dangers as he made his way along near the seafloor. He could¡¯ve swam higher, he supposed, but then he might not catch the tell-tale signs of the darkline, and beneath it where his familiar chasm lay.

    He needn¡¯t have worried, as there was no more darkline to be found. Instead, it was lit up as bright as day. The dazzling glare of artificial lights momentarily blinded him, and he scrambled backwards as if struck. Confused, he wondered if he¡¯d gone the wrong way. This sort of a scene was something more akin to what he might find in the city from which he¡¯d just escaped. He never expected to find it way out here in the open sea.

    But he knew instinctively that he was in the right place. In fact, he could feel the pretense of his people so many fathoms below. Their mind connection wasn¡¯t an endless thing, but it could be felt at quite a range. And here, he was nearly on top of his home, so it made sense that he could feel them. He didn¡¯t sense his parents in particular, but he knew they were down there.

    Unsure of what to do, he plunged downward until he was on the seafloor, then he crouched down and shimmied forward, trying to get a look at this great brightness, and what it meant. And how he might sneak past it.

    He felt a snag of fear as he caught sight of what was projecting those dazzling lights. The machines groaned as they carved into the chasm¡¯s sacred flesh. Kyle¡¯s gills flared in panic, his chest tightening as the familiar hum of his home was drowned out by a mechanical cacophony.

    The entryway to his world was exposed now. Not that he could see the portal, though. One of the giant machines covered it up, and other machines seemed to be sucking sand up inside them, exposing the rock of the seafloor. Reaching out with his questioning mind, he felt a sudden repulsion. These machines wouldn¡¯t just destroy the chasm, they would go through the rock as well, burrow their way deep down until the struck the roof of the cove.

    And they weren¡¯t planning to stop there, either.

    My home! My family!

    In a sudden fit of courageous pique, he dashed forward, aiming for the machine which covered up the portal. He had to get down there, had to warn his parents!

    He upset several workmen in his mad swim for home, some of whom called after him or blew whistles. He ignored them, looking this way and that for something with which to overturn the machine. He found what he was looking for in the form of a large, flat rock that¡¯d been recently carved out of the sea. He picked it up in his strong arms, and pushed it forward, thrusting it under the machine and then pushing down with all his strength.

    The machine tipped, then settled. It wasn¡¯t going to be that easy. The boy pushed again, and the rock tipped once more. Finally, with even more effort, he pushed down, and his rock-wedge snapped clean in two.

    Frustrated, he looked around for something else. By this time workmen had come forward, trying to stop him. He wriggled out of the grasp of two, was momentarily stopped by a third, but he reached out with his skull and clunked the man, stunning him.

    That bit of violent reaction changed the mood of the workmen. Unwilling to risk getting assaulted themselves, they hung back and watched the show. And quite a show it was. Kyle found another rock, thicker this time, and wedged it beneath the machine. This time, it was harder to apply pressure, so he had to work at it mightily for several seconds. Finally, he got a good counterweight going, and as he pushed with everything he had, the machine tilted, and tipped over on its side.

    Without missing a beat, Kyle reached for the entry portal, twisted the hidden release, and pulled it open. He was as shocked as anybody when out tumbled two human girls and a dolphin.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 29: Fragile Foundations

    Mayor Danelia was beside herself. She¡¯d been receiving insane reports all day, and now that their little ¡®expansion project¡¯ had been exposed, she was ready to kill somebody.

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me they released the two hostages? That¡¯s the report from the site?¡±

    ¡°They found the girls, yes. Although weren¡¯t there three?¡±

    She hesitated. The number three felt right somehow, like a whisper at the edge of her thoughts¡ªbut it vanished as quickly as it came. No, it was two.

    Only two.

    ¡°And what do they want in return? The vandal merboy, I¡¯d imagine?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°How badly has he wrecked the city? Can we just let him get away with it after all?¡±

    Her assistant reported of the channels Kyle had tampered with, which the Major really didn¡¯t care about overmuch, aside from how many days behind this would put them. The fact that the secret portal they¡¯d had been under one of the machines the whole time, exposed by the excaping orphans, was the point of interest.

    ¡°So that means our people can go down and start working from the ground up?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you tell me that part first. That¡¯s good news, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll ramp up our timeline. Yes. But we¡¯re also putting ourselves at risk of attack.¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°From the natives.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t worry about that,¡± Danielia said, knowing she had to project confidence even if the thought of a full-scale revolt by the natives made her gut churn. ¡°They¡¯ll probably just scatter out to sea like they always do.¡±

    ¡°That never happened, and you know it,¡± Orwen Albi retorted. The self-appointed ¡®geothermal initiative advisor¡¯ was rarely far from her side since this all escalated, a fact that the mayor was finding less appealing with each interjection.

    ¡°At any rate, Madam Mayor,¡± her assistant said, ¡°whatever happened in the past,¡±¡ªshe shot Orwen a warning glare, protecting her boss against the interloper¡ª¡°it might behoove us this time to consider good relations with these people. We¡¯ve had close calls before.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we have. Which is all the more reason to scare them off,¡± Orwen shot back. ¡°We don¡¯t need our citizens going out for a swim one day, only to get lured into a trap, or mind-wiped, or whatever voodoo they¡¯re capable of now.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not as primitive as you may think,¡± he continued, ¡°they¡¯ve got a sophisticated society going on down there. After all, they managed to live quietly right under our noses, until one of them broke loose again.¡±

    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± Danielia capitulated. ¡°We take a stand. We¡¯re acting within our sovereign territory, after all. We simply invite them to remain if they like¡ªsubject to our rules and regulations of course¡ªand go from there.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Then they can leave.¡±

    Orwen opened his mouth to argue, but caught yet another sharp look from her assistant.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ''Fine, he thought inwardly. ''If she wants to pretend things are fine, so be it. She¡¯ll learn soon enough. They¡¯ll all learn.'' His arm ached and he rubbed at it, allowing the pain to reinforce his convictions, if only internally.

    * * *

    Aquasentinels Lam and Alison, after having gotten themselves cleaned up of any remaining sewage, were suddenly put on a new assignment. They were to leave the city limits at once, and proceed to a work site where there had been a disturbance.

    On their way out of the city, they ran into an old friend on sentinel duty.

    ¡°Ow¡¯s yer day goin¡¯, Marla?¡± Lam asked with something of a glum countenance. ¡°Doin¡¯ well?¡±

    ¡°Not so great,¡± Marla answered. She¡¯d been dying to talk about her adventures, not to mention her concern about those lost girls and everything she¡¯d done to try and find them, but nobody had been of a mind to talk about anything but the wayward alien merboy and how he¡¯d all but destroyed the city.

    ¡°Heard they caught that toxic boy out by the chasm?¡±

    ¡°Did they?¡±

    ¡°Damn right they did. Little bastard¡¯s goin¡¯ ta pay for the mess he made. We¡¯re on our way out to place him under arrest.¡±

    Alyson, who¡¯d remained uncharacteristically silent, stuck a finger in her ear and it came out oozing.

    Marla shrank back. ¡°Good quick swim¡¯ll do you some good,¡± she offered.

    ¡°A little tired of swimming at the moment,¡± Alyson replied. Still, she donned her breathing gear and set her fin, and the two aquasentinels were off, heading for the newly-minted construction zone.

    As soon as they were out of sight, Marla hurried up to the sentinel shack to ask for more time off. She needed to alert her friends.

    * * *

    Headmaster Oliver, with Ms. Terri and Mr. Albi in tow, arrived at the sentinel shack just as Marla was putting on her fin.

    ¡°Hold on there, Marla,¡± Oliver called out, ¡°you sure it¡¯s wise, us going out there all half-cocked.¡±

    ¡°That boy¡¯s in trouble,¡± she said, adjusting her gear, ¡°they sent the aquasentinels out there after him and everything. We¡¯ve got to find a way to help him, so he can lead us to the girls.¡±

    ¡°What girls?¡± Mr. Albi said. ¡°Those girls?¡±

    As if in a dream, Calistya and Khrystal floated up to the sentinel post and exited the water, looking exhausted, but otherwise no worse for the wear. Behind them, a dolphin popped its head out of the water and chattered.

    ¡°Oh my goodness Calistya!¡± Ms. Terri cried, giving the girl a hug. ¡°And Khrystal, come here!¡± She hugged Khrystal twice as hard.

    When the teacher pulled away, she was teary, and so were the girls. They were also shivering.

    ¡°Oh, Headmaster,¡± Marla said, looking a bit teary herself, ¡°you¡¯ve got to get these girls back to the school. They¡¯re in a state, they are!¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Calisya said, not caring the least about what kind of a state she was in. ¡°Kyle¡¯s in trouble. They¡¯re going to arrest him! You¡¯ve got to do something!¡±

    ¡°Alright girls. You go with Ms. Terri back to the school. Get warmed up and cleaned up, and we¡¯ll go see what we can do for the merboy. Alright? Is that reasonable.¡±

    The girls nodded, still shivering.

    ¡°Salty can show you were he is,¡± Khrystal said, pointing to the dolphin who was already pointed back out to sea, raring to go.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll follow Salty,¡± Mr. Albi said.

    The group parted ways, three into the city, and three-and-a-pet out to sea.

    * * *

    ¡°What¡¯d you mean, trading shell?¡± said Aquasentinel Lam. ¡°We weren¡¯t sent out here to arrest the boy?¡±

    The foreman of the working crew, acting on the authority of the mayor, had concocted a temporary prison in the cab of his largest machine, the doors of which were barred. The cab was cramped, its narrow walls pressing in on all sides, but it was the only space secure enough to keep the boy contained. The foreman eyed the barred doors, mentally justifying the makeshift cell as temporary¡ªuntil proper arrangements could be made.

    ¡°The mayor gave specific instructions. We¡¯re to keep the boy here, use him as bait. When the others show up, we¡¯re to detain ¡®em and bring ¡®em back to the city.¡±

    ¡°What others?¡± Aquasentinel Alyson asked. ¡°What makes you think they even know he¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, they know,¡± said the foreman, ¡°these mertypes are psychic. Of course they¡¯ll sense him. They always know when one of their own is in trouble. And that¡¯s just what she wants. Can¡¯t have the lot of ¡®em down there hidin¡¯ once we start drilling. Ain¡¯t that right, boy?¡± He directed his last comment upwards to the cab. The merboy seemed to hear, but didn¡¯t react.

    ¡°It ain¡¯t good for him,¡± Lam said, ¡°all cooped up. We should bring him back to headquarters where he¡¯ll have a decent swimming cell to move about in. Sea creatures can¡¯t stay still like this.¡±

    ¡°Not my decision,¡± said the foreman. ¡°Take it up with the major.¡±

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 30: Fractured Tides

    Oliver, Albi, and Martha slipped into The Deep, crossing what once marked the line between light and darkness. Blinding beams from an enormous construction project forced them to squint, the stark glow swallowing every hint of the ocean¡¯s natural hues. Keeping to the edges, they tried to remain in what shadows they could find, taking it all in with disbelief, along with a begrudging sense of wonder.

    Men stationed around the perimeter wore the uniforms of workers, but their rigid postures and wary glances betrayed their true purpose. These were guards¡ªones who looked like they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to act. The two teachers, on the other hand, were not the least bit adept at violence of any sort, let alone combat. Even their sentinel friend wasn¡¯t much of a fighter, city aquasentinel being more of a ceremonial position than anything.

    So without the desire to do any sort of fighting, they had to rely on stealth. Fortunately, they also had in their possession a distraction of the adorable variety, the dolphin known as Salty.

    ¡°Okay Salty,¡± Oliver ordered, ¡°go distract those guards!¡±

    Salty tilted his head, his eyes brimming with mischief, but stayed stubbornly in place.

    ¡°Salty, Look!¡± Albi tried, pointing. ¡°Look at the guards! Go get ¡®em!¡±

    Salty just floated there.

    Oliver and Albi waved fish treats and glittering trinkets, but Salty stayed unmoved, his tail flicking with deliberate disinterest.

    Suddenly, for no apparent reason, Salty swam over to Marla, planted a kiss on her, and dashed off towards the workmen-guards.

    The two men looked at Marla with questioning eyes.

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Marla answered their unspoken question, ¡°I just sort of thought about distracting the guards, like I was a dolphin or something.¡±

    ¡°The dolphin¡¯s a psychic?¡± Albi said.

    While they were talking, their newfound friend had managed to distract the guards with playful banter, and the trio was able to slip past without notice, heading further down into the main site of construction.

    Reaching the floor of the chasm, they stared in dismay. The majestic cove had been reduced to rubble¡ªits walls stripped of bioluminescence, jagged rocks scarred by machines. Even the sand below had been blasted into clouds of silt, smothering the ocean¡¯s life.¡¡The harsh, artificial light drenched the ruins, stripping the ocean of its natural hues, so opposite to the way the lovely biolum¡¯s had filled the place with warmth not long ago.

    Salty had finished playing games with the guards, and had rejoined his companions. Not bothering to ask, Oliver instead thought up an image of the merboy, and Salty gave a knowing squeak and shot straight downward, heading for the largest machine.

    The trio were confused until they saw the merboy trapped in the cab. Marla gasped. The boy¡¯s skin shimmered with scaly patches, his small frame shivering in the cramped cab. The water surrounding him was murky and foul, like the dregs of a forgotten tank.

    Salty darted in frantic circles, his sharp, agitated chirps cutting through the water. The teachers waved their hands in a futile attempt to soothe him, their movements only adding to his distress. Marla closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, her calming presence radiating out. Slowly, Salty¡¯s erratic patterns softened into gentle arcs, his chirps quieting into a tentative calm.

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    ¡°Come help with this,¡± Oliver said to Albi. The two men swam up to the door of the cab and began working at the bar that forced it closed. It didn¡¯t come easily, but when it finally did, fresh ocean water flooded in, waking the boy from his misery.

    He flipped around happily, willing the men to finish breaking him out. They did so, and allowed the fouled water to spill out and dilute into the open sea. The boy caught sight of Salty and gave the dolphin a slippery hug. Then he turned to the adults, tugging at Oliver¡¯s shirtsleeve as if he knew the headmaster was a kind of a leader.

    Staring intently at the headmaster, Kyle¡¯s thoughts surged into Oliver¡¯s mind¡ªa vivid, unsettling vision of warriors preparing for battle. He nodded over at the portal entryway, affirming the truth of what he¡¯d conveyed.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Albi asked, as all four huddled closer.

    ¡°It¡¯s awful is what it is,¡± Oliver said. ¡°He showed me what¡¯s going on down there. There¡¯s a cove beneath us, and in that cove are hundreds of mermen. Gathering their forces to strike.¡± He nodded at Kyle. ¡°They want him back, and they¡¯ll bring the fight here if they have to.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ve got to return him,¡± Marla said. ¡°Now! He belongs with his family anyway.¡±

    Kyle gave a headshake, frustrated. He stared into her eyes and projected something more.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t just about Kyle,¡¯ Oliver said grimly, relating the worsening news to the group. ¡®They believe the city will attack first unless they strike preemptively. They¡¯re preparing for war¡ªto take the city and end the threat before it begins.¡¯¡±

    ¡°They may well be right,¡± Albi said.

    ¡°What are we supposed to do, then?¡± Marla asked. ¡°Are we just going to let them take us to war?

    Kyle tugged at Oliver¡¯s sleeve once more.

    ¡°Kyle, what are you trying to say?¡± Oliver asked.

    The boy thought¡ªhard¡ªand words came forth in all their minds.

    I swam from family. My fault. I talk to legged city. I sorry. Please make machines go. No war today.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not sure that¡¯ll do the trick, son,¡± Oliver said.

    ¡°Maybe it will,¡± Marla said, her disagreement confident enough to get their attention, ¡°if we back him up. He wants to make it right, after all, and if the people just knew what they were doing out here. Once we¡¯re attacked it won¡¯t matter. Nobody will believe him then. It¡¯s got to be now.

    ¡°But how can we get the word out?¡± Mr. Albi wondered. ¡°Is it really possible for you to talk to the entire city?¡±

    Center. From there, can.

    He frowned, frustration evident, and tried again.

    I can do it¡ªfrom the center.

    ¡°Great,¡± Oliver quipped, ¡°so we just march him into the center of the city, plain as day.¡±

    ¡°We may not have to,¡± Marla said, looking over Oliver¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We may just have some help here.¡±

    Beyond the four of them and their circling dolphin, the two aquasentinels of the city floated, looking particularly unhappy with their lot in life. Marla stole off to have a word.

    * * *

    ¡°But somebody has to pay for the damage to the city. What about that?¡±

    Lam was still unconvinced, though Alyson was warming to the idea. At least they hadn¡¯t darted off to grab the child the moment their friend Marla showed up. Then again, she¡¯d given them fair warning about the army massing below their fins. That was enough to give anyone pause.

    ¡°What about the damage we¡¯ve done to their home?¡± Marla asked sharply. ¡°The boy was scared and alone¡ªdesperate to get back to his family. Wouldn¡¯t any child act the same?¡±

    ¡°That frightened child poured filth all over me,¡± Lam protested.

    But Alyson motioned for her partner to stand down. ¡°As long as we send him home. No more flitting around the city breaking things. We¡¯re agreed on that? If he stays, he¡¯s getting arrested.¡±

    Agreed, came the projected thought of Kyle. His telekinesis was growing stronger. And I sorry.

    ¡°Well, that should be enough to go on, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± said Marla. Her aquasentinel friends agreed.

    ¡°So now we need to come up with a plan for getting him in. Something that¡¯s less than obvious. A way to get him all the way through the city without indicating he¡¯s the merboy we¡¯ve all been looking for.

    ¡°And don¡¯t forget,¡± Oliver said, swimming up to the sentinel and her friends, ¡°we won¡¯t have the use of city systems. Not most of them, anyway. They¡¯re still out of commission.¡±

    This pointed fact annoyed the aquasentinels, and Marla shot Oliver a dirty look. Bad topic.

    ¡°So we¡¯ll have to use the pools,¡± he finished sheepishly. They¡¯ll have their own filtration systems, and won¡¯t be affected.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Aquasentinel Lam said, ¡°we use the pools. But how do we disguise the boy?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s mind pulsed gently, planting the image of Salty into their thoughts. It was so subtle they each believed it to be their own sudden inspiration.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 31: Swept Away

    Ms. Terri ushered Calistya and Khrystal back to the school, wrapped them in blankets, and set steaming cups of tea in their shivering hands. She checked their water-things with practiced care, ensuring nothing had malfunctioned during their ordeal.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we don¡¯t have any of your things here, Khrystal. I¡¯ll have to send to your school for them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll get them later. I should be getting back soon anyway.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. After what you¡¯ve been through? You stay right here where you belong.¡±

    Khrystal turned her head, not wanting the other two to see her blush. A warm rush spread from her chest outward¡ªa sense of being cared for and protected, like with the Solarians. It felt even more heartwarming coming from one of her own.

    I never really knew how nice Ms. Terri was, she thought, turning away even more, as if Terri, like the Solarians, could read her mind. Would realize how affected she was right now by the simple act of caring.

    I never really knew how nice Ms. Terri was, she thought, turning further away as if Ms. Terri, like the Solarians, could read her mind and realize just how much the simple act of caring had affected her.

    ¡°It must have been terrifying, trapped in The Deep for so long,¡± Ms. Terri said, her voice a mix of worry and disbelief. ¡°Were you frightened?¡±

    The two girls exchanged a glance before letting out a soft, light laugh that filled the room. The laughter was affectionate, but it caught Ms. Terri off guard.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so funny,¡± she said, frowning slightly. ¡°A lot of people were worried about you. You girls have been gone a long time.¡±

    The laughter quieted as the girls looked at her again, still smiling faintly but with an air of apology. What she said sobered them.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to scare anyone,¡± Calistya said, her tone earnest. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t scary for us. They¡¯re very nice, the Solarians.¡±

    ¡°Solarians?¡± Ms. Terri repeated, expression clouded with confusion.

    Calistya glanced at Khrystal, the weight of secrecy thickening the air between them. Neither had spoken the word aloud before, and now that it hung in the room, it felt irrevocable, like casting a stone into a still pond. Even they themselves had never heard the term aloud, and yet when Calistya had voiced it, it had rung true. The Solarians of The Deep.

    ¡°The merfolk, they¡¯re Solarians,¡± Calistya offered, what she meant to her beloved teacher. Inviting her in. ¡°That¡¯s what they call themselves.¡±

    ¡°You mean the other merfolk, don¡¯t you, dear?¡± Ms. Terri corrected, her tone light, but with a subtle defensiveness behind it. She adjusted her posture, as if preparing to swim, her hands momentarily mimicking the motions of adjusting nonexistent gear. The gesture looked instinctive¡ªborn of years spent in the flow¡ªbut the starkness of her human form seated in an open-air room making such motions revealed an absurd dissonance.

    For the first time, Cali saw it clearly¡ªMs. Terri¡¯s pride as a practiced technoquatic clashing with the unspoken shame of not being full-gill, nor would even that suffice to make her ¡®real¡¯, not in the way the Solarians were. The contradiction struck Cali as oddly poignant, yet at the same time entirely absurd. For the first time, too, she thought back to her old desire to be full-gill herself, with all that entailed, and knew it was merely the shadow of a true desire. Not only for herself, but for all technoquatics.

    ¡°They¡¯re real, though,¡± Calistya said, her voice trembling even as her conviction grew. ¡°Real mermaids, with real gills and a real connection to the sea.¡±

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    ¡°Oh, real enough, I¡¯m sure. But haven¡¯t you ever wondered why there are humans out there, living beneath the ocean like that?¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re not human, though,¡± Khrystal argued, ¡°they¡¯re so much more.¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t think they¡¯re human as well?" Ms. Terri¡¯s tone was thoughtful, her eyes empathetic, accepting of Khrystal¡¯s skeptisicm, but desiring to inform. "I once read an old text from the Pre-Pelagic. It described the great migrations¡ªhow some of us fled to the stars, while others took to the seas. Evolution played its part, of course, but the human need to adapt and overcome? That¡¯s what truly got us here. They just¡­ got here sooner.¡±

    The girls were intrigued. The hadn¡¯t ever heard Ms. Terri speak with this kind of authority. She was usually so mild, even when it came to her teaching style.

    ¡°You see, just as we¡¯ve got full-gill citizens, those who embrace the full-swim lifestyle, and regular merfolk¡ªmer merely means ¡®sea¡¯, you know, not ¡®legs¡¯ or ¡®water breathing¡¯ or any such elaboration¡ªwell there was a third group who were interested in carrying things even one step further.

    ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you this much, from all the texts I¡¯ve read and information I¡¯ve gotten my hands on, I¡¯d bet dollars to fisheggs that they¡¯re created human, just like the rest of us. They just employ some sophisticated technology along the way to help things along. Much like we do with our full-gills, and everyone else with our enhancements. And maybe someday, when we¡¯re all getting along better, we can ask them all about it.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll go to war, Mr. Terri?¡±

    Terri paused, thoughtful. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, no. Our peoples have lived side-by-side for quite a long time, and with incidents from time to time which test our good neighbor status to be sure. But I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll go all that far. Not like the people of the surface did. That¡¯s why we all came down here to begin with, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± said the girls together, both sets of eyelids drooping. They¡¯d been awake far too long.

    Just as they were falling asleep, a low rumble started beneath the floor, barely noticeable at first, a tremor felt more in their bones than the air. Then, it surged¡ªa seismic roar that sent Calistya¡¯s silver hairbrush clattering to the floor. The walls groaned in protest, and the once-still water resting in the school¡¯s channels churned into restless vortexes.

    Alert sirens rose into the still air, beginning low and guttural, then spinning into an urgent scream that echoed through the school. Calistya¡¯s eyes snapped open as the floor began shaking more violently¡ªa tremor beneath her bed quickly growing stronger.

    Ms. Terri didn¡¯t hesitate. In an instant, the warmth in her eyes was replaced by a steel-edged determination that cut through the girls¡¯ drowsiness. ''Get up! Now!'' she commanded, her voice carrying a rare authority that brooked no argument. She moved swiftly, her hands steady as she pulled Khrystal to her feet and grabbed Calistya¡¯s arm, her movements as precise as an aquasentinel.

    Khrystal¡¯s eyes widened, panic building as she clung to Ms. Terri¡¯s other arm. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± she cried out.

    ¡°Just go!¡± Terri ordered, her focus split between guiding them and assessing the growing chaos.

    The school¡¯s floor bucked beneath their feet as a deafening crack split the air. Water erupted from one of the nearby channels, gushing with violent force and surging across the floor. Khrystal shrieked and grabbed Ms. Terri¡¯s arm tighter, pulling her off balance.

    ¡°Hold on to me!¡± Ms. Terri yelled, but in that brief distraction, Calistya stumbled, screaming as she hit the floor just as the waters surged.

    A second break burst open behind her, the flood pulling her toward the channel¡¯s edge. She fought to regain her footing, but the water was too strong.

    ¡°Cali!¡± Khrystal screamed, her voice barely carrying over the rushing floodwaters.

    Terri lunged, but the torrent swelled with brutal force, sweeping Calistya towards the second inexplicable gash in the otherwise vacuum sealed channel. Her fingers slipped from Terri¡¯s grasp as the current carried her towards the opening.

    ¡°Cali, grab something!¡± Terri shouted, but the surge was relentless.

    For one fleeting moment, Calistya¡¯s wide, terrified eyes met Khrystal¡¯s, and then she was gone¡ªdragged into the channel with a heart-stopping finality as the fracture auto-sealed itself behind her, leaving nothing but stillness in its wake.

    Terri froze, staring at the now-silent water as guilt twisted in her gut. Khrystal collapsed to her knees and screamed.

    All around them, the tremors subsided, as if the chaos had ended the moment its toll was taken.

    Khrystal¡¯s screams intensified. Her voice turned into desperate words of denial.

    ¡°Get her! Get her! Go in and get her! Ms. Terri, get her! Please!¡±

    Terri clutched to her other student, but made no move towards the waterway. Sealed and unbreachable, as before, there was no reaching her. Deep inside, Khrystal knew as much, which was why she continued screaming and clinging to her teacher rather than claw at the duct herself. Calistya couldn¡¯t survive even a few minutes, not without gear¡ªand both her guilt-ridden protector and grief-stricken best friend knew it.

 Solaria Rising - Chapter 32: Deeper Schemes

    Mayor Danelia ignored her staff¡¯s murmurs and stares as she ordered her city turned upside down. She had no time to explain herself¡ªnot when everything was crumbling around her.

    The return of those girls, unharmed, had turned her entire plan on its head. She was going to use them as an excuse to keep the alien boy, and now both options had fallen apart. Things were spiraling downward fast, and she was about to lose her project to the whims of those savages. Their depth projection technology had already identified the army of merpeople gathering below, and she knew they¡¯d be upon the city soon enough, if she didn¡¯t get that boy back.

    Meanwhile, given the way that Orwen was constantly underfoot, she¡¯d decided to make the best use of him, peppering him with what if¡¯s and challenging questions which were aimed at throwing him off.

    ¡°Tell me how we prevent those¡­creatures from attacking, assuming we can¡¯t get our hands on the boy.¡±

    ¡°The boy is key. Always has been. The fact that they gave up their own hostages speaks to their willingness to bargain, but they won¡¯t remain placid for long. That was their leap of faith, mayor. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll give us another one. Unless¡­¡±

    The mayor stared him down.

    ¡°The girls. They might have formed a bond with their captors¡ªit¡¯s not uncommon. Abductees often grow attached in such ways, and that connection could prove useful.¡±

    It was an intriguing notion. If the boy was out of reach, what else did she have to work with? The girls. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but¡­

    ¡°You mean use them to open talks?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Orwen said. ¡°Or, we let them assume the girls might, well, serve a different purpose.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow you.¡±

    Well, if they¡¯ve grown fond of these waifs¡ªand they see us as monsters anyway¡­

    The mayor sat perplexed for a minute. Then her eyes widened.

    ¡°You¡¯re suggesting we use them as bait? Threaten to actually hurt them?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not,¡± Orwen Albi said, shaking his head with a faint smile. ¡°We simply let them believe the possibility exists. That we¡¯ll stop at nothing to keep our city safe. That their boy could face similar consequences, should they force our hand. A message, nothing more.¡±

    ¡°Unless they call our bluff, of course.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t get that far,¡± Orwen said, his words carefully measured.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she snapped, turning to her ever-vigilant advisor. ¡°Find out where the girls are and bring them to me. I don¡¯t care what permissions you need¡ªget it done. They¡¯re to be in my office within the hour.

    ¡°Now, Orwen,¡± she went on, turning to her elderly would-be advisor. ¡°Tell me what you know. What sort of damage can these¡­things do to our city?¡±

    ¡°Militarily?¡± he replied. ¡°Not much, probably,¡± Orwen said carefully. ¡°They¡¯ve relied on primitive weapons for generations and lack formal training in battle. But... they¡¯ve surprised us before. Still¡ªwe have the capacity to close the gates, and our defensive capabilities are more than adequate at repelling a siege.

    ¡°And if we went on the offense?¡±

    ¡°On the offensive?¡± Orwen was surprised she went there, in an open room no less. ¡°Well, they wouldn¡¯t stand much change against a true campaign of aggression¡­but we don¡¯t want to go there, do we?¡±

    The mayor gave him a sideways glance, then seemed to remember there were others in the room. ¡°No, of course not. We just want to fend them off.¡±

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    ¡°Now, of course until now we¡¯ve merely been discussing physical capabilities,¡± Orwen went on.

    ¡°Ah yes. This mind-reading ability of theirs.¡±

    ¡°Not just reading minds. My research suggests they¡¯ve evolved the ability to influence thoughts¡ªperhaps even control them. There¡¯s little evidence, but the accounts I¡¯ve found are... troubling.¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡± The Mayor looked far more concerned now than she had when discussing military options.

    ¡°They¡¯re rumored to have limited telekinetic abilities¡ªmoving objects collectively and manipulating ocean currents, and even tectonic shelves, a demonstration of which I believe we¡¯ve been experiencing in recent days, not that we could prove it. The rest¡ªconjecture, from ages past. One vital point being, they tended to confuse their enemies and cause a collective sort of forgetfulness. Thus my research has been spotty in terms of assessing their full capabilities. There¡¯s much we don¡¯t know. Or, more to the point, have been lead to forget.¡±

    ¡°Jesus,¡± the major and her assistant muttered in the same underbreath. There it was. The Achilles heel of The Shallows, and the people who¡¯d come before them too, it seemed.

    ¡°At any rate, mayor,¡± Orwen soldiered on, ¡°the ability to project words and thoughts into the minds of others is well documented. As is their influence on the minds of others. Our soldiers would hardly be immune. Additionally, they have a talent for manipulating sentiment and emotional states, again, on a societal scale, so that could have a profound affect on our population if they should attempt to use these powers.¡±

    ¡°You make them sound like wizards,¡± the assistant shot back, exasperation clear in her tone.

    ¡°No,¡± Orwen corrected. ¡°They¡¯re not magical beings, or anything of the sort. They¡¯ve simply evolved certain sensitivities that all of us are capable of. My research indicates we have that in common, as well.

    Major Danelia took in a thoughtful breath. ¡°It¡¯s a shame they never asked for any dialogue or¡ª"

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t,¡± Orwen interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s not in their nature. Our understanding of these merpeople is limited because they¡¯ve always resisted open relations. They avoid exposure and undermine any effort to reveal their existence to the public, forcing us into this cold stalemate.¡±

    ¡°¡­which was working well enough,¡± the assistant said, ¡°until our newly aggressive posture put them¡ª¡±

    ¡°Newly aggressive posture?¡± Orwen Albi sputtered, ¡°you were the ones who sanctioned this.¡± He seemed suddenly aware of the rest of the gathered leaders, and the fact that this assistant was ready to place blame anywhere but at her bosses feet. You thoughts they would simply slink off into the open sea and leave us to plunder their resources without a response, did you?¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± The major said, deciding to de-escalate, ¡°none of us anticipated this. Yes, I sanctioned an expedition to gather information and assess resources. It¡¯s all on the record. I don¡¯t care about how we got here, though, I care about where we go from here.¡±

    She looked around the room, ready for a challenge. With none forthcoming, she went on: ¡°This being a newly militaristic posture they¡¯ve taken, not in keeping with their passive nature of times past, we need to treat it as such. Using magic tricks to calm the waters and make us forget, that¡¯s one thing. But this is a genuine threat, and that will not stand.¡±

    Before anyone could respond, the floor shuddered violently beneath them, the sudden tremor rattling the lights and sending a stack of metallic binders clattering to the floor.

    ¡°Report!¡± Danelia barked, steadying herself against her desk as the walls creaked around them.

    The tremor surged again, stronger this time, violent upheavals that rose from the ocean floor and jolted upwards through the whole of the city.

    ¡°Is this an attack?¡± her ever-present aide gasped, clutching the table for support.

    ¡°Get to your alert stations!¡± Danelia snapped at the guards near the door. She looked over at her aide with an expression of agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right. This isn¡¯t nature, and it isn¡¯t a coincidence. We have to consider this part of an all-out assault by these natives. These merpeople. These Solarians.¡±

    Orwen gasped, the word hanging in the air like an incantation. Solarians. How could she know that name? He¡¯d buried it deep, kept it locked away since finding it in the heart of his most secretive research, so many Pelagics past.

    Before he could speak, the door burst open, and a wide-eyed officer stumbled in.

    ¡°Mayor Danelia,¡± he said, his voice shaking, ¡°there¡¯s been¡­ an incident at the school.¡±

    ¡°The school?¡±

    ¡°The one we¡¯ve been monitoring, Mayor.¡±

    ¡°Dammit,¡± she muttered, her stomach tightening. ¡°What kind of incident?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Channel breaches, ma¡¯am. Multiple breaks reported. One of the students was swept away and presumed drowned.¡±

    Danelia froze. ¡°Not one of the rescued ones,¡± she whispered, her voice brittle with dread. ¡°Please, not one of them.¡±

    The officer hesitated, his silence twisting the knife.

    ¡°I need specifics,¡± she said sharply, her control slipping. ¡°Which student?¡±

    The officer glanced down, his voice faltering. ¡°The reports are incomplete, but¡­¡± He trailed off.

    Her breath caught as she stared him down. ¡°Find out,¡± she ordered coldly, the edge in her voice cutting through the room. ¡°And if it is one of them¡­Poseidon help us when the Solarians find out.¡±