This is dedicated to those of you that have loved and supported me unconditionally. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me navigate the waves of life. You are loved.
Prologue
At one time in Earth’s magical existence, beautiful, mystical creatures existed alongside human men and women. These creatures were just as domesticated as any human today and inhabited all parts of the world, including the entire body of water that makes up Earth—the ocean. During this time, the ocean didn’t experience tides and waves. The waters were still. Not even the strongest of winds could move them.
On land lived creatures, such as early humans and other animals, that walked on two legs, lived off the land, and respected one another, just as the world works today. In the water, the ways of living were similar to life on land for the laughing dolphins, singing fish, dancing turtles, and many other creatures that lived in the enormous sea. They had families who loved and fought together, rules and basic laws that kept everyone feeling safe and secure, schools that taught ways of life, and jobs that helped support the societies. The undersea creatures worked hard to promote peace among themselves and for the most part enjoyed their beautiful lives together.
Of course, there were also creatures who did not fit into that peaceful lifestyle. Many of these creatures were outcasts, hating the world they lived in, looking for any reason to be negative. When enough of them got together, they called themselves a “mobile kingdom,” because they stuck together at all times and were family to one another. A mobile kingdom never settled down in one place. They were always on the move, only stopping to rest and regroup for a few days at a time. When they stopped, they ravished the land and stole from the creatures who lived nearby. The peace-loving creatures of the world knew to avoid the mobile kingdoms at all costs.
Within the ocean’s perfectly calm water stood the largest kingdom of all the kingdoms. Known as the center of the world, it was home to thousands and thousands of creatures who loved to sing. Yes—sing! In the distant past, singing was a powerful thing, and it helped spread peace and love throughout the land and sea. The underwater kingdom was full of creatures old and young, big and small, with different voices, who took to the streets each day singing and playing with one another. These creatures sang about everything—from how delicious their dinners had been the night before to the loves of their lives. They sang their inner songs and expressed their feelings in each moment. Ringing with singing voices, this wonderful kingdom lit up the sea with its vibrant colors and a positive energy that couldn’t be matched by any other place in the world.
The kingdom was governed by a mermaid king and mermaid queen who were full of love and life. Every chance the couple had, they went out into the streets with their people to share food, sing songs, and enjoy one another’s company. The mermaid queen’s beauty was hypnotizing—long golden hair, hazel eyes, and pure, clear skin. She was very smart, with a beautiful way with words, and she found many solutions to the problems that arose in the kingdom.
Her husband, the mermaid king, was considered a god for his breathtaking appearance. He had polished silver hair that shone brightly whether it was day or night, the physical strength of at least a thousand men, and flawless skin despite the many battles he’d been in when he was younger. The mermaid king loved to sing and spent many of his days singing with others and enjoying life. His voice was said to be magic—he could cure the worst sickness and defeat an enemy in the same breath. Because of this, he was known as a “song wizard” across the many kingdoms. Indeed, his bloodline was thought to be the last of such wizards, who could alter appearances, manipulate objects, and even hypnotically influence others with their powerful voices. The mermaid king chose to use his gift for good and would only use the magic when it was needed most. He believed everyone had magic within, so he lived his life without judging others, always remaining open to every possibility, and tried to inspire his subjects to be fully themselves because only then would their real magic come out.
The king and queen loved their people and were willing to do anything to keep them happy and loving life. The royal couple had a daughter, the mermaid princess, whom they loved more than anything in the world, and for her sake as well as for the sake of their people, they worked hard to foster and maintain peace. Under their rule, their kingdom became one of the most prosperous kingdoms in history.
Chapter 1
The Valley of Stones
The stillness was almost suffocating as the general made his way through the vast, unfamiliar darkness. He, more than anyone besides the king himself, should know all the water territory, how far it reached, and how deep it went—yet here he was, uncertain and slightly anxious as to what he would find.
Even he, the great general of the mermaid king’s army, feared the unknown.
However, his thirst for his dream outweighed the fear. So he inched forward.
The dark, still water seemed to grow blacker the farther he traveled. Hesitating for a moment, the general began to rethink his plan. Should he change his mind, plan something new? Then he noticed, off in the distance, a dim light shining through the black. He blinked. Was his mind playing tricks on him?
But no—the glimmer was still there! Relief flooded his body. It had to be what he was searching for. He began moving again, picking up his pace, drawing nearer and nearer to the light until he finally stood before it—exactly what he’d hoped to find.
The glimmer of the rock was intoxicating. He’d heard the myths of the valley in which he now stood, that hundreds of thousands of earth stones and crystals were buried deep beneath millions of tons of water in the earth’s crust. The stones in this particular valley were said to drain any energy source of its life force if the creature vibrated at a certain rate—the vibration that could be attained by singing or creating music of any kind. These stones’ primary purpose was to turn the stolen life force into amplified energy and return it to the earth to keep the planet balanced. Some people were afraid of the stones and their power. Others believed the earth knew what it needed to do to care for itself and that the stones were simply part of its self-preservation.
In the darkness of the valley, the general remained hypnotized by the stones’ thrum. Their energy, unlike anything he’d ever felt, pulsated through his body. He breathed in the stones’ power, and as he did, his hatred raged in his heart. Something in the stones’ energy pulled at him, connected with him. He and they had been destined to meet and intertwine. He didn’t know how or what would happen next, but he was determined not to stop until he’d reached his goal. He whistled into the valley, and when its walls lit up with deadly but beautiful crystal stones bulging out of the earth’s crust, he knew he now had what he needed—his weapon. Now he could set his plan in action and fight to become what he believed himself destined to be.
A king.
Chapter 2
The Mermaid Princess
The mermaid princess knew she was venturing farther than she ever had.
It was a sunny day, the sunlight filtering down through the water, warming everything in its path and glowing in the princess’s beautiful purple hair and stunning eyes, which everyone said reminded them of perfect mornings when the sun was just rising. The ocean was as calm as ever, and as the princess traveled, she sang about the beauty around her, about love and life—the things she’d been taught to love by her parents, the kingdom’s beloved king and queen, and to sing about so that her love would spread to those around her. Like her father, the princess often sang and danced with the people in the kingdom, and she knew by the smiles on their faces, even the people who had almost lost their will to sing, that she made a difference for them. Many even sa
id the princess’s voice was more magical than her father’s.
On this beautiful day, as the princess sang, she continued to travel farther and farther from the kingdom. As she’d grown older, her love for exploring the vast waters had increased, and though she always tried to remain mindful of where she was so she would hear her father singing for her to come home at the end of the day, she loved going on adventures and seeing new things, meeting different creatures, learning about where they lived, and experiencing the connection she realized all creatures in the world shared—the ability to create art and song.
But today, she sang distractedly—she was still thinking about what had happened the day before and had been thinking about it almost all night.
There was something dark about the outskirts of her father’s kingdom. The farther she went from the kingdom’s center, the more creatures she met who seemed sad and despairing, and the dimmer and less vibrant the plant life became. Yesterday, she’d asked her parents about the sadness and where it came from. Her father had answered with such conviction, she could swear the whole castle had shaken with each word: “There are so many creatures in this world, some are bound to be sad, angry, and hateful, and it’s because of this darkness that we can know the light—true happiness, true beauty, true strength. But I don’t think the sad creatures are destined to be lost in the dark, and that’s why we sing to them. We try to sing them into the light, although sometimes they choose to stay in the dark. And though we don’t know why those creatures ended up in the darkness or why they choose to stay there, it’s certainly no coincidence that we find them and sing to them. If, even for an instant, they see any glimpse of light because of our singing, we’ve helped them more than we can even understand. I hope, my child, that you never fall into the pit of sadness, anger, or hurt—because it’s a dark place where anyone can end up, even you—but if you do, remember that no matter how dark it may seem, light travels at amazing speeds and always finds a way to shine through.”
And last night, still thinking over her father’s words, the princess had decided to do something she’d never done: travel beyond the outskirts of the kingdom, even farther into the darkness, to discover what caused it.
If I find what makes the darkness, she thought for the twentieth time, my father can put a stop to it.
She was now well beyond the kingdom’s limits, much farther than she’d ever been before. The farther she swam, the darker the world became. Plant life was scarce, and there were no other creatures nearby.
Strange, thought the princess. I thought the sea was full of life everywhere.
Suddenly she noticed a distinct change in her surroundings—the water was darker and colder, and the sunlight was dimmer, more eerie. Glancing upward, she realized some sort of haze in the water was blocking out the sun’s warm rays. The cold seeped into her skin, turning into fear when it reached her heart.
Maybe I should turn back.
She was just about to turn around when something caught her eye—some sort of light in the distance through the haze. Squinting, she looked harder, but she still couldn’t tell what it was.
She needed to move closer.
Below her, old structures—once parts of old, forgotten kingdoms or large objects dropped from above by land people—cluttered the ocean floor. Suddenly apprehensive, she thought that if she swam in the shadows of these structures rather than out in the open, maybe no one would see her. Swimming under the unrecognizable ruins, near the sandy ocean floor, she moved closer to the mysterious light.
The nearer she drew to the light, the brighter the surrounding water became. Soon, the broken structures began to take new shapes.
I think this is some sort of city, the princess thought.
She was sure of it when she realized she wasn’t alone—other creatures were swimming near her, heading the same direction, toward the light, as if they were gathering for a town meeting. She could tell at a glance that they were different from her father’s subjects in the kingdom. Something about them made her want to hide even farther in the shadows. They were all dressed like soldiers, in dark camouflage colors, an extreme contrast to her own brightly colored clothing. For a moment, she paused to catch her breath, hiding from sight in the shadow of a rock and listening to her heart pounding like thunder in her ears.
No one’s singing, she thought, suddenly realizing that she’d stopped singing too. Where am I? Who are these people?
No one seemed to see her. They kept moving quickly and quietly toward the eerie light.
Maybe I’ve gone far enough. She could turn around now, go back to the castle, and tell her father what she’d seen. Then he could bring his soldiers here, beyond the kingdom’s limits, to investigate this strange, frightening place.
Suddenly, she heard a loud, booming voice from the direction of the light. A voice she thought she recognized.
It couldn’t be—could it?
She had to find out for sure. Creeping forward from shadow to shadow, she followed the dark people as they moved toward the light and the voice. Moments later, she realized she’d reached the town center, where all the creatures had gathered around an enormous rock—a crystal of some sort, the princess assumed—foggy white and shining bright like the sun itself.
The crowd seemed to be looking at something or someone in front of the massive crystal. Still keeping to the shadows, the princess maneuvered herself to gain a better view. She tried to hear what the people near her were whispering, but she only caught a word here and there—she thought they were talking about their leader, about an event that was about to happen.
Where are we? the princess asked herself again. Had she wandered into a neighboring kingdom? Why was it so dark here, and why was everyone dressed like a soldier? Was this one of the mobile kingdoms her father had told her about? With thoughts racing through her mind, she carefully moved closer to the crowd.
All at once, the clustered people hushed. The shouting voice spoke again.
“Gather, my comrades—the time is upon us to make our war and strip the mermaid kingdom of its king!”
The princess’s heart stopped as the crowd suddenly cheered. She had recognized the voice.
It was the shark general, her father’s best friend.
Chapter 3
The Reveal
“My comrades, we are here today to discuss war and new ways of life in the sea.”
The shark general’s voice was almost hypnotizing. The glow from the large crystal behind him highlighted his body, muscular and suave, and his big teeth and dark eyes. It also reflected off his clothing—the traditional uniform of the princess’s kingdom—and glinted on the gold mingled into the fabric. The gold that labeled him a member of the royal household. Gold, the element that was said to be so powerful it should only be trusted to those leading nations to peace. Yet here he was, her father’s best friend, a creature she’d come to know very well and even love, standing before her, speaking treason to a large group of oddly dressed creatures in the middle of nowhere in the deep sea.
The princess felt paralyzed as he continued speaking.
“For too long we have been oppressed and made to live in a world that we do not love! A ridiculous world—a careless world. All that excruciating singing all the time, always playing and laughing! Well, the time has come, my comrades, for us to take over and remove that so-called god of a king! I have just what we need to overcome him and his magic and wipe him off the face of this planet!”
The crowd erupted into cheers as the shark general raised his hands and motioned to the large glowing rock. As he continued speaking, the princess listened in horror, so distraught she barely heard his words as he ranted about how terrible the kingdom was and how there would soon be a time when singing was outlawed. Tears welled in her eyes as each word spoken by this all-too-familiar voice and each cheer from the crowd drove the betrayal deeper into her heart. She thought of her father, her mother, and many other creatures of the kingdom. Their hearts would b
reak when they found out about this.
The shark general’s speech ended, and someone else took over. The crowd was now riled up even more, and the princess couldn’t bear to hear what else they had to say. She closed her eyes, desperately gathering her thoughts, slowly breathing in and out, and trying not to panic. For the first time in her life, she felt intense fear clutch her heart.
How could the shark general do this to us? she thought. The world seemed to be slipping out from beneath her, but she knew she wasn’t safe in this foreign place. She needed to leave as quickly and quietly as possible to get back to her father and report what she’d just seen and heard. Breathing in and out deeply one more time, she turned to leave.
“Why, Princess—my eyes did not deceive me! What are you doing here, so far away from your precious kingdom?”
The princess froze, paralyzed by fear. Then she turned slowly.
The shark general and two of his men stood before her. The men were sharks, just like the general, with big shiny teeth and what appeared to be very dark eyes. They were dressed in dark, camouflaged military clothing that was decorated with medals as if they were highly ranked. The creature to the left of the shark general stared at the princess as though he wanted to rip her apart. The other shark appeared to be second in command. The princess noticed his eyes were more gray than black; somehow this made them seem less intense than the other soldier’s.
“It’s a shame you had to be here today to hear our plan.” The shark general’s voice was firm. “You were supposed to be home when I took your father out and killed him—to fall into my arms for consolation. You, and your mother, who, in time, would have become my wife. But how can this happen now that you’ve heard our plans?”
The princess’s blood boiled at these words. This creature in front of her had watched her grow her whole life and witnessed her mother and father’s beautiful marriage. She knew her mother would never agree to what the shark general suggested. Gathering her strength, she forced the words from her mouth. “She would never marry you. You will not get away with this. My father is the most powerful song wizard in the ocean, and with just one song, he will strip you and all these fools of your lies, deceit, hate, and—”
The Magical Mermaid and the Moon Page 1