Ever After #7: Waves of Scales

Chapter 9.2 The Song

AFTER CRASHING THE motor bangca in the muddy shore, near the aerial roots of mangrove. Troy and Frejean jumped off the boat and left their belongings. They entered the mangrove forest by climbing the roots instead of walking through the mud which will surely make them slow. Just behind them, three motor bangcas ran through the root system and the armed men followed them inside the forest.

This forest is one of the protected sites in their municipality and there were no households nearby. The roots served as a ladder as they navigate and find their way out of it. They were hopping from one root to another. Every step they took was careful and they grasped tightly onto the bodies of mangroves to prevent themselves from falling out of balance or stepping into a fragile root. It was slippery, they exerted so much force just to stay on course.

“Keep thinking of Asceia. C...Call her,” Frejean said in between her breaths. She was pale, sweating, and afraid for her life.

Troy thought of her as if his life depended on her. He was screaming in his mind for help. His breath was getting shorter and shorter each second. His shoes were covered in mud and were slippery for the roots. His knees and legs were tired and shaky. His pace slowed down as he was trying to be careful with his steps. Behind him was Frejean who was panting and trying to catch up, she was also stepping onto the roots he ensured safe to hold their weight.

“Troy, they’re gaining on us!”

“Fuck!”

He didn’t stop. For a second, he looked over his left shoulder and saw the men just meters behind Frejean. He was scared. He knew he can’t fight back so the only option he had is to run as fast as he can. Aside from the chirps and chatters of the birds flying overhead and nesting, the waves crashing the root system of mangroves, and their heavy breaths, he heard footsteps from the edge of the forest, the sound of boots stomping a sticky mud, and murmurs of men.

“We are in position.”

He believed that they were already surrounded. If it was not for the newly grown mangrove at the edge of the forest that shields them from their sight, they’re probably gunned down by now. They will die in that forest and no one will know, dangerous it may sound, but this forest also gave them a chance to escape, they just need perfect timing and plan.

“Asceia...” he whispered. “Please.”

An ear-piercing shriek echoed throughout the forest. He recognized that sound and that gave him hope. He smiled. Shots were fired. The edge of the woods was filled with screams of men. He continued hopping from one root to another. Frejean behind him also kept her pace faster and faster.

••°°••

ASCEIA PASSED OUT after she exhausted her energy. She sank and the currents carried her body. The nearest serceans who noticed her unconsciously drifting rushed to her immediately and carried her body. While she was in a deep sleep, unaware of her condition, she dreamed of standing steadily outside a cave where the elders of the Order are always gathered for their meetings. The cave was not dark, very unusual. There was this bright white light was coming out that was reaching for her. It was not blinding, it was warm, and calming.

Behind the light was the source of the sound that lingered in her ears. It was the Song their Goddess Aesercean was humming to her. It was enchanting. If peace and heaven were a song, then this was it. But in that sound, she heard something. As she focused her attention more on it, she realized that it was an overlapping voice of a man and a woman.

“Asceia...” They were calling her, uttering her name over and over again. “Help us...”

••°°••

ALL OF THE remaining, conscious, and strong serceans were able to link their minds and tap into each other’s senses. Their consciousnesses were gathered meters below the photic zone. The elders of each family circled each other and acted as the voice of their species that were clustered behind them and just listening to the debate and plans for the Order.

“They’ve been hunting us,” the Father of Senticeans said to their shared mind. “We have all the right to wipe out their kind since the day they’ve abducted our people. We owe it to our people who died in their hands! They deserve justice!”

The Father of Floraceans also spoke, “there’s only a few of us now. We can’t attack them all with their technology and manpower.”

“If we don’t retaliate, they will find another way to wipe us out.”

The Mother of Curaceans turned to Mother Senthuria. “If it’s for the kindness of your daughter, this would have never happened! If we only have attacked first, we would have never lost all of those serceans.”

“She went too soft for the humans, those species who are butchering us like we’re nothing.”

Mother Senthuria, the Crown of the Order raised her hand to stop the Father of Senticeans that was about to speak. “Okay, that’s enough. It was my daughter’s plan but we agreed to it. What happened today is our fault. But let us not forget that we have the Voice of the Ocean and Asceia is capable of harnessing the power of the Song. She saved us from being caught.”

“It is still not enough to save our dead people.” The Mother of Curaceans shook her head and threw her gaze at the Crown of Order to give her a signal.

“Then what are we going to do?” asked the Mother of Faunaceans.

“Like what we always do.” Mother Senthuria felt like there was a lump in her throat when she thought of the idea she opened. It’s hard to speak about it, but it was necessary given the situation they were in. She knew to her core she was right.

“Are you sure?"

“It’s time...” She nodded. “Goddess Aesercean gave us the Song and the Voice of the Ocean to save our kind, not to defend the filthy humans. You all paid the price before, now, it’s my turn.”

“Then it’s settled. We’re going to attack.” The Father of Senticeans looked around to the remaining serceans listening to them. “Those who are in favor, gear up. Those who don’t stay here or you will join the dead.”