Shadows of a Broken Past: A Shard of Faith (Book one)

Chapter 8:

Jimmy surfaced, his long tail swaying beneath the silt-filled greenish water swirling around him. "Are you sure it's the siren?" He asked, his webbed ear-gills flat to his head in fury and anxiety. 

"Hey, M'lord." The head of his guard answered. "The siren seems to be driving the cod back and keeping visiting ships away from the docks with her magic."

"Hm. Now this could require some investigating." Jimmy mused. "Send a regiment of the Royal Guard to survey the area. If they see anything, report back to me immediately." His head of guard nodded, bowing slightly out of respect and then turning to dive away through the water. 

"This is concerning, isn't it." The codfather turned to look over at the elf-oceanfolk hybrid female who was floating in the water a little ways behind him. "It's not normal."

"No, it isn't." Jimmy agreed. "It's worrisome, Kaeri, after what I last experienced of the siren kind all those years ago." 

Kaeri nodded wisely. "Father, don't worry." She said, fluttering her tawny-coloured wings. "It'll be okay. I'm sure the guard can handle it." 

Jimmy shook his head. "That's not my worry, Kaeri." He said softly, swimming over to her. "If something happens and I have to deal with a siren-witch on the loose without some of my warriors. And what with the-" He broke off and shook his head. "No. I'll go investigate." He turned and nodded to a nearby guard. "Can you get my armour, and my sword and shield? Or a trident?" 

"Yes sir!" The guard saluted him before rushing off. 

His daughter looked at him worriedly. "Okay. Stay safe." She said, her long violet tail swishing slowly below the water and her ear-gills lowered slightly as she turned slowly. "I'm going to go rest in my room. Tell me how it goes later." 

"I well, sweetheart." Jimmy promised. "I'll be back in two shakes of a dogfish's tail." 

"See you later, dad." Kaeri said softly, diving down into the water and vanishing. 

Jimmy scrambled out of the water and accepted the armour his guard handed to him, putting it on and tightening it and then taking his sword and shield and strapping them to his back. He looked up at the two guards he had with him -the one who had given him his armour and another- and he nodded. "Let's go." He said, doing a backflip into the water and plunging into the depths of the pond, swimming through the small channel and bursting into the great ocean by the Cod Empire docks. 

One of the guards called out to Jimmy. "S'ti revo ereht! Eht rehto sdraug era ereht!" He said in Oceanfolk deep-sea speak. "Llahs ew nioj meht?"

(It's over there! The other guards are there! Shall we join them?)

"Sey." Jimmy called back. "Ew dluohs." He sped up, and they reached the others quickly. 

(Yes. We should.)

"Rehtafdoc Ymmij." The guards all bowed respectively. "Ew evah dnuof on ecnedive ro sliart fo eht neris." 

(Codfather Jimmy. We have found no evidence or trails of the siren.)

"Peek gnikool." Jimmy said, glancing down and letting out a sharp snarl. "Ydobyreve evom!" He shot out of the way as a siren with scales the colour of platinum and gold scattered with diamonds burst up below them all, carrying a sceptre. 

(Keep looking. Everybody move!)

"Been a while, hasn't it, Codfather." The siren growled, cackling as she held the sceptre and swam in slow, menacing circles around them. "How nice to see you again. Woh ecin ot ees uoy niaga." 

"A elihw deedni." Jimmy spat. "Tahw od uoy tnaw, Nires?"

(A while indeed. What do you want, Siren?)

"What do I want? What do I want? Why, whyever would I want something, my dear Codfather?" The siren laughed. "Oh, no no no. I want nothing."

"Eil." Jimmy growled, drawing his sword and brandishing it. 

(Lie.)

"Fine. You want to know what I desire?" The siren said, glaring at them, and Jimmy shivered as her eyes passed over him. "I, Siella, wish to know who has been corrupting the oceans I am sworn to keep." 

"Detpurroc?" Jimmy frowned. "Tahw?" 

(Corrupted? What?)

"Yes. Corrupted." Siella spat. "Come. I shall show you." She spun around and swam to the sea floor, Jimmy and his regiment of guards following as she scanned the seabed. "There." She stopped short, pointing. "That's the corruption." 

Jimmy followed her arm and his eyes narrowed, and he swam closer. The place that Siella was pointing to was overgrown with deep bloodred sands and coral, red roots snaring around a pillar of red stone. 

"Tahw si taht?" He asked. 

(What is that?)

"Don't ask me." Siella said, pointing to the surface. "Let us continue our conversation up there, shall we?"

Jimmy nodded and they surfaced. "I don't understand." 

Siella frowned. "That's not the only place with corruption. And the corruption is killing and taking over everything it touches. I've seen creatures die when they get too close. Hence why I didn't."

"I see." Jimmy flicked his tail.

"And I believe it is a land creature who is causing it." Siella accused. "A cod emiprian."

Jimmy was taken aback. "No!" He cried. "None of my people would dare. I don't know what would have caused this." 

"Well who did?" Siella demanded. 

"I don't know. I can organize a meeting with my sister Lizzie, and we can try to find out." Jimmy suggested. 

Siella looked at him suspiciously. "Fine." She said. "As soon as you can." She turned and dove, vanishing into the water. 

There was a silent pause before the guards spoke. "We'll go get that arranged, sir." They said, turning and leaving Jimmy with the two guards he had come with. 

They were quiet, and then one spoke up. "You have an idea who did it, don't you." He said. 

Jimmy nodded, sighing. "Yes." He said, starting for shore. "I'll need quiet when we get back."

"I'm going to message Scott."

————

Hello everyone! 

I thought I'd formally introduce Kaeri here, so there we go. Here she is, the adopted daughter of Jimmy! Yes, she is part elf part oceanfolk-

Any feedback would be appreciated!

-Quiet