Eternal Abyss - Waterfire Saga - Book 5

Chapter 3 - Trouble

"Another one?" Mahdi asked as he entered the medical bay. The nurse solemnly nodded. He sighed. The attacks were getting more and more frequent. He wanted to tell Sera so badly, but he knew she had a lot going on with her coronation. He had even considered going with her, until the first explosion.

Yes, explosions. Something, or someone, had been setting up terrible traps all over Matali. It started a few months after Orfeo's death, killing or injuring merfolk everywhere. The longer it went on, the more dangerous they had become. And more mysterious too.

Every time a mine exploded, there was a message drawn in the settling ashes. It reminded Mahdi too much of what the victims of the Death Riders wrote. The very first message said, "The Midnight Waters have returned." which didn't make much sense. But the previous message, the one that no one could ever forget, said, "The fallen shall rise, and the dead shall live once again." The meaning was crystal clear.

There had been reports of a mysterious figure traveling across the seas. This... figure had been able to infiltrate all the kingdoms, except for Miromara. They've said that she were seeking revenge, that she was taking something that was "rightly belonged" to her. Which could only mean one person; Lucia. Which meant she was probably the one responsible for all the deaths of Matali's citizens.

"Sir, General Yazeed would like to speak with you." A guard came in and said. Mahdi nodded, and left the medical bay.

"Hey dude, wassup?" Yaz joked as Mahdi came out. " I heard there were a big shoal passing by, wanna go? C'mon, it'll be fun!"

"Yaz, this is serious," Mahdi said with frustration. "This is no time for games, people are dying! Unless you have something to report, please stop bothering me." He sighed, tiredly swimming in the direction of the council chambers, where he had to attend another meeting.

"Well, today is my lucky day! I actually have something to report." Yaz grinned gleefully, but then the smile faded away, turning into something darker. "Actually, today might not be your lucky day..." This brought Mahdi to attention, for he had never seen Yaz look so serious.

"Yaz, what happened?" Mahdi asked carefully. He looked at his friend worriedly. "There has been new evidence about the attacks," Yaz said slowly, "A piece of jewelry left at a site."

"Piece of jewelry?"
"A ring."

"And this helps us how?" Mahdi asked, not getting through to Yaz's point. "What does a ring have to do with this?"

"Mahdi... that ring belonged to Sera." Yaz finally got it through.

"What?" His friend exclaimed, suddenly confused. "That's not possible. Sera's on her coronation! She hasn't been here in over a month."

"Well, apparently she has. She's currently in Qin right now, and from what I've heard, she's charged with murder."