The Ring

PROLOGUE

[1998]
[ZIHUANTANEJO, MEXICO]

The deep blue sea was like a bottomless pit. It had no end. For man's eyes, the depth of the sea ended where the water touched the ground, where there were sea shells and rock. I never realized the true depth and constituents of the water until I drowned into the water after my canoe capsized. I had come back out of the water with an object that only brings doom and destruction in exchange for getting my life back

~ Adam Villella, Latino Fisherman.

Iomai and Scarlet set out of their father's palace underwater to swim across the sea, and engage in a supersonic swimming contest in the gracefulness of the water. Their swimming was going to make the water quiver, spoil the stillness and calmness of the water and that would make their father upset, but as little girls, they were only up to exploration and mischief. That was when they saw a drowning human, sinking slowly into the water and struggling for his life. But he was a bad swimmer and he had reached the part of the water where no amount of vigorous swimming could save him.

"What is that?" Scarlet asks, squinting.

"I don't know." Iomai replies, staring at the unknown creature.

"What if it's a treasure?" Scarlet asks again with her puerile mind.

"No. Whatever it is, we should not go near it. Father told us not to take things we are not sure of."

"Oh Iomai!" Scarlet whines. "Look at that harmless thing sinking in here. It wouldn't cause any harm. Besides, Father would be proud of us knowing we have found our very first treasure. Who knows, maybe he'll let us cross over to Mavrok to see those ancient tombs."

"Scarlet, I'm scared!" Iomai whimpers. "We don't even know whether it's a treasure or not. Let's just head back home."

"Come on, Iomai! Don't be such a coward. At least let's go and see what it is. It's rather peculiar." Scarlet drags Iomai with her and they both swim towards the weird creature. They observe him for a while. He has fine black hair, blue eyes and every part of him was screaming help.

"I told you it was a treasure. A large one." Scarlet grins.

"We don't even know what this is."

"Well, it found its way here. Let's go and show him to Father so that he'll know what to do. I've never seen anything like this in our kingdom."

"Scarlet," Iomai asks skeptically. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Iomai, after father dies, we'll both be rulers of Dasrelia. So get rid of your fears right now. A ruler must always be courageous."

"Okay. Let's take it to Father then."

King Kalmin stands up from his throne with astonishment once his two daughters barge into his courtroom in the middle of an important discussion with Scarlet dragging a strange creature behind her. "Where did you girls find this?"

"We found it at the confluence of the sea." Scarlet grins proudly, ignoring her father's obvious fury.

"What did we say about...!" King Kalmin stops to cool his temper. He mustn't display his nasty temper to his little innocent children.

"Father, I told Scarlet not to, but..."

"We clearly made it known to you girls that you cannot go to the confluence because it is dangerous." King Kalmin's wife, Iyonna, scolds them. "Iomai, you are the Crown Princess of Dasrelia. What would we do if anything happens to you?"

"Mother, we found a treasure. You should at least take a look at it and tell us what is doing in our kingdom."

"You girls should leave now. We'll talk about this later. Leave the creature here." King Kalmin says and dismisses them. Both girls leave, Scarlet with a big grin, and Iomai with a frantic look on her face.