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The young man walked through the forest with his mandore on his back."I've been walking for two days now," he thought. He looked around and saw a pile of rocks near a lake. "I'll rest there for a bit."He made his way over to the pile and sat down. He then took his mandore out and began to play. He had a beautiful voice all low and sweet, and his fingers looked as if they were gliding over the strings. He didn't know the ripples in the water. It was only when he finished did he notice something purple sticking out of the lake. Startled, he stumbled backward off the rock."What the..." he mumbled and sat up, only to see the thing had gone. He cautiously peered into the water but saw nothing. Whatever was there had gone. The next day, he returned back. As like the day before, he played his mandore atop the rock and sang his songs. Soon, he saw the same purple thing out the corner of his eye. This time, it was further away. The man made no movement that he noticed the thing and played until it came closer. He sang his last song, and the thing rose up out of the water. He was in shock at what he saw.It was a legendary creature; a merman. His eyes were of ice blue, and his purple hair was cut into an odd way, a style the man vaguely remembered as a mohawk. What he could see of his tail was a dark purple with silver fins. The man stared into those icy eyes until the merman darted back into the lake. "Wait!" the man called out, but the merman did not return."I'll have to try again tomorrow, then." Instead of the rock, he sat next to the water. His mandore rested against the rock."I know you're out there," he called out, his voice echoing throughout the forest. "Please come out." Ripples began to appear."I'll play a song for you." He grabbed the mandore and began to pluck at the strings. This coaxed the merman out once again."What's your name, bard?" he asked once the man finished."It's Daniel," he replied."Daniel? Such a basic name. I'm Stephen." His voice held a sarcastic and playful touch. The other simply rolled his eyes at the merman's comment."What is someone like you doing out here?" Stephen then asked."I'm traveling to Istera on my king's orders.""Who's your king?""King Hosuh.""Hosuh? What kind of name is that?""Hey! Don't disrespect my king! How would you like it if I disrespected yours?" Stephen chuckled at him."I don't care what anyone says about them. I never did. That's actually why I'm exiled.""Exiled?""Uh huh.""How come?" Stephen smiled at him."Let's save that for another time. I want to know about you." The merman rested his head in his hands. "What does your king order you to do?""King Hosuh wants me to collect stories from around the kingdoms.""Hmm, sounds typical of a bard. Where you from?" "Odan.""Odan?" he asked skeptically. "You don't sound like one. Then again, I haven't been there since Queen Annabelle ruled. I'm guessing Hosuh is her son?""No, actually. He's her nephew, as she didn't have any children. And you're not completely wrong about me not sounding like an Odanian. I was born in Marcian, but left when I was twelve.""Huh.""Now, tell me about you." Stephen thought about it for a second."Next time. It's getting late, don't you think? Besides, don't you have to get to Istera soon?""I'm not on a deadline. And anyway, I'm a bard, it's my job to collect stories, so I'm sure my king would understand. If he doesn't, then so be it." Stephen smiled at him."Bit of a rebel. I like you." "Welcome back, rebel," Stephen said as Daniel sat on the ground once again. "Where do you want me to start?""Wherever you like.""Hmm...well, I was born in Atlan. I'm sure you've heard of it.""I have. It lays in the Lazuri Sea.""You're correct. I didn't follow their 'standards.' I didn't go to any crowning ceremonies of the queens, wore a very different style than others, and often said 'bad' things. I finally said one of the princesses was a bitch, which she was, and her husband a bastard. That's when they decided I finally crossed the line and exiled me here.""Does it get lonely out here?""No, not really. And anyway, I've always preferred to be alone.""Who was your king?""His name was Tellamin, and he looked like a bear. He had three wives. His first wife, Katherine, never got out much. Joan looked like a horse, and his last wife, Liana, was a prisoner in a fancy cell. The king didn't want anyone to see her. I actually felt a little bad for her. She had less freedom than even the lowest class. A year later, she died under 'mysterious circumstances,' but almost everyone knows what that stands for." Daniel understood it himself. He had heard and recited the story of Queen Marie of Cleone hundreds of times."I'll be honest with you, bard," Stephen said. "Atlan was screwed from the moment Tellamin became king. Already he caused a war with Navarre and then cut off trading with Istandel, which was Atlan's main source of income. I wouldn't be surprised if it falls within the next spring." "I'll have to leave tomorrow," Daniel said quietly after his song. Stephen hummed in response."Then I wish you good luck." Daniel could hear the sadness that dripped from the merman's voice."I'll come back soon. I'll be traveling this way back to Odan." Stephen's eyes lighted up."Then I'll see you then." He started back off into the water."Wait! Before you go," Daniel reached into his pocket and took out a gold coin. "Take this.""That's a dahmler.""My king gave it to me, in case of an emergency. It is of no use to me, though. I've lived off soffils and ashns for years," he explained. "So, take it as a token from me."The merman reached his hands out and accepted it."Thank you. In that case, take this." He unwrapped a pearl necklace around his wrist. "I found it one day at a shipwreck. Take it as a token from me."Daniel smiled and wrapped it around his wrist."I shall see you in time, then.""Yep. It's been nice, Daniel. Have a safe journey.""Back at you, Stephen. May you live long."
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Ash sat at his desk and let out a frustrated sigh. It was finals week, and he was mentally dying more than ever."Ah, screw it," he muttered and stood up. "Maybe getting out will help."He grabbed his wallet and jacket and headed out. He made his way down to the store, and soon found himself in the freezer aisle."Let's see...pizza bagel bites or instant mac and cheese?" he muttered. As he opened the freezer door, he heard a thud on the glass. He looked over and saw a young woman holding her hand out looking a little startled. Her black hair was tied back into a tight braid with dark eyes to match."Oh, sorry!" Ash said. She smiled at him."It's alright," she said and looked him up and down."Shouldn't you be studying?" she said in a playful tone. Ash laughed and his face turned a slight red."Yeah, but I wanted to take a break." She let out a small giggle."Well, good luck on your studies," she said and started to walk away. "Maybe we'll see each other in the future."She disappeared around the corner of another aisle. Ash could feel his heart beating fast and his face burning. He gave a small smile at the thought of seeing her again and maybe asking for her number next time. He was walking home with his pizza bagel bites when he ran into someone."Oh shit, sorry!" he said and held his hand out to the person he ran into. He saw it was a young woman and felt even worse. She looked up and smiled softly before taking his hand."It's alright, I should have been looking where I was going," she said. Her black hair was cut shoulder length and her brown doe eyes gave her an innocent look. Ash felt his cheeks heat up once again and she giggled at him."Again, sorry about that," he stuttered and laughed awkwardly."No, it's really fine. I'm Eri," she said."I'm Ash." They shook hands and Eri glanced at her watch."Oh, I'm sorry, but I have to go. Maybe I'll see you around?" Ash smiled."That would be nice." They exchanged their goodbyes and Ash watched Eri walk off into the distance. He then smiled once more."Wait until Shorter hears about this." Pandora stood at the spinning globe with a dark smile. She reached into the globe and pulled out a silver string."Isn't it amazing?" she said aloud. "A simple string controls the lives of mortals."She then floated up to the stars twinkling above her."And then simple stars control the lives of the Gods. Why would anyone leave these out for someone like me to use?""Because we can bend those to our will," a new voice said. Pandora turned and saw one of the Goddesses."Yes, I know that, Atalante," she retorted. "Now, back to the topic at hand.""Oh? I didn't know there was one.""Are you sure? You seem to have your mind wrapped around the same thing I have.""Which is?" Pandora floated over to Atalante."Who will win the boy?" Pandora giggled darkly and Atalante crossed her arms."You see him the say way I do. He is beautiful, is he not?" Atalante shrugged."Sure, why not.""Now don't play this game with me. I saw the way you looked at him earlier today." Pandora then floated up to the stars. "It's a shame, I'm sure, to know you won't have him.""And you know this how?""Simple," Pandora said. "With a flick of my fingers, I can turn your life into a living hell."She then headed over to the globe and picked up a string."And if this string were to break, the boy's life would become worse than yours would be." Atalante said nothing and instead floated up to the stars like her fellow Goddess. She picked one up and twirled it on her finger."I think you forget, dear sister," she said. "I can turn your life into a living hell as well. With balance comes revenge. A simple scratch on this star and my wrath will bring down the worst storm you've ever experienced."She tossed the star back into the cluster."Now if you excuse me, I must be going. Goodbye, Pandora." Atalante disappeared in a blinding white spiral. Pandora scoffed and tossed her star back into the cluster as well. She quickly followed her sister in a black shadowy spiral. Ash was walking back from class when he saw a familiar face."Eri," he called and made his way to her. She turned around and smiled brightly at him."Hello Ash," she said. It was then Ash noticed she was talking with someone, and he recognized who it was; the woman from the store."Ash, this is Yi Chun, my sister," Eri explained."Hello, so we do meet again.""Seems like it," he smiled back. The three heard thunder rumble in the sky, so Eri suggested they stay at her and her sister's place, which Ash agreed to."Wow, you two have a nice place," he said as Yi Chun opened the door to their apartment."Thank you," Eri said as she took their coats and hung them up."So Ash, what classes do you take?" Yi Chun asked as she sat on the couch."Well, I've started taking a religious studies class, and I'm earning a minor in psychology.""That sounds nice." The three ended talking until the sky grew dark. It was around eight when Ash realized what time it was."Oh crap, I'm sorry, but I have to go. It was nice coming over, thank you." The two women smiled at him."It was our pleasure, get home safe." That night, Ash was plagued by a strange dream. He dreamt of a woman with brown, curly hair and dark brown eyes filled with wisdom."I am Sibella, Goddess of Prophecy," she said. Her attire screamed deity; a white dress that transitions to blue and lined with gold at the feet, a blue cardigan like cloth draped over her shoulders and held together by gold running over her upper arms, chest, and abdomen, gold bangles on her wrists, and finally, a gold headpiece laid on her forehead and running across her brown locks. "Ash, you need to be careful in the near future," she warned. "You have a dangerous path ahead of you if you don't.""A dangerous path? What do you mean?""You need to be careful around the two girls. Do not get close to them. One will wreak havoc on you, and the other's wrath will be so furious, you would not escape it." Ash was dumbfounded."So you're saying...?" Sibella sighed."I'm saying you should not make any advances on them.""And if I do?" The Goddess gave him a wary smile."Make peace with your God should you say the wrong thing." The next morning, he woke up confused."What the hell?" he muttered. The Goddess' words lingered in his head."Why should I be wary?" He brushed it off and got dressed, then headed for the library. Instead of studying as he should be, he decided to do some research on this Sibella. He found she was an actual deity who originated from an unnamed island near Greece centuries ago. He did a little more digging and came across the Goddess Atalante of Balance. Reading up on her, he read that while she was the Goddess of Balance, she was also named the Goddess of Revenge, and was said to be one who could not be escaped from.He then came across Pandora, Goddess of Discord. She was written as someone who could wreck the life of any human with the snap of her fingers. Both Pandora and Atalante were sisters, but Sibella had no correlation other than looking to be an aunt."I've never heard of them before. Why would I dream of this particular goddess?" Ash decided not to pay any mind to her words. He just wrote it off as eating something bad. He still hung out with the two girls and became friends with them quickly, and was hoping to become more with one of them, or even both. One day, while they were all over at his place, he was about to put the moves on them until they did it for him."So Ash," Yi Chun said as she put her cup down. "The Easter Parade is coming up. I was wondering if you would like to go with me.""Sure, I would be delighted to," he said. Yi Chun smiled one of her seductive smiles and wrapped herself around his right arm. For a second, Ash thought he saw another woman in her place. Her long, black hair was put back into a messy ponytail and flowing behind her, a dress of black that turned blue, transparent, and lined with bronze at the feet, a dark blue veil wrapped around her arms and dotted with bronze stars, a bronze belt with beads of blue and black that matched her headpiece, two bronze snakes curved between her breasts, and a single snake wrapped around her upper left arm.Ash was snapped out his daze when he felt someone else cling to his other arm. He turned around and saw Eri."Or, you could come with me, and maybe we would have some fun afterward," she said in an unusual seductive tone. Ash swore he saw a different woman when he looked at her as well. A woman with straight, long, black hair flowing gracefully behind her, and instead of a bronze headpiece with a large blue orb and black orb, her headpiece was gold and held a light blue orb with a white pearl. Her dress was white that turned light blue and transparent at the feet, a gold belt with blue beads, gold bangles on her wrists and upper arms holding light blue cloth, gold outlining her breasts, and a necklace with pearls and a large blue orb in the center hanging around her neck. Like the other woman, she was very pretty and held the same mystical touch.While Ash was trying to wrap his head around what he just saw, the two sisters were glaring at one another. Meanwhile, Sibella was shaking her head in pity, feeling like the girl Cassandra from centuries ago."Poor humans, they never learn." Pandora was back at the globe with her sister Atalante next to her. Sibella was told by Erika, the Goddess of Leadership, to watch over them."If you two are going after the same man, don't drag us and him down with you," she stated."Stay out of this Sibella, and you won't be," Pandora snapped at her."Seriously, why must you two always go after the same man? Why not choose different people? It would make everyone else's lives easier." Sibella then left in a blue wavy spiral. Atalante looked at her sister before speaking."You know, I would be down for a poly relationship." Pandora looked at her before shrugging."If it keeps us from getting our asses scolded by Erika again, I'm down.""I get him first, then.""Um, no you don't."