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The morning that followed was nothing near what it was like the previous night. It was solemn and quiet. They all knew that once they left the safety of the beach, death could easily take each one of them. Everything they had faced up until now was minor compared to what was ahead. The evil only grew stronger the closer they got to her. Each of them could already feel it...the wicked magic rushing through their veins like some poison that killed you slowly. Luckily, the original eight had their amulets, which had proven throughout their journey that they granted some sort of resistance against the corruption that easily took the souls of so many.
Morana's corruption was a complicated matter. So far, it was never a permanent thing. The poor, hopeless souls that were taken by her dark magic had no control over what they did. It completely takes over one's mind and forces them to commit sickening actions that most dare not to speak of. But right after you do such things, the evil leaves you to revel in the pain and guilt you feel after. That's what drives people insane, not her magic.
It's what it does to you.
What it makes you feel.
What it makes you regret.
And you can't undo it.
You can only hope it never happens again.
Everyone routinely packed up camp to prepare for the long, treacherous journey overseas. Nizhoni and Andrea retrieved the remaining supplies that the horses carried so that they could release them back to Therondia. Aurelia and Kai took the supplies from the two girls and secured it safely in the bags.
Bai looked up from the blankets that he was folding and asked, "Did we forget to ask for a boat?"
The rest turned their attention away from what they were doing to ponder Bai's question, looking around the camp to indeed find no trace of a boat.
Corrine rubbed her eyes in frustration. "Looks like it, yeah."
"Well, what the hell are we supposed to do now?" Axel asked as he threw his hands in the air.
"We don't have time to go back," Andrea added.
While the others continued to argue, Kai sat quietly with his thoughts until an idea popped in his head. "Wait!" He exclaimed, grabbing everyone's attention. "I know where we can get a boat."
Bai cocked a brow at him. "Where?"
"You guys know my parents' story right?" Kai asked as he started down the beach."
"Sure," Nizhoni answered. "Mermaid fell in love with a human and wanted to be with him."
"I don't see how this is important."
Kai shushed Bai and continued. "Well, after their marriage, my grandfather, King Triton, wanted to make it up to Ariel for how wrong he was about the two of them." Kai started to rustle through some bushes that rested on the sand. "So, he ordered his royal guardsmen to place a rowboat every five miles across the shores so that merfolk and humans could interact easily."
