Silverwood

Second Chance

"You let the summoner fall into lava?"

"That was your only hope."

"You missed the chance to go back."

"You are a human?"

"A human is a threat."

"If you can't go back, come to us. A giant valley is the safest place for a human."

Voices in my head are torturing me. What should I do? Should I go back to the giant valley? Or get back to the prince and marry him? Will he accept me? Or leave me, as Arun did. 

"What is my princess worried about?"

"Oh...Ritesh. You startled me."

"Sorry for that."

"What are you doing here?"

"Don't forget, you are under the water, and I am a prince of here. It's my area."

"What about east and west Apah?"

"There is a truce between both regions."

 "Good to know that."

"Why have you turned mermaid again?"

"You.. how do.. I forgot. You can read minds."

"No princess I can't."

"Then how did you know that I am not a mermaid?"

He smiles. 

"I am a prince. I know each and every one of my nation."

"What about the east?"

"It's a secret. But I think I can share it with you."

"What?"

"I am the one who looks after the east Apah too."

"You?"

"The princess is too young. She is so cute, more like my sister. I am in charge of training her and till she is ready I look after her nation."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"It's great. Then why is it a secret?"

"Because not everyone loves to see peace. Some enjoy the tension. They provoke the war. From war, I remember. I have heard a rumor about a human in our world. That human covers the entire world to get the summoner. And when he got it. He accidentally lost it. And now he is missing."

"And you say you can't read minds. Fine, I am that human. Okay. I am the one who covered all the way to find the summoner. From the giant valley to yeti mountain. From Snake village to Apah abyssal. From sprite island to.... to nowhere. I am the one who missed the chance. I was too close but. I failed."

"But you are here. May I ask you, why here?"

"Arun had mermaid potion. I mean, he had extra."

"Your friend?"

"He is not my friend."

"Okay, okay."

"When I saved him and we were taking him to the land, I had kept the potion in my bag."

"Okay"

"So apparently he doesn't have any potion that can turn him into a mermaid."

"So"

"So he can not come here."

"So you are running from him?"

"No, I am not. I just wanted some alone time. And when the time will over I will change back into a human. And I can die easily here."

"You want to die?"

"I can not go back to my world. And no one likes me as I am in the original. I can't keep drinking potions and pretend what I am not. I wanted to go back. But now I can't."

"You don't like our world?"

"I don't fit in. I am a threat to your world."

"Who said that?"

"The wizard sisters."

"Ignore them."

"Witches attacked twice me and trolls did once."

"Sorry to hear that. But you are here to die. Don't you fear death?"

"Death is something we get naturally. But I don't want...."

"To hurt others?"

"Stop reading my mind."

"I said I can't."

"Princess."

"I am not a princess."

"For me you are. May I ask you something?"

"What?"

"If you are not scared of death, nor what's ahead. Then why do you want to go back?"

"What's the point. I can not go now. It's all over."

"You are giving up?"

"My princess is giving up? I don't think it is your nature. You don't give up. You swim into the deep to save your friend. I knew you can do it. You know why? Because I knew. I knew that you are a brave girl. The bravest I have ever met."

"No, I am not. I am not brave at all. I can not help my sister out. I hadn't taken her side. I should have supported her while he made her choice over a man. What I did was just kept silent. Why dad kicked her out, what I did, kept silent. If, if I had a little bit of courage that time I wouldn't have ended up here like this. I..I just want to go back and ask her. Why? Why? Why?.... Does she ever loved me? If yes, then how can she try to kill me. Doesn't her hand shiver at all? Is she okay with, all this conspiracy? Is she happy after losing me? Is she really?"

"You don't want to ask that to her."

"Stop reading my mind. And yes I want to ask her that. I want to smack her. Right in front of her face, I want to confront her."

"Sorry, but the truth is that you want to confirm it. You still believe that she can not do it. You still have faith in her. You want to go back just to confirm that you are not wrong."

"No... not true."

"You can lie to yourself but can not lie to me."

"No.. I know it was her. I have seen her right there. I know.. She was there. When I was falling down. I have seen with my own eyes."

"You keep saying don't read my mind, right? Mind lies. I really don't read them. I feel the emotions. You are sad. Of course, I can see that. But you are scared. Scared of getting betrayed again. Scare of getting heartbroken again. Is it because of your friend?"

"Arun is not my friend."

"I took no name."

"You know, we royals have a spatial ability. To feel the frequencies. Every creature emits some frequencies. Their emotions are reflected in their frequencies. I can feel them. Your fear, happiness, nervousness, everything. Your emotions don't lie, my dear. I know that accepting you as who you are is not something that everyone is capable of. But I can say. You are the most beautiful feeling I have ever felt so far. Look, I found you by that."

"Yes, how did you find me?"

"Your strong emotions."

The beluga whale transformed into a dolphin.

"Plum?"

"And he helped me too."

"Oh Plum, what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here, my princess?"

I look at him. He is dashingly calm. Looking at me for an answer that he knows from the beginning, but wants me to give him.

"Can I ask you one thing?"

"Anything for my princess."

"Down here it is peace, not like up in the land. Don't you need crystals for your magic?"

"We do."

"You have a mine here?"

"We do have a factory but no mines."

"I don't get it."

"We produce salts. Crystal salts."

"Don't tell me that salts can work."

"Yes, why not?"

"But, the stone, gems...the needed them.."

"Hmm, because you are a human, you are confused. We all need something that can enhance our energies. Any crystalline structure can do so. Yes, it can vary from high efficiency to low, depends upon the product. But for us, salts are enough. We are not into a battle and in our daily life too we use less magic. Just to restore our energies we need salt."

"Then sugars can work too."

"What is sugar?"

"No one will be miserable here anymore."

"I don't know what sugar is but I can feel that you will spread peace and happiness in this world."

"How?"

"Though I don't like war, and not have any interest in getting friendly with the land people, but for you, I will always be there. Ask me anything, remember me anytime. You will find me.

"Thank you..buudd" 

"You are turning back into a human."

"I was not here for long."

"After your pet came to me, searching for you, it took me way too much time to find you. Indeed, you were here for so long."

The bubble came out of my mouth again.

"You must go up. In the air."

I hop on to Plum and he swims upward.

"I hope I can meet you again. But if you can go back. I will be so happy that I'll throw a party."

Such a sweet man. He has kept his kingdom safe and sound. Even he helps another kingdom keeping the peace. 

He is waving at me like a kid. A prince, of a kind of two-kingdom, is my friend now. This place is not that bad. If the one I cherished most doesn't want me in that world, doesn't maters. In this world, there is someone like Ritesh who is there for me. Who can sense my feelings. Who comes searching for me, just to cheer me up. I should give this world a second chance. Maybe I’ll find something to love here.

In no time I get the air. Plum is too fast. Ritesh didn't follow me. I know what should I do. I can make this world a better place. I can use my knowledge to help them out. 

"Plum, we are going to the giant valley."

He responds in his dolphin's voice. 

I will share my knowledge with them and help the people to recover from scarcity. The snake village can leave peacefully. Sugar can help them restore their energy. No one will die because of the lack of crystals. 

A griffin? Wow, so beautiful. And so big. The griffin is flying up in the sky. Oh, it is coming down. Its speed increased. It's getting closer. The strong wind almost blows me. The huge wings that are flapping near me. Closed my eyes, avoiding the wind.

"Get on."

Is it Arun? Opened my eyes and looked. Arun was riding the griffin. When did that happen? His arm is stretched towards me. His eyes are poking at me. Saying to hold his hand. 

Why is he here? I don't want to face him. Even though I ignore him, he is not willing to give up. Finally, I give up and held his hand. Plum jumped above the water's surface and turned into a cute cat. I watched him. I couldn't let him touch the water. Cat's don't like water.

"Thanks, buddy."

Why is Arun thanking him? Is it because he brought me to him? Does Arun send Plum to find me? But his face showed his emotion. An emotion of hate. Towards me. 

"Are you okay?"

Whom he is talking to? Better be quiet.

"Still mad at me?"

Is he really asking me this question?

"You will not talk to me?"

He is.

"Yeah, I deserve it."

What is he talking about?

"It must be very hard for you. I must have thought about that. I blame you for keeping a secret, but it was not your fault. I mean, I kept a secret from you, too. You came to save me even after that. I am sorry."

Really?

"Vidya told me why you went out of the pyramid. Even after I scolded you, you went out to rescue me. I mean the illusion created by the witches. Vidya told me everything. You still have two days to go back right. I will help you."

How?

"When ogre cried in my arm. I felt what you must be feeling. When he gets to know that he was trapped there for so many years that his entire family is no more, he was heartbroken. He said he missed the chance to meet his family. He lived for so many years waiting for a moment. A moment when his duty will be over and he will be free to get back to his family."

So sad.

"It is too late for him now. But not for you. I will make sure to help you."

"But how?"

"Finally."

With a soft chuckle, he continues.

"After you left, the head of fairies came to me. We are planning to help you."

"Where is Vidya?"

"She is with the head of fairies. Working on our plan."

"What plan?"

"Will tell you after we reach there."

The griffin was flying high above the clouds. I had lost all hope. I wanted to start over. But there is someone who is willing to help me get what I truly wanted. This world is giving me a second chance too. Will I get it? Can I really go back?