Echoes of the Deep

A Drawing Beneath theWaves

Chapter 1

Episode 9

A Drawing Beneath the Waves.

The secluded cove fell quiet once more. Only the gentle rhythm of the tide broke the silence. Nikolai and Naeven remained standing on the shore while Vaesryn watched them from only a few feet away, his crimson eyes shifting curiously between the two humans.

Neither side understood the other's language. Yet somehow... They had begun understanding each other's intentions. Nikolai folded his arms, still trying to process everything that had happened over the last few days. Merfolk. Gray creatures. Bodies washing ashore. And now... The impossible.

Vaesryn knew the names Vincent and Vivenne. "...I still don't understand." Nikolai rubbed his forehead. "How could he possibly know them?" Naeven looked toward Vaesryn. "I've been asking myself the same question." Suddenly Nikolai's eyes drifted toward the sketchbook tucked beneath Naeven's arm. His expression brightened. "Your drawing book." Before Naeven could react, Nikolai reached over and gently took it from him.

"H-Hey! My sketchbook!"

"Relax," Nikolai replied. "I have an idea." He flipped through several pages. Drawings of the cove. Drawings of seashells. Several incredibly detailed sketches of Vaesryn. Finally... He stopped at a blank page. He held the sketchbook open in front of Vaesryn. Then placed the pencil in the merman's hand.

Pointing first to the empty page, Nikolai slowly said, "Vincent." Then he pointed again. "Vivenne." Vaesryn looked from the page...

To Nikolai... Then quietly repeated, "...Vincent." A brief pause. "...Vivenne."

"Yes." Nikolai nodded enthusiastically. "Vincent. Vivenne." Vaesryn lowered his eyes to the blank page. For a long moment... He simply stared. Then, with surprising confidence, he began drawing. The pencil moved gracefully through his fingers. Naeven's eyes widened. "He knows how to draw..." Nikolai nodded silently. Neither of them interrupted. Slowly... Two figures began taking shape.

The first had long, light-colored hair. Sharp ears. Elegant features. A broad chest adorned with strings of pearls. Instead of legs...

A magnificent flowing tail curved beneath him. Vaesryn continued. Beside the first figure appeared another. Long flowing hair. Gentle features. Pearl ornaments woven into her hair. Another enormous, elegant tail.

When he finished...

Vaesryn quietly handed the sketchbook and pencil back. Neither human spoke. Nikolai slowly accepted it. His hands trembled. "...No way..." The drawings weren't exact. But they were unmistakable. The faces. The hair. The expressions. Vincent. And Vivenne.

Only... They weren't human. They looked like merfolk. "T-This..." Nikolai looked up at Vaesryn. "This is them!"

He pointed excitedly at the page. "Vincent!" Then the second drawing. "Vivenne!" Vaesryn simply nodded once. As though it were obvious. "But..." Nikolai's excitement quickly faded. "They're dead... Aren't they?" Vaesryn tilted his head. Clearly confused. He didn't understand the words. Only the emotion.

Naeven looked down at the sketchbook again. "...Do you think..." He hesitated. "...they never died?" Nikolai stared silently at the drawings. "...If Vincent and Vivenne were alive... "They would've come home. They would've found us. They would've found their parents. They would've..." His voice caught. Naeven gently answered. "...What if they don't remember?" Silence settled over the cove.

The possibility hung between them. Neither wanted to say it aloud. Neither knew if it was even possible. Finally Nikolai looked toward the endless sea. "...Either way... If they're really out there..." His voice became steady. "...We have to find them." He turned toward Vaesryn. Then pointed at the drawings. Then toward the ocean. Finally he pointed at himself. At Naeven. Trying desperately to communicate. "Can you... Help us find them?" Vaesryn watched the gestures carefully. He didn't understand the sentence. But he understood the ocean. He understood the drawings. And he understood Vincent's name. His crimson eyes softened. He gave another small nod.

Whether he truly understood the request... Neither human knew. The sun had nearly disappeared beyond the horizon. Orange light reflected across the water. Naeven glanced at the sky. "...It's getting late." He closed the sketchbook. "We should head back. Nikolai... I don't think Vaesryn comes here every day. But he comes here often. We'll see him again." Nikolai laughed quietly. "...This is insane." He looked back toward the sea. "Do you realize how insane all of this is?" Naeven smiled. "I know." He stepped closer to the shoreline. "Vaesryn." The merman immediately looked at him. Naeven pointed toward himself. Then toward Nikolai. Then toward the path leading out of the cove. "We're leaving. We'll come back. Tomorrow." Vaesryn couldn't understand the words.

But he watched their movements. He saw them preparing to leave. Slowly, he reached for his trident. With one graceful motion, he slipped backward into the water. His massive black tail disappeared beneath the waves.

Within seconds...

Only ripples remained. Nikolai watched in amazement. "...He's quick." The two young men began walking back toward the trail leading to town. For several minutes, neither spoke. Finally Naeven broke the silence. "...This is our secret now." Nikolai glanced over. "What do you mean?"

"Vaesryn." Naeven looked back toward the ocean. "We have to protect him. He doesn't know what other humans might do if they found him. They'd study him. They'd lock him away. They'd never let him return to the ocean."

Nikolai nodded slowly. "And..."

Naeven continued, "...we need to figure out everything we can. He clearly knows things. He recognized Vincent. He recognized Vivenne. But because of the language barrier... We can't simply ask him. We'll have to learn."

Nikolai let out a quiet sigh. "...I wonder how long that's going to take." He looked toward the fading sunset. "So... What is this now? Our little secret?"

Naeven smiled. "Yeah. Our secret. The responsibility is ours now." The two continued walking side by side toward Crescent Bay Harbor.

Behind them...

The ocean grew darker with every passing minute. And somewhere beneath those waves... Vaesryn clutched the memory of two familiar names, while the mystery surrounding Vincent and Vivenne only deepened.