@luciusstorm I was wondering if chapter 7 helps with explaining where the evil Alex comes from and his motives. What do you think will help you make better sense of the end of Chapter 6?
Edit: If you have any questions that you want answered, please let me know. No promises that I’ll answer everything, but asking a question never hurts.
Having read through it again, I think the information may be there but it's hard for me to follow. From my pov, Calum and Arihi do a lot of dancing around... which from a "difficult conversation" perspective has a sense of realism to it but doesn't make for clear exposition. Also, I think the amount of pictures and the way the dialogue breaks between them makes it hard for me to follow the flow of the conversation.
I think another thing I'm struggling with is that I feel like I don't really know Calum and Arihi, so I'm learning about who they are and at the same time I'm trying to process all this exposition... then I meet Reef, then I meet Evil Alex...
A friend of mine had a good phrase - drinking from the fire hose. Lots of information, all at once, can't really keep up and just hope that I retain enough of it for things to make sense later when I have more context.
Fate is a riddle and we choose our own answer.Wyrd Girls
@luciusstorm I’m going to try something different with my next chapter. I’ve been trying to align different expressions my sims have with the words they are saying. I was also trying to have the sim speaking align with the pictures too. Usually, I format the text related to a picture above the picture.
I’m going to try and reduce the pictures to what best expresses what I want to show. Hopefully, I can continue to narrow down the pictures. I still have 68-67 pictures out of over 200. ☠️ It’s possible that, because I capture so many screenshots, I tend to use a lot of pictures in spite of how many I delete.
Edit: I’m thinking of grouping the pictures and text so that the pictures still align with the above conversation, but it’s not as much back and forth between pictures and text.
If you don't mind, I'll share a little of my own process...
For any given chapter of Wyrd Girls, I will usually capture 150 - 250 pictures. From those, I will filter down to about 25-30 pictures which I will crop or otherwise make ready to use. Of those, I try to use about 12-16 in the actual post. Sometimes, when I just can't give something up, I use more but I try to keep it under 20.
I often find myself with great sequences of person A speaking, person B reacting, B responding, A reacting... not mention establishing shots, people moving around, sitting down, getting up, entering a room, leaving a room, etc. Out of all of those, I end up using one maybe two pictures... the most important one which highlights the emotion or action central to the section of text I've just written, and I try to break the text at the point where that image serves to drive it home.
Often it really pains me to leave some great shots on the proverbial cutting room floor, but I think it's worth it.
That's my process. I'm not saying it's the right way, best way, only way, etc. It's what works for me.
Fate is a riddle and we choose our own answer.Wyrd Girls
-It must’ve not been an easy conversation to have with Alex but Calum and Arihi did very well. Woah his soul became its own entity, that explains the end of the previous chapter. Oof Reef. Honestly that’s a really cool lair Alexander has. Looking forward to the next chapter
Alexander spent a lot of time trapped in the shadow of his other. From the darkness, he watched him find love, a family, and live his life surrounded by friends and family. He remembered the books he read as a child and the stories about merfolk. There was a time that living life as a merman would be something he wanted. But now, his disgust and hate for the creatures took over over.
'That merman was easy enough to capture, but there's no question that he was quite powerful. I could sense his power.'
Alexander pulled a fish out of the water. A common fish, he wanted an endangered species or a magical fish. He tossed the fish back.
'I know that he would be difficult to deal with, but I don't think I could capture more merfolk like that merman in a head on fight.'
Alexander cast his line back into the water.
'Catching him by surprise and taking his voice by force was definitely the best way to deal with him. I don't think I'll be that lucky next time.'
Alexander felt a tug on his line and pulled a chest out of the water.
'Still, it'll get riskier being around the ocean once they notice their kind going missing. I need to make sure I'm prepared for a fight.'
Alexander knew that he couldn't tap into the memories of his other. As a simple shadow, he watched everything, but now, as his own being, he couldn't see what the merfolk were up to. He knew that the merman he captured was Reef, and he was happy that he got to him so quickly. Alexander could remember seeing his other's dad and brothers interact. Reef kept the peace between Calum and Kemps. Reef's brothers' were as powerful as him, but they had a flaw he could exploit. Reef might have been the only one that could have gotten in the way of his plan for dealing with them.
While Alexander was fishing, he heard a couple young men speaking nearby. This confirmed his suspicion. His prey was aware of his existence. He figured it was possible that they knew about him before he clawed his way out of Davy Jones' Locker. This meant that the other merman wasn't wandering the beach without a purpose either. The sea around Mua Pel'Am was where his other and his family often gathered. The chances of running into them was much better here than anywhere else. It was risky to hang around this island, but the risk seemed to pay off. The mermen were definitely keeping watch for him. However, he's remained hidden. His recent catch never had a chance to alert the others.
"Do you think Reef is okay? He was supposed to meet us here this morning." Calum asked his brother.
"Knowing him, he probably got into some trouble." Kemps answered. "If he doesn't show, we'll have to help him out."
"I don't know. Reef often gets himself into trouble on accident, but that only helped him figure out how to better deal with danger."
"True, he's got the worst luck out of the three of us, and he's gotten a lot of experience from that." Kemps agreed. It was strange that Reef couldn't get himself out of trouble before they arrived. It wasn't like him.
"Remember when he got his tail tangled in a fishing net?" Kemps added.
"And he still managed to not only free his tail, but he managed to enlist the help of a crab." Calum said.
"Him and that crab ended up helping a dolphin and other sea creatures trapped in human junk. He always goes above and beyond to turn a bad situation around."
"You know, once we deal with that shadow, we should thank Reef for everything he does to keep this family safe." Kemps suggested.
"That's a good idea." Calum said. "A little fun would help the merboys too. It's probably the best way to put their minds at ease once the danger has passed."
"Once things are safe again, we'll gather at the Wayfarer's Atoll. We'll have a day of fun." Kemps promised. "I know the perfect undersea cave with colorful corals. The acoustics are great there! We'll bring the instruments we've made and spend the day making music!"
"Have you heard Dylan and Zephyr sing and play instruments? They are naturals, especially Dylan. They grow so quick!" Calum added.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from them." Kemps said.
"Still, I wonder where Reef is?" Calum asked. "It's been long enough by now. I'm sure he should be here."
"Knowing Reef, he's probably run into trouble with a shark or something." Kemps said. "I'm sure he's probably leading a pod of dolphins in a fight against it as we speak."
"He takes keeping the merlings safe very seriously. By the time he's done, there probably wouldn't be a shark nearby for miles."
The brothers laughed. At the end of the day, it was hard to stay worried about Reef. When he found himself in trouble, he always found a way through his own bad luck and turn things around. Over the many tens of thousands of years, many sea creatures learned to respect him for his bravery and tenacity. In all fairness, the three brothers have been alive so long that they didn't even remember their exact age.
Despite their confidence in their brother, they figured it would probably be a good idea to check on him. However, before they could start their search, Calum was hit with magic that clouded his judgement and filled him with an unusual amount of resentment toward his own brother.
To Kemps's surprise, Calum raised his fist toward him and the two broke out into a brawl. Kemps ended up winning the fight, and he hoped he was able to knock some sense back into his brother. His behavior was extremely unusual, especially the sudden change in him.
"What's gotten into you?" Kemps asked.
"I'm tired of following your rules. The only reason we have to go to such extremes is because you won't give humans a chance!" Calum yelled. "Arihi was an Elemental that watched over humans. We met when we lived among humans. Our sons, your nephews, were born because of the time we spent closer to humans. Now, all of a sudden, you want us to keep our distance!"
"Calum, that was thousands of years ago. Humans are different now. They think our kind is a myth, and so many of them have forgotten about the Sulani Elementals. They don't even care about the ocean. Just look around, Mua Pel'Am has been polluted for how long?"
"I still think humans should be given a chance. You will never give them a chance!"
"That's not true. I know that Alex is a human soul reborn as a merman. I know that Arihi had a human form before becoming a mermaid. Despite where they come from, I've never treated them badly. I've always accepted them as members of the family."
"Only because they aren't human anymore. If Alex could become human, would you still accept him as he is. If my wife decided to live among humans again, would you accept her?"
Before Kemps could defend himself, Calum interupted.
"You wouldn't accept them if they were human. And thank the Gods of the Sea natural born merfolk can never become human. You'd lose yourself in anger if anyone made that choice."
"Calum, you aren't being fair. Something isn't right. I'm wary of humans, but I have good reason to be. When the ocean suffers, we suffer. Our lives are intertwined with the sea. We need the sea as much as life in the sea needs us. Humans have done so much to hurt life in the sea over the years."
"I know." Calum rubbed his forehead.
Calum struggled to clear his mind. "But, maybe staying hidden from humans is the problem."
"How many times have we been through this? We agreed to watch over the sea and stay away from humans until the twins and our nephews were old enough to take a human form. We both know that not all humans are friendly."
"Are you done?" Calum held up his wrist mimicking the humans he's seen look at bracelets on their wrist when they are in a hurry.
Despite Calum's attempts to clear his mind, he couldn't fight it back anymore. Deep down, he knew something was wrong, but he also felt very different about how to best keep his sons safe. He wanted the twins to have a chance to learn about humans because he knew that one day they would be able to walk among them. He was worried that Kemps would pass on the same hate toward humans if they never had a chance to learn that there were good humans in the world. He didn't want them to learn to fear humans. He didn't want that fear to turn into anger and hate for people who weren't all bad. Calum's mind grew clouded with resentment again.
"I'm done doing what you tell me to do. I'm going to take the lead now, even if that means I need to go through you to do it!" Calum raised his hands as they started to crackle with electricity.
Calum released the discharge and Kemps felt the surge of energy go through him. The voltage weakened Kemps.
Kemps raised his hands and charged his own electrical discharge.
"Calum, something isn't right. You need to calm down. I don't know what's gotten into you, but I'll protect you from yourself if that's what I need to do."
Kemps sent a jolt through his brother. He hoped he would come to his senses. He couldn't leave him in such a state. Kemps knew Calum's feelings about humans, and Calum knew how Kemps felt about humans. But, they never attacked each other because of a difference in opinion.
The brothers exchanged jolts of electricity and made each other weaker in the process. Eventually, the two brothers grew so dizzy that they couldn't maintain their human form. Their legs gave way to their tails and they passed out on the sand. Alexander approached the unconscious mermen and used a spell to steal their voices, ensuring that they wouldn't be able to call for help or resist him.
Alexander laughed manically. 'You fools did the hard work for me! Thank you for making it so easy!'
"I did overhear that you were looking for your brother. Well, the three of you are finally together." Alexander said as he entered his lair.
Alexander approached the Captivity Tanks and admired his latest catches. In one Tank, Reef continued to silently drift in a deep sleep. Next to him, two more tanks now had Calum and Kemps drifting unconscious from their fight.
"Despairo Deliriate. Despairo Deliriate." Alexander cast the same spell he cast on Reef. "Sleep in silent despair."
Alexander looked at Reef. "The Unlucky Protector of the Family who was so sure he could overcome any obstacle that came his way."
He walked to Calum's Tank. "The Loving Father with an unusual love for the human world. The father I never had, a father that cared about me."
Finally, he walked to Kemps's Tank. "And you, without you, my other would never have gone to him. Thanks to your strict nature, he gave up the one thing I needed to ensure my freedom from Davy Jones Locker. I could have never secured my physical form without the power of his voice."
Alexander got a chill being inside the vault. "All three of you are slimy, scaley creatures. Good riddance, and I hope you have lots of nightmares."
The shadow turned and left the vault, making sure to lock it again. 'My other will be alone soon, and he'll know the despair of never seeing his family again.'
For good measure, Alexander channeled magic to enchant the doors with a protection spell. The combination of technology and magic would ensure that the three brothers wouldn't escape in the unlikely situation that they wake up.
The conflict between Calum and Kemps was interesting. I think I have a better understanding of Evil Alexander's motives and goals. I'm curious to see what Mer Alex and the boys are going to do when they find out about all this.
Fate is a riddle and we choose our own answer.Wyrd Girls
@luciusstorm I’m glad it helped to clear things up.
Alexander’s motives, where he came from, and his character will become clearer with every chapter that came after his appearance. At least, I hope there will be more clarity.
With Calum and Kemps’s fight, the problems I’ve had with the Expanded Mermaids Mod greatly limited my options. I did want to do more, but I felt that this was enough to keep the story going. I don’t expect a quick resolution to whatever is giving me trouble. I don’t even know exactly what’s causing the problem.
-It must’ve not been an easy conversation to have with Alex but Calum and Arihi did very well. Woah his soul became its own entity, that explains the end of the previous chapter. Oof Reef. Honestly that’s a really cool lair Alexander has. Looking forward to the next chapter
Yeah, Alexander Goth’s soul was fragmented when he died at sea. Part of his soul was saved when he was reborn as a merman and adopted by Calum and Arihi. The remaining piece of his soul wasn’t so lucky.
Yeah, Shadow Alexander worked quickly to set up his operations!
So Alexander had reason for capturing Reef, interesting. I like the faith the two had in Reef, in being able to get himself out of trouble. Nooo Calum was struck😭 OOF Thankfully Kemps didn’t turn on his brother despite all he said. Aw Shame tired themselves out😵 Two more for Alexanders collection😔 Curious how they’ll be freed or if they will be😳 Great work tho!
I forgot to answer your question: Curious to know how they will be freed or if they will be
Only in a bad ending would they be left in their small captivity tanks. I think Alex will need to face his own mistakes, find common ground with an enemy, and forgive someone special to him to save his family though.
I’m preparing my next update, but I admit… I’m not quite sure how I’m going to pull everything off or if it’s going to be worth going down the route I have planned.
I need to think it over…
My biggest concern is whether or not I’m rushing things?
@Metior_Ice, feelings I know all too well. All I can say is that sometimes it's ok to take a break, ponder things and let the muse come. Sometimes it's ok to just sit and write and see where the muse takes you. Above all, we do this for our own joy first and foremost. Do what feels right to you.
Fate is a riddle and we choose our own answer.Wyrd Girls
@luciusstorm Thank you! Those are the words I needed to hear. I think I am moving quickly, but I also don’t feel like trying to slow things down will be helpful either.
I'm planning on making this a rather long chapter, and as a consequence, the teaser is also rather long. I'm definitely going to have fun writing this update though.
The next chapter is coming along really well, but it's turning out to be longer than expected. So much to write, and I've only covered a third of what I want to write. I'm debating on whether or not this will be broken into 2 chapters. I don't know how many screenshots I'll use because there's still a lot of screenshots to look through. If it looks like I need to, I might turn this into two chapters. I want to write a longer chapter to kind of adjust the pacing, but I don't want the chapter to be too long. We will see. For now, I'm taking a break from writing to give my brain a chance to recover.
I'm thinking the next chapter, or next 2 chapters, will end up heavy with information. Not really exposition... it's just that so much will be happening. I'm itching to share what I've already written, but I feel like I need to wait and see how much more I can include in the chapter first.
Edit: I also ended up removing Isla, Kemps's Wife, from the story. Unfortunately, I felt like I was trying to force her character into the story. She might come back later, but I don't know. She just hasn't been present in any chapters and if I include her, I want her introduction into the story to be natural, not forced. I still want to represent as many different groups of people, but there is only so much I can do. My current cast is already becoming quite a bit to keep up with for now.
After a couple days, Kemps, Reef, and Calum never returned home. At this point, Reef and Calum's wives grew worried about them.
Sarah met with Arihi to ask for her help. "Have you seen Reef? I'm worried about him."
"No, I haven't." Arihi answered. "I'm getting worried about Calum and Kemps. They were supposed to meet up with Reef around Mua Pel'Am."
"Do you think something happened to them?" Sarah asked.
"It's hard to say what could be a danger to those three?" Arihi started to grow worried. "Maybe, but that shouldn't be a problem for them?"
"Do you know what happened to them?"
"I think I do, but if I'm right, we have a bigger problem than I previously thought."
"Reef said that there was something dangerous on land. He was determined to make sure Wayfarer's Atoll was safe before we gathered there again. You don't think something happened to him there?"
"It's possible, and the kind of trouble he's in isn't something to take lightly."
"I'll look for them in the sea. If they are in trouble, I'll find them in the ocean." Sarah said.
"I'll search for them around the islands. We'll find them! While we are away, Alex will look after the boys." Arihi thought about the situation. She didn't want anything to happen to Sarah. The merboys, her twins and nephews, needed someone that could look out for them.
Arihi turned to Sarah. "If you don't find them somewhere in the sea, I want you to focus on looking after the children. Even if you have to retreat to the deepest depths, keep them safe. Make sure you take Alex, the twins, and your sons to safety. Promise me."
"I promise, but are you sure? If the danger is on land, you'll be taking the biggest risk out of the two of us."
"I know, but those three might be in real trouble if they lost to it."
"The shadow. Reef explained some of it to me. We're dealing with an entity from Davy Jones Locker aren't we?"
"Yes. More precisely, Alex's shadow. It's a malevolent entity corrupted by the Abyss of the Sea. It shouldn't be strong enough to overpower Kemps, Calum, and Reef. My only guess is that it knows its own weakness and is trying to catch us by surprise."
"You think swimming away will be enough to keep the boys safe."
"I don't know. Despite it coming from the darkest depths of the sea, it might not have a form that makes following us into the sea easy. It's only been able to use the element of surprise on land. If it does try to follow you underwater, you might at least have an advantage over it."
"I'll put my trust in you. I hope you return home with those three. Sometimes, I wonder how they manage without us."
"Like any of us, they do what they can. I just hope that we can get them out of whatever trouble they found themselves in."
Before Sarah left to search the sea, she brought her sons over and left them in Alexander's care.
Arihi searched Mua Pel'Am first, but she couldn't find anything there. The only other place around Sulani that a land dweller could be found was Ohan'Ali Town. When she arrived there, she could sense a strong magical presence. She followed the energy and eventually found herself near an island villa, nearly overgrown by the jungle. She was able to get into the home with ease. The door wasn't locked, and there didn't seem to be any kind of magical protection on the home. However, when she entered the home, she could feel powerful dark magic fill the air like a thick smog. It almost made it hard to breathe. She could also sense something else. The familiar power of the sea that could only come from her husband and his brothers. She suspected that they must be severely weakened, especially for it to conceal their presence.
Arihi followed the Magical Power until she found a door blocking her way. Arihi deduced that her husband and his brothers were behind this door. The shadow must have had a lot of confidence in the security this door offered. Otherwise, it wouldn't have left the front door unlocked. She didn't want to get too comfortable yet, but she was very confident in her own power.
Arihi focused on her elemental and mermadic power. She summoned a surge of electricity that pulsed through the room. She filled the energy with Mana from Sulani and began breaking apart the enchantments protecting the door. The magic that sealed the door was complex, but Arihi had little trouble breaking the seals one by one. She hoped the shadow wouldn't catch her braking in. It took most of her concentration to break the seals without triggering magical traps.
As she finished breaking the final seal, a thick purple mist sprayed her in the face. As the alarms sounded, she cursed her foolishness. While the magic seals were no joke, she never imagined using magic and human technology together. When she broke the last magic seal, she also triggered a trap that must've been set if the magic failed to prevent entry. Her mind grew foggy after inhaling the mist, and her thoughts became scattered. She lost control of her shapeshifting and reverted to her mermaid form and passed out.
After Arihi passed out, the doors opened. Despite ultimately triggering the trap, she did manage to break open the door. With a little help, she might've succeeded in setting Calum and his brothers free. Alexander teleported when he sensed his magic seals break and laughed at his good luck. He couldn't believe how close he was to losing all the progress he made, but it didn't matter. With Arihi, his other would only have one more person to turn to, and then, he would be alone. Capturing the merlings in the family would be much easier than capturing the ancient merfolk that stood between him and his objective.
Alexander didn't waste time placing Arihi in her own tank. "Despairo Deliriate."
With Arihi trapped in a deep sleep and her voice taken, he was much closer to his ultimate goal. He made so much progress in such a short period of time, and he was certain that getting the rest of his other's family would be just as easy. Once he made sure his other would be forever alone, he would take his revenge against the one that drove his human father to take his life in the first place. As far as Alexander knew, there wouldn't be a single merperson left except for his weak other half.
Alexander left the vault, locking the door behind him. His captives were safely tucked away in his basement. They would sleep for eternity and that didn't bother him as long as they stayed in their tanks behind locked doors. The idea of those scaley creatures being so close bothered him, and he noted that he might want to relocate them to a more permanent holding location, far away. It made him tense being so close to them.
He went upstairs and began researching ways he could go underwater. His options were limited. He wasn't a Denizen of the Sea. He was an Entity of Darkness. Ultimately, he would drown if he tried to follow merfolk underwater. And, his remaining targets would require a dive into the ocean. He figured that the last mermaid wouldn't risk going on land at this point, at least he wouldn't expect such a foolish move. Besides, even if she did, the merboys he wanted to capture couldn't go on land. To get to them, he would need a way to go underwater regardless.
As the sun set, Alex waited for his mom and aunt to return home. He last saw them that morning, and his mom told him to look after his brothers and cousins. He nodded to reassure her. He couldn't exactly respond any other way.
Even if Dylan could translate his gestures, how could he tell them everything? What if they never saw their parents again? He couldn't help but blame himself for everything. Their parents tried to keep them safe, and even when they couldn't explain everything, they were going to as soon as they were able to. Alex knew he made a lot of mistakes, and the worst mistake he made was going to him. He didn't even want to think his name. Alex's worst fear was never seeing his parents again. For a while, he was afraid of facing the possibility of never speaking again, but now, he was afraid of living on without his family.
Alexander kept watch while the merboys slept. He made a promise to his parents and he intended to keep it. Whatever it took, he would make sure nothing happened to his younger brothers, and he would protect his cousins too. Whether he used to be a human or not, that didn't matter to him anymore. He was a merman now. He had a family that loved him no matter where he came from. They did everything they could to help him and never had ill will toward him. Even though Kemps was strict, he wasn't entirely wrong about humans. Not all humans could be trusted. Not all humans were kind. He started to understand why he was so against him getting closer to a human. His parents stopped him from going to prom with Ember, but they also kept him away from something that could have been dangerous too. He thought about Ember. He still liked her. He still had a crush on her even after everything she said to him. He wanted to see her again.
Hours passed, and Alexander kept his vigilance while his brothers and cousins slept. He started to wonder why no one was entering their underwater cave. Where did they go? Why weren't his parents home? How long could he wait? Eventually, he fell asleep waiting for them.
In the middle of the night, he woke up, and he still didn't see any sign of his parents, his aunt, or his uncles. It was just him, his brothers, and his cousins. His waiting quickly turned to anxiety and tension. This was the worst possible situation.
However, he made his parents a promise. He would keep the merboys safe. While it wouldn't be easy, he would look after them and protect them. Alex swam over to a rock and stretched out his tail.
'Where could the safest place for merlings be?' Alex searched his memories for answers, but he didn't know what he could trust. 'How do I know any of my memories of the deep sea are real? All I know for sure is the life I've lived with my family. I can't even remember the faces of my human family.'
Alex rubbed his temples. 'No, it wouldn't be safe to bring them anywhere near the human world. They can't even take a human form. Where could they go on land? They couldn't get anywhere with a tail on land. And, if they can't blend in with humans, trying to go on land wouldn't work. I could try diving deeper underwater, but the sea can be just as dangerous, especially for merchildren as young as them.'
Alex leaned back and covered his face. 'The only thing I can think of doing is diving deeper until I find a cave underwater. But, that's such a long swim. Mom, dad, Sarah, and Reef usually carry the twins, Kylen, and Lir home after a day at Wayfarer's Atoll. For me, it would be easy to dive deeper, but they can't swim like I can. I don't think I could effectively carry all four of them either.'
"Boys... Are you alright?"
The voice broke Alex out of his thoughts. His Aunt was here. 'Maybe, maybe she knows where we could go?'
Sarah swam into the cave. Alex was excited to see her. To Sarah's relief, the twins and her sons were still sleeping. She noticed that Alex was particularly anxious and looked exhausted.
"Alex, please tell me you didn't stay up all night waiting for your mom and dad."
Alex nodded. He made some gestures, hoping for her to say more.
"So, Reef was telling the truth. When he told me, I thought his brother was joking."
Alex tried to respond, but it was useless. He couldn't make a sound.
"If your mom isn't home, then we need to go and quick. We're going to be leaving for deeper waters. I'm going to go get your cousins and we'll wake your brothers. It's not going to be easy, but the six of us will need to find somewhere far away and deep underwater. Let's hope we aren't going to be followed."
Alex couldn't believe what he was hearing. His aunt was going to just leave. She wasn't even going to try and find his parents and uncles. He wanted to protest. He wanted yell at her for swimming away scared. Alex teared up and swam deeper into the cave. Sarah knew that this wouldn't be easy for anyone, but she made a promise to Arihi. It wasn't worth taking any more risks.
Deep in the cave, Alex flicked his tail on the ground and kicked a rock away. 'I'm not going to swim away! I won't leave them after they risked themselves for me!'
The rock Alex kicked with his tail twirled through the water until it hit a pile of rocks. The force knocked some rocks loose and revealed a hole in the wall. Alex swam over to the small hole and pushed more rocks away. It would be a tight fit, but he was lean enough to squeeze through. He could leave the cave without his Aunt noticing. If he did, he would be leaving his brothers and cousins in the care of his Aunt. He might even be breaking the promise he made to his parents. If he didn't, he would be leaving his mom, dad, and uncles to their fate on land. It wasn't an easy choice, but he wouldn't swim away. He couldn't swim away.
Alex squeezed through the hole. His tail flailed as he nearly got stuck halfway through, but he managed to push his tail through with a powerful kick. The young merman swam to the surface and headed straight to Mua Pel'Am. That's where his family went before him, and that's where he would start his search.
Alex swam into the Lagoon and looked around. There wasn't anyone. His mom, his dad, and his uncles, he couldn't see any sign of anyone. 'Where are they?'
On the shore, Ember stared out into open water. She first met Alex here, and she hoped that she would run into him again. She needed to apologize for what she said to him. Soon, she saw him in the middle of the lagoon. Her heart raced. She needed to make things right.
"Alexander, I'm so sorry about the other night." Ember apologized after swimming to him.
Alex was caught by surprise when he heard Ember. He didn't think he would see her so soon. Alex crossed his arms and stared down Ember.
"I know I went too far. I shouldn't have said what I said. I realized too late what was happening. Please, let me explain."
Alex threw his arms open. 'After everything you said, you want me to listen to you. I thought you didn't want to even try and understand me?'
"I know you have no reason to trust me, but I swear I didn't know what was happening until it was too late. He looked just like you, and he didn't say a word. He had me convinced it was you."
Alex remembered what his parents said about his shadow. But, this was the first time he heard about what it looked like. Alex didn't know who he was angrier at, the shadow pretending to be him or Ember for failing to tell the difference between them. Still, he figured it wouldn't hurt to hear her out. He was upset with Ember, but he didn't know if he could stay angry forever. Alex knew that he did have an eternity to be angry if he wanted to be.
The young merman made another gesture. He wanted his feelings on the matter to be clear, and if Ember meant what she said, she would try to understand him and his feelings.
"I know I'm asking a lot, but can you give me another chance? I promise, I'll always try to understand you and respect your feelings."
Ember's response caught Alex off guard, but he still wasn't convinced. The young merman made an expression. He needed her to convince him. He wanted her to convince him to listen.
Ember started by explaining her encounter with Alex's Shadow at prom. She told him about how she tried so hard to listen to him. His shadow copied the gestures Alex made and the date went well at first. She explained that the shadow did just enough to convince her to let down her guard. Then, as the night went on, he started treating her badly. He was giving her the cold shoulder. Threw a drink at her and ruined her outfit. She had to change. He told Alex about he seemed to make jokes about how she dressed, mocking her island attire. By the end of the night, it was like she was with a completely different person. She was angry, but she was upset with the one pretending to be Alex. She only realized her mistake after seeing Alex's Sea Green eyes. The one pretending to be Alex looked exactly like him with one difference. His eyes were a pinkish-purple. It didn't immediately give him away because she read about how some merfolk have eyes that change color when under the influence of the moon. But, when Alex did show up, it was night and his eyes were still the same color she saw before.
Alex listened and thought about what she said. The only thing he knew was a myth was the eyes changing color. Merfolk don't fall under a moon spell, at least none of the natural born merfolk. He also wondered why she read about merfolk in books, but he decided to let that one go for now.
Alex made some more gestures to express his frustration with the whole situation. To his relief, Ember waited for him to finish gesturing his feelings.
"I'm really sorry I made you feel that way. Can you forgive me?" Ember didn't have any defense for her words during prom. She knew she hurt Alex. She just hoped that he would forgive her and understand after she explained herself.
Alex made a couple more gestures. He was willing to forgive Ember, and he was relieved that she still wanted to talk to him. He lost so much already. It was nice that his relationship with Ember wasn't lost for good. This gave Alex hope that his family wouldn't be lost forever.
"Thank you for giving me another chance."
Before they could continue their conversation, someone both of them knew and disliked surfaced.
"Am I glad to run into both of you." Damion said. "Can you believe someone stole from me? They stole my singing shell of all things. I only just noticed after checking my inventory."
Alex rubbed his forehead. First, the deal he made with Damion had only been causing him trouble, so he felt scammed. Second, if he was scammed, he definitely felt like Damion stole his voice in the first place. Third, how could he just lose something like that? Alex couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Okay, okay, both of you can stop judging me. I keep my possessions in a very safe place. I don't just lose stuff you know." Damion complained. "For someone to even think of stealing from me, they have to have a lot of nerve. I want my shell with that voice back."
"Are you forgetting who that voice really belongs too?" Ember interrogated Damion.
"It's mine. The voice really does belong to me." Damion defended.
"You could at least call it Alexander's Voice."
"If I did that, then it would confuse who owns the voice."
Damion turned to Alex. "Not going to lie, the voice is beautiful by the way. Sometimes I listen to it singing on a stressful day."
Damion frowned. "I'm really going to miss hearing that beautiful melody. It really brightens my day."
Alex frowned. He couldn't believe that the sea witch was using his voice for his own entertainment. Ember frowned. If Alex had such a beautiful voice, she wished she could hear him sing.
"Now, I really don't like wasting my time with small talk. And, a mute guppy and a fiery teenager isn't exactly who I want to spend my time with." Damion explained. "But we need to do something about this theft and get my singing shell back."
Alex made a couple quick gestures.
"Don't be like that. I can't imagine that you want anyone else to have such a wonderful shell."
Ember spoke for Alexander. "Why can't he have it then? It is Alexander's Voice."
"Let me make something clear. I never twisted his fins when he signed the contract. That singing shell belongs to me and no one else."
Alex made more gestures.
"Well, I can think of a good reason to help me. Your parents and your uncles are missing. I think the thief also took them too."
Before Alex could gesture a response, Damion continued speaking. "We both want something that this thief took from both of us. I want my singing shell, and you want your family. I'm willing to make a deal that is mutually beneficial for both of us."
"Alexander, I don't think you should make any more deals with him." Ember advised.
"Look, I wouldn't trust me either. However, I never lie or deceive when it comes to what belongs to me. I'm very serious about helping your parents if it means I get my shell back." Damion explained. "And, I know you need my magic."
"What about Alexander? What will you do to help him?" Ember asked.
"My friend, helping his parents helps him." Damion answered.
The teens weren't convinced.
"Man, you are making me work for this aren't you?" Damion groaned. "Fine, what can I do to convince you, minus giving the mute guppy my singing shell."
"You could try apologizing for everything you've done." Ember suggested. "If you had any regret for your actions, it would be easier to trust you."
"But I don't regret anything I've done. In fact, I never broke a single magical law. I'm a victim just like both of you."
"I'm not convinced. I doubt Alexander is persuaded either."
"What's the phrase? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I really don't have a reason to deceive you."
Damion took a deep breath. "This really is a tough crowd."
"Okay, you aren't leaving me much choice. It's time to pull out the big trident." Damion said. "If you help me get my singing shell back, I'll help the guppy get his family back and stop meddling with your relationship."
"You really won't just return his voice will you?" Ember asked.
"How many times do I have I to repeat myself. That singing shell isn't the guppy's voice. It doesn't belong to him anymore."
"Will you at least stop calling it a singing shell. We all know what it really is."
"Fine! If you help me get his voice back, I'll help you. It's not a singing shell, it's the guppy's voice I ripped from his throat."
"Well, that's progress. Alexander, do you want to make a deal with him?"
Alex thought for a moment and nodded his head. He didn't like it, but he didn't see any alternative. His brothers and cousins needed his aunt, and there wasn't anyone else that could help.
"Okay, we have a deal." Damion said. "We need to go into the deep sea."
Damion turned to Ember. "Because we are going underwater, you might need a little help."
"What are you talking about?"
"My dear, you can't breathe underwater and the pressure at the depths we are going to would crush you without magic to protect you. Fortunately, your boyfriend can help you."
Alex blushed.
"Oh good, he knows what to do. After you're done, meet me at the dive buoy in deeper water. She's going to need it to find her way to deeper water."
"What is he talking about?" Ember asked after Damion swam away. She noticed how red Alex's face got.
Alex pointed to his lips.
"A kiss? What will a kiss do?" Ember asked.
Alex responded with a blush.
"Oh, you can't exactly answer that, can you?"
Ember swam closer to Alex. "Well, whatever this kiss does, I'm okay with it."
Ember reached her hand behind Alex's head and pulled him closer. He grabbed her waist and pulled her close in return. Alex gave Ember a Mermaid's Kiss. Ember felt the breath of the sea flow into her body. Alex focused his mermadic powers and shared his power to breathe underwater and resist the crushing depths of the sea with Ember.
When the teens caught up with Damion, Alex made sure to swim between Ember and the Sea Witch. He still didn't trust Damion and was feeling protective.
"I should be honest with both of you before going any further." Damion explained. "I'm a merman, always have been. However, I also inherited shadow elemental magic from my mom. And the thing about Shadow Magic is it requires others to make a sacrifice. It's extremely powerful magic, but the only way I can use it is if I take something from someone else."
"What are you saying?" Ember asked.
"For me to help you, I need one of you to give something up. And to do what needs to be done, the price isn't going to be cheap."
Ember swam next to Alex and looked him in the eyes. "You aren't alone. I can pay the price."
"That's the thing. It needs to be the guppy. It's his shadow we are trying to defeat. Anyone else wouldn't ensure our success."
The teens glared at Damion. Damion lowered his head. "Look, I won't force you to follow through with this deal. But, I promise that it will work."
"How can we believe anything you say?" Ember asked.
"You can't believe anything I'm saying because of everything I've done. However, it will work."
Alex scowled at the Sea Witch. Then he turned to Ember.
"I'm going to follow you no matter what. I'm here for you. I want to be here for you."
Alex smiled at Ember and the three of them dove underwater.
"Now, I'm going to prepare the magic. I'll be taking your boyfriend's light and sending him to Davy Jones Locker."
"Wouldn't that be worse than a death sentence?" Ember asked.
"It could be, but that depends on you." Damion explained. "Your boyfriend will be turned into sea foam and his light will be contained within a shell. There wouldn't be anything left of him."
Damion paused. "However, there's something I can do just before he vanishes. I can send him into Davy Jones Locker and in that dark place, he'll sleep. I can't protect his light and prevent that place from corrupting him, but you can. His life will be in your hands, and if he's ever going to return from the darkness, it'll be you who brings him back."
Ember grabbed Alex by his lower back and pulled him close. "You know you don't have to do this."
Alex looked up into Ember's eyes. Because of the way she pulled the young merman, he was being fully supported by her firm grip. she kissed his hand. "We can find another way."
The gesture made Alex feel weak, but he simply smiled and supported himself on his own fins. He would never trust Damion, but he trusted Ember. For Alex, it was worth taking the leap of faith.
Alex held Ember's hands. He continued to smile and Ember knew that he made his decision.
"You actually trust me that much, don't you?" Ember whispered.
The couple held each other's hands and stared into each other's eyes. Ember couldn't see any doubt in Alex. Alex took one last look at his crush. In the end, he didn't regret meeting her.
Alex sighed. He knew it was time. He gave Ember one last smile before swimming to the Cauldron.
Damion performed the spell and Alex felt magical energy being pulled from his being. All the magic was pulled from every finger and his tail. the energy gathered around his heart. Alex felt like he was getting torn apart by the surge of energy. He felt the magic pull at his heart and lift him in the water. Eventually, he felt hollow, like his heart was ripped out of his chest. Alex watched his light getting pulled into the shell. A chill ran through him as the emptiness took over. He watched everything he was get sucked into the shell.
Alex swam over to Ember. He wanted to give her one last hug. He knew that she could make everything right. He had absolute faith in her. Before they could embrace, Alex vanished into a mist of sea foam.
"I don't care if he made the choice or not! Give him back!"
Damion rolled his eyes. "You still don't get it, do you?"
"I don't care. I want you to give him back."
"I can't. I told you that I couldn't."
"Don't you dare make excuses!"
Damion held up his hand to stop Ember. "Do not waste his sacrifice. He's relying on you to follow through with saving his parents."
Before Ember could continue to protest, Damion interrupted. "I don't think you deserve him or his love. He's a rare soul that is willing to give his life for others. Even I feel bad about doing this. He really doesn't deserve it. Now, his salvation depends on you."
Damion swam around Ember. "It's time to send you back to the surface."
"What are you going to do now?"
"I'm going to cast a spell with your boyfriend's light. All of the power that resided within him will be given to you. As an added bonus, his light will protect you from the influence of his shadow. You and you alone will be immune to its dark power. That protection will give you the opportunity to set the guppy's family free since there's nothing it'll be able to do to stop you. As for your boyfriend, you will be his anchor that keeps him from being truly lost. Now, I have work to do."
Light swirled around Ember, and before she returned to the surface, she felt Alexander's presence, as if he was watching over her. As she fell unconscious, she felt a warmth envelop her heart.
After Ember was gone, Damion returned to his Cauldron. He felt a fury he rarely felt. Ember was the key to bringing the shadow to despair. Damion made sure that the spell he cast on Ember would be enough save the guppy's family, but he didn't want her to deal the final blow. Damion had very special plans for the thief that dared to steal from him.
While Damion set his plans in motion, Alex slept within the deepest part of the abyss. Even after Damion ripped his being apart to gather the light magic for his spell, enough of Alex still remained. As Alex dreamed, he held onto his faith in Ember. He trusted her with everything he had left.
Edit: "Keeper" from Yellowcard. Album: Paper Walls.
I couldn't think of a better song for Chapter 9's emotions. It's not a sims song, so I'm placing it and the Lyrics in the spoiler. I don't claim credit for the song. I just feel like it captures some of the emotions I imagine Alex feels.
I wanna love
I wanna leave.
I want you to love me
I want you to leave me.
I want to stand where I can see
I'm watching you love me
And I'm watching you leave me now.
I wish i could be
Somebody else.
I wish i could see
You and myself.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
And say
What you really feel.
You know i need
Something that's real.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
I wanna know if i could be
Someone to turn to
That could never hurt you.
But i know what you think of me
You had a breakthrough
And now i'm just bad news for you.
I wish i could be
Somebody else.
I wish i could see
You and myself.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
And say
What you really feel.
You know i need
Something that's real.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
I should've told you everything.
I never gave you anything.
I should've told you everything.
If i could give you anything
Then i would tell you everything.
I wish i could be
Somebody else.
I wish i could see
You and myself.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
And say
What you really feel.
You know i need
Something that's real.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
I should've told you everything.
I should've told you everything.
I should've told you everything.
Extra: Alexander Zalrian's Relationship with Ember Pel'Ana so Far
Thought I'd group a few screenshots related to Alexander's Relationship with Ember. No text. It's just the best moments involving Alexander and Ember. I really think it's kinda amazing how much Alex was able to do without ever saying a word to Ember. It hasn’t been a long relationship, but the two of them have been through quite a bit. I look forward to writing their happy ending for this arc.
Both Alexander Zalrian and Alexander Goth are technically two halves of a single whole, but I gave them different last names to help me tell them apart. Also, I figure that Merman Alexander would probably take the last name of the only family he knows while his darker half would take the name he had when he was a human. Also, his darker half is the one that remembers his human past and his human family. Merman Alexander knows he used to be a human, but he can't remember his life as a human. Despite what he knows about where he came from, he decided to embrace his new family and his life as a merman. The Shadow Alexander lost his love for the sea and grew to hate merfolk because of what his father did. The whole reason Alexander ended up the way he did was because of a deal Mortimer made with Damion out of Greed. Shadow Alexander wants revenge because he believes that his Death was because of Damion. He honestly doesn't believe his father would have sacrificed him if it wasn't for the Sea Witch. He doesn't know how far Mortimer was willing to go to obtain wealth and power.
Been thinking about how this arc will end. I know Ember will bring Alex back, but I don’t think he’s going to get his voice back when this arc ends. Mostly because of what Shadow Alexander did with it…
I don’t think anyone will be able to claim Merman Alexander’s Voice if everything goes as I think it will. So, the question is: how will his voice get restored? 🤔 Maybe, it could be the plot of the next arc?
Made a tiny update to maintain continuity with names but the story is unchanged. If I make updates to older chapters, none of those updates will impact the story in any way.
Basically, I was using Wayfarer’s Atoll and Wayfarer’s Cove interchangeably. I simply made it so I was using the same name for the same place.
Comments
Edit: If you have any questions that you want answered, please let me know. No promises that I’ll answer everything, but asking a question never hurts.
Having read through it again, I think the information may be there but it's hard for me to follow. From my pov, Calum and Arihi do a lot of dancing around... which from a "difficult conversation" perspective has a sense of realism to it but doesn't make for clear exposition. Also, I think the amount of pictures and the way the dialogue breaks between them makes it hard for me to follow the flow of the conversation.
I think another thing I'm struggling with is that I feel like I don't really know Calum and Arihi, so I'm learning about who they are and at the same time I'm trying to process all this exposition... then I meet Reef, then I meet Evil Alex...
A friend of mine had a good phrase - drinking from the fire hose. Lots of information, all at once, can't really keep up and just hope that I retain enough of it for things to make sense later when I have more context.
I’m going to try and reduce the pictures to what best expresses what I want to show. Hopefully, I can continue to narrow down the pictures. I still have 68-67 pictures out of over 200. ☠️ It’s possible that, because I capture so many screenshots, I tend to use a lot of pictures in spite of how many I delete.
Edit: I’m thinking of grouping the pictures and text so that the pictures still align with the above conversation, but it’s not as much back and forth between pictures and text.
If you don't mind, I'll share a little of my own process...
I often find myself with great sequences of person A speaking, person B reacting, B responding, A reacting... not mention establishing shots, people moving around, sitting down, getting up, entering a room, leaving a room, etc. Out of all of those, I end up using one maybe two pictures... the most important one which highlights the emotion or action central to the section of text I've just written, and I try to break the text at the point where that image serves to drive it home.
Often it really pains me to leave some great shots on the proverbial cutting room floor, but I think it's worth it.
That's my process. I'm not saying it's the right way, best way, only way, etc. It's what works for me.
Alexander spent a lot of time trapped in the shadow of his other. From the darkness, he watched him find love, a family, and live his life surrounded by friends and family. He remembered the books he read as a child and the stories about merfolk. There was a time that living life as a merman would be something he wanted. But now, his disgust and hate for the creatures took over over.
'That merman was easy enough to capture, but there's no question that he was quite powerful. I could sense his power.'
Alexander pulled a fish out of the water. A common fish, he wanted an endangered species or a magical fish. He tossed the fish back.
'I know that he would be difficult to deal with, but I don't think I could capture more merfolk like that merman in a head on fight.'
Alexander cast his line back into the water.
'Catching him by surprise and taking his voice by force was definitely the best way to deal with him. I don't think I'll be that lucky next time.'
Alexander felt a tug on his line and pulled a chest out of the water.
'Still, it'll get riskier being around the ocean once they notice their kind going missing. I need to make sure I'm prepared for a fight.'
Alexander knew that he couldn't tap into the memories of his other. As a simple shadow, he watched everything, but now, as his own being, he couldn't see what the merfolk were up to. He knew that the merman he captured was Reef, and he was happy that he got to him so quickly. Alexander could remember seeing his other's dad and brothers interact. Reef kept the peace between Calum and Kemps. Reef's brothers' were as powerful as him, but they had a flaw he could exploit. Reef might have been the only one that could have gotten in the way of his plan for dealing with them.
While Alexander was fishing, he heard a couple young men speaking nearby. This confirmed his suspicion. His prey was aware of his existence. He figured it was possible that they knew about him before he clawed his way out of Davy Jones' Locker. This meant that the other merman wasn't wandering the beach without a purpose either. The sea around Mua Pel'Am was where his other and his family often gathered. The chances of running into them was much better here than anywhere else. It was risky to hang around this island, but the risk seemed to pay off. The mermen were definitely keeping watch for him. However, he's remained hidden. His recent catch never had a chance to alert the others.
"Do you think Reef is okay? He was supposed to meet us here this morning." Calum asked his brother.
"Knowing him, he probably got into some trouble." Kemps answered. "If he doesn't show, we'll have to help him out."
"I don't know. Reef often gets himself into trouble on accident, but that only helped him figure out how to better deal with danger."
"True, he's got the worst luck out of the three of us, and he's gotten a lot of experience from that." Kemps agreed. It was strange that Reef couldn't get himself out of trouble before they arrived. It wasn't like him.
"Remember when he got his tail tangled in a fishing net?" Kemps added.
"And he still managed to not only free his tail, but he managed to enlist the help of a crab." Calum said.
"Him and that crab ended up helping a dolphin and other sea creatures trapped in human junk. He always goes above and beyond to turn a bad situation around."
"You know, once we deal with that shadow, we should thank Reef for everything he does to keep this family safe." Kemps suggested.
"That's a good idea." Calum said. "A little fun would help the merboys too. It's probably the best way to put their minds at ease once the danger has passed."
"Once things are safe again, we'll gather at the Wayfarer's Atoll. We'll have a day of fun." Kemps promised. "I know the perfect undersea cave with colorful corals. The acoustics are great there! We'll bring the instruments we've made and spend the day making music!"
"Have you heard Dylan and Zephyr sing and play instruments? They are naturals, especially Dylan. They grow so quick!" Calum added.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from them." Kemps said.
"Still, I wonder where Reef is?" Calum asked. "It's been long enough by now. I'm sure he should be here."
"Knowing Reef, he's probably run into trouble with a shark or something." Kemps said. "I'm sure he's probably leading a pod of dolphins in a fight against it as we speak."
"He takes keeping the merlings safe very seriously. By the time he's done, there probably wouldn't be a shark nearby for miles."
The brothers laughed. At the end of the day, it was hard to stay worried about Reef. When he found himself in trouble, he always found a way through his own bad luck and turn things around. Over the many tens of thousands of years, many sea creatures learned to respect him for his bravery and tenacity. In all fairness, the three brothers have been alive so long that they didn't even remember their exact age.
Despite their confidence in their brother, they figured it would probably be a good idea to check on him. However, before they could start their search, Calum was hit with magic that clouded his judgement and filled him with an unusual amount of resentment toward his own brother.
To Kemps's surprise, Calum raised his fist toward him and the two broke out into a brawl. Kemps ended up winning the fight, and he hoped he was able to knock some sense back into his brother. His behavior was extremely unusual, especially the sudden change in him.
"What's gotten into you?" Kemps asked.
"I'm tired of following your rules. The only reason we have to go to such extremes is because you won't give humans a chance!" Calum yelled. "Arihi was an Elemental that watched over humans. We met when we lived among humans. Our sons, your nephews, were born because of the time we spent closer to humans. Now, all of a sudden, you want us to keep our distance!"
"Calum, that was thousands of years ago. Humans are different now. They think our kind is a myth, and so many of them have forgotten about the Sulani Elementals. They don't even care about the ocean. Just look around, Mua Pel'Am has been polluted for how long?"
"I still think humans should be given a chance. You will never give them a chance!"
"That's not true. I know that Alex is a human soul reborn as a merman. I know that Arihi had a human form before becoming a mermaid. Despite where they come from, I've never treated them badly. I've always accepted them as members of the family."
"Only because they aren't human anymore. If Alex could become human, would you still accept him as he is. If my wife decided to live among humans again, would you accept her?"
Before Kemps could defend himself, Calum interupted.
"You wouldn't accept them if they were human. And thank the Gods of the Sea natural born merfolk can never become human. You'd lose yourself in anger if anyone made that choice."
"Calum, you aren't being fair. Something isn't right. I'm wary of humans, but I have good reason to be. When the ocean suffers, we suffer. Our lives are intertwined with the sea. We need the sea as much as life in the sea needs us. Humans have done so much to hurt life in the sea over the years."
"I know." Calum rubbed his forehead.
Calum struggled to clear his mind. "But, maybe staying hidden from humans is the problem."
"How many times have we been through this? We agreed to watch over the sea and stay away from humans until the twins and our nephews were old enough to take a human form. We both know that not all humans are friendly."
"Are you done?" Calum held up his wrist mimicking the humans he's seen look at bracelets on their wrist when they are in a hurry.
Despite Calum's attempts to clear his mind, he couldn't fight it back anymore. Deep down, he knew something was wrong, but he also felt very different about how to best keep his sons safe. He wanted the twins to have a chance to learn about humans because he knew that one day they would be able to walk among them. He was worried that Kemps would pass on the same hate toward humans if they never had a chance to learn that there were good humans in the world. He didn't want them to learn to fear humans. He didn't want that fear to turn into anger and hate for people who weren't all bad. Calum's mind grew clouded with resentment again.
"I'm done doing what you tell me to do. I'm going to take the lead now, even if that means I need to go through you to do it!" Calum raised his hands as they started to crackle with electricity.
Calum released the discharge and Kemps felt the surge of energy go through him. The voltage weakened Kemps.
Kemps raised his hands and charged his own electrical discharge.
"Calum, something isn't right. You need to calm down. I don't know what's gotten into you, but I'll protect you from yourself if that's what I need to do."
Kemps sent a jolt through his brother. He hoped he would come to his senses. He couldn't leave him in such a state. Kemps knew Calum's feelings about humans, and Calum knew how Kemps felt about humans. But, they never attacked each other because of a difference in opinion.
The brothers exchanged jolts of electricity and made each other weaker in the process. Eventually, the two brothers grew so dizzy that they couldn't maintain their human form. Their legs gave way to their tails and they passed out on the sand. Alexander approached the unconscious mermen and used a spell to steal their voices, ensuring that they wouldn't be able to call for help or resist him.
Alexander laughed manically. 'You fools did the hard work for me! Thank you for making it so easy!'
"I did overhear that you were looking for your brother. Well, the three of you are finally together." Alexander said as he entered his lair.
Alexander approached the Captivity Tanks and admired his latest catches. In one Tank, Reef continued to silently drift in a deep sleep. Next to him, two more tanks now had Calum and Kemps drifting unconscious from their fight.
"Despairo Deliriate. Despairo Deliriate." Alexander cast the same spell he cast on Reef. "Sleep in silent despair."
Alexander looked at Reef. "The Unlucky Protector of the Family who was so sure he could overcome any obstacle that came his way."
He walked to Calum's Tank. "The Loving Father with an unusual love for the human world. The father I never had, a father that cared about me."
Finally, he walked to Kemps's Tank. "And you, without you, my other would never have gone to him. Thanks to your strict nature, he gave up the one thing I needed to ensure my freedom from Davy Jones Locker. I could have never secured my physical form without the power of his voice."
Alexander got a chill being inside the vault. "All three of you are slimy, scaley creatures. Good riddance, and I hope you have lots of nightmares."
The shadow turned and left the vault, making sure to lock it again. 'My other will be alone soon, and he'll know the despair of never seeing his family again.'
For good measure, Alexander channeled magic to enchant the doors with a protection spell. The combination of technology and magic would ensure that the three brothers wouldn't escape in the unlikely situation that they wake up.
Credit for Mods:
Andrew's Studio
https://sims4studio.com/thread/2617/andrews-studio
Spinning Plumbob
https://www.patreon.com/posts/expanded-mod-2-0-78685209
https://www.patreon.com/posts/sea-nery-stuff-74793919
https://www.patreon.com/posts/atlantica-set-63764427
https://www.patreon.com/posts/70850049?utm_campaign=postshare_fan
Alexander’s motives, where he came from, and his character will become clearer with every chapter that came after his appearance. At least, I hope there will be more clarity.
@BlueSeaWaves Thank you so much for the comment!
I hope chapter 8 was just as good!
Yeah, Shadow Alexander worked quickly to set up his operations!
Shadow Alexander ruined Alex’s relationship with Ember, captured his father and uncles, and he promised his parents that he would protect the twins.
Without his parents and family, who can Alex turn to for help?
She saw Alex and Alexander’s eyes…
Damion still warned Ember about what would happen if he hurt Alex…
Damion, Alexander, and Alex have different Eye Colors, but two of them have very similar eye colors.
I forgot to answer your question: Curious to know how they will be freed or if they will be
I need to think it over…
My biggest concern is whether or not I’m rushing things?
I think I know what I want to do!
I'm planning on making this a rather long chapter, and as a consequence, the teaser is also rather long. I'm definitely going to have fun writing this update though.
I'm thinking the next chapter, or next 2 chapters, will end up heavy with information. Not really exposition... it's just that so much will be happening. I'm itching to share what I've already written, but I feel like I need to wait and see how much more I can include in the chapter first.
Edit: I also ended up removing Isla, Kemps's Wife, from the story. Unfortunately, I felt like I was trying to force her character into the story. She might come back later, but I don't know. She just hasn't been present in any chapters and if I include her, I want her introduction into the story to be natural, not forced. I still want to represent as many different groups of people, but there is only so much I can do. My current cast is already becoming quite a bit to keep up with for now.
After a couple days, Kemps, Reef, and Calum never returned home. At this point, Reef and Calum's wives grew worried about them.
Sarah met with Arihi to ask for her help. "Have you seen Reef? I'm worried about him."
"No, I haven't." Arihi answered. "I'm getting worried about Calum and Kemps. They were supposed to meet up with Reef around Mua Pel'Am."
"Do you think something happened to them?" Sarah asked.
"It's hard to say what could be a danger to those three?" Arihi started to grow worried. "Maybe, but that shouldn't be a problem for them?"
"Do you know what happened to them?"
"I think I do, but if I'm right, we have a bigger problem than I previously thought."
"Reef said that there was something dangerous on land. He was determined to make sure Wayfarer's Atoll was safe before we gathered there again. You don't think something happened to him there?"
"It's possible, and the kind of trouble he's in isn't something to take lightly."
"I'll look for them in the sea. If they are in trouble, I'll find them in the ocean." Sarah said.
"I'll search for them around the islands. We'll find them! While we are away, Alex will look after the boys." Arihi thought about the situation. She didn't want anything to happen to Sarah. The merboys, her twins and nephews, needed someone that could look out for them.
Arihi turned to Sarah. "If you don't find them somewhere in the sea, I want you to focus on looking after the children. Even if you have to retreat to the deepest depths, keep them safe. Make sure you take Alex, the twins, and your sons to safety. Promise me."
"I promise, but are you sure? If the danger is on land, you'll be taking the biggest risk out of the two of us."
"I know, but those three might be in real trouble if they lost to it."
"The shadow. Reef explained some of it to me. We're dealing with an entity from Davy Jones Locker aren't we?"
"Yes. More precisely, Alex's shadow. It's a malevolent entity corrupted by the Abyss of the Sea. It shouldn't be strong enough to overpower Kemps, Calum, and Reef. My only guess is that it knows its own weakness and is trying to catch us by surprise."
"You think swimming away will be enough to keep the boys safe."
"I don't know. Despite it coming from the darkest depths of the sea, it might not have a form that makes following us into the sea easy. It's only been able to use the element of surprise on land. If it does try to follow you underwater, you might at least have an advantage over it."
"I'll put my trust in you. I hope you return home with those three. Sometimes, I wonder how they manage without us."
"Like any of us, they do what they can. I just hope that we can get them out of whatever trouble they found themselves in."
Arihi searched Mua Pel'Am first, but she couldn't find anything there. The only other place around Sulani that a land dweller could be found was Ohan'Ali Town. When she arrived there, she could sense a strong magical presence. She followed the energy and eventually found herself near an island villa, nearly overgrown by the jungle. She was able to get into the home with ease. The door wasn't locked, and there didn't seem to be any kind of magical protection on the home. However, when she entered the home, she could feel powerful dark magic fill the air like a thick smog. It almost made it hard to breathe. She could also sense something else. The familiar power of the sea that could only come from her husband and his brothers. She suspected that they must be severely weakened, especially for it to conceal their presence.
Arihi followed the Magical Power until she found a door blocking her way. Arihi deduced that her husband and his brothers were behind this door. The shadow must have had a lot of confidence in the security this door offered. Otherwise, it wouldn't have left the front door unlocked. She didn't want to get too comfortable yet, but she was very confident in her own power.
Arihi focused on her elemental and mermadic power. She summoned a surge of electricity that pulsed through the room. She filled the energy with Mana from Sulani and began breaking apart the enchantments protecting the door. The magic that sealed the door was complex, but Arihi had little trouble breaking the seals one by one. She hoped the shadow wouldn't catch her braking in. It took most of her concentration to break the seals without triggering magical traps.
As she finished breaking the final seal, a thick purple mist sprayed her in the face. As the alarms sounded, she cursed her foolishness. While the magic seals were no joke, she never imagined using magic and human technology together. When she broke the last magic seal, she also triggered a trap that must've been set if the magic failed to prevent entry. Her mind grew foggy after inhaling the mist, and her thoughts became scattered. She lost control of her shapeshifting and reverted to her mermaid form and passed out.
After Arihi passed out, the doors opened. Despite ultimately triggering the trap, she did manage to break open the door. With a little help, she might've succeeded in setting Calum and his brothers free. Alexander teleported when he sensed his magic seals break and laughed at his good luck. He couldn't believe how close he was to losing all the progress he made, but it didn't matter. With Arihi, his other would only have one more person to turn to, and then, he would be alone. Capturing the merlings in the family would be much easier than capturing the ancient merfolk that stood between him and his objective.
Alexander didn't waste time placing Arihi in her own tank. "Despairo Deliriate."
With Arihi trapped in a deep sleep and her voice taken, he was much closer to his ultimate goal. He made so much progress in such a short period of time, and he was certain that getting the rest of his other's family would be just as easy. Once he made sure his other would be forever alone, he would take his revenge against the one that drove his human father to take his life in the first place. As far as Alexander knew, there wouldn't be a single merperson left except for his weak other half.
Alexander left the vault, locking the door behind him. His captives were safely tucked away in his basement. They would sleep for eternity and that didn't bother him as long as they stayed in their tanks behind locked doors. The idea of those scaley creatures being so close bothered him, and he noted that he might want to relocate them to a more permanent holding location, far away. It made him tense being so close to them.
He went upstairs and began researching ways he could go underwater. His options were limited. He wasn't a Denizen of the Sea. He was an Entity of Darkness. Ultimately, he would drown if he tried to follow merfolk underwater. And, his remaining targets would require a dive into the ocean. He figured that the last mermaid wouldn't risk going on land at this point, at least he wouldn't expect such a foolish move. Besides, even if she did, the merboys he wanted to capture couldn't go on land. To get to them, he would need a way to go underwater regardless.
As the sun set, Alex waited for his mom and aunt to return home. He last saw them that morning, and his mom told him to look after his brothers and cousins. He nodded to reassure her. He couldn't exactly respond any other way.
Even if Dylan could translate his gestures, how could he tell them everything? What if they never saw their parents again? He couldn't help but blame himself for everything. Their parents tried to keep them safe, and even when they couldn't explain everything, they were going to as soon as they were able to. Alex knew he made a lot of mistakes, and the worst mistake he made was going to him. He didn't even want to think his name. Alex's worst fear was never seeing his parents again. For a while, he was afraid of facing the possibility of never speaking again, but now, he was afraid of living on without his family.
Alexander kept watch while the merboys slept. He made a promise to his parents and he intended to keep it. Whatever it took, he would make sure nothing happened to his younger brothers, and he would protect his cousins too. Whether he used to be a human or not, that didn't matter to him anymore. He was a merman now. He had a family that loved him no matter where he came from. They did everything they could to help him and never had ill will toward him. Even though Kemps was strict, he wasn't entirely wrong about humans. Not all humans could be trusted. Not all humans were kind. He started to understand why he was so against him getting closer to a human. His parents stopped him from going to prom with Ember, but they also kept him away from something that could have been dangerous too. He thought about Ember. He still liked her. He still had a crush on her even after everything she said to him. He wanted to see her again.
Hours passed, and Alexander kept his vigilance while his brothers and cousins slept. He started to wonder why no one was entering their underwater cave. Where did they go? Why weren't his parents home? How long could he wait? Eventually, he fell asleep waiting for them.
In the middle of the night, he woke up, and he still didn't see any sign of his parents, his aunt, or his uncles. It was just him, his brothers, and his cousins. His waiting quickly turned to anxiety and tension. This was the worst possible situation.
However, he made his parents a promise. He would keep the merboys safe. While it wouldn't be easy, he would look after them and protect them. Alex swam over to a rock and stretched out his tail.
'Where could the safest place for merlings be?' Alex searched his memories for answers, but he didn't know what he could trust. 'How do I know any of my memories of the deep sea are real? All I know for sure is the life I've lived with my family. I can't even remember the faces of my human family.'
Alex rubbed his temples. 'No, it wouldn't be safe to bring them anywhere near the human world. They can't even take a human form. Where could they go on land? They couldn't get anywhere with a tail on land. And, if they can't blend in with humans, trying to go on land wouldn't work. I could try diving deeper underwater, but the sea can be just as dangerous, especially for merchildren as young as them.'
Alex leaned back and covered his face. 'The only thing I can think of doing is diving deeper until I find a cave underwater. But, that's such a long swim. Mom, dad, Sarah, and Reef usually carry the twins, Kylen, and Lir home after a day at Wayfarer's Atoll. For me, it would be easy to dive deeper, but they can't swim like I can. I don't think I could effectively carry all four of them either.'
"Boys... Are you alright?"
The voice broke Alex out of his thoughts. His Aunt was here. 'Maybe, maybe she knows where we could go?'
Sarah swam into the cave. Alex was excited to see her. To Sarah's relief, the twins and her sons were still sleeping. She noticed that Alex was particularly anxious and looked exhausted.
"Alex, please tell me you didn't stay up all night waiting for your mom and dad."
Alex nodded. He made some gestures, hoping for her to say more.
"So, Reef was telling the truth. When he told me, I thought his brother was joking."
Alex tried to respond, but it was useless. He couldn't make a sound.
"If your mom isn't home, then we need to go and quick. We're going to be leaving for deeper waters. I'm going to go get your cousins and we'll wake your brothers. It's not going to be easy, but the six of us will need to find somewhere far away and deep underwater. Let's hope we aren't going to be followed."
Alex couldn't believe what he was hearing. His aunt was going to just leave. She wasn't even going to try and find his parents and uncles. He wanted to protest. He wanted yell at her for swimming away scared. Alex teared up and swam deeper into the cave. Sarah knew that this wouldn't be easy for anyone, but she made a promise to Arihi. It wasn't worth taking any more risks.
Deep in the cave, Alex flicked his tail on the ground and kicked a rock away. 'I'm not going to swim away! I won't leave them after they risked themselves for me!'
The rock Alex kicked with his tail twirled through the water until it hit a pile of rocks. The force knocked some rocks loose and revealed a hole in the wall. Alex swam over to the small hole and pushed more rocks away. It would be a tight fit, but he was lean enough to squeeze through. He could leave the cave without his Aunt noticing. If he did, he would be leaving his brothers and cousins in the care of his Aunt. He might even be breaking the promise he made to his parents. If he didn't, he would be leaving his mom, dad, and uncles to their fate on land. It wasn't an easy choice, but he wouldn't swim away. He couldn't swim away.
Alex squeezed through the hole. His tail flailed as he nearly got stuck halfway through, but he managed to push his tail through with a powerful kick. The young merman swam to the surface and headed straight to Mua Pel'Am. That's where his family went before him, and that's where he would start his search.
Alex swam into the Lagoon and looked around. There wasn't anyone. His mom, his dad, and his uncles, he couldn't see any sign of anyone. 'Where are they?'
On the shore, Ember stared out into open water. She first met Alex here, and she hoped that she would run into him again. She needed to apologize for what she said to him. Soon, she saw him in the middle of the lagoon. Her heart raced. She needed to make things right.
"Alexander, I'm so sorry about the other night." Ember apologized after swimming to him.
Alex was caught by surprise when he heard Ember. He didn't think he would see her so soon. Alex crossed his arms and stared down Ember.
"I know I went too far. I shouldn't have said what I said. I realized too late what was happening. Please, let me explain."
Alex threw his arms open. 'After everything you said, you want me to listen to you. I thought you didn't want to even try and understand me?'
"I know you have no reason to trust me, but I swear I didn't know what was happening until it was too late. He looked just like you, and he didn't say a word. He had me convinced it was you."
Alex remembered what his parents said about his shadow. But, this was the first time he heard about what it looked like. Alex didn't know who he was angrier at, the shadow pretending to be him or Ember for failing to tell the difference between them. Still, he figured it wouldn't hurt to hear her out. He was upset with Ember, but he didn't know if he could stay angry forever. Alex knew that he did have an eternity to be angry if he wanted to be.
The young merman made another gesture. He wanted his feelings on the matter to be clear, and if Ember meant what she said, she would try to understand him and his feelings.
"I know I'm asking a lot, but can you give me another chance? I promise, I'll always try to understand you and respect your feelings."
Ember's response caught Alex off guard, but he still wasn't convinced. The young merman made an expression. He needed her to convince him. He wanted her to convince him to listen.
Ember started by explaining her encounter with Alex's Shadow at prom. She told him about how she tried so hard to listen to him. His shadow copied the gestures Alex made and the date went well at first. She explained that the shadow did just enough to convince her to let down her guard. Then, as the night went on, he started treating her badly. He was giving her the cold shoulder. Threw a drink at her and ruined her outfit. She had to change. He told Alex about he seemed to make jokes about how she dressed, mocking her island attire. By the end of the night, it was like she was with a completely different person. She was angry, but she was upset with the one pretending to be Alex. She only realized her mistake after seeing Alex's Sea Green eyes. The one pretending to be Alex looked exactly like him with one difference. His eyes were a pinkish-purple. It didn't immediately give him away because she read about how some merfolk have eyes that change color when under the influence of the moon. But, when Alex did show up, it was night and his eyes were still the same color she saw before.
Alex listened and thought about what she said. The only thing he knew was a myth was the eyes changing color. Merfolk don't fall under a moon spell, at least none of the natural born merfolk. He also wondered why she read about merfolk in books, but he decided to let that one go for now.
Alex made some more gestures to express his frustration with the whole situation. To his relief, Ember waited for him to finish gesturing his feelings.
"I'm really sorry I made you feel that way. Can you forgive me?" Ember didn't have any defense for her words during prom. She knew she hurt Alex. She just hoped that he would forgive her and understand after she explained herself.
Alex made a couple more gestures. He was willing to forgive Ember, and he was relieved that she still wanted to talk to him. He lost so much already. It was nice that his relationship with Ember wasn't lost for good. This gave Alex hope that his family wouldn't be lost forever.
"Thank you for giving me another chance."
Before they could continue their conversation, someone both of them knew and disliked surfaced.
"Am I glad to run into both of you." Damion said. "Can you believe someone stole from me? They stole my singing shell of all things. I only just noticed after checking my inventory."
Alex rubbed his forehead. First, the deal he made with Damion had only been causing him trouble, so he felt scammed. Second, if he was scammed, he definitely felt like Damion stole his voice in the first place. Third, how could he just lose something like that? Alex couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Okay, okay, both of you can stop judging me. I keep my possessions in a very safe place. I don't just lose stuff you know." Damion complained. "For someone to even think of stealing from me, they have to have a lot of nerve. I want my shell with that voice back."
"Are you forgetting who that voice really belongs too?" Ember interrogated Damion.
"It's mine. The voice really does belong to me." Damion defended.
"You could at least call it Alexander's Voice."
"If I did that, then it would confuse who owns the voice."
Damion turned to Alex. "Not going to lie, the voice is beautiful by the way. Sometimes I listen to it singing on a stressful day."
Damion frowned. "I'm really going to miss hearing that beautiful melody. It really brightens my day."
Alex frowned. He couldn't believe that the sea witch was using his voice for his own entertainment. Ember frowned. If Alex had such a beautiful voice, she wished she could hear him sing.
"Now, I really don't like wasting my time with small talk. And, a mute guppy and a fiery teenager isn't exactly who I want to spend my time with." Damion explained. "But we need to do something about this theft and get my singing shell back."
Alex made a couple quick gestures.
"Don't be like that. I can't imagine that you want anyone else to have such a wonderful shell."
Ember spoke for Alexander. "Why can't he have it then? It is Alexander's Voice."
"Let me make something clear. I never twisted his fins when he signed the contract. That singing shell belongs to me and no one else."
Alex made more gestures.
"Well, I can think of a good reason to help me. Your parents and your uncles are missing. I think the thief also took them too."
Before Alex could gesture a response, Damion continued speaking. "We both want something that this thief took from both of us. I want my singing shell, and you want your family. I'm willing to make a deal that is mutually beneficial for both of us."
"Alexander, I don't think you should make any more deals with him." Ember advised.
"Look, I wouldn't trust me either. However, I never lie or deceive when it comes to what belongs to me. I'm very serious about helping your parents if it means I get my shell back." Damion explained. "And, I know you need my magic."
"What about Alexander? What will you do to help him?" Ember asked.
"My friend, helping his parents helps him." Damion answered.
The teens weren't convinced.
"Man, you are making me work for this aren't you?" Damion groaned. "Fine, what can I do to convince you, minus giving the mute guppy my singing shell."
"You could try apologizing for everything you've done." Ember suggested. "If you had any regret for your actions, it would be easier to trust you."
"But I don't regret anything I've done. In fact, I never broke a single magical law. I'm a victim just like both of you."
"I'm not convinced. I doubt Alexander is persuaded either."
"What's the phrase? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I really don't have a reason to deceive you."
Damion took a deep breath. "This really is a tough crowd."
"Okay, you aren't leaving me much choice. It's time to pull out the big trident." Damion said. "If you help me get my singing shell back, I'll help the guppy get his family back and stop meddling with your relationship."
"You really won't just return his voice will you?" Ember asked.
"How many times do I have I to repeat myself. That singing shell isn't the guppy's voice. It doesn't belong to him anymore."
"Will you at least stop calling it a singing shell. We all know what it really is."
"Fine! If you help me get his voice back, I'll help you. It's not a singing shell, it's the guppy's voice I ripped from his throat."
"Well, that's progress. Alexander, do you want to make a deal with him?"
Alex thought for a moment and nodded his head. He didn't like it, but he didn't see any alternative. His brothers and cousins needed his aunt, and there wasn't anyone else that could help.
"Okay, we have a deal." Damion said. "We need to go into the deep sea."
Damion turned to Ember. "Because we are going underwater, you might need a little help."
"What are you talking about?"
"My dear, you can't breathe underwater and the pressure at the depths we are going to would crush you without magic to protect you. Fortunately, your boyfriend can help you."
Alex blushed.
"Oh good, he knows what to do. After you're done, meet me at the dive buoy in deeper water. She's going to need it to find her way to deeper water."
"What is he talking about?" Ember asked after Damion swam away. She noticed how red Alex's face got.
Alex pointed to his lips.
"A kiss? What will a kiss do?" Ember asked.
Alex responded with a blush.
"Oh, you can't exactly answer that, can you?"
Ember swam closer to Alex. "Well, whatever this kiss does, I'm okay with it."
Ember reached her hand behind Alex's head and pulled him closer. He grabbed her waist and pulled her close in return. Alex gave Ember a Mermaid's Kiss. Ember felt the breath of the sea flow into her body. Alex focused his mermadic powers and shared his power to breathe underwater and resist the crushing depths of the sea with Ember.
When the teens caught up with Damion, Alex made sure to swim between Ember and the Sea Witch. He still didn't trust Damion and was feeling protective.
"I should be honest with both of you before going any further." Damion explained. "I'm a merman, always have been. However, I also inherited shadow elemental magic from my mom. And the thing about Shadow Magic is it requires others to make a sacrifice. It's extremely powerful magic, but the only way I can use it is if I take something from someone else."
"What are you saying?" Ember asked.
"For me to help you, I need one of you to give something up. And to do what needs to be done, the price isn't going to be cheap."
Ember swam next to Alex and looked him in the eyes. "You aren't alone. I can pay the price."
"That's the thing. It needs to be the guppy. It's his shadow we are trying to defeat. Anyone else wouldn't ensure our success."
The teens glared at Damion. Damion lowered his head. "Look, I won't force you to follow through with this deal. But, I promise that it will work."
"How can we believe anything you say?" Ember asked.
"You can't believe anything I'm saying because of everything I've done. However, it will work."
Alex scowled at the Sea Witch. Then he turned to Ember.
"I'm going to follow you no matter what. I'm here for you. I want to be here for you."
Alex smiled at Ember and the three of them dove underwater.
"Now, I'm going to prepare the magic. I'll be taking your boyfriend's light and sending him to Davy Jones Locker."
"Wouldn't that be worse than a death sentence?" Ember asked.
"It could be, but that depends on you." Damion explained. "Your boyfriend will be turned into sea foam and his light will be contained within a shell. There wouldn't be anything left of him."
Damion paused. "However, there's something I can do just before he vanishes. I can send him into Davy Jones Locker and in that dark place, he'll sleep. I can't protect his light and prevent that place from corrupting him, but you can. His life will be in your hands, and if he's ever going to return from the darkness, it'll be you who brings him back."
Ember grabbed Alex by his lower back and pulled him close. "You know you don't have to do this."
Alex looked up into Ember's eyes. Because of the way she pulled the young merman, he was being fully supported by her firm grip. she kissed his hand. "We can find another way."
The gesture made Alex feel weak, but he simply smiled and supported himself on his own fins. He would never trust Damion, but he trusted Ember. For Alex, it was worth taking the leap of faith.
Alex held Ember's hands. He continued to smile and Ember knew that he made his decision.
"You actually trust me that much, don't you?" Ember whispered.
The couple held each other's hands and stared into each other's eyes. Ember couldn't see any doubt in Alex. Alex took one last look at his crush. In the end, he didn't regret meeting her.
Alex sighed. He knew it was time. He gave Ember one last smile before swimming to the Cauldron.
Damion performed the spell and Alex felt magical energy being pulled from his being. All the magic was pulled from every finger and his tail. the energy gathered around his heart. Alex felt like he was getting torn apart by the surge of energy. He felt the magic pull at his heart and lift him in the water. Eventually, he felt hollow, like his heart was ripped out of his chest. Alex watched his light getting pulled into the shell. A chill ran through him as the emptiness took over. He watched everything he was get sucked into the shell.
Alex swam over to Ember. He wanted to give her one last hug. He knew that she could make everything right. He had absolute faith in her. Before they could embrace, Alex vanished into a mist of sea foam.
"I don't care if he made the choice or not! Give him back!"
Damion rolled his eyes. "You still don't get it, do you?"
"I don't care. I want you to give him back."
"I can't. I told you that I couldn't."
"Don't you dare make excuses!"
Damion held up his hand to stop Ember. "Do not waste his sacrifice. He's relying on you to follow through with saving his parents."
Before Ember could continue to protest, Damion interrupted. "I don't think you deserve him or his love. He's a rare soul that is willing to give his life for others. Even I feel bad about doing this. He really doesn't deserve it. Now, his salvation depends on you."
Damion swam around Ember. "It's time to send you back to the surface."
"What are you going to do now?"
"I'm going to cast a spell with your boyfriend's light. All of the power that resided within him will be given to you. As an added bonus, his light will protect you from the influence of his shadow. You and you alone will be immune to its dark power. That protection will give you the opportunity to set the guppy's family free since there's nothing it'll be able to do to stop you. As for your boyfriend, you will be his anchor that keeps him from being truly lost. Now, I have work to do."
Light swirled around Ember, and before she returned to the surface, she felt Alexander's presence, as if he was watching over her. As she fell unconscious, she felt a warmth envelop her heart.
After Ember was gone, Damion returned to his Cauldron. He felt a fury he rarely felt. Ember was the key to bringing the shadow to despair. Damion made sure that the spell he cast on Ember would be enough save the guppy's family, but he didn't want her to deal the final blow. Damion had very special plans for the thief that dared to steal from him.
While Damion set his plans in motion, Alex slept within the deepest part of the abyss. Even after Damion ripped his being apart to gather the light magic for his spell, enough of Alex still remained. As Alex dreamed, he held onto his faith in Ember. He trusted her with everything he had left.
Edit: "Keeper" from Yellowcard. Album: Paper Walls.
I couldn't think of a better song for Chapter 9's emotions. It's not a sims song, so I'm placing it and the Lyrics in the spoiler. I don't claim credit for the song. I just feel like it captures some of the emotions I imagine Alex feels.
Lyrics
I wanna leave.
I want you to love me
I want you to leave me.
I want to stand where I can see
I'm watching you love me
And I'm watching you leave me now.
I wish i could be
Somebody else.
I wish i could see
You and myself.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
And say
What you really feel.
You know i need
Something that's real.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
I wanna know if i could be
Someone to turn to
That could never hurt you.
But i know what you think of me
You had a breakthrough
And now i'm just bad news for you.
I wish i could be
Somebody else.
I wish i could see
You and myself.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
And say
What you really feel.
You know i need
Something that's real.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
I should've told you everything.
I never gave you anything.
I should've told you everything.
If i could give you anything
Then i would tell you everything.
I wish i could be
Somebody else.
I wish i could see
You and myself.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
And say
What you really feel.
You know i need
Something that's real.
I wish there was something inside me
To keep you beside me.
I should've told you everything.
I should've told you everything.
I should've told you everything.
Thought I'd group a few screenshots related to Alexander's Relationship with Ember. No text. It's just the best moments involving Alexander and Ember. I really think it's kinda amazing how much Alex was able to do without ever saying a word to Ember. It hasn’t been a long relationship, but the two of them have been through quite a bit. I look forward to writing their happy ending for this arc.
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18234824/#Comment_18234824
Chapter 2: Life's Full of Tough Choices
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18234965/#Comment_18234965
Chapter 3: When Things Don't Go as Planned...
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18236836/#Comment_18236836
Chapter 4: Love on Sulani Tides
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18240668/#Comment_18240668
Chapter 5: The Date at the Sand Bar
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18242969/#Comment_18242969
Chapter 6: The Shadow of Davy Jones Locker
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18243825/#Comment_18243825
Chapter 9: A Leap of Faith
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18250458/#Comment_18250458
Extra: Alexander Goth's Acts of Villainy
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18243825/#Comment_18243825
Chapter 7: The Truth about the Past
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18244772/#Comment_18244772
Chapter 8: Our Own Worst Enemy
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18247756/#Comment_18247756
Chapter 9: A Leap of Faith
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18250458/#Comment_18250458
Also, Damion is quite right... it's not Alex's voice. A deal is a deal.
Also, I’m happy you enjoyed the update!
I don’t think anyone will be able to claim Merman Alexander’s Voice if everything goes as I think it will. So, the question is: how will his voice get restored? 🤔 Maybe, it could be the plot of the next arc?
Made a tiny update to maintain continuity with names but the story is unchanged. If I make updates to older chapters, none of those updates will impact the story in any way.
Basically, I was using Wayfarer’s Atoll and Wayfarer’s Cove interchangeably. I simply made it so I was using the same name for the same place.