Serial fiction featuring Sirens
A short story I wrote a couple of years ago as fan fiction for the game Shroud of the Avatar.
There will be 6 chapters
Chapter 1
“Your generation would see those scars as a badge of courage, whereas I see them as a sign of disobedience and disrespect. You do understand that, I presume?”
“Yes, Mentor. I was much younger then and have learned much since,” replied Thalexandra, her voice and tone superbly tuned to convey contrition.
“Not only did you yourself get badly stung, but also several of your cohort were incapacitated and were in need of rescue,” the Elder of Records continued. “As you would be well aware, we have trained teams of Singers who know how to safely attract and attach new habitats. A free swimming 'man-o-war' is beyond your talents. You, however, do not seem to agree.”
“Mentor, I was caught up with the romantic notion of exploring the world. All our lives I have heard tales of heroes taming one of the giant jellyfish colonies that float on the surface, of finding the correct tune to steer the sail, of travelling to see new and exciting places, of seeing a dragon. I have since learned that this notion is a childish dream and belongs only in stories and legend.”
“Humph. So you say, but I can hear a lilt in your voice that betrays your claim to new-found wisdom. However, you have scored top marks in singing the Seven Songs of Defence, the Four Songs of Beguilement, and you are well above average in singing the Songs of Offence. Your Songmasters also note that you excel in whale-song. The Argos family is an old and respected lineage, and I expect you will, in time, come to live up to that heritage.
In the meantime, we are sending a delegation to Deep Bay to meet with the Red Devils—the Garish. They want us to help explore the sunken ruins of Ambrosia. Apparently some shifts in the currents have exposed what appears to be an unbroken dome. If true, there is a possibility that we may re-learn how the old devils made them. Adequately completing this assignment should go a long way towards redeeming your past transgressions.”
“Of course, Mentor, I will endeavor to excel in any assignment the Council of Elders sees fit to give me.”
“Humph. Off with you then. You are to join Legate Highfin's communication group. You leave at first light tomorrow. It is at least a three-day swim, so be prepared.”
Thalexandra rolled off the soft edge of the Elder's hab into the central pool. A quick flick of her tail took her past the other patiently waiting Candidates. She barely acknowledged their greetings and waves; she was deep in recalling the unfortunate results of her attempt to explore one of the giant jellyfish.
It takes several decades for a jellyfish to grow large enough to be useful as a dwelling and they are quite rare. Only the outer layers of these beasts are truly alive. A new skin is laid down each year. The medusas grow ever larger, with the inner pith becoming a cartilaginous material that other creatures can carve out and inhabit. Carving out the inner pith and inflating the space with air actually allows for even more growth.
Most sirens enjoy these living domes and fashion them into homes of five or six chambers. Some of the domes are joined into clusters and, over many generations with careful tending, they can grow large enough to accommodate extended families and public spaces. Red, green, brown, and blue algae grow in the cartilaginous walls, producing works of art. Some species, the siphonophores, form clusters and natural colonies with large sail-like extensions rising into the air, propelling the creatures along, wandering the world’s oceans.
Thalexandra recalled that she, Joren, Wendal, and a couple of other friends had spotted one of these wanderers drifting slowly by. The young adventurers had successfully avoided the long tentacles that streamed many meters into the deep.
Joren and Wendal had found a way up and into the interior space, and had been amazed at the size of it—there was room for ten or more people to gather there.
Thal had joined them but had chosen to remain in the central pool formed by the mouth of the giant medusa while the boys had tried to pull themselves out of the water onto the soft floor of the beast. Thal had remained in the nearly-circular opening that led into the interior space. She had floated on her back, lost in the beautiful translucent blue all around her.
Outside, the siphonophor's sail had raised, catching some wind, propelling the giant colony on its endless journey. As the best singer in the pod, Thal had begun the siren Song of Taming, attempting to find the tunes that would entice this living creature to respond to her will, to steer the sail and take her on an adventure.
Without any warning, a three-meter-wide crab had scuttled at them, waving a pincer almost as large as Joren. Both he and Wendal had thrown themselves back into the sea. The pincer snapped closed, shredding the tip of Joren's tail. Unfortunately, the dive had sent them both into the mass of tentacles encircling the central pool. Fortunately these tentacles had not been the kind lined with stinging cells. The tentacles had slowly transferred the two victims towards the digestive sac. Thal had ripped enough of the tentacles away from Joren for him to free himself and they had both worked to free Wendal, who by then was completely cocooned. The tentacles that were armed with stinging cells had begun thrashing around and some of them had caught Thal’s left arm.
The pain was almost unbearable and the scars still remain visible today. However, the more dangerous paralyzing stingers had struck both Joren and Wendal. Stunned, the young mermen had almost sunk out of sight before a team of sirens, sent to monitor the jellyfish, had rescued them, tended Thal's wounds, and then escorted them back to face the consequences of their misadventure.
The trio's friendship had waned after this and each of them concentrated on their studies. Wendal's artistic talents had led him to concentrate on turning chunks of pearly white medusa pith into works of art and home decorations. Joren had remained unusually adventuresome for a male siren and had joined the crews tending the living domes of her home, Salcia, hoping one day to join expeditions capturing new housing. Thalexander had continued to study the singing arts, learning the melodies and tunes that can be used to control the many creatures that roam the seas or wander the land.