Chapter 2

"Hariel! Where are you going? This is not the path towards our home!" Farron said and looked around. They are in the deepest part of the ocean near the Atlanta Kingdom, where their home is. Atlanta was the merpeople's home and where the mermaid live. But Hariel went to the deepest part where merpeople cannot or are forbidden to visit. 

"I need to visit someone," Hariel said and swim faster. Farron followed Hariel. He wanted to stop Hariel from doing things that might hurt him so he tried to stop him by holding Hariel's tail. Hariel turned to look at Farron, annoyed. "Why are you stopping me, Farron? If you want you can go home!"

"You know I can't do that! Also, stop doing these things! You know that visiting the Merman Sorceror is forbidden!" Hariel Sighed and faced Farron.

"But he's the only one who can help me," Hariel said and sighed and remove Farron's hand on his tail. "And you know that it's rude to touch someone else's tail!"

"I am sorry about touching it but you can't possibly go to that merman. You know that he was dangerous. Many mermaids and mermen disappeared because of him!" Hariel shakes his head and started to swim again.

"You're being paranoid. It's not even proven. C'mon and don't be a coward!" Hariel said and hold Farron's wrist and pulled him with him to go deeper. Farron sighed and keep everything to himself. He swallowed and pushed through with Hariel. When they arrived they heard a hum. The tune was beautiful but the effect and the feeling were too cold. It was creepy that made them chill.

"Who's there?" Some raspy voice said. Farron went behind Hariel, shaking. Hariel sighed deeply and swim forward to where he heard the voice.

"I am Hariel, and I am here to ask some help from the Merman Sorcerer, Ludi." They heard a laugh. And from the dark, someone appeared. They saw a Merman full of black scales on his cheeks that went down to his body, to his arms. His once emerald-colored scales have a tint of black.

"It's been a while since someone asked help from me," the merman said with a creepy smile on his face. His eyes are white as if he was blind but they know that he wasn't. "What help do you want from me?"

"Well, I wanted to be a human." Farron gasped and swim toward Hariel and hold his shoulders.

"Hariel, have you lost your mind?" Hariel brushed Farron's hand and face Ludi. The latter looked at him clearly amused.

"Ah, why do you want to be a human Little Prince?" Farron looked at Ludi. Clearly didn't expect that Hariel will be exposed. No, Ludi is a Sorceror. Of course, he would know about Hariel being the son of the Atlanta Kingdom. Hariel stiffened and looked down, he was feeling shy despite the creepy atmosphere. 

"I... wanted to see someone," Hariel said. Ludi smirked and swim toward Hariel. He poked Hariel's shoulder and circled around him with a creepy smile on his face.

"Well, it really runs in your blood," Ludi said and swim away from him. But there is confusion in Hariel's face. Runs in his blood? What does he mean? "Very well. I'll help you, but you must give me something in return."

"And what is it that you want me to give you in return?" Hariel asked seriously. He was determined to give everything in his power just to get a pair of legs. Ludi smiled widely.

"Why not, half of your powers plus your life! Doesn't a great deal?" Ludi said and laugh. Farron went to Hariel and shook his head.

"No, Hariel. You shouldn't give your powers or your life to this evil merman!" Ludi felt offended.

"C'mon! That's insulting! I am not evil! I just give them what they want and I will get the reward I deserve. Here's the detailed deal, for now, give me half of your powers and I will give you the legs you wanted. If the person you wanted to see fell in love with you, you can have your legs for life. But if that person hated you, your life will be mine. Isn't that a good deal?" Ludi said with a wide smile. Farron looked at Hariel and shook his head. Ludi was getting pissed because of Farron, so he secretly waved his hand and a seagrass made Farron stop his movements and then covered Farron's mouth. Hariel is contemplating the proposal Ludi gave him. But he followed what his heart says. He nodded and crossed his arms.

"Then, it's a deal!" Ludi nodded with a smile.

"Great choice." Out of nowhere, there is a vial that appeared in Ludi's palms. What was inside was liquid in a purple hue. "When you reach the shore, drink this and you will have the pair of legs you wanted." Hariel was about to reach for it but Ludi's arms pulled away. "Na ah ah! Your powers first" Hariel pursed his lips and reached his hands. Ludi grabbed it and absorbed half of Hariel's power. Hariel felt weak. Ludi then toss the vial to him and with a wave of his hand, Farron was freed from the seagrass. He immediately swim toward Hariel and helped him swim away along with the vial. Ludi smirked and shakes his head.

"Too bad... He'll be just like her sister."

Stephanie got out of the hospital and went to his grandparent's house. She also found out that the rest of his family was there waiting for her. She sighed deeper and went inside to greet the elders, her cousin, and her two brothers. They are looking at her as if they are really concerned about him. But other than her grandparents, all of them have fake concerns about her. Even her brothers.

"Grandpa, Grandma!" she exclaimed and went to hug her grandparents. Her grandmother received her hug warmly.

"Steph! You just woke up. Why did you get out of the hospital early?" her grandmother asked. Stephanie smiled at her grandmother warmly.

"Well, I don't want to worry you two," Stephanie answered. Her grandfather patted her head.

"It will worry us more if you got sick again. Why don't you come back home?" her grandfather suggested. Stephanie saw the roll of her cousin's eyes and the same with her aunts. She smirked inwardly before shaking her head to her grandparents.

"It's okay, grandpa and grandma. I need to go to work tomorrow. Five days at the hospital is enough. Also, if I stayed too long, my company might be snatched away from me," Stephanie answered. Her grandfather scoffed and tap his cane on the floor angrily.

"Who dares to do that to you, they will face my wrath!" Stephanie smiled and was happy when she knew that her grandfather will side with him. She looked at his grandfather then looked at him sadly. Becky also told her that Janessa, her cousin is trying to take over her company by saying that she is heavily injured and will not wake up for some time.

"I heard from Becky that someone is trying to take over and telling my employees that It will take me a long time to wake up." Then from the corner of her eyes, she saw that Janessa was looking at her angrily.

"I did not!" Janessa said clearly exposing herself. Stephanie secretly smiles and looks at her cousin.

"So it was you?" Stephanie said acting surprised. Janessa looked at her angrily and point at her.

"Don't act as if you don't know!" Stephanie looked at her seriously and shrugged her shoulders.

"Becky didn't tell me who was it, so how would I know?" Their grandparents looked at Janessa and glared at her.

"Are you coveting your cousin's company? Are you that shameless?" Their grandfather looked at his grandchildren coldly. Janessa's mother, Aunt Mary shields her daughter. She's her grandfather's eldest daughter.

"Father, don't be hard on Janessa. She just wants to help, Stephanie. Right, my dear?" Aunt Mary looked at her daughter before she secretly glared at Stephanie. Janessa nodded but her fierce glare didn't leave. She just smiled at the mother and daughter and then faced her grandparents.

"I'll go now, grandpa and grandma. I will visit you again," Stephanie said and kissed both her grandparents, and leave the room. But before she even went inside her car, someone called for her.

"You've become more shameless, Stephanie." She turned to face that person who called for her.

"Why hello, brother. Is that a new way to greet your sister?" Stephanie said and crossed her arms. Her eldest brother, Stefan looked at her with anger in his eyes. She was wondering why do her brothers hate her? 

"It doesn't matter! If I were you, Stephanie I wouldn't play with fire! Consider your accident as a warning." Stephanie's eyes squinted and her face turned cold. Is he the one who tried to kill her by pushing her to the water? She smirked.

"Playing with fire? Brother, are you talking about yourself? I simply told you that investing in that company will bring you down which is happened. Is that why you're angry at me?" Stefan scoffed and turned away without answering. Stephanie looked at her brother's retreating back with a bitter smile.

"Why do you guys hate me soo much when I didn't do anything wrong?" Stephanie asked softly and sighed before riding her car and driving off. Her mind is full of questions and worries. Who is trying to kill her? Why do they hate her soo much? Who was the person who saved her and where is he? She just sighed and tried to calm herself. She's in the city now and was driving when someone bumped her car and she lost control. She was about to crash into the wall but a fish tank exploded and water poured and stopped her car from bumping which shocked her. Then someone knocked on her window shield and was surprised who she saw. It was that man who saved her!

"Hey, pretty lady! Are you okay?"