Flotsam and Jetsam led Nate out to the barrens at a slow pace. Nate had never been this far away from the Trench Kingdom and he was bit nervous. As angry and heartbroken as he was, there was something in his gut trying to resist going through with this. He ignored the feeling to keep going though. When the moray eels stopped over what looked like a foggy layer of sand, he gave them a confused look. There was nothing here for miles in all directions. Flotsam and Jetsam smirked to each other, then turned to swim down into the foggy cover. Mark hesitated, telling him softly. "Nate... I don't like this..." Nate squeezed Mark's hand to comfort him, then followed them down. The sandy fog felt weird against his skin. Unlike the water above that was cold, this water transitioned into warm water. The water down here bubbled up from holes in the sea floor far below them within a vast rocky cavern maze. The walls of the cavern rose to the foggy stop, making it impossible to see over with all the bubbles that appeared to make the sandy fog. Flotsam and Jetsam, beckoned them with their long tails, distortedly saying in unison. "This way, little prince. Wouldn't want you to get lost down here."

The cavern walls were massive. It could easily hold a whale or two within it. Which made navigating this giant maze a nightmare. Mark jerked to a stop to point down at the sea floor of the maze, where skeletons of all species were. Including merfolk. Nate swallowed but tried to keep up with the eels. While Mark whispered to him uneasily. "I've heard of this place... It's the Serpentine's maze. Home to a sea monster..." Flotsam looked back, cooing out casually. "She was no such thing. She was a threat to Triton and nothing more." Mark pointed to the skeletons scattered across the floor, snapping out. "Ya? And what are those?" Jetsam snickered before answering innocently. "She had to eat. As do you. Don't judge so harshly." Mark snorted with distaste in response. While they made their way through the maze, Flotsam and Jetsam regaled to Nate in soft calming tone of voices. "This used to be home to many of Ursel's friends. Moray eels like ourselves and merfolk like Ursel. All of the made through Ursel's power to live our lives reborn. We were happy. Ursel's greatest creation was the Serpentine. The largest Moray Eel to ever live. A guardian. But Triton couldn't handle the competition. And destroyed all but us..."

Mark hissed, then shot out bitterly. "And where is the part where Ursel tried to attack the Trench Kingdom with those 'friends' of his? Where is the part where he kidnapped Merfolk and trapped them in this maze for his 'guardian' to feast upon for sport!" Flotsam stopped, coiling around like a sea snake to face Mark as he hissed back. "You weren't there! You have no right to say shit. All your facts are based on the words from only one side of the war!" Flotsam hissed again in anger, then coiled back around to lead them out into the center of the maze. The center mystified Nate. It was a large open area with the skeletal remains of a monstrous creature that he'd never seen the likes of. It had the body of a massive moray eel with a strange coral like spine that rose high above the rest of its body like a wide dorsal fin of a shark. Around the remains, the water bubbled from heated vents, giving the creatures lair a frightening ambience. This had to be the Serpentine. The moray eels started toward the massive open jaws that were glowing with a faint purple light from within. Mark gasped, then said shakily. "Oh, great Poseidon... That thing is... Even dead, It's frightening."

Nate could feel his own instincts telling him to run from it even though it was dead. His primal nature telling him it was an unnaturally large predator. Beside him, Mark shook a little, tugging on Nate's hand as he pleaded to him. "Nate, please? We shouldn't be here. Something is wrong. Can't you feel it?" Nate nodded, but told Mark in a calm defiant tone. "Ya... but I'm not going back. Not yet. Flotsam is right. I wanna learn both sides of the story..." Mark grabbed Nate by the shoulders, telling him seriously. "Nate, listen to me. I'm begging you! Ursel might not tell you the truth! He might lie just to get your guard down! You can't trust him!" Nate locked eyes with Mark, saying firmly. "You don't know that. And besides... If I'm like him... I wanna know why." Mark shook his head, warning him just as firmly. "This is not the way to find out. You don't know ANYTHING about him. Nate, he killed your aunts to gain power! He hates Triton and you are Triton's SON! His only son! You can't do this!"

From the mouth of the Serpentine, Flotsam asked in a purring tone. "Coming, little prince? Or do you want to swim home?" Nate inhaled deeply, looking from Flotsam to Mark before telling Mark in a cool tone of voice. "My father could be lying. And I'm sick of doing what HE wants and taking his word for everything. His word means nothing. From now on. I'm going to figure things out for myself." Mark shook his head, telling Nate in a worried voice. "Curiosity killed the catfish, Nathan! And this is literally swimming into the jaws of death!" Nate cupped Mark's face, pressing his forehead to his as he told him gently. "Then stay here. But I'm going in." Mark whined a little, but Nate pulled away to follow Flotsam and Jetsam inside. He could hear Mark cursing under his breath as he followed at a slower pace. Swimming slowly into the mouth, Nate looked around the massive teeth and bones. Between the bones appeared to be a strong wall of purple cartilage. Despite the beast being dead for many years, the body's cartilage hadn't disappeared yet. Which made swimming into its bowels terrifying.

What made the journey even more terrifying was the soft moaning that seemed to grow in volume as he swam down into the massive throat. Along the floor of the throat were polyps with twisted faces. Their bodies were little stalks that were stuck to the floor and when they saw him, they broke out into louder wailing with wide horrifying eyes of all colors. Some tried to stretch themselves out toward him, but he swam higher in the throat to avoid them. A chill ran through Nate, making him hesitate to go any farther, until Flotsam calmly told him. "Ignore them. They are harmless. Wailing polyps are common this far down. A result of feeding on the Serpentine's magical body. Ursel is studying them. Come along. This way." Nate swallowed, creeping after Flotsam and Jetsam with sudden uneasy. The polyps wailing was giving him goosebumps and making him tremble with an urge to swim away. Flotsam and Jetsam swam slowly out into the encased belly of the beast, announcing in respectful voices. "Ursel, we have a visitor seeking your help." Nate stopped at the entrance into the belly. He couldn't believe the look of the place.

The shelves were loaded with containers that held shiny looking stars and different sea creatures. On other shelves were ingredients of sea plants. The center had a massive bubbling container and beyond that was a large hanging shell that was big enough to hold at least four merfolk within it. There was even a strange shelf with a glossy surface that reflected the other side of the room with a rock before it. On the shelves below the glossy surface were sea creature parts that Nate knew were used for make-up but usually killed those that used them. From within the dark shadows of the shell, a light sounding male voice told him coolly. "Come in, my child. One must not lurk in doorways... It's rude." Nate stayed where he was as long black octopus tentacles with striking blue rings slithered out from the shell, followed by two slivery skinned hands with long bright red nails. Nate's eyes widened in surprise. He'd never seen any merfolk like this one. Although, he knew what rings like that on a normal octopus meant... poisonous.

Ursel slid out from the shell gracefully to stand up proud just outside it. Ursel's shoulder length silvery white hair drifted up in the water, revealing his purple cone shell earrings and purple eyeshadow over his dark eyes. Even his bright red lips stood out against his skin. Around Ursel's neck hung a Nautilus shell that Nate had never seen the likes of either, but he could feel the power of it. It was similar to the power he felt coming off his dad's trident. Ursel had leaner muscles like himself but they were much more defined. Suggesting he was much stronger than he looked. Which he believed because octopuses were dangerously strong normally against Merfolk. He couldn't imagine how strong Ursel was at his size. Ursel crossed his arms under his chest, adding curtly out to him. "One might question your upbringing. Only peasants cower. Are you a peasant? I think not." Nate inched into the room, asking perplexed. "What's a peasant?" Ursel blinked for a second, then scoffed out with a nonchalant grin as he replied. "Someone who isn't royalty. Anyway... You're here because...?"

Ursel moved to sit on the rock before his glossy surface and low shelf, eyeing him with curiosity. Nate moved in more, telling him straight to the point. "Flotsam and Jetsam told me that you can help me with a problem that I'm having." Ursel picked up a small shellfish, giving it a pinch between his fingers before smearing it across his red lips to make them brighter in color. Rubbing his lips together for a second, Ursel said a bit distracted as he stared at his reflection. "And what problem would that be, Angelfish? I'm not a mind reader, you know." Nate glanced at the moray eels that moved to the entrance of the room as Mark made his way inside. Straightening himself up, he looked back at Ursel and answered softly. "There is this human... A prince..." Ursel's expression turned distant as he looked down at the shelf and set the shellfish down. When Ursel didn't say anything, Nate told him a bit anxiously. "I wanna see him again. Can you help me with that?" Ursel traced something on the low shelf with his bright red nail, asking him in a cool low tone. "Do you love this human?" Nate thought about it for only a second before answering honestly. "Yes. But my father... Your brother doesn't approve."

Ursel stopped tracing and looked up to meet his eyes with a guarded expression as he answered promptly in a calm tone. "Of course not. He lives a sheltered life. Always pining for daddy's approval by being the perfect son. Triton can never do no wrong. He was the future of the kingdom after all." Nate stiffened at hearing the same words that the kingdom burdened him with. Ursel flashed him a small smirk, asking curtly. "As his only son, I'm sure you hear the same puffed-up speech. But unlike our upbringing... you have it worse, little prince. Because he MUST make you into the perfect king. He doesn't have a second son as a back-up plan. I feel for you. I truly do." Ursel turned to face him better, leaning his elbows back on the low shelf as he told him with a saddened expression. "I don't blame you for needing an escape. I know I craved it... My father is the biggest tyrant of them all. Nothing I did ever lived up to his expectations. Like father like favorite son?" Nate nodded, sniffling a little as recent events flooded back to him.

Ursel's eyes softened as he told him sweetly. "Well, Angelfish. You are in luck. For the solution to your problem is a simple one. The only way to get what you want... is to become a human yourself." Mark gasped from the entrance, while Nate asked in fascination. "Can you do that?" Ursel started to chuckle and then laughed heartily, before straightening up on the seat to tell him with a bright smile. "Oh, you innocent little prince. It's easier than you think. With my power, I can make your wildest dreams come true." From the entranceway, Mark defensively stated out. "He's lying! That's not possible! If it was, then other Merfolk would have done it!" Ursel rose off his seat, casually answering Mark as he glared at him a little. "Others have. I'm blamed for their deaths, am I not? I discovered how to do it. I'm living proof that it works. And what do I get for it? Banishment! Exile! All for making the dreams of others come true. You'd think something like that would make me bitter... but it only makes me want to help unfortunate merfolk like yourselves even more. Poor souls with no one else to turn to."

Mark shook his head, snapping out. "And killing your sisters? Why would you do such a thing if we mean so much to you!" Flotsam and Jetsam quickly coiled around Mark's biceps to hold him back as they covered his mouth with their tails and hissed at his face. Nate tensed at their actions, until Ursel's fingers traced under his jaw to make him look at him. Staring into his eyes, Ursel told him in a soft voice. "Relax. They won't hurt him, unless I say so. But your friend is being rude. You are guests. Do you want my help or not?" Nate inhaled slowly to gain his wits, asking nervously. "I do... but please understand. I don't know you... or if I can trust you. Back home, they call you the Sea Witch... A murderer. Why?" Ursel exhaled heavily, backing up to slowly walk around his cauldron, upon regaling a bit reluctantly. "I was like you once. I had a voice so beautiful that sailors often crashed against the reefs just to get a look at me. I saved a sailor from drowning. A man they called a 'pirate.' We had an instant connection and I wanted him more than anything. He understood me. He showed me things that I'd never seen before."

Ursel stopped on the other side of his cauldron, leaning down to rest his hands on the edge of it. Staring into the gentle bubbles, he continued distantly. "I've always possessed a little magic. I've had it since birth. It scared the merfolk as I got older, and my power grew. One day... my father caught me using my magic to spy on the pirate. He was so appalled by the idea that I loved a human man... that he said things to me that I don't have the heart to repeat. So, I ran away and used my magic to be with the man I loved." Nate moved closer to the cauldron, asking very gently. "Why didn't you stay with him?" Ursel forced out a small smirk, before answering without looking up at him. "I wanted to... But my siblings told my father where I was going. My dad found us and..." Ursel's arms tensed as he gripped the cauldron tighter but forced himself to answer as calmly as he could. "My father is known for his wraith. He killed my lover and cursed me to look like this. He told me that I didn't deserve to be like the rest." Nate's face fell into a saddened expression as Ursel straightened back up to say more positively. "I may have gotten a little carried away in my youth. New body... new strength. Hormonal anger got the best of me and some nasty things happened... by accident. They started calling me a witch... and I've spent my time trying to fix that image of myself."

Ursel gestured with the waving of his hands to nothing in particular as he continued on and moved toward Nate. "I reinvented myself. Started helping others wronged by my family. I use my powers to give them whatever their hearts desire. Which as you can imagine pissed off my baby brother to no end. For if people knew the truth... would they follow him? Would they trust him to make the right decisions for them? After all... I am the eldest. The rightful king to the throne... but you don't see me complaining? I'm perfectly content where I am. Helping the poor souls that he has abandoned because they don't... fit in." Nate nodded to himself. Ursel was right. He couldn't believe his family was hiding this from the kingdom. Ursel had been wronged. Ursel put his soft hands on Nate's bare shoulders, before telling him in a slightly distressed voice. "Unfortunately, there has been some setbacks. Once or twice, I have had Merfolk try to scam me. They refused to pay for their desires and... Well, that's bad for business... So, I'm afraid that I've had to rake them across the coals. Which has led to the odd complaints now and again. But that's trivial compared to those that I've helped. I'm sure if they weren't off living their dreams, they'd tell you themselves."

Nate bit his lip, when Ursel leaned over his shoulder to tell him with a warm smile and caring voice. "Anyway, with that aside. He's the deal that I can offer you. I can make you a potion that will turn you into a human for three whole days." Nate started to look away to think about that, when a tentacle grabbed his jaw to turn his face back toward Ursel's as he held up three fingers and told him more seriously. "Got that? Three whole days. No more. No less." Nate nodded and the tentacle released him. Ursel held up a single finger to tell him slowly. "Now pay attention. This is important. Before the sun sets on the third day... You must get this prince of yours to fall in love with you. Specifically, he's got to kiss you. But it can't be just any kiss. He has to kiss you and mean it with all his heart. A kiss that proves his love for you unconditionally. A kiss of true love." Ursel turned Nate's shoulders to face him better, upon informing him nicely. "If he does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you'll remain a human permanently. But if he doesn't... Well, you'll turn back into a merman and..."

Ursel drifted back away from Nate, starting to move around his cauldron a little as he said in a sudden low cool tone of voice. "You'll belong to me. Have we got a deal?" Mark thrashed, trying to muffle something out to him. Nate glanced at Mark briefly, then asked Ursel with narrowed eyes. "What do you mean that I'll belong to you?" Ursel traced a finger along the top of his cauldron, answering nonchalantly with a shrug and without looking at him. "Semantics, kiddo. Once you go up, your father won't welcome you back home. You'll never be the same. This is my mercy to you. You'll be able to live with me. And I'll take care you. Not such a bad thing, is it?" Nate shook his head, not noticing how the eels zapped Mark to stop him from thrashing around. Lost in his thoughts, Nate said under his breath as he stared into the soft bubbling cauldron. "If I become human... I'll never see my family or friends again..." Ursel bit his lip, giving Nate another little shrug as he said openly. "That is true... but would you be asking for my help if you were happy as you are? Don't you want a chance for something more? A man that is different from the ones you've known. A life far from the cage your father has you in. It's a different world up there. One you can get lost in."

Nate swallowed, feeling torn between his choices. He wanted both equally. Ursel smiled, watching him closely, upon chuckling out. "Life is full of tough choices, isn't it? Let me see if I can make the decision a bit easier for you. After all, we haven't yet discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something for nothing, you know. Magic needs collateral." Nate's face paled a bit. That made the decision easy alright. He didn't carry any pearls to trade. It hadn't even crossed his mind that he'd have to pay for this. Bowing his head in defeat, he grimly muttered out. "I don't have anything to offer you. I'm sorry for wasting your time." Ursel laughed, moving back up to him with a warm expression on his face. Cupping Nate's face in his hands, he lifted his head to look at him, before lovingly informing him. "That's not how this works, little prince. Currency means nothing to me. I don't hoard treasures. No... you only have one thing that I want." Nate felt Ursel's fingers stroke his throat lovingly, before bringing his lips closer to his as he whispered in a slightly raspier voice. "What I want from you is... your voice."

Nate backed up out of Ursel's hands, his own hand going to his throat protectively as he uttered out timidly. "My voice? But then how will I talk to him?" Ursel chuckled loudly, before telling him in a sweet voice. "Oh? You don't know? You can understand him because it's our nature to mimic their songs to lure them in... but he can't understand YOU. You've never spoken his language nor have you ever written it. So, with or without your voice. It won't matter. Besides, there are other ways to communicate with him. They are similar to us, after all. Gestures that we use in our social groups, some of them use in their own way. You'll figure it out, I'm sure." Nate rubbed his throat with unease. To lose his voice was horrifying. Merfolk treasured their voice more than anything. If he lost it, he'd be vulnerable without it. Ursel tapped his nails on the edge of the cauldron, telling him in a neutral but firm tone of voice. "I do hate to rush you... but I haven't got all day. I have other matters that need my attention. So, do we have a deal or not?"

Nate's mind began to race to make up his mind faster, causing his pulse to quicken. Ursel moved to the low shelf under the glossy surface, reaching underneath it to remove a glowing rolled up item. It radiated with a power similar to the Nautilus Shell and the Trident. Unrolling it in front of Nate, Ursel told him in a calm professional voice. "This is a contract of my own design. Simply sign your name on this line at the bottom of the scroll and we have a deal." Nate looked over the scroll but didn't recognize the writing on it. It wasn't written in Seaspeak. Ursel retrieved a fishbone quill from one of his shelves, offering it to him slowly. Nate took the quill, telling him uneasily. "I... don't understand this." Ursel gave him a shrug, holding up an ink sack from an octopus, upon telling him lightly. "It only says exactly what we have discussed. Just in case, you try to accuse me of stealing your voice and not being honest with you." Nate dipped the quill into the ink sack, then brought the quill to the scroll but paused as he asked curiously. "Will I lose my voice permanently?"

Ursel watched him with unreadable eyes as he said softly. "Yes. But it's a small price to pay for the one you love. However, I'll throw in this little detail. Should he reject you after the sun has set on the third day... we can discuss getting your voice back. I've never been one to turn down a good deal." Nate took a deep breath and touched the quill to the scroll to write his name in the Seaspeak runes. The fishbone quill wrote out his name in blue ink against the golden paper. When he finished, Ursel took ahold of the fishbone quill and Nate's wrist with his tentacles. Pricking Nate's finger with the quill, Ursel forced him to touch his bleeding finger to his name. The blue inked runes glowed a white before turning red as if it were absorbing his blood and replacing the blue ink on the scroll. Once his name was completely replaced in red ink. Ursel released him and rolled up the scroll. Handing it to one of his tentacles to hold onto it, Ursel guided Nate to the other side of the cauldron and told him happily. "We have a deal." Ursel swam quickly to the other side of the cauldron, snapping his fingers to make the cauldron boil and bubble faster.

Tossing in what looked like two tongues of Merfolk or human, Ursel leaned forward to wave the colored eerie green steam toward himself. While the green steam swirled and slowly was drawn into the opening of Ursel's Nautilus Shell, Ursel began to chant aloud. "By the power of the oceans that I command, with the sacrifice of those that share both sea and land! Rob him of thy voice and sound. Replace that which was taken from me, make it as my own as he sings to me!" Ursel raised his hands up toward the sky and the eerie green light burst back out of the glowing golden shell and rose high above him like menacing versions of his hands that were attached to the shell at his neck. Ursel lowered his hands to point directly at Nate, upon commanding him in a powerful voice that Nate couldn't defy. "Now. SING!" Nate closed his eyes, trying not to sing but his body wasn't listening to him anymore. Was this how Mark felt under the command of his father's trident? Starting to sing the song that he'd sung for the human, Nate helplessly watched as the eerie green hands stretched out across the bubbling cauldron toward him.

He couldn't even flinch away as one hand grabbed his neck and the other misted into his mouth to slither down his throat. The sensation was awful. He wanted to cough, but Ursel yelled out. "KEEP SINGING!" Tilting his head back, he jerked in shock as one minute he was singing and the next... he was freed from the command and stopped singing. However, his voice was still ringing out as if he was still singing the song. For between the fingers of the eerie hand that left his throat was a small glowing ball of rippling rainbow light. Nate grabbed his throat in shock, watching the eerie hands encase his voice and take it into the shell. Ursel cupped the shell in his hands with the brightest and most evil looking grin. Nate grabbed his throat, feeling like he had been tricked. Releasing the shell, the glowing stopped as Ursel crossed the room to remove a small sea glass bottle on a high shelf. Swimming over to him, Ursel's tentacles wrapped around Nate tightly to hold him still.

Lifting the end of Nate's tail, Ursel brought the bottle to his deep purple scales. Uncorking the bottle, Ursel smeared the gel on the cap over a single scale. Ursel then told him in a low dark voice as he recorked it. "By the way, Angelfish. We are quite a ways down from the surface. So, if you die before you reach the surface... I'm not the one at fault for that. Accidents happen." Nate's eyes widened in horror. Then a silent scream broke from his throat as his tail felt like it was being torn open! His scales fell off as his tail began to change into smooth skin that matched his upper body. The pain was so bad that Nate thought he might pass out. Ursel released him, watching him arch in the water and laughing manically at him. His tail finally split into two legs and Nate gasped in relief, but then felt his lungs start to seize up on him. Flotsam and Jetsam stopped zapping Mark, releasing him as they laughed out. "He's all yours!" Mark weakly hissed at Ursel, yelling out. "You lying Motherfucker!" Ursel raised his hands up in surrender, backing up as he casually told him. "You better get him to the surface fast, boy. If he doesn't get fresh surface air in those lungs, he's not going to make it." To Be Continued...