Sky & Sea
Updated: Jul 3
I: Moonlight Kiss
Ring sat on his Rinus Cloud, travelling over the shining sea that was lit by the rays of the crescent moon. Though his father ordered him not to leave the fort at night, Ring disobeyed, intending to meet his lover. He called her the “Jewel of the Sea”, and she called him the “Flame of the Sky”. Both of them loved each other wholeheartedly, and they met when the moon’s first rays kissed the lovely sea. For once, Ring was late and found his Jewel sitting on the golden rock waiting for him. He whispered an apology into the air and heard a sweet, cold wind, filled with love, strike back, saying he did not need to apologise.
Ever since Ring saved her from being caught in the nets with the help of a hawk, the mermaid loved him with all her heart. However, the problem was that Ring could not go down the clouds, nor could the mermaid reach up to the sky. Although they loved each other, they could not even touch. As years passed, the only solution that could unite them was marriage, but their races would never agree to such an alliance.
It’s proclaimed in the Lightning Law, which Ring’s father - the King followed, that merpeople are considered inferior to white clouds, and according to the law, they were fit for nothing. Even if Ring dared to talk to his father about a mermaid, he would thrash him beneath the clouds and banish him forever. The mermaid also knew that even if Ring was brought to the water world by any means, her father would have them both killed without a second thought.
Yet Ring chose to risk declaring his love to his family despite the penalty. The mermaid dreaded the decision but knew that they had no other choice. They could no longer bear the distance between them. Ring, at last, went to his father’s chambers after the sun rose, thinking that it would be the most fitting time to talk. He presumed that the morning prayers would make his father peaceful. To his surprise, his mother was also in the room. Without any hesitation, he stated with no sort of foreword that he loved a mermaid and wished to marry her. His mother, who was arranging her husband’s crystals, looked back at her son, dazed.
As he heard the crystals touch the floor and scatter, Ring could see his father’s face ablaze like a cloud that just created a bolt of lightning. For a while, Ring could hear nothing but a deluge of scoldings. He could see his mother stopping his father from hammering him down. That very evening, King Hast ordered the arrest of Rinus Cloud for disobeying his command, sent a few of his soldiers to place his son under house arrest, and then called a meeting with his generals.
• • •
King Hast informed the gathered generals of the perilous decision his son made. They all remarked against the prince and appreciated King Hast’s work. Then they imposed new wind protocols on all the clouds to prevent any such mistakes from happening ever again. From that very day, Ring was forced to stay in his room, and only his mother brought him food. Every day he would sob thinking about the mermaid while the mermaid waited down on the golden rock every night for her flame to arrive and talk to him.
Two full moons passed by, and one day Ring could no longer bear his separation and yelled at his mother, who, as usual, came up to make sure he ate. Though his mother wanted to help him, she was in no position to do so. She tried to soothe her son in numerous ways, but her attempts were futile. Unable to find a way to persuade her son to get off this dim desire, she gave in and informed him of a way to succeed instead.
She told him there was no way the Sky Lords would welcome her as a mermaid, but if she intended to become a member of the Lightning family, then she might help him in convincing the members. Ring’s happiness knew no limits for a short span, but he soon started plotting about it. He asked his mother how that change could be possible, but the queen gave no reply. A moment later, she stated, “It is your responsibility to make it happen since it is your desire to do so.”
She left soon after Ring finished his lunch, and the young Prince thought for about half a day before recalling the promise to “The Grand Tree”. This was the only living tree on the clouds and was renowned for granting wishes. He recalled how the old saint under the tree once promised him a boon because Ring eased his hunger in his time of need. Ring now wished to redeem this wish and called upon the old saint by chanting the hex which was once instructed to him. As soon as he opened his eyes, he could see the saint before him.
• • •
Ring prostrated before the saint and quickly explained to him all about his predicament and asked for his help. Hearing his tale, the saint hesitated, knowing he would have to break the law. But still, his wish is a wish, and he had to fulfil it. He whispered that there is only one way to make the conversion. He said that a true lover’s kiss on a full moon day, while sitting on a lightning bolt, could make the mermaid transform.
Following the advice, the saint warned that once changed, there are only a few ways for the mermaid to transform back, and so he asked Ring to make sure the mermaid gave good thought before making her decision. He concluded by saying that if she decides to transform, it can all be done in just three days.
That evening, Ring pleaded with his mother for just one last favour and travelled to the golden rock on his mother’s Royal Chain clouds. No wind dared to stop him as the clouds were of royalty. When he reached, Ring could see his lover sitting on the rock looking at the sky and waiting for him like every day. He could not whisper because the winds would recognise him, and so he wrote up a note explaining the condition and concluded the letter by saying that if she wished to transform, she should shoot the “Orun’s Spear” in the Temple of Irma. He also informed her that the next full moon would be the day of transformation if she so accepted.
He left the letter, binding it like a scroll, and it reached the mermaid. Now it was her turn to make the choice, and for a while, she was in a dilemma. She knew that if she intended to transform, she could no longer meet her family, and if she stayed, she would lose the love of her life and be forced to live with an unknown king for the rest of her life, compromising many unseen qualities.
To her, the decision was hard, but she thought about it for a while before deciding to inform her younger brother. But she damn well knew that he would stop her. The next morning, when the sun rose, she prayed to the Sun God for protection and threw the spear. Noticing it from the sky, Ring was overjoyed to see the spear from his window and immediately summoned the saint to inquire about further instructions.
• • •
The saint began by explaining to Ring that if the mermaid were struck directly by lightning, she would die, and if she saw it, she could become blind. So the saint insisted that the Prince should himself set forth, sitting at the edge of the lightning and kiss the mermaid. He promised that the lightning would reach the required distance and also assured that the clouds being used could produce lightning without thunder.
As promised, the old one managed to bring the Bright Lightning Clouds from the Temple of Ornus and Ring’s mother assured to keep her husband busy that night while the generals were given a party in Wine Showers. Winds were called off for that one night by the queen. Ring set out on the bright clouds, reaching the golden stone, and so did the mermaid.
Surprisingly, that night, Merpeople King woke up hungry and found his daughter leaving the fort. Curious where she was going, he started to follow her. The mermaid soon reached the golden stone and sat on it, eagerly waiting for her first kiss. She was overjoyed with the new life she was going to start. Soon enough, Ring also reached, and the Merpeople King was watching the whole thing from far beneath the sea. He stood still, wondering why the clouds were so bright. All of a sudden, he could see a bolt of huge lightning erupting out of those two bright clouds after they dashed past each other.
He could see a young, beautiful boy sitting on the edge of the lightning travelling towards his daughter. Merpeople King rushed forward to drag his daughter out of danger, but he was too far. Ring reached, sitting on the lightning towards the golden rock, closing his eyes and kissing the red, juicy lips of his lover for the first time. The next thing Ring could see as soon as he opened his eyes, lying on his bed, was his Jewel standing before him as one of them.
II: Ocean’s Twirl
Long back when King Hast was just a prince, his province was ruled by King Luther. Luther was a master administrator and an intellectual king. All his years, he spent learning from the “Scholars of Nature” to make the Sky Dynasty the most prominent of all creations. At last, he got to know that the only way to protect his subjects was by constructing “The Charred Gates”, for which he summoned the “Teleports from the Ethereal World.” He ordered them to build the gates and offered them freedom from the Sky Dynasty once and for all, and even promised to waive the tribute they paid for the worlds they occupied.
On the other hand, the merpeople feared that the Sky Dynasty would become invincible if the Charred Gates were built. So, all three kings of the Sea formed an alliance, the “Scar of Octopus”, and shot up the “Arrow of Driger”, which was the only non-godly warhead that could reach the sky. With the arrow, the gates were wholly destroyed.
But King Luther never gave up. He ordered the Teleports to rebuild it, but while construction was underway, he passed away. After him, Prince Hast took his place and, not knowing his predecessor’s intentions, proposed shutting down the project to avoid wasting any more gold. The council of Sky Castle also voted that the Teleports be given no freedom and asked King Hast to stop construction immediately. Being young and inexperienced, King Hast called off the undertaking, accepting the council’s advice.
One of the three kings who attacked with the “Arrow of Driger” was King Marin. As years passed by, one day King Marin’s daughter, Princess Arial, shot up the Orun’s Spear and travelled up the sky with a lightning kiss. Although King Marin knew what would happen if he got too near the lightning, he still rushed ahead to save his daughter, blinded by love. Love that left him blinded.
After being blinded by lightning, King Marin’s councillors wanted him to abdicate due to the insult his daughter inflicted on them by marrying an outsider and a Sky Prince. King Marin knew they were right in their anger but asked for only one favour: to let his son be crowned. He asked them to let Prince Mrinal succeed him. However, the councillors refused. It was stated that the people no longer held any respect or honour towards the royal family after the shameful incident. King Marin knew he could not fight them and had no choice but to abdicate. Many subjects of his wept for what had happened, but they could not do anything as it was God’s command that the “Sky & Sea should never meet and it was their own princess who had broken the word of God.
• • •
Days passed, and Marin’s family began living in the “Basin Crater,” which was ruled by no king. The massive tent accommodated more than ten thousand families. One day, while Mrinal was picking up some fruit, he saw a man in ragged clothes, his face covered by a hood, coming towards him. The man asked Mrinal to meet him outside the market, and as requested, Mrinal met him there. The man was a teleporter named Nimble who had worked in the construction of “The Charred Gates” during King Luther’s reign.
He asked Mrinal if he really planned to win back his throne. Before Mrinal could even answer, Nimble sensed what Mrinal wanted. He then revealed that “The Colossal Flame” would grant Mrinal everything he wanted and vanished. Mrinal returned home and questioned his father about the flame, only to learn that it was a myth.
He was told, “Long ago, God Janus promised that if the Sky Dynasty were ever to be defeated, only the ‘Colossal Flame’ would help.” The next day, Mrinal travelled to the “Shrine of Wisdom”, which answered any question when asked. He asked the shrine whether there was a “Flame of Colossal” and whether someone could light it.
The shrine replied, and Mrinal heard it as his internal voice: “Yes, there is such a flame, and Mrinal could be one of the few eligible royal members who could light it. However, to know more, he needs to offer a sacrifice.”
Mrinal immediately cut off his right hand without a second thought. Impressed by his determination, the Shrine offered him a Diamond hand and instructed him to summon the “Masters of Flame” and order them to make arrangements. Mrinal returned home, narrated all that had happened, and expressed his intentions. His father, being wise, foretold that he would, in the end, achieve nothing, and asked him to stop his reckless mission. However, Mrinal saw his mother suffer and recalled that he had been denied the throne for no fault of his own.
• • •
Prince Ring was, at last, reaching his time to ascend the throne. He knew he had to accept responsibility and rule, even though his people were highly disappointed with his recent decisions. He started attending council meetings, and one day, as he returned to his room, Princess Arial walked up to him and whispered in his ear that he was about to become a father. Ring’s happiness knew no bounds. He hugged her and walked to his father’s chambers to inform him of the good news.
When he reached, he could see General Sparkle talking to his father. Excited, Ring shouted that he was going to be a father. King Hast, rather than being joyful, was stunned as he presumed there was no such possibility. He immediately asked General Sparkle to send a healer to check on it.
Ring was surprised to observe that his father was not pleased. He knew his father loathed him, but he thought time would change him. As soon as General Sparkle left, King Hast asked Ring to lock himself inside the Lightning temple until he ordered him to return. Ring asked the cause, but could see his father was troubled to even respond. So he reached the temple, and the temple priest explained why he had been ordered to remain locked inside. King Hast ordered all Teleports to ensure his son’s safety until the next sunrise.
• • •
Mrinal finally achieved everything he had planned and was now left with just one task to complete. Just before he began, his father said again, “Son, you shall never rejoice, not even for a minute of what you are about to do”, but Mrinal did not care. He walked towards the centre of the dent, lifted his diamond hand and ordered the “Masters of Flame" to start chanting.
As they chanted, the water around Mrinal started to whirl, and at the eye stood Mrinal, dominating everything. King Hast employed a lightning strike, but that was the least effective. Soon, within minutes, the whirlpool turned so fast that it began sucking the clouds from the sky, and with the clouds came members of the lightning world. They could not hold to anything, and even if they did, nothing stopped the force of the whirlpool. As they fell, Mrinal chanted the holy name of Janus, and from his diamond hand erupted the “Colossal Flame” that touched the sky, burning, turning everyone it touched into ashes.
However, with the help of the teleports, King Hast tried to save most of his citizens. King Hast also deployed the best of all teleports, Nimble, to catch his son from falling into the “Colossal Flame”. With time, the suction increased, and sooner rather than later, the force ripped open the temple doors. Ring caught God’s feet and pleaded for protection, but God, as before, never responded. Ring shouted for one last time and was pulled down. King Hast, who had just been caught by a Teleport, could see his son falling. He commanded Nimble to protect his son, and Nimble just smiled before vanishing.
Prince Ring was burnt alive while thousands of Teleports just watched him fall into the flames. Tears poured from the sky in the form of rain, and Mrinal finally realised his quest for revenge was complete.
He ordered the Masters of Flame to stop, and within moments, the twirl stopped. On his achievement, Prince Mrinal was offered not just his throne but the whole command of the sea. Finally, he achieved what he desired, but as his father repeatedly stated, “Not only was he unhappy, but the guilt burned him inside that he made his sister a widow.”
III: The Sparkling Sky
The Lightning province had never been attacked like this before. The twirl’s suction destroyed everything and took innumerable lives. Following Nimble’s betrayal, all other teleports left too, and King Hast immediately called in for a senate meeting at the Hall of Glory as it was the only fort left. People protested while senators walked in, and when the meeting was about to begin, they had to shut all the doors and windows to quieten the room.
Healer Lucile walked in and whispered to King Hast that Princess Arial had given birth. King Hast got tensed as his nightmare had come true. He asked the healer how long it had been and learned that only a few minutes remained before the Meteor King Prime arrived.
King Hast knew that, according to the Divine Law, if two different races decided to live together, their children would be members of the Meteor family. This was a curse from God Eplims a long time ago, and every child born in such a union is taken by the King of Meteors along with his Pathmakers.
King Hast announced to his council that Princess Arial had just given birth to an egg. Whispers crept into the chamber with the announcement, and before long, even the sound from the horns on the Meteor ships was heard too. All citizens who were waiting before the Hall of Glory stared in amazement as they had never seen ships that huge. From a ship emerged one thousand guards bearing silver wings, and they cleared the path for their king to walk. Young King Prime walked into the castle, and his Pathmakers followed him.
King Hast stared sternly at him; however, King Prime did not even care. He just laid his hand open before everyone for the egg. King Hast hoped to talk his way through and tried to say a word, but King Prime’s stare left no room for words.
• • •
Emperor Mrinal finally visited Priest Zaver after repeated requests from his ministers. Mrinal asked the priest to predict the future of his people before being told, “Five thousand flying men would come to kill you, Emperor. They shall make the sky sparkle and everything in your vicinity shall be covered by your foes and your empire shall become a myth.”
Mrinal sat in stunned silence for a while, and so did the priest. Breaking the peace, Mrinal asked, “Oh, Master! How shall I protect my people from this peril?” to which the priest replied, “Son of Marin, the prophecy of the colossal flame also says that the man who could kindle the flame can also unleash the locked souls of the sea.”
Mrinal looked for a detailed explanation. Understanding his curiosity, the priest continued, “Long ago, nine sons of Immorta, the supreme commander of Sun’s Army, asked his sons to arrest Queen Julia of the sea. This was because she loved Prince Celo of the sky so much that she wished to build a bridge to reach him. The nine sons reached the sea, and on seeing her, they were attracted to her. God Immorta cursed them to live in their dreams in the Cave of Slumber until The Flame Creator would come to wake them up. Before Immorta could attack Julia himself, she got married to Celo. Furious, Immorta destroyed the whole bridge and vowed to make her tale a myth. As intended, Immorta succeeded in making her legacy a myth, but the weapons and people who were involved are still left behind.”
The next day, Mrinal reached the Cave of Slumber, where the sons of Immorta were arrested in slumber. Mrinal walked near the golden door, placed his diamond hand on it, and it opened. He could see nine charming princes standing in surprise, gazing at their liberator at last. They bowed in reverence, and Mrinal asked them for help.
• • •
The egg hatched after a month, and King Prime saw a young boy with blue wings come out of it. King Prime’s happiness knew no bounds as they were at last blessed with a boy after a long while. King Prime named him Hailer and assigned his personal Pathmakers to train him. It took more than five years of intense training for Hailer to be called an accomplished warrior.
Meanwhile, King Hast rebuilt his province and ordered all his generals to prepare to unleash the Sparkling Sky to make the creations of the Sea pay for their crimes. The Sparkling Sky was the most powerful attack as per his strategists, and it was gifted to Celo from God Janus long before Janus gifted the colossal flame to the sea. In this attack, thousands of lightning strikes would hit the sea and kill every unprotected merperson within seconds.
Meteors had only one festival, and it was celebrated whenever a comet passed by their world. So a prediction was made that a comet was passing by, and all sons of Mother Verina, the Goddess of Meteors, were asked to make a wish. Hailer wished wholeheartedly to learn about his family, and that night a fairy appeared in his chamber and told him where they lived. Though Hailer wanted to know more, the fairy disappeared. The next morning, he went to King Prime to ask for permission to go to Sky Dynasty and meet his mother. King Prime smiled and refused, as it was against their law to allow any members to leave their world without a valid reason.
Not accepting the rejection, Hailer demanded again, and this time King Prime replied, “Your father was burned to death, and your mother may not even be alive. Why would you even want to go there?”
As soon as Hailer heard King Prime, he drew his sword out, and King Prime smiled, looking at him. He walked near Hailer and looked straight into his eyes before slicing off Hailer’s left arm. One of the Pathmakers, named Erin, who witnessed the incident, helped Hailer by taking him to the healers. That evening, when Hailer woke up, Erin asked him, “How much time would you need to meet your mother?”
When Hailer replied in two days, Erin promised him that much time only if he promised to attack Mrinal with ten thousand meteors in return. Curious to know what harm the sea Emperor caused, Hailer asked, “Why?” to which Erin replied, “Teleports were the slaves of Meteors until they betrayed King Hast to live with Emperor Mrinal. I want them to learn the cost of betrayal.”
Noticing how Hailer is still not convinced, Erin continued, “King Hast is my stepbrother. Since my parents were Celo & Julia, I was born with wings, and I had to say goodbye to him. However, I would not wish him to suffer.”
Realising all his wishes would come true if he agreed to fight Mrinal and make him pay for the insane crime against his father, Hailer took the opportunity. Following the acceptance, Erin immediately cast the spell of reverie, which made every councillor rest for two days in their dreams. Hailer then went to the Sky province and met his grandfather. King Hast’s happiness knew no bounds on seeing his grandson. Hailer later met his mother, Arial, and, after their reunion, he informed her of his plan to attack Emperor Mrinal and asked her whether she agreed. Arial did not say “No”, and the next morning ten thousand wings flew towards the sea. Before they reached the sea, Mrinal, with the help of teleports, raised ten thousand merpeople above the sea. Blessed with six hours above the water by the shrine, which gave Mrinal his diamond hand, the forces of sky & sea met.
All the meteors were surprised and making the best of it; Mrinal’s army attacked. Not bothering to lead, Hailer rushed to attack Mrinal while Mrinal led his men and just kept defending himself. During their fight, Mrinal pleaded with Hailer twice to stop, while Hailer didn’t bother. Before Mrinal pleaded for the third time, Hailer’s sword almost got near Mrinal’s neck. Holding the sword with this diamond hand, Mrinal realised Hailer is a lost cause. Breaking his sword, Mrinal clipped Hailer’s wings.
• • •
Throughout the battle, Arial sat before Faren, the God of Sacrifice, and prayed for protection from the clutches of death. When Hailer fell towards the sea, the meteors started retreating. Consumed by anger, King Hast ordered the Sparkling Sky to be unleashed. When the command was about to be put into execution, King Prime, accompanied by Erin and thousands of meteors, attacked the Hall of Glory. The soldiers of the sky could not hold the attack, and as King Hast fought with King Prime, Erin pierced his sword into Hast’s leg, making him kneel.
Erin smiled as he saw his younger brother kneel. He remembered being refused the throne simply because he was born with wings. Not only was he shipped off to the meteor world, but he was also told he would never be allowed to return.
Glancing at his brother crying in pain, Erin said, “Though we are brothers, I was born alone to Celo and Julia. Unfortunately, I was their first son, and since they were of two different races, I was born into a mixed-race family, but you were considered a blessing even when you were not born to them… your grandson is as foolish as you. All that I ever did was give Hailer a chance to attack and make sure that King Prime catches you in the act of ordering sparkling sky. So that King Prime can arrest you and Emperor Mrinal, who plotted everything, would win against your poor grandson.”
King Hast gave in and was arrested. With no successor to spare, the Lightning world was given to the last member of Hast’s family, Erin.
• • •
On finding out what happened, Arial took the dagger and vowed in her anger before the God of Sacrifice, “I, daughter of King Marin, hereby curse Emperor Mrinal to witness the death of every one of his race and the price I pay is –” saying it, she slit her wrists.
Meanwhile, King Prime healed Hailer, and since he did not have his wings anymore, he was made a slave. God Faren, on the other hand, was pleased with Arial’s sacrifice. Noticing how she suffered all her life in pain, God decided to fulfil her last wish and set forth a plague.
As time passed, merpeople died in large numbers, and King Mrinal begged God Faren for mercy. However, Faren never caved in. Mrinal remembered how the priests said that God Laren had not responded to Ring’s request when he was being pulled into the colossal flame, and realised it was his turn now to face the wrath of the Gods. Mrinal lived until all his family, friends, ministers, and people were dead. When everyone he loved died, he sat on his throne holding his Trident, and for one last time, he looked at the lonely hall before killing himself.
Credits
This story was written by R. S. Chintalapati, edited by Edlyn D’souza, & Manognya Bethapudi and illustrated by Sravani Dhulipala.
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