It got worse. He did not know how or when exactly, but it did.

The change in ambience was not sudden, it worsened gradually, with each sway of tail. With every move of fins, with every inch advanced, they saw the vines multiply. They grew even bigger and lengthier. With each daring move, they sunk more into the depths. And all was tangling in this sickening black. It pulsed, alive; a massive wild congregation of what should not be considered life. They had not seen the worst of it yet, however.

Matthew had been keeping a preventive distance behind Alon, always holding himself while he eyed every vine. All of them made something in his mind scream a million times, begging his survival instincts to surface.

Alon did not seem to have, or at least show that fear. His expression was determined. Yet even he began to show tiredness after a while. The mass was growing with each minute, and soon… their way was blocked. The only path that led forward was barred by thick red seaweed. In between two huge rocky walls tangled three long pulsing threads, which almost seemed to cage what was past them. More seaweed loomed over and around, covering everything. The rocks rose tall for the surface, and it would be a waste of time to swim up again, because they had sunk a lot.

Through these vines, they had to go through them, no other way. It was this, or swimming up, perhaps losing progress if they found thicker blockages. Something that Alon did not wish for. They had struggled enough between this dense darkness to cower back now.

Alon let out a growled snarl, which almost made Matthew have a heart attack, still expecting to hear a snarl from a shark. He did relax once he saw it had only been him. His big fists were clenching, his black tail tensing, floating in front of the wall of seaweed.

Matthew gasped, because Alon slammed his hands around two of the three threads on their way. His sharp teeth showed as he began to pull fiercely.

“I’m going to rip these…!” Both hazel and silver eyes narrowed in slight surprise, because the seaweed only bent a little. “W-what the…“

They seemed to be thicker and stronger than the black ones they had been seeing. They had a slight trace of red, were sharper, and perhaps more alive. Both mermen had to cower backwards. Even Alon was baffled to no end, finding himself unable to break them, not even if he pulled with all his strength.

Those threads were there for a reason. Their presence over this opening was meaningful. It was an entrance.

Both mermen yelped, because the threads suddenly lashed, forward, towards them. The vines moved away from the rocky walls to loom around them, their fleshy red skin dividing like hair, almost forming sharp claws as they parted. After dodging, Matthew was the first to take some distance, and with reason. Alon did not swim to a side like him; he blocked the swipe of one thread with his own hands. Another one soon tried to lash at the brunet, who wisely choose to just keep dodging, only one hand.

His hazel eyes filled with fear, finally seeing something scarier than a merfolk with sharp teeth. There was a mass of black flesh rising over them, unending… blocking any light that had reached them from above. The seaweed behind them moved too, forming a thick barrier that trapped them, only the depths ahead left to flee to.

Alon let out a loud yell, his hands finally ripping the vine he blocked into two. He looked down, seeing Matthew there, just staring at the lurking mass.

“Matthew!” He blinked and looked back at Alon, who pointed a hand forwards, commanding. “Move through!”

He followed his pointing. His teeth clenched in fright, seeing that the opening was no longer guarded by those three threads, which had moved away to try to stab.

“A-are you crazy?!” Matthew shook his head, raising his hand to it. “Right into where these things come from?!”

“They come from everywhere now, dammit! It’s our best bet!”

The way back was gone now; the black vines were tangling with each other, forming an even thicker mass. It was almost as if they had sentient thoughts. Alon doubted he would have enough time to break the black ones flanking them, not before those three red ones stabbed them. Indeed, the central red vine rose up again like a snake… ready to pierce through.

“Move!”

Alon slammed himself against Matthew. He did not care about being harsh, just grabbing him and pulling him out the way. The brunet was only able to flail slightly while he carried them both through the opening. They sunk into a void, into the depths; and there, there was black seaweed again, no sharp red ones.

The three bloody threads seemed to hiss above them, tangling again to block the entrance, pulsing stronger. Their shiver ran through all the mass, for it was all connected.

Alon’s eyes opened wide. Matthew downright stared frozen. A million tunnels of black flesh were upon them. The depths were a dark labyrinth, vast and wide. The mass had consumed the abyss that the depths had been. There were a million ways in which they could swim through, where to get lost in. The seaweed loomed and parted to create cavities all over, enclosing the waters like living walls.

“I knew this was not a good idea…”

Alon only nodded slowly.

—————–

 

Far below, all was red. From a great distance, the sight would have resembled a pulsing heart, red in its core, parting into huge black veins. Inside it, a figure slept.

Shivers ran down her neck and spine, in a continuous coldness. But now… something else made her tremble. Her azure eyes opened, almost glowing in the dark. Her figure finally moved again.

She had been lying upon a small nest of red soft vines. Her tail was brushing them gently, her head resting onto her arms. But now, she sat up. Her eyes sharpened as she gazed up slowly. The vines inside her skin pulsed, for they felt stronger echoes. Something had moved above. Whatever it was, it had brushed her most remote threads and vines. Something had dared to break her blockage, there to ensure nothing unwanted neared. Not while she rested.

“Only one fool would near and be able to break them.”

Her voice tangled with knowledge, from two minds. One commanded, while the other was barely an uncaring echo. Those whispers were not blind, but they lacked any love that was there before.

She felt the hits on the vines, strong, fierce. The sways in the waters above were big. It could only have been one thing.

“Alon.”

His name was spoken uncaringly, almost with boredom. But her eyes were not as indifferent. There was determination as she rose up, finally moving after having focused on rising her mass higher. Her slender gray tail did not reflect any light as she moved between red and black. There was no light around her.

There was confidence in her gaze… and bloodlust.

——–

 

They swam rather quickly. Matthew was struggling to keep his breathing steady, his arm, tail and fins moving in fast sways. Alon was advancing surely, but as fearfully. They were swimming through in a big passage made of seaweed, its walls pulsing around the water it kept trapped. They both could hear the seaweed moving from where they came from. It was surely sharpening, enclosing. Wherever this path led, reaching its end had to be better than turning around. They at least had to find a way that led to the surface.

Alon looked back over his shoulder and back fin, always making sure Matthew was close enough; he deeply regretted putting him in danger. He could see he was still following, even if tiredly.

Good…

He let out a sigh, keeping on swimming ahead. They both had enough space between the walls of seaweed to move without touching any. For now, the mass was not parting to try to stab them. They just had to find a way out before it did. Because it would… it soon did. Matthew’s eyes suddenly widened, and his hand dashed to point forward.

“Red vines!”

Alon looked ahead again, just in time to see bloody threads emerge from a wall of black seaweed, out of nowhere. They swung, aiming for their fins and necks.

Matthew huffed, letting his fins open fully, making him lose speed. Meanwhile, Alon, who did not have as many appendages to unfold against the flow, used his drive to sink himself lower. They dodged the swipes by inches. While they stumbled to regain their balance, the vines hid again into the blackness, like if they had not been there at all.

Fear was sometimes useful, for it made Matthew look sharply, faster than Alon. He spotted first the new bundle of bloody threads that had emerged at their sides. They began to loom over them since the very moment they dodged.

Matthew no time to warn before they dashed down; they tangled tightly around Alon’s tail and frame, before he had time to float upright. In a second, he was yanked, swallowed into the black seaweed below them, which opened to let him sink like a maw. In that second, their eyes met in a slowed moment, as they tried to raise their hands, only managing to brush fingers… And then the mass enclosed once more, between them.

A few red threads remained, flailing inside the huge black path. They lashed about for a few seconds, in which Matthew cowered back, managing to dodge their cuts. He braced himself as much as he could without colliding with the walls, waiting to be stabbed or dragged away too. They could have, but they didn’t. For some reason, they did not reach for him.

Matthew could only float there in shock, seeing the bloody threads seemingly relax, recoil calmly. They stopped shivering and began to hide back in between the black mass, the walls tangling in the depths. He was alone, completely so. Somehow, he even could swear that the seaweed behind him had stopped crawling closer, the huge black veins pulsing less intensely. They did not seem to have an interest in trapping or reaching him… and so, he slowly glanced down at the spot where Alon had sunk, worry stabbing deeper than any fear. The seaweed below his tail did not look breakable, no hint of them ever having parted.

With the knowledge that the way back was less dangerous now, he could have easily fled back to that opening. He could have. His head whipped up, to glare at the darkness ahead. The vein sunk deeper, no end in sight. But it did lead down. Not a single sound escaped him as he bolted, forward.

He was terrified, wary of those bloody threads knowing of his presence and emerging to stab him. But he was more scared of what they could do to Alon below.

———–

 

He could barely see anything, all was black around him. Loud growls escaped him, his whole body trashing in the water and mass of seaweed. His long big tail kicked fiercely, his fists slammed sideways. Yet he could not pull them off.

The merman huffed, feeling them tangle around him, dragging him down, slowly. He still kept on pulling, moving wildly. He could hear some snap, he was breaking some. But it was not enough. He winced and let out a small gasp, feeling them dash more fiercely, move. Yet he was gladly surprised to find out they did not stab… but let him go.

He was now in a dark void, what he could call a cavity. They had dropped him down, slammed him onto the rocky floor. He looked around him, slowly floating upright. He was in between tall rock formations, out of that fleshy labyrinth above. But it did not mean it was any better. He squirmed in disgust… his hand letting go of the floor he laid on. For red seaweed was crawling on it, and he could swear the threads had caressed him, mockingly. They tangled all over, against the once brown and black depths.

Alon kicked his tail down, pushing himself off and away from them. He floated in a defensive stance, expecting the threads to lash at him again, perhaps emerge from the shadows behind him. There was silence for a long while… something that made him even more wary and fearful. His worst fear was the unknown, uncertainty.

Or so he thought. It was more terrifying to see two eyes glint in the shadows, which met his. It was horrifying to realize they had a slight azure colour in them, so familiar and once full of life. And even in that horror, he could only stand there and watch as her figure slowly emerged from the thick blackness. She revealed herself, silently, leaving him to whisper her name.

“…I-Iara?”

His silver eyes stared unfocused, seeing her indeed. But it was not the mermaid he knew. She floated pridefully; not with the smugness she once had, not humble or friendly, but high and arrogant. Her eyes were cold, eyeing him like he was nothing. He could swear there was hate. But what made him shiver most was what he could discern behind her. His instincts kicked in; realization dawned when her eyes glinted in red, the long dress of seaweed pulsing and caressing her while she spoke. There was no care or love in her voice.

“Weren’t you afraid, Alon?” A smile grew on her lips, accusing mockingly. “Or is it that you regret letting me go?”

He had refused to listen to her, ignored her calls. He could see the seaweed, tangling all around her, sunk into her neck. Her gaze was not hers, unnatural. Still, he slowly raised a hand towards her, daring to question.

“W-what… happened to you?”

Trying to near her was a mistake. Alon hissed, eyes widening. Bloody vines had risen around him, some managing to slash slightly his skin. It now burned, cut faintly. She leaned her head and erased some distance. Her teeth showed in a grin that would have made his heart melt once… now, skip a beat in dread.

Iara was laughing; her eyes closed for a moment as she whispered sweetly, yet so differently.

“What happened, you say?” She opened her eyes, and her irises pierced him right through, grin never faltering. “I needed help, Alon. A help you refused to give when you could have. Now, think; I managed without it. I found the means to achieve my wishes, without you. I have found something even greater than what I wanted. And now, I have no reason for you to be near. There is no reason for your existence. You are just a trace of something I must forget…”

She got what she wanted. Her wish was granted. And he had no part in it, even if he made her despair.

Alon could see a strong trace of magic tangling in her eyes; the seaweed was tight around her neck. But he could not know that her words were manipulated, her mind tainted to erase all love. There was no trace of her. Yet her voice still sounded familiar and beautiful, only its intent changed. She sounded too much like the caring mermaid he met.

He could not ask her why, or how. Not when one of her arms lashed down. He had to dodge once more, turn around and swim away. Because four masses of red seaweed had risen around her to lunge down, almost cutting where he had floated. None managed to stab him, not yet. In a second, he had leapt and put a big distance between them, dashing into the darkness. But he heard a flow… and so, he kicked his tail to look back slightly. She was right there, following him, her eyes never leaving him.

Alon looked around himself for a second. He could keep swimming, blindly, avoid her lashes; but now it was clear to him… that she wanted him to. She was chasing for fun; the black walls around him were parting as he swam, letting him try to flee. Eventually, she would catch up. And part of him… did not fear that. And in that knowledge, he stopped swimming. He stopped dead on his tracks, the mass around him seemingly surprised, shivering. She did not halt, however; he could feel the current she made behind him. As he turned, he saw that she was dashing for him, firmly. The seaweed around her loomed like claws, ready to stab. And still, he called, heartbroken.

“Iara, stop! Please, listen!”

It was a mistake to think she would. His eyes widened, seeing her take more speed, her body leaning into an offensive stance. She was ready to strike, in just a second. Her eyes narrowed, one vine rising. She calculated her next stab, which would go right through his heart. She was going to kill, sure of herself… until something got in between.

The mermaid gasped, halting in a shocked sway backwards, her vines shivering. She moved away just in time, in reflex. Her azure eyes fixed into hazel ones, as shocked as hers. But they were more determined, full of indignant anger.

Alon blinked, seeing Matthew in front of him. His hand was still up, what had pushed him back, to allow him to face her instead. His fins were open and tense, his body right in between as he glared, even leaning towards her while she cowered in surprise.

There was a second of silence. One that Matthew broke, seeing she had halted and backed away, taken aback.

“Finally found you!” Matthew did not realize that she was recovering from her shock, not having expected him to be around. Her eyes were slowly narrowing while he yelled at her, not knowing she had murderous intentions. “W-what the fuck are you doing, Ia?! What the hell is your problem?!”

He was too angry to discern her state of mind. He was too caught in the moment, desperate to understand her past actions. Alon saw, he knew better. Matthew had not seen her trying to stab, only dash. He could see she was trembling. Her head was bowing down, as if pained. At the same time, the seaweed around her rose subtly, over her shoulders and around her. They were sharpening, while her gaze seemed to be painted in red.

It was clear to him, that she was readying herself to lash out, in a reflex outburst; one that he did not comprehend. But he understood that Matthew was in between, and that he was what she suddenly growled at, in fury.

Seaweed moved. But so did Alon. Matthew wheezed when a strong hand latched around his frame, pulling at him. At the same time, sharp red vines missed by inches his chest. His hazel eyes finally recognized her intentions. He finally saw that she had tried to stab them both; she was not trying to corner and beat Alon, but something far worse. She wanted to kill.

He had not been able to think that before, not even if he saw her near Alon with that mass on her neck. His heart filled with doubt; his trust for her faded completely as he was dragged through the darkness.

Alon was not looking back while he tried to move them both away. For he could hear the now-familiar sound of vines dividing, sharpening. He heard her let out a loud growl, agonized and raging. Matthew was almost frozen, staring back while being dragged, his eyes filling with fearful wonder for what he was seeing.

Iara was holding her head, screaming. It felt like it would crumble upon itself, those hazel eyes telling her something. Part of her could remember everything, but it was foggy for the other. Her own thoughts told her she wanted him dead, desperately. She could recall their names, yet it hurt to do so.

The mass of seaweed around them moved. Alon gasped, seeing it all twitch and lash wildly, crumbling dangerously over them. The sudden outburst and commotion made some vines untangle from the rocky surfaces. There was now an opening in the dark, big enough to enter, small enough to hide. That hole led into a small rocky cavity, which could shield them.

Alon heard Matthew scream, the sound of a long swipe too close to their tails. Iara cried, clutching her hands tightly around her eyes. After a few seconds, she lowered them… just in time to see them both dash into the opening, avoiding the seaweed lashing about, her whole mass undone. The voices in her head grew louder, screaming for her to strike. She needed to kill, end them. There was a promise of peaceful tranquillity once it was done. Her azure eyes watched unfocused as the vines around her began to move on their own. They hit the rocks where they hid, making them crumble slowly onto themselves.

They would have been crushed inside… if a scream did not echo in her mind. The vines soon let out discomforted hisses and recoiled from the rocks, in pain. Their host was trying to think too much, not having expected the sight of hazel eyes. She had only expected silver ones.

She was struggling and reaching for memories. And so, the seaweed moved away, to focus instead. Iara panted, feeling a sudden calmness. Her thoughts were clear once more, all voicing the same. Her eyes glared at the darkness, a tired snarl escaping her. She calmly eyed the small cavity, her figure standing still for a minute, pondering.

The voices called, lulling her to go down, deeper. They begged for safety, for her to move away from ones that would only harm her. She could hear words that would make her weep and feel agony.

That human should have been dead. He should have found his demise after his wish was granted. A shark should have done his part. All should have been settled… but it was not. And so, she swam down, all the seaweed around her trembling, weak. The mass was broken, by her conflicted and still young shared will. She left, trusting her own thoughts, which called her under, below. She headed back to a safe hidden place, one that no one knew about. She could not afford to lose what she had won.

The mermaid disappeared between thick black, her tail and fin followed by her long bloody dress. Two mermen held each other, panting for breath, hearing the vines flowing outside. The opening had been blocked with rubble, by the fierce slams they heard and felt. They did not dare move yet, not even if they only heard faint sounds after a while, things they could not discern.

They just braced themselves, waiting to be crushed at any moment. The two wondered why she was gone, not herself anymore. Her eyes were empty, unable to see them.

She was not the loving mermaid they knew anymore.