6. A False Memory

His eyes had to adjust to the darkness, even more than his ears to the silence. The lack of glowing coral and brightly colored fish gave the ravine a lifeless look. The passage narrowed until it became a tunnel.

Solomon seemed to know the place and swam straight in. The tunnel was gigantic, much wider than the city’s streets. On either side lay old wreckage. Ships were flattened, swords and spears brutally bent.

He saw his pupil pause at each wreck.

“Yes, a great people like the Alasti had to defend themselves against invaders. These tunnels were for transporting goods. I understand why enemy armies would attack here.”

Something tapped the tunnel wall. It couldn’t be the water—it was too regular for that. It sounded as if someone were knocking. Slupper spun around, stirring up a whirlwind of broken items, but no fish was to be seen.

Oblivious, Solomon swam on until the next turn. He carefully peeked around the corner. In his fins he held the many symbols Slupper had collected, mumbling their translations. He nodded and drifted in his chosen direction.

Something tapped Slupper’s shell. He twisted his neck, but a soft fin pushed him back. His fins thrashed wildly but hit nothing. The orange fin now lay over his mouth—screaming was impossible. He prepared a headbutt, until he saw whose fin it was.

“Calm down,” Vivienne hissed. Her fin lowered slowly from his mouth. “I want to talk to you, without Solomon here.”

“Calm down? You’re telling me to calm down?” Slupper whispered. “What are you doing here?”

“I live here, remember?”

Yes, you’re still alive, Slupper thought. That’s not normal. How old is she now?

He didn’t say it aloud, knowing how mean it sounded. And especially because he was actually very happy to see her.

Vivienne rattled on: “No, of course not. You never stopped by. Didn’t even say hi when I swam by. Too bad, we could have had something really special.”

“Then come with us. We’re a team. Looking for The Truth!”

“A team? That’s the problem! How many times must I warn you?”

“I’ve been his pupil twenty years now and Solomon has been very good to me.”

“Because he needs you! He’s only using you for his little scheme.”

“I’m stronger than him. Come with us and warn me if Solomon does anything truly wrong.”

“He’s not who you think—”

Slupper forgot to whisper. “And you? No fish lives this long. You should have died ages ago.”

Vivienne’s mouth fell open. A stream of bubbles obscured her as if it were a magic trick. Slupper murmured every apology he could think of and tried to comfort her. Why do I keep doing this? he thought.

Solomon rushed around the corner back to them. “Why did you never tell me you have a girlfriend?”

“She’s NOT my girlfriend, she’s—”

Vivienne tapped Slupper aside. She was now much smaller than him, but still as quick and erratic as before. “Oh, so modest. Yes, we’ve had a relationship for ages. So I was delighted when he invited me on this adventure.”

Solomon looked sour. “Know what you’re getting into. It’s dangerous.”

“I know, sir. I’ve lived here all my life. That’s how I can tell you this entrance isn’t safe. You’d do much better taking the next turn to the Outer Ring. There are really NO sea monsters or flesh-eating plants that way, absolutely none, not a single danger at all.”

Slupper sighed. No Vivienne, I won’t send Solomon to his death, he thought.

“We’re taking this turn. I have faith in this turn.”

“Such a devious dilemma,” Solomon said. “One says this, the other says that, how can I ever choose?”

He kicked the wall. A muffled boom echoed, then a screeching sound filled the tunnel. Slupper covered his ears against the grating din, while Vivienne flattened herself to the wall. Solomon, however, put his ear to it, closed his eyes, and looked up cheerfully a few moments later.

“After this bend lies an entrance, and I sense no beasts nearby. Follow me.”

Slupper could only follow in surprise. At the end, they indeed found an entrance: white pillars holding up a dome. It was a nice change from the gray walls. Perfectly polished stones, even larger than himself, filled the spaces between pillars. The path stopped, but Solomon’s kick made another opening.

“It’s … not very scary here, actually,” Slupper mumbled. “It looks the same as the city, just with more plants and animals.”

“The Outer Ring was Alasti’s best defense. The only reason big scary beasts don’t come into our city is because weapons in this area keep them out. Weapons that will stop us too if we’re not careful.”

Vivienne laughed. “Oh, don’t be so negative, you gigantic tadpole! The faster we swim through, the safer we are. Maybe you should lead the way, Mr. Solomon. Straight ahead, nothing but straight ahead.”

They swam from the tunnels. By now it was evening, which made sticking to Solomon’s glowing shell a good idea. Just when the passed the opening, Vivienne braked.

“You know what? I know a little side path for tiny fish. I think I’ll head back into the tunnel, take that route, and meet you at the cave. Toodeloo!”

Slupper barely grabbed her tail. “But you said this entrance was safe.”

“Oh did I? You only hear what you want to. Listen to me for once, slow-slow Slupper, I’m the good one and he’s the bad one. See? See?”

She wiggled back to the opening, but slowed down when a large shadow fell over her.

“Watch out!”

Slupper jumped in front of her, but the shadow grew even larger than him and Solomon combined.

“New plan: swim!”

Vivienne grabbed his shell. Together they raced past Solomon. He looked back in surprise and immediately understood their fear.

A grayish-blue sea creature, with blazing red eyes and teeth longer than trees, reached for them. Its back bore hundreds of sharp spines and its fins effortlessly sliced through coral.

Mud spewed upwards like a volcano. They swam through the haze, while the shadow popped up left and right. A zooming sound rang out. An arrow raced towards Slupper. Vivienne threw herself to the right, forcing Slupper to turn too and barely dodge the arrowhead.

“We triggered their automatic bow and arrow,” Vivienne yelled.

Automatic, Slupper thought. Everything with the Alasti is automatic. How? Can I use it?

Something heavy scraped over sand. On the right. a gaping maw with greedy teeth appeared.

Another arrow zoomed through the water. Slupper used the confusion to dive behind a hill. The wheezing Solomon could only follow. He saw Slupper’s red stripes below and also hid behind the hill. Their lumbering pursuer swam over them.

“He’ll notice us again soon. What’s the plan?”

“If we knew where the bow and arrow is, we could lure the sea beast there.”

“Oh, well, how convenient. You happen to have a fish with you who knows that. Aren’t I valuable?”

“Less talk, more action!” Slupper composed himself. “I mean, dear Vivienne, you’re a treasure, we need your help.”

“The bow and arrow is above the opening from which we came. If we swim back at just the right time … we might, possibly, with a little luck, take out the monster.”

“Your pep talks could use some work. Solomon, agreed?”

“Agreed, but I’ll stay here. I’m not fast enough.”

Vivienne grabbed Slupper’s shell. They swam between the bright streaks of coral, like mice fleeing from a cat through a maze.

“Hey! Sea creature! We changed our minds. We think you’re so nice and want to be friends. Come on!”

Through the mud they saw little, but its shadow was unmistakable. Within a heartbeat it loomed on their left. A third arrow landed at their feet, leaving a trail of bubbles behind.

“Now! Follow those bubbles!”

Slupper spun around like a propeller, speeding up. The sea creature was distant, but had more speed than he did. Vivienne softly counted.

“… eighteen … nineteen … now, dive!”

Slupper stopped spinning and dove down. A fourth arrow stood ready, which he noticed was as large as he. A second later, the rattling catapult fired it off.

They didn’t dare look, but heard enough. The arrow sliced through something. A high-pitched scream filled the entire sea and shortly after the ground shuddered from a loud thud.

Hesitantly, they opened their eyes and saw only a shadow in the depths. The ocean was calm again, the water clear once more. They swam aside to avoid the bow and arrow and returned to the bright coral.

Laughing and smiling, they dove behind the hill.

Solomon was nowhere to be seen.