49. Siren
"Aurelius!"
At dinner time, Aurelius was about to go and eat but was stopped by Skender.
"What?" Aurelius walked over, and Skender held his shoulders and whispered, "Hey, young man, I know that at your age, you're full of energy, but there are some women you shouldn't touch."
Aurelius replied with a confused look, "?"
Skender observed his expression, smiled, and gave him a playful shoulder bump. "That girl is very upright, but she's also very dangerous."
"Are you referring to the Nagini?"
Skender nodded. "She's almost done for..."
"What do you mean?"
"When she was nine years old, she came to the circus. I've watched her grow up. No one knows her situation better than me." Skender patted Aurelius on the shoulder and motioned for him to sit down.
"When she was younger, around eleven or twelve years old, she would only transform into a snake when she was scared. But do you know that now, she unknowingly turns into a snake whenever she falls asleep?"
"I had no idea, but why are you telling me this? Well... I don't have any intentions. I've been collecting materials, haven't I told you?"
"What?"
Aurelius smiled and said, "I plan to travel for three years, and then I'll write a travel diary about my experiences during those three years. Blood-cursed people are rare, so I'm just gathering material for it."
Skender replied unexpectedly, "So you're not planning to work long-term?"
He felt a bit disappointed; he wanted to keep Aurelius! That Zouwu was very attached to him, and a trainer who could train a Zouwu was unique.
"I haven't thought about what I want to do in the future. Finding a career path is one of the purposes of traveling." Aurelius shrugged.
Skender sighed in relief.
He laughed heartily and patted Aurelius on the shoulder. "Listen here, boy. You and I are cut from the same cloth. We both hate following the rules, staying in one place, and waiting to die. Trust me, there's nothing worse than being stuck in the circus. You should experience different scenery. Running and traveling endlessly will only bore you."
After saying that, Skender laughed and walked away.
Aurelius furrowed his brow slightly and muttered to himself, "Should I buy a thick and dark book first?"
In his previous life, Aurelius spent years lying in bed. He despised that kind of life. As Skender had said, it meant "following the rules," "living in one place," and "eating and waiting to die."
This is one of the reasons why Aurelius has been so eager to cause trouble after time traveling. Of course, the pressure to survive is the main reason. However, the bitterness from his previous life resurfaced due to the pressure, and whether he admitted it or not, he was somewhat influenced by Obscurus. This emotional influence gradually seeped into his changed personality. Aurelius did not expect that Skender could see his hidden character in less than a month, despite their infrequent contact.
"He is pretending! He's undercover!" Aurelius thought to himself.
Skender, who travels and meets countless people, can easily see through Aurelius' act. This is evident.
Aurelius is only in his twenties and has spent years lying in the ward. In terms of social experience, he is no different from freshly graduated college students. So how was he able to appear innocent in front of Grindelwald so easily?
With his deceptive skills, Aurelius managed to fool Grindelwald multiple times, which made him feel a sense of accomplishment.
If one thinks about it carefully, Grindelwald is easy to deceive because of his arrogance. Apart from Dumbledore, no one paid much attention to him. Underestimating your enemy can lead to serious consequences. Dumbledore had a deep understanding of Grindelwald's character, which is why he tried to lure Newt Scamander, who seemed inconspicuous in society but was talented, to New York.
When it comes to judging people, Grindelwald is far inferior to someone inconspicuous like Skender.
"Young..." Aurelius contemplated.
Being young is not a flaw, especially at Aurelius' age.
At the age of nineteen, it would be inappropriate for him to look like an old monster.
But now that he is aware of this, he needs to learn from experience. His goals are grand, so he must acquire the necessary skills and characteristics.
To be a leader, one must first cultivate their character. Only then can they stay calm in the face of adversity and control their interests while waiting for the enemy.
Aurelius needs to learn how to be a leader. Being a good leader may still be uncertain, but he can at least learn to appear like one.
The magic ship has been sailing on the sea for a week, and they are approaching their destination.
"The fog is coming—"
"Guys! Move! Siren City is coming!" Skender exclaimed, clapping his hands.
Aurelius also stood on the plywood, eagerly observing the heavy fog ahead. This mist doesn't seem ordinary; it must be some form of magical mist.
"Why are you just standing there? Let's go!" Carlos urged, patting Aurelius on the waist.
"Let's go back to the cabin. This fog is not easy to navigate through," Carlos smiled.
Aurelius was puzzled, but as the saying goes, "Listen to others and eat until you are full."
Everyone else started preparing to return to the cabin. There must be something about the fog that Aurelius wasn't aware of.
"La la la—ah ah—ah—"
Skender closed the hatch, and soon he heard bursts of melodious singing.
Aurelius immediately understood the reason - they were Sirens! Sirens are another name for mermaids, as described in Newt's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. These magical creatures are half-human and half-animal, possessing intelligence and civilization. They are considered a kind of subhuman, though mermaids in most areas refuse to be classified as "human."
Mermaid populations can be found in oceans and some lakes around the world, but this has resulted in the formation of various subspecies. Generally, the appearance of a mermaid is influenced by the living environment. In colder environments, they tend to be less aesthetically pleasing based on human standards. However, in the Caribbean Sea, which is a tropical sea, the mermaids align more closely with the beautiful women with fishtails depicted in Muggle legends. The mermaids living near Siren Island reside in the coral reefs. The island was named after a Greek wizard who was the first to discover it.
Wizards do not have a classification system like order, family, genus, and species. However, various merfolk species do have kinship relationships. For example, a squid is a cross between a manticore and a fire crab, although they appear very different from each other. Most people cannot distinguish between a griffon and a hippogriff, but they are indeed two separate magical creatures. In the case of Merfolk, such a classification system is not applicable since there are many differences among them.
Siren people are known for their sweet songs and vicious hearts. Their songs are incredibly beautiful underwater, as Aurelius was experiencing firsthand. However, if the sirens were pulled ashore, their screams would be unbearably piercing. The singing of sirens can also be seen as a magical ability of mermaids, as they can use it to seduce and control people, making them willing to do anything for the sirens. It's somewhat similar to an Imperio or a love potion, but particularly unique to siren singing.
Sirens are notorious for using their songs to lure sailors into the sea. Legend has it that they would tempt sailors to crash their ships onto reefs, ultimately making them the sirens' prey. However, this is not entirely accurate. Sirens do not include humans in their diet. The only reason they attack humans is to protect their territory. From the sirens' point of view, they are simply defending their country by killing those who set foot in their domain. But as time progressed, humans began to explore the world using larger and sturdier ships. Incidents of sirens attacking humans have become increasingly rare.
On one hand, the number of sirens has decreased significantly. There are now only a few scattered siren villages and a couple of major gathering places worldwide. On the other hand, it can be said that the sirens were defeated and chose to retreat from territories close to sea level.
"These songs are really beautiful," Carlos said with a satisfied expression, squinting his eyes and shaking his head. He glanced at Aurelius and reassured him, "Don't worry, the ship is magic-proof. We can appreciate the songs' beauty without being enchanted."
"I'm not worried about that. What I want to know is why the sirens attacked us?"
"Oh, that wasn't an attack; it was merely a routine inspection."
Aurelius was puzzled. He had read Newt's masterpiece, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," which documented seventy-two magical creatures. However, the book lacked scientific classification, and each creature was only briefly described. Newt wouldn't have been able to provide detailed information about the dozens of merfolk in the book.
"The Siren Island and the surrounding Siren Agreement. Wizards create a fog barrier to protect the sirens, allowing them to sing in the misty sea every day. Only those who know how to navigate and possess magic ships can safely pass through and avoid the intoxicating effects caused by the large number of passing caravans."
"It has caught the attention of Muggles..." Aurelius couldn't help but complain internally.
Siren Island is located near Cape Canaveral in eastern Florida.
And this place is none other than the infamous Bermuda Triangle, also known as the "Devil's Triangle"!
At present, the legend of the Devil's Triangle is only known among sailors. But after twenty or thirty years, when many aircraft have disappeared here, the fame of the Devil's Triangle will spread worldwide.
Numerous explorers have risked their lives in search of the truth.
As noon approached, the sirens singing in my ears gradually faded.
A city emerged on the horizon, standing amidst the waves.
"It's so magnificent!" Aurelius couldn't help but admire.
Perhaps due to the humidity, the construction reefs were damp, giving the entire city a darker tone.
The towering buildings, crookedly reaching towards the sky, had a mystical quality.
From a distance, the houses built one after another resembled a forest of strange rocks in the sea, connected by suspended wooden bridges.
We drew nearer.
More ships surrounded us.
Skender even spotted familiar faces communicating in the sky by shooting words from their wands.
Strange magical sea creatures chased after the blue waves. The gigantic octopus's arms effortlessly broke through the surface of the sea. The shark that dominated the outside world was dwarfed by its eyeballs. It devoured meat and bones with ease, caught, entangled, and swallowed by its limbs.
Groups of sirens rode giant manta rays, leaping out of the water and wielding weapons made of shells and conches. The men and women were as impressive as Nagini herself.
Only their cold gaze and vibrant fishtails distinguished this scene from a Victoria's Secret display.
They were the guardians of the sirens, also serving as mercenary coastguards.
They escorted every ship that arrived at Siren, but it was not free. The tax collector at the city gate would enforce payment.
The gates to Siren City came into view.
It was a massive arched structure with a base covered in oysters. Foliage-like marine plants drifted from the water, standing upright and swaying in the wind around the gate. Two enormous siren statues guarded the entrance.
Aurelius couldn't believe that such a grand wizarding complex existed in this world!
A wizard who wished to hide and live as a rat couldn't create such wonders.
At least Aurelius couldn't fathom the appearance of wizarding cities and sea marvels in the Harry Potter stories.
"Only ancient wizards without inhibitions would conceive of building a city like this, right?" Aurelius sighed.
"Welcome - welcome to Siren, boy!" Skender laughed, his wand glowing brightly to steer the ship faster.
The magnificent gate was almost within reach, and many ships lined up there.
Aurelius was puzzled: Since there was seawater all around, why did they need to pass through a door?
His confusion was soon resolved. After Skender dismissed the annoying tax collector, the ship smoothly glided through the waterways of Siren City, moving swiftly and effortlessly, much like Venice. In this magical city, classical modes of transportation are rendered useless, making the magic ship the ideal choice for getting around.
Despite the narrowness of the waterways, Aurelius could easily touch the surrounding reef walls by simply raising his hand. Surprisingly, however, the city never felt cramped. This prosperity, however, was limited to the wizards residing in Siren City. With only a million wizards in the world and a few thousand residents in Siren City, it is no wonder that less than ten thousand people are making a living here.
In Aurelius' previous life, villages larger than this had populations of more than ten thousand people. It made him wonder how many ships could be found in Siren City. From a distance, the city was a sight to behold, igniting Aurelius' imagination. Yet, as he approached, a sense of decay and dilapidation became palpable.
Sallow-faced individuals with thin muscles and malevolent eyes lingered on the decaying docks, the wooden boards broken and moldy. With their shirts off and numerous scars on their bodies, they wielded a peculiar semicircular tool resembling a sickle, often accompanied by a coil of rope.
"This is the lower city of Siren. You must suppress your curiosity and refrain from wandering," Skender cautioned Aurelius. "The inhabitants here are truly wicked people. Drug addicts, murderers, and pirates on the run - they will do anything for money. Strangers who enter this area become their prey. They will kill you and strip you of all your belongings, even your clothes. If you fall victim to these ghoul beings, your bones will be stewed in soup and sold!"
"...What on earth? This is so cruel."
"Um, I have a question. What exactly is a ghoul?" Aurelius inquired.
"No, they are people..." Carlos interjected.
"They are not human!" Skender corrected. "They are cultists who have sacrificed their souls to the deep-sea devil known as Kraken. These half-human, half-ghost creatures are horrific. They believe in feeding the ocean's monsters with their flesh and blood. They constantly crave human corpses, thinking it will help them grow flesh and blood more rapidly. It's truly revolting!"
"These people are deranged. Money is scarce for them, so they congregate in the lower city. There, they have a constant supply of corpses, and the scum of the lower city is more than willing to help dispose of them. Thus, the ghoul has become an integral part of the lower city."
Aurelius furrowed his brows. The reality of Siren City far exceeded his expectations. It is not an exaggeration to refer to such a place as hell on earth. I find it unbelievable that Siren City, among the nine cities in the Caribbean, is considered the safest and most orderly.
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