Bab 13: Escaping from the Marine Museum
"We need to head to the marine museum immediately," Ophelia declared, grabbing her backpack. "Angus, any ideas?"
"I'll attempt to send a text to the others. If any of them responds, it means the situation might not be dire, and we can gather information first; if they don't, then the marine museum could be facing significant danger, and we should strategize before entering," Angus quickly responded, following through with his plan.
"In the meantime, I'll look up the museum's layout and identify their probable location. There's an exhibit dedicated to pearl history, and I suspect they might be there," Angus analyzed. "It's quite distant from the entrance, potentially exposing us to unexpected risks in other sections."
He promptly sketched out the fastest route on a piece of paper.
"No messages yet?" Ophelia inquired.
"None." They shared a glance, realizing that the trio must have encountered a considerable challenge.
They swiftly crafted a plan. Ophelia would sneak into the museum to locate the others, leveraging her unique power to ensure her safety. Meanwhile, Angus would remain outside, vigilant for any unusual activity, and alert Ophelia if he spotted anything out of the ordinary.
Virtualizing the fastest route in her mind, Ophelia discreetly entered the museum, blending in with the regular visitors. Swiftly passing through several exhibitions, she bypassed the captivating marine displays without pausing to admire them.
It wasn't until she reached the Mermaid exhibition, adjacent to the Pearl exhibit, that her attention was captivated by the lone mermaid positioned at the center of a large aquarium.
Lying on a bed of coral, the mermaid's back was turned towards the onlookers. Ophelia's intrigue wasn't solely due to his beauty but was sparked by a sense of familiarity from his posture.
Matching his back to the cheerful young man, Nixon Goodmane, an Ecology student, Ophelia was struck with disbelief. Could it be? She shook her head in astonishment.
When the mermaid flipped over, revealing his face, Ophelia nearly cried out in shock. The implications were staggering. Was he yet another infiltrator like Isaac in the previous world? Or had he been forcibly transformed into a mermaid?
Nixon noticed Ophelia and swam towards the glass, repeatedly knocking on it in a desperate bid for her attention. Though he was mouthing words, the water rendered his speech inaudible.
"Nixon!" Ophelia observed that his tail was injured, trailing faint traces of blood. His awkward movements suggested his legs, now his tail, were hurt. "Oh, Nixon, how can I help you escape this?" She surmised that his pain and reaction discounted him being a spy.
Ophelia considered breaking the glass to free him, but the possibility that he might not survive in the open air if transformed into another species gave her pause. It was evident that he was no longer entirely human, as he could sustain extended periods underwater without an oxygen supply.
Nixon struggled to communicate more clearly, altering his movements in an attempt to convey his message. "Ir-vette. Ir--vette." He reiterated Irvette's name.
"Do you want me to find Irvette?" Ophelia inquired, confused by his message. Unable to hear his response underwater, she watched as Nixon gestured towards the exit leading to the History of Pearl exhibition.
"Alright, I'll find her," Ophelia resolved. Confronted with a choice between rescuing Nixon or following his instructions, she trusted that Nixon had reasons for directing her to Irvette. Opting to follow his guidance, she left the room.
Sending a quick text to Angus, she sought his assistance. "Nixon has turned into a mermaid and is trapped in the Mermaid Aquarium."
"I'll investigate," Angus swiftly replied, providing her some reassurance.
Upon arrival at her destination, Ophelia noted the eerie absence of visitors. The Pearl of Sirenia radiated an enchanting and mesmerizing light from its elevated display. Her incredulity mounted—was the item required for the compulsory task really just placed here without any security?
However, considering Nixon's transformation, coupled with Irvette and Lindley's mysterious disappearances, Ophelia was certain that the situation was far from simple.
Inspecting the Pearl's description more closely, she found it aligned with Angus' findings from the newspaper—a relic obtained by the Queen of Estoc during a sea adventure. Her confrontation with the mermaids guarding the Pearl culminated in the Queen securing her prize, though it involved the demise of the mermaids.
"The Queen killed mermaids for the Pearl?" Ophelia discerned another thread linking the Pearl to the mermaids—a connection spanning the enigmas she'd encountered thus far. She sensed a grim undercurrent beneath the Pearl's grandeur, signifying the death of numerous creatures.
Yet the history offered no insight into the Pearl's disappearance; it was as if it had always been within the Mermaid Land.
Suppressing her urge to seize the Pearl and accomplish the mission, Ophelia recognized that her teammates' vanishing indicated that this direct approach wasn't the solution.
Given the lack of security, she discreetly snapped several photos of the Pearl and its description, sending them to Angus for analysis.
"Intrigued by the Pearl?" As Ophelia focused on sending the message, a handsome young man materialized before her, seemingly out of thin air. His voice held an ethereal quality, evoking distant oceanic depths. Yet, he stood firmly on both legs, indicating his humanity.
Ophelia's wariness escalated upon encountering him. Though her instincts weren't as sharp as Lila's, she was certain this man transcended mere humanity and held connections to the mermaids beyond her understanding.
"I find it exquisitely beautiful," Ophelia feigned an air of nonchalance, emulating the tone she'd used while acting with Angus at the library. "I've heard that powdered pearl possesses beauty-enhancing properties. However, I'm not interested in such uses for this precious gem; it holds greater significance."
"You desire to possess the Pearl, don't you?" His voice resonated with a bewitching charm, attempting to manipulate Ophelia's desires. "Its powers extend far beyond physical beauty. Owning it grants you the ability to shape reality according to your wishes, to bring any of your imaginings to fruition."
His words carried an enchanting sway, subtly influencing Ophelia's thoughts.
Momentarily disoriented, Ophelia found herself inexplicably drawn to the Pearl.
The trance was broken by an unexpected interruption. "Excuse me, sir." Angus cleared his throat loudly, diverting their attention away from the exit. "What do you think you're doing with my wife?"
The abrupt address yanked Ophelia out of her entranced state. "Wife? Angus, who are you referring to?"
It then dawned on Ophelia that her current position atop the exhibition table had been Angus' clever ruse to snap her out of the handsome man's mental grip.
Swiftly descending and distancing herself from the Pearl, Ophelia inquired about the mysterious man's whereabouts, only to realize he had vanished.
"He's gone," Angus reported. "He likely intended to prey on visitors in this room, but he left upon spotting me. There seems to be some sort of rules or limitations governing his actions."
Ophelia was grateful for Angus's timely intervention. She had begun to feel that her enhanced abilities and equipped weapons were sufficient for dealing with dangers, yet this encounter had proven otherwise.
"What about Nixon?" She remembered the task she'd assigned Angus.
Angus's expression grew somber. "He's dead, Ophelia," his voice devoid of emotion.
The news was almost too much to bear. Nixon had been lively and cheerful just moments ago, even attempting to communicate with her despite the underwater barrier that silenced his words.
Returning to the Mermaid Exhibition, a notice affixed to the glass announced that the mermaid had passed away due to illness. Nixon's body had been removed.
"What happened to him?" Ophelia's voice trembled.
"I witnessed his death," Angus recounted flatly. "The joint connecting his hips to his tail was inflamed and bleeding profusely. He was in agony when I found him."
Ophelia's eyes welled up with tears, a mixture of grief and guilt for failing to protect her team.
Angus then revealed another crucial detail. "I also noticed that the man who attempted to mesmerize you had legs that didn't match his skin tone at the top," he divulged. "I'm not certain, but he might be trading people's legs in exchange for their lives."
"So, he's a mermaid," Ophelia conjectured. "Could it be a power of the Pearl? A power to exchange things freely?"
"That's possible. But it's evident we can't wield the power in the same way as them. He lured you to touch the Pearl, suggesting that doing so would render you under his control," Angus explained. "Staying here isn't safe; we need to leave immediately."
Concerns for Irvette and Lindley still weighed on Ophelia's mind, fueled by Nixon's cryptic message. "What about Irvette and Lindley? What could've happened to them?"
"They likely encountered the mermaid as well. They could be mesmerized, transformed into mermaids, or worse, dead," Angus delivered the harsh truth. "We'll search for them once we have more leads, but for now, we must depart."
Considering Angus's perspective, Ophelia concurred. Together, they hurriedly exited the exhibition. Luckily, no one accosted them, and they departed without further incident.
While escaping, Ophelia had a question in mind: Where were Irvette and Lindley?
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone