The Legend of the Silver Pearls

Chapter 1: Naireïn

It is said that there was a time when the seas of Mireaalys trembled
under the anger of a single woman. Her name still escapes in the salty wind, whispered by sailors who fear the vengeance of the waves: Nairaïn, the witch with the green flame of the oceans.

Daughter of the wind and salt, Naïreïn had never belonged to the land. Drawn by the call of the ocean, she signed on as a simple employee on a merchant ship, dreaming of distant horizons and forgotten legends. But beneath the sails of the ship where she served, a darker truth lurked. It was not a merchant ship, but a trafficking vessel, loaded with a treasure thought lost for centuries: hundreds of pearls, locked in a mahogany chest, gleaming with an almost living radiance.

It was said that these pearls had been stolen by the sirens, that these treacherous creatures had robbed men of what was most precious to them. But when he discovered the ship's hold, Naïreïn understood the deception: the real thieves were men themselves. They kept alive the myth of the thieving sirens to cover their own pillaging and resold the pearls at high prices, enriching themselves on the legends that they themselves had distorted.

But the truth never remains hidden for long on a ship. Naïreïn was discovered. Thrown into the hold, her wrists bound, she suffered the punishment reserved for traitors. It was there, in the shadow of the salt-soaked wood, that the crew discovered her secret. On her arms, from wrist to elbow, ran two thin, pale scars, birth scars, vestiges of an ancient heritage: the power of the green flame, a rare gift of the witches of Mireaalys, capable of shaking even the abysses.

The captain, a despicable man with a heart as black as the ink of the depths, did not believe in legends. To him, a witch was just another woman, more dangerous perhaps, but just as weak. But in order not to take any risks with a creature like this, he had her dragged onto the deck under the impassive gaze of the crew, and without a word, he threw her overboard.

But Naïreïn was not alone in her fall. In a final movement, she clung to the captain, dragging him with her into the darkness of the ocean.

The waves closed in on them. The water was heavy, cold, and the salt burned her skin. She struggled against the man, her breath trapped in her lungs. The captain's blade tore through her arm, slicing open her scars with a clean slash.

Then the water began to boil.

A storm suddenly arose out of nowhere. The waves swelled like furious beasts, and in the dark abysses, a strange light flared up.

Naïreïn had released his power without really knowing how to grasp it.

The sailors, witnessing the unimaginable, saw the ocean itself rise at his will. Flames of unearthly green leapt from beneath the water, dancing among the eddies as if the abysses themselves were catching fire. The captain screamed before being swallowed by the darkness.

When the storm subsided, Naïreïn drifted, unconscious, clinging to a broken plank.

Hours later, the crew found her. No man thought of imprisoning her. They had seen the sea recognize her. They had seen the fire glow beneath the water.

So, one by one, they knelt down.

On that day, a woman became a witch and a witch became a captain.

But Naïreïn had no use for treasures. His first order was clear: find the sirens and return what had been stolen from them.

Chapter 2: Serena 

The merchant port was a place of incessant noise, of goods piled under colorful sails, and of the shouts of merchants calling travelers to buy their goods. The sea breeze, heavy with salt, blew through the aisles. Naireïn, dressed in her simple dress but marked by the elegance of a lace-trimmed corset, slipped among the stalls. Her eyes observed everything, scanning the horizon for opportunities to advance in her quest.

Serena, for her part, stood out among the crowd. A renowned merchant, she had the look of a determined woman. Her eyes pierced the mass of people like arrows, searching for the slightest crack where a good deal or a valuable object might be hidden. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and a calculating smile often played on her lips.

When their eyes met, it was like a flash in the night. Serena stepped closer to Nairein, her sharp gaze seeking to pierce the true nature of the young woman before her.

Serena smiled, but with piercing eyes announced herself

- You seem… different. Not the type to be here just to buy fabrics, huh? You're looking for something, aren't you?

-I'm looking for answers. Not treasures. Naireïn replied.

Serena smirked, intrigued, and retorted.
- Answers… Who says it’s not the same thing? The sea always has treasures to offer, and sometimes, even answers. I could show you a place where the wind blows stronger, where precious things are hidden, if you want.

Nairein knew that Serena was far from ordinary.
-I don't need treasures. The legends that haunt this sea are far more interesting.
Chuckling softly, a glint of mischief in her eyes Serena laughed:
- Legends, huh? You really think mermaids are just legends? You're venturing into dangerous territory then, my dear.

-I don't believe in legends. I believe in what I can see. And sometimes, what you see is not quite what you think.

Coming closer, a look of defiance and curiosity in her eyes Serena whispered in Nairein's ear:

-Well, I believe that legends can be transformed into treasures. And you… you seem to be the key to discovering one. 

- I'm not looking for treasures... but maybe you have something I'm looking for. What do you know about mermaids?

-Mermaids? I've heard stories, like everyone else. But I know one thing: they have treasures. Treasures that they hide in the depths, under threatening waves. And maybe... maybe one day, I'll find one of their secrets.

Nairein's gaze grew more piercing, she felt that Serena knew a lot more than she wanted to let on.

-If you think their treasure is just a collection of gold coins, you are wrong.

Serena laughed softly
-Never underestimate what you can find where no one ventures. What seems worthless can become the most valuable object of all.

-So, show me what you found.

A victorious smile, as if she had just won a small battle Serena walked away, turning her back on the young woman.

-It's all a matter of knowing where to look. Follow me, Nairein. I know where the real treasures lie.

Later, far from the bustle of the port, Naireïn and Serena sat under a large oak tree, off to the side, where the sounds of the world seemed muffled by the leaves. The wind blew gently, rustling the trees, bringing a strange serenity to the air. Naireïn, pensive, gently stroked the bag containing the pearls, her eyes fixed on it, her tone calm but resolute.

-I must return them… These jewels are treasures, but they do not belong to me. They are shell jewels. They were recovered from sacred places in the sea, but it is not mine to keep them. 

-You really want to give them back? Those jewels? Do you think the mermaids deserve them? They steal from sailors, they call them to lose them in the abyss! They kill them! They are the ones who cause shipwrecks, not innocent creatures !

-Mermaids don't steal sailors, Serena. It's men who cause these shipwrecks. Mermaids... They react. They are the guardians of the sea. But these jewels... I believe they have a deeper meaning. I want to return them to the sea, to their origin.

-You are naive, Naireïn. The sirens probably stole them, they collect them like trophies. These jewels are only signs of their cruelty. Do you really want to give them what they stole? They have caused us enough suffering. They killed my father, and that is why my mother disappeared… How can you trust them at all?

Naireïn let out a sigh, his voice becoming softer, almost sad:

-I understand your pain, Serena. Believe me, I understand it better than you think. But it is not the sea that is the cause of all this. It is the men who betrayed, who lied and killed. The mermaids… they only responded to their pain. They are the keepers of the secrets of the water, and I believe that these jewels must be returned to the sea.

Serena, whose eyes were shining with a glint of anger, stood up abruptly and replied in a bitter tone:

- You don't see what they are, Nairein. They manipulate. You see them as lost creatures, but they are monsters. And you want to give them these jewels?! Why not keep them for yourself and use them to rid us of this suffering? That's what I would do.

Naireïn stood up slowly, her voice quiet but firm, she approached Serena and in a calm tone whispered:
Because that's not what I want, Serena. It's not for me. If I keep them, what difference would it make? Nothing. It would just be another story about power and possession. And I want to fix what's been broken.

-Fix? But the sirens don't want to fix it! They only want their power. They won't thank you, Naireïn. They'll just see you as an intruder.

- I don't do this to get thanks, Serena. I do this for the sea, for those who were forgotten, for all those who never had a voice. And even if they don't thank me, it doesn't matter. I chose to give them back.

Silence fell for a few moments, Serena's gaze fell on Naireïn, then on the canvas bag, her tone softened:

“ I… I still don’t understand, Nairein. I can’t see what you see in them.”

Slowly approaching Serena, placing a hand on her shoulder Naireïn whispered
-You don't understand yet. But you will eventually. Sometimes you just have to trust, even if you don't know everything. I'm just asking you to follow me, first. We'll see what happens.

Serena looked down, whispering-
Maybe....

Serena, wary but intrigued, didn't let her go alone. If Nairein was right, then she wanted to see this truth with her own eyes.
Perhaps she was still driven by greed.
Maybe she wanted to make sure Nairein wasn't cheating on her.
Perhaps, deep down, she was simply hoping to understand.

So two women, united by doubt and mistrust, set sail towards the legends the world refused to believe.

And the sea, silent, awaited their arrival.

Chapter 3: Alva

The taverns at the end of the world are full of merchants and pirates, of fables and lies. Sailors exchange treasures, rumors and promises they will never keep. But among them, only one woman dared to say out loud what no one would admit.

This woman was Alva.

Naireïn and Serena met her in a port city forgotten on maps, where weary ships sometimes died, where sailors lost their fortunes and their souls in dank taverns.

Alva was unlike any other Pirate.

She was dressed like a man. Wide sailor's pants, leather boots worn by salt water, a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, and a long captain's coat that she seemed to have inherited from a mysterious past.
Her brown corset, once designed to contour a feminine figure, had been cut to only hug her waist, transformed into a pirate's waist cincher.

She wore her clothes with confidence, without trying to hide who she was. Her natural charisma was unsettling: at once imposing and gentle, strong and elusive.

She immediately caught the attention of both women.
After all, who better than a pirate to help them?

When Nairein and Serena told her about the pearls and the mermaids, she listened in silence, impassive. Then she smiled, a bitter smile.

- Do you believe these stories too? she asked, crossing her arms.

- You mean the legends of the thieving mermaids? Serena replied defiantly. The ones that snatch sailors from their ships, swallow up riches and bewitch men?

- Those very ones.

A silence falls.
Then Alva burst out laughing.

- Men are nothing but lies. So why believe them?

Her words hit like a lame woman.
Serena, who had spent her life hating these creatures, felt a crack opening in her certainties.
Naireïn, who was searching for answers, felt a shiver run down his spine.

- You say that as if you know the truth, Naireïn murmured.

- No. Only mermaids know the truth.

A freezing wind whistled between the masts of the sleeping ships.
Alva placed his hands on the table and leaned towards them.

- But what I know is that what men say is false.

- How can you be sure? Serena asked.

- Look around you, look at them. All as greedy as each other.
and … also because I saw mermaids.

A shiver ran through the young women, who felt that calm had returned to the tavern. Dozens of glances fixed on these 3 women at the table.
Serena clenched her fists. This was impossible. No sailor could survive an encounter with these creatures, much less a woman alone.

But Alva wasn't lying.

“ They weren’t as they were described, ” she said calmly. “They didn’t sing to attract men, they didn’t plunder ships. They fled.”

- They were running away? Naireïn whispered, making sure no one heard them.

- Yes. As if they were afraid. As if they were afraid of something much more terrible.

A silence stretched between them.
Then Alva stood up confidently before taking a sip of beer.

- I can take you to where I saw them. A hidden bay, at the end of the seas.

Serena and Nairein exchanged a look.
It was rare to see a mermaid. Very rare to be able to approach them.
But they had no choice.

If they wanted the truth, they had to go to the ends of the earth to find it.

So, under the pale light of an aging moon, a pirate, a witch, and a sea merchant set sail for the unknown.

Where the ocean jealously guarded its secrets.

Where legends were no longer tales.

Where the sirens waited.

Chapter 4: Izoria

The boat arrived at its destination after a long journey but the water was strangely calm.

The three young women waited a long time, watching the water, but nothing.

Nothing but silence.

-There's nothing! I was sure of it, Serena whispered.

-No, there is something wrong, replied Alva. It's the men!

-Men?

-Yes, we should go alone. Move forward with the boat. They might be less afraid. The ship is full of men and even if they have sworn to follow you Naireïn, they will remain hidden in their presence.

The mist floated around the boat, enveloping the three young women in a heavy, almost suffocating atmosphere. The water was calm, but the silence was so dense that it seemed ready to burst at any moment. Naireïn held tightly to the mooring, his eyes scanning the horizon waiting for something, or someone. Serena, always on guard, scanned the shadows in the mist, while Alva, calmer, observed the water, trying to understand the depth of this silence.

Suddenly, a furtive movement, a flash of scales, caught their attention. A figure emerged from the water with the grace of a legendary creature. Ysoria, the mermaid, appeared, her dark hair floating around her like seaweed. Her eyes shone with a wary light, staring at the three women.

-Why do you come here, humans? This place is sacred. Water is not your domain.

Serena stood up, her sword ready, challenging her with a look.

-Legends say you are traitors, that you lure men to swallow them. We do not come as enemies, but do not test my patience.

Ysoria narrowed her eyes, her cold gaze sliding over the young woman.

-The men came… and they all disappeared. But you, you don’t seem to be men. Why should I believe you?

Alva, who had been watching the mermaid with some understanding, leaned forward. His soft but firm voice cut through the growing tension.
-I have seen you before. Long ago… in the mists of the harbor, when the waves hit the rocks. You hid in the shadows, but I caught a glimpse of you.

Ysoria seems to hesitate, her eyes widening slightly as she observes Alva more carefully. A slight shiver runs through the mermaid, but she remains silent.
-You… You saw me?

-Yes. But I'm not here to hurt you. I come with my friends, looking for a truth, not a fight.

Ysoria looked into Alva's eyes, searching for sincerity. The wind blew gently, lifting the mist, but the atmosphere remained tense. After a long moment, Ysoria turned her attention to Naireïn.

She stared at the scar that marked her arm, the skin still slightly red around the wound. Scales that had formed near the scar glowed with an eerie light, as if reacting to the mermaid's presence.

-This mark… It's old. It's not a simple injury, is it?
Naïreïn raised his hand to show it more clearly, and his voice was calm, almost melancholy.

-It's a memory of a fight with a man, a captain. But… something else woke up in me afterwards.

Ysoria stared at the scar for a moment, her eyes searching for the mystery. Then, finally, she seemed to relax a little, the distrust slowly crumbling.
Still suspended between the sea and the mist, she stared at Naireïn for a long moment. Her voice almost died away in the whisper of the wind as she spoke the words that broke the silence.

-You're not like the others... " She hesitated, then murmured with a flicker of doubt.
What do you want, humans?

Naireïn clenched her fists around the rope of the boat, feeling a strange warmth emanate from the scar that still marked her arm. She took a deep breath, as if each word she was about to say carried a heavy secret.

-I hold a treasure… a treasure that I want to return. It does not belong to me, and it should never belong to those who took it.

Ysoria seemed to tense, her gaze searching Nairein with an almost supernatural intensity. She lowered her head for a moment, thinking, before answering in a lower voice, full of distrust.

- A treasure… That you want to return? And why would that worry you? What are you hiding?

Serena, who had been watching the whole scene with almost feverish vigilance, spoke up, her tone still tinged with suspicion.

-Mermaids don't give anything for nothing. Why should we tell you this without being sure that you won't hurt us? After all, nothing is ever free with creatures of the sea.

Nairein turned her gaze to Serena, a glint of sincerity and impatience in her eyes. She placed a hand on the surface of the calm water. A slight whirlpool formed on the surface of the water.

-You can believe me. This treasure is not for me. It is something that belongs to your world, to your sea. And I want to return it before it destroys what is left of this kingdom.

Ysoria stared at Naireïn for a long time, her eyes seeming to probe his soul. The mist around them grew thicker, and the air took on a palpable tension. A long silence stretched before she spoke again, her voice less acerbic but still tinged with doubt.

-I don't know if I can trust you, but something in your eyes... tells me you're telling the truth. She paused, seeming to weigh her words .
Come tonight, to the Bay of the Veiled Seas. There you will find what you seek. But be careful… this is not a place for the faint of heart.

And in a flash of scales and mist, Ysoria disappeared, leaving behind a calm but mysterious sea. The three women remained silent for a moment, their eyes lost in the mist that stretched across the horizon.

-She spoke of the Bay of the Veiled Seas. It is an ancient place, known to the sirens, but rarely visited. It is about a day's boat ride away Murmura Alva

- I don't trust that creature. But if what she says is true, we have to go. Serena replied.

- This treasure… we must find it before it does more harm.

In the thick fog, the boat glided slowly, carried by the current. The wind blew gently, bringing a salty, almost mystical smell. The three young women looked at each other, determined, but the weight of the secret they carried seemed even heavier now. The sun was rising, and with it, a new mystery that could well change the course of their adventure.

Chapter 5: The Silver Pearls

Serena, her gaze filled with skepticism and fear, scanned the horizon.

“ We should have gone back ,” she whispered, her voice full of doubt. “ Look at this storm! The men are right, it’s a trap. It’s too dangerous.”

But Naireïn, without even taking his eyes off the sea, answered in a calm but determined voice.
-This is not the time to turn back. We chose to be here.

And indeed. A storm is coming.

Alva, for her part, seemed more serene, but her eyes betrayed a dull tension.
-She called us. We have to go all the way.

The waves were crashing with force, swallowing up the world around them, making every movement uncertain. After several hours of precarious navigation, they finally saw a place that was extraordinarily beautiful, but clearly impassable. Huge rocks rose from the ocean floor, forming a natural cirque. The sea was calming down slightly, but the place seemed both magical and threatening.

“ This is it,” Alva said, staring at the rock formations with a flash of understanding.

“We can’t land there with the boat,” Serena replied, wariness still present in her voice. “We have to continue, on the boat.”

Without hesitation, they got off their ship. Loud voices, shouts, were heard behind them.

The men on the ship, frightened by the violence of the storm and eager for treasure, had made a decision.

-The mermaids have treasures! We must follow them! cried one of them, and soon a mutiny broke out among the sailors. Voices were raised, demanding their share of the booty, while others, more fearful, still hesitated.

The three young women tried to reason with them.
- We are not here to steal their treasure, Alva shouted, but the men, blinded by greed, were too far from any compromise.

Nairein, his eyes shining with a fierce light, ordered the other two:

- take the chest and get on the boat, leave now! I'll join you!
Without another word, the two young women hurriedly climbed onto the boat, their hearts heavy, while Naireïn cut with a sharp blow the rope that held the boat aloft. Then, his eyes fixed on the troop of enraged sailors.

With a quick gesture, she drew her saber and prepared to face those who threw themselves at her. But before the violence intensified, Naireïn raised his arm, covered in the bright scar.

“ That’s how it all began,” she cried. “Don’t you remember? Have you forgotten what we had to go through? Have you forgotten our promises?”

-You're going to lead us straight to our deaths if you continue to insist on making friends with these creatures ! shouted one of the men, motivated by the others

-We are not here for charity! But to survive! They are the cause of all our misfortunes so I say they must die ! Answer another man

“So you leave me no choice, ” she whispered in a breath, as if to herself. She let the glow of the scar take over, and in a flash of wild energy, a whirlwind of fire and water was unleashed around the ship. The whirlwind engulfed the entire ship, the flames dancing among the furious waves. The storm took an apocalyptic turn, swallowing everything in its path.

On the surface, Naireïn emerged slowly, almost majestic, like an apparition from the depths. In the silence then, she swam, implacable, towards the boat where her two friends were waiting for her.

When she reached their side, she silently climbed aboard, soaked but calm, glancing at the trunk. Her two friends looked at her, shocked but without a word.

The wind blew hard, howling through the mist like a raging beast. The raging sea tossed their boat from side to side, but the three young women stood firm, their gaze fixed on the horizon. The ship behind them, now lost in the darkness of the storm, seemed doomed as well. The water beat against the hull with unheard-of violence, and the wind whistled like a constant threat as the fire consumed what was left of a once majestic ship.

And a few long minutes later, the storm behind them already seemed distant, as if it had never existed. The calm of the bay, however, offered no comfort, only a heavy silence, an expectation.

“You had no choice, ” Alva said in a deep voice, finally breaking the silence.
The men were ready to do anything. It was the only way to stop them.

Serena, still wary, looked down at the sea. She didn't dare speak, but an invisible fear could be read in her eyes.
-The sirens… what will happen?

Nairein remained silent, staring at the water before them. His scales still glistened in the moonlight, and his arm, though calm, seemed marked by an indomitable energy.

A few moments later, they saw a huge rock, surrounded by several small rock formations. These formed a perfect circle around a space, which seemed like a lost temple, a sacred arena.

They landed, their feet soaked by the icy water. They had come closer, slowly, as if the sea itself had guided them.
The silence persisted as they waited. Time seemed to stand still. The mist continued to envelop them. The waves were the only thing breaking the stillness of the scene.
Serena, her eyes fixed on the emptiness of the ocean, couldn't help but whisper, her tone filled with doubt:

-I'm sure. She lied to us. She manipulated the men, and we lost everything… There's something behind all this.

Alva stared at her, calm but resolute.
-Be quiet, Serena. This is not the time to doubt. What we have seen, what we feel… It is the sea that guides us. It spoke to us. The mermaid told us that the sea would judge us, it was surely not a metaphor.

Serena looked at her, still skeptical, but a shiver ran through her.
-What if she betrayed us?

But Alva did n't answer. His gaze fell on Naireïn. The scar, still visible, seemed to sparkle in the moonlight.
-Look around us , she whispered.
We are here for a reason.

The calm, however, did not dispel the strange feeling of danger. They were at the heart of the circle, where everything was going to change.
Long minutes passed until night had fallen and only the stars lit up the waves.

And then they arrived.

Each one breathtakingly beautiful, perching individually on a rock around the young women in a perfect circle. The silence thickened, a palpable tension in the air as the sirens surrounded them, their piercing gazes fixed on Nairein and her friends. Serena, her eyes fixed on the sirens, couldn't help but whisper, her tone filled with doubt:

-I'm sure it's a trap

Alva, his face impassive, replied in a calm but firm voice :
-Shut up, Serena.

Nairein, however, remained silent, watching her arm with a strange concentration. The scales, now more visible, seemed to spread further, reacting to the use of her power. She felt the heat of the power within her, a force she had only just begun to understand.

Then, suddenly, a mermaid appeared, majestic, far more beautiful than the others, her brilliance surpassing anything they had seen. At her side, Izoria, the mermaid they had met that very morning stood to her right, her eyes shining with ancient wisdom.

Miraë, the queen of the mermaids, stepped forward. Her gaze was deep, unfathomable, but a glimmer of curiosity lit up in her eyes.
-I am Miraë. And you, who are you, those who are the only survivors of this shipwreck?

Naireïn, with calm and dignity, came forward in turn.
-I am Nairein. This is Alva and Serena. We come from a ship at sea. And… I have something for you.
She opened the chest she carried, and the pearls shone, catching the light like stars captured in the sea.
The sirens exchanged glances in shock. "A treasure?" one of them whispered, while Miraë observed them with a new intensity.

-Where did this treasure come from? Miraë asked, a slight suspicion in her voice.
Naireïn explained calmly: “
-I was working on a ship. A chest was discovered, and I realized that it did not belong to missing sailors. I decided to return it to its rightful owner. This is not stolen loot. This is a return to the origins.

The sirens murmured among themselves, some hesitant, others more skeptical.
-Don't believe them , said one of them, pointing at Alva,
-They are pirates!

But Izoria occasionally intervened, her voice firm and full of wisdom.

-She speaks the truth. My queen, look at her arm. Look around you. The ship burned, and that is not a siren power. Do you think she would have destroyed her own ship just to fool us?

The whispers grew louder.
-Don't believe them, said the other mermaids.
-Men fooled us too much. So they sent women in their place.
 

However, Miraë, who had not taken her eyes off Naireïn, was slowly swimming closer to her. She seemed to be flying in the waters. Her fingers delicately brushed the scar on her arm. She stared at it, and, in a flash of understanding, her gaze transformed. She understood. She knew it.

“A long time ago… ” she began, her voice trembling with emotion.
When I was still human…

-Human? Alva whispered, surprised.

Miraë continued, her gaze immersed in memories:

- I lived in a distant village, on the edge of a raging sea. There, the women born with this scar on their arms were the daughters of Primeria, the first green witch. Laënia's daughter.

The three young women listened attentively, and Naireïn, curious, asked:

-Are you from Mireaalys?”

Indeed Laënia is a very important character in the history of the continent. She gave birth to the very first witch with the green flame. And since then this hereditary power traveled across the continent.

-Yes, it was a long time ago. I was young, full of dreams, until everything was washed away by the sea. But the sea called me, drew me when I lost everything. That's where I met Elyria, who took me in.

Alva stared at Miraë, not fully understanding.

-Elyria? Are you talking about your goddess?

Miraë answered in a soft but powerful voice:

-Yes, Elyria is our goddess. We offer her our tears, and she transforms them into pearls, like this one.

The three young women turned to the treasure of pearls, and suddenly the truth burst into their minds.

-The pearls… are they the tears of the missing sailors' wives? Serena asked, her voice full of understanding.

- Yes. They shed their tears for those lost at sea. They cry for those who never got to return.

Serena, her throat tight, asked
-But if you cry for the sailors, who makes them lose themselves at sea?

Miraë's answer was simple and full of meaning:

-Their own greed.

Silence fell, heavy with this revelation. But before the atmosphere could refer, another event occurred.

Miraë turned to Naireïn, her gaze full of gravity and wisdom, as if each word she was about to say carried the weight of ancient knowledge. She then looked at the pearls spread out in the chest, observing their brilliance with a gaze that was both astonished and respectful. She touched them, seeming moved by stories that only she could understand.

Her gaze is heavy with memory and emotion. The sea, calm around them, seemed to listen to every word, every whisper she uttered. After a silence, she continued, her voice becoming deeper and marked by the weight of the past.

-Men discovered pearls, the treasures of the seas. They saw in our tears a power that they did not understand, but that they wanted to possess at all costs.
She paused, the sirens around her exchanging glances, before she continued in a voice filled with pain.

-Some, taken by greed, have mistreated women, or have captured mermaids hoping that they would shed those tears that they could harvest. But what they did not know is that only tears shed for a missing being turn into pearls. They subjected us to horrible treatments in the hope of seeing our tears turn into jewels. In vain. So to hide their perfidy, they hunted us down, spreading dark legends about us.

The three young women listened attentively, feeling more and more overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation. Miraë turned her dark eyes towards the chest of pearls, before continuing.

-They stole them to sell them, to exhibit them, without understanding that each pearl is not just a simple gem. It is a soul, a pain, a memory.
And since then, we have been forced to hide. They have made us invisible, mysterious, and they despise us. They treat us like monsters, like ghosts.

Tears… pearls are the tears of our mothers, our sisters, the wives of sailors lost at sea. Each pearl carries the story of a missing man, of a lover lost because of the greed of men.
It is greed that causes their disappearances. Every shipwreck, every breath of storm is caused by the madness of men. They believe the ocean can be tamed, but it is a mirror of their hearts.

A heavy silence followed her words, and the sirens looked at each other, their faces marked by anger and sadness. Miraë continued, sadness overcoming her wisdom.

-They killed our freedom. They destroyed the beauty of our world, and we had to hide, to flee.

Alva, his fists clenched, looked at the sirens.

-It was their greed that brought all this about, their lack of respect for who you are, for who we are.

Naireïn stepped forward a little, his gaze fixed on the queen.
-But you survived. You resisted. You have this treasure.

Miraë nodded slowly.
- Yes, we survived. But it was not without pain. We had to flee under the waves, under the shadow of the rocks. We had to make ourselves invisible. But thanks to this treasure, we are still here, us and our truth.

She then turned to Naireïn, and a silence fell. The two women stared at each other for a long time, their eyes filled with understanding and respect. Miraë placed her hand on Naireïn's arms, touching the witch's scar.

- You did what we did not dare to do. You faced this world, you broke the chains of lies. For that, I thank you, Naireïn. The sea chose you.

Nairein, moved, closed her eyes for a moment. She had always known that her destiny went beyond what she imagined.
-I just followed my heart, but I'm honored to be here.

A silence fell between the two women, a suspended moment, before Serena dared to ask a question.

-But… if the sea chose us, why?
Miraë, with a slight smile, turns to Serena, her eyes softening.
-The sea has chosen you, because each of you is linked to us.
You are here for very specific reasons.

The three young women turned to her, their eyes full of expectation.

Miraë slowly turns her head towards Serena.
-Serena… The sea has chosen you to find a lost being, someone you thought was lost forever. It is up to you to bring back hope where there seemed to be none. And let fly away the veil of anger that has fed you for so many years.

Serena felt a wave of emotion wash over her. She knew exactly who Miraë was talking about, but the prospect of seeing her mother again still seemed too unreal, a shiver running through her body.
Miraë turned her gaze towards Naireïn, and a smile full of wisdom played on her lips.

-Naireïn, you… you have another role. That of following your own path, of accomplishing great things. The powers you possess, this green flame within you, is there to guide you. For a reason I do not know, it merged with the oceans. You are the key to a fragile balance, you are the guardian of the seas as Elyria once was.

Miraë's words resonated deeply within Naireïn. She knew her journey was only just beginning.
- I will do whatever is necessary
she answers simply, but with unwavering determination.

Finally, Miraë turned her gaze to Alva, and a spark of recognition shone in her eyes.
- And you, Alva, you are the one who will restore the truth, who will spread it throughout the world. You will carry this truth, and your story will be told. You were the first to approach us, to understand us, to believe us. You must travel the sea, travel the lands, to awaken those who sleep, to restore balance.

Alva nodded, his gaze burning with fire.
-I will take this truth with me, I will carry it across the oceans. Those who hear it will know. They will know the truth.

The sirens began to speak softly among themselves, murmurs of agreement and blessing. Miraë, with a look filled with kindness, gestured toward the horizon, where the sea seemed to call beyond the mist.

- The sea has chosen you, and you will fulfill your destinies. The sea will guide you, but remember, it is truth and hope that must lead you. And some things lost then may well be found again.

It was then that Serena, trembling, felt a familiar presence. A soft whisper, a figure emerging from the water, and before she could react, a gentle, familiar hand rested on her shoulder. She turned slowly, her eyes filling with tears.
-Mom… ?

The mermaid smiled softly, her eyes shining with tears as well.
-Serena… I'm sorry. I didn't get to say goodbye. But I'm here, always here.

The two women threw themselves into each other's arms, crying together, a moment of pure emotion. Fate, finally, had brought them together.

And Serena finally found what she had lost.

Miraë looked at this scene with benevolence, her gaze was filled with pride and wisdom. The sea had chosen them, and now, they were going to fulfill their destiny.