don’t want to know what he saw in that glimpse of my future, but I am curious at the same time. He changes back into the form of a very large shark and I follow his lead, transforming back into a water dragon. We set off, wanting to get to Poseidon’s realm before trouble finds us.
Soon, we pass through a thick illusion of what looks like the sandy bottom of the ocean and we enter Poseidon’s kingdom. It is a great way to keep mortals in underwater machines from seeing Poseidon’s kingdom, making them think they are at the bottom of the ocean floor.
Immediately, we see sentinels all over the edges of Poseidon’s territory. All around you can see different underwater buildings that look like they came from centuries in the past. Now I know where the ideas that mortals got when building some of the beautiful buildings in the first century must have come from. Gods must have whispered in their ears telling them how they should look. That is what Poseidon’s kingdom looks like. It is a city under water with large domes that look out to the ocean around them. Some are empty, while others have people inside them in their myr-forms with their tails in the water. I see one that has two young myr-boys jumping in and swimming out the bottom to the ocean as we pass by. The kingdom that Poseidon has built is an extraordinary sight. Myr families’ homes are huts in varying sizes, all made out of large coral that has been hollowed out to make a home.
I follow Proteus as we get closer to the middle of the kingdom, seeing others watch us as we swim by. Some looking frightened and others just curious. I look to Proteus and see that he has noticed the looks as well. He nods to me and I hear him speak into my mind, We’d best change forms so we do not scare them!
I nod my head and change into my myr-form as he does the same. Our pass through the realm slows, because in myr-form we don’t have the same power in our fins as we do in our other forms. I see Proteus wave at a few people as we get closer and I really start to relax knowing that people recognize him, and that he isn’t an actual threat to Poseidon. I can see Poseidon’s home sitting in the middle of the city. It is massive in size. It looks like an old castle with much larger openings and passageways than traditional castles mortals create. It’s stunning, and everywhere you look there is a dome coming off each corner of this monstrous home.
Proteus swims down, so I follow, to the middle of the structure from underneath and approaches what looks like a pool. It’s in one of the dome rooms that we have passed so many times throughout the city. He swims up, I follow suit, and we break the water’s edge.
Poseidon creating such a wonder under the sea is amazing; you can breathe air in here just like you could on land. As we get to the edge, we grab two floating steps and transform our fins into human legs, pulling ourselves out of the water and conjuring clothing to fit us as we break the surface.
I look above and see that the dome is at least twenty feet above us and you can see out to all the other myr-people swimming about. Proteus, standing next to me, looks up as well.
“It’s quite a sight, is it not?”
I just nod my head as I look around.
We step around the room and no one else is here. It is just an empty dome.
“Where are we exactly?”
“This is the main entrance for all visitors to come through so they can address Poseidon about the reason for their trip into his kingdom, at least for those who can breathe air; others wait until Poseidon fills this room with water to speak to him. Granted he knows the minute we came into his territory, but not why and who exactly. So we wait here until he comes in,” Proteus explains to me.
I walk over to the dome wall and feel the texture; it’s like a rubber and moves to the touch, not much but it gives at pressure. “One of Poseidon’s creations, it has some give to it but cannot be broken unless he wants it to be.”
“It’s amazing. I have never seen it before and it is so clear like glass you can see out or in.”
He laughs at my comment. I turn to see why.
“This is your first trip to Poseidon’s realm, I gather.” I nod at his statement. “Have you ever met Poseidon before?”
I shake my head no.
The corner of his mouth lifts, he just nods with that smirk, “Well, all I can say is, you will be surprised, young one.”
Suddenly, we hear someone break through the water pool behind us. I swivel quickly, drawing my sword at the same time. I feel Proteus lay his hand on my shoulder.
“Be calm, it is all right,” he assures, then addresses the newcomer. “Delphine, I am glad to see you. Are you just arriving or have you been here?”
I watch as this Delphine comes completely out of the water shaking Proteus’s hand.
“No, I have just arrived. I received a note from a concerned friend who wanted me to come because of the rumors of war and people that are considering which side they will join.”
“Ah, so Poseidon is still being stubborn, and Leia is still the smart one,” Proteus laughs. I see Delphine nod his head to Proteus’s comment.
“That sums it up, but that is between us. She wouldn’t want Poseidon to know she reached out for reinforcements,” Delphine tells Proteus.
“No worries, I won’t say anything.”
“So, who might you be?” Delphine asks me as he turns to me with an outstretched hand.
“My name is Tane, I am Taniwha. I have come to help stand with Poseidon.” I figured I might as well get it all out there.
Delphine smiles at me. “Glad to meet you, and happy you have come to help. Even though Poseidon will say he doesn’t need it, the rest of us will be happy you are here.”
I nod my head in acknowledgment, then I hear the big double doors behind us open. We turn to see a man, not much older than me from his appearance, with blond hair cut short and a short blond beard enter the room. He must be close to seven and a half feet tall. I am not short by any means, but I am about half a foot shorter than him. He also exudes power and strength that makes it feel like he is ten feet in height. I wonder who this man is as he walks up to Proteus and Delphine, then I hear his booming voice for the first time.
“Delphine, Proteus! Old friends, so good to see you. What are you both doing here?”
“Poseidon, it’s great to see you again. Can’t friends drop in and see how you are?” Proteus says.
About this time, my brain is catching up and realizing that the one that looks closer to my age is Poseidon. All the mortals’ statues and drawings resemble Proteus more than the actual Poseidon. He could walk among mortals and they wouldn’t know who he was.
“Who might this young one be?” Poseidon asks, as he walks up and raises his hand to shake mine.
“Poseidon, I am Tane.” I bow my head over our handshake, honored to be in his company. Being this close to him, I can feel his power radiating from him.
“Tane, have you come for help? Is there something I can do for you?”
“No sir, I have come to help in whatever way I can with the threat that is against you and your kingdom,” I tell him honestly.
He raises his eyebrow at me, then
