The Black Poison
Part Ift.
Nereus The sea was flat under the gray sky. There was no noise, even the waves crashing on the shoreline seemed to respect the religious silence of stillness after the storm. It had been a terrible storm with very strong winds that had shaken the trees in the forest, causing many of them to fall. Nereus and his herd had sheltered in their houses made of huge hollowed-out logs a stone's throw from the beach and waited for the storm to pass.
Nereus remained staring at the gray sea, filling his nostrils with the salty smell he loved so much. Until a sound broke the silence and something leapt out of the water not too far from the shore. It was Morpheus, his best friend underwater. The dolphin leaped out again but did not seem as happy and playful as usual. There was a certain urgency, some awe. Nereus entered the water and began to swim toward the open sea, diving in. Down there there was no sign of the storm that had just passed, everything was as calm and wonderful as ever. The seaweed swayed slowly pushed by the current and the fishes swam peacefully. It was another world.
Morpheus appeared in his field of vision. He was definitely agitated and invited Nereus to cling to him with a touch on his back. Nereus brought his front hooves around the dolphin's neck, which immediately began to swim like lightning. Soon three more dolphins appeared with long seaweeds in their mouths, which Nereus grasped with his teeth and wrapped around his body, and in a moment a kind of sea quadriga had formed, darting very fast. That was how they took him around the seas: Nereus did not have a fin that allowed him to swim as fast as the dolphins, and they were never patient enough to wait for him.
At one point they stopped letting go of the seaweed and dispersed, leaving Nereus with a clear field of vision. If he had been in the air he would have screamed, but only air bubbles came out of his mouth. His gills began to pulsate faster as Nereus began to swim in the opposite direction. In front of him were the dolphins, who invited him with unkind taps of their snouts to approach the huge creature in front of him. It was really huge, the bigger thing he had ever seen. Its eye was as big as Nereus and it was fixed on him. However, the creature didn't seem aggressive. It was laying on the floor of the ocean motionless. His gaze looked like a cry for help. He approached slowly, cautiously. The creature blinked its huge eyelid and tried to move its head toward him, but failed. It was then that Nereus realized what was happening in front of him: the creature was dying and the dolphins had brought him there in the hope that he could help. But how could he, a young fable who knew nothing of the world, help a giant of the sea so much larger and more powerful than himself? The sea monster blinked again, and Nereus felt himself being pushed toward him. It was the dolphins. By now he was inches from the snout of the beast, which lifted its lip showing huge sharp teeth. Nereus swallowed then found himself in direct contact with the creature. His vision clouded over, and an entirely new scene, never seen before, appeared before him.
He is swimming, fast in the open sea. His mighty body hits the water with vigour and his fins moves his body in the direction he wants. It is a beautiful feeling, he is the master of the ocean and all the creatures know that and respect him. He is the Leviathan, the biggest and most powerful creature that has ever sailed the seas, land and sky. No one, not even the mighty dragons of the North can compete with him.Then this vision abruptly stopped and another began. This time the emotions that struck Nereus were completely different.
The water is dark, almost black, and you cannot not see far. Swimming is tiring, as if the water has turned to jelly. Why has he gone so far? Is his ego so big that he thought he was immortal? He has to get out of there, back to the warm waters of the bay. But he struggles to move and each breath costs him immense effort. He has also lost his sense of direction, and suddenly, when he realizes he doesn't know which way to swim to get home, he has a panic attack. His breathing becomes labored. What is happening to him? He is the Leviathan, the most powerful creature in the world... or is him? All confidence vanishes and his eyelids are about to drop heavy on his eyes when a memory hits him like a strong current. He remembers the colourful fish that swam around him in marvellous choreography, the dolphins, always joyful, tickling him, and the sea birds that rested on his back to take a break form their acrobatic flights in the middle of the ocean. He has to go home. A sparkle rekindles in his eyes, he chooses a direction and begins to swim. He moves slowly, but he moves. His gaze fixed ahead. After a while he begins to feel the water becoming less viscous and familiar shapes begin to reappear in front of him: the seaweed, the rocks. He continues to swim, putting whatever strength he has left into his muscles. He only swims, not thinking. At some point he notices that swimming is easier, that he is moving faster. What little awareness he is left allows him to see that so many sea creatures have gathered around him that he can see nothing else. They have wrapped tough seaweed around his body and are pulling him along. It is the last thing he sees then he succumbes to exhaustion and everything goes black.Nereus came to his senses and looked the Leviathan in the eye. That black water must have poisoned him and now he was dying. He was about to turn away when another vision began.
Urgency. Heal. Help. Hills seen from above as if flying. A grove of elm trees. A black fable with golden tattoos that glowed. A hut with dried herbs hanging everywhere. Heal. Help.The vision vanished. Did the Leviathan want him to go to the mainland, find that fable and bring him the cure? The eyelid drooped and lifted again, as if in assent. Then it closed and did not open again. The effort in communicating with Nereus must have exhausted the sea king's strength. Nereus turned away and the dolphins towed him back to shore. When he was on the beach he turned around. The dolphins jumped out of the water inviting him to walk. He had a mission. He did not think he would be able to complete it, but he had no other choice. Squawks caught his attention: young fables from his herd were playing chase at the edge of the woods. They were his friends and he would have liked to join them, say goodbye to them before leaving. But he knew that if he did so he would lack courage. Without a second thought he set off in the opposite direction, walking along the beach. There was a determination in his eyes that he didn't know he possessed.
