*this image is not from the graphic novel but from goodfon.com
Oceania Prose Excerpt by Arielle
*I wrote this in Prose para mas madaling maintindihan. But the manuscript I submitted to PHR was in the form of a comic/manga script.
In the world of Oceania, all mermen who reached the right age must go through a Rite of Passage to be acknowledged as men. All unmarried mermaids watch the Rite of Passage and chose among the participants a worthy husband for themselves.
Argos defied his parents' warning not to go through the Rite of Passage because he wanted to prove to Vermillion that he was worthy to be her husband.
The last test in the Rite of Passage was the most dangerous. In this test, a merman must find and mind bind one of the big sea creatures. He needed to make it obey him and become his steed. Argos was determined to capture a Sharptooth. Only the strongest mermen were able to mind bind a Sharptooth. Failure to mind bind a Sharptooth, results in instant death to any merman.
But Argos was prepared for that danger. He was fueled by determination, pride and his love for Vermillion. He wanted to show everyone that he was a worthy merman.
He went farther and deeper into the deep dark waters as he searched for a Sharptooth.
He only needed one but he found four big Sharptooths! He quickly hid himself behind a large rock. For a moment, fear took over his body. All he could do was watched the four Sharptooths.
Argos knew that his determination would not save him from the Sharptooths. He would not survive if he tried to capture one of the Sharptooths now because the other three would notice him. He would surely become food for these creatures!
He forced himself to calm down. To think of a plan to lure one of the Sharptooths away from the others. He studied the four Sharptooths. They were behaving strangely. All four continued to swim in circles.
It was then that he noticed the small white fish in their middle. He had chanced upon the creatures' hunt for food! Their attention were focused on the small fish and each other.
It' became clear to him that soon, all four would be fighting each other for the white fish! The winner would then claim the right to eat the white fish.
Argos smiled. He would patiently wait. And once the fight began, he would mind bend the nearest Sharptooth, and order it to follow him. The other three would still be too busy fighting each other to notice him and his new steed.
image is from Wikipedia
The Old man of the Sea was pleased with the mermen who had successfully passed the last test of the Rite of Passage. They paraded before him riding some of the biggest and dangerous creatures of the sea. Tentacled, long whip tailed, and he even saw three Sharptooths! With such mermen, their race was assured of producing strong and healthy future generations.
He swam in front of the young mermen to formally acknowledged their passage to adulthood.
“You have proven yourselves worthy. Each of you who have passed the Rite of Passage will now be-“
Peals of laughter and jeers interrupted his speech. The commotion was coming at the back where some of the latecomers have positioned themselves. He waved his triton, ordered the mermen in front to part and show him the one responsible for interrupting his speech.
He sighed when he saw Argos. Marcusan’s son showed great promise in the first two test. But looking at the creature he had tamed now would bring shame to Marcusan.
A small white oblong shaped fish was happily swimming around Argos. Everyone had tamed dangerous creatures, Argos tamed and mind bind a pitiful creature meant only to become food.
The old man could not control his irritation.
“I gave you a chance to prove yourself Argos. Yet you-“
“I’m sorry. I was trying to capture and mind bind a Sharptooth but this fish got in the way!”
“You know that a merman can only mind bind once. The only way for you to capture and mind bind another great fish is if your first fish dies or is killed.”
The Old man knew that Argos understood his words. That Argos must kill the white fish to be able to acquire another steed. But the Old man saw sadness and compassion in the young merman's eyes as he looked at the small fish swimming happily around him. Because of the mind bind, the little white fish now trust Argos.
“No. I will not kill him. He doesn’t deserve to die because of my mistake.” Argos decided.
The Old man pitied the young merman. His compassion for the white fish would only bring shame on him and his family. The white fish swam towards him playfully. For the first time, the Old man got a good look at Argos' chosen ‘steed’. He gasped as he realized the true nature of the white fish. The fish was still young, but once it has grown, it will become the most feared creature of Oceania!
“This is a Great White!” he exclaimed. He swam away from the fish. Even as babies, Great Whites were known to feed on Sharptooths!
Everyone fell silent. The Great White was revered and feared by all creatures in the world of Oceania!
“It is impossible for anyone to mind bind a Great White! Those who have tried have died or lost their minds! No one can...”he stopped. Looked at Argo’s shocked face. The impossible have become possible. For the first time a merman had captured and mind bind a Great White!
He motioned Argos to come near him. Puzzled, the young merman obeyed him. He placed his trident on Argo’s shoulder as a show of respect and acknowledgement that the young merman had indeed passed the Rite of Passage and was now a true adult!
After being berated and scolded by his parents for disobeying them, Argo’s went to his room. The Great White baby followed him. Part of him wanted to tell his parents his accomplishments and the true nature of the fish he had tamed. But this was not the right time. He would wait until his parents have calmed down.
Ever since he was born, his parents had always protected him. Hidden the truth about him from the others. That truth made them forbade him to go to the Rite of Passage. Because once the truth about him was exposed, no mermaid would ever want him to be her husband. He knew that. But his love for Vermillion made him took a chance. Unfortunately, Vermillion chose another merman to be her husband.
He looked at the Great White swimming beside his moss bed.
“I’m a fool Great White. Even if Vermillion chose me, I cannot be the husband she wants. If she discovered the truth…”
He sighed. Slowly he peeled off his fake tail. He was born an abomination. A merman with two legs and webbed feet! And in the world of Oceania, such abominations like him were not allowed to live.
The Great White swam towards his legs and snuggled between his feet. Argos smiled.
“Thank you dear friend, for accepting me for what I am.”