Mermaids in Palus (Prologue: A New Journey Begins)

[Black Clay Lord]

This is the prologue for my newest, more quicksand orientated multipart story project.

Yes, I know the Prologue's short, but that was the intent. Prologues & Epilogues aren't supposed to be big.

Anyway, the aim here is for it to be more lighthearted (Except Chapter 4, which will sport a horror theme)

Also, I should probably mention: The land of Palus is of Sabbie's creation. I'm just borrowing it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One dark & stormy night, Aquarius looked out the window, watching it rain so heavily, it could be heard from inside. Relaxing in a pool of mud that consisted of really thick peanut butter like mud her sister Codino brought back from Marais's jungle one day, Aquarius looked disappointed on how the rain was still pouring down heavily outside. She had hoped to go out into the Quicksand Swamp to sink under the moonlight, but the rains put a stop to that.

Her sister Fontanne entered the spa to join her sister in the pool she relaxed. "I figured I'd find you here." Fontanne said. She looked outside. "Still pouring, huh?" She asked. "Man, this is the 5th day in a row that it's been raining cats & dogs..." Aquarius sighed. "Is this rain ever going to stop?" Asked Aquarius. "I've forgotten what the sun looks like..." Fontanne sank down to her butt. "I heard it's supposed to stop tomorrow." Said Fontanne, sighing in bliss.

Aquarius looked at her younger 19-year-old sister as she joins her in the pool, before submerging herself some to her breasts. Fontanne looked up Aquarius. "By the way," She says. "You look as if something's on your mind." Aquarius looked at Fontanne. "Actually, yes." She said. "I've been at Palus, but... Garnet said there were other lands to that world..." Fontanne raised a brow. "Hold on, you're planning on going back there?" Fontanne asked, catching on.

Aquarius nodded. "Yeah, I want to see what else Palus has to offer." She says. Fontanne rubbed her chin. "I don't know... It's still heavily unknown to us all..." She said. "The unknown is a good way to learn more of the world though." Said Aquarius. "True, but..." Fontanne started, before stopping herself. Ultimately, she came to a conclusion. "You know what? I think I'd like to see the world myself." She says. Aquarius smiled at Fontanne.

"I had a feeling you would be interested." She says, before Fontanne into the mud at her breasts. "Let's pack tomorrow." Fontanne suggests. Aquarius nodded. For now though, the sisters simply relax in their mud pool, listening to the rain as it fell. But a burst of lightning, and a boom of thunder startled them soon after, making both jump up and splash mud. "Heavens!" Fontanne exclaimed. "Merciful at that..." Aquarius added shortly afterward, otherwise calmly.

Finally, the thunder & lightning passed, and all that remained was the rain itself. Aquarius & Fontanne take the time to examine the mud conforming around them nicely during this time. "Where did Codino get this again...?" Aquarius asks. "She said it was from a jungle down in Farrona's Woods." Fontanne answered. "She said a human/dryad named Marais gave her the sample after she crossed her bog." Aquarius looked intrigued by the sound of all that.

"That sounds rather lovely." Said Aquarius."Doesn't it though?" Fontanne asks, smiling. "I think one of us should meet her ourselves sometime." She then says. "And try the mud out at its source..." Aquarius giggles. Fontanne giggles as well, before she & her older sister just settle in more relaxing as the rain continued to fall down quietly at this point on, before it was time to get out, wash up, and turn in for the night to rest. A big trip was planned for tomorrow after all.

The next morning, Aquarius & Fontanne packed a satchel, both wore their typical battle clothes. Fontanne went over a list. "Let's go over the check list." She said. "Tools?" Fontanne asks. "Check. We got tools." Aquarius said, before stopping. "Wait... Tools?" She then asked. "Oh, sorry. Wrong list." Fontanne chuckled, flipping to another. "Okay, this is what we need." She said. "Provisions?" Fontanne asks. "Check. We got provisions." Aquarius answers.

"Vulneraries?" Fontanne asks. "Double check. We got Vulneraries." Aquarius said. "Clean clothes?" Fontanne asks. "We got plenty clean clothes." Aquarius answers. "Sexy hot guys to sink with?" Fontanne asks, before she & Aquarius looked at each other with brows raised. They soon giggle. "Mostly check." They both say. "Oh, is that portal pendant charged?" Fontanne asked. "Yep, it's ready for use." Aquarius confirms. "Good." Fontanne says.

The two soon close their satchel and leave Aquarius's bedroom, heading downstairs. "Hold it, you two!" Said a voice from behind. Then stopping in their tracks, Aquarius & Fontanne looked behind to see who called to them. That was actually me; their own father. "Father?" Aquarius asks. "You're forgetting something important." I say as I step down to them. "I'm pretty sure we stocked on food to eat." Fontanne says, before I shake my head soon after.

I then show them their personal weapons. "No, you weapons." I say. "I gave them a good polishing earlier." Aquarius took her Celestial Sword & Dragon Yari. "Thanks, dad!" Aquarius said, as Fontanne took her Mortuary Runesword & Runeaxe. "Much obliged." Fontanne said. "Dad, do you want to come along with us to Palus?" Aquarius asks, smiling. "Ah, gee, I'd love to," I say. "But I can't this time around. I've got something planned out."

"Oh, that's too bad..." Said Aquarius, sighing. "But, I'll be with you in spirit. Count on that." I said, smiling. The girls nodded happily to this. "We should get going then." Fontanne said as she & Aquarius leave the house, and I wave to them. "Have fun out there!" I say. "And above all else: Be careful!" "We will!" Aquarius said. Standing in the front yard, Aquarius activated the magic inside her pendant and fired it forward, opening up a portal.

This time around, the portal was stable, no unwanted powerful suction. Yet Aquarius blinked at the location on the other side. "Huh? That doesn't look like the Northern Wastelands at all." Aquarius said. "Let's go see where it goes anyway." Fontanne says. "After all, I'm sure we can get there as we explore, no?" Aquarius nodded. "Right." She simply said. With that, Aquarius & Fontanne enter the portal, making to close behind the two adventuring sisters.

And so begins a new journey in Palus, but one of a peaceful variant. And yet, there was one question in store: What sort of thrills & sights awaited Aquarius & Fontanne across the land of Palus? There will be but more than one answer, for the journey across Palus begins.

Aquarius, Fontanne, Myself: Me