Drowning Diver Saved By Merman

Drowning Diver Saved by Merman

Soren knows he should go on diving adventures with a partner for safety reasons, but when his partner cancels the trip last minute... he won't let that stop him from exploring underwater caves on his own.

Warnings: drowning, unconsciousness/passing out, cave collapse, legs pinned by rocks

Soren was a skilled scuba diver with many years of experience -- but even the best men can make mistakes.

Today he was going on a dive to explore an underwater cave system at the edge of a large coral reef. He had originally planned to go on the dive with a friend, but his buddy canceled at the last minute -- and Soren was not going to miss the opportunity to explore the underwater caves -- even if he had to do it alone.

The weather for the whole rest of the week would be stormy, and no longer safe for diving. This was his only chance to go exploring for seven long days. He was impatient, and impulsive. A bad combination.

He knew full well divers should adventure in pairs or groups for safety reasons, but he figured he was experienced enough not to need someone with him. So he drove his small boat out into the ocean and anchored near his desired destination, gearing up with his oxygen tanks, fins, and mask

He could barely control his excitement when he was finally ready and diving into the seawater.

It wasn't a long swim down to the ocean floor where he quickly located the entrance cave and slipped inside -- clicking on his headlight to see.

It was even more spectacular than he imagined. He encountered several different species of exotic fish hiding in the cave systems, and found some cool glowing rocks to take as souvenirs.

By the time he got the warning that his oxygen tanks were running low he had already ventured down every small tunnel and explored every inch of the place. It was time to head out. So he turned around and made his way back to the cave opening. It was a tight fit, and when he squeezed through, his oxygen tanks hit the ceiling, dislodging some small rocks -- that sparked a chain reaction.

Suddenly, the cave roof collapsed, right on Soren's legs -- pinning them and trapping him halfway out of the cave. A diver's worst nightmare. But he wasn't worried -- he'd gotten himself out of trouble several times during past adventures. Why should this be any different? His best chance was to stay calm to conserve the little bit of oxygen left in his tanks while he figured out how to wriggle free.

Soren shifted around, using his hands to brace against the fallen rocks atop his legs and push in an effort to dislodge them, or gain leverage to pull himself out -- but it was fruitless. He spent a good five minutes trying to free himself before the real panic started to set in, after he realized his legs were pinned so tightly he couldn't even move them an inch in any direction. This was not good.

The oxygen was starting to dwindle and fade now, and each breath was harder to suck in through his mouthpiece, his tanks empty.

Soren realized just how dangerous a situation he was in now -- he really wished he'd brought a dive buddy today. The regret was a huge blow to his ego, but that was the absolute least of his worries right now. Because... not only was he pinned underwater and quickly running out of air, but the tropical fish that had been previously swimming around him suddenly dove for cover in the reef -- and the reason terrified him.

Shark. A human-sized shark was swimming straight for him, though its appearance looked a bit funny, its fins and figure not quite right. It was making a beeline straight for him, a lethal predator locked onto trapped prey.

And it was fast, rapidly closing the distance between them.

Soren truly began to panic then -- thrashing desperately from where he was trapped in a last desperate effort to get out at the same moment the oxygen finally ran out, leaving him with no more available breaths to take.

He didn't want to die, not like this. The surface of the ocean seemed so close, yet so far away. Within his sight, but out of reach. Mocking him.

Soren was terrified, but his fierce struggles were rapidly losing power as the oxygen deprivation set in, sapping his strength away as he slowly drowned.

He gave a frightened glance back over where the shark was closing in, and let out a scream of bubbles at how close it was, only a few yards away now.

Darkness ate at the corners of his vision, and he blacked out right as the shark-like creature reached him, his body no longer able to function with the diminished oxygen.

-------------------------------------------------------

When Soren came to his senses, he was floating on the surface, head above water and diving mask removed entirely, letting him suck in precious air as his mobility returned to him. His oxygen tanks and harness had been taken off as well, leaving him only in his wetsuit.

The diver was suddenly aware that his back was pressed up against something, something that was warm against the chill of seawater, and an arm-like thing was wrapped securely around his midsection, something feeling like a hand holding the back of his neck to support his head and keep it above water.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked, and Soren full-body flinched in surprise, trying to twist around and wriggle free of the strong grip on them.

"Easy," that same voice said, but the arm -- Soren now realized that's what it was -- retreated from around him, giving him the ability to spin around and tread water to see who had been behind him.

What he saw was... not something he would have ever expected to see. He beheld a handsome man with flawless skin on his face and distinguished features, sharp jawline -- but there was something different about him. There were... scales on his neck and chest and arms, like a fish. Brilliantly emerald green with golden undertones as they caught the light and sparkled.

And when Soren glanced down at the half of the stranger that was underwater... he saw a tail. A dolphin-like tail with scales in shades of green and blue. A tail that was beating softly to keep the man upright, the same way that Soren himself was using his arms and legs to tread water, but with far less effort. The man's eyes were a striking seaweed green color, complementing his scales.

So it wasn't really a shark that had been coming for Soren -- it had been a merman.

"Did you... Did you save me?" Soren sputtered.

The apparent merman nodded, eyes as wide as the diver's were, but with worry instead of shock and awe.

"I didn't think I was fast enough -- I was hunting in the area when I spotted you and rushed to help. I thought I was too late. Have you literally never heard of the buddy system?! Divers aren't supposed to explore caves alone for this exact reason. Because if you get stuck, no one is there to help. You possess an absolutely unbelievable amount of incompetence." He then proceeded to spring into a full-on lecture about how stupid and foolish the human was for being out here with no backup, all while the diver stared, gawking dumbly at the fact that he was seeing a real merman right before his eyes.

There'd been many reports that mers existed in these waters, but there had never been any solid proof of their existence.

Until now.

"Hey! Are you even listening to what I'm saying?!"

Soren was shocked back to the present when the merman's strong tail flung out of the water to slap him hard across the face, making his head snap to the side with the force of it. His head momentarily dipped underwater, and he sucked in water, coughing it back up when he surfaced again.

The merman scoffed, rolling his green eyes in annoyance. "Come with me, young diver -- you've overstayed your welcome in these waters.” He grabbed the human's arm and escorted him to where Soren's boat was anchored, bobbing gently in the waves.

"Go home, human -- I don't want to catch you out here again," the creature growled as Soren climbed atop his boat.

But part of the diver wanted to be caught again by the handsome mer.

The mer seemed to read his mind, and shook his head. "Don't do anything stupid. All humans are naturally attracted to ethereal beauty like I possess -- far too many mers take advantage of that. It's false love, not real affection. You'd do yourself good to remember that. Don't come back here -- you're deep in mer territory right now, and that is a dangerous, dangerous place to be."

Soren turned red with embarrassment like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar as the mer continued, his tone growing firmer and more serious.

"This will be your only warning. Not many mers are as merciful as I am -- chances are the next one you encounter won't be so kind. I will see you to the border of mer territory to ensure your safety, but I won't follow you any further. Promise me you won't return."

"I don't know if I can promise that," Soren croaked with a shaky smile. "Because I'm not a liar. You can't break a promise if you never make one, right?"

The smallest smirk tugged at the corner of the merman's mouth, in a way that told the diver he was secretly hoping he would come back too, despite the effort to push him away for his own safety.

"Clever human," the merman rumbled. And that was the end of the exchange between man and mer -- until Soren came back the next day.

And the merman was already waiting.

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