Altum patrolled the dark depths alone, having wandered off again from his band of Merbrothers. He had been doing that a lot lately it seemed but frankly he couldn't really bring himself to care. Over the years he had spent with his new family, in this new life, Altum learned the rules and laws that all mermen were expected to abide by. Everything forbidden and taboo to their culture, the highlight of which being the mermaids. Hauntingly deceptive witches that masqueraded as one of their own but in truth were anything but. In the beginning Altum took everything they said to heart, having no reason to believe otherwise.

But as time went on and Altum began familiarizing himself with his new lifestyle, now comfortable with the dark waters that surrounded him, he took more and more time to himself. Finding his mind wandering and losing himself in his thoughts, he began to wonder if these supposed "sea witches" were really what the men said they were. Altum didn't have any memories of his previous life but the one thing that he held onto like a lifeline was the vivid memory he had of [i]that[/i] night. The beginning of life anew for him. The maiden that saved his life [i]had[/i] to have been a mermaid. He realized that now. But what he saw that night didn't fit anywhere near the description what he had been provided of the vile beasts. Unnatural beauty, voice rising and falling in the most enchanting song he had ever heard, hair and eyes that glowed with the haunting light of the moon itself.

Never speaking a whisper of this, Altum held the memory dear to his heart, secretly aspiring to someday meet his beautiful savior, even if it meant being bewitched like the mermen claimed. It would be worth it. Compared to most of the mermen in his tribe, Altum was still young, having been "reborn" only a couple hundred years ago. However, he was already finding himself tiring of the endless fighting. There seemed to be nothing else filling his time these days. There was something exhaustingly familiar about the battles, the rallies, the scouting parties, something that tugged at the back of his mind that may hint at his life above. Altum wanted something more to life than pointless violence. He had yet to even catch a glimpse of the elusive mermaids and would honestly believe them a myth if not for his dying dream.

The scent of fresh blood roused Altum from his reverie. Suddenly alert, he hesitated for a brief moment before speeding off through the water towards the smell. He would definitely receive a harsh scolding for not sending a message back to the tribe and wandering on his own [i]again[/i]. Altum didn't care anymore. He didn't really find himself fitting in with the others and their ideals anyway. Getting closer, he slowed his pace, cautiously creeping upon a wreckage but he didn't sense anyone nearby. Observing the bodies that still floated in the water, Altum judged by their wounds that this was the work of sharks. But sharks wouldn't do this without reason, would they? Could it have been another tribe of mermen? He had heard rumors of ruthless mermen that slaughtered without due cause. Going against his better judgement, Altum decided to follow the faint blood trail that led away from the wreckage, if only to give himself something different with which to fill his time.