Makenna, Ash, and Silvey left Aluna, and they were on the search for Tracey and Merlin’s beach. They went to Evelyn’s house for no reason. Come to find out, she wasn’t even home which this meant Makenna was getting nowhere closer to passing Ash’s trial. They traveled to Evelyn’s house and asked one of her assistants where she was, and he explained that she had, for some reason, traveled to the Charleston Aquarium in Downtown Charleston. So now, after Tracey and Makenna finished up on Coutarine Island, their next quest was to find Evelyn in the Charleston Aquarium. Once they did and both of them passed their trials, then they would finally be ready to travel to the Bermuda Triangle! Makenna didn’t even realize Tracey went missing until she, Ash, and Silvey learned that Evelyn wasn’t home. She decided to finally turn back into a human as soon as she and Ash left Aluna. Makenna just wanted to experience what it was like to be wingless again, but she ended up regretting her decision big time. She had changed into a tropical outfit since she was on a tropical island. When she performed the Sunset Delay spell, she told it what she wanted to change into. Makenna now wore a navy blue, polka-dot, ruffled tank, jean shorts, sandals, and a tan trilby hat. Over her shoulder, she wore a nice, blue beach bag that she kept her phone, snacks, etc. in. She wore her hair down, and like Alice’s hair, it was wavy. Makenna had very long hair.
While she, Ash, and Silvey marched through Coutarine Island’s jungle, Makenna tried her best to convince Ash that they should search for Tracey first, but he simply said, “No,” and slammed the door in her face. That really made Makenna mad, but she attempted to stay calm like Tracey though she failed greatly.
She asked Ash, “Why are we walking through the jungle?” and Ash answered,
“This is the fastest route to get to Merlin.” He held Merlin’s “extremely important parcel” under his arm and carefully stepped over a log.
“How do you know?” Makenna asked.
“Trust me.”
“But what about Tracey?” Makenna ran into a spider web, and yelling, she quickly pulled it away. For her being Makenna, she thought the jungle was pretty nasty. Ash heard her yell.
He glanced over his shoulder at the Metamorphic Fairy and joyfully announced, “Come on, Makenna! Don’t be such a stick in the sand! Enjoy the adventure! Punch the air and shout, ‘Yahoo, this is what I’m calling an adventure on a tropical island! Oh yeah!’”
“I’m not so sure about that.” Makenna admitted, “How can I enjoy the adventure, Ash when we’re walking in a disgusting, tropical jungle during sunset and the boy of my dreams is nowhere to be found?!” Suddenly, she realized what she just said, and she smacked her hands over her mouth.
“Ah ha!” Ash laughed, and he whirled around to face her, “so ya do like Tracey! I knew it!”
Makenna blushed, “No I don’t! We’re just good friends, Ash! Nothing more! For once, can’t you take this journey seriously?” Silvey peered up to her and nodded with agreement.
Makenna angrily puffed out her cheeks. She stormed by Ash and shoved him off to the side. Silvey walked next to her with her feeler wrapped around her again. While Makenna marched, she mumbled to herself. She didn’t pay attention to where she was going though, and this caused her to crash right into a tree. SMACK! Makenna groaned and shook out her head. Silvey untied her feeler and peered up the trunk of the tree Makenna crashed into. The adventure got even more exciting from there.
From the tree came a sudden hiss, and she gasped when she saw a snake slithering down the trunk of it! “AHHH!!” Makenna screamed, “SNAKE! SNAKE!” She took off sprinting, and Silvey and Ash stared.
Makenna Delling sprinted through the entire jungle without even stopping to admire it. Before long, she dove out of a cluster of ferns and landed flat on her face on sand. The Metamorphic Fairy had finally made it to the beach Merlin claimed – or at least to the other side of it. “Yes!” she yelled, and she reached for the heavens, “No more! No more!” Makenna leaned back down and constantly kissed the sand. Ash and Silvey soon appeared from the ferns after her, and they together stepped onto the beach. Silvey’s jaw dropped open when she saw how beautiful it was, especially during sunset.
Ash soon passed fifteen-year-old Makenna, and he lifted her chin with his index finger so they could meet eyes, “Well done, Miss Delling.” He patted her cheek and pulled away.
This caused Makenna to blush, and she reached for the cheek Ash touched.
“Well done?” she asked, “What do you mean, Ash?”
Ash laughed again and explained, “Thanks to your fear of that snake, you got us here to Merlin’s Beach.”
“I did?” Confusion flashed across Makenna’s entire face. Ash nodded. At first, the Metamorphic Fairy wasn’t convinced. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “If I did so, Ash,” she asked, “then where are Merlin and Tracey? Huh?” The sun had set now, so everything around the two fairies and Silvey darkened. Makenna added with, “I can wait for Merlin, but not for Tracey! Where is Tracey?!” After she asked that, she noticed that Ash was peering over her shoulder behind her. “What are you looking at?” Makenna asked. Ash pointed behind her, and the Metamorphic Fairy turned. Her blue eyes widened at what she saw. Further behind her, Ash, and Silvey and resting in both the sand and water, was Ronda’s raft! Even more, Tracey was aboard it! He did a good job putting the raft back where he found it. At the sight of him, Makenna couldn’t help but to smile. She glanced back to Ash, and he gestured her forward. Makenna sprinted ahead when he did this, and she headed towards the raft and Merlin’s apprentice.
Tracey had just pulled down the main sail, and he was tying the rope around it. He was trying to make it look like he never sailed out to sea. Gina rested on his shoulder, and she worriedly peered into his face. Tracey stopped pulling on the rope, and he gripped his injured arm again. The rag he wrapped around it was soaked with blood. He was bleeding quite a lot.
Gina shook her head when she saw the stained rag, and she frightfully told her friend through telepathy, “Tracey, you need somebody to look at that.”
“No.” Tracey refused, “You see, Gina, if Merlin ever found out I went beyond the reef, he’d kill me.”
“Tracey, please.”
“No. I’m fine, Gina. Honest.” Tracey finished tying the rope, and he rubbed sweat from his forehead.
Suddenly, he heard, “Tracey!” down the beach and asked,
“Huh?” Merlin’s apprentice and Gina together glanced down the beach, and their eyes landed on Makenna Delling hurrying towards them.
“Tracey!” she yelled again, and she waved.
“Makenna!” he yelled back, “Makenna, it’s you!” He hopped off the raft but tripped on the sand and fell. Quickly getting up though, he ran to Makenna, and both of them fell into a hug.
“Tracey!” Makenna repeated, “You’re all right!” When they let go, she asked, “Where were you? I was so worried! Why did you disappear like that?”
Tracey shrugged and answered, “Sorry, Makenn, but I really wanted to see Merlin again, so I took Ronda’s raft and sailed here.”
Makenna glanced at the raft and asked, “But how?! How on Earth?! That raft was destroyed by the wave! How is it suddenly put back together?!”
“Well.” Tracey answered. He jiggled his hands, and green and purple sparkles escaped them, “Magic. Speaking of which.” He scanned Makenna up and down, “It looks like you performed the Sunset Delay spell, Makenn. That’s a good look for you too.”
“Really?” Makenna asked, “Well, thank you.” She pulled hair behind her ear, “I thought it would be better if I didn’t have my wings around you. You know, just because – well.” She pointed at Tracey’s bare back.
He nodded, “Thank you, Makenna, but you didn’t have to do that for me.”
Makenna shrugged, “Well, the other reason is because the wings were kind of getting in my way.”
Ash smiled when he saw the two, “Look at ya two.” He shook his head, “You’re so cute together.” Still smiling, Makenna purposely stepped on his foot, and Ash puffed out his cheeks to hide the pain.
Tracey soon became serious again, and he took Makenna’s hand, “Makenna, come with me. There’s something you need to see. We have a bit of a problem here on Coutarine Island.”
“What?” Makenna’s smile instantly vanished. Also curious, Silvey stepped in front of her.
Tracey peered down on her and added with, “Oh, who do we have here?”
Makenna rested her hand on Silvey’s head and answered, “This is Silvey. She’s a fairy dog. I found her cowering behind some ferns on the beach that took out the raft.”
Tracey kneeled and came eye level with Silvey, saying, “Wow, you’re a pretty, little dog.” He rubbed Silvey’s face with his hand, and she closed her eyes. She liked being rubbed there.
“So, what’s wrong, Tracey?” Makenna asked after a bit. She let Silvey wrap her feeler around her again.
Tracey stood back up and answered, “Just, follow me.” He turned on his heel and started down the darkening beach. Makenna and Silvey met each other’s eyes, and then they started after him. Ash stayed behind even though he really wanted to follow them. Tracey sensed this, and he turned around to face him, “Ash, you can see this too. It is crucial that Makenna isn’t the only one who knows about this.”
Ash immediately whooped, and he hurried after the two fairies, “All right! Now this is what I’m calling an adventure! Makenna, Ash, and Tracey on a huge journey across the island! The Three Musketeers!”
Tracey led his friends over to the rocks he hopped across before and told Makenna and Ash, “Look, guys.” He lifted his hand and pointed across the bay to a yellow light just beyond the point he sailed out to earlier, “See that light out there?”
Makenna and Silvey hopped across the rocks to get a better glance at the light, and both she and Ash nodded, saying, “Yeah.”
“That’s a boat.” Tracey frightfully explained. He dropped his hand and clutched his arm again.
“A boat?!” asked Ash. Finally, for once, he actually looked quite serious.
Makenna too asked, “A boat?!” and she and Silvey returned to the two boys, “Wait a minute, Tracey, I don’t understand! Isn’t Coutarine Island supposed to be protected by a magic barrier like Merlin’s Island?”
Ash nodded, “It is. Do ya know if they can see us, Tracey?”
“They can.” Tracey answered. Shaking his head, he closed his eyes and tightened his grip on his injured arm.
“How do ya know?” Ash wanted to know.
“I just do! There’s something wrong with the barrier! Coutarine Island is being invaded!”
Makenna’s eyes landed on his hand clutching his arm.
She stopped Ash from speaking again by asking Merlin’s apprentice, “Is there something wrong with your arm, Trace? You appear to be distressed.”
“I’m fine!” Tracey quickly spat out. He was losing his calmness. Makenna jumped. Letting go of his arm, Tracey marched by his friends and headed inland, “But we can’t let those beachcombers invade! This is the sprites’ island, and the sprites’ island alone! It’s not theirs!” Suddenly, he crashed into somebody and tumbled back a few feet! It was Merlin! Tracey had run into Merlin the Great!
“What’s not theirs?” he asked his young apprentice.
“Sensei!” Tracey gasped.
Makenna and Ash did too. “Merlin the Great!” they announced at the same time. Ash immediately tossed the wizard’s parcel into Makenna’s arms, and he crossed his own. She gave him a funny look, but then she cracked a smile and smiled at Merlin. Tracey turned and pointed in the direction of the boat’s light again, “The beachcombers! There’s something wrong with the barrier! They can see us!”
Merlin placed his hands on his hips and asked, “And how do you know this?”
“I-I just do, okay?!” Tracey yelled, “We have to do something!” He still refused to give away his secret. He closed his eyes and started to make his way back towards camp: Merlin’s beach where Raeven and Harmony waited. Merlin let him pass, but he had a suspicious face turned on while he did. Something was wrong with his apprentice. He just knew it.
Finally, he turned to Tracey and held out his elderly hand, “Let me see your arm.” Tracey stopped and removed his hand from his injured arm. Uh oh, Merlin was suspicious! When he requested to see Tracey’s arm, Makenna, Silvey, and Ash together approached the eighteen-year-old fairy. All of them looked a little worried. Tracey gulped and faced Merlin. Maybe he could get away with this? He leaned the right side of his body, the one with Gina on his shoulder, towards his master. He slightly glared at him. Tracey didn’t want everybody to discover his injury though – he would be in so much trouble, so he tried to back out.
He pulled his side away from Merlin and stood up straight, “I’m fine, Sensei. I just have a little dirt on me. I have been training nonstop for the past month now.” Merlin didn’t fall for that. He thought Tracey was better. He almost never lied to him. Within seconds, he flung his hand forward and grabbed his apprentice’s injured arm. Immediately he flinched and yelled, “Ow! Let go!” in a painful voice, “I’m fine!” He tried to pull away, but Merlin held him tightly. Tracey was finally given no other choice, so he let his master discover his wound. Merlin pulled his sleeve up and undid the rag around his arm. While he worked, Makenna, Silvey, and Ash watched anxious.
Merlin soon pulled the rag away from Tracey’s arm, and he gently gripped it while he examined his bloodied and bruised wound. It was not pretty.
Makenna gasped and brought her hand to her lips, “Tracey, you’re hurt! Oh, my gosh! How did that happen?!”
Tracey feebly chuckled, “You see, funny story. Um, I – well, I mean – it’s like this.”
Merlin didn’t let him finish though. “Save it,” he said in a stern voice, “You went sailing out in the ocean again, didn’t you? That’s how you know the beachcombers are coming, right?” Tracey shut up. A wave of guilt washed over his entire soul and body. He tried to pull away again, but Merlin didn’t let him. Ash crossed his arms and looked away. He focused his attention back on the light of the boat. Merlin shook his head and looked his apprentice in the eyes, “I am very disappointed in you, my young apprentice.”
Yep, Tracey was definitely in trouble. “Master,” he softly spoke, “it’s just, when I saw the boat out there, I had to check it out. I only went as far as the point though.”
Merlin shook his head, “No, I am not disappointed because you sailed out to sea without permission. I am disappointed because you lied not only to me, but also to your friends. This proves to me that you are not ready to become a Wizard Fairy.” Tracey’s guilt grew.
He tried his best to never lie. “I’m sorry,” he spoke.
“No,” said Merlin, “Sorry won’t cut it. I want you to explain to your friends here and me why you lied.” Makenna peered up to Merlin’s face while Ash continued to study the light.
“Bu-But.” Tracey protested.
“Tracey.” Merlin sternly spoke.
Finally, Tracey sighed, and he explained in a slightly choked voice, “It’s just, after what happened last year, I didn’t think you would be pleased and want to help me if I said I got hurt again.”
“Is that all?” Merlin asked. Tracey slowly nodded. Merlin turned all fatherly here, “Tracey, why would you think that? Of course I’ll help you. You’re my son, and I hate to see my son in pain. It’s true that I’m not pleased by your actions, but it doesn’t mean I won’t help you. Why don’t we treat this wound of yours and get settled down for the night? And Makenna Delling,” Here, he glanced at Makenna, “I trust you have the extremely important parcel safe?”
Makenna nodded, “Yes, sir,” and she held the parcel out to the wizard, “Here you go.”
Merlin smiled at the sight of it, “Terrific. Hold onto it though until tomorrow. Make sure you’re very, very careful though. Don’t ever let it get tipped over, okay?”
Makenna nodded, “Yes, sir.” She hugged the parcel to her chest.
“And also, Makenna?” Merlin asked.
“Huh?” she wondered.
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure. What do you want?”
“Can you,” spoke Merlin, “fly out and check out the boat?”
“Check it out?”
“Yes. You see, you know humans much better than Tracey, Ash, and I. If the beachcombers are planning on coming ashore tomorrow, report to me. This is your chance to pass Ash’s trial and move a step closer to your Merfairy transformation.”
“My Merfairy transformation?” Makenna looked very confused, “Trial?” She glanced at Ash, “What trial, Ash?”
Ash smiled and explained, “You’ll discover that a little later, Makenn. Don’t worry about Tracey. Merlin and I will take care of him. For now, I think it’s wise ya follow Merlin’s instructions.”
“Sure,” Makenna said, “but I have a slight problem.” She looked herself up and down, “I don’t have my wings anymore! How am I supposed to fly out there?”
“That is something ya have to figure out yourself.” Ash continued, “Good luck, Makenna, and make sure ya report to us about what ya saw.” He gave Makenna’s shoulder a pat and joined Merlin and Tracey. Silvey stayed with Makenna, but she couldn’t for long. Ash gestured her over and said, “Come on, Silvey. This is something Makenna must do alone.” Silvey lowered her head.
Makenna patted her and said, “Go on, Silvey. Don’t worry. I’ll be all right.” Head still lowered, Silvey approached Ash and sat in front of him. He again wished the Metamorphic Fairy luck. Merlin gently pulled Tracey forward, and the Wizard Fairy helped him. Tracey peered over his shoulder to Makenna and smiled at her. She watched as they disappeared in the shadows. Officially, Makenna was all alone on this section of the beach now.
She wasn’t very happy. Fifteen-year-old Makenna Delling marched down the beach tripping over logs, rocks, etc.
Along the way, she muttered to herself and mocked Ash, “‘That is something ya must figure out yourself, Makenna.’ Ugh. What does he expect me to do?” She climbed over the trunk of another hanging palm tree and peered out to sea in the direction of the boat’s light, “I don’t know how to sail, and I can’t even fly! Does he expect me to swim? In this?” She peered down on her attire. Young Makenna stuck her feet in the warm, clear water and tried to figure out what to do. “Argh!” she shouted after a bit, “This stinks! I can’t think of anything! Ash is crazy if he thinks I can do this! I’m not like him. I can’t use magic the way he does. I’m not a so-called Merfairy!” Right here though, Makenna proved herself wrong. With a frustrating wave of her hand, she could suddenly control the ocean! A huge wave lifted into the air and hovered over her! A wave! Makenna Delling peered up to the crest of it and exclaimed, “Whoa! How on Earth? How did I do that?!” Then she got an idea, “Wait a minute.” The wave dropped back into the ocean while she turned and peered behind her. Makenna’s eyes landed on a flat, surfboard-shaped rock, and she grabbed it with both hands. Makenna dragged it to the shoreline and used her magic to sprinkle some fairy dust on it. The fairy dust caused the rock to become light and float in water instead of sinking. If Makenna could control the ocean, then she had an amazing idea in mind! She pushed the surfboard-like rock into the water and flopped aboard it. Smiling, the Metamorphic Fairy started to paddle out, and it wasn’t long until she was floating over the reef. Here, Makenna made her move. Sitting on the rock, she lifted her hands with her palms facing the sky, and another wave emerged. It took the Metamorphic Fairy into the air while she sat on its crest. She had a good feeling about this. When she was ready, she stood up on the rock surfer style and peered down on the face of the wave. Makenna nodded and built up her confidence. “Come on, Makenna, you’ve got this!” she said after a bit. Holding her breath, she held out her arms and steered down the wave’s face. Immediately, she picked up speed. Makenna yelled when she saw she was about to crash. Quickly picking up her hand, she created another wave and leaped over to that one instead of crashing into the water. She went down the face of that one and created a smaller wave to ride afterwards. Makenna soared over the tip of that one and kept on creating waves to ride. Eventually, she started to get used to it, and she realized how much fun she was having! This was one of those times when she was really glad she was a professional surfer. “Yahoo! This is amazing!” she shouted while she continued her magic surfing meet.
Behind her, on the beach, she was being watched, by Ash. His hand rested on the trunk of a palm tree in the jungle, and he smiled at the sight of Makenna surfing out to the point.
“You’re doing great, Makenna,” he whispered, “but will you build up the guts to spy on that family?” He took his hand off the palm and stepped onto the beach. Reaching back, he grabbed hold of the hilt of his sword and drew it. The blade glowed up, and Crusader turned back into a staff. With it in hand, Ash twirled around and around at a quick pace on the beach and covered himself in green smoke. When the smoke blew away, he was gone! Poof! He disappeared in midair! Where did the Wizard Fairy go?
Unaware that Ash had been watching her, Makenna reached the point Tracey had been at earlier and ordered the wave she was riding to take her down. It dropped her and the rock surfboard onto it and slipped back into the sea. Makenna waved goodbye to it and thanked it for all its help. Once the wave vanished, she turned around, and her eyes landed on the ferns Tracey hid behind when he was at the point. Makenna stepped off her surfboard rock and approached them.
She pulled the ferns apart and said, “There it is,” when she saw the boat. It was dark out now, so she was well hidden. Makenna wanted to get a closer look at the intruders’ boat, so she crept towards the point’s edge like a spider. However, she almost had the same experience as Tracey. Makenna’s foot hit some rocks, and they broke under it, causing her to lose balance, “Whoa!” but she caught herself at the last second, “Be careful, Makenna. You almost got a total soaker there. Hm, I wonder if Tracey…” She shivered, “Oh man,” and reached for her arm, “ow.” Backing away, she plopped down and pulled her knees up close. Makenna glanced out to the boat again. She remembered her task. She had to find out if the humans were planning on coming ashore the next day. This meant that the Metamorphic Fairy had to swim to the boat and spy on its occupants. She groaned when she realized this, “Seriously?” and at first refused because she didn’t want her nice outfit to get wet. While she sat on the point, she reached into her bag and drew an apple. Makenna bit into it and tried to make up her mind. She thought back to how Merlin mentioned that if she succeeded in this quest, then she would be a step closer to her so-called Merfairy transformation. Caleb had mentioned it the year before, but she wasn’t sure if it was really true. Well, there was only one way to find out. Even though she didn’t want to, Makenna had to advance forward and not backward. She wouldn’t get her Merfairy transformation if she just sat on the point all night without even building up the guts to swim to the boat and spy. This was risky, but Makenna had to try. Tracey’s fate and the fate of the ocean itself depended on it.
She finished off her apple and set the core down next to her bag that she had taken off. Makenna rose to her feet and slipped off her sandals as well as her hat. She tossed both of them onto her bag and slowly approached the end of the unstable point. The rocks were rough under her bare feet but also fairly smooth. Makenna glanced out to the boat and took a deep breath. The ocean called her name, just like how it called Tracey’s. This was Makenna’s chance to officially become a part of the sea. She lifted her hands over her head and leaped from the point. The ocean water splashed as she dove, and it wasn’t long until she was floating underwater. Even though Makenna couldn’t breathe underwater yet, she could hold her breath even longer than thirty minutes now. She was ready for adventure, but she feared it too. She feared what would happen if the humans came ashore and discovered the secret world.
The Metamorphic Fairy started her swim towards the boat and followed its light. During it, she studied the ocean’s bottom and everything that grew on it – coral, weeds, seaweed, etc. There also were quite a few rocks and arches. Blue and pink bubbles swirled around Makenna’s legs as she swam like a mermaid, and she kept following the light. Halfway to the boat though, she discovered something. She swam over a cluster of coral but stopped when a sparkle caught her eye. Something about this sparkle intrigued her. It told her something mystical was waiting. The Metamorphic Fairy approached an arch that hovered over the coral and gripped it. She squinted her eyes so she could study it more carefully. The sparkle shone again, and Makenna cracked a small smile. Oh man, she could feel a great discovery creeping her way. Since she was still within bounds of Coutarine Island, of course it was something magical. Makenna ran her fingers through her swaying, brown hair and let go of the arch.
She swam down to the coral and smiled again when she saw a cluster of rainbow-colored coral or just colorful coral. The sparkle came from within it. Curious, Makenna Delling lifted her hand and started to poke around in the cluster. She pulled it apart and tilted her head to the left. This was where she made her great discovery. She discovered the source of the sparkle. It came from an old costate shell necklace. A necklace. It was kind of similar to Makenna’s own necklace, except the pendant for this one was an orange costate shell while hers was a blue horse head. Still holding her breath, she reached further into the cluster of coral for the necklace but flinched when suddenly, a searing pain engulfed her index finger. Makenna had cut herself on the coral. Blood escaped the wound and polluted the ocean, but she went ahead and scooped up the old necklace. Once she had it, she pulled her hand out of the coral and examined her find. It was covered in sand, and it looked to be well over a hundred years old. Makenna moved the necklace over to one hand and bit her wounded finger on the other one. It strangely didn’t sting much, but there was quite a bit of blood. For some reason, the sight of the cut interested Makenna. She took her teeth away and curiously observed it. Some of her swaying hair got in her face, but she pulled it away. When she finally remembered her task, she nodded and swam towards surface. Behind her, there was a sudden flash of green light. The light then turned into a ball, and it hid behind another cluster of coral.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
