The fairies made a quick detour to Merlin's Cave to pick up the parcel before taking off for Coutarine Island. When they finally did, Tracey and Ash relied on a special flying spell, although Makenna still wondered why Ash didn't fly himself, but whatever.
The journey was beyond compare. Makenna felt like she was flying over Caribbean, Fiji-like water the entire flight to Coutarine Island. She felt so alive!
Makenna held her arms out to her sides and soared over the ocean's surface. She peered down and twirled. Makenna stuck her hand in the warm ocean, and the salty liquid splashed onto her.
Since Tracey wasn't a Wizard Fairy like Ash yet, his flight spell didn't last as long. Before he knew it, he tumbled toward the ocean, but Ash caught him by ordering his sword/staff to have him land on a blanket-like form of his magic. It now looked as if Tracey were flying on Aladdin's magic carpet.
Gina landed on his shoulder and hugged him tightly.
Now nearing Coutarine Island, Ash smiled at Makenna and Tracey and gestured with his hand. "There it is," he said. "My home. Welcome to Coutarine Island."
Makenna heard him and peered forward, gasping. Tracey, though, gulped.
Sitting before the three fairies and their avian friends was another tropical island. While it didn't have a volcano, it was still as stunning as Merlin's Island. The entire island was green and colorful, with white-sand beaches and beautifully colored water.
Makenna's mouth dropped open, and she whispered, "Wow." Man, she loved being a fairy! She couldn't wait to explore Coutarine Island!
Her eyes landed on the clear ocean below, and she noticed a few dolphins swimming close to the surface. Makenna also saw that she, Ash, Tracey, Raeven, and Gina were flying over a coral reef.
The dolphins leaped out of the ocean and dove back into it in perfect sync.
Flocks of terns and seagulls soared by Makenna, Tracey, and Ash's heads, and Gina waved at a few more birds of her kind.
The gentle Atlantic Ocean even whispered to Makenna, "The Ocean."
Makenna whispered, "It's beautiful," back.
Gina opened her wings and leaped off Tracey's shoulder. She flew into a flock of terns and began mingling with them.
Below, the dolphins happily clicked. Two of them slapped their tails together and dove underwater to catch fish in the reef.
Makenna had an urge to watch them feed. She glanced at Ash, who nodded at her.
Waving, he said, "Go on. I'll ensure Tracey doesn't dive in after you."
Makenna thanked him and studied the water and reef again.
The ocean again whispered, "The Ocean."
Makenna grinned and nodded at Raeven.
He gestured for her to move along.
Makenna soon took a deep breath and flapped her wings. She dove into the ocean and created a small splash.
Ash and Tracey stopped flying above, and they waited for her to return, unaware of a few figures sneaking up on them from behind.
Makenna couldn't help but stare at the coral reef. It was gorgeous; it had a magnificent structure and many different colors.
Makenna kicked her legs and followed the dolphins. It was interesting. Even though she didn't have scuba fins, just feathers on her legs, she swam gracefully through the water. It didn't even sting her eyes. Her long, ankle-length hair swayed in the water, and she followed the dolphins to the heart of the reef, where all the fish thrived.
Makenna's eyes landed on the floor of the reef, white sand surrounded by towers of coral, and she swam down to it. Schools of fish danced around her.
Makenna landed on the sand, watching as the dolphins fed. She soon gasped and reached for her mouth. Wait a minute, how long had she been under? The thought left her, though, when a sea turtle swam by her, and Makenna beamed at it.
Right after the turtle left, a bundle of green seaweed approached Makenna, and her eyes widened.
The seaweed took on the form of a woman, and she whispered, "The Ocean."
It was her! The spirit was the one who had whispered, "The Ocean".
Makenna waved at her. She expected the spirit to wave back, but it was strange. She didn't. Makenna saw fear in her face.
The spirit frantically waved her hands and gestured Makenna toward Coutarine Island.
She turned on a confused face. Was the spirit warning her about something?
When the seaweed spirit saw that she didn't have a clue what she was talking about, she shot toward the ocean's surface, and Makenna observed. She had a bad feeling.
***
The seaweed spirit jumped out of the ocean, still in the form of a woman, and soared to Ash, Tracey, Raeven, and Gina.
Ash had just finished explaining to Tracey why Makenna could hold her breath for so long, because he had grown a little worried, and he nodded understandingly. "Wow. So Makenna is very close to becoming a Merfairy, Ash?"
"She is," Ash explained. "However, for her to truly become one, she must first—"
Raeven cut him off because he had noticed the seaweed spirit flying to them. "Um, Ash, what's that?" He pointed at the spirit, and Ash, Tracey, and Gina glanced at him.
"What are you talking about, Raeven?" Gina asked him telepathically.
"Ahh!" Tracey suddenly shouted. He cried out and grabbed both sides of his head. "Stop! I'm not going with you!"
"Tracey!" Ash yelped. "What's wrong?"
Tracey's left arm of his uniform glowed, and an image of the Octopus Man's trident appeared beside it.
Ash noticed that. A blast of wind almost blew his scabbard off his back, but he grabbed it before it could. He whirled around, and his mouth fell open when he saw the seaweed spirit flying toward him, Tracey, Gina, and Raeven.
Tracey again cried out. The mark beside his arm glowed brighter.
Ash recognized the seaweed spirit and yelled, "Ethelinda!" Ethelinda was the guardian of Coutarine Island.
She reached Ash and circled him, along with Gina and Raeven.
He watched every movement she made.
Ethelinda pointed behind the blanket Tracey rested on and waved her free hand.
Ash looked, and his eyes widened.
The Octopus Man's sirens appeared, and they jumped out of the ocean. They closed in on the two fairies, the bird, and the bat.
Ash immediately became serious and shouted, "Go!" at Tracey. "Get away from the ocean! Hurry to Coutarine Island!"
"But what about Makenna?" Tracey questioned. He reached behind him and drew a shuriken.
Ash brought back his hand and answered, "I'll get her. You can't dive into the ocean. The Octopus Man will try to pull ya to the Bermuda Triangle."
"But..." Tracey started, but then he groaned, and darkness flashed in his eyes. "I met Makenna first, so I must save her," he whispered.
When Ash wasn't looking, Tracey drove his magic blanket to the surface of the ocean and peered into the clear water, taking a deep breath.
Gina, hovering beside his ear, soon yelled, "No, Tracey!" and grabbed Tracey's tuft of hair that stood up in the center of his head with her claws.
Tracey shooed her away. His entire body shook, but he added, "All right, Tracey, you've got this. Makenna is counting on you to get her out of the ocean. Peter Nelson, in disguise over there, is not going to hurt her with me around."
"Tracey, stop!" Gina pulled his hair again, but Tracey shook her off.
Sweat poured down his temples, but he remained calm. Then, once he was ready, he inhaled and dove off Ash's magic blanket into the reef.
"Tracey!" Gina begged.
Poseidon's minions headed for Ash, who reached back and grabbed the hilt of his magic sword. Drawing it, the sun's rays caused the blade to shine.
Ash snapped his left arm to the side and bravely announced, "Come and get me!" to the minions. He drew his shield next and lifted his sword over his head.
The sirens closed in—closer, closer—and then Ash attacked. He repeatedly slashed the sirens and sliced them in two. Every time he did, the siren exploded, spraying him with stray water.
Ash let out a battle cry and kept attacking.
***
Tracey searched the coral reef for Makenna. He could also hold his breath much longer now and swim easily in the ocean.
The Octopus Man's curse began getting to Tracey, but he fought it as hard as he could.
The current picked up, but Tracey grabbed some coral and closed his eyes.
"Come, Tracey," the Octopus Man said in his head. "Come to the Bermuda Triangle."
Tracey shook his head and hugged the coral as tightly as he could.
Above the waves, thirty sirens dove for Ash from every direction, showing off their nasty fangs and glowing red eyes.
Ash pointed his sword at the sky, and the blade shimmered with the familiar blue color. Lowering it, Ash twirled as fast as he could, and magic escaped the sword's blade. It slammed into the sirens, sending them tumbling into the ocean.
"Whoa!" Ash cheered. "Now, that is what I call a special attack!" He turned to Gina. "Did ya see that, Gina?" However, he gasped when he saw his empty, magic blanket hovering over the ocean. "Where's Tracey?"
Gina closed her eyes and slowly pointed her claw at the water.
Ash looked, and his jaw fell open. "He didn't!"
"He did," Gina explained. "I think he feels like you're trying to steal Makenna from him."
"I'm not!" Ash fought. "What is with boys who go crazy over a girl? Oh man, this isn't good. No wonder the ocean is getting a little rough now."
"Ash, please," Raeven begged. "My fairy needs me."
Ash peeked over his shoulder to see more sirens coming for him. He nodded and faced Ethelinda. "Ethelinda, please," he begged. "Get Makenna and Tracey out of the ocean. I'll take care of the sirens."
The seaweed spirit returned his gesture and returned to the ocean.
Ash faced the sirens and held his sword in both hands.