For the longest time, it seemed that everything from Blackstone's sight was nothing but pure darkness ever since he was hit with the full might of the sea.
However, the same couldn't be said for his hearing. Despite the noises that came with movement with the ocean, he heard the cry of his daughter. When he heard her weeping, he wished he could do anything to embrace his sweet daughter and tell her he was alright. That everything was going to be okay.
But he couldn't move. He didn't have arms, eyes, or even a nose. For the longest time, he had no body for his soul, at least until now when the darkness finally gave way to light.
"Ah, I'm glad you're finally awake." A female voice said.
When Captain Blackstone opened his eyes, he saw himself looking face to face with a lovely woman with dark red hair. He thought he was staring into the eyes of a beautiful mermaid until he realized that her lower body had the tentacles of an octopus instead of a fishy mermaid tail.
This woman wasn't a mermaid, she was a cecaelia! And, judging from her room surrounded by glowing jars, she seemed to be a sea witch.
Captain Blackstone recoiled in fear, trying to bring up his arms in self defense but, instead of seeing his arms, he saw only fins instead.
"What's going on here?!" He thought.
The cecaelia chuckled. "Now, now. It seems that you were asleep when I told you about the state of your old vessel."
"Aye? What are ye' talking about?" The captain thought.
"Well, what I'm saying is that you're no longer human, my friend. Your old body has been turned into a monument of coral by King Damon." The cecaelia then twirled her fingers to summon a mirror. "But now, I'm pleased to say I brought you into a new vessel."
Captain Blackstone looked at himself in a mirror to see the reflection of a giant Atlantic sailfish. He was a huge metallic blue fish with a large violet dorsal fin and a long and pointed bill-like snout that looked like a sword.
In any other situation, Captain Blackstone would have been more than pleased to have this fish in his collection but knowing that this fish was him made him scream.
"My body! Me arms! My legs! What did you do to me, woman? I'm a fish!" Captain Blackstone cried out.
"Not just ANY fish, my friend." The woman corrected. "What you currently inhabit is the body of Arnav, a heroic swordfish that the ancient merking Ronan rode in his way to battle for the kingdom that King Damon currently inherits. I found, kept, and preserved Arnav's body as a piece of personal memorabilia. For the longest time, there was no soul in that body… At least until now." She said with an impressed smile.
Captain Blackstone looked down at his body and realized that, in his huge size, his body could tower over the woman. Confused and angered by what this woman said, he pointed his sword-like nose right at the woman's neck.
"You filthy witch! Do you have any idea who you're messing with? I'm-"
"Captain Blackstone, you were once a proud husband of the late Alice and a father to Eleanor, the daughter whom you gave to the sea in hopes of a better future as a mermaid bride of the merprince." The sea witch said calmly, gently patting away Captain Blackstone's nose. "No need to be so hostile, especially since I'm the one who brought you back to life."
The human-turned-swordfish was stunned at the cecaelia's words, especially at her mention of his dear daughter. He obeyed her command and swam back to give his nose and the woman a safe distance.
"Why am I here? I'm supposed to be dead, to be reunited with Alice. How… How did I end up in your hands?" The captain blubbered.
The woman grinned and swam towards the giant sailfish, stroking his head. "Now, now, Captain. No need to be such a scaredy clownfish. Allow me to explain."