“DON’T GIVE THE VARITA TO RABALLA, KING AGRUPADOR!”Izan shouted as Raballa held him by the neck. “Think about what will happen to Ver Profundo if Raballa gets the Varita back.”
Raballa tightened his grip. “Stop it, land-dweller! Do you really want to die? ”
“End this, Raballa! ”King Agrupador demanded.
“No, Agrupador! I’ve waited too long to rule Ver Profundo, and I’m not going to waste this chance!”
“King, save Izan. I’m begging you,” Esteban pleaded with his father, tears in his eyes.
Izan saw the king’s jaws clench, as if he were struggling to decide what to do.
“Well, Agrupador? I’m getting impatient! I’ll destroy the Piedra if you don’t hurry and let this land-dweller die!”Izan Felt Raballa’s grip on the Piedra tighten even more.
“Father,” Esteban begged again.
Finally, King Agrupador spoke up. “Alright, Raballa. I’ll return the Varita to you if you promise not to harm this land-dweller!”
Izan shook his head at the king’s decision. They were all in even greater danger now that Raballa would regain the power of Varita.
Raballa laughed loudly. “Then throw me the Varita, Agrupador. Hurry up! ”He ordered.
Without hesitation, King Agrupador threw the Varita, which Raballa caught with glee. Raballa was ecstatic.
“Release Izan now, Raballa! ”Esteban demanded.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep my word. I’ll release this land-dweller! ”
Izan hoped Raballa would keep his word, but he was wrong. Raballa ripped the Piedra from his neck and crushed it with the Varita.
Raballa shoved him into a corner. Izan’s tail began to glow and split into two, turning back into human legs.
“That’s what you land-dwellers deserve! ”Raballa laughed maniacally.
“You monster, Raballa! ”King Agrupador shouted angrily.
“Izan!!! ”Esteban screamed as he saw Izan struggling to breathe.
Izan Felt as though his chest would burst. He couldn’t breathe properly. Swimming to the surface was useless because of how deep he was; he wouldn’t make it.
Raballa’s laughter rang out again.
“Now watch as the breath of this land dweller slowly fades away! ”
Hope surged within Izan when he saw Atun behind Raballa.
“How—” Raballa couldn’t finish his sentence as Atun struck him with his large tail.
Raballa slammed into the wall. He was about to attack the whale with the Varita, but Atun quickly knocked the hand holding the Varita away. Raballa dropped it. Enraged, Atun tackled Raballa once more.
The Varita Fell at Izan’s Feet. Weak as he was, Izan grabbed it and swam to the cell where Esteban was. He handed the Varita to the king.
The end of the Varita began to emit lilac energy.
King Agrupador pointed the Varita at the bars, and they began to melt slowly.
As soon as Esteban was freed, he embraced Izan tightly. Even underwater, Izan could Feel the warmth of his body. It had been so long since he had Felt this closeness. Esteban stroked his cheek; his eyes were teary. Izan Felt as though he might run out of breath at any moment.
“Izan, just hold on. Don’t let go! Don’t leave me! ”Esteban pleaded between sobs.
Izan managed a weak smile in response. He couldn’t move any part of his body.
Suddenly, Esteban kissed him on the lips. Using his own tongue, Esteban gently opened Izan’s mouth. He Felt the air from Esteban being passed to him.
Izan closed his eyes. He knew Esteban was giving him air to help him breathe.
The pressure on his chest lessened slightly because of this.
“Hurry, Esteban! Get Izan to the surface! ”King Agrupador’s urgent voice cut through.
Esteban wasted no time. He quickly moved his lilac tail through the water. Despite the speed, everything Felt painfully slow to Izan. The man he loved held him close, their lips pressing together. Esteban was giving him air. He was giving him liFe.
Finally, they reached the surface. Esteban brought him to the island where they had first met. It was saFer there, as no one came to the island. Esteban laid him gently on the shore and knelt beside him.
“Izan! Wake up! Are you still alive? ”Izan heard Esteban’s sobbing voice.
He kept his eyes closed, gathering his strength. He Felt as though his bones had disappeared from the ordeal.
One of his hands moved slightly. He opened his eyes just enough to see Esteban’s worried face. He lifted his hand and grasped Esteban’s arm.
“I'm still alive, Esteban.” He suddenly coughed, water spilling from his mouth.
“Izan! ”Esteban’s worried shout echoed as he gently rubbed Izan’s chest.
“I’m okay. Really! ”Izan smiled, even though his chest still ached a bit.
“But why is water coming out of your mouth? ” 
“It’s nothing,” Izan replied, sitting up. He gazed at Esteban’s face with deep afFection. Even though he looked a bit pale, it didn’t diminish his handsome Features. “I thought we’d never see each other again. I thought you’d left me. I’m sorry if I thought you broke your promises, Esteban.
“I could never do that to you, Izan, because I love you so much. But seeing what you did for me made me realize how much you love me. You came into my world just to be with me.
“Because you did the same for me once, Esteban. And if I need to save you again, I won’t hesitate to do it.” Izan’s eyes welled up with tears, which Esteban wiped away with his thumb.
“Don’t cry, Izan. It hurts me to see you cry. We should be happy because we’re together again.”
Together? Izan paused for a moment. He shook his head. “Esteban, how can we be together if the Piedra is destroyed? You don’t have a way to have legs anymore.”
Esteban Fell silent and looked saddened. “D-don’t worry. I’ll ask King Agrupador if the Piedra can be repaired. I’ll find a way, Izan. I promise. We’ll be together again! ”
Soon, Izan noticed that Esteban’s skin was looking pale, just like when he was separated from the Piedra for a long time.
“Esteban, it looks like you need to return to Ver Profundo. Your skin,” he said, Feeling a pang of sadness in his heart. Esteban looked at his arm and saw that Izan was right. “You shouldn’t stay here any longer, or you might be in danger. Go back to Ver Profundo! ”
Esteban responded sadly. “Alright, Izan. I’ll go back to my home. But I promise, I’ll come back for you! I’ll find a way for us to be together again. I promise! ”He raised his hand.
Izan raised his hand as well. They pressed their palms together, intertwining their fingers. “Goodbye.” Izan couldn’t finish his goodbye as Esteban suddenly silenced him with a kiss.
Esteban pulled away from the kiss. “I don’t want us to say goodbye because I’ll be back.”
Izan nodded, closing his eyes as Esteban kissed him again, this time longer and filled with love.
“I love you so much, Esteban,” Izan whispered after the kiss.
“I love you so much too, Izan,” Esteban replied, and he slowly made his way back into the water.
Here's the translation:
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Izan was powerless as Esteban swam away. The mermaid's head emerged from the water one last time, and she waved at him. He returned the wave until Esteban dove back below the surface. The last thing he saw was Esteban's lilac tail.
“You can't stay on land because you'll die. And I can't stay underwater because I can’t breathe. We come from difFerent worlds, Esteban, but I believe that someday we'll be together. I trust your promise, Esteban, because you have never failed me,” Izan whispered through his tears.
Two days later, they met again on that island.
“King Agrupador told me that the Piedra can’t be repaired, Izan,” Esteban said sadly as they sat on the sand.
Izan could only stare at Esteban’s lilac tail. “So you won’t have your legs again. Maybe this is how it has to be. Just a Few minutes together before you have to leave because you can’t stay on land,” Izan said, trying to hide his sadness.
Esteban pulled him close and rested his head on his chest. He could Feel the steady beat of Esteban’s heart. “Don’t worry. I’ll find a way. We’ll be together.”
“I hope so, Esteban. I really do,” Izan said. “By the way, what happened to Raballa? ”
“Well, as punishment, he was imprisoned in a cell that even the Varita can’t destroy. It’s quiet in Ver Profundo now because King Agrupador and Queen Merluza have taken back control.”
Days continued to pass, and Izan and Esteban’s routine remained the same. They would meet on the island, talk for about five minutes, and then Esteban would leave because he couldn’t stay on land for long. Izan showed Esteban that he was happy with this arrangement, but inside, he was not. He longed to always be with Esteban, to embrace him at any time, and to see him first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Their relationship continued this way until one day, Izan became extremely worried when Esteban did not show up on the island. They had a set time to meet—every morning at eight o'clock.
Izan waited for another hour, but there was still no sign of Esteban. With a heavy heart, he left the island by boat.
He returned the next day, but Esteban still did not appear. As a month passed with no sight of Esteban, Izan grew increasingly anxious.
Here’s the translation:
---
“What happened to you, Esteban? ”Izan asked the air, staring out at the ocean. They hadn’t seen each other since then.
A year later...
“Granma Anchal!! ”Izan shouted as he saw his grandmother hanging clothes in front of her house.
Granma Ancha dropped the clothes she was about to hang as Izan ran up and embraced her. It had been a year since he last saw his grandmother, and he missed her dearly. After graduating high school, he returned to Madrid to study in college, and now that it was vacation, he was visiting Donastia - San Sebastian.
Granma Ancha swatted him on the back. “What kind of child are you? Look at how my laundry got dirty because of you!”she said.
He released her from the hug. “Never mind that, Granma. I just missed you all! ”
“By the way, isn’t your mom with you? ”
“Don’t count on it with Mommy. You know she’s busy making money.”
“Well, that’s true. Come on in, and I’ll join you after I finish this.” Just as he was about to enter the house, Granma Ancha called out to him. “Oh, Izan, don’t be too loud, okay? ”
He furrowed his brow. “Huh? Why, Granma? ”He asked in confusion.
“Well, Esteban is sleeping in your room.” Izan Felt as if he had been struck where he stood upon hearing Granma Ancha’s words. “A-Esteban? ”He exclaimed in disbelief, his voice trembling.
“Yes, it’s Esteban. The friend you brought here before. I was surprised last week when I came home from the market and saw him standing in front of the door, wearing the skirt I had hung out to dry! He was asking where you were, and I told him you were in Madrid. He wanted to see you, but he had no money to come. So, since you were coming here, I told him to wait for you at the house. And you know, when he found out you were coming back, he didn’t sleep all night, so now he’s still asleep.”
Izan dropped his suitcase on the floor and ran to his room.
“Hey, Izan! Why are you turning your back on me, you fool?! ”Granma Ancha shouted after him.
When Izan opened his bedroom door, he couldn’t believe his eyes. There was Esteban, but he had no lilac tail; instead, he had legs. He was lying on the bed, peacefully asleep. Tears welled up in Izan’s eyes as he gently approached Esteban.
Is this real? How did he get legs? The Piedra was broken, wasn’t it? Maybe this is just a dream? he wondered.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Izan reached out to touch the sleeping mermaid. He could Feel Esteban, so it was real and not just a dream. His tears flowed freely. Joy filled his heart. He thought he would never see Esteban again. Even though he didn’t know why Esteban had been missing for a year, he didn’t care. What mattered was that he was here again.
“A-Esteban...”
Slowly, Izan brought his face closer to the mermaid's. Their faces were only a hand’s breadth apart when Esteban suddenly woke up. He smiled upon seeing Izan.
“Izan,” the mermaid said, pulling him by the neck, and their lips met.
They kissed for a long time, clearly missing each other deeply. When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily.
Esteban sat beside him and held his hand. “I’m here now, Izan... just like I promised you.”
“But how did you get legs?”Izan asked. “You said the Piedra couldn’t be fixed.”
“Because of the Piedra de Celebridades, Izan,” Esteban replied with a smile.
“Piedra de Celebridades? What’s that? ”
“It’s one of the magical items of the Sangre, alongside the Varita and Piedra. It’s a magical Piedra that, when swallowed by an Sangre like me, gives them legs! I swallowed the Piedra de Celebridades, so now I have legs. In fact, it was the King who gave me the Piedra because he wanted us to be together.
Izan smiled, but with a touch of sadness.
“Esteban, I’m happy you have legs again, but how long can you stay on land? Will you leave me again? ”
Esteban bowed his head. “I can only stay on land for one year, Izan," he suspected. “The time I can spend on land is equal to how long I can stay away from Ver Profundo—that’s what the Piedra de Celebridades does. When my legs start to glow, that’s a sign I’ll be returning to my mermaid form. 
But when I go back to Ver Profundo, I can come back to the land again.” Esteban held him even tighter. “But, Izan, I endured a year without being with you so I could be with you for a long time.”
Izan smiled again. He embraced Esteban. “That’s okay, Esteban. It doesn’t matter how long we’re together. What’s important is that we’re happy during the time we’re together, even if it’s just for a short while. I love you so much, Esteban! Welcome back! ”He said it wholeheartedly.
“Thank you for understanding, Izan. I love you very much, too! ”
“We’ll make the most of your year here. You’ll come back after a year, right? ”
“Of course, Izan! I’ll return and return for you! ”
When the next school year began, Izan transFerred to Donastia - San Sebastian to continue his studies in architecture. He wanted to be close to Esteban. As much as he wished to bring him to Madrid, it wasn’t possible because there was no sea there. What if Esteban suddenly became a mermaid? That would be a big problem.
Izan and Esteban spent their time together being nothing but happy. Izan taught Esteban how to read, write, and count. 
In just three months, Esteban had learned everything. Izan also made sure to Feed the mermaid foods he had never tried before. They went on outings to fairs, the beach, churches, and many other places. Because of this, Izan loved Esteban even more, and he knew the Feeling was mutual.
Their happiness was so great that they lost track of the days.
Until one day, Izan was surprised to come home and find that Esteban was not there. When he went to his room, he found a letter from Esteban lying on his bed.
He picked it up and read it.
Izan, leaving you is breaking my heart. Every moment with you has been a treasure, and I can’t help but wish I could stay forever. But, as much as I don’t want to go, I must return home for now.
Please know that my love for you only grows stronger. This separation is temporary, and I promise to come back soon. Until then, I’ll hold onto our memories and think of you always.
With all my love,
.
Esteban
With a smile on his lips, Izan folded the letter. He didn’t Feel any sadness because he knew that the mermaid would return any day now. Besides, even if Esteban couldn’t come back, he wouldn’t regret it because they had been happy together during their time together.
One night, Izan woke up to find someone hugging him from behind. He was lying on the bed on his side. He Felt the arm wrap around him. He smiled and turned to face the person.
“Welcome back, Esteban! ”He greeted.