I'm awoken by a bright golden light.

  Carefully I open my eyes, the bright light hurting them in the process. So I rub them for the pain to go away. In order to protect my sight further, I sit up, creating shadow.

  It takes a moment for my eyes to finally adjust to and at last I'm finally able to see my surroundings, something by which I'm taken by surprise.

  There's water above me...

  I'm sitting on what seems like the sand at the bottom of the sea.

  I panic, but quickly notice that I'm completely fine.

  Somehow I have no trouble breathing here.

  Moving my head to turn, my hair moves only a little bit like underwater. Once I stop, it all gently falls back into place again.

  The same goes for my dress. Touching it with my hand, I feel that it's still completely dry.

  Placing my right hand on the welcoming warm sand, I slowly rise to my feet.

  Looking up I can see the transparent waves crashing above me, showing me the sun far, far above it.

  I see the sea foam moved further onto the shore, creating moving shadows beneath me.

  A school of the tiniest fish swimming past me, they seem to be about the same size as small flies, but unlike them they have scales and if I were to touch them, they would probably feel very cold and slimy.

  The fishes don't even seem to notice me at all, perhaps it's because I'm standing so still. Maybe they see me as a stone or a plant?

  I listen to the sound of the small creatures and to the subdued sound of the waves crashing. Truly strange, but in a way they also seem to calm me down.

  How did I end up here? I wonder, but as I try to remember a terrible headache meets me, stopping me from trying any further.

  Nothing about my current situation seems to have any logic behind it.

  Perhaps I shouldn't follow logic then.

  It could always be a dream, but it could also not be at all, but I am glad that I can freely breathe here.

  Turning around I see that behind me the ground seems to be going uphill, if I were to go that way I would probably reach the shore and leave this place behind...

  Looking the other way I can see the ground slowly moving down and the colour of the ocean getting darker and darker the further I look.

  Personally I feel more attracted by the deep.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  I'm here now, wouldn't it be a shame if I were to just leave it all behind?

  Still, there's something I want to check uphill.

  Can I touch the waves?

  I walk further up and with each step the sand beneath me swirls around me, like grains of glistening gold. Stirring like it is supposed to when walking underwater.

  Taking another step and another, I'm finally able to reach the surface of the sea.

  Standing on my toes I reach out, further and further... until I can't seem to move my hand further up.

  How strange, so I can't leave?

  It's like the surface is hard and impenetrable.

  I take another step forward and raise my hand again, hitting it again.

  Just what is the air? A wall?

  Would I be unable to breathe the air I usually do?

  Well it doesn't really matter.

  I turn back to the further stretching, deeper and darker going path before me. Too curious to remain where I am, yet vigilant at every little sound.

  It feels like I've been walking for hours, the water seems to have risen far higher above my head than it was earlier.

  There are more plants here than before, most are not that big and all seem to be green. Occasionally there's a tangle of seaweed growing, greeting me about waist length.

  My feet have started hurting, but I don't really pay it any mind. I want to explore and thus I continue.

  I begin to see more and more stones and even more plants, some of them even of other colours.

  Now really too tired to continue I sit down on a big rock, hidden behind the green seaweed and other kinds of coral.

  I sigh, but no air bubbles escape my mouth.

  All of this makes me feel a little like some sort of ghost. Have I died? I think, but the moment I try to reclaim lost memories, my head starts attacking me again. Aching terribly, I place a hand trying to cool it down a little.

  The fish don't seem to see me and I almost don't seem to be able to do anything to the world around me, except for moving the sand.

  Can I move the plants?

  Carefully I stretch out my arm and push away the green vines of one of the plants.

  As I do, I'm all of a sudden greeted by a dolphin.

  I let out a small scream as the creature seems to look right in my soul.

  Quickly I push my hand against my mouth and the dolphin looks strangely shocked as well.

  The second thing I notice is that the creature is wearing a strange red hat and a shoulder bag.

  It opens its mouth: "Young lady!" it suddenly speaks.

  I lean back, backing away from the loud and weird voice. Did I hear it correctly?

  "Young lady, what are you doing outside of the castle walls?" It stresses.

  Now that I think about it, the dolphin looks to be some sort of postman. There's a drawing of an envelope on both its hat and bag.

  As the creature notices that I'm unable to answer back, it sighs exhausted: "Damn humans, always thinking they're right all the time..." it continues with its normal voice: "Young lady, the alarm has sound. If you don't get back behind the walls, you will be caught in the attack."

  Attack?

  What kind of attack would be happening here underwater?

  The dolphin swims next to me and guides me deeper.

  It doesn't take long for me to see dark underwater-moss grown walls rising into view. That really is a medieval castle... Underwater...

  There are many scratch-marks over the walls and towers. Just what could have done that? Whatever it is, it must have very sharp claws. Or perhaps it's something more machine-like?

  We spot the last few people running over a wooden, ancient-looking drawbridge.

  "Hurry! Hurry!" The dolphin yells, though he didn't have to. I'm already sprinting as fast as I can towards it.

  Even though I notice that the sea is growing darker, I don't stop.

  I'm almost there.

  Just a couple more steps.

  Suddenly the bridge starts to move.

  Slowly moving upwards, loudly creaking.

  "Damnit child, run!" The dolphin keeps yelling.

  It's getting higher and higher.

  I'm almost there...

  Without stopping, I jump, hands trying to catch the rising wood.

  I catch it with one hand, but I'm not strong enough to climb it myself.

  The dolphin starts swimming underneath me and pushing me inside.

  Just in time we both get inside, leaving us both out of breath as we are embraced by the darkness of the building.

  The only light inside are the occasional jelly fishes swimming inside old bottles lining the walls.

  I can just see that there's another wall as it gets closed after the drawbridge, also old, but made out of metal. In the little bit of light I see that there are many different bolts keeping it together and there are strange markings on the side facing my way.

  "Thanks." I whisper, still trying to catch my breath to the creature that just saved my life.

  It laughs with relief: "So you can talk after all."