The vibrant, colorful seascape along the way adorned this lively underwater world. Schools of fish darted freely among the lush aquatic vegetation and coral reefs, their movements like fleeting rainbows gliding through the currents. Beneath the sea's gentle flow, the swaying plants performed a waltz, rolling left and right like carefree dancers, elegant and untethered.
Above, the sky was a serene expanse of deep blue, luminous and profound. Occasionally, clouds drifted by, their white forms shifting as if curiously gazing at the baby whale playfully spouting water below. Then, they moved away as quietly as they came, like mischievous princesses twirling their pearly gowns in delight.
The idyllic tranquility was interrupted by a distant rumble. Looking toward the source, they spotted an ominous bank of low-hanging, dark storm clouds. Lightning flickered through the shadows, and the wind's sharp howl signaled an impending downpour.
The merfolk and the baby whale surfaced, their gaze fixed on the approaching storm. To them, it seemed like a massive black demon with a sinister grin, growling as it prepared to wreak havoc on the ocean.
"Dive!" the captain commanded, leading the two young women and the baby whale beneath the surface. Turbulent currents churned the water, and sand rose like a restless cloud, veiling the surroundings in chaos. Visibility plummeted, and the light grew murky, transforming the seabed into a storm of its own—like an underwater sandstorm.
Amid the swirling sand, the captain spotted a crevice in the rocks below. It was large enough to provide shelter, a safe haven from the noise and chaos above.
On land, people seek shelter from rain. In the ocean, it's no different—except rain on water creates a unique challenge. The sheer volume of raindrops pounding the surface generates a cacophony of sound waves that reverberate beneath the surface, forming an overwhelming symphony of ultrasonic echoes. For marine creatures, it's an unbearable noise, akin to being trapped inside a giant bell as it's struck. Fish, too, must "seek shelter" to escape the painful din.
As the group settled into the rocky refuge, the storm's shadow blanketed the ocean. Even so, this secluded corner offered relative safety. They could still hear the dull roar of rain above, punctuated by the occasional flash of lightning piercing through the darkness, illuminating the waters in sharp, fleeting bursts.
The captain's bioluminescent headgear activated, casting a cool, glowing light over their temporary shelter. The soft gleam, a gift from his lantern anglerfish companion, gave the cavern a quiet, otherworldly ambiance.
Seraphina glanced at the light, a subtle ache flickering in her chest. She had yet to find her own bondmate, the companion required for her second-stage evolution. This absence weighed on her, a quiet regret she carried when facing her kin. She traced the faint patterns on her wrist scales, her heart heavy with both longing and resignation.
"Ladies," the captain said, breaking the silence. "The rain won't stop anytime soon. We'll take turns keeping watch. One of us must stay awake at all times to monitor the baby whale. These creatures, especially this species, communicate and sing using ultrasonic waves, which makes them highly sensitive to loud noises. If the thunder becomes too intense, it could panic and lash out. It's still young, but its strength is not to be underestimated, particularly when it surfaces for air—it breathes with lungs, remember."
He paused, looking from the turbulent surface above to the calm but fragile demeanor of the baby whale. "I'll take the first shift. I'll wake you in two hours to switch. Rest up for now."
Through the crevice, Seraphina gazed upward. Despite the murkiness, she could still see the flashes of lightning cutting through the storm. Each burst of light seemed to proclaim the overwhelming power of nature, a force beyond anything mortal. Slowly, her exhaustion caught up with her. As she watched the flickering brilliance from the depths, her eyes grew heavy, and she drifted into sleep.
When Seraphina awoke from her dreams, the thunder had subsided, and the rain seemed to have stopped. She thought about surfacing to catch a glimpse of a rainbow but quickly noticed Captain Kenny signaling for silence. His finger was pressed firmly against his lips, and his gaze was alert. Only then did she realize the baby whale was gone. Kenny stood protectively before them, peering through the crevice into the waters above.
The ocean outside remained gloomy and foreboding. The faint light filtering from the surface wavered with the restless currents, casting chaotic, flickering ribbons across the murky water. Curious, Seraphina leaned forward for a better look. Amid the shifting, white light, a massive shadow appeared, moving ominously—its presence ghostly, like a phantom dancing in the moonlight.
Her wide, watery eyes betrayed her fear as her pupils contracted. A frightened gasp escaped her lips, but before she could scream, Kenny clamped a firm hand over her mouth.
"Quiet," he whispered. "It's the king of the sea—a great white shark."
Even in the dimly lit crevice, Kenny's sharp eyes gleamed with intensity.
"Sharks are often pack hunters. If there's one, there's likely an entire group nearby. They can sense the bioelectric fields of living prey around them. Even if we tried to hide, they'd find us with ease."
As he spoke, Calypso, seated nearby, absentmindedly sifted through the loose sand on the rocky floor. Her fingers brushed against something unusual—something protruding slightly from the sand. Intrigued, she uncovered several black, spiral-shaped objects. A chill ran down her spine as a dreadful realization dawned on her. Her voice quivered with fear as she murmured,
"Captain… C-Captain, this… this is a shark's nest."
Kenny spun around, his gaze dropping to the sand. His expression hardened as he recognized the black spirals for what they were: shark eggs.
"Move!" he barked, his voice low but urgent. In an instant, he surged toward the other side of the crevice, motioning for the others to follow. But before they could react, a white blur darted into the crevice like a streak of lightning. A shark had breached their hiding place.
The three scattered, darting out of the crevice into the open water. What greeted them outside was far worse—a chilling sight of over a hundred sharks encircling them in a massive, tightening net.
"Stay behind me!" Kenny ordered, his voice resolute.
He shifted into his second-stage combat form, his body undergoing a startling transformation. His skin darkened and hardened into a chitinous armor-like texture, his muscles bulged, and his fists clenched tightly. His shoulders broadened, his expression sharpened with a menacing gleam, and the glowing device on his head expanded. When he bared his teeth, his fangs gleamed like polished daggers.
Calypso gritted her teeth and tried to transform into her own battle mode. But her incomplete training hindered her, and the defensive stingers unique to her jellyfish lineage failed to fully extend. Her frustration mounted as her skin flickered with shifting hues, betraying her agitation.
Seraphina, overwhelmed by the chaos, froze in place. Her panicked gaze darted around, but she couldn't even think about escaping amid the frenzy.
The sharks began their assault, rushing in waves. Their movements were swift and relentless, each strike calculated and deadly. Kenny intercepted the first attackers with powerful punches, deflecting the sharks' headlong charges, only to have their tails whip back at him with punishing force. The water churned violently with each collision, the currents spiraling outward.
More sharks closed in, the circle tightening. For every shark Kenny repelled, another lunged at his unprotected back. As the battle intensified, the glowing device on Kenny's head emitted a high-pitched hum before suddenly releasing a blinding white light.
A burst of radiant energy spread from him like a shockwave. One, two, three beams of searing white light pierced through the swarm of sharks.
"Crack!" The sound reverberated as the light burned into the sharks' sensitive eyes and skin. They writhed and twisted in pain, retreating into the shadows. The ability, an evolved trait derived from Kenny's lantern anglerfish bondmate, was a devastating countermeasure against predators.
Calypso struggled behind him, desperate to contribute. Her incomplete transformation left her stingers too short and ineffective for defense or attack. She was painfully aware of her inability to protect herself, let alone Seraphina, and the realization gnawed at her.
As the battle raged, a sudden, low growl echoed through the water.
"Stop the attack!"
The sharks halted abruptly, scattering to make way. From the heart of the chaos, a single shark emerged, revealing a grim scene.
Seraphina, pale and trembling, was caught in the jaws of a massive shark. Its teeth clamped around her waist as she struggled, weakly flailing her fists and thrashing her tail against its rough, unyielding hide.
Somehow, amidst the turmoil, the shark had struck with such speed that even Kenny was caught off guard. His eyes narrowed, and his fists tightened as the predator held its captive, taunting him with its menacing silence.
Nearby, a massive merman hovered in the water. His towering frame was pale with a bluish tinge, his muscular arms veined and scarred. His eyes glowed a menacing green, set in sunken sockets shadowed with dark circles that hinted at long-standing exhaustion—or perhaps malevolence. His face, with its cold, deathly hue, exuded an aura of merciless authority, and the deep scars on his chest told a grim tale of violence and survival.
"Who are you?" his deep, icy voice reverberated through the water. "Did you bring that whale calf into my territory?"
"I'm Kenny," replied the captain, his tone calm but steady. "We dove to avoid the surface storm, unaware this was your domain. We meant no offense and offer our deepest apologies. But I must ask—release the innocent girl and the whale calf. Neither is a threat to you. Showing them mercy would only enhance your prestige."
The merman was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing before flickering with faint recognition.
"Ah, Kenny the Detective," he said finally. "Renowned among the merfolk. I'm Dubbin, the current Shark Lord. Since you've come into my domain, you are my guests. Stay for a while—I insist on showing you proper hospitality."
Dubbin's eyes glinted ominously as he gave an unspoken command. The sharks dispersed, their movements swift and synchronized, revealing Dubbin's absolute control over his bondmates.
Kenny maintained his composure. "We're grateful for your invitation, Dubbin, but we're on a time-sensitive mission. Could we complete it and then return for a proper visit?"
Dubbin interrupted with a wave of his hand, turning away dismissively. "Nonsense. Hospitality is non-negotiable in my territory. I decide the rules."
Before Kenny could respond, three merfolk guards approached, dragging thick, gleaming chains of white metal. Each chain ended in a heavy shackle, which the guards secured around the tails of Kenny, Seraphina, and Calypso. Bound, they found it impossible to swim freely.
"What kind of hospitality is this?" Kenny demanded, glaring at Dubbin's retreating figure.
Seraphina's eyes reddened with suppressed tears, her voice trembling. "Captain… Calypso… this is all my fault. I'm so useless. I couldn't even protect myself…"
"Don't blame yourself," Kenny said firmly, though his mind raced. Dubbin wasn't just any Shark Lord—his predecessors had infamous reputations. One had been a pirate king, another a traitor during the last Merfolk War. Dubbin's actions suggested he was no less dangerous. While Kenny could likely escape on his own, he wasn't willing to leave the girls behind.
The three captives were dragged for an hour through the depths, past dense algae beds and concealed rock formations. Eventually, a massive stone gate loomed into view, its surface coated with silt and algae. With a deep rumble, the gate slid upward, revealing a dark, frigid tunnel.
Kenny glanced back as they entered. He noted one of the guards turning a stone mechanism in a hidden corner to seal the gate. Memorizing its location, he tucked the information away—it might be useful for an escape.
The tunnel led to a vast, dimly lit space dominated by a dome-like structure resembling a honeycomb. Its yellow-brown walls were cracked and weathered, radiating a sense of neglect. Inside the structure, rows of dark corridors lined with cells stretched out, each filled with grim-faced merfolk, their skin rough and discolored.
The guards shoved Kenny, Seraphina, and Calypso into a cell reinforced with thick, rusted iron bars. The door clanged shut with an echoing finality.
"Why are we being imprisoned?" Kenny asked the guards, his voice sharp. "How long will you keep us here?"
The guards remained silent, their eyes vacant and lifeless. Without a word, they locked the cell and left.
"Hey! Are you deaf? Answer me!" Kenny shouted after them, but they didn't so much as glance back. He clenched his fists, frustrated. If they'd just spoken, I might have gleaned some useful information… but they're too disciplined—or broken.
A voice called out from a cell several meters away. "Save your breath. They won't answer. Most of them are… damaged."
Kenny turned toward the sound and saw a figure step forward from the shadows. It was a merman dressed in a black cloak that seemed to merge with the surrounding gloom. He removed his hood, revealing a face darkened by scars and weariness. His teal hair stood upright before falling back, an almost defiant gesture of its own.
"And who are you?" Kenny asked.
"I'm Aaron," the merman said, his voice calm but tinged with weariness. "I'm a stingray lord, a wanderer. I've been scouring the Pacific depths for my family, hoping to reunite with them. But I strayed too close to these waters and ended up here. They've kept me in this place for a long time now."
Kenny nodded, introducing himself. "I'm Kenny, anglerfish lord. These are Calypso, a jellyfish whisperer, and Seraphina. We were escorting a whale calf through a cavern when we got caught. What's the deal with those guards?"
Aaron's eyes flashed with a strange intensity as he explained. "They were once Shark Lords themselves. Injuries or disabilities severed their connection with their bondmates, the sharks, robbing them of their second evolution. Without that link, they became shells of their former selves, their memories of power erased. They were forced to step down and now serve as foot soldiers for the stronger lords.
"Keep this in mind," Aaron continued, his voice dropping to a murmur. "In the merfolk world, a creature can have multiple lords, but a merfolk can only bond with one species. When a weaker lord encounters a stronger one bonded to the same species, the weaker usually ends up as a subordinate or servant."
Kenny frowned, absorbing the grim reality of the merfolk hierarchy. "What does Dubbin want with us? Surely he has a reason for keeping us alive."
Aaron's face darkened. "Ransom," he said, his voice barely audible. "Dubbin's a cunning businessman—or so he likes to appear. In truth, he's little more than a pirate. He captures those who wander into Shark Valley, investigates their backgrounds, and sorts them into categories.
"If he believes someone has influential ties or wealthy connections, he houses them in comfort and demands a ransom disguised as a 'temporary accommodation fee.' If the captives seem useless, like me, they're thrown into cells. And if someone's deemed troublesome… well, they're either worked to exhaustion or sent to places no one returns from. Sometimes they end up as shark food."
"This sanctimonious fraud!" Calypso interjected, her voice trembling with outrage. "He's nothing more than a sly pirate in disguise."
Kenny turned back to Aaron, curiosity sparking. "How do you know so much?"
Aaron gave a bitter smile. "At first, they mistook me for someone wealthy and placed me in a guest chamber. When they discovered I was a wanderer, they tossed me here instead. There's no profit in extorting a beggar."
"And then?" Kenny pressed.
Aaron's smile faded as he recounted the next part of his story. "On my way out, I caught a strange scent—something that piqued my curiosity. So, I doubled back, unnoticed, to investigate. Following the smell, I came to a sealed window on the castle's outer wall. The material was clear and sturdy; I think it's called glass."
Aaron glanced toward the cell door to ensure no guards were listening. Lowering his voice, he said, "Inside, I saw a dry room filled with machinery—an arsenal of sorts. They were using combustible ice extracted from underwater methane hydrate fields, along with sodium they'd distilled from seawater, to manufacture something called ice mines. The sodium acted as the igniter, while the combustible ice served as the explosive."
"An arsenal?" Kenny echoed, his tone sharp.
Aaron nodded grimly. "I was mesmerized by what I saw. But before I could make sense of it, I felt a presence behind me. A group of hammerhead and great hammerhead sharks had surrounded me. These sharks are incredibly sensitive to bioelectric signals, so they found me easily. I didn't last long in the fight. Within moments, I was ensnared in a massive net and dragged back here."
Aaron's account left the group silent. Calypso looked horrified, while Seraphina's fingers trembled as she clutched the bars of their cell. Kenny, however, felt his resolve harden.
"An arsenal of ice mines…" he muttered under his breath. "Dubbin's ambitions might be far greater than ransom money."
Aaron leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. "Whatever Dubbin's up to, you don't want to be part of it. If we're going to survive, we'll need to work together to escape."
Kenny nodded slowly, his mind already racing with plans. "Agreed. But first, we need to learn more about this place and find a way out."
Aaron gave another wry smile: "Those fishman guards actually used human fishing tools to catch me. It's kind of ironic." He sighed, "But after I discovered their secret, it became clear that I'd never be able to leave this place."
The captain asked again, "Have you tried summoning your soul pet to save you?"
"It's useless," Aaron shook his head, his expression filled with helplessness. "The rock layers in this valley block brainwave signals. I've tried many times."
The captain took a deep breath, seemingly lost in thought. The ocean usually serves as a natural brainwave resonance field, helping soul pet owners summon their pets with specific brainwaves. However, the magnetic fields of the rock layers in this region created a natural barrier that interfered with brainwave transmission. This natural obstacle prevented many creatures from relying on traditional means to call for help.
"We might have to rely on other methods," the captain said quietly, a calm light gleaming in his eyes.
The cell grew silent again, the atmosphere growing increasingly oppressive. Seraphina quietly cried in the corner, her emotions slowly being swallowed up by the cold and darkness. Calypso tightly held her, although she didn't know how to comfort her, only offering her own bravery to support the girl's fragile emotions.
The captain raised his head, as if an idea had suddenly occurred to him. He was no longer the anxious and uneasy prisoner but had returned to his calm, detective instincts. He began observing his surroundings, his eyes scanning the cells. Aaron's cell and theirs were separated by a corridor about seven or eight meters wide. He turned to Aaron and asked, "What's the range of your second evolution's attack?"
Aaron thought for a moment. "Normally, it's five meters. In water, it's hard to reach six meters." He looked at the captain, seemingly understanding his intent. "But those guards always avoid me, staying out of my range, so I can't hit them."
The captain then turned to Calypso, his gaze sharpening. "Calypso, your second evolution, although you can't fully extend your defensive spikes, would it be a problem if you could only extend one spike?"
Calypso hesitated for a moment. "I… I can try, but it'll be limited. A single spike might not do much damage."
"Oh, just one? Of course, that's fine. It can even grow really long!" Calypso's eyes sparkled as a thin spike immediately grew from her back.
"Alright! I have a plan. Calypso, Seraphina, you two need to sing loudly for me. Mermaid songs are world-renowned for their charm and beauty!" The captain said, a smile on his face, though it was unclear whether it was sarcastic or complimentary.
"Sing?" Calypso nearly thought the captain had lost his mind. "Captain, we're in a crisis, and you want us to sing? Seraphina might manage, but I can't sing!"
The two girls exchanged confused glances, not sure what to think.
The captain looked towards the cell door, confirming their safety, then gestured for Aaron and the two girls to come closer. "Everyone, gather round. My plan is..."
Soon, the two guards outside the cell heard a sweet melody drifting from within. Their dull expressions and vacant eyes slowly softened. Perhaps they had never heard such a beautiful song before.
It was Seraphina's soft tune, a song born from her longing for a peaceful home, missing her kind mother, dreaming of the sunflower garden she loved, and recalling the glowing valleys she had visited many times before. A beautiful world, without disturbances, pollution, or pain. Flowers blooming in vibrant colors, mountain springs flowing quietly, and green fields stretching endlessly...
The world in Seraphina's song was as clear and captivating as her voice. It could make the spring water pause and the heavens themselves resonate in harmony with her. If a shooting star passed by, perhaps even it would slow down its speed to savor the moment.
The two guards couldn't resist the sweet melody bombarding their ears and approached the cage where Seraphina and her companions were. Their eyes shone with a joy they had never experienced before.
Even the usually rebellious and sharp-tongued Calypso, perhaps enchanted by the song, found herself dancing. Her soft, flowing body perfectly embodied the natural grace and elegance of a lantern jellyfish. She might not even have realized how she began dancing, but it was as if the music had taken control of her movements.
Kenny, standing between the two girls, blinked with an expression that showed he was waiting for the right moment. While he too enjoyed the song and the dance, he had a plan to execute.
"Alright!" The captain suddenly shouted.
The two girls immediately stopped and scattered behind the captain. A glowing device on the captain's head emitted a sharp, blinding white light shockwave, piercing through the cell and striking the guards who hadn't reacted yet.
"Ahhh!" The guards' skin and eyes were scorched as they recoiled, springing backward. In the seven- or eight-meter-wide corridor, they retreated toward Aaron's cell, entering his attack range.
The captain stopped emitting the strong light, and Aaron, who had been waiting, removed the large hat that had been covering his eyes. With a slight bend of his back and knees, he clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming as he entered the electric stingray combat mode. A low hum emanated from his body as he released a powerful pulse of electricity. Around him, within about a five-meter radius, a spherical water shadow appeared. The inside of the sphere was likely filled with a powerful electric pulse that could stun anyone who entered.
The guards collapsed onto the ground, paralyzed, unable to call for help within just a few seconds.
"It's done!" The captain shouted. "We're all feeling a bit too good outside the attack range."
The two girls nearby trembled.
Aaron, panting heavily, stopped. Every time he released electricity, it left him out of breath. His affinity creature, the electric stingray, could release electric pulses with its fan-shaped tail, and after his second evolution, he too could generate electricity. However, his training limited the range of his electric attacks to only five meters.
"Calypso, it's your turn," the captain said, already having a plan.
Calypso moved to the edge of the cell, extending a long spike from her back, which grew longer and longer, passing through the gaps in the cage. Jellyfish have dense long stinger cells on their bodies, some of which are even toxic. Calypso had to evolve further to produce long stinger cells she could control fully. For now, her progress wasn't enough to create a full set of controlled stingers, so she could only extend one.
Using the long spike, she carefully retrieved a key ring from a sleeping guard and unlocked the cage. As it was rest time, no other guards were in sight outside. Everyone quickly swam, driven by one thought: escape.
As they passed through the dim tunnel they had come through earlier, it felt eerily quieter than before. The captain couldn't believe it—there was no sign of any residents in the castle corridors. Had they really all vanished? But it felt like many pairs of eyes were watching them from behind. The eyes were sly, bloodshot, and ferocious.
Finally, they reached the stone door they had passed through when they first entered Shark Valley. The captain turned the mechanism to open the stone door.
"Boom..." The sound echoed, reverberating through the deep tunnel, sending a chilling echo through the air as though the Grim Reaper was mocking them.
The stone door opened, but from the depths of the tunnel, the sound of alarms blared.
"Everyone, they must have discovered we're escaping. The sharks will be after us soon. Hurry, swim out through the stone door!" The captain said.
...
The group returned to the clear, translucent waters of the sea, the water quality as pristine as ever. Everyone felt at ease, but it was not yet the time to relax and enjoy a leisurely swim or sightseeing.
After swimming for about several nautical miles, they suddenly spotted the young whale ahead. The four mermaids swam towards it, and the young whale seemed to recognize them, letting out a joyful cry: "Eee… eee…"
Calypso noticed a deep wound on the young whale's head, possibly inflicted by Dubin, or maybe it had struck a reef. Since whales have sonar and echolocation abilities, this injury seemed more like a result of intentional harm.
"Captain, look!" Aaron pointed out that there was a thick rope tangled around the young whale's tail.
Kenny pulled on the end of the rope, frowning. "Strange, this rope isn't frayed. From my experience, it looks more like it was bitten through by shark teeth. But why? If the sharks released the young whale, why would they do this?"
The group exchanged uncertain glances, and the captain continued, "With the sharks' sensory abilities, strength, stamina, and speed, catching up with us would be easy. But clearly, we, along with the young whale, were intentionally allowed to escape."
Aaron, having wandered alone for so long, longed for companionship. "Captain, we've been through a lot together. Let me join you. It's safer with company. What's our next move?"
"Let's continue heading northeast. We'll find the whale's master, Lyanna, there. She'll know more about what the young whale has gone through. Maybe we can even find its parents and uncover all the mysteries," the captain said.
In his heart, the captain still had questions: With the meteor shower passing over the invisible island, nothing unusual had happened with the whale pods that typically stranded there. But one young whale was left behind—why? What had happened to the whale pod? Was their smooth escape from Shark Valley part of a larger plan? What bigger secret was hidden behind it?
They resumed their journey. The sea remained beautiful, tomorrow still mysterious, and their curious hearts continued to seek answers to the deeper secrets of the underwater world.