{"sf1_id":820817,"sf2_id":null,"title":"Aquata Cove - Chapter 42","author":"Mirron Tenshi","words":6112,"posted_at":"2015-02-18T02:45:00.000Z","tags":["Drama","Mermaid","Story Progression","merman"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/820817-aquata-cove-chapter-42","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/view/820817","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=820817\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"","content":"Aquata Cove\nChapter 42: Wrath Of The Sea\n \n \n \nThe group sprinted in the woods. All of a sudden, emergency\nlights started flashing throughout the trees, wailing sirens rang out through\nthe night air.\n \n\"What's goin on?!\" Jamal demanded.\n \n\"Someone must've set off an alarm!!\" Yuri replied.\n \n\"I'm too feckin old for dis!\" Grandma grumbled as they ran.\n \n\"No!\" Adam cried, \"No! Not when we're so close!\" He grasped\nMerrick's hand.\n \n\"Hurry!\" Belinda called, \"Dey arr coming!\" \n \nThe group located the van, and dashed quickly to it. Jamal\nthrew the door open, and had Grandma climb in first. Yuri jumped onto the front\nseat, and fastened her seatbelt. Belinda stepped right in, and Adam followed\nsuit.\n \n\"Alright!\" Adam said, \"Let's get-\" Merrick pulled his hand\naway. \"Merrick?\" The merman looked out into the red-flashing woods, \"Merrick!\nWhat are you doing?!\"\n \n\"Hurry up, man!\" Jamal shouted, \"We gotta go!\"\n \n\"...\" Merrick frowned as he can hear the distant rumbling.\n \n\"What are you waiting for?!\" Yuri shouted, \"We gotta go!\nNOW!\"\n \n\"NO!\" Merrick shouted. He turned around, and looked upon the\nhumans and mermaid, \"I'm not leaving...\"\n \n\"What?\"\n\"Wha?\"\n\"Huh?!\"\n\"Eh?!\"\n \n\"I'm not leaving like this...\" He shook his head, before\nlooking at Belinda, \"Latol- *Ahem* Belinda...\" Merrick said, \"They had images of\nyou. You're one of their targets. If they had any a shred of proof, you would\nhave been dragged here like me.\"\n \n\"Dat no mattrr!\" She said, \"We ahr out! We must-\"\n\n\"No! Don't you see?!\" Merrick said.\n \n\"We here fo YOU!\" Jamal said, \"We got chu outta there, and\nwe ain't letting you near that place!\"\n\n\"He's right, Merrick!\" Yuri said, \"Lets leave well enough alone, and get out of\nhere while we can!\" \n \n\"You don't get it!\" Merrick said as he pointed out, \"THESE\nhumans... This Nigel... The man who has done THIS to me!\" He gestured to himself,\n\"He is a ruthless monster... I can't allow him to do this to anyone else!\"\n \n\"Merrick!\" Adam said, \"That lady says she's reporting him!\nIf we leave now, Nigel will never have anything to do with us again!\"\n \n\"I can't trust her to do away with him!\" Merrick said, \"That\nhuman... That Nigel... I see it in his eyes... No human law will ever hold him down...\nThrow him in a prison and chain him up, it won't matter. He'll just arrange for\nhis release, and begin his atrocities all over again! He will NEVER stop...\nWhatever the cost, that human will always harbor cruelty where ever he exists!\"\n \n\"Yur pushin yur luck, boyo!\" Grandma said, \"We didn't come\nhere to let ya run off!\"\n \n\"Belinda...\" Merrick said, \"Can you hold them here...\"\n \n\"Merrick...\" She said, \"What ahr you-\"\n \n\"Can you HOLD them here?!\" He demanded, \"ANSWER me,\nLatolcus!\"\n \nBelinda shook as she can see a fierce determination in his\neyes, \"Yees...\" Her arms started to pale, \"I cahn...\"\n \n\"Merrick,\" Adam said, \"Merrick, what are you saying??\" The\nmerman walked up to his human, \"Merrick... What are you planning???\"\n \n\"All I need is the ocean.\" The merman said, \"All I have to\ndo is go into the water. If Nigel follows me... He's finished.\"\n \n\"Merrick, NO!\" Adam exclaimed, \"What about the Capricorn?!\nIf you go into the ocean, you're as good as dead!!\"\n \n\"...No.\" Merrick's answered calmly, \"The Capricorn wouldn't\ndare show its face. Not for what I plan to do.\"\n \n\"What are you talking about?!\"\n \n\"I love you Adam,\" Merrick kissed Adam's lips for a short\nmoment, \"I'll be back on the shore by morning...\"\n \n\"Merrick...\" Adam's eyes watered up, \"Merrick, NO!\" The merman\nturned, and began to trot away, \"NO!!\" Adam took one step, and immediately felt\na strong hold grab his waist. He looked down, and saw a peach and white tail\nsqueeze on him, \"Belinda, no!\"\n \n\"I ees sorry, Adahm...\" Belinda said, who is now in her true,\nsea snake form. She placed her clawed hand onto the van, and it glowed a subtle\nsheen, enclosed in a barrier.\n \n\"WHAT DEH FECK ARE YA DOIN?!\"\n \n\"Stop! Let us out!\"\n \n\"Break it down! NOW!\"\n \n\"I'm sorry!\" Belinda shouted, \"I must protect all of you!!\nHe want dees!\"\n \n\"MERRIIIIIICCK!!\" Adam shouted.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nMerrick sprinted through the trees, his legs leaping from\none patch of ground to a nearby root - he has become quite agile from his time\non the land. He doubts any other merfolk can move as he is through the dark\nterrain he's in.\n \n\"I'm sorry Adam...\" He muttered, \"I'll make this as fast as I\ncan... I promise!\" He said.\n \n\"Shining Sea Mother...\" Merrick prayed, \"Please grant me\nstrength...\"\n \n \nA large, boat-like tank rolled down the way. Nigel looks\naround the red-flashing woods through his binoculars. He anticipated that an\nunderling or two might have the gall to pull an idiotic stunt as to actually\ninterfere with his project, so he secretly arranged to have alarms placed all\naround the agency - only ones set to go off when a particular area has been\ncrossed by a guest of his, so he can pin-point the trouble.\n \n\"I think I see him...\" He said. Meanwhile, a guard clicks a\nhighly advanced rifle together. \"Lets teach him not to ruin any party of mine...\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Let me go!\" Adam begged, pulling strongly against Belinda's\ntail, \"Let me go, Belinda!! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL HIM!!\"\n \n\"I cahnt!\" Belinda sobbed, \"He want me to protect you!\" She\nsaid, \"He ees Piscien Triton! He ees not helplass!\"\n \n\"I can't just leave him like this!!\" Adam cried, \"Please,\nI'm begging you!!\" His muscles are beginning to feel sore from all the effort\nof fighting the constricting hold.\n \n\"I won't let you die!\" She said. \"Eef he has a plan, you\nweell only git in teh way!\"\n \n\"He's been through enough, dammit!\" Adam yelled, \"I can't\nlet them take him away again!!\" His knees gave in as he fell to the ground,\n\"Please...\" He sobbed, \"I can't lose him again...\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Come on...\" Merrick muttered as he sped through. He can smell\nthe ocean - it's so close. His eyes brightened when he saw a cliff, and spotted\nthe white glisten of the moonlight on the sea's surface, \"There it is!\"\n \nHe turned his head where he was hearing a lot of rumbling\nand shouting, \"Come and get me, Monsters... !\" He challenged silently as he ran.\n \nJust as he stepped out of the woods, a bight light flashed\non where he stood. He covered his eyes with his hand, and peered through his\nsquinting eyes. He can see Nigel! \n \nThe merman walked this time, towards the edge of the cliff.\n \n \n~~~\n \n\n\"There he is...\" Nigel said. \"Lets not take any chances.\"\n \n\"Yessir.\" The sniper said as he put a bullet into his\nweapon. Meanwhile, Nigel brought up a megaphone, and held it to his mouth.\n \n=KSH=\n \n\"=End of the line, Merrick!=\"  Nigel called out, \"=Surrender quietly. You have no chance of\nescaping=\" Merrick responded with a strange hiss-like cry of defiance, \"=You\nshould know that we are heavily armed, and we're more than prepared to take you\nby force=\"\n \n\"Just TRY it, Monster!\" Merrick yelled back.\n \n \n~~~\n \n\nThe alarms have shut off - all the sirens have ceased, the red lights have died\nout, and all that could be heard is random shouting. Adam pants harshly as he\nsprints through the trees. Tears ran down his face as he could make out a bight\nlight in the distance. \n \n\"Ahh!!\" He yelped as he tripped over a tree right, and fell\nto the ground. He ignored the fall, and scrambled back up, running as fast as\nhe can!\n \n\"Hh!!\" He gasped as he spotted Merrick, looking as if he's\ntaking his final stand.\n \n\"Merrick!\" He yelled as he ran.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"I'm ready for you...\" Merrick growled as he took a few steps\nbackward. \"Come... Come to me...\" He muttered, \"I dare you... Come and get me...\"\nMerrick held his arms open as he glared at the bright flares, almost blinding\nhim.\n \nHe can hear a couple of more large human vehicles - pseudo\ntanks emerging from the noise and darkness. More humans to hunt him down and\ncapture him. So many blind pawns who bend to every command, to try and close an\ninnocent in for more torment. These are the heartless, mindless savages that\nmerfolk are so afraid of.\n \nThey can share in the punishment as well.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Take aim...\" Nigel muttered, \"Remember, shoot to injure, not\nto kill.\" \n \n\"I have him...\" The sniper said as he looked though his scope.\nThe target pointed to the middle of the spectrum, and he aimed at Merrick's\ntorso - a very narrow shot, right near the vital organs. A very risky shot, but\nhe knows he's got it - a bit extreme for what Nigel asked for, but it'll\ndefinitely stop the merman from moving for a few days.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Hhh! Hhh! Hhh! HHHhhH!\" Adam wheezed as he ran out of the\nforest. He turned his head, and spotted Nigel! His bandage is gone! His face\ndoesn't have a single scratch on it! He is standing, looking at Merrick! There\nare a handful of heavy-artillery tanks - they look like that can be a\nland-based submarine!\n \nHis eyes widened as he spotted a guard in black, holding a\nrifle, and looking through it. Every once of pain vanished from his body as he\nrocketed at the merman.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"You have a lock on him?\" Nigel calmly asked, \"I want him\nalive.\"\n \n\"Yes...\" The sniper said, his finger on the trigger.\n \n\"Good. Fire.\" Nigel instructed.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"MERRIIIICK!!!\" \n \nThe merman turned, and gasped as he saw his human lover\nabout to tackle him, leaping into the air.\n \nEverything seemed to enter slow-motion.\n \nMerrick's blue eyes starred into Adam's brown eyes as the\nman moved closer. \n \nAdam's hands planted onto Merrick's chest.\n \nThe merman slowly finds himself airborne, drifting away from\nhis lover's face of terror, or his hands. He can't even find the moment to\nreach out, or the reason to even speak as his mouth hangs open.\n \nA shriek of thunder screeched in the air of silence.\n \nMerrick's eyes widened as a surge of deep red flew from\nAdam's side facing the ocean, as he hovered, suspended in the air. Adam's eyes\nscreamed as he can feel the liquid escape his body. \n \nBoth men slowly descended onto the ground, the crimson\nsoaring through the void, and splashing onto the grass. \n \nNoises echoed and reflexed through time as Merrick fell on\nhis back, and saw his man curl in agony in his own blood.\n \n\"...Adam?\" Merrick whimpered. The white uniform Adam wears\nbegan to turn red on his sides. \"ADAAAAAAAMMMMMM!\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Damn,\" The sniper said as he opened his guns clip, \"Should\nI refire, sir?\"\n \n\"No.\" Nigel said, \"I think we have his full attention now.\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"ADAM!!\" Merrick crawled quickly to Adam. \"ADAM! Speak to\nme! ADAM!!\"\n \n\"GHHhhgg!\" Adam cried as his insides feel butchered, \"Get out\nof here...\" He managed to grunt, \"Just go... Save yourself...\"\n \n\"I told you to leave!\" Merrick sobbed, \"Why did you do\nthis?\" His talk can barely be legible, clouded with intense emotion, \"Why are\nyou... Adam what did...\"\n \n\"That shot... NNNNHH! They were aiming for you.\" Adam wheezed\nout, barely able to talk.\n \n\"What's a shot?!\" Merrick sobbed uncontrollably, \"What are\nyou-\"\n \n\"This!\" Adam held open one of his hands, covered in blood\nwhile clutching one of his wounds - the bullet went straight through. Merrick\ncovered his mouth as he looked, \"They were trying to do THIS to you!\" He whined\nbefore grabbing the entry wound again.\n \n\"Adam... No...\"\n \n\"You need to get out of here...\" Adam groaned, \"They'll keep\nme alive... But I won't let them take you again.\"\n \n\"Adam why...\" Merrick's eyes flooded with sparkling tears,\n\"Why didn't you go? Why couldn't you wait for me?\"\n \n\"I can't...\" Adam moved a shaking, bloody hand onto Merrick's\nand clutched it tightly, \"I can't leave you behind...\" He clenched his eyes shut,\n\"Not when they almost killed you just now...\" Adam's eyes cascaded with tears,\n\"I'll die before I let them touch you for even a second.\"\n \n\"Adam... No... I won't let you die!\" Merrick took the upper part\nof Adam's uniform off. He tore it apart into ragged strips. At some point in\ntime, Merrick requested Yuri to teach him how to handle extreme emergencies\nsuch as this. Though he's nowhere near a first aid kit, he can at least come up\nwith a rough tourniquet with this cloth Adam has been forced to wear.\n \nMerrick sniffled and sobbed as he placed thick folds of the\nuniform over both of Adam's bullet wounds, and tied it harshly tight on Adam's\ntorso. If not to stop the bleeding, this will at least make it slow down. \n \n\"Where's that Latolcus when we need her.\" Merrick sobbed angrily. If Belinda\nwas here, she could at least get a head start on healing Adam.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nThe land-subs drove a little further, before Nigel\ndismounted his vehicle, and taking a few, deliberate steps, but keeping his\ndistance, \"There I was. Celebrating.\" He began, \"Food, music, dancing, and\nhaving a ball. I suppose you wouldn't know about that, would ya?\" He asked.\nMerrick turned his head, glaring at the figure through the bright lights, \"And\nfor the first time in I don't know how long... I was feeling so alive. When I\nreceive a Code Red Alert from my Agency... An unauthorized release of detainees.\nWell, you can imagine how perturbed I was. I had to shut down the part long\nbefore I could finish enjoying it.\"\n \nThe merman seethed as he shook with fury, \"Celebrating\nWHAT?!\"\n \nNigel held his arms open, \"I'm cured.\" Merrick looked at him\nwith disbelief, \"For the longest time, I have suffered a stigma that has been\neating away in my insides. My life had been cut in half, but you.\" Nigel\nchuckled and shook his head, \"Oh, you miracle, you.\"\n \n\"What are you talking about?!\" Merrick demanded.\n\n\"Your tears Merrick.\"  Nigel\nanswered, \"I have been dangerously ill for many years, and my top scientist was\nable to replicate the make-up of your tears, and was able to engineer a\nmiraculous vaccine for me. A day and a half later, my body has never been\nhealthier!\" Nigel brought his hands to the air, \"I AM CURED!!!\" Merrick growled\nin anger, sorely tempted to kill every human here with his screech, were it not\nfor his Adam cringing in his arms.\n \n\"My scientists were even able to make an ointment from your\ntears,\" Nigel pointed the to side of his face where Merrick had slapped\njellyfish tentacles onto him, \"Healed up within a day.\"\n \n\"You heartless demon!\" Merrick yowled out, \"How DARE you use\nmy essence to heal yourself?!\"\n \nNigel looked back down at the merman, holding his critically\ninjured lover, \"Regardless. I have more time to achieve my destiny.\" Nigel held\nout his hand, standing a good 20 ft away from the two young men, showing the\nMerrick will have to come to him, \"I request we start anew. Come and help me,\nMerrick. We can treat Adam right here and now if you agree to teach me\neverything about merfolk.\"\n \nMerrick huffed deeply as hatred clawed at his heart. This\nman... He says they can heal Adam right away... It's so tempting... But Nigel said he\nwas cured, that he has more time to achieve whatever chaotic fantasy he has for\nhimself... Nigel has a lot less to lose now, and yet he just made to forcefully\nto stop Merrick - the wound that is now hindering Adam so severely.\nAdam groaned weakly as he still felt in agony of the wound,\nslowly shaking his head as he winced badly. Merrick cried as he hunched over,\nrubbing his forehead against Adam. \n \n\"Merrick, I'm scared...\" Adam whimpered as he sobbed quietly.\n \n\"... I love you, Adam...\" \n \n\"So,\" Nigel called out, \"I take it we have a deal?\"\n \n \nMerrick took several deep breaths, gathering his strength \"...\nI am ending this...\" He whispered as he kissed Adam's forehead. \n \nThe merman stood up, and faced the harsh lights in front of\nthem, glaring with wrath at the man who is consumed in cruelty. \n \n\"No. This has gone far enough!\" Merrick proclaimed.\n \n\"Merrick.\" Nigel said, \"I may be in perfect health now,\" His\neyes narrowed through his glasses, \"But I am not a patient man.\"\n \n\"Listen very carefully before you try and capture me again,\nHuman.\" Merrick said, \"You, are a ruthless, cold-blooded, deceitful man. You\nare a disgrace to your kind, reflected in every word you speak, in every move\nyou make!\" \n \n \nAdam groaned as he turned himself over, and pushed his arms\ndown onto the grass.\n \n \n\"You are a black-hearted beast who will only INFECT the\nsanctity of merfolk! No matter what the cost, I will NOT allow you to bring\nyour vile presence into my world!\"\n \n\"You really are making this more dramatic than it needs to\nbe.\" Nigel said.\n \nMerrick closed his eyes for a moment, sensing Adam\nstruggling to stand up behind him. He reopened his eyes once more. \"Turn back\nnow. Forget everything you have ever heard of merfolk. Never think of it ever\nagain, and move on with your life.\" \n \nNigel rose a brow, \"You are a rogue, Merrick. What authority\ncould you have to make such demands?\"\n \n\"I am giving you this one, final chance, Human.\" \n \n\"And what if I am to decline?\" Nigel said, \"You know I can't\nstop now.\"\n \n\"Then as a Triton of the Piscien Merfolk,\" Merrick declared,\n\"I will summon Guardian Leviathan from the depths of the ocean. Even as a\nCoshiton Triton, I still have my birthright to call forth the might of the\ndeep! I warn you - if you follow me into the sea, you will meet an end in the\nsea!\"\n \n\"Merrick,\" Nigel said, chuckling, \"Do you even realize what\nyou are saying?\"\n\n\"Do YOU realize what you have DONE??\" Merrick demanded, \"You mocked me, you\ntortured me, to tore me apart, and laughed at my face!\" He angrily yelled, \"All\nthat I can forgive...\" Adam grunted as his legs shook, the patches of his\nmake-shift bandages turning deeper red, \"But you have harmed my Adam...\"\nMerrick's eyes watered through his rage, \"You have brought caused him agony\nwhen your business was with me...\n \n\"TO EVERY HUMAN HERE!\" Merrick called out, \"Hear me now!\" He\npeered over the blinding lights of the land-subs, \"If you have families, go\nhome! If you have a mate, go away, and hold them close! If you have children,\nnever let them fall! If you ever, in this entire moon, have ever had any sense\nto how I have suffered... If you know the kind of pain you have all allowed...\"\nMerrick said, \"... Then let. Us. Go.\"\n \n\"I keep telling you, Merrick.\" Nigel raised a hand,\nsignaling his gunmen to get ready to fire, \"I can't just let you walk away.\"\n \nMerrick seethed in deep hatred at the human, \"Then watch me\nswim, or perish. I pray you not waste my mercy.\"\n \nNigel thrust his arm out.\n \nMerrick whirled around, and sprinted. Shots were taken and\nlittered erratically at the merman, thankfully all narrow misses. \n \nAdam coughed as Merrick grabbed him, and together, they fell\nover the cliff. Merrick turned in midair, with his back to the surface, and\nclutching Adam as they fell through the air.\n \n \n \n~^~^~^~\n \n \nThe blue satin boxers Yuri had brought quickly slid from\nMerrick's legs before they morphed together into a tail, left to drift into the\nwater. The merman tucked one of Adam's arms over his shoulder, and put his arm\naround his lover as well. Adam tried kicking his legs as best he could, but the\ngunshot wound is incredibly distracting.\n \nAs they moved, slowly, Merrick called several signals - he\ncan't sense any sharks right now, but if any should come, he commands them to\nstay away from them, what with Adam's blood seeping through the tourniquet. \n \n\"AhhhH!\" Merrick yelped as he heard several loud booms in\nthe water. He looked over his shoulder, and saw several large objects come down\ninto the ocean - it's those land-subs! \n \nThe tanks stayed suspended in the water for several seconds\nbefore floating back up, and then became boats.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nNigel stepped out of the deck below, and went to a metal\nslate on the deck of the boat. He slid it up, and revealed a sonar system. He\nswitched it on, and smirked as he saw Merrick's shape on the graph. \n \nThe other men that came along did the same, speeding their\nboats out into the ocean, and covering a wide spectrum of area.\n \n\"Alright.\" Nigel said, \"Lets bring them in.\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Ghhhh!\" Merrick whined in pain as he kicked his tail as\nhard as he can, but with his tail fin still ragged and torn, he is not only\nunable to go very fast, but it's making his fin worse.\n \n\"I won't... Let them... They can't...\" Merrick panted as he pulled\nAdam further, sensing the large boats circling around them in broad cycles.\n \nHe REALLY doesn't want to have to end these lives here...\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"The sound matrix is ready, sir.\" Said one of the guards,\n\"Shall we initiate the noise now?\"\n \n\"Yes,\" Nigel said, \"I want them put back in their places\nbefore the night club closes to finish my party.\"\n \nThe guard sent the message to the other guards to turn on\nthe noise to immobilize the merman. With eight boats out of the ten that\nfollowed into the sea, that's eight sources of the noise, emitting into the\nwater. Merrick should be captured in no time.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP EEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP\nEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP EEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP\nEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP EEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP\nEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP EEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP\nEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP EEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP\nEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP EEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP\nEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP EEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP\nEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP EEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEPEEEP\n \n \n \n\"AHHHHHH!\" Merrick roared in pain as the noise rang out from\neverywhere in the ocean! The loud ringing, sound that feels like glass urchins\nscrapping against his brain! It was horrible enough on dry land, but now there\nis so much of it now!\n \nMerrick let go of Adam to cover his head, thrashing around\nin the water as the noise attacked his senses. \n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"We have confirmed that the merman has ceased to move.\" The\nguard said, \"All guards, stop the noise in exactly five minutes.\"\n \nNigel watched the waters in satisfaction, just waiting for\nthe unconscious bodies of Adam and Merrick to float to the surface, just barely\nalive.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Rrrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhh!\" Merrick growled as darkness began\nto overflow his being. Hatred, rage, pain, bloodlust.\n \nThese humans... These are the demons of the land and sky... These\nare the monsters merfolk have come to fear...\n \nMerrick's gills began to flare.\n \nThese are the monsters... That want everything...\n \nMerrick's eyes dilated.\n \nThese monsters... Will bring ruin to merfolk everywhere...\n \nMerrick's scales began to shimmer deep blue.\n \n\"Monsters...\"\n \nMerrick's arms lowered from his head.\n \nMonsters deserve to die.\n \nIgnoring the mind-numbing noises, Merrick opened his mouth,\nand let out a shrill, loud roar.\n \n\"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Ahh!\" The noise matrix crashed in the tech of each and\nevery boat in the area. The sonar monitors fritzed and cracked as an even\nlouder noise filled the speakers.\n \n\"What the devil was that?!\" Nigel shouted as he looked\naround, seeing the other boats having the same problem.\n \n\"Come on! What's going on?!\" The guard said as he slapped\nthe sonar, trying to get it to focus, \"The noise matrix is out!\"\n\n\"Get the sonar going! We can't lose them!\" Nigel said.\n \n \n-Dnnnnnnn-\n \n \nThe ocean pulsed for a moment, and the surface of the waters\nsuddenly became still. \"What?\" Nigel squinted. Everything seems quiet... Too\nquiet...\n \n\"Sir?\" The guard said, \"Something is coming up on the sonar.\" He tuned it in,\n\"I think it's just a whale.\"\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Ennnhhhh...\" Adam moaned in pain as Merrick pushed his human\nonto a rock out of the water, \"Merrick...\"\n \n\"Stay here, Adam...\" Merrick hushed as he gently nudged his\nlover.\n \n\"Merrick... Don't go...\" Adam groaned in a raspy voice,\n\"Please...\"\n \n\"I have to end this, Adam...\" Merrick said, \"It will be over\nsoon...\" The merman nuzzled Adam's cheek, before kissing his lips, \"I love you.\"\n \n\"... I love you too...\" Adam groaned out. Merrick swerved into\nthe water, and Adam drearily watched as the blue tail channeled into the water,\nand the ripped up white fin slapped the surface.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Sir, I think we might have a problem.\"\n \n\"What is it?!\" Nigel said.\n \n\"This thing coming up on the sonar...\" The guard said, \"It\nlooks a lot bigger than a whale...\"\n \n\"What??\" Nigel shoved the guard aside, and viewed the\nstrange, large shape on the sonar.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nMerrick swam around, keeping his eyes in the dark depths. \n \n\"RRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEAAANNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!\" Came a mighty\nrumble from the deep. Merrick  can\nsee two large, glowing white orbs.\n \n\"KYEEEEEEEEEEGGGAAAANNNN!\" Merrick screeched as he swam\ndown.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nThe water began to rise all around the boats. White fizz can\nbe seen from the ocean. The sonars are all detecting a huge creature down\nbelow.\n \n\"RRRNNNNNNNNGGGGGHHH!\" A low call came from the speakers.\n \n\"No...\" Nigel shook his head, \"He can't have... He wouldn't\ndare!\" He glared at the rising tide, \"It doesn't even exist!\"\n \nHe gasped as he turned around, and saw a large body of\nshining blue and black ride along the surface, like a whale taking a breath,\nspotting a large, white, soaking sail rotating out of the water, and into the\nsea.\n \n\"MAN YOUR STATIONS!!\" Nigel commanded. \n \nThe speakers gave more eerie roars from a mysterious source.\nThe boats began to drift around in a slow circle in the ocean. The motors of\nthe boats did little except for make noise in an effort to pull away from the\narea. Nigel looked around, and saw the large sail-like fins rise from the\nwater, and circle down. In the far distance, he can see a huge, white tailfin\nrise up from the water. It levitated above one of the ships. \n \nAnother roar came from the speakers, and the tail SMASHED\ninto the boat! The men screamed as the sub-boat broke in half from the mighty\ncrash of the fin!\n \n\"RRRAAAAAAANNNNGGGGHHHHH!\"\n \nNigel gasped as he turned to the side, and saw a jet of\nfangs rise from the water, and tackled onto one of the boats!\n \n\"By all that is holy!\" He exclaimed as a large, blue and\ndark fish chomped another one of the subs in half, destroying it completely!\nNigel's eyes widened as he spotted Merrick, on the monster! \n \nThe colossal fish dove down into the water. Its thick,\nscaled body like slate armor folding into the deep, counting up to ten dorsal\nfins, and twenty pectoral fins, which sliced deeply into another nearby ship,\ncausing it to quickly take on water.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"KYEEEEOOOOONN!!\" Merrick commanded as he clutched onto the\nmany horns along the Leviathan's head. As a Triton to command the Guardian, he\nmust guide it to carry on the task at hand.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"NNNnnnhhhh!\" Adam shook and cringed as he can feel the cold\nwater wash up to him. He tried to weakly move away, but it's coming in fast.\nHe's lost so much blood as it is, he's so feeble. \"Merrick...\"\n \n\"Ennnhhh!\" Adam grunted as a wave fell upon him. He grabbed\nfor the rock, but is unable to hold on tight. He struggled helplessly as he is\ncarried off into the sea.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nLeviathan turned, and aimed up at a smaller boat. Merrick\nscreeched as they elevated quickly up. The Leviathan opened its mighty jaws,\nand broke the surface. The men screamed as their life boat suddenly rose up out\nof the water, with some of the guards falling out of the boat before the\nLeviathan CRUSHED it between its enormous fangs!\n \n\"FIRE! TAKE IT DOWN!!!\" Nigel commanded. What remained of\nthe sub/tanks started firing heavy artillery at the beast. Leviathan roared as\nthe bullets and small explosions did little to dent its armor-like body.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \n\"Oh my god...\" Erin said as she looked in horror at the blue\nand black and white dragon-like fish attacked the subs. To think that creatures\nlike that exist in the ocean... Did Merrick call that thing??\n \n \nDaniel and Jacob looked on where they are, just as started\nas they can hear the battle cry of the aquatic beast.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nNigel quickly ran down below his sub, in attempts to dive\nand escape. Hopefully, Merrick hasn't seen the sub he's located in time for him\nto get away!\n \nMerrick steered the Leviathan to crash the side of its\nmighty form into a boat, not only destroying it too, but also sinking it down\ninto the depths. Once again, Guardian Leviathan slunk into the depths, its\nelongated body flashing its many broad fins as it went, until its tailfin was\nwhat remained, and SLAMMED the surface, causing a brutal wave to crash onto\nanother boat-sub, damaging it greatly.\n \nLeviathan turned, and swam forth to devour another human.\nMerrick roared with it, until he realized the human before them. Floating in\nthe water, mouth ajar, with white pants on, and with a white and red wrapping\naround his torso, Adam is unable to move away.\n \nGuardian Leviathan opened its mouth, and began to inhale\nwater like a riptide current, drawing the unconscious lover to its many teeth.\nThe water coursed through its body, and pumped through the four sets of gills\nit has along its enormous body.\n \n\"NNNNIIIIIIIAAAHHH!\" Merrick screech as he flew from the\nGuardian, and clutched onto his human, beating his tail hard as he roared the\ncommand at Leviathan. The beast immediately obeyed, looking to the Triton who\nsummoned him. \n \nMerrick gave one final roaring command to Guardian\nLeviathan, before swimming away quickly. Ever the loyal Piscien Guardian,\nLeviathan complied, and dove down deep.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nAs the van drove down the road, Belinda sat sobbing as she\ncurled up. \"I could no keep heem...\" She cried sparkling tears as she remembers\nhow Adam was able to break free of her coils, \"He broke free, and I promeese\nMerrick I protect heem...\"\n \n\"Don't get yourself down, love.\" Grandma patted, \"Ya can't\nstop a boy in love.\"\n \n\"Yeah. Any of us prolly woulda done the same thing...\" Jamal\nsaid as he drove.\n \n\"Where could he be now?\" Yuri said, \"I still think we should\nhave followed him. They shouldn't have to fight alone, you know?\"\n \n\"I hear ya. But something tells me we needed else where.\"\nJamal said, as he looked further out the window. His eyes locked onto the large\nseagull from before, flapping its wings as it flew overhead, strange out its\nable to fly as fast as it can in contrast with the car. The same seagull with\nthe yellow flower tied to its leg.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nMerrick called and called, his tailfin all but gone from all\nthe effort of swimming as fast as he could while carrying Adam. \n \nFinally, a strange, neigh-sound rang up from the deep.\nMerrick looked in gratitude as a Hippocampus rose from the darkness. The\nhorse-like fish stroked its strong flippers swiftly, and made it to the\nmerman's side. Merrick put his arms around it, and held his long tail to keep\nAdam positioned right next to him, nestled on the Hippocamp's many soft,\nbed-like fins.\n \nThe Hippocampus gently rode a nearby current as Merrick\ndirected it on where to go, very careful as to hang on to Adam while he clung\non himself.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nNigel panted as he switched on the works of the sub.\nEverything turned on, and hummed into life.\n \n\"Yes!\" He switched on the lights of the sub, but immediately\nwished he didn't. He screamed in terror as the enormous Leviathan swam forward\n- RIGHT in front of him!\n \nGuardian Leviathan screeched as it tackled the sub, and spun\nit out of balance. Its fins made several deep cuts into the sub, and disrupted\nthe electricity within the vehicle. \n \nNigel turned the wheel and jammed the propellers to work!\nJust as he moved a few feet, the sub took another heavy hit! The propellers\nhave been destroyed, if not knocked clean off.\n \n\"Come on NO!\" He yelled as he banged onto the works, \"Not\nlike this!!\" He demanded, \"I just got cured of my cancer! NOT LIKE THIS!!!\"\n \nHe can hear the Leviathan rumble and growl from outside.\nNigel whimpered as he cranked a few levers in an attempt to turn the sub into\nan escape pod.\n \nKHHHHLLL!\n \n\"GAHH!\" He jumped as the entire sub shifted! He gasped as he\nlooked as several long, sharp, curved cone-like objects had penetrated the\nsub's haul! He went to one, and touched it. Solid, cold, and wet, if not slimy.\n\"No...\" He backed away from the tooth, and went to the controls. His eyes bugged\nout as he read the depth meter.\n \n\"What?!\" According to the monitor, he was reaching VERY\nharsh depths, fast!\n \nPSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!\n \nNigel gasped as a burst of water shot into the sub! \n \nKkggghhhhhkkkk!\n \nHis head turned, and gapped as he saw cracks spreading\nquickly across the glass of the sub's window. \n \nPssssshhhhhh! \n \nNigel sputtered as his face felt the icy cold sprits of the\ndeep waters.\n \n\"Nooo, stop, please, no!\" He begged as more water shot into\nhis sub, quickly flooding in. \"NOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!\"\n \nCRINGH!\n \nLeviathan's jaws crushed what was left of the sub. The\nGuardian hummed lowly as it let the remains of the sub flush from its mouth,\nand swam deeper to rest.\n \n \n~~~\n \n \nA pink and golden dawn slowly peers over the trees. Morning\nis early this day. Light illuminates the world slightly as it woke slowly to\nthe sky. The waterfall of Aquata Cove pours on as ever.\n \nThe waves of the shore near the rocky grotto, a blue and\nsilver merman sleeps on the water-saturated sand. Too exhausted to spend one\nsecond awake, the young Triton holds close to a dormant human. Both men keep\nclose together as the tide brought up, and washed over their bodies. The human,\npale and cold, shakes trembles in the arms of the merman, his white-red\nbandages loose and soaked, unable to even stir in the protective hold of his\nlover.\n \nAs the two males stay huddled on the push and pull of the\nshore, Atarah walks to them, and looks down in pity of them. Oyana, her bunyip,\npulls herself sloppily beside her. Oyana rumbled as it looked up at the\ndark-toned woman with a seaturtle-shell sunhat. Atarah sighed as she tenderly\nrubbed along Adam's soaked air and Merrick's chipped head-fins.\n \n\"Time... To heal...\" Atarah said quietly to the unconscious\nmales.\n","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/820764-aquata-cove-chapter-41.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/824804-aquata-cove-chapter-43.json"}