The father is in his office, looking over the city of Atlanta, when his phone rings.
Cheerily floating over, he puts in his earpiece and continues his viewing.
"Hello. Nice to hear from you. To what do I owe this phone call? Yes, in fact, we do have a human here. Our first in centuries.! You should see the city now, preparing to welcome him. Oh, is he now? Did you call to ask me to take care of him?" The father's monocle gets that menacing shine again.
"You didn't? Splendid! I actually took a liking to him. Oh, that family has been tasked with his retrieval? And seeing that he's underwater, can I assume she is coming here? She's already here?"
The father sighs. "I do wish her father came instead. From what I hear, she is a bit destructive. Has the family paid in advance for this intrusion into our territory? Then, I guess I will not involve myself in the battle. Well, thank you for the notice. I'll be sure to get my family to safety," he says, hanging up the phone.
"Hopefully, I will get to say goodbye to Cordayl before she takes him away."
News travels fast as thousands of mermaids gather to see the first air breather to visit Atlanta in centuries.
Eursala is taken aback by all the flashing cameras, but Eurick and his shark Shamua pose for the cameras.
"Quite the welcome," Cordayl says, smiling nervously beside Eursala.
"Not often we get someone from the dry land down here." She replies.
Seeing a chance to break away, she pulls Cordayl aside, and the two walk down a backroad, away from the crowded streets. "I'll show you the city subtly. And at the end, we'll go to the parade."
"A parade!?" Cordayl asks, astonished.
Eursala chuckles, "For most of us you are the first air breather we have ever seen. The city wants to make a lasting impression on you."
Eursala takes Cordayl through the backstreets and alleys of Atlanta to show him the city monuments and hallmarks.
After their tour, a mugger tries to sneak up on him and Eursala. Cordayl quickly puts his face into a wall before Eursala notices, and they quietly rejoin Eurick on the parade walk.
Eurick gives them a skeptical look, but continues marching along with the citizens and the marching bands as they wave and smile at the people of Atlanta.
Cordayl is taken to a special seat where the citizens of Atlanta force him to do a meet-and-greet. Some even gift him with items such as snacks and other things they want him to have.
One small mermaid child swims up to Cordayl and gifts him a glass deep blue sea flower. Cordayl takes the gift with a smile, and the little Mermaid returns his smile with a bigger one before swimming away.
As the festivities continue, Eursala's father arrives. Cordayl pops his head out from a pile of gifts. "I hope your gift is a small one."
The father chuckles at the comment. "I only came to grab my children. We have other matters to attend to at the moment. It was a pleasure meeting you, though, Cordayl. Hopefully, it's not the last time," he smiles.
Eurick doesn't question it, but Eursala is curious. "Where are we going? The whole city is shut down for this parade," Eursala ask.
"I'll explain on the way, dear," he says, leading her away from Cordayl. Stopping and turning his head towards Cordayl, he says one last thing. "Perhaps you can consider this a gift. Watch your-"
His warning is cut off by a monstrous roar that shakes the sea floor.
Everyone covers their ears to protect their brains except Cordayl, the father, and Eurick, who all have their eyes on the direction of the roar.
"What was that?" Eurick ask.
"We need to evacuate everyone now," the father says urgently, but it's too late. They see a sound wave rip through the parade, causing destruction on the whole street.
"So you're the Melatonin brat?" A voice says.
Cordayl stands and pulls the glass flower he was gifted out of his pocket. Seeing it broken beyond repair piss him off, as he crushes the already broken flower in his hand.
Looking up, he sees a half-female, half-dragon casually swimming over the hurt and killed citizens as she makes her way to Cordayl.
Cordayl doesn't say a word as he checks on his friends. Seeing that Eursala is injured but okay, Cordayl turns to the father and says nothing as he swims away from the populace.
Instantly, he is joined by the dragon lady. "It's rude to ignore a lady, " she says, striking him down into the city. Cordayl brushes off the attack as his anger continues to rise.
The dragon lady floats down. "My brother said you're a good fighter. I'm hoping he wasn't exaggerating."
"Ohh, you're a dragon? I thought you were an eel or something." Cordayl cracks his neck. "So, you gonna transform fully?" Cordayl ask.
"No need." The dragon smirks. "I'm only partially changed so I can swim-"
In an instant, Cordayl is in her face. "No more talking." He states, returning the hit. The dragon smashes into a building and quickly erupts from it to attack Cordayl.
The two engage fist to fist, foot to tail, but even underwater, Cordayl is winning the fight.
The dragon brushes some debris off her body. "I guess you live up to the reputation of the Melatonin tribe. As respect, I will fight you fully."
Swirling around in a circle until there is a dust cloud, Cordayl doesn't take his eyes off her. As the dust clears, the face of a dragon can be seen.
Shooting out from the cloud, she tries to bite Cordayl, who skids through the streets of the city as he holds her sharp fangs at bay.
The dragon throws its head up, trying to shake Cordayl off, but Cordayl reverses gravity and slams her head back into the ground.
Angry, the dragon goes to let out a shockwave, but Cordayl quickly reverses gravity, hitting the dragon with an invisible uppercut. Then, to finish the combo, Cordayl delivers a powerful punch to the dragon's exposed throat, sending it away from him.
The dragon flies back belly up, but shaking the hit off, she grabs a huge chunk of a destroyed building with her tail, twirls, and sends it at Cordayl.
Cordayl takes the building debris head-on and smashes it with his fist, but what follows is a shockwave that electrifies the water and stuns Cordayl long enough for the dragon to sink her teeth in him.
Cordayl bashes at her snout as the dragon slams him through building after building, trying to wear him out. Spitting him out, the dragon sends Cordayl through several more buildings before he comes to a stop.
The dragon swims from above, waiting for Cordayl to emerge. Suddenly, the ocean feels a lot lighter. Debris starts to float up, and a felled building is rocketed at the dragon.
She dodges it but is surprised at how fast the rest of the debris comes flying at her, forcing her to swirl and dance to avoid getting struck by one of these chunks.
A whole building is launched at her next. Unable to avoid, the dragon lets out a lighting bolt that strikes the building, causing an explosion that shrouds the water with dirt and debris.
"Ancestor's emotion, anger."
Flying through the wreckage, Cordayl has a black sphere in his hand as he aims straight for the dragon. The dragon lets out another bolt of lightning, hoping to strike Cordayl down for good.
Cordayl uses the gravity sphere in his hand to block the lightning from hitting him, which warps around his body as he ascends toward the dragon. Even as he gets closer, she doesn't let up as she intensifies the stream.
Cordayl torpedos through the lightning storm, and when he is within range, the sphere switches hands, and he hits the dragon square in the chin.
The ocean where the dragon is turns black, as a crushing amount of gravity hits the dragon straight in the chin, sending the dragon skyrocketing toward the ocean's surface.
The dragon erupts from the ocean along with miles of water that try to touch the sun, eventually failing and raining back into the sea.
Cordayl leans back and slowly falls back down to the destroyed city. Laying there, he catches his breath, but the cries of the citizens of Atlanta force him to get up and help.
Eursala swims from patient to patient, ensuring everyone receives medical attention. Attending to another patient, she looks up to see Cordayl reversing gravity and making it easier for rescuers to grab injured mermaids and mermen.
Eursala finishes patching up the merman and swims over to Cordayl, giving him a big hug. Cordayl is a little shocked but returns the love. "You swam off so quick after everything, I didn't know what to think."
"Yeah, I had to take care of something first. There might be a few more blocks destroyed. If anyone asks, it was the dragon."
"A dragon!" Eursala yells. "My, what a week this has been for Atlanta." She shakes her head. "Well, I appreciate you coming back and helping us. It seems like you are a big help out here."
"Its the least I could do after the city has shown me so much love." Cordayl says. Hearing his name get called, he gives Eursala a smirk before swimming over and assisting the rescuers.
A moment later, Eursala's father swims up to him. "Thank you for your assistance Cordayl. The city of Atlanta owes you more than it realizes." He says.
"All the gifts I almost got to take home, I'd say we're even," Cordayl responds, dropping a heavy piece of debris on the sea floor.
"Speaking of home, it's not that we haven't enjoyed your visit, but I think we should arrange your travel back, " he tells him.
"Yeah, just let me help the rescuers until they are satisfied, and I'll be ready to leave."
"Of course." He smiles, turning to swim away.
"Wait," Cordayl shouts before he gets too far away. The father cocks his head back to listen to Cordayl. "You knew the dragon was coming, didn't you? That's why you were in a rush to get Eursala and Eurick away. Are you a part of the ones hunting me?" Cordayl asks, tension starting to thicken on the ocean floor.
The father turns around and his monocle seems to glare at Cordayl's assumption. "No Cordayl, I or those I associate with have nothing to do with the immortals chasing you."
"They call themselves the immortals?" Cordayl ask.
"Well they are dragons. They have been around for centuries. And they are not cheap at all. Whoever employed them to hunt you down must see some real value in your capture. And vast resources."
"That would explain the navy getting involved. Any idea where I can find the boss?"
"I could get you the name of the man who ordered you captured in a few days, but honestly, that information would be irrelevant. You'll probably meet them soon." The father replies.
"Is tat another warning?" Cordayl ask.
"Indeed it is. You've now eluded the son and the daughter. Now the Father will come after you. Although I know you will put up a good fight, you're capture is guaranteed."
"
Noted. Well, I'm gonna finish up here. I'll come find you once I'm done."
"Very well. But keep your spirits high. If you can last even 5 minutes against this next dragon, whatever battle comes after should be a breeze." The father tells him as he swims away.
Cordayl stands next to a giant sea turtle that patiently lies on the sea floor. Eursala, Eurick, and the father stand across from him.
"From us to the city of Atlanta, we want to thank you for the visit. We thank you again for your assistance in helping the citizens of Atlanta after this disaster and wish you nothing but the best in your journey moving forward.
One last gift, a reward for you, Cordayl, for giving us hope that air breathers may one day be accepted in our home again." The father says, placing a medal around his neck.
Cordayl eyes the father but accepts the medal, receiving applause from the citizens who attended his departure.
Waving, Cordayl turns to leave but stops when he notices the little mermaid from earlier swimming up to him again.
When she arrives, she hands him a little baggy with the broken sea flower in it. Cordayl smiles and accepts the baggy, putting it in his jacket pocket.
With one last wave, Cordayl crawls into the sea turtles shell and departs back to the surface.