Chapter 65

"What?" Sophia demanded. "What is it?"

The dragon king looked at her with dread in his golden eyes. "The Leviathan. The one from the prophecy. We've awakened it."

As if in response, a monstrous shadow appeared in the depths beyond the portal. Larger than any creature should be, ancient beyond reckoning, it moved toward the light with terrible purpose.

Sophia looked from the approaching horror to the glowing device in her hands, to the faces of humans gathering on the beach behind them - scientists and military personnel drawn by the unnatural light.

Two worlds stared at each other across an impossible divide.

And in the darkness between them, something ancient and hungry was waking up.

Unwanted Attention

The blinding light from the portal cut off suddenly as Sophia yanked her hands from the sphere. She fell backward onto the sand, gasping for breath. The glowing marks on her palms slowly faded to a dull shimmer.

"Close it!" she screamed at Tharros. "Close the portal!"

The dragon king placed both hands on the device, his golden eyes blazing with effort. The tear between worlds shrank inch by inch, but not before several military personnel had seen directly into Aquaria.

"What was that?" a soldier shouted, pointing his flashlight at them.

Dr. Chen stepped forward, blocking their view of Sophia and the device. "Institute research," he said firmly, flashing his ID. "Classified."

More flashlights swept the beach as vehicles rumbled to a stop on the road above. Sophia's heart pounded as she wrapped the sphere in the special case Jackson had prepared. The device was still hot to the touch, pulsing with energy.

"We need to get out of here," Tharros whispered, helping her to her feet. His human disguise was slipping - scales glittered across his neck, and his eyes were fully reptilian.

"Too late," Chen muttered as a helicopter appeared overhead, its searchlight pinning them in bright white light.

Admiral Pierce stepped out of the black SUV, his weathered face hard as stone. Twenty years in Naval Intelligence hadn't prepared him for what his team had just reported - a portal to an underwater city filled with creatures from myth.

"Secure the area," he ordered. "No one in or out. And find me someone who can explain what the hell I just saw."

As his men moved into position, surrounding the beach and the small group huddled there, Pierce studied the woman at the center. Dr. Sophia Rodriguez - the missing marine biologist whose disappearance had triggered this whole operation. She looked different now. Something about her eyes, her skin...

"Sir," his aide reported, "the energy signature matches what we detected at the Institute before Dr. Rodriguez disappeared. Same frequency, but a thousand times stronger."

Pierce nodded. "Bring them in. All of them."

Sophia felt the military closing in around them like a net. Tharros stood at her side, his body tense and ready to fight.

"Don't," she whispered, grabbing his wrist. "If you transform here, they'll never stop hunting our kind."

A tall man in a naval uniform approached, flanked by armed soldiers. "Dr. Rodriguez," he said, his voice carrying authority. "I'm Admiral Pierce. You're coming with us."

Chen stepped between them. "Actually, Admiral, you're interrupting a sanctioned experiment." He pulled out a tablet and tapped it a few times before turning it around. "Authorization code Omega-7. Signed by Director Langley herself."

Pierce frowned at the document. "I wasn't informed-"

"It's classified beyond your clearance level," Chen said smoothly. "But feel free to call the Director and explain why you're interfering with our work."

Sophia held her breath. Chen was bluffing - the document had to be fake. But it looked official enough to make Pierce hesitate.

"What exactly are you testing here, Dr. Chen?" Pierce asked, his eyes narrowing.

"New sonar technology," Chen replied without missing a beat. "The light effect was an unexpected side effect. Quite impressive, wasn't it?"

"That wasn't sonar," Pierce said flatly. "My men saw... something else."

"What did they see, exactly?" Chen challenged. "Strange lights on the water? Reflections? Hallucinations after staring too long at experimental equipment? I'd be interested to read those reports, Admiral."

Sophia clutched the device tighter, feeling its energy hum against her chest. It was calling to something inside her - the part of her that belonged to Aquaria.

Beneath the waves, Kael and Arin watched the portal shrink until it disappeared completely. The brief connection to the surface world had driven back the corruption, but for how long?

"We need to prepare," Kael said, turning to his warriors. "When the portal reopens, we must be ready to defend it."

Arin drifted closer, her pale face troubled. "Did you feel it? When the portal was open?"

"The Leviathan," Kael nodded grimly. "It's awake, just as the prophecy foretold."

Around them, citizens of Aquaria whispered among themselves. For the first time, they had seen the world above - strange beings standing on dry land, breathing air, their bodies unadorned by scales or fins.

"The people are afraid," Arin said quietly. "They've never seen humans before."

"And the humans have never seen us," Kael replied. "This changes everything."

On the beach, the standoff continued. More military vehicles had arrived, and Sophia counted at least thirty soldiers surrounding them now.

"I need to speak with Director Langley," Admiral Pierce finally said, stepping away to make the call.

Chen turned to Sophia and Tharros, keeping his voice low. "When I give the signal, run for the submarine. I've disabled their communications temporarily, but it won't last long."

Sophia shook her head. "We can't just leave you here."

"You have to," Chen insisted. "That device is the only hope for both worlds. I'll find you later."

Pierce returned, his expression unreadable. "Your authorization checks out, Dr. Chen. For now." He gestured to his men. "But I'm leaving a team to observe. Whatever you're doing here, it's caught Washington's attention."

Chen nodded, accepting the compromise. "We'll be continuing our work at the Institute. Feel free to send your observers there."

As the military began to withdraw slightly, Chen gave Sophia a meaningful look. She understood - this was their chance.

"Now," he whispered.

Sophia grabbed Tharros's hand and ran for the submarine, keeping the device clutched tightly against her. Behind them, Chen created a diversion, "accidentally" activating some equipment that sent sparks flying into the air.

They made it to the submarine just as the soldiers realized what was happening. Bullets pinged against the metal hull as Tharros slammed the hatch shut.

"Hold on," he growled, taking the controls.

The submarine slipped beneath the waves just as searchlights swept over the water. Sophia watched through the periscope as the surface world disappeared above them.

"Head for the deep channel," she told Tharros. "We need to get to Aquaria before they can track us."

Admiral Pierce watched the water where the submarine had disappeared. He'd let them escape - for now. Something told him they'd return to the Institute eventually, and his men would be waiting.

"Sir," his aide approached with a phone. "There's someone on the line for you. Says it's about Dr. Rodriguez and the experiment."

Pierce took the phone. "This is Admiral Pierce."

"Admiral," a smooth voice replied. "My name is Elias Blackwood, CEO of Oceanic Horizons. I believe we have a mutual interest in what happened tonight."

Pierce frowned. Oceanic Horizons was a private research corporation, known for pushing boundaries in marine technology. "I'm listening."

"My company has been tracking unusual energy signatures for months," Blackwood continued. "What you witnessed tonight is only the beginning. I'd like to offer my resources to help you understand what you're dealing with."

"And what do you want in return, Mr. Blackwood?"

The man chuckled. "Information, Admiral. Just information."

Dr. Chen waited until the military presence had thinned before heading back to his car. The deception had worked, but it wouldn't hold for long. Once Pierce checked with the real Director Langley, they'd be hunting them all.

As he reached his vehicle, Chen noticed a black luxury car parked nearby. A woman in an expensive suit leaned against it, watching him.

"Dr. Chen," she called. "A moment of your time?"

Chen paused, instantly wary. "Do I know you?"

The woman smiled. "Not yet. My name is Victoria Shaw, representing Oceanic Horizons. My employer is very interested in your work."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chen replied, reaching for his car door.

"The device that created the portal," Victoria said calmly. "The one Dr. Rodriguez took to Aquaria."

Chen froze. No one should know about Aquaria - no one from the surface world except their small team.

"We've been watching for years, Dr. Chen," Victoria continued. "The underwater kingdom, the dragon king, the prophecy... we know everything."

"What do you want?" Chen asked, his mouth suddenly dry.

Victoria handed him a business card. "Help. Protection from the military. Resources to continue your work." Her smile widened. "All we ask for in return is information about what lies beneath the waves."

Chen took the card slowly, feeling a chill that had nothing to do with the night air.

"Think about it," Victoria said, walking back to her car. "We'll be in touch."

As she drove away, Chen looked down at the card in his hand. Embossed in gold was a simple logo - a trident piercing a wave.

The same symbol that had been carved into the ancient ruins beneath Aquaria's palace.

Corporate Interest

Three days after their narrow escape, Sophia paced the small underwater cave they'd found as a hiding place. The sphere device sat on a flat rock, its light pulsing weakly.

"It's losing power," she said, running her fingers over the strange markings that matched her palms. "We need to recharge it before we can use it against the Leviathan."

Tharros sat cross-legged on the cave floor, his golden eyes tracking her movements. In the dim light, his skin occasionally flickered with scales.

"We can't return to the surface," he said. "The military will be watching everywhere."

"And we can't go to Aquaria yet," Sophia added. "Not until the device is ready." She slammed her fist against the cave wall in frustration. "We're stuck!"

The water at the cave entrance rippled, and both tensed until Dr. Chen's head emerged from below. He pulled himself onto the rocky ledge, dripping and breathing hard.

"You're alive!" Sophia rushed to help him. "We were worried."

Chen coughed water from his lungs. "Barely made it. The military has the entire coastline locked down. They're calling it a national security threat."

"Did they follow you?" Tharros demanded.

"No," Chen assured them. "But someone else did." He reached into his waterproof bag and pulled out a tablet. "The people from Oceanic Horizons. They found me last night."

Sophia took the tablet, surprised to see it was still working despite being underwater. "What's this?"

"Plans," Chen said. "For upgrading your device. They knew exactly what we were building."

Tharros growled, the sound echoing in the small cave. "Impossible. No surface dweller should know about Aquarian technology."

Chen's face was grim. "They know about everything, Tharros. The corruption. The Leviathan. Even your transformation ability."

Sophia scrolled through the tablet's contents, her scientific mind racing. "These modifications... they're exactly what we need. How could they know?"

"They want to meet," Chen said. "Their representative is waiting above. Someone named Victoria Shaw."

Sophia broke the surface cautiously, scanning the coastline for military boats. The small inlet seemed deserted except for an elegant yacht anchored offshore. A woman in a white business suit stood on the deck, watching them through binoculars.

"That's her," Chen whispered as they swam closer.

When they reached the yacht, Victoria Shaw greeted them with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Dr. Rodriguez. King Tharros. I'm delighted you accepted my invitation."

Tharros climbed aboard with inhuman grace, water streaming from his human form. His nostrils flared as he studied Victoria. "You smell of old magic."

Her smile faltered for just a moment. "Please, come inside. We have much to discuss."

The yacht's cabin was a floating laboratory. High-tech equipment lined the walls, and in the center sat components identical to those they had stolen from the Institute.

"How do you have these?" Sophia asked, touching a quantum stabilizer that looked even more advanced than the one they'd used.

"Oceanic Horizons has been studying the barrier between worlds for decades," Victoria explained, pouring tea as if they were having a casual social visit. "We've known about Aquaria since the company was founded in 1893."

Tharros's eyes narrowed. "Impossible. The barriers have stood for ten thousand years."

"Have they?" Victoria raised an eyebrow. "Or have there always been... leaks?" She pressed a button, and a holographic display appeared above the table. It showed ancient cave paintings, medieval manuscripts, and modern sonar readings - all depicting the same underwater structures. Aquaria.

"My great-grandfather was a fisherman who followed strange lights into a storm," Victoria continued. "His boat sank, but he didn't drown. He was saved by beings with scales and golden eyes." She looked directly at Tharros. "Beings like you."

Sophia exchanged glances with Tharros. His face remained suspicious, but she could see uncertainty in his eyes.

"When he returned, he founded our company with one purpose - to reconnect with the underwater world that saved him." Victoria gestured to the equipment around them. "Everything we've developed has been leading to this moment."

"Why reveal yourselves now?" Chen asked.

"Because the corruption is spreading to the surface world," Victoria said. "Strange phenomena are being reported along coastlines globally. Dead zones where all electronic equipment fails. Sea creatures washing ashore with mysterious black markings." She handed Sophia another tablet. "These are from yesterday."

The images showed familiar patterns of corruption - the same that had been spreading through Aquaria.

"Help us," Victoria said, her composure cracking slightly to reveal genuine fear. "The military wants to destroy what they don't understand. We want to save both worlds."

In Aquaria, Kael winced as Arin pressed healing coral against the wound on his shoulder. The latest attack by the corruption had left half his warriors injured.

"It's getting worse," Arin said, her pale fingers trembling slightly. "The protective spells around the palace won't hold much longer."

Kael looked out the palace window at the city below. Once-bright bioluminescent streets now flickered with dying light. Citizens huddled in the central squares, too afraid to return to their homes in the outer rings where darkness was spreading.

"Any word from Sophia?" he asked.

Arin shook her head. "The mental link is still blocked. Something is interfering."

A young mer-guard burst into the chamber, his face tight with panic. "Commander! The eastern barrier has fallen. The corruption is entering the inner city!"

Kael grabbed his trident, ignoring the pain from his wound. "Evacuate everyone to the palace. We make our stand here."

As Arin gathered her potions and spellbooks, she paused, her head tilting as if listening to something only she could hear.

"What is it?" Kael asked.

"Magic," she whispered. "Old magic... awakening on the surface."

Back on the yacht, Victoria had opened a hidden compartment in the floor. Inside was a crystal unlike anything Sophia had seen before - pulsing with blue-green light identical to the markings on her palms.

"This was recovered from the seafloor near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge," Victoria explained. "We believe it's a piece of Aquaria's original barrier spell."

Tharros stared at the crystal, his composure slipping enough that scales rippled across his cheeks. "The Heartstone," he whispered. "It was lost thousands of years ago."

"What does it do?" Sophia asked, feeling drawn to the crystal.

"It amplifies magic," Tharros explained, his voice reverent. "It was used by the first king to create Aquaria."

Victoria nodded. "And we believe it can supercharge your device - make it powerful enough to seal the corruption permanently."

"Why would you give us something so valuable?" Chen asked suspiciously.

"In exchange for access," Victoria said simply. "When this is over, we want diplomatic relations with Aquaria. A formal alliance between our company and your kingdom." She looked at Tharros. "We've waited over a century for this opportunity."

Sophia could see the conflict in Tharros's eyes - desperation to save his kingdom warring with millennia of isolation and distrust of humans.

"We need to discuss this privately," Sophia said.