Chapter 70

As they returned to the White House, Sophia noticed the protestors had grown quieter, watching news feeds of the corruption spreading through the river.

In the Situation Room, government officials and Aquarian representatives gathered around a large table. Maps showed purple spots appearing across coastlines worldwide.

"The public needs reassurance," Victoria advised. "Another broadcast, this time with government backing."

The President agreed. "Dr. Rodriguez will continue as our official liaison with Aquaria. We'll frame this as an environmental crisis requiring international cooperation."

"And when people ask about the dragon?" Sophia questioned.

Silence fell across the room.

"They saw what they saw," the President finally said. "We'll acknowledge that there are species unknown to modern science, but emphasize peaceful coexistence."

Hours later, Sophia stood beside the President for a joint address to the nation. Gone was her hastily applied makeup from the first broadcast; now she looked polished, professional-the perfect bridge between worlds.

"Fellow citizens," the President began, "today we face an unprecedented situation, but also an unprecedented opportunity..."

As he spoke, Sophia watched the faces of her partners. Tharros looked regal and composed, but she could sense his unease at revealing even this sanitized version of their existence. Kael remained vigilant, eyes constantly scanning for threats. Arin seemed most at peace, perhaps because deception had always been part of her survival.

When it was Sophia's turn to speak, she kept her message simple.

"The people of Aquaria have knowledge that can help us fight this corruption. We have technologies that can heal our oceans. Working together, we can save both our worlds."

The response was immediate. Social media exploded with support. Environmental groups pledged allegiance. Religious leaders called for peace and understanding.

But not everyone welcomed the news.

As they left the White House, a small drone darted past security, hovering in front of Tharros. Before anyone could react, it projected a holographic message.

"We know what you really are, dragon king. The Voidcallers have friends everywhere. This is just the beginning."

The drone exploded in a flash of purple light, leaving a small, smoking crater in the pavement.

Sophia felt Tharros tense beside her. "They're here," he whispered. "On the surface."

That night, in their heavily guarded hotel suite, the four partners gathered to assess their situation.

"The corruption is spreading faster than we predicted," Kael reported, studying data from Aquarian scouts. "And now we know the Voidcallers have human allies."

"We need to return to Aquaria," Arin insisted. "The palace defenses won't hold much longer without us."

Sophia paced the room, her mind racing. "If we leave now, we risk losing human support. But if we stay..."

"We risk losing our home," Tharros finished.

A knock at the door interrupted them. Dr. Chen entered, looking exhausted but excited.

"I've been analyzing the river samples," he said, spreading papers across the table. "The corruption reacts to electrical fields. If we can generate the right frequency-"

"We might slow it down," Sophia realized, hope flaring in her chest.

"Or make it stronger," Arin cautioned. "Magic and electricity share certain properties."

As they debated their next steps, Sophia's phone chimed with a news alert. She froze, staring at the screen.

"What is it?" Tharros asked, moving to her side.

Sophia turned the phone so they all could see. A live video showed massive purple tentacles rising from oceans around the world-New York, Tokyo, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro-all at the same moment.

"It's coordinated," Kael whispered.

"It's a message," Tharros corrected.

The video feed switched to a figure shrouded in purple mist, its features impossible to distinguish.

"People of Earth," it hissed, "your new friends have not told you everything. The creatures you welcome today will destroy you tomorrow. We offer protection-but only if you reject these invaders."

The broadcast cut to scenes of destruction-cities in flames, people fleeing in terror. But Sophia recognized the footage from old disaster movies, cleverly edited to look current.

"They're turning humans against us," Arin whispered.

Sophia's phone rang-the President.

"Tell me that wasn't real," he demanded.

"It wasn't," Sophia assured him. "But what comes next might be worse."

As she hung up, the hotel lights flickered, then failed completely. In the sudden darkness, something scratched at their window-twenty stories above the ground.

"They found us," Tharros growled, his eyes glowing in the darkness as his human disguise began to slip.

The window exploded inward, showering them with glass as a purple tendril snaked into the room.

Sophia reached for her partners' hands, feeling their power flow through her. Whatever came next, they would face it together.

But deep in her heart, a terrible question formed: had they already lost the war for public opinion before it had truly begun?

Shining Through Darkness

The purple tendril whipped through the hotel room, knocking furniture aside as it searched for them. Sophia ducked behind an overturned table, her heart hammering against her ribs.

"Get down!" Kael shouted, pulling Arin to safety as the tendril lashed out again.

Tharros stood his ground, eyes blazing with inner fire. His human disguise flickered as scales rippled across his skin. With a growl that was more dragon than man, he grabbed the writhing tendril with bare hands.

Steam rose where they touched. The tendril twisted and thrashed, but Tharros held firm.

"Sophia," he called, voice strained. "The device Chen mentioned-would it work here?"

Her mind raced. "Maybe! If we can create the right electrical frequency..."

Arin slid across the floor to Sophia's side. "I can channel power, but I need something to focus it through."

Dr. Chen, who had been cowering by the door, suddenly straightened. "The hotel's backup generator! If we can modify it-"

"Go!" Sophia ordered. "Kael, protect him!"

As they rushed from the room, Sophia grabbed the hotel's desk lamp, ripping out its wiring. Her fingers moved with surprising confidence as she dismantled the electrical components.

"Can you hold it?" she asked Tharros, who was still struggling with the thrashing tendril.

Sweat beaded on his forehead. "Not much longer."

Arin placed her hands over Sophia's as they worked on the improvised device. "Focus your energy through me," she instructed. "Think of it as an extension of your will."

Sophia closed her eyes, feeling the strange tingle of magic mixing with science. The lamp's broken parts began to glow with blue light.

"Now!" Arin cried.

Sophia thrust the makeshift device against the tendril. A pulse of energy shot through it, sending blue light racing along its purple length. The tendril stiffened, then withered, crumbling into dust that scattered across the hotel carpet.

Silence fell over the room.

"Did we kill it?" Sophia asked, breathing hard.

"No," Tharros said grimly, rubbing his burned hands. "We just made it retreat."

The door burst open as Kael returned with Dr. Chen and a bewildered hotel maintenance worker.

"We've got the generator ready," Kael announced, then stopped short at the sight of the destroyed room. "Looks like we're too late."

"Not too late," Sophia said, holding up their improvised device. "Too early. This works, but on a small scale. We need something bigger-much bigger."

Three days later, Sophia stood in the center of a massive warehouse the government had converted into their command center. Scientists, military personnel, and Aquarian representatives worked side by side, assembling what they now called "purification nodes."

"The President's approval ratings are up twelve points," Victoria reported, joining Sophia at the central planning table. "Your latest press conference did wonders."

Sophia barely heard her. She was focused on the map spread before her, marking key locations along coastlines worldwide.

"These energy signatures match what we've seen at the corruption points," she explained to the team gathered around her. "If we place nodes at each location, we can create a barrier the corruption can't cross."

"And what about the Voidcallers' propaganda?" asked a stern-faced general. "We're still seeing those fake disaster videos spreading online."

"That's why we need visible results," Sophia replied. "Actions speak louder than words."

Across the warehouse, Tharros stood near a large water tank, eyes closed in concentration. The water swirled unnaturally, forming images only he could interpret. Sophia watched him with concern. Each connection with Aquaria drained his strength, but they desperately needed information from below.

Kael approached her, voice low. "He's been at it for hours. The strain is showing."

"I know," Sophia sighed. "But without direct contact with Aquaria-"

"We're flying blind," Kael finished. "The corruption has damaged most of our communication relays."

Arin joined them, her usual composure slipping. "The eastern districts have fallen. Many of our people are fleeing to the deep caverns, but they won't survive there long-term."

Sophia squeezed her hand, offering what comfort she could. "We'll be ready to deploy tomorrow. Just one more day."

A shout from across the room interrupted them. Tharros had collapsed beside the water tank, water spilling across the floor. They rushed to his side.

"Tharros!" Sophia cradled his head. "What happened?"

His eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first. "I saw... I saw them. The Voidcallers. They're not what we thought."

"What do you mean?" Kael demanded.

Tharros struggled to sit up. "They're not invaders. They're refugees, fleeing something worse."

Silence fell across the warehouse as everyone turned to listen.

"That doesn't excuse what they're doing," Arin said sharply.

"No," Tharros agreed. "But it explains why our usual defenses fail. They're desperate. And they've found a way to open a permanent portal between their realm and ours."

Sophia felt cold dread settle in her stomach. "Where?"

"The Marianas Trench. The deepest point in your oceans."

Dr. Chen rushed over with his tablet. "That matches our latest satellite data. There's a massive energy disturbance there-something we've never seen before."

Sophia turned to Victoria. "We need to adjust our plan. Some of these nodes must be placed at the trench."

"That's impossible," the general cut in. "No equipment can function at that depth."

A small smile crossed Tharros's face. "Human equipment, perhaps. But we have alternatives."

The next morning, Sophia stood on the deck of a naval carrier, watching teams load the purification nodes onto helicopters and submarines. Each device gleamed with a combination of technology and magic-circuit boards etched with ancient Aquarian symbols, power cores infused with essence from the Heartstone.

"Twenty-four deployment teams," Victoria reported. "All synchronized to activate at exactly 3:00 PM Eastern time."

Sophia nodded, her attention drawn to three special nodes set apart from the others. These were larger, more complex, and hummed with barely contained energy. They were destined for the Marianas Trench-carried by Tharros, Kael, and Arin themselves.

"The President is asking for assurances this will work," Victoria continued.

"There are no assurances," Sophia replied honestly. "Just hope."

She found her partners near the edge of the deck, gazing out at the ocean. Even in their human forms, they seemed to be calling to the water below.

"It's time," she said, joining them.

Tharros turned to her, his eyes reflecting both determination and fear. "You should stay here. Coordinate from the surface."

Sophia shook her head. "We do this together or not at all."