Sean hit the water so hard that it was like someone had smacked him all over. Sinking into the water, Sean couldn't move. His body was stunned. He could see Mark sinking in his hazy vision too and hoped he was ok. Sean was starting to think the he needed to sleep when arms wrapped around him and rushed him to the surface. Resting his head on the shoulder of his rescuer, he felt blood leak down his nose. The rough waves jostled them into the side of a ship, before Nate's voice shouted out to someone. "HEY! Help him up!" Sean raised his arms weakly, letting people take his wrists to pull him up. They had just dragged him onto the ship as Nate shouted out. "BRACE!" Something big hit the water, lurching the ship. Sean would have slid across the deck as it tilted, but Nate held onto his arm. As the ship leveled out, Sean touched Nate's neck and weakly stated out. "She's coming for me... I tried." Above them, Tethys let out an angry roar that gave Sean goosebumps. Nate kissed Sean's hand, telling him gently. "I know. Which is why I need this." Nate yanked the Sea Crown off Sean's neck, snapping at him after. "Don't you EVER jump off my ship like that again!"

Sean rolled to his side, shaking his head desperately. Trying to grab Nate's leg, Sean pleaded out weakly. "Nate, no... She's-" Sean stopped talking as Tethys arched in the air. With jaws wide, she dived start for the ship! Sean and many other merfolk screamed in horror. The only one not panicking was Nate. Moving to the side of the ship, Nate raised the Sea Crown. As she drew closer, the jewel began to glow with a blinding light. Sean stopped screaming as he watched Tethys slow her dive and lower into the water beside the ship. Her massive jaws closed, but her eyes never looked away from the Sea Crown. Nate winced, keeping the jewel raised high. From Nate's hand, black veins were streaking down his arm. Next to Sean, Granny put her hands on his tail to comfort him, but her eyes were on Nate. After a minute, Granny whispered out in complete awe. "By the gods... What is he? No one can wield the Sea Crown... Except..."

Sean glanced between them, unsure what was happening. Nate limply lowered his hand, dropping to his knees to clutch his arm. Tethys tilted her head to look him over with curious eyes. She seemed almost confused by him. Nate bowed his head, waiting for something. Tethys let out a small whimper, before jerking her head up in pain as the collar zapped her. Kai dropped onto the ship in human form, causing everyone to yelp and dash away. Kai glanced at Oceanus though, who moved slowly through the water in his massive form. Setting a tangled-up Poseidon on the ship, Oceanus reached out to put a hand on Tethys neck. She cringed from his touch and growled, but he lovingly told her. "It's me. Don't you remember?" Tethys thrashed, snapping her jaws down on Oceanus's arm. Kai and Poseidon yelped in pain, but Oceanus moved in to hug her with his free arm. The heavy rain and lightning raged on... until it the storm seemed to lighten up. Sean sat up, listening to the sweetest sound. Oceanus was humming something to her.

Some of the older Merfolk seemed to recall the song and began to put words to his humming. Sean didn't know the song, but Granny did. As they sang, the storm clouds parted to reveal a beautiful blue sky. Nate staggered to his feet, waving his good arm to get the attention of Oceanus. When Oceanus looked, Nate showed him the Sea Crown and tossed it to him. Catching the Sea Crown, everyone marveled at how it grew in Oceanus's hand. The collar kept zapping Tethys, causing her to shift and whine but she never released Oceanus's arm from her jaws. She didn't even really fight him. Sean wondered if she was in so much pain that she was losing her fighting spirit. Mark slowly rose from the water on the other side of the ship, a small whine leaving him as he watched. Oceanus draped the Sea Crown over her massive head like a thin circlet, whispering to her lovingly. "It's ok. You are home and you are whole again." Tethys sighed, her teeth finally releasing Oceanus as the jewel glowed with a bright white light.

All the Merfolk moved to the side of the ship to watch as Tethys's scaly body changed to flawless sun kissed skin. Her long sandy brown hair falling down her exposed shoulders. Sean's heart fluttered watching her change into a beautiful woman with a long royal purple tail. Her stunning purple eyes blinked as she took in her shaking hands and hair. The collar around her raw and injured neck hung looser now. How long had she been stuck in that form? Tears filled her eyes as her hands went for the collar. Panicking when she couldn't take it off, Oceanus pried her hands from it and cooed softly to her. "Hey, It's ok. Change with me... One more time and it will come off." Tethys's eyes widened, her fingers going to touch Oceanus's face as she whispered out to him. "Oceanus...?" Oceanus nodded to her, kissing her wrist and coaxing her to change with him. Together they shrank down to normal human size, causing the large collar to fall off her body and sink beneath the water.

The Merfolk all shared warm smiles, watching Oceanus pull Tethys into a hug in the water. Sean glanced at Mark, who ducked back below the surface of the water. Nate staggered over to him, avoiding Kai a bit as he dropped down and asked him. "Are you ok, Sean?" Sean wiped his bleed nose, answering softly. "Ya... Just rattled a bit. What about you? Your arm!" Nate glanced down to see the black veins were now a purple color. Through a pleasant chuckle, Nate told him. "I'm fine. The jewel just was a bit unyielding to me." Granny snatched Nate's wrist to look over his arm, causing Nate to dryly state out. "Ow... That hurts you know. What happened to asking?" Granny lowered his hand, giving Nate a strange look. Sean blinked, asking curiously. "What is it? What did I miss?" From the net, Poseidon sat up and muttered out. "Oh, I know that magic anywhere. I've only known one person to of had it." Kai moved to kneel by Poseidon chuckling out as he messed with some of the netting. "Ya. Asia."

Sean blinked a little confused but said aloud. "Ya. He was given the gift to forge things like her, because she gave it to him. It's why Oceanus sent us to find him. So, he could put the crown back together." Granny pointed a stern finger at Kai, snapping out. "Hey! What are you doing?!" Kai rolled his eyes, not looking at her as he growled out. "Releasing my paramour. Tethys is no longer a threat." Poseidon winced, leaning a bit on Kai's shoulder as he ignored their conversation to answer Sean. "That's not how that gift works. Oceanus gave it to his daughter... and it can only be passed on-" Sean finally got it, looking to Nate as he said rather softly. "To her son? You're an Oceanid?" Nate huffed, shaking his head as he mumbled out. "Not completely. A half-breed. Part Oceanid and part Jellyfolk. Unfortunately, like Kai... my Oceanid blood isn't that strong. So, I can't transform into the Eastern Dragon like Mark and his Mother can." Even more grimly, Nate jealously mumbled out. "I can't even turn into the Sea Dragon that Kai can. I'm just... me."

Sean lifted Nate's chin, purring sweetly to him. "I like you just as you are, Nate." Nate kissed him passionately, until Granny cleared her throat. Breaking the kiss, Granny curiously asked Poseidon. "What are we going to do now?" The net came free of Poseidon, allowing him to climb to his feet. Without hesitating, Poseidon answered in a commanding voice. "It's obvious. We'll rebuild. But this time... We'll do it out of my brother's sight and only for our people. A place to keep them safe." Sean pulled his tail closer, wrapping his arms around what would be the joint for human knees. Giving Poseidon a shrug, he said softly. "I agree. We came to Atlantis to save what's left of our clans." Nate cleared his throat a bit awkwardly, mumbling out honestly. "Well... Not all of us..." Poseidon raised an eyebrow, causing Kai to whisper out only a little discreetly to him. "Pirates. They came to rob me. As if I'd just let them raid my Zen pool. You know how long it took to fill that place?!"

Poseidon still didn't understand. Kai chuckled softly, mumbling out. "I'll explain later." Watching Poseidon touch Kai's bleeding ear made Sean's heart twist. This was the first time he had really seen his dad. He wanted to say so much and yet didn't know where to even start. Swallowing nervously, he called out in a hesitant voice. "Da?" Poseidon turned to look at him, his hand dropping to Kai's shoulder. Sean's throat tightened, he felt like a stranger to him. Before he could ask anything, Merfolk swarmed Poseidon. Surrounding him, they all bowed and reached hands out for him to touch them. Sean sighed with disappointment. Talking to him would be impossible. Granny patted his tail, telling him gently. "Give it some time. We've all... been through a lot today." Sean nodded grimly when something metal hit the deck nearby. Looking to the noise, Sean grinned. Mark was stiffly climbing up over the side after having dropped the collar. Dropping down on the deck, Mark gruffly stated out as he shoved the collar toward them. "There. Have a look at that piece of junk."

Sean crawled quickly over to Mark, falling into his arms. Mark pulled him into his lap better, hugging him back as he muffled against his neck. "I was so worried about you. Are you hurt?" Sean shook his head but couldn't answer. He just wanted to be held. Granny picked up the small collar, looking it over as she said perplexed. "What is this? I've never seen anything like it..." Nate took it from her carefully, regaling curiously. "The runes on it... They're not Atlantean... It looks like they were drawn into the black metal with fire?" Mark coughed water, before telling them. "It doesn't have a latch. It started shrinking after it fell off her." Nate touched the spikes inside the collar, his fingers sparking but it didn't appear to hurt him. After a minute, Nate informed them confused. "It looks old. Ancient almost. It's generating some powerful lightning... but it's not natural." Kai kneeled beside Nate, asking nicely. "Can I see it?" Nate and Granny yelped. Kai blinked, taking it from Nate without acknowledging their surprise.

Granny recovered stiffly, growling out bitterly. "What would you know of such a thing, Kai? Something you made perhaps." Kai glared at her, retorting coldly. "Oh, suck a snail. Unlike your pampered ass, I spent many years reading alone." Nate pointed to the writing, asking curiously. "Does this look familiar? Can you read it?" Kai turned the ring around, then looked at Nate to say coolly. "Ya... This is a dog collar." In unison, they said bluntly. "What?!" Kai held the collar up to show it to them better, answering seriously. "Ya. I'd recognize this anywhere. This is Gleipnir metal. The metal of the gods. Designed to imprison the power of both Titan and Gods alike. The stuff is rare and worth a planets weight in gold." Mark straightened up more, asking genuinely concerned. "What was a dog collar doing around the neck of my mother?" Kai turned the collar to show them the broken ring on the back, replying casually. "Judging by this... This is what had her imprisoned in the volcano. Until something let her go... Or the metal weakened overtime."

Nate shifted to face Kai better, sounding unsettled as he said. "Is this something Zeus would have?" Kai shook his head, answering seriously. "No. Zeus hates dogs... He loves horses. The Pegasus to be more specific. No... The only person to have a collar like this was..." Kai tilted his head suddenly and huffed to himself. Sean leaned back from Mark, almost afraid to ask. "What is it?" Kai looked over the collar again, saying in a much softer voice. "The only people that have these collars... Is Hades and Hercules." Granny blinked, retorting quickly. "Hades doesn't own a dog. And Hercules-" Kai interject bluntly. "Oh, I assure you. He does. You just wouldn't call that beastly Titan a dog... You'd call him Cerberus." Nate took the collar from Kai, dryly retorting. "You're kidding... Are you saying Hades sent Tethys to Attack Atlantis and us? Not Zeus..." Kai snatched the collar back, almost being a bit possessive of it as he coolly shot back. "Either him... Or Hercules."

Mark shook his head, saying seriously. "No. I know this story. Hercules was a hero. He protected people." Kai huffed darkly, growling out. "Hercules was a brute! Everything he did was for his own personal gain to be made a god. He killed hundreds of Titan children... Including Oceanids. So, don't praise him too much. The only reason he left Cerberus alive was because Hades needed him. And you don't piss off Hades unless you want to burn." Sean raised his hands to stop them from fighting as he asked gently. "Putting our opinions aside... How would he have the collar?" Granny was the one to answer as she recalled it. "Of course. The Twelfth Labor of Hercules. Hercules had to bring Cerberus to King Eurystheus. Hercules did and took one of Cerberus's collars as a trophy for defeating the beast in combat." Kai nodded, adding in lightly. "Exactly. Zeus could have taken the collar from his son to use it in imprisoning the Leviathan... Or-" This time Nate finished in a grim tone. "Or Hercules imprisoned her, and Zeus let her go."

Kai stood up, reluctantly telling them. "That explains why she was so angry... This collar is designed like a shock collar. It was Hades way of keeping Cerberus in the underworld if he ever managed to break free. Take it past the borders to the land of the dead and this collar is harmless. Take it to Earth and these little babies pop out to cause a lot of pain. Gods... No wonder Oceanus was weaker after she was imprisoned... He felt the pain of this thing through her." To Be Continued...