Reader POV

A huge explosion in the middle of the night alerted everyone that we were under attack.

"Everyone! Get the children to the great temple!" Gifso shouted as multiple attacks came from outside the dome.

Yuno came running towards me, worry in his eyes. "(y/n), we need to leave. Now!"

"No! I came down here for a reason." I crafted a sword of water. "You know that."

He nodded and we ran off on our own directions, promising to find each other once the attack was over. "You'd better not die."

"I won't," I assured him with a smile. "They forget that water is my domain."

"Hurry! Eat this seaweed!" Kahono yelled. "Otherwise you'll drown!"

"What do you mean?" Some children looked at her with terror.

"It means the dome which protected us for centuries is coming down," Kanato said as she looked up with a grim look on her face.

"No! The dome is merged with the sea itself! It can't just come down?" Kahono squeezed her wrist. "Right?"

"My child, if you wish to save yourself then you must flee. Use your magic and escape while you still can!"

I was about to say something when a familiar green light appeared, flying to the top of the dome...only to illuminate something terrifying.

Surrounding the dome were hundreds of warriors hailing from Atlantis, all preparing to launch attacks at the dome.

"There's no way out!" A lady screamed as she grabbed her children. "Everyone for themselves!"

Her screams caused the rest to panic as parents began looking for their children and the other adults trying to find exits even though the only exits were through the dome which was completely surrounded.

The magical seaweed that allowed everyone to breathe water for a few hours was passed out to the warriors who exited the dome to fight the Atlantis warriors, only for them to be sent back to the dome with lethal wounds.

"Water Creation Magic: Valkyrie Dress!" I shot into the sky next to Yuno, both of us nodding once and shooting outside the dome to fight. I knew Yuno would be fine since he could use mana skin to keep him alive as well as the magical seaweed.

I watched with pride as Yuno moved the water currents around, throwing some of the Atlantis warriors off the dome. "Damn you, Yuno."

I fused my mana with the sea, focusing on the rushing water.

You are merging with the sea, (y/n). Kanato's words echoed in my ear as I struck down Atlantian soldiers. When the scales appear, the ancestors told us that it would be a few days or possibly weeks before you fully merge with the sea dragon and cultivate your magic with the sea.

Yuno and I joined our attacks as more warriors appeared, lightning from the surface far above showering the abyss with light.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this." I bit my lip as I created a huge vortex of water, trying to defend the dome as escape efforts were made.

Hundreds of Atlantean warriors came swimming with terrifying weapons but one stopped as soon as he saw what was happening. Water merged with me and I felt something change.

"Ceasefire!" He yelled.

I looked down and saw my feet were no longer moving, becoming joined together to reveal a beautiful (color) shimmering tail. Well shit. Then it looks like this is the next step for little Noelle, hm? Though I think she will fare better with the water spirit. Here I am fighting for my damn life.

"You messed up, buddy." I used the water around me to form a huge current to push me forward, enjoying the tail. Huh. Mermaids were said to be the swiftest in the water. I guess the legends were true.

The Atlanteans, both with tails and without, could tell that shit was going down. I merged some of my magic into the necklace to which it began accumulating the magical energy from the water and releasing it tenfold.

"Retreat!" I assumed the merman who was a general shouted. "Everyone! The Mermaid has shown up! We're done here."

Before he could leave, he opened up a portal using his staff and the Atlanteans went through. He pointed to me, a dark look in his eyes.

"You are the Sea Goddess, are you not? You've let the Leviathan harm Atlantis, the city from which you hail. Our king wants to speak with you, and only you. You will meet at the Great Barrier Reef for a passageway to Atlantis and answer for your neglect. Failure to show will result in war. This was a warning to all of you in the temple."

________

"You must not go!" Gifso and the elders looked appalled at the idea, some even whispering of dark omens.

I shook my head, a tint of annoyance in my tone. "All my life I've had people telling me what to do. I'm done. I need to know the truth."

As I walked back to my living area to go take a bath, I noticed voices coming out of the tub.

"(y/n)! It's Noelle. I'm here!"

I walked to the edge and sure enough, it was my cousin. "Noelle! Are you using water to communicate with me? What's up?"

"It's Yuno! You can't trust him!" She yelled. "He's being controlled!"

"No-"

"He is!" Asta's face showed up next. "You can't trust him! You must get away from him as soon as possible."

"What-"

"Shut up and let me speak, damn it!" This time it was Mimosa. "Ever since you two returned you entered the underwater temple, he's been friendlier to you. Don't get me wrong, he definitely had feelings for you, but somehow he's fallen under a sort of hypnotic spell that Princess Lolopechka is trying to find a cure for, and his emotions are being used against him!"

"So you mean he doesn't love me?" I looked at the bracelet he gave me.

"If he hates someone, he doesn't just flip a switch immediately, but he genuinely likes you. I'm so sorry, (y/n), but if the rumors are true and he is dating you, that is not him. The last time he was himself was right before you left," Julius explained as he too was somehow part of the call. "So anything afterword was strictly not him. Have you noticed him being more odd?"

I looked over at the picture of him and I when we first arrived at the temple. "I understand. We've only been dating for a month, and that's as long as we've been down here. I'll keep up the façade, don't worry."

I turned off the intercom and looked outside to see Yuno playing with some children. There's no way he's a traitor. I've been with him pretty much everyday.

Yet I can't dismiss his normal personality is more...flamboyant. Normally he would have our little moments to ourselves with no one around, but now he is professing his love across a training arena.

The elders were not happy that I was to leave but I knew I had to meet the king of Atlantis.

"What do you mean I can't come?" Kahono and Kaito looked pissed off but that was nothing compared to Yuno's reaction. The boy started mumbling curses and then forbade me from going, which I ignored.

Eventually, he gave in, saying; "If you are not back in a week's time, I will find you. That is a promise."

I accepted his deal and said my goodbyes, using my mermaid form to exit the dome that had been rebuilt.

I'll also get to prove if Yuno is indeed under some sort of spell or not. I don't know what to believe anymore. But my family wouldn't lie to me.

I followed the star map that Kahono gave me that lead to the Great Barrier Reef and there I spotted the merman from before dressed in fine gold.

How is he not sinking???

"You are alone, correct?" He asked when I reached him. "I would hate for you to have made a mistake."

"I am alone."

He nodded and bowed. "Princess, my name is Nathaniel, the firstborn son of former General Antoni Navees. I am sworn to protect the crown and all her descendants. The king of Atlantis will meet with you in his throne room."

I was about to speak when multiple other merfolk adoring the same gold, all holding spears and giving me scrutinizing looks. "Uh-"

"Princess, this is the Praetorian guard. They will escort us to Atlantis. I brought them in case your people followed us. I cannot be too cautious, I am taking an outsider into the kingdom for the first time in a while, please understand."

I followed Nathaniel as we were escorted by the guards, not knowing what I would encounter in a fabled kingdom.