Nate pressed his back firmly up against the statue in fear as his father growled out in unfathomable anger. "Why did you do it? How many saw you do it?!" Nate couldn't look his father in the eyes, but timidly tried to defend himself. "No one saw me. He was going to drown... I couldn't-" Nate flinched, huddling up against the statue as his father cut him off to yell out fiercely. "So what?! One less human for me to worry about! Nathan, don't you understand what you've done?! You could have been seen!" Nate's body shook with fear. Trying to overcome it though, he told his dad sternly. "I care! When's the last time you've even seen a human?! You don't know ANYTHING about him!" Triton's whole body tensed, roaring back at him. "NEITHER DO YOU! I've seen things that I pray you NEVER see in your lifetime! Humans don't kill to eat! They spinelessly torture their prey to simply learn about them! They want to destroy us! They are incapable of feeling anything! You'd know that if you ever went to any of your lessons!"

Nate shook his head. He didn't believe a word of that. Triton pointed his trident at him, yelling out. "Don't you shake your head at me, you spoiled brat! I set certain rules and I expect those rules to be obeyed! Contact between Merfolk and Humans is strictly forbidden. YOU KNOW THAT! Everyone knows that! Now because of your actions, we could be in danger of being hunted yet again! Does the death of everyone you know and love mean NOTHING to you?!" Nate slipped around behind the statue to keep something between himself and his father. Cowering behind it, Nate weakly snapped out. "You don't know that..." Triton glared at him, stating out in a sudden calm tone that was frightening. "Tell that to your mother, Nathan. Ask her what they did to her. Cause at the rate you're going, you are going to get yourself killed by them too." Nate slowly raised his head to finally lock eyes with his dad in a heated glare of his own. His own anger was starting to boil over. Putting his hands on the shoulders of the statue, Nate angerly snapped out. "You are a tyrant! You are the unfeeling one! Not them! Did you suffocate her like you suffocate me!"

Mark gasped in the corner, shrinking up against the wall. Triton's trident began to spark as his rage boiled and he yelled out with more wraith in his voice. "How DARE YOU! I have been more lenient on you than my father would have been on me! You don't know the meaning of being suffocated! You have wanted for nothing! Everything I have done has been to keep my family safe!" Nate shook his head, snapping back louder than his father. "You keep us in a bubble! We aren't allowed to do anything unless YOU approve of it! Well, you can't control me like you control everything else! And that pisses you off!" Triton struck the end of his sparking trident into the ground, bellowing out so loud the grotto walls shook. "You are young and stupid! I am trying to save you from making mistakes that you'll regret for the rest of your long life! I'm sorry that I care!" Nate gripped the statue's shoulders more, practically screaming out. "You don't care about anyone but yourself! I'm not stupid and I'm not afraid of the surface like you are! You're a tired bitter old man! And I'm sick of you telling me what to do!"

Triton pointed a stern finger at Nate, sneering out through clenched teeth. "As long as you live under my ocean, Nathan, you will OBEY ME! Is that clear?!" Nate shook his head, his ear fins falling back aggressively as he shouted back without thinking. "I WON'T! You can't make me!" Triton's own ear fins rose to their full height, shaking aggressively as he commanded loudly. "YOU WILL! AND I CAN!" Nate swam up over the statue to bring his face close to his father's in a challenging stance. Hissing at each other for a minute, Triton growled out. "Back down, boy. Or I'll knock you down to size!" Nate hissed, trying to think of something hurtful to knock his father down to size with. He didn't believe his father would hurt him. Which left him free to emotionally try and hurt him. Locking eyes with him, Nate blurted out coldly. "I hate you! You can't control me or who I choose to love!" Triton's shoulders fell a little as he asked horrified. "What...?" Nate smirked at his dad to flash him his sharp teeth as he smugly told him. "You heard me. I love a human prince. And there is NOTHING you can do about it!"

Triton drifted back from him, his ear fins twitching tensely as he uttered out in disbelief. "No... Have you lost your senses completely?! He's a human! You're a Merman!" Nate shrugged, snapping back. "I don't care! I love him!" Triton took a deep shaky breath, backing up more as he strained out in a dark tone of voice. "I was sooo wrong when I said you were like your mother... Had you loved another merman, I would overlook this... but I CANNOT abide by THIS! So help me, Nathan... For your own good... I am going to get through to you! And if this is the only way... then so be it!" Triton raised his trident high, causing it to ripple in divine energy as it glowed with a golden light. Nate winced, thinking that he'd pushed his dad far enough to strike him. Instead, Triton pointed his trident to the shelves of the grotto and shot a bolt of power to the objects. The objects exploded and melted as he moved the trident slowly along the lines of the shelves. Nate screamed in agony as he watched his treasures be destroyed. Mark fled from the grotto in fear as sand was kicked up from the floor to shroud the place in an eerie cloud of destruction.

Pushing off the statue, Nate slammed into his dad, screaming out frantically. "STOP! PLEASE!" Triton was so enraged that in trying to shove his son off his arm to keep him from getting hit with the trident's power, he backhanded him to the sand. Nate hit the sand a little stunned from his dad's gauntlet. Seeing blood float in the water, Nate touched his nose and pulled his fingers away with fresh blood. His father finished up with the shelves and then the things along the floor. When his eyes fell upon the object that he'd pulled from Riptide's side. Triton's whole body started to shake with uncontrollable rage as he stared at it. Blasting the item apart, Triton turned his attention to the statue, roaring out bitterly. "Spineless harpooning savages!" Nate looked from his father to the statue and rushed over to it. Wrapping his arms protectively around it, he pleaded out desperately. "Dad! No! Please! I'm sorry!" Triton reached out, grabbing his arm so hard that Nate screamed in pain. When Nate refused to let go, his father used the trident to force him to release it. The moment his hands were forced off, Triton threw him aside and charged up his trident.

Nate's back hit the broken grotto shelves, causing his wounded back to seize up in pain. Sinking to the sandy floor, unable to move much. Nate screamed out at the top of his lungs. "DADDY! I'M BEGGING YOU!" His father didn't appear to hear him. Blasting the statue with a stronger beam. The statue broke out in cracks that glowed with golden light, then exploded into tiny rock grains the size of sand. As Nate watched the kicked up sand and rock grains settle to the floor of his dark and shambled grotto, his heart shattering. Any joy he had was gone. His only sanctuary had been brought to ruins, making him feel exposed and vulnerable to the world's cruelty. Everything he treasured was gone. Years of collecting. Years of memories. Gone. Curling himself up in the dark corner, he hugged his tail and began to cry. Triton lowered his trident slowly, his anger fading. Though as he looked at what he'd done, his heart filled with instant regret. He hadn't meant to get that angry. He had just lost control after seeing the harpoon that brought back so many unbearable memories.

Bowing his head, he swallowed nervously. When had he become his father? Glancing over his shoulder at his son, he couldn't bring himself to breathe. His father had done the same thing to Ursel. As a young mermen, he had seen his father as cruel for being so harsh to Ursel... Yet, here he was. Making the biggest mistake of his life too. He had a feeling this would push Nate farther away from him as it did to Ursel and their father. Turning around in the water, he moved to the exit and stopped. He started to reach out to touch his son's shoulder but held himself back. He wanted to apologize. To beg forgiveness. Feeling vulnerable for the first time since the death of his wife, Triton lowered his hand. They both needed time to cool down. Reluctantly swimming from the grotto, Triton put his hand over his face in shame. He'd never messed up so badly and he wished his wife were here to help him get through this. Heading back into the castle with his head held high, Triton swam into his room before letting himself breakdown. Dropping his trident and removing his crown, he sank down to the floor to hug himself as he cried silent tears.

Back in the grotto, Nate continued to cry as Mark slipped back in cautiously. Sitting down in front of Nate, Mark didn't know anything to say that would cheer him up. Reaching out though, he touched Nate's arm. Nate flinched, but didn't look up. Taking ahold of his wrist, he coaxed him out of the corner and into his arms. Nate quickly huddled up against him, burying his face against his neck as he cried. Mark wanted to stroke his back, but the wounds had opened and were bleeding. Nate's body trembled and Mark exhaled heavily. This wasn't how he wanted Nathan to remember his birthday. Laying down with him, Mark held him and started to hum something very softly. It was just too quiet in the grotto. After a few minutes though, shadows loomed over them from the hole in the ceiling of the grotto that let in the only light. Mark tensed, his ear fins falling back as he readied himself for a fight. Two large moray eels were slithering in from above. They stayed well out of reach but started to speak in distorted unnatural voices. "Poor child. That was simply cruel of the sea king to do. Right, Jetsam?" The other eel nodded, both still circling above as Jetsam told the other one. "Yes. So unfeeling. Truly heartless, Flotsam."

Mark untangled himself from Nate, hissing out aggressively. "Scram, pond scum!" Flotsam turned his wide glossy yellow eyes down on Mark, stating out softly. "We mean no harm. We were just passing through and heard the commotion. We wanted to be sure the young prince was alright." Mark tensed, snapping out. "He's fine. Leave!" Jetsam twisted around in the water, casually saying aloud. "Doesn't look fine to me. It must hurt so much to live under the rule of a loveless tyrant." Flotsam nodded, coaxing Jetsam back up to the hole as he softly said aloud. "If only there was something that we could do to help our little prince... but alas... We can't. We all must live the lives we were born into." Jetsam jerked to a stop at the hole, purring out to Flotsam excitedly. "But wait! That's not true, Flotsam. There is a way to help him." Nate lifted his head up slowly to finally look up at them. Mark put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it as he growled out. "Just ignore them. There is something... unnatural about them."

Flotsam turned almost menacingly to look down at Mark, before saying in a cool tone of voice. "Natural is a matter of opinion. What is scary and strange in the dark fathoms of the sea is 'natural' to those that live there. Drawing lines like that is counterproductive. Some might say that your inability to swim as a merman is... unnatural." Blinking his bright yellow eyes, Flotsam spun around to tell Jetsam flatly. "Forget it. We can't help them. Our ways would be too... 'unnatural' for them." Nate sat up straighter, asking numbly. "Wait. What do you mean by that? How can you possibly help?" Mark squeezed Nate's shoulder in caution, whispering out discreetly. "Nate, no." Nate looked to Mark with reddened lifeless eyes, upon mumbling out. "I just wanna hear what they have to say. What more have I got to lose?" Flotsam winked to Jetsam, slithering down to be at eye level with them. Mark was going to answer Nate, only to end up hissing aggressively as the eels drew too close for his liking. Flotsam tilted his head at Mark, purring out sweetly. "Don't be scared. We represent someone who can help you." Jetsam swam up to Nate, batting his glossy bright green eyes at him as he added out. "Someone who can make all your dreams come true."

Mark scoffed, growling out. "That's not possible." Flotsam glared at Mark, before wrapping himself around Jetsam lovingly as he said blissfully. "I assure you; it is. There is more than one power in these waters. The Sea King just doesn't want you to know about it... Otherwise, how would he remain in control?" Mark crossed his arms, saying dryly. "Ya? They can't be that powerful if Triton holds the power over the ocean." Jetsam snorted, cooing out to Nate sweetly. "King Triton does hold undeniable power over the ocean... but he's never made anyone happy. Has he? Certainly, not you. The person we represent only wishes to help the less fortunate. It's not about who's better. It's about being happy." Flotsam grinned, quickly cutting in with Jetsam in unison. "Just imagine. You and your prince. Together. Forever. Far from daddy's heartless cruelty. Where you can be free." Nate narrowed his eyes on them with perked up ear fins of interest, asking curiously. "I don't understand. How would you do this?" Flotsam's head turned slowly to look at him, answering in a sudden low whisper. "Not us. Ursel. He has great power. He can help you see your prince again."

Nate gave them a confused look. The name didn't sound familiar to him. Beside him though, Mark's jaw dropped as he blurted out in horror. "The Sea Witch?! Are you insane! Get out of here! NOW!" Mark's tail lashed out to swat Flotsam away from Nate. Mark managed to hit him but got zapped by the electrical self-defense all moray eels had. Yelping in pain, Mark clenched his teeth, before threatening to hit Jetsam with his tail too. He didn't care if their shocks hurt, he wasn't going to let them fill Nate's head with this crap! Flotsam rolled in the water, shaking off the hit with frustration. Although, he kept himself still so calm as he told Nate coolly. "Suit yourself. It was only a suggestion." Flotsam and Jetsam slithered slowly back toward the hole. While Nate whispered to Mark a little hopefully. "Maybe the Sea Witch can help me..." Mark whirled to float in front of Nate, sternly telling him. "No! Nathan, trust me! They warn us about Ursel in our lessons. He's a demon! A monster! He doesn't help people, he kills them! He killed his family! Members of YOUR family! Your father banished him for a reason, Nate!"

From above, Jetsam cooed down to them nonchalantly. "Who told you that... Triton? More controlling lies." Flotsam nodded to Jetsam, adding softly. "Yes... The little prince is so much like his uncle Ursel. Must be why Triton despises him so... Poor child." Jetsam brushed his body against Flotsam, adding sweetly. "Yes... Wonder how long it will be before his daddy banishes him too for being... different." Mark turned, hissing up at them. "Shut up!" Nate put a hand on Mark's arm, rising off the floor as he said with sudden anger. "No. Their right. I'm going to find out the truth for myself. I'm not just going to blindly believe my father anymore." Mark quickly cupped Nate's face, his thumb avoiding the cut on Nate's cheek as he pleaded out. "No. Nate, please! You're not thinking clearly. What your dad did was wrong... but you can't do this. The Sea Witch is a liar! A murderer!" Nate grabbed Mark's wrists, pulling them down from his face as he told him. "Are you coming with me or not?" Mark licked his lips nervously, softly pleading out one last time as he stared into Nathan's emotionless dark eyes. "Nathan... We don't need the Sea Witch. We can do this on our own..."

Nate inhaled deeply, telling him in a guarded tone of voice. "I'm going. I can't stand to be here anymore. Will you come? Yes or no." Mark sighed, realizing Nate was not going to change his mind. He'd clamed up. There was just no reasoning with him now. Taking his hand in his, he told him seriously. "Yes." He couldn't let his best friend go alone. If something happened, he wanted to be there. Or he'd never forgive himself. To Be Continued...