The merfolk lunged at Arthur, its jaws opening wide as it aimed for his neck, but a blazing beam of heat vision tore straight through the back of its head before it could strike.
Blood burst outward as the creature went limp.
Arthur shoved the corpse off himself and turned sharply toward Adrian.
"Hey, can you make sure that heat vision of yours is actually precise? I would rather not get taken out with them!"
He winced as he spoke, clutching his shoulder.
Adrian did not respond. His eyes burned crimson again, and another beam shot forward, slamming into a charging merfolk and sending it flying backward with a violent impact.
A loud crack echoed.
Catching another creature by the throat with one hand, Adrian twisted slightly. The merfolk's neck snapped instantly.
With Adrian's arrival, the pressure on Mera eased almost at once.
She watched in stunned silence as he dismantled the creatures with effortless precision. Beams of pure energy fired from his eyes, his gaze cold and unwavering.
Her own eyes turned silver-white when she used her powers. Was he something similar? Another being beyond human limits?
Curiosity mixed with unease as she studied him.
Under Adrian's overwhelming assault, the merfolk began to falter. Their aggression faded, replaced by fear. One by one, they retreated, abandoning the attack and scrambling back toward the ocean.
"Go home! Go home!"
Arthur listened closely as the creatures made strange, guttural sounds before diving back into the sea.
"They just ran away?"
He let out a disbelieving breath. The idea that these monsters could feel fear seemed almost absurd.
"It looks like it," he muttered.
"They ran away. Thank goodness."
Lois and Jimmy stood further back along the dock, staring at the blood-soaked scene with relief.
Lois exhaled deeply, then glanced around until her eyes fell on what remained of her camera. It lay shattered in a pool of blood.
The navy personnel and police officers also began to relax, though cautiously. Many moved closer to the edge of the dock, staring out at the dark ocean.
"Where did those things even come from?"
"No idea. As long as they are gone, that is enough."
"I swear I shot more of them than you did."
"Forget that, did you see them eating each other?"
"Yeah, and that sound they made, it almost sounded like a seal."
Their voices stayed low, but their eyes frequently drifted toward Adrian, filled with unease.
Arthur straightened slightly, still holding his injured shoulder.
"What were those things? Homelander?"
Adrian glanced at him.
"You live by the sea. That question should be yours to answer."
"I live in a lighthouse," Arthur replied with a shrug.
Adrian's gaze shifted to Mera, who had not taken her eyes off him.
"Are you Mera?"
She stiffened.
"You know my name?"
Her posture tightened, suspicion rising instantly.
"I have heard of you. Princess of Xebel."
Before she could react, Adrian moved.
In a blur, he grabbed her by the collar, pulling her forward. Mera's expression flashed with anger and embarrassment, but what came next caught her off guard.
Adrian frowned slightly as he examined her.
"Do you have Siren blood?"
The question froze her.
Siren blood. A rare and ancient lineage, tied to creatures known for their voices and unnatural longevity.
Mera's lips tightened.
"That is none of your concern."
Adrian released her as abruptly as he had grabbed her.
"I am not interested in your bloodline. I am interested in Xebel."
She stared at him, confused and irritated.
"I can offer your kingdom protection. A way to avoid destruction. In return, you will do something for me."
Mera's eyes narrowed.
"You will take that blond man to Atlantis and help him claim the throne."
Her disbelief turned into a sharp laugh.
"You expect me to believe my kingdom would accept protection from a surface dweller? Xebel will not fall, and even Atlantis does not have that kind of power."
Adrian's expression did not change.
"You misunderstand. It is not the ocean that will destroy your kingdom."
His eyes hardened.
"It is me."
Mera's anger flared instantly. Her eyes turned pale as she prepared to strike.
"Hey! You might want to see this!"
Arthur's voice cut through the tension.
Under the watchful eyes of armed officers, he tore open one of the cocoon-like structures left behind by the merfolk.
Water spilled out.
A small dog tumbled free, tongue hanging out as it barked weakly.
The officers froze.
"A dog?"
"Sergeant, that is Garnett Reed's dog!"
Jimmy blinked in confusion.
"What were those things doing with a dog?"
Lois crossed her arms, her expression serious.
"To them, it is all the same. Humans, animals, it is just food."
Nearby, Adrian and Mera watched Arthur kneel and pet the dog.
"His name is Arthur Curry," Adrian said calmly. "The eldest son of Queen Atlanna. He has a claim to the throne of Atlantis."
Mera's expression shifted slightly.
"Who are you?" she asked quietly. "What do you want?"
"You would not understand."
Adrian lifted a finger and lightly touched her exposed back.
Mera flinched sharply, stepping back.
"What did you do?"
She reached behind her, but her skin felt unchanged.
"Nothing. My hand slipped."
The dismissive tone only fueled her anger.
Before she could retaliate, Adrian vanished with a sudden burst of speed.
Mera stood there, fists clenched, eyes burning with frustration.
After a moment, she turned toward Arthur.
"Blond boy," she called, forcing her voice steady. "What have you found?"
Arthur looked thoughtful.
"I am not completely sure, but I once read something about creatures from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. A place called the Trench. I thought it was just a story."
Mera frowned.
"Then why not ask that man?"
Arthur shook his head slightly.
He had his suspicions, but Adrian clearly had no intention of explaining anything.
"Some things we need to figure out ourselves."
Without another word, Arthur dove into the sea.
A moment later, Mera followed.
"You are heading to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?" she asked as they swam.
"Yes. I do not think all those missing people are dead. There might still be a chance."
"You believe those creatures are keeping them alive?"
"Maybe. Or maybe they are desperate. Starving. Just trying to survive."
Mera said nothing for a moment.
"I did not tell you my name earlier. It is Mera."
"Arthur. Arthur Curry."
She studied him briefly before speaking again.
"That man. The one with the heat vision. What is he, really?"
Arthur hesitated.
"In a way, we know each other."
"And?"
"He is powerful. More than anyone I have ever seen. During the Kryptonian invasion, he fought General Zod. The city was nearly destroyed."
Mera's expression tightened.
"There is another like him?"
Arthur nodded.
"They are Kryptonians. When you see them fight, you feel it. Like the world might end at any moment."
She absorbed his words in silence.
The weight of Adrian's earlier threat pressed heavily on her thoughts.
Perhaps it had not been arrogance after all.
As they continued deeper, the ocean grew darker and hotter.
"We are close to an underwater volcanic region," Arthur said, pointing ahead.
Strange glowing fish gathered around them, illuminating the path.
The silence of the deep ocean pressed in from all sides, broken only by the distant rumble of geothermal activity.
"How can anything live here?" Mera asked. "Those creatures are primitive. They cannot build or think like we do."
Arthur did not respond immediately.
Instead, he pointed ahead.
Carved into the massive volcanic rock were countless openings, forming a vast network of tunnels.
"Then who made those?"