As the soldiers on the harbor carried the glass tanks holding merfolk saplings up the warship, thunder abruptly cracked up in the skies, followed by torrential rains from the thick dark clouds. Even so, the warship slowly steered away from the harbor and headed towards the middle of the sea amid churning waves.Dicken and I swam along, following the warship, which had to slow down due to the downpour’s obstruction and the churning waves. Soon, Dicken led me down to the bottom of the warship’s hull, where its spiraling propellers were just above, struggling to push the ship against the storm and leaving the sea turbid in its wake. I had a hunch that Dicken was going to sabotage the propellers when Dicken suddenly released my hand, and curled his fish tail around me. Then, before I could see what he was doing, there was a blinding blue streak that shot past my vision, heading straight for the propellers.Bzzt…All at once, the propellers screeched shrilly as if they had ground agai
My grandfather had actually performed such a brutal experiment with Bob? What was going on? Why would he work with Bob? Was his affection for the younger me an imagination, and he was merely using me as bait for his plans?No, there was no way… Bob must have threatened him…However, even as I defended my grandfather in my head, there were so many unanswered questions that appeared in my mind, combining to materialize a mirror reflecting all the bizarre experiences I didn't understand as a child. All of those things cruelly pointed to an answer I was reluctant to accept, even as the eerie scenes I often dreamt of years ago slowly became clear: the interior of pure-white building, where other children and I were being delivered for some sort of checkup…There was no doubt that those scenes had occurred in my childhood, all of which were connected to my grandfather.As my mind went blank, I sweated bullets from my forehead.“Linda?” Dicken looked at me with his dark gaze then, and wr
“Survival.” Dicken narrowed his pensiveness. “The seas over the earth’s surface are the protective layer over our domain, but human’s extensive abuse has caused its environment to deteriorate over a hundred years. This threatens my race, because our usual procreation methods are utterly devastated by the yearly rising temperatures of the ocean. To avoid extinction, we’ve eventually evolved a method that would grant our kind perpetuation…”“By converting humans?”Dicken nodded. “Yes. That is why I’d sent some of our elites as envoys, hoping that they could change into humans and procreate with human women, after which they would convert their children with our kind’s Yiki. That way, those children would return to our fold as our own, becoming merfolk warriors who would aid us in this war to occupy the oceans.”I shook my head in disbelief, and wondered what it would be like if there really was a war between humans and merfolk. Still, I suddenly remembered the tragic sight of the merf
“What? What time is it?” I asked in confusion. However, Dicken simply pulled me aside and raised his webbed paw, reaching slowly for the ceiling. The scales on both sides of his tail were rattling rapidly, and soon, a bundle of blue bolts sparkled over his paw with a buzzing sound. Thin bolts hence accumulated around him, and I could feel air being charged by his bolts. Then, in the instant Dicken’s paw touched the ceiling, the entire ship quaked, and the people above erupted in an uproar and fled to every corner available to them. “What’s going on? What happened?!”“Oh no! The test subjects are getting out of control as if they’ve sensed something! Professor Bob, we need to ask for reinforcements!” As two sets of footsteps rushed past us overhead, a cabin door could be heard slamming shut while horrific hisses echoed above. Soon, something started to scrape harshly against the floor—seemingly merfolk sliding along it. The glass tanks holding them had shattered and were left str
I seemed to know Dicken better now, and finally saw what lay beyond his profound love for the ocean. Like human emperors who expanded their borders, Dicken’s nature was as callous and bloodthirsty as the merfolks leaders, and he revered defeating violence with more violence. Of course, this was the best solution to snuff out the vileness which humans wrought, and the mastermind of this great conspiracy ought to pay the price for challenging a troublesome leader like this one.I wondered where Bob and Gary were hiding at that moment… Were they shaking in their boots? And then there was my grandfather—or the elder of the merfolk, to be precise….Nonetheless, even as that thought crossed my mind, there was a melodious cry echoing nearby, and the frenzied merfolk that were tearing the soldiers into pieces suddenly stopped. Dicken’s gaze turned dark, just as his expression turned solemn.I had a bad feeling about this, too.“Come out, my king. I know you’re there… Still hiding there t
“Of course. Everything I said was true.” A familiar voice that left me revolted suddenly spoke beside me.“Linda!” Dicken roared and started to slither towards me, only for Baron to suddenly leap up and pounce at him, knocking him into the sea.A webbed paw seized me before I could react.I was stunned when I clearly saw the person before me, unable to believe what I was seeing: Gary was holding me, and he now had a long surgical scar in front of his chest. Moreover, he no longer had legs beneath his waist, with a dark-blue tail in its place. “I’m that one experiment subject who survived.” Gary stared viciously at me, his eyes flickering with maniacal obsession. “Do you like my new look, Linda?”I was stunned speechless, because everything that had happened before my eyes had completely exceeded my level of tolerance. I struggled to free myself from his grasp on my legs to hide further into the ballast, but he suddenly dragged me away, pulling me over several feet away while my
50 years later.[I’m Linda, from France. I’m officially joining the Navy today—it’s a day worth remembering for me, even if I know an exceedingly demanding trial awaits me.][I’ve seen and heard about the terrifying merpeople and their horrific fighting capabilities, but I fear nothing.][I shall be leaving tomorrow with the Navy to enforce the blockade against the merpeople. This is a good chance for me to show myself, which is why I’m really thrilled.]I couldn’t help clenching on my pen as I looked outside the window, where a gigantic warship was berthed at the harbor. Sacre bleu, it had to be the most imposing warship I had ever seen—it was painted in black for camouflage in night battles, whereas its hull was of a sleek design. With the towering bridge on its bow, it looked just like a horned beast sailing through the seas.The thought of sailing in that warship as it crashed through the waves to the merpeople’s territory excited me. “All new recruits! Assemble!” As a res
Amid the high-pitched whistle, we swapped formations into a single file as we assumed this journey I had long looked forward to. My heart was pounding relentlessly, an indescribable feeling lingering in my heart aside from the thrill and exhilaration from finally realizing my dream. When I looked upon the boundless ocean, I suddenly had this strong feeling that this voyage would be a turning point in my destiny. I would be heading in a direction completely different from my past life, to arrive upon an ending which I had been waiting for over a long time. I couldn’t believe that I suddenly felt the impulse to run away!‘No, no, no—what’s with you, Linda? When did you become such a coward? You have to persevere!’ As I took a deep breath to calm my restlessness, someone barked at me from behind, “Recruit! Why are you spacing out?! Keep up!”“Yes, sir!” Flustered, I threw a salute as I rejoined my squad.Afterwards, I was given a protective vest, a submachine gun, and a tempered
Before I realized what Dicken was going to do, he breathed an exceedingly high-pitched cry as sonorous as thunder. The entire cave shook in its wake as he grasped my hips with both his webbed paws, lifting me high into the air. A school of sea fishes suddenly swam out of nowhere in an instant, their bodies shining as they encircled us like birds. At the same time, the merfolk started dancing in excitement, kicking up splashes as they pivoted gracefully, the scales of their tails reflecting radiance amid the darkness just like stars in the night sky, the robust, burly mermen and the beautiful, devilish mermaids interweaving to form a bright river of stars.I stared at the stunned sight, mesmerized, spreading my arms by reflex as if infected. I wanted to embrace my dear leader who had surprised me endlessly, expectant of the new world he would take me to.That was when I heard a quiet voice beneath me. “Linda…”I looked down into his wide, narrow gaze that seemed to embody that rive
In the previous dimension where I lived, I had already been prepared to live away from the humans with Dicken. I had nothing aside from him, who was always by my side—our connection seemed so unbreakable just then that I believed that to be my fate.However, I still wouldn’t hope that he would keep killing because of me. Looking into his eyes, I pleaded once again, “Could you promise me to spare Baron? Right now, he’s of no threat to you or merfolk. As long as we return to the domain of your race, humans would have nothing to covet—can’t we stay away from those conspiracies? I’ll always be yours, dear leader.”Dicken looked deeply into my eyes as if he was considering my proposal, and remained quiet for a long time before he eventually gathered me in his arms. “I promise, Linda.”“Hey, shouldn’t we be going out now, and don’t you have an announcement to make? Your people are waiting for you.” I exhaled lengthily and patted his back just then.At those words, I suddenly realized t
That being said, it was no different from me letting myself be taken, because my stubbornness and determination only ever made Dicken want to conquer me even more. We had never been equals, be it fifty years ago or now.One might even say that he wanted me more after losing me once. His desire for me was so strong that he would kill Baron, even though he had granted me rebirth as agreed. After all, he wanted to be my one and only, and no merfolk were allowed to share a single iota of my sentiment. Fuck!I bit my lip, tearing it and tasting blood in my mouth just then, but I couldn’t feel the pain at all.He had suddenly let go of my ankles and gathered in his arms once more, and did so gently. His broad webbed paws caressed my back as if to reassure me, and he did not try to take me anymore.That surprised me, and I opened my eyes and saw that he was staring into my eyes. Then, his eyebrows lowered, he licked the blood on my lips lovingly, seemingly not as furious or agitated as
In fact, I was more willing to believe that Dicken was exaggerating, since my grandfather had never been out of line as far as I could recall. However, even as I assured myself, I was searching my memory in fear that my grandfather meant me harm—fortunately, I came up with nothing, since all I remembered about him was of him being a kind elder who had taught me to read and played with my younger self. There was no question that he had acted like an elder, and even if Dicken wants to take his place in my heart, it would be in a completely different role, since there would always be a part that he couldn’t replace.“Stop thinking about him now, Linda. He’s merely carrying out a mission I had assigned him, and the reason he didn’t lay a finger on you was because I had restrained him.”Dicken appeared to become angrier as he observed my expression, and his was unusually deep as if he would get furious soon. It left me uncomfortable—Dicken appeared reluctant for another merfolk to stay in
I suddenly felt a slippery sensation from my waist, and found the mischievous stingray curling into a ball as it hid behind me, seemingly startled by Dicken’s lecherous tongue.“See? You scared it, pervert.” I leaned in, resting the bridge of my nose against his head as I chuckled softly. On the other hand, Dicken pinched the tender flesh on my hip and stroked my back a few times as he watched me lovingly. “I really want to hide you away, Linda…”“Where would you hide me?” I buried my head in his head and sniffed—it was hard to restrain myself with that intoxicating champagne-like scent of his, but I promptly came to my senses as I remembered that fugitive. “Hold on, don’t seduce me or try to divert my attention with sweet words. What’s with that merman who’s saying that he’s going to look for your Yiki?”Dicken patted my head feebly and stayed silent for a while, but eventually admitted, “It’s Baron.”I froze, immediately remembering the furious glare of that merman who had hidd
“Why would you clothe me out of the blue…” I inhaled deeply, and as I pulled away from his kiss after much difficulty, I asked in confusion, “Are you taking me somewhere?”Dicken looked deeply into my eyes as if something astonishing would soon occur. “Yes… I’m going to announce to my subjects that you’re my mate…”With those words, he threw me over his back and swam out of the cavern filled with stone pillars.Gosh, I was flabbergasted. Still, I soon realized that this was pretty much how it should go, since Dicken had yet to announce about us to his subjects in this dimension. However, I felt a little headache when I remembered how the announcement in the last dimension had gone… He was not going to mate with me in front of everyone again, was he?“Your Majesty…”A high-pitched call suddenly rang from ahead, followed by splashes as a purple figure swam towards us. I was stunned when a face floated out of the water—that purple hair, along with those facial features that were sh
My eyes welled with tears and my mind went dizzy, while a scorching jet of water shot into my body. That was when I saw a blue light moving downwards from Dicken’s chest to where we were connected, and as innumerable jolts struck all over my body, my heart clenched in the intensive stimulation.For a few seconds, I was unable to breathe as all consciousness and emotions seemed to fuse together, rushing towards the wall that was blocking my memories…Then, the wall shattered. “Linda… Linda…”The familiar voice could be heard as if from the distant horizon, though it soon became clear and ultimately echoed beside my ears, and there was no doubt that he was beside me.“Dicken?” I opened my eyes and found my dear leader. It was as if I had met him once more after a slumber that lasted centuries, and yet I felt him beside me all along, and the memory of him taking this body was extremely distinct.I was at once confused and mystified as the memories from two different dimensions slow
“Damn it, you crazy animal…” I cried and moaned, my legs that were kicking Dicken’s shoulder caught by him with ease. At the same time, his body continued to press down on me from above like a hill, holding my body firmly down.Dicken’s hoarse voice spoke beside me then. “Don’t move, Linda, or I won’t be able to resist violating you even more violently—you have no idea how delicious you are…”I froze, my breath cut off at his words even as his tongue slithered into my ear and kicked it as if teasing, while his webbed paw groped my breast. A paralyzing sensation that felt electric spread all over my body, slowly easing the bursting pain of being entered. Soon, a familiar yet irresistible exhilaration occupied my senses, and even as I kept gulping, my own spit was welling out the corner of my mouth.Curious, Dicken stared at the edge of my lips and extended his tongue to lick it, as if it were the tastiest raindrops in existence. At the same time, I could feel him entering several inc
“Don’t be scared…”As Dicken inhaled deeply over my nape, his breathing became heavy and choppy. He twitched as he snuggled up against my back, and I could feel his humongous member flapping against my buttocks, along with its scorching heat. How could I not be scared by the prospect of that thing penetrating me?!I clenched my fist and punched at his tail which was darting between my legs, but he easily grabbed my wrist and suddenly turned around, pinning me beneath himself while his tail slithered between my legs and lifted my buttocks. Losing my balance, I fell sprawled over the reef, and as he gripped my hands to keep them behind myself, tears rolled out of the corner of my eye by instinct as lust and fear suddenly erupted. “No, I’m scared, Dicken… No, you’ll hurt me…”Dicken ignored my plea for mercy, however, and kept leaning on me as he gnawed my shoulder, as if to devour me by one tiny bite after another. The tenderness and adoration he’d shown towards me just now was gone,