Dorian sighed sadly as he looked out in he Ocean. Luce was out there somewhere. He had waited nearly a month, even resisted the advances of another girl. He came close to revealing Luce's secret, but had not betrayed her must have good reason for being gone this long. "Where ever you are Luce, please, please be safe." He said silently as he headed back to Lindy and Elias's house. It wasn't home, but a place where he stayed. He never stopped thinking of what Nausicaa said. There were no mermen, Proteus had no sons, so only girls could receive the transformation. 'I'd give anything to change that. I wish I could swim with Luce forever.' He thought. Dorian's thoughts were broken when he heard a loud, distinct sound. BANG! BANG! His heart raced as he ignored all common sense and rushed towards the house to find an armed gunman running out of the house. "Sorry kid, nothing personal." He said as he shot Dorian. Dorian fell to the ground. He wasn't dead yet, but the pain was so intense, it took everything he mad not to pass out.
His assailant dragged Dorian to the edge of a cliff. Below, the cold, north Pacific Ocean. The man kicked Dorian over the edge then left.
The gunshot wound on his shoulder made swimming impossible. As Dorian sank, his lungs burning from holding his breath, and his vision beginning to darken. He had one last thought.
'Proteus, please make me a merman so I can be with Luce.'
Suddenly he felt himself floating. Not only was he no longer sinking, his vision cleared. He felt his pain fade. In the corner of his eyes, he could see a small bit of blood and a piece of metal, the bullet no doubt.
The burning sensation in his lungs lessened considerably.
'Human, why should I do this? Why should human males receive the gift only my daughters and those like them deserve?' cam a disembodied voice that was unmistakably divine in nature.
'Because human males also suffer. Because allowing your mermaids to find love with mermen will bring them joy, and show those who have forgotten you, that you exist and care about them. Grant me this wish, and shall serve you' Dorian replied. There was a brief pause as Proteus considered his words.
'How could you possibly be of service to me?' Proteus Questioned.
'I shall serve you as a Preacher serves a god. I shall tell others, Mermaids and future mermen alike of you and your glory. All I ash in in return is that you allow me and other human boy's to receive your blessing and become mermen.' He explained.
'Very Well. the Bargain is struck, I bestow upon to thee the gift previously reserved only for human females. Dorian, You shall be the first merman!" He Proclaimed.
Dorian felt himself changing. his clothes vanished as his body began transforming. his skin changed to a tone matching Luce's, his legs fused together into a single tail and He became inhumanly Handsome.
'Dorian the Human is no more. From this day forward, you are now the first of my son's!" Proteus explained. 'As my Listener and my Speaker I shall grant you powers unique to you. You shall be able to hear me and know my will as I proclaim it, free of misinterpretation or Bias. You shall also have the ability to find any of my children so long as you know their name. Now go my son, find your Luce, lead her to Nausicaa, and spread word of my glory to all mermaids and all future mermen!' He declared.
Dorian felt his new body's release from Proteus' grip. 'Yes Lord Proteus, so you command, so it shall be done.' Dorian said. He focused on locating Luce. Immediately, he knew where she was and how he could get to her.
Dorian surfaced, taking in a long, deep breath that would allow him to stay under water as long as any mermaid. Diving back under, Dorian swam off as fast as he could. His Powerful new tail propelled him at speeds which no human could match.
'Luce, I'm coming, together with Nausicaa, we shall spread the glory of Proteus' He resolved.