Later towards night, Melody in her room was still looking through her great-grandfather's, on her father's side, journal. And it showed his writings, notes, and drawings of places he has been. One page actually had him writing about the Great Auk, a seabird that looks like a penguin, but is a cousin to puffins.

The door of her room opened as Ariel peeked in.

"Melody, bedtime." Ariel said.

"Okay, Mom." Melody said closing the journal and placed on her nightstand.

"Night, sweetie." Ariel said.

"Night." Melody said and went to sleep.

Ariel smiled and closed the door.

A few minutes gone by, and then Melody peeked an eye open and sat up and waited a little more to be sure her mother wouldn't come back. As soon as she believes she's in the clear, she grabs the journal and opens to the page she left off to do a little more reading.

Miles away, the 3-headed dragon that Tip and Dash encountered the other night flies over the ocean in a very remote region of the Arctic. And a predetermine course, and he seems to be heading somewhere.

But where?

Soon, he located a sea-cliff and heads to it, he soon begins to make a landing when then suddenly creature he fought lunges out from the ocean roaring and snatches him as it pulls the dragon as they hit the water. The dragon screeched as he tries to get away, but the creature quickly grabs him and roars as he pulls the dragon under the surface as yellow flashes lit up in the water as the dragon tries to stun it.

One of the heads shot out screeching as the creature snatched the head and pulls it back under.

And the screeching has gotten attention to something nearby.

The dragon's heads shot out of the water but then were pulled back under. The creature then bites down on one of the necks and death rolls the dragon like a crocodile.

On the sea cliff, a 4-fingered clawed hand stomps on the ground near the edge as the owner watches the fight. In it's other hand, it held a strange vital and then throws it out.

Meanwhile, the fight continues as the creatures looks it was gaining the upper hand. It then bites down on the left head and clamps it's jaws hard on it and shook the head, and then it grabs the neck and then rips the head clean off.

The creature then lifts it's head out from the water roaring out loudly as he tossed the head away and the vital nears them.

The vital soon hits the water, and then suddenly a muffled explosion lit up with a green flash as a bright light occurred.

The brightness soon fades as the creature on the sea cliff waited.

In the water, any fish caught in the explosion lie of the surface. Then an explosion of water appeared as large bat-like wings shot out as the dragon flew out of the water screeching as he wasn't affected by the vitals' effects.

But there was no sign of the creature.

The dragon soon landed on the sea cliff, and then the limped neck showed signs of life as the middle head tears off a membrane of skin. And then a fleshly stump grew out and it grows back into a head with horns, scales and everything.

Once the growth was finished, the 3-headed dragon turns to the creature and bows.

"He is truly gone, I presume." The creature said.

"Indeed... Your Majesty." The middle head of the dragon said.

"Good." The creature said. "With him gone, Atlantica is now defenseless. Triton won't know what's coming till it's too late. Have the army ready for when the time comes. We attack within a week."

"Yes, sir." The dragon's middle head said.

He then flew off as the creature turns to the ocean, in the direction towards Atlantica and Eric's kingdom. He then turns the ocean, and soon heads off.

Beneath the waves, the water was still as a muffled pulsating resonates through the water. As a shape sank down further the depths.

After a few moments, the pulsating faded completely.

Unaware of a growing threat, Melody was still reading the journal.

Just then, Sebastian appeared as he crawls over to Melody's nightstand and saw her reading.

"Hey." Melody said turning to him.

Melody turns back to the journal, then suddenly exclaimed nearly dropping the journal but quickly grabs it.

"Doggone it! You- You should know better than to sneak up on a girl like that." Melody scolded at him for startling her. "Even at this hour."

"Sorry, Melody." Sebastian apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine." Melody assured. "What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be at Atlantica?"

"Well, I was heading there when a cold current came in." Sebastian said. "And it's too cold for me wait outside all night. So I think it be best if I wait till morning."

"Well, all right." Melody said. "I should probably get to sleep."

She then closed the journal, but then she noticed something on one of the pages.

"Hmm?" Melody frowned.

She opened the journal to the page and saw something interested.

"What's this?" Melody wondered.

"What's what?" Sebastian asked.

Sebastian hopped over and looked at the journal as it shows a drawing of a dragon. And it had a menacing look.

"That's scary, mon." Sebastian said.

"It's only a drawing, Sebastian." Melody said. "Wait, there's something written. "In the distant mountains, once stood a kingdom with a great king. And he possess what was the Arkenstone. But 1 day, a great Fire Drake from a distant land invaded and took over. The dragon is called... Smaug". Whoa."

"Hmm. Your father's great-grandfather must had an imagination to make that." Sebastian said.

"I don't know, Sebastian." Melody said slightly doubting that. "This drawing seems too real to make up a dragon. I wonder what this Arkenstone he mentioned is."

She flipped a page showing a map.

"Wait a minute, that's home." Melody said recognizing the castle. "And that must be the mountains. Hmm?" She had a look on her face.

Sebastian then gasped as he recognized as it was something he seen many times with Ariel.

"Melody, if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, you better stop thinking." Sebastian said.

"Sebastian, I gotta see what this place is." Melody said getting out of her bed.

"You're just asking for trouble, young lady." Sebastian said. "If your parents catch you sneaking out in the middle of the night-"

"I know, they'll flip." Melody said behind a dressing wall and soon came out in her yellow village dress.

"But it's nearly midnight." Sebastian said. "How do you even plan to get back here before morning?"

"Hmm?" Melody thought for a moment.

Nearly an hour later, Melody slows her horse as he trotted following a trail as they made it to the mountain base.

"I had to ask?" Sebastian uttered.

Melody hopped off her horse and ties a rope from his reins to a tree branch to keep him from wandering off when she returns.

"Melody, seriously, we shouldn't be out here." Sebastian said. "There might be bandits or wolves here."

"Sebastian, if you're so worried." Melody said looking through the journal's map. "Just stay here can keep watch." She then heads off.

"Oh, no!" Sebastian firmly protested. "No, there's no way you're leaving me here alone."

He crawled over and Melody scooped him up in her hand and placed him on her shoulder.

"Besides, someone's gotta keep you out of trouble." Sebastian said. "As well making sure you make it home in 1 piece."

Melody then giggled. "Oh, Sebastian, you really got to lighten up a little."

After a 30 minute hike, Melody and Sebastian finally made it to the top as they saw what looked like the entrance of an old castle.

"Hm? I don't think you're gonna find that castle, Melody." Sebastian said.

"I don't think it's a real castle." Melody said. "I think it was built within the mountain."

Melody headed over to the entrance, and soon found a gap in the hole big enough for her to squeeze through. And she and Sebastian soon saw a large Gallery room with a few old hanging tapestries.

"Whoa." Melody said breathlessly.

"What is this place?" Sebastian wondered.

"I really don't know." Melody said.

After wandering through the halls, and Sebastian placing some peddles so they can find their way out again, Melody and Sebastian soon near the end of a hall entering to a large open area.

"Hello?" Melody softly called out.

"Don't think anyone's home." Sebastian said.

"Shh." Melody shushed him.

They stepped out of the hall and looked around, and then they saw a sea of treasure with gold coins and other things.

"Oh, my gosh." Melody said breathlessly.

She and Sebastian went down the steps and walked onto the gold trying not to be too loud. Though Melody did stuff a few coins and other jewelry into her satchel, but not too much.

"What's that?" Sebastian said examining a see-through gem.

He soon tossed it away, and hits the jewelry made a loud clang.

"Shh!" Melody hissed. "Will you be quiet?!"

"Sorry." Sebastian whispered.

Melody and Sebastian stepped further out over the treasure sea as well-handcrafted pillars of stone stood.

Melody soon grabs a golden cup, and removes it from the pile as gold coins slid down as then she and Sebastian and looked and then saw what looked like a sleeping eye covered in red scales.

Sebastian gasped as Melody placed her hand over his mouth as she ducked behind a pillar to hide.

"Dragon." Sebastian softly whispered.

Then suddenly a blast of air sends coins in the air as they looked and saw a nostril visible among the golden treasure. Melody then slowly and quietly sneaks away and turns to leave, when then some of the treasure in front of them shifted. She then realized she was caught between a pillar and a hard place with a large dragon.

Melody then tries to tip-toe away when some of the gold coins shifted as Melody froze as Sebastian nervously looked and saw the head of the dragon moving towards then as Melody looked and saw it just a few yard away.

Melody backs away quietly trying not to make a sound, but then the eye of the dragon started to open as Melody ducked behind a ridge of treasure hiding her.

Barely in view, Melody watched as the dragon's eye looked around as coins slid down from his head. Melody then turns to her bracelet, and she remembered that Triton told her that it has a few tricks and turns to the dragon as the eye blinked as it started to move and blinked.

Melody then rubs the whale charm twice as she and Sebastian suddenly vanished into thin air.

And the head lifts up from the gold coins revealing a head big enough to swallow a person whole with golden orange eyes and sniffed the air and bares his teeth.

Melody softly stood up as she and Sebastian were now invisible and Melody recognized the dragon from the journal as it was Smaug.

"Well... thief." Smaug said in a deep, menacing voice and sniffs the air. "I smell you. I hear your breath. I feel your air." He cranes his head by her.

Though Melody knew he couldn't see her, Smaug can still sense her.

"Where are you?" Smaug inquired turning back to her.

Melody silently panicked as he was coming towards her.

"Where are you?" Smaug repeated as he looked like he was looking at her.

Smaug dangerously nears Melody, and then she started fleeing as turns to the direction she was running as the coins kicked up by her were seen. And Smaug slithers after her though he still couldn't see her. He then rushed be her as Melody hid behind a pillar.

"Come, now... don't be shy." Smaug said. "Step into the light."

Melody quietly pants as she tries to remain calm as Smaug looked for her.

"Hmm. There is something about you." Smaug said as he snaked around.

Melody looked trying to find him as he then cranes his head behind her by the pillar.

"Something you carry." Smaug said as Melody followed him. "Something made of gold. But far more... precious."

"Precious! Precious!"

Melody tried to ignore that last thing he said as his tone almost reminded of her with Morgana.

Then Morgana flashed in her mind as Melody has brushed the whale charm revealing herself and Sebastian. And Smaug's widen as he finally sees them as Sebastian hid in Melody's hair.

"There you are Thief in the Shadows." Smaug said. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to intrude on someone's doorstep? It's quite rude."

"I... I... I did not come to steal from you... O Smaug the Unassessably Wealthy." Melody said trying to please him with generous words. "I merely wanted gaze upon your magnificence. To see if you really were as great as the stories say. I did not believe you were truly real."

Smaug growled and heads off and then Melody saw him as he reveals his true size as he stood 20 feet tall, higher with his head straight high, 60 feet long and his wings looked 70 feet across.

"And do you now?!" Smaug said loudly.

His voice echoed as Melody stared at him with wide eyes as Sebastian saw him as well as he felt faintly.

"Truly... I'm sure tales and songs... fall utterly short of your enormity O Smaug the Stupendous." Melody said.

"Do you think flattery will keep you alive?" Smaug questioned.

"N-No, no." Melody stuttered.

"No, indeed." Smaug said and turns and lowered down. "You seem familiar with my name, but I don't remember smelling your kind before."

Melody then slightly got nervous.

"Who are you, and where do you come from, may I ask?" Smaug questioned.

Melody was about to speak when then she suddenly noticed a large white gem that was glowing. Melody soon realized it had to be the Arkenstone the journal mentioned, but she then remembered the large dragon standing in front of her.

"I... M-My name is Melody." Melody said.

"Melody?" Smaug inquired.

Melody nodded as she glanced to the Arkenstone trying to be careful so Smaug wouldn't catch her seeing it as it was a few yards away.

"And I also come from a kingdom, and-and I love the sea." Melody said.

"Impressive." Smaug said bypassing by a pillar. "What else do you claim to be?" He nears her.

"I am..." Melody stammered as Smaug nears his head in front of her. "Shell-shell-collector." She tries to ignore the dragon's foul breath. "I'm-I'm also a princess."

"Lovely titles." Smaug said. "Go on." He insisted.

"I-I-I am also... part... mermaid." Melody reluctantly added.

"Merpeople?" Smaug said. "Now that is interesting." He backs away from her. "I thought there was something different about you. As well as the bloodline you carry, as you got it from your mother. And what about your little Dwarf friends?"

Melody frowned from that.

"Where are they hiding?" Smaug inquired.

"I-I'm sorry? D-Dwarves?" Melody frowned. "No. No, no. No Dwarves here. I think you have me mistaken for someone else. You got that all wrong."

"Oh, I don't think so, Mermaid-Princess!" Smaug said. "They sent you in here to do their dirty work while they, skulk about outside."

Melody slight moves closer to the Arkenstone and turns back to Smaug.

"No. Truly... you are mistaken O Smaug, Chiefest and Greatest of Calamites." Melody said. "I truly came alone."

"You have nice manners for a thief and a liar!" Smaug said loudly.

Melody started to panicked realizing Smaug was likely a well experienced dragon with a bad history with humans.

"I know the smell and taste of Dwarf." Smaug said. "No one better!"

Melody then carefully sneaks over to the Arkenstone.

"It is the gold!" Smaug said. "They are drawn to treasure like flies to dead flesh."

Melody nears the Arkenstone almost grabbing it, but Smaug stomps by as the Arkenstone was tossed and bounced off as Melody quickly rushed off.

"Did you think I did not know this day would come?!" Smaug yelled and knocked a pillar.

Melody stumbled and slid down the hill of treasure.

"That a pack of canting Dwarves would come crawling to the mountain?!" Smaug yelled and knocks a pillar down.

The thud from the pillar hitting the floor echoed out as it sounded like thunder.

Melody's horse heard it and sensed something was wrong as it almost sounded like an earthquake.

"The King Under the Mountain is dead." Smaug said.

His left hand landed near a pile of gold as Melody came out and rushed down the steps.

"I took his throne." Smaug said. "I ate his people like a wolf among sheep." He crawled across the steps as Melody tries to avoid him. "I kill where I wish, when I wish. My armor is iron."

He then glides down after Melody as she slide down under a column as Smaug landed.

"No blade can pierce me." Smaug said.

Far away, in the deep ocean, a creature in the shadows watches 2 Manta Rays and a Tiger Shark swimming by.

The creature watches them and followed them.

"It's Oakenshield... that filthy Dwarvish usurper." Smaug said stalking around the area Melody was hiding.

Melody soon spotted the Arkenstone nearby.

"He sent you in here for the Arkenstone, didn't he?" Smaug said.

"No. No, no. I don't know what you're telling about." Melody said. "I don't know who Oakenshield is."

"Don't bother denying it." Smaug said turning back.

Melody hid behind a pillar.

"I guessed his foul purpose some time ago." Smaug said. "But it matters not." He lowers down near Melody. "Oakenshield's quest will fail. The darkness is coming."

"It will spread to every corner of the land."

In the far north, a shadow nears the seabed as a creature nears a large chunk of ice, and frozen within was the body of Ursula's mad sister.

Morgana.

The creature then grabs the ice piece, and swims off with it after freeing it from the seafloor.

"You are being used, Thief in the Shadows." Smaug said slithering near Melody. "You were only ever a means to an end. The coward, Oakenshield has weighed the value of your life and found it worth nothing."

"No." Melody said though still doesn't know who this person he was talking about. "No. No, you're lying."

"What did he promise you?" Smaug inquired. "A share of the treasure? As if it was his to give. I will not part with a single coin."

Melody then made a run for the Arkenstone.

"Not one piece of it." Smaug said.

Melody ran towards the Arkenstone, but Smaug saw her and swung his tail as Melody was thrown into the air.

"My teeth are swords." Smaug said as Melody rolled to a stop. "My claws are spears."

Melody quickly got up.

"My wings are a hurricane." Smaug said loudly.

Then Melody noticed on Smaug's chest, was a missing scale.

"Look at that." Melody said softly. "He's missing a scale."

"What did you say?" Smaug demanded hearing her.

"I-I-I-I said your reputation precedes you, O Smaug the Tyrannical." Melody said as Smaug growled. "Truly. I think I'll just be on my way now."

Melody then noticed the Arkenstone a few feet next to her as she saw it.

"I am almost tempted to let you take it." Smaug said noticing the Arkenstone. "If only to see Oakenshield suffer. Watch it destroy him. Watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad."

Melody nervously gulped.

"But I think not." Smaug said. "I think our little game ends here."

Melody got nervous as she starts backing away.

"So tell me, thief..." Smaug said as his chest showed a fiery glow. "How do you choose to die?"

He then lunges forward with his jaws open ready to snatch her, Melody panicked and quickly rubs the whale charm as she vanished.

Smaug saw this and snapped his jaws closed and looks around and then blasted a stream of fire and soon looks for her. A few gold coins were tossed as continued to a staircase.

Melody quickly got to a hall, and reappeared again.

"Let's get out of here before he finds us!" Sebastian said.

"I think that's a good idea!" Melody said.

They then hurried off.

Smaug continues his wrath trying to find Melody and fires another blast.

Less than an hour later, Melody has returned home and sneaked back into her room.

"I truly didn't think something like that would happen." Melody said.

"I told you this was a bad idea." Sebastian said. "And now we might have a dragon coming after us."

"Oh, I am so gonna be crab cake with this." Sebastian trembled.

"Sebastian, calm down." Melody said trying to keep him from waking her parents. "He didn't follow us. Let's-Let's just try to get some sleep."

"All right." Sebastian said. "But mark my words, Melody, if that dragon does managed to track us down, we're all gonna be in hot trouble."

"No one will know." Melody said. "Look, let's just get some sleep."

Melody soon got in her bed, and went to sleep.

"Oh, I swear, you're gonna be the death of me." Sebastian said.

Melody giggled from that and soon drifts off to sleep.

Sebastian watched her to a few moments, and lightly smiled. Despite the toughs time of trying to convince her, he knew she was just like Ariel. And he does love her as if she was his own, but he sometimes think Melody is a little too much like her mother.

Sebastian soon hops onto Melody's pillow.

"You are hopeless, child." Sebastian said and crawls to a higher spot on the pillow. "You know that. Completely hopeless."

He then yawned and went to sleep.

Author's Notes:

Let's just say that creature that tossed the vital is the actually threat.

Little hint: he's a monster that appeared in a 2013 film.

And Smaug will soon be part of this army that was mentioned.