This one is a little shorter. I have a feeling that most of the chapters are going to be short, but that just means there will be more of them. ;)

^_^ Thanks for your kind words, everyone! I wasn't really sure about this story, but I really like writing it, so I guess it's okay. I'm gonna respond to your reviews at the bottom, mmkay? Also, be sure to check out my other stories! Thank you! Please Enjoy and Review!

"Alright, boy. Listen up."

Allen dully looked toward his mentor. Yesterday had been the day of reckoning—the day he saw the faces of the people whose lives would be taken. He felt hollow inside. Not only was he being forced to mate, but he was also being forced to murder.

"I've used my magic to track down the humans. Fortunately, our Lord Neptune is wise and has made sure that both your targets are on the same ship. If you swim south for about a day and a half, you should be able to catch up with it."

"But Master, I don't even know how-"

General Cross cut Allen off. "Yes, yes, I'm getting to that. All Merfolk have a bit of magic within them that they can use, no matter how old or inexperienced they might be."

"That's how we communicate with other ocean dwellers, right?" Allen asked.

"Yeah. That is one innate magic ability that we all have. But, magic is at the core of our being, and we can use it in many ways. Another way is the ability to mate. For Merfolk, mating is not a physical thing, but a magical thing. This particular kind of magic builds throughout our youth and comes to its zenith around our 250th year. However, once it has reached its peak, the energy begins to be released very swiftly, which is why we do not have very long before we are no longer able to create offspring."

"But that doesn't explain-"

"I'm getting to it! Geez, have patience. Anyway…All you have to do is take a bit of their soul and surround it with your magic. That soul piece will form the foundation for your power to build upon and this will make a new child. Most of the time, this only results in one, but occasionally, twins like Lenalee and Komui are born."

Allen just cocked his head to show that he didn't entirely comprehend this.

"Won't taking their soul apart kill them?" He asked, confused.

"Yes. You already knew about that though."

"I thought you said that the humans were traditionally…drowned?"

"It isn't the act of taking out some of their soul that kills them. When their soul is split apart, they loose their will, and thus, their ability to move. All their senses are dulled to where they can't feel the pain of suffocation, and they drown. It isn't like we can go to land and do this, because we'd be killed. And, even if we could, the remainder of their life wouldn't amount to much. It's actually much kinder to do it this way."

After mulling that over for a moment, a thought occurred to Allen.

"You said that in ancient times, the humans willingly mated with us. They actually agreed to something like that?"

"Yes. We would take their old and sick that were destined to die soon anyway and use their waning time to create new life. It was considered a very honorable way to go, and it put people who were suffering out of their misery. The only thing we ever did was help them, and those scum betrayed us anyway."

Allen looked away. All his life, he'd been told how horrible humans were, but he still couldn't justify taking a life based on past transgressions.

"Stupid apprentice."

Allen snapped out of his reverie and once again looked at the man who had served as his mentor for so many years.

"You mustn't let yourself begin to feel sorry for them, boy. Their faces may look like ours, but underneath that, they couldn't be more different. They're evil, Allen. You of all people should understand that. Don't you remember what they did to your father?"

At the mention of his beloved father, Allen felt the hot sting of tears behind his eyes. Flashes of memory burst forth in his mind, recalling that horrible time, nearly two centuries ago.

"We're sorry, Allen. Mana…isn't coming back."

"I remember." Came the shaky whisper.

"Good. Now get going. And make sure to take care of both humans that we saw."

Slowly, Allen nodded, then turned and swam off into the boundless blue sea.

As the white haired youth swam, he had lots of time to think. And think he did. Although it sounded more like an argument in his head.

'Master Cross was right…because of the humans, Mana was…'

'But can I blame the sins of those few on all of them? Are they all truly evil?'

'They drove us to the depths of the ocean out of fear and ignorance. Surely their lives aren't worth sparing.'

'Is it really my place to deliver judgment on another person?'

Allen's thoughts just kept swirling around in his brain, each idea a car on a never-ending circular track that was starting to leave him dizzy. Every time he called up the face of his father to try and steel his nerves, the faces in the pearl shot to the forefront of his mind.

Now that he looked back on it, they were both quite beautiful. One had been quite serious looking with just about the prettiest hair he'd ever seen. The other had been smiling in that image, reddish hair framing his face handsomely. Could they really be evil?

As he came closer to his destination, he made a decision.

'I'll just have to observe them for a little while. I can make my decision then.'

To My Reviewers:

EvangelineRose2412- Thanks! I really wanted to try writing a quality 'good' love triangle. I am super happy that you are enjoying it!

Slave-Of-Boredom-Thank you!

CANDY-^_^ I will be sure to continue with it.

-Lol. I am glad you like it.

Fuyublue-I will be sure to post more soon.