Shadow at the Water's edge.

Just the Beginning.

Alex stood, still cradling Vivian's body in his arms. Tala's eyes were sad, but the strong, confident aura around her never ceased.

"Come up to the deck. He's been asking about you."

Alex blinked through his tears, a confused frown growing on his face. "What? Who has? And who are you guys?"

She pushed the hair out of his face in an almost motherly fashion, and then tapped the side of his head. "Cone on, all your questions will be answered soon." She turned and led the way up into the sunlight.

Alex's heart twisted painfully as he shifted Vivian's cold, limp form in his arms, tucking her head underneath his chin, he planted a kiss on her forehead before ascending the stairs and stepping onto the deck.

He blinked in the bright sunlight, squinting as he took in the scene above deck.

There were around ten men dressed in black, rounding up the crew and gathering them to one end of the deck and forcing them onto their knees with their hands on their heads.

Two were binding Nerissa to the mast with a rope dripping with some strange substance, whatever it was, it was keeping her pale and placid.

"Alex!"

His head whipped around at the familiar voice, and his confusion only grew as he spotted the source of the voice.

"Nick?"

He was dressed in the same type of black pants and boots as the other men, and a tough looking black vest that left the black tattoo on his right shoulder open to the air.He ran toward Alex, wielding a sleek black harpoon.

"Nick?" Alex repeated, still doubting what his eyes were seeing. Fueled by grief, his confusion kindled into anger. "What the hell is going on? You're a part of this? What even is this?"

Nick slid to a stop at Alex's side, placing a hand on his shoulder he glanced down at Vivian. "Oh no..."

"We were too late." Tala said quietly.

Nick's grip tightened on Alex's shoulder, and he turned to face him. "How long has she been like this?"

"How lo- are you serious? What the hell Nick?" He gasped as Nick dug his fingers into his shoulder and gave him a small shake.

"How long?" Nick roared. He'd never used this tone on Alex before.

"I...a minute? Maybe two?"

Hope lit up in Nick's eyes. "There still might be time." He placed both hands on Alex's shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "Listen to me very carefully, I need you to cry, and let your power leak out through your tears."

Alex's eyes widened. "How did you-"

"It doesn't matter! Do it now!"

Alex gently lowered Vivian to the deck, and knelt beside her. It didn't take much for his tears to flow, and with a deep breath he let his power flow freely through his veins. The first tear traveled down his cheek, glowing blue, sparking slightly.

It slid off his chin and slowly fell, landing on Vivian's exposed neck. It sat on her skin for a brief instant, and then seeped through her skin. Small tendrils of blue lightning flickered underneath her veins, spreading across her body in one smooth wave.

"Follow me, take her too."

Alex wordlessly obeyed, carefully lifting Vivian in his arms again, he followed Nick and Tala off the boat and down onto the beach.

"Take her into the water, quickly."

Alex hesitated only a second before plunging into the water, not stopping until he was waist deep. He gently lowered Vivian into the water, watching her float lifelessly on the surface.