"You mean she just left?" Jack repeated in disbelief as Sam recounted what had happened while he was gone.

Sam butted his head against Jack's hand in confirmation.

"I guess I'll never see her again then." Jack sighed in disappointment as he flipped his tail in the water.

"....really saw a merman, then he would be here."

Jack heard a male voice from not too far away fade in as the person grew closer, their tone skeptic.

"I'll be back." Jack promised Sam as he ducked under the water and swam towards land, looking up from under the water to see a man and woman standing on the shore with a bag slung across the man's shoulder.

"Pri-I mean Queen Signe swore that a merman had rescued her." The woman remarked as she dipped her hand in the water.

Jack flinched back in surprise as the hand nearly touched him, accidentally sending ripples through the water that alerted them of his presence.

"Hello? We're not here to hurt you. My name is Matt, and I'm here with my wife Amanda. If you can hear us, then please show yourself." The man called out to the water.

Jack hesitantly poked his head out of the water to hear a gasp of surprise from Amanda, her brown eyes wide in shock.

"Who are you?" Matt questioned kindly as he knelt down by Jack so he was eye level with him.

"M-my name is Jack." Jack stammered out, feeling apprehensive as Amanda took a notebook and pencil out of Matt's bag.

"Is it okay if I draw you?" Amanda asked Jack gently, her pencil poised over a blank page. 

"I guess." Jack replied warily, unsure of why they were searching for him in the first place.

"Merman haven't been around in centuries, not since the war between the merpeople and the Amare kingdom." Amanda muttered as she drew, occasionally glancing up at Jack before continuing her work.

"I..." Jack trailed off as he considered telling them the truth, his gaze dropping from them to look at his reflection in the water.

"We're both wizards from the Amare kingdom sent by Queen Signe of the Elsker kingdom, we want to help." Matt stated kindly.

Jack fell silent as he took a deep breathe, hoping he was doing the right thing by sharing the truth.

"My real name is Sean McLoughlin. My family's kingdom named Glas fell into despair nearly forty years ago, my people living in poverty since my father would not ask for help from his allies for fear of appearing weak to them. Then I met him, the demon that goes by the name Anti." Jack began, his expression bitter.

"He promised me that the kingdom would prosper forever, so how could I refuse? I took his offer, but in return, he turned me into a merman and took over my kingdom, renaming it Tenebris." Jack continued.

"So now I've been stuck here for years, stuck at the age I was when I turned into a merman while everyone in my family died without me, presuming that I had died long ago." Jack finished with a sigh.

"I think we might be able to reverse what Anti did to you, at least temporarily while we find a permanent cure." Matt murmured thoughtfully.

"Really?!" Jack exclaimed in disbelief.

"It may be painful-"

"I don't care, I'd do anything to be human again." Jack interrupted.

Amanda nodded as she sifted through the bag before letting out a curse.

"Everything I need is back at our house. We'll be back tomorrow with the potion." Amanda promised.

"Okay. Was Robin ever found?" Jack added, remembering what Signe had told him before she left.

"He is safe in the Amare castle with Signe." Matt answered.

"Good." Jack sighed in relief.

"Be careful while we're gone." Amanda chimed in as she stuck the notebook and pencil back into Matt's bag.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Jack countered teasingly, fighting off a wave of disappointment as he watched them walk away.

"They'll be back, they promised." Jack muttered reassuringly to himself as he returned to Sam to share the news, excitement spurring him back home faster as he thought of being human again.