Chapter 1
Music played and performers danced as the residents of Alternia filed into the royal palace, dressed in a multitude of colours. Today was a celebration, and everyone was feeling festive.
A few trolls were collecting weapons at the doors. They stopped a girl wearing blue armour and forced her to surrender her knives. The disgruntled warrior perked up when she caught sight of her buddies.
"Lighten up, Karkat!" a yellow-garbed warrior teased. "It's a party! Just a little smile?"
"Give up, Sollux, he's not going to motherfuckin' smile." A purple-pantalooned troll tossed back a goblet of bright orange fizz and dropped the goblet on the floor, where it rolled away, only to be picked up and refilled by a servant and returned with a "for you, Master Gamzee."
"I have an even bigger challenge for you, Sol, if you think you're up to it!" the warrior lady yelled in greeting.
"Yeah? Let's hear it, Vriska."
"Keeping your mouth shut," Vriska sneered. Gamzee chuckled to himself, mildly amused.
"But where's the man of the day?" Sollux pondered aloud. "It's not like him to miss a party."
"Probably planning on a grand entrance," Karkat scoffed, swishing his black cloak around his shoulders in annoyance. "Always one for showing off."
"Not unlike our Miss Vriska."
"I've told you not to call me miss! If anything, it's Madam Vriska!"
Sollux and Gamzee only laughed. Karkat continued to frown.
In a secluded room, behind a pair of curtains that led to the ballroom, a fire blazed in a pit at the end of a short hallway. From behind the flames, a hulking shape appeared, and an empty mug was thrown into the fire, causing it to flare up.
Stepping around the broken remains of the mug, Equius Zahhak, Prince of Alternia, proceeded down the hallway in a blue cape, wearing ornate silver armour and dark glasses that hid his eyes, his horns hidden under a silver helmet adorned with arrows that his horns fit into. He clenched his fists in excitement, causing his large muscles to bulge.
As he reached the end of the hallway, a figure stepped out from behind a pillar, swishing his long purple cape and blue scarf. He smiled at Equius, and joined the prince in waiting behind the curtain.
"Today's the day, brother," the purple-clad man said.
Equius laughed. "Finally. The Grand Highblood had much to do to prepare the feasts. But why are you not participating in the festivities, Eridan?"
Eridan sniffed defensively. "Don't worry about me, brother. It's your big day; think about you."
A centaur servant approached the brothers with a goblet for Equius. Eridan smiled, and held his hand out, twitching it a bit. Within moments, the servant had dropped the goblet and whinnied in horror as the liquid inside turned into two snakes.
Equius frowned. "You've wasted perfectly good milk, Eridan. And you've scared Arthour."
"It was just a bit of fun. You know how I love my sorcery." Eridan turned to face his brother. "I have to leave you now. Give me a hug before I go."
Equius grinned and embraced his brother, eliciting a squeal of pain from the latter. Eridan had momentarily forgotten just how strong Equius was.
"Ladies and gentletrolls! I now present to you my heir, Prince of Alternia, Equius Zahhak!"
A roar of applause went up as Equius emerged in a brilliant flash of light. He raised a fist into the air and strode down the aisle that formed for him, leading cheers and claps. Up on the stage, the Grand Highblood rolled his eyes.
Equius knelt down in front of the Grand Highblood, still smiling in a snarky way. The room went silent.
"Equius Zahhak." The Grand Highblood gazed down on his heir. "Do you accept the responsibility of guarding the people of Alternia, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," Equius boomed.
"And do you pledge to be a just ruler, fair and impartial, and bring happiness to the people of Alternia?"
"I do!" Equius raised his fist, and the room exploded in cheers and applause. The Grand Highblood sighed.
"Then, Equius Zahhak, I proclaim you-"
An explosion sounded from elsewhere in the palace. Behind the shades, Equius's eyes widened.
Without any glances between them, Equius, Eridan, and the Warriors Four raced from the room, grabbing their weapons as they exited. Vriska spun her staff in anticipation of the fight to come; Gamzee wielded his juggling clubs; Sollux removed his glasses and allowed psychic energy to crackle from his two-coloured eyes; and Karkat grabbed his sickles, ready to slice through the enemy.
The enemy in question, everyone knew, was the Seadwellers, from Jotenheim, a neighbouring realm that supposedly had a temporary truce with Alternia.
They six warriors reached a hallway that lead to the treasure room. A few Seadwellers stood guard outside the door. Vriska and Sollux nodded to each other and proceeded to beat down the guards. Before another step could be taken, there was a resounding boom.
"The Grand Highblood has let out the Destroyer," Equius said. Inside the treasure room, the screams of Seadwellers and the mechanical sound of the machine killing them could be heard. The battle was over even before it had begun.
While the Warriors Four were heading back to the party in various states of disappointment, Equius opened the treasure room and strode in. The dead, helmeted bodies of the Seadwellers were strewn around the room, all surrounding a single object: the old source of the Seadwellers power, the coffin of their dead queen.
Fury welled up inside Equius. He turned to Eridan.
"Prepare to depart."
"You are going nowhere," the Grand Highblood said. He had appeared in the doorway, clutching his staff. "The Seadwellers have been defeated."
"But this was an act of war!"
"It was the act of a few individuals working together, not an entire race."
"We cannot let this act go unpunished! As king, I say-"
"You are not king!" the Grand Highblood boomed. Equius fell silent. "You are not king yet."
Equis clenched his fists and strode out of the room, fury tangible. Eridan simply bowed to the Grand Highblood, and trailed along behind, keeping a careful distance from his angry brother.
The table was broken in half; the food and plates were everywhere, cutlery and porcelain shattered next to shards of gold. Not even the stone bowls had been spared.
Equius sat on the steps, looking not at the mess he had made, but at the ground, still fuming. Why would the Grand Highblood-virtually his father, as he had been raised by him-refuse to declare war on the Seadwellers? They had come so close to retrieving their power, so close to destroying Alternia's beautiful palace and wreaking havoc on the lives of the trolls.
A tap on the shoulder alerted him to another's prescence. "Do not trifle with me now, brother."
"I'm not here to bother you," Eridan said as he took a seat a few inches away. "I think you're right. If the Seadwellers were able to get in, who says they won't try to do so again? Father ought to do something about it-send a diplomat to discuss this with Orphaner Dualscar, or something like that."
Equius inwardly chuckled. In the Grand Highblood's prescence, Eridan rarely referred to the king as 'Father', even though both he and Equius had been told to do so. It was a little quirk of Eridan's that not even Eridan himself understood. But when alone with Equius, Eridan allowed himself to relax a bit.
Perhaps it was because Eridan was so different from everyone else that he was uncomfortable calling the Grand Highblood 'Father'. Unlike the other trolls, Eridan had gills as well as lungs, and he had fins on the side of his head. To many, this was an abomination, something sickening. It was for that reason that Eridan rarely left the palace, or even his own chambers. Despite the acceptance of his family and the Warriors Four, Eridan still felt like an outcast.
Eridan continued to discuss his views with Equius, ignoring the entrance of the Vriska, Karkat, Sollux, and Gamzee. The purple-clad warrior went straight for the food, piling it onto a clay plate that was only slightly chipped.
"I've got it!" Equius yelled, startling his comrades and causing Karkat to hiss in surprise. "I'll go to Jotunheim myself and speak to Orphaner Dualscar!"
"No no no NO! Sit back down, brother."
"It's a brilliant idea!" Vriska said.
"It's madness, not brilliant! Do not encourage him!" Eridan was grasping at straws.
"I have to agree with Eridan," Karkat grumbled. "We'll be dead if we go there. And you know the Grand Highblood would never allow it."
"He doesn't have to know," Equius said. "If anyone stands a chance in Jotunheim, it's us. So who is with me?"
Vriska, always one for a fight, raised her hand, followed by a half-listening Gamzee and an enthusiastic Sollux. Reluctantly, Karkat raised his hand, muttering angrily to himself under his breath. Eridan closed his eyes and massaged his temples.
"I'm going to regret this."
At the end of the Bifrost, a lone sentinel stood with blank white eyes, a helmet with rams' horn decorations, and flowing black hair. She was the Gatekeeper, and in her hands she clutched a golden sword with intricate carvings, carvings unlike any that might be found on another sword.
She watched without moving as the six warriors approached. Her face remained expressionless.
"Good day, Madam Medigo!" Equius said warmly, moving to embrace her. The Gatekeeper blinked in a way that came across as threatening. Equius dropped his arms.
"What is your purpose here?" the woman asked in a voice as devoid of tone as her eyes were of colour.
"We seek passage to Jotunheim," Equius said.
"And does the Grand Highblood know of this?"
Vriska gave a defeated sigh, but Equius was not to be put off so easily. "He need not know a thing. We shall be there and back quicker than you can say hoofbeast!"
"Hoofbeast," the Gatekeeper said. Sollux chuckled quietly. "I will provide passage."
The warriors filed past her, Eridan the last to enter the giant golden orb that housed a pedestal. The Gatekeeper climbed onto the pedestal and raised the sword, slipping it down into a sort of keyhole. The golden walls began to spin, the extension of the orb swiveled, and in a brilliant flash of light, the six warriors were shot to Jotunheim.
They stumbled, regaining their footing on the multi-coloured rocks. They were surrounded on all sides by water, broken only by scattered islands and a long bridge that stretched from their own island to a large one, upon which sat a gigantic palace made of brilliant pink coral. Despite the beauty of the land, the entire realm gave a sense of desolation. It did not seem the type of place to celebrate the ascension of a new king or queen.
Equius fearlessly led the way across the bridge. After a long trek through deserted rockland, the group reached the palace. There were no guards waiting for them.
"It seems the Orphaner is growing cocky!" Equius laughed. He pushed the enormous doors open and strode into the hallway beyond. At the end of this hallway was a pair of thrones, one of which was occupied.
"Greetings, Dualscar!" Equius boomed. The leader of the Seadwellers, like all of his people, were never seen without a helm that covered their entire head. The one worn by the Orphaner was slightly more decorative than others, and bore two scratches down the front.
"What brings the spawn of the Highblood to my palace?" the Orphaner rumbled in a deep, scratchy voice. He tapped his fingers on his armrest, and suddenly the room was filled with the sound of shifting bodies and readied weapons. Equius glanced around and saw rows of Seadwellers in the rafters, hiding behind pillars, peeking out from behind crumbled bits of roof-everywhere, including behind. There was no backing out now.
Eridan lightly pushed his brother to the side, whispering, "Let me handle this." He stepped forward and bowed. "We mean no disrespect, your Highness. We are simply here with a question, and a request, if you would be so kind."
"What is it?"
Eridan fidgeted nervously. "Today, during a celebration, some of your Seadwellers attacked our treasure room. We do not know how they got in. That is our question. And we would like to request that you please make sure it does not happen again."
Instead of answering, the Orphaner leaned forward and said, "The Highblood does not know you are here. I could kill you, and no one need be the wiser."
"That may be, but surely someone would notice our abscence," Eridan countered.
The Orphaner sat back. "I am feeling merciful today. I will allow you to leave this realm unharmed, provided you leave now."
"But-" Equius's protest was cut off by Eridan, who shot him a warning look as he bowed and said, "Thank you, your majesty." He turned to leave, and after a reluctant pause, so did Equius.
As he passed, a seadweller whispered, just loudly enough for Equius and Eridan to hear, "Run back to daddy, little prince."
Eridan closed his eyes. "Damn."
With a roar, Equius swung at the Seadweller, knocking him into a wall and killing the creature. Immediately, the six warriors were engulfed in a swarm of angry Seadwellers, fighting for their lives. Vriska swung her staff, knocking back any enemy foolish enough to underestimate her. Sollux removed his glasses and let forth a blast of psychic energy, taking down a part of the wall as he slammed ten Seadwellers against it. Gamzee, still partially daydreaming, haphazardly swung his clubs, just as likely to hit a friend as a foe. Karkat gritted his teeth and started slaying Seadwellers in droves. Eridan reached behind him and grabbed the harpoon gun he had strapped to his back, resigned to more slaughter. And Equius was in his element, laughing as he smashed in Seadweller skulls and sent them flying through the air.
Karkat, in the midst of fighting a group of five Seadwellers, suddenly found his neck burning cold. He swung around, detaching a Seadweller's arm from its body. Karkat pulled the arm off his neck, and the cold subsided partially, but still stung. He found it harder to breathe, but he still turned and fought, yelling to his companions to avoid letting their skin be touched.
Vriska's staff was knocked from her hands, and she retreated towards Sollux, who began to widen his range of attack to protect her. No sooner had he done that than a trident came slashing through the air and impaled itself in his torso, illiciting a scream of pain from the psychic warrior and causing him to falter in his attack. The scream drew the attention of Gamzee, who fought his way over and hefted Sollux onto his back, still swinging his clubs. Karkat joined them, still fighting despite his uneven breathing.
"Equius! Eridan!" Vriska shouted. "We have to go!"
Eridan heard, and began to make his way to them, only to be stopped by a-shockingly pretty-female Seadweller. She wore a tiara and wielded a tridant with ease, and her helmet had been knocked off. Eridan knocked the weapon from her hand with his gun, but in the process she managed to get a firm hold on his ungloved hand. Despite his struggles, Eridan could not free himself.
But instead of a nuumbing cold, Eridan was filled with a pleasant chill. His hand seemed to grow webbed, like that of the Seadweller, and he could feel his gills working, despite the lack of water. He stared at the female that held him, and saw that she had gills and fins just like his. She was staring at him in shock.
"You're a Seadweller?" she whispered in surprise.
Eridan panicked, and wrenched himself free, sprinting to join his friends in retreat. He called back over his shoulder, "Equius! Come on!"
Equius was reluctant to leave the battle, but as all attention turned to him, he found he had no choice. With one last surge of power, Sollux forced an opening in the fray for Equius to escape. But no sooner did Equius join his friends than the Seadweller army took off after him, spears and swords held aloft, screaming for blood.
The Alternians ran back to the bridge and found it had crumbled to the sea, brought down by a small group of Seadwellers. The six warriors stood in a circle, backs to each other, as they tried desperately to think of a strategy.
"The Gatekeeper won't bring us back if we're surrounded by the enemy!" Karkat yelled.
"Medigo! Open the gate!" Equius yelled. Nothing happened, but the Seadwellers got closer. "Medigo!"
Just as the army reached the trolls, a brilliant flash of light overtook them, and out of that light, the Grand Highblood, in full battle armour, approached the army, crushing many Seadwellers underfoot and halting their march.
"Dualscar!" he bellowed. The Orphaner pushed his way to the front of the group and stood head-to-head with the Grand Highblood.
"Your wigglers are intruding. Allow me to dispose of them. They have killed many of my subjects; I'm sure you are proud, in your sick way."
"They will be dealt with in Alternia. You are to back down now, or you will die."
The Orphaner gazed steadily at his foe. "You realize that this is a declaration of war, Highblood?"
Wearily, the Highblood nodded. He turned his head to the warriors, and just like that, the gate opened and the Alternians were brought home.
Back in the golden orb of the gate, the Highblood dismissed the Warriors Four to tend to their wounds. Eridan hung back.
"You have disobeyed orders from your king," the Grand Highblood boomed. "If Aradia had not alerted me to your whereabouts, you would be dead now."
Equius glared at the Gatekeeper. She showed no sign that she saw it, though she most certainly did.
"Father, I meant no harm!"
"But you have caused a war!"
"Then let them have war! They deserve to be wiped out! You have been far too lenient with them, father, and it's time we-"
"There was peace, Equius! Now many lives will be lost! And all because of a rash decision by a foolish young man!"
Eridan tried to interject. "Father-"
"AaaaRRRRGGGH!" The Grand Highblood raised a fist and pointed it at Eridan, silencing him. He then turned his attention back to Equius.
"You have shown yourself unworthy of being king. Alternia cannot have a rash, violent ruler. I hereby banish you from Alternia!" He pointed a finger at a Equius, and the armour the young troll wore flew off, leaving him in only his shirt and shorts. He then pointed at a carving on the wall behind Equius, and the carving widened into a blinding vortex that began to suck Equius in. As the heir to the throne of Alternia was thrown from the realm, the Grand Highblood picked up the helmet that had been removed.
"Whosoever wears this helmet, should he be worthy, will gain the power of Equius," he muttered, and at the last minute, threw the helmet in to the light, before it closed and Equius was gone from sight.