All characters, settings etc associated with Young Justice are not owned by me. I am not making any profit off this fiction venture.
Chapter Warning(s): war violence, electrocution, impalement, bombs, coarse language, mentions of discrimination
Edit: 04/02/13
Maelstrom
Kalladura'ham
"Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If you break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields"
From In Flanders Fields by Major John McCrae
1
Poseidonis, Atlantis : November 7, 2007 – 07:46 UTC-03
Surface-dwellers often seem to be under the impression that Atlantean magic – sorcery – only works with water.
They are partly correct.
Atlanteans, descended from some of the oldest practicing magicians, sorcerers, sorceresses, witches – whatever you wish to call them – generally have a direct connection to the magic found on the planet. We are directly connected to the planet itself and have only grown moreso connected as Atlantis sunk and we found ourselves forced to change our very being – with some help from the deities of course – in order to survive. That is the moment when Atlantean magic became water-focused instead of simply planet-focused.
Everything has an energy; that is how my matim explained it to me. That energy is what magic-users use to perform 'magic'. The most powerful are able to call on the most basic energies in the universe, everything that effectively ties the universe together, and use it with the aid of their extremely potent self-energy (the same stuff that combines with an individual's biology to create the biological channels that glow when some Atlanteans perform sorcery). Atlanteans with the magical caliber and self-energy of my matim can call on the basic energies of so-called "soft" elements, water and air dominantly – which is then connected to her ability to produce and manipulate electricity. If she trains enough and is willing to use enough of her self-energy she could theoretically magically manipulate the weather.
I am nowhere near her caliber. I have the potential to tap into the basic energies of water in its various forms and, as my matim explained, I already instinctively know how to tap into the basic energies needed to produce electricity – basic energies which include air – so I may be able to reach her level eventually. That will not occur without considerable effort and a lot more building of artificial channels. As of now I am capable of producing electricity and manipulating water. Manipulating electricity is more challenging and I do not really need to know how to draw water from the air considering I live in Atlantis, which is underwater, and only started my military service last year.
So, in a way, the surface-dwellers that believe Atlantean magic can only work with water around are correct. Yet, they are also incorrect because Atlantean magic can be used to manipulate most basic energies of the planet. They also forget that wherever there is life there is water. So when they say that we will be powerless in a desert they are forgetting the fact that there are things such as sweat and tears. Water is also in most organisms – it is found in blood, among other areas – to keep them alive but that is far past my abilities to manipulate and is exceedingly difficult for my matim to manipulate as well. Perhaps Anassa – Queen – Mera can manipulate the water within organisms, but I would even be surprised by that.
My reason for explaining this is simple.
The Conservatory of Sorcery is trying to kill me.
I was not born with the biological self-energy channels that are present on my arms and back. My biology and self-energy decided, when I was born, to be cruel and not match up. I have a ton of self-energy and yet my biology has decided that it cannot properly process that energy alongside the energy of what I am trying to manipulate – in this case, water – thus I would have killed myself twenty-six seconds ago were it not for my artificial channels.
"Kalla, are you okay?" Tula questions hovering over my face, her face is the picture of concern.
Let us see…my back aches, my arms burn, I am reasonably certain that my tongue is dying from the taste of ash in my mouth and one of my most magically-capable friends – Tula – just shot me with an electrical explosion spell that cut right through my pathetic wobbly shield.
I want to punch something.
I hate my life. (Last week I finally found out the truth of Calvin's – my patera - father - as of two years ago – past. He was one of Black Manta's henchmen and was given artificial gills and webbing to infiltrate Atlantis and bring it down. I know that my matim was involved in some criminal activity when she was younger but it was minor. Now she's married to an ex-con who killed innocent people. I do not know how to feel about that and it irritates me.)
I hate my DNA. (No biological channels, really body? Really? And why do I have to be getting curves and growth spurts now? The changes are throwing off my ability to fight hand-to-hand, which is about the only part of my military training I am proud of. Why, body, are you destroying this for me?)
I hate my self-energy. (Yes, let's give the girl with no biological channels some massive self-energy! That sounds like so much fun! Fuck you self-energy. Fuck you.)
I want to go to the dorms, curl up in my pod and sleep. It is far too early to be getting beaten up.
Why, exactly, the Shayeris academy wanted to send me to the Conservatory of Sorcery I do not know. All of the instructors at Shayeris know that while I have plenty of magical potential my body simply physically cannot handle a majority of the sorcery that they wish me to learn for the military. I was perfectly fine being educated in the finer points of kicking butt without magic. I was good at that – until the growth spurts, stupid puberty.
I am having a bad morning.
I woke up late. I tore out part of my hair when it got caught on some coral. I did not get a chance to eat breakfast because I woke up late and then had to fix my braid because half of it got messed up during the Coral Incident. Now, in my first class at the Conservatory today I am failing magnificently at making shields but am succeeding beautifully at getting electrocuted by Tula.
I really want to just tell my instructors that I am sick and I need to go back to the dorms and sleep. But my pride is not letting me.
I hate my pride.
Tula and our instructor Ja'aana eventually manage to get me to see the healers where they tut about and sigh and give me those looks that I know are pity-looks. I hate them.
Yes, I'm broken, you do not need to sigh and give me pity-looks because I am not built right. Shut. Up.
I do not say that. I let them give me the looks and when they're done healing me I let them give me The Lecture about taking on more than my body can handle and when I leave I let them talk behind my back about how sad it is and about what a pity it is that I cannot handle the more advanced sorcery because I would be great at it and they go on and on and on and on.
Argh! I want my matim here. She would give them all The Look because she knows how much I despise being pitied and she knows that I can accomplish a heck of a lot with what I've got. Instead of being loud and expressive with my magic I can be quiet and subtle and, frankly, I am certain that quiet and subtle is a lot more effective in war than loud and expressive.
The Conservatory is a wonderful institution for all sorts of magical capable Atlanteans like Tula, Garth, Lori, Topo and La'gaan. It's wonderful for me too, until people start talking about my lack of biological channels or the older instructors start musing about the Curse of Kordax and I look at Ronal – he would be considered undeniably pure by the older instructors were it not for his blond hair – and exchange exasperated looks with him. We are not friends but when the seniors start talking about the Curse of Kordax as if it is still an issue when in fact it died years ago you tend to build a mutual understanding off their bigotry.
I grab my water-bearers from Tula and remain silent as she fusses over me for a minute and then awkwardly falls into silence. I have never informed her of how angry I am that I was not built right but she is perceptive. She probably already knows. She probably realizes that despite my nods I do not appreciate her fussing over me because it makes me feel…ugh…fragile. I do not like feeling fragile. I do not need her – or anyone else's, except perhaps my parents' – protection. I did not train for years in physical combat to build up my strength, stamina, agility and skill – while ignoring my matim's and patera's attempts to get me to slow down – just to be protected by superior sorcerers. I trained so that I could take care of myself no matter my biological failings.
I trained because I was angry that I was being treated as more fragile than everyone else merely because my biology would not let me be the best I could be magically. I trained because I was tired of putting up with people calling me impure. More importantly, however, I trained because I enjoyed – still enjoy – training. It's what I do in my spare time. I love it. Then people pity me and I get angry and annoyed again so I train some more out of anger and annoyance until my anger and annoyance vanishes and I'm just training because I enjoy training. Or, if I am unable to train for whatever reason, I am studying the histories and the present exploits of heroes because I enjoy learning about them because they are fascinating and because I want to be like Wonder Woman and Batman and Annex – King – Orin because I know I can do it.
Also, it would show everyone who keeps on pitying me or calling me worthless because I'm "impure" that I do not need their pity and I sure as heck am not worthless. I suppose that is immature of me, but I really do not care. I am thirteen. There is going to be some immaturity.
The next class I have with Tula is all about battles and their strategies throughout Atlantean history. We have it with Garth – he is adorable – who questions the presence of the wraps around my hands and my tight grip on my water-bearers. I could hang my water-bearers from my belt but I need to hold something. I need to grip something that will not wind up breaking in my grip. My water-bearers are instruments created by my sorcery instructors in Shayeris with help from my matim that are supposed to help me focus my self-energy. As such, they are nearly indestructible. I am stronger than most Atlanteans due to my prolonged visitations to the surface-world – Patera has family there, we visit, and we always go for my birthday, Matim insists – and my more intensive physical training so my water-bearers need to be nearly indestructible.
I ensure that Tula knows I do not harbour any hard feelings for her beating me. I am annoyed with myself, actually. I ensure that Garth is aware that I am fine and then after class I take advantage of the short break to hunt down mine and Tula's instructor to question what I could do differently to make the shield remain up.
I find her – Ja'aana – in the training field practicing for herself during her own break. She determines the problem quickly enough when I show her my pathetic shield again. My problem is not channeling, surprisingly enough, my problem is sustaining. My focus is apparently all over the place. I should not be surprised by this, really. My focus is all over the place. I am frustrated. My focus vanishes when I am frustrated.
"There is obviously something on your mind," Ja'aana says, watching as my shield falls apart, again. "If you wish to speak of it with me, I am free to do so."
I hesitate, "I…" I tighten my hold on my water-bearers, "I am having a bad morning."
"You cannot let a bad morning rule your mind, Kalladura'ham."
"I am aware. It is difficult to not let such a thing happen though."
"I know," she smiles. "It takes a lot of practice, believe me."
"That…is not particularly helpful."
"I know, sorry. I find it helpful to tell someone about my bad day. Would you like to tell me about yours?"
"I suppose I could."
That is how I find myself on the edge of the training field explaining why I consider my morning absolutely horrendous to my combat sorcery instructor Ja'aana. I am certain that Ja'aana, having been in the military and participated in the 1986 Battle of the Strait, has had much worse mornings, but she listens. It does help. Childishly, I wish to scowl and stubbornly refuse to admit that it helps, but I figure that I have been immature enough today – having given Tula the silent treatment after visiting the healers.
I open my mouth to thank her-BOOM! CRACK!
My face hits the ground. Ja'aana's hand is on my back keeping me against the ground while her opposite hand is out and snapping up a shield in front of us. The shield is guarding us from the debris raining around us courtesy of the explosion that ripped across the training field.
I'm shaking. My ears are ringing and every single lesson from my instructors rushes back to me in startling clarity.
In the instant when you are confronted by an ambush your first instinct will be to protect yourself. Do it, but never at the expense of your fellow soldier. You will not be able to help him or her if you yourself are not alive.
There's an eerie stillness as the debris begin to float listlessly through the water. I can feel my heart in my throat and Ja'aana's hand firm on my back keeps me from trying to push myself into a crouch like her.
"Your water-bearers," Ja'aana says and I realize she must have cast a healing spell of some sort because my ears are not ringing anymore.
I fumble for a second, trying to grab my water-bearers, then clamp my hands around them and wait.
"Who-" I whisper, stopping as Ja'aana drops the shield and moves her hand from my back. She swims forward, her left hand making the signal for me to stay low as her right hand begins to glow. Her channels glow around her arms and then the ball of energy in her right hand shoots off her palm, startling the people in the armoured black suits that are beginning to appear amidst the debris. The ball explodes, knocking out two of the enemies.
Oh Poseidon, there were people on the training field. The training field is obliterated. What…what happened to…what…the people.
No.
Stay focused Kalla. Stay focused.
Be ready.
The enemies – there are enemies, there are enemies, there are enemies – are immediately on high alert, scanning the area where the glowing light flashed. Ja'aana has a shield up in the next instant and glowing energy tentacles rise from the ocean floor, grabbing the enemies and flinging them into each-other. A typhoon rises in the water, whipping two of the enemies around, into the typhoon and then guiding them out on the opposite edge of the obliterated training field. That's when the water turns murky and Ja'aana gestures for me to move. There are still two others left in the field but they are confused, unable to pinpoint where Ja'aana is thanks to the quick spell that made the water appear murky.
She grabs my hand and pulls my through the murky water until we reach the edge where we immediately start hearing people shouting and screaming. Throughout the city there are areas which were obviously the victims of explosions. I start shaking again.
There are people there. Innocent people.
"Kalladura'ham, you can handle this," Ja'aana is saying. "This is what you trained for. You can fight. You are the best in your class in unarmed and weapons combat. You have a firm grasp on strategy and tactics and you know this city, you can handle this Kalladura'ham. Do you understand?" She's grabbing my shoulders, staring at me, "Kalladura'ham, do you understand?"
She was in the training field with some students and another instructor. They are all probably dead. Right now, we are the only people who were on the training field who we know are alive. I probably look terrified. She does not need me terrified right now.
I nod, swallowing, "I understand."
Do not lose it. Do not lose it. You can handle this. You can handle this.
Ja'aana does not want you to lose it. She needs you to remain calm. Remain calm. Remain calm. Just remember your lessons and you will be fine.
Right.
I take in a deep breath and nod, feeling calmer than before. This seems to satisfy her because she releases my shoulders and then moves forward. I follow, immensely grateful that I have someone with me who knows what she's doing because I, frankly, have no idea despite the fact that I am supposedly trained for this.
I wonder if this is what all trainees feel when they enter the battlefields.
It takes me an embarrassingly long moment to realize that we are heading to the indoor training area of the Conservatory. It is only when Ja'aana is leading me into the area that I realize where we are.
Clearly, I am not cut out to be a soldier.
It takes moments – moments I spend ensuring that my friends are safe, Tula hugs me until I cannot breathe and Topo clings to me – for the instructors, Anassa Mera included, to guide us students in the defense of Poseidonis and themselves into the defense of us. I wind up assisting Garth in freeing a few pinned civilians the next sector over while under the command of Captain Avares whose squad is on the freeing pinned civilians job. Tula is with Anassa Mera assisting in establishing a few massive shields to keep the enemies out of the most sensitive areas of the Conservatory. I have to push my worry for her to the back of my mind as I lift a pillar up and Garth and another soldier pull the man who wound up pinned beneath the pillar. His legs are definitely broken. There is bone sticking out of his right shin.
We do that for a while, succeeding in meeting minimal enemies thanks to the quick work of the other squads, until Garth spots something that he considers odd; three parallel scratches with burn marks around them on the edge of the armoury that is nearly out of Poseidonis limits. I inspect it impatiently to humour him and nearly wind up electrocuting myself thanks to the residual electrical charge on the scratches – which explains the burning around them.
Before Garth and I get a chance to point out the odd marking to Captain Avares our ears start ringing thanks to another explosion.
BOOM! CRACK-CRASHCRACKAPOP!
Part of the dome around Poseidonis ruptures from the explosion, causing shards of the dome to rip through the water. Garth immediately protects us behind an ice wall he summons and once again the eerie stillness after an explosion descends.
I can spot two of the soldiers floating in the water, blood floating out of their skulls, hit by the dome's debris. Another is knocked out. Three of them had left to communicate with another recovery squad whom we lost contact with. Captain Avares seems to be the only one conscious that is not injured. The other soldier conscious has his fin sliced by the debris and his right arm is pinned – most definitely broken – by the wall Garth and I had been inspecting. He's struggling, at least.
I take in another deep breath and force my fears down my throat. I create a shield out of the water and peek over the ice wall Garth created to find myself staring at Ocean Master.
Ocean. Master.
The man who keeps on attempting to either obliterate or rule Atlantis. I can never figure out which, he causes so much destruction. I did a project on him once. He uses a trident from which he can shoot electric bolts – which led me to the conclusion that he was unable to use magic. He wears a crown and a cape and hates Annex Orin.
Annex Orin. Whose foot is currently impaled on a dome shard and bleeding. Annex Orin. Who is clearly the recent victim of an electrocution and being near an explosion that has left his ears ringing like my own. Annex Orin. Who is currently barely managing to keep Ocean Master's electrical trident from impaling his face.
I have to be hallucinating.
"Annex!" Captain Avares obviously sees the same thing I do.
I am not hallucinating.
Garth pops up beside me and immediately his eyes widen to the size of dinner plates.
Okay. Okay. Situation: Annex Orin is wounded and at the mercy of Ocean Master and his electrical very-very pointy trident. Captain Avares is the only soldier here conscious and not wounded. Garth and I are not soldiers, we are students, but we are also the only ones here capable of using magic.
Okay.
Okay.
Got it.
Right.
"Garth!" I shout before I realize I'm shouting because he has swam over the ice wall and is heading straight for Ocean Master and his electrical very-very pointy trident what in the name of Poseidon is that boy doing?
Captain Avares is already at Ocean Master, tackling him off Annex Orin and swearing. Garth immediately moves to Annex Orin and begins attempting to use his few healing spells and I shoot over the ice wall because I am supposed to be trained for this .
My head is still sore from the explosion but I ignore it and form a couple swords with my water-bearers just as Avares hits a rock wall and the trident hits her stomach and cuts through and there is blood, there is blood. Electricity rips through her body as the points of the trident collide with the rock wall having cut through her abdomen completely and she is screaming and I know I will never stop hearing that sound oh Poseidon make it stop!
I abandon the sword idea and hook my water-bearers back on my belt as I dive and slam my hands on the rod of the trident. My artificial channels glow and the electricity snaps from the trident up into my arms and across my back. I twist and slam my feet on the rock on either side of Avares' head with my hands still clamped on the rod of the trident and I push myself off the rock, pulling the trident in the same instant. The trident rips out of her flesh, the electricity still slamming into me and for a split-second I lose control and all I see is lightning and omigodithurts.
Then I'm hitting the rock wall and my arm is bleeding and my hands are burning again and I cannot see properly – oh Poseidon why can't I see why is it blurry – and Avares isn't screaming anymore thank goodness.
"Kalla!"
A glowing green shark of energy spawns from the water and slams Ocean Master away from me as I shake my head and try to regain my bearings.
Garth is whipping out every spell he knows and clearly trying to use what I taught him in unarmed combat but Ocean Master has years of experience, about a foot in height and at least seventy pounds on him with the physical strength to match. I know that I may be bigger than Garth right now but I am still not nearly at Ocean Master's height or weight. I might be as strong as him though. I'm stronger than a few adults because of how much and where I've trained.
My water-bearers snap into my hands and I dart towards Ocean Master as he succeeds in breaking Garth's nose and slamming him against the ground. I dodge his twist as he attempts to wallop me with the rod of his trident.
Rini, you won't always be smaller than your opponents, but when you are, use it. Duck and dodge and make them angry because they cannot shake you. Angry people have a tendency to make mistakes when fighting. That is when you strike. That is when you take them down.
Thanks, Matim.
I block his trident with my water-bearer swords, unbelievably thankful that I spoke to Ja'aana about my bad morning – as if it's bad now, that morning was not bad – before this all happened. Now I can focus. Now I can concentrate. Now I can make effective weapons and shields. I can do this.
I duck under his arm, intending on twisting when he turns and kicking him in the gut but he anticipates my duck and his hand latches around my braid. I shout and my hands immediately fly to the back of my head causing me to drop my water-bearers as he drags me back around by my braid. I lash out with my feet as I grab the base of my braid to keep him from pulling it anymore than he already is but he blocks my feet. He pulls on my braid, eliciting another startled shout from me, and wraps the braid around his hand before slamming his hand on the back of my head and sending my crashing face-first into the ground. I feel blood beginning to spill from my nose and mouth as I bite my tongue. I can feel his trident against my back. Oh Poseidon, I'm going to die. I am going to die. Oh Poseidon, Poseidon, Poseidon, Poseidon.
There's a water-bearer on the ground to my right, too far away for me to reach without moving my entire body.
I can see out of the corner of my eye his trident pulsing with energy. My eyes widen.
Wait.
I don't need my water-bearers to use magic.
Idiot.
I slam my hands up and wrap them around his wrist, charging my channels with electricity that shoots up my back, up my arms and straight into my hands to be released against his wrist. He shouts – more in surprise than pain I imagine as he is covered in armour – and his grip on my braid loosens. I roll to the right immediately and grab my water-bearer from the ground just as he wrenches me back up by my braid. I snap out my left foot, sending the tips of his trident skidding across my shin, and bring up my bladed water-bearer. The blade slices through the base of my braid effortlessly as my foot slams into his gut, sending him flying away from me with the bulk of my braid in his hand.
I move to stand but immediately wince and glance down to find that his trident had cut further than I had realized into my shin and that leg cannot support itself anymore, nor is it particularly good for swimming with.
Problem.
With a glance around me I quickly ascertain that Garth is unconscious, Captain Avares appears to be dead despite my best efforts – don't look too long, don't look, oh Poseidon I can still hear her screaming – the one conscious but wounded soldier is still pinned beneath the wall and Annex Orin is…yes…yes Annex Orin is getting up. Thank you Poseidon. Maybe I won't actually die today. Idon'twannadiedon'twannadiedon'twannadie.
I dive for my second water-bearer as Ocean Master tosses my braid to the side and moves towards me. He reaches me first. I barely block his trident with a shield but he manages to hit me to the ground on my back and kick my water-bearer from my grasp. His trident slams down, straight for my face. My hands snap up, thankfully small enough to fit between the prods and grab the bar that keeps the prods together. My channels glow as the electricity surges down the trident and my arms shake as he presses down on the trident even harder. He's strong and my right arm is still bleeding.
Then the pressure vanishes and I'm suddenly holding a trident by its forked end without anyone holding it from the rod end. I twist, grabbing the trident by its rod and find myself staring at Annex Orin tackling Ocean Master into the rock wall and rapidly turning blurry. Blurry…the same symptom I experienced after being electrocuted by Tula this morning, then the trident the first time…for an instant.
Oh.
19:22 UTC-03
Ow.
My entire body aches. I realize that before I open my eyes.
When I open them I find myself floating in one of the healing pods and staring at Matim, Patera, a Healer I do not know and Annex Orin. I do a double-take.
Annex Orin?
I do a quick look around the room. Sure enough, it is a healing wing of…someplace with some serious money. There is filigree on the walls. Normal healing wings do not have filigree on the walls.
Why is Annex Orin in my healing room? I was under the impression that he was, well, the King of Atlantis and therefore had better things to do than watch me – a lowly peasant who was not even built right – heal.
"Rini, how do you feel?" Matim questions immediately, moving to the healing pod instantly alongside Patera, not even giving me a chance to greet Annex Orin respectfully with a salute at the very least.
"Achy," I answer honestly, because she always knows when I'm lying and trying to be strong and she gives me That Look, which I hate. "Otherwise, fine," I glance down at my left shin and then at my right arm, "especially considering the trident damage."
I can still hear Avares screaming. I want to cry, scream, do something to make the screaming stop but I will not. Annex Orin is here. I will not make a fool of myself.
Matim swallows. Patera glances at the Healer who nods and speaks to me, "Kalladura'ham, my name is Vena. I am your Healer for the moment. Do you have a headache?"
I shake my head.
"Alright, I will make sure your vitals are good and then you will be permitted to move around a bit, but take it easy."
Matim snorts.
I shoot a glare at her.
Annex Orin doesn't say a word while Healer Vena does her job. He just watches Matim, Patera, Vena and I. Honestly, it is unnerving.
::: Why is Annex Orin here? I need to salute him or bow or…do something to greet him appropriately. ::: I say to Matim telepathically.
She glances at Annex Orin and explains, ::: He was concerned. You and Garth…you risked your lives to protect him and Captain Avares. He wishes to ensure that you are healing well and, I believe, he wants to speak to you. :::
I can sense her concern through our link so add, ::: I am fine, Matim. Merely sore. :::
::: I know you are well physically but…Rini, you saw people die today. You tried to save a woman and she died. You nearly died. I will worry about you. A matim never stops worrying. :::
I stiffen at the mention of Captain Avares and stare at the ground, ::: Apologies, I did not mean to make you worry. :::
She raises an eyebrow and shoots me a Look, ::: I will believe that when you stop pushing yourself to exhaustion and yet continue to insist that you are fine. :::
I have nothing to say to that. She has a point, as much as a loathe to admit it. I do do that and I can still hear Captain Avares' screams. I do not wish to hear her screams. They terrify me more than Ocean Master.
Soon, Healer Vena is finished and I find myself sitting beside my Matim – who refuses to stop holding my hand and squeezing it every so often – and Patera – who hugged me the instant I got out of the healing pod – while Annex Orin stands in front of us. He looks awkward, oddly enough. After a moment he sits across from us and leans towards me, saying, "You were incredibly valiant, Kalladura'ham."
I stare at him, not entirely certain how to react to that.
"If you and your friend had not intervened I would be dead right now," he continues. "Thank you."
I swallow, "I-I we did what we had to do."
He shakes his head, "No, you didn't. You didn't have to risk your life to save mine or the Captain's." I stiffen. Patera and Matim notice. Patera moves slightly closer and Matim squeezes my hand. Annex Orin continues after a moment, "How old are you, Kalladura'ham?"
"Thirteen," I answer, fighting to keep my voice steady and sit up straight. Why does everyone keep on mentioning Captain Avares? I just want her screaming to go away and they are not helping that occur.
"Thirteen," he repeats. "You've only been training for a year. Not many graduates could have done what you did."
I am certain he is lying to make me feel better.
"I realize that this is early, but…" he trails off. After a moment he begins again, "As you know, I am Aquaman on the surface-world and a part of the Justice League." I nod when he pauses. He continues, "However, there are moments where my responsibilities to Atlantis outweigh my responsibilities to the League, despite the fact that the League may benefit from having an Atlantean with them at that moment. There will come a time where I am unable to continue to be Aquaman and having a successor would be…beneficial."
I feel as though I know where he is heading with this but I do not want to believe it.
"You don't have to give me an answer right away. In fact, I don't expect an answer right away." He pauses, looking at me, it is as if he is looking into my soul and I feel the sudden urge to apologize for every moment I disobeyed my matim or patera. "Have you heard of Robin?"
I nod immediately, recalling my times on the surface-world when my cousin would speak of the various heroes and I would later do my own research on them, "Yes, Batman's protégé."
He nods, "I would be honoured if you would become my – Aquaman's that is – protégé."
Breathing becomes difficult.
I nearly choke on my own saliva. I am frozen, unable to say anything. Matim and Patera are similarly shocked. They stare at Annex Orin unreservedly, jarred by the sudden proposition.
"Think about it. I do not need an answer right away," he says, rising. I have the sudden urge to bow but my shock keeps me stationary. He smirks, "Remember to keep it easy."
"Yes sir," I answer automatically.
He offers a warm smile that passes right over my head and then he leaves.
I have no idea what I say but it comes out high-pitched, like a squeak.
"Why don't you rest for a bit?" Patera suggests, putting his arm around my shoulders and hugging me with one arm. "You can think about this in the morning."
I shake at the one-armed hug and then turn and press my face into his chest, suddenly shaking uncontrollably. Immediately both of his arms wrap around me and I can feel Matim rubbing my back. The rubbing makes me cave completely and a strangled sob escapes my mouth.
"It'll be okay, Princess," Patera assures me as I cling to his shirt, still unable to stop hearing Captain Avares' screams and see the blood and the twisting and thrashing of her body as the electricity rips through her flesh just like the trident. "It'll be okay."
Matim sends reassuring thoughts through our telepathic link and hugs me from behind. Immediately my strangled sobs turn into full-blown sobbing.
::: We're right here, Rini. Right here. :::
::: I can still hear her screaming, Matim! I can still hear her! ::: Even my thoughts sound terrified.
Patera is rocking me back and forth like when I was ten. Matim was out and he wasn't Patera yet but he was looking after me because Matim had asked him to. I had a nightmare and he hugged me and held me the entire night. I didn't have any nightmares again that night.
"We're right here Princess," he repeats. "We're right here."
Poseidonis, Atlantis : November 11, 2007 – 12:52 UTC-03
"Annex, a girl named Kalladura'ham is here to see you," I hear Xander, the lean man with the green scales and long green hair, say.
A moment later he returns and smiles at me – I wonder if he knows why Annex Orin is interested in me, none of the media outlets have been saying anything about the fight with Ocean Master. He holds open the door leading into the office I was told to go to after being searched, deemed not a threat, and sent through about five other rooms, "He will see you, Miss."
I nod to him anxiously, "Thank you."
Xander smiles at me, "Just doing my job."
I swim past him and the door shuts behind me as I spot Annex Orin by the desk in the room. Prince Orm nods to me, smiling just barely, then leaves through a side door. Hastily, I salute Annex Orin and half-bow thanks to nerves, "Annex Orin, I apologize for the intrusion. If I had known that you were with the Prince I would have never-"
He's smiling, amused, so I trail off. He moves forward, "It is no intrusion, Kalladura'ham. I requested that you consider my offer. I expected you to be by sooner or later."
I nod, with no idea how to respond to that.
"How are you?" he questions. "I heard that you have been suffering from nightmares."
Where did he…?
"Er…yes sir," I confirm. "I have."
"I presume because of the attack."
I lower my eyes, "Yes sir."
"Please, call me Orin."
"Yes sir – Orin sir." I frown as I realize what I said.
"I am sorry you have suffered such things," he says, somber. "No one so young should have to."
"I am dealing with it, sir, and it was hardly your fault, but thank-you."
I consider the matter closed and he apparently does as well because he questions, "Have you considered my proposition?"
"Yes sir." I find my eyes darting about the office – dear Poseidon it is huge – and hastily refocus my attention on him. "I would be honoured to be your – Aquaman's – protégé."
His eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. I stiffen. He smiles, "You are certain? You have spoken to your parents and your instructors?"
"Yes sir. I will gladly accept your offer."
"Excellent."
"Annex…"
"Yes?"
"Garth – my friend – he said that you came to him with the same offer. Is that correct?"
"Yes it is. I assume you know of his decision?"
"Yes. He prefers to focus on his studies at the Conservatory, and he told you as such a couple days ago."
"He did. You do not wish to focus on your studies at the Conservatory?"
"May I speak frankly, sir?"
"Of course."
"I…" I hesitate. "I believe that I will benefit much more under your tutelage as your – Aquaman's – protégé rather than continuing to study at the Conservatory where my…physical limitations are quite present and debilitating."
"Understandable," he nods and I wonder if his wife Anassa Mera has informed him of my struggles at the Conservatory where she is Head. "Have you considered a name?"
"Like yours – Aquaman?"
"Yes."
"Not really."
"How would you feel about Aqualass?"
I hesitate. Frankly, I do not particularly like it, but it is Annex Orin's idea. It would be inappropriate, surely, to disagree with his idea. I smile hesitantly, "Sure."
He practically beams, "Excellent. Now, do you have the time to start establishing a training schedule?"
"Training schedule?"
"You have been trained by the Conservatory and academies but I still need to train you personally, Kalladura'ham. We will be working together quite a bit after all."
"Oh, yes, of course. I have time."
"After Mera and I believe you have reached an adequate level in your training we will begin operating as Aquaman and Aqualass in Atlantis. After some time here I will begin taking you to the surface-world where we can introduce you to the surface-dwellers and you can get used to fighting and investigating on land."
"Actually, Annex, I have been on the surface-world quite a number of times."
He raises his eyebrows again, "Really?"
"My Patera is…part-human and has family on the surface. We go and I visit my cousins," I explain. Well, he sort of is and I have no idea if Annex Orin knows of my Patera's involvement with Black Manta so I cannot simply mention that. Yes, he is the King of Atlantis and should probably know of Patera's former criminal activities but Patera is…my Patera. I cannot explain his past to Annex Orin without his permission. Perhaps later.
"I see."
"My Matim and Patera also take me to the surface-world for my birthday each year. It has become a tradition. As such I am reasonably familiar with the surface-world and I can speak English fluently."
"Excellent, that removes one adapting month from the schedule," Annex Orin says, looking delighted with that turn of events. "After we establish a basic schedule we'll start discussing uniforms, what do you think?"
I gnaw on my lower lip then ask hesitantly, "Must I wear orange?"
He laughs – he has a laugh that comes from the belly. "Not your favourite colour I take it!"
"No sir – Orin…sir."
"Of course not," he smiles, looking amused at my struggle to call him by his name. "My only requirements are that your torso is protected and you wear the glyph of Atlantis somewhere on it."
"I can do that."
"Excellent. Now, tell me what your schedule at the Conservatory is like."
A/N: In memory of all who've lost their lives due to war, and to those who have lost loved ones due to war.
In Flanders Fields was written by Major John McCrae, a Canadian army physician and poet who wrote it in 1915 near the centre of Ypres. (At the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915 was where the Canadians proved themselves an impressive fighting force while they were holding their ground against Chlorine Gas. FYI, this is generally marked as the first time gas was used on the Western Front. Major McCrae wrote In Flanders Fields while in the trenches.) Major McCrae died on January 28, 1918.
Here's a link to the full poem, just take out the spaces: inflandersfields .be / en / world-war-i-in-flanders / the-in-flanders-fields-poem
The last part of the poem I thought fit this chapter, both because of the deaths of the Atlantean soldiers and because of the line about the torch. Kalla is struggling to accept that she couldn't save many people, that this is what war – what she could be training for – may in fact be like and that she has the potential to be a completely incredible warrior despite the fact that at that moment, at that time she was unable to save as many lives as she wished she could, plus it's her King who sees her potential and is willing to pass on 'the torch' as it may be.
FYI, I have never been a part of the military myself. I merely know a number of military personnel and volunteer at a military museum. If I made a mistake about McCrae or Ypres, please inform me and I'll correct it.
R&R
