A blur of black enveloped Crystal by surprise and she felt a force throw her to the ground when Demara pushed her. But as the black receded around her, she figured out what had happened. Demara lay in a slump at her feet, a silvery arrow sticking out of her chest. She'd protected Crystal from her henchman's arrow. She'd saved Crystal's life.
"No!"
The strangled cry came from Marek as he leapt from the tree, dropping his bow before collapsing to the gravel where Demara had fallen. Her body shuddered and the shaft bobbed when she tried to draw breath. Crystal watched in stunned silence as Marek drew the mermaid into his arms, his face ashen.
"What the hell's the matter with you?" he demanded, his sea-green eyes glossing with tears. "I had her in my sights, and I could've ended this. Why would you sacrifice yourself for the likes of her? She would've killed you if she had the chance."
Demara grimaced. "It was the only way," she said softly, coughing as blood filled her lungs. She knew she had mere moments to live, and she wanted to make the most of it. She lifted a trembling hand to his face, wiping away the tears she found there.
"Don't be angry with me," she breathed. "You only repeated to me what you heard, and I don't blame you for that, but it seems we were misinformed."
"What?"
"What you heard…it was only half-truth. Andrew…did change the treaty, and had I not jumped to the wrong conclusions, I could be holding my son right now."
She shuddered. "But because of my foolishness, I've lost any hope of seeing my son again. At least, with my death, I can say I've done something good. I've made so many mistakes, with my son, the court…with you."
Marek's breath caught.
Demara smiled sadly. "You know what the bards say, 'a woman's heart is an ocean of secrets'. The truth is, I've loved you for thousands of years, but was so afraid that once my son was home, you'd leave me." She choked out a laugh. "But it looks like I'm the one that's leaving."
Her hand trailed from Marek's cheek to brush the bangs from his eyes, the fine hair soft between her fingers.
"I wish we had more time," Marek rasped, pressing his forehead to hers.
Demara smiled even as blood trickled past her lips. "Me too. But before I leave this place…while we still have a moment…kiss me, Marek. Kiss me once."
His heart in his throat, Marek closed the distance between them, pouring every ounce of love into the kiss, his lips tasting blood and the salt of the sea…or was it her tears? For a heartbeat, time stood still, and the past was erased. When the kiss broke, her violet eyes flickered to Crystal. "Please…tell my son…tell Derek who his mother was, and that she wishes things had turned out differently. Tell him…that no matter where he is, I will always be with him…forever."
The princess nodded, and Demara smiled and slumped further into Marek's arms. With a sigh, her body began to shimmer, orbs of amethyst swirling like fireflies. Marek sobbed as she faded from his embrace, the siren's essence floating on the wind. With it came the echo of a song, one not of lust and revenge, but of everlasting peace.
Demara was gone.
Marek still sat on the ground, his arms held tightly to him as if to capture the residual heat that Demara had left behind. Only an alien necklace was left of the mermaid, and he sadly looped it over his neck beside his own. At some point, Crystal's wings had faded, and she was once again in her soiled party dress. As he wept, she approached him and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry."
He sniffed, wiping his nose with his shirtsleeve. His blue-green eyes glittered in the rising sunlight.
"She just wanted her son," he whispered brokenly. "She didn't mean for any of this to happen, she…"
Crystal's hand squeezed as his shoulders shuddered with sobs. After a moment, she looked out onto the horizon. "We have to go back. Everyone is probably wondering where I am, and we have to tell them what happened."
Marek threw a contemptuous look over his shoulder. "And what makes you think I'd go anywhere with you?" he muttered. "Demara is dead because of you. I don't know what she saw in you, but I'm damn sure it's nothing worth dying for."
Crystal watched him with sympathy. "She saw the chance for a new future," she said. "I told her the truth. My father did rewrite the treaty, despite whatever false information you gathered. Our two races can finally live in peace. Demara chose to trust me…now it's your turn."
It was then he saw it, the inner glow that emanated from her eyes. That must've been what Demara saw, why she had valiantly stepped in front of the arrow. This girl possessed wisdom beyond her years, and it was at that moment that he glimpsed the queen she would one day become.
"Alright," he conceded. "Let's go."
Crystal smiled at him, but as she looked at the distance between them and the castle, she cursed. It was nearly sunrise, and she was farther from the palace than she initially thought.
"We're never going to make it in time," she said hopelessly. "The castle is leagues from here and Derek could be dead already."
Marek sighed as he got to his feet. "Your brother's alive, or else Demara wouldn't have disappeared like she did."
Sudden excitement lit Crystal's features. "So what are we waiting for? C'mon, let's go!"
She began to turn back towards the forest, but Marek called after her.
"Wait!"
She halted and spun to face him, her tangled hair flying behind her. A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "I know how we can get there faster. Follow me."
Impatient yet curious, she did as she was told, trailing him down a rocky path to the beach. Once there, he guided her to the water's edge; she eyed the vast span of water with a growing unease.
"We're swimming?"
Marek said nothing, but took off his boots and pulled his tunic over his head before tossing them to the sand.
"Uh, in case you haven't noticed, I'm in a dress, and even if I wasn't, there's no way I'd make it that far."
Amused at her petty excuse, he held out his hand to her. "Do you trust me?"
"Do I have a choice?"
He sighed again. "Just take my hand."
Despite her skepticism, she joined him until they were knee-deep in water. When she grasped his hand, she was shocked when she felt an alien power coursing through their clasped hands. All the while Marek was murmuring something unintelligible under his breath, his mesmerizing eyes boring into hers. She began to pull back and cease the flow of magic, but was startled when she heard his deep voice in her mind.
You have to trust me, or else this won't work. Just relax and let it happen.
Stunned, she only nodded, and as her breathing eased, the spell took its course, and in a few short moments a pale blue tail had sprouted where her legs had been. She gasped at the transformation, now moving with the ocean's current instead of against it. The water felt exhilarating against her scales, and made a shallow dive, whooping when she surfaced.
"This is incredible! Is this how you feel, every time you return to the ocean?"
He laughed as he joined her, having transformed as well. "Yes, most of the time. Now, we don't have a lot of time before the spell wares off, so I suggest we hurry."
Crystal nodded, her steel resolve returning.
"Let's go."
The room was silent. No screams echoed off the walls. The splatters of blood on the bed were fading to a dull copper, and Derek lay still in Andrew's arms. His eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling, the gray light of dawn penetrating the room. It didn't matter how many times his father called his name, or shook him frantically in search of a response…his son was gone. In a twisted sort of way, he thought the gods merciful for taking him so quickly, sparing him the torture of being burned by the sun's rays. The lifeless boy stared at him, his slightless green eyes boring into Andrew's subconscious. Andrew had to look away. Derek's tail hung limply over the bed, the scales dull and void of color. Emotionally spent, Andrew could do nothing but move out from under him, laying him gently back to the bed as though he had merely fallen asleep. He moved the bangs across his pale forehead, concealing the vicious burn the moon's light had caused. At least now he vaguely resembled the young man he'd grown to love over the summer, whom he was going to acknowledge as his son after the solstice was over. In the end, it was Derek who had breached the invisible barrier between them, and his whispered declaration still rang in Andrew's ears.
I love you Dad.
He had waited so long to hear those words, and it crushed him to know he would never hear them again. He gasped as stabbing cramps lanced up his legs from sitting so long, but he welcomed the pain, though it was but a distant echo of what his son had gone through. Grief had settled over him like a cloak, and it was in that state of mind that he finally unbolted the door and emerged into the hall.
One only had to look once at Andrew's face to know what had transpired. Mina's hands flew to her mouth and her eyes filled anew with tears.
"No…oh God no," Rose whimpered, arms wrapped around her middle. Rini and Serena went to her as she crumpled to the floor, holding her as she gave in to her grief. Darien hovered over all of them, gazing at his brother with growing concern. As he had predicted, what Andrew had experienced had shattered his very being, and only a dry husk of a man remained. He'd been in that place before, having lost Serena on numerous occasions, but unlike those circumstances, there was nothing that could call Derek back from the void. He was dead, and it would take all the strength he had to try and piece this family back together. Swallowing tears of his own, he approached Andrew carefully.
"Andy," he said gently. "I…" he trailed off, the words clogged in his throat. What could one say at a time like this? 'This too shall pass'? 'He's in a better place now'? Every response would ring cold and untrue in Andrew's ears, so he opted for a heavy sigh, conveying his compassion in a meaningful look.
"Don't say anything." Andrew's voice was barely a whisper, so low Darien could barely hear it. "I know you did everything you could."
Darien clenched his jaw to keep it from trembling. "I wish it were enough."
Andrew could only nod-he found that anything else was beyond his capacity. Even as the corridor gradually filled with light, he only felt his world grow darker. It was at that moment that Stefan discreetly entered, taking in the mournful scene with a heavy heart and despite Darien's unspoken warning he addressed his sovereign.
"I am so sorry for your loss," he said gravely. His eyes flickered toward the closed door, and what lay beyond it. "I do not mean to be insensitive, but if he is to be buried, I suggest it be done sooner rather than later. If you wait any longer-"
The movement was so swift Stefan barely registered it, and he suddenly found his arm in Andrew's vice-like grip, his eyes like shards of emerald glass.
"No one touches him." His tone was low and carried a lethal edge. "You so much as lay a finger on the doorknob and I'll have you arrested for treason. Do I make myself clear?"
Stefan winced as more pressure was applied. He managed a nod.
"Yes, your Majesty."
Andrew roughly released him, and he backed out of the king's presence, acknowledging Mina's silent apology as he passed. After the chief healer had gone, the silence resumed. It was a heavy thing, hanging like a shroud over the group. Andrew seemed to shrink before them, weighed down by the death of his son. He passed a hand over his eyes, tears flowing anew from some deep reservoir within him. Mina approached him at last, and for the first time that night, he let her embrace him. He clung to her desperately, as though he were drowning, trying to keep himself afloat, and with little success. The only words Mina could decipher through his tears were, 'my son…my boy', and it broke her again and again. It seemed a few moments lasted an eternity, but eventually the torrent of emotions abated and he looked up.
"Where's Crystal?" he asked hoarsely.
Mina leaned away from him, still brushing the tears from his face. "She…left a few hours ago when…when it was still early on. I don't know where she would've gone, but I think she's alright, otherwise…"
To distract himself from things he did not want to face, he focused on the one child he still had, and at that moment, mere speculation wasn't good enough.
"I'm going to look for her."
The others protested, but he would hear none of it.
"Crystal's the only one I have left, and as long as that witch still lives, she could be in danger." He faltered for a moment. "I just…want to make sure she's safe."
Without waiting for a response, he turned briskly and began walking down the hall and into the main foyer. The beginnings of another Venusian summer day played out beyond the windows, but the king was indifferent to its beauty. He only saw the front doors, the dire quest of finding his daughter his only mission, and his only solace. So driven was he that it was a second before he realized the grand doors were being opened, flooding the corridor with light, and the silhouette of a woman stood in its glow. For a wild moment he thought it was Demara, come to revel in her victory, and he lunged toward her, but the innocent voice stopped him short.
"Daddy!"
The grief-induced haze lifted, and he saw his daughter, her dress muddied and her hair a tangled mess, and the way her face fell when she saw him.
"Oh God…we're too late."
Andrew blinked; it was as though everything was happening in slow motion, and he was waiting for his mind to catch up to what she was saying.
"Too late?" he repeated.
Crystal swallowed hard. "We…we came as quickly as we could. Daddy, so much has happened I don't even know where to start. I found Demara and I tried to reason with her, but she attacked me." She skipped over the part of being thrown from the cliff, and the sprouting of her wings; by the look on his face, she knew he wouldn't be able to handle it. "But just when she was gaining the upper hand, I managed to tell her the truth and I finally got her to trust me. And then…"
Her gaze drifted away, and for the first time Andrew noticed the man standing beside her, water dripping from his blonde locks. He'd seen him before, at the party with Demara, and it seemed apparent that the two were allies. It was as if a bolt had struck him, and he turned his full gaze on Marek.
"How dare you show your face here," he growled. "My son lies dead down the hall, and that bitch sends you to gloat over my family's demise because she's too much of a coward to face my wrath herself."
With tears in his eyes, Marek stumbled forward and sank to his knees in front of Andrew.
"I humbly beg your forgiveness, your Majesty," he said. "I felt Demara was in danger, and I couldn't let anything happen to her. She and I…we were lovers my lord."
Andrew's features hardened. "Lovers?"
Marek gave a trembling nod, and his words came spilling out. "Y-yes, your Majesty. My affection for her blinded my judgment and I…shot an arrow toward your daughter, intent on killing her. It was a tremendous error on my part and I am so sorry I ever did it. If you can forgive a love struck fool you but say the word and you will never see me again I swear it. Please I beg of you…"
He sputtered to a halt, no longer able to hold Andrew's gaze. He knelt shaking at the king's feet, shutting his eyes against the blow that was sure to come his way. Then there came a sound that so startled him that he jumped. A sharp laugh burst from Andrew, echoing throughout the corridor. Bewildered by the noise, the rest of the family filtered into the foyer, eyebrows furrowing at Andrew's sudden hysterics. Marek chanced a look at his sovereign and smiled hopefully.
"I must be losing my mind," the king said between bouts of laughter. "My son has died, and there's still room enough for a happy ending. A rouge merman falls in love with a treasonous siren and suddenly becomes the valiant hero, vowing to protect her even if he risks his own life to do so."
Marek blinked. "But my lord, there's more to the story…"
"Yes, I was just getting to that," he said. He spread his arms wide, now encompassing the group as though he were a playwright delivering the final lines. "The merman's target was none other than the king's daughter, and though he did not complete his quest and slay the woman who stood between him and his beloved, he went to the king, begging for clemency. Being a fair and merciful lord, the king granted the merman's request, and he and his lady love swam off into the sunset…a love story for the ages!"
Laughter overtook him again, and Marek let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps all might yet be well, and Marek would be free to return to his homeland, virtually unscathed.
"But this isn't a fairy tale."
The statement came hard and sharp, and Marek's face fell. The king's eyes narrowed and darkened as they squared with Marek's own.
"My son is dead. And there are no happy endings. Not for anyone. And especially not for you."
Crystal noticed the change in her father's expression. His eyes hallowed, void of life, and his face went a ghastly, horrid white. She approached him, but heard her uncle's voice cry out to her.
"Crystal!" Darien shouted. "Crystal, get away from him."
"Daddy. Daddy, please listen." She cried to Andrew, watching his eyes transform to something dark and evil, like a solar eclipse within his irises. On his forehead, the Venus symbol radiated, pulsing amber, matching his eyes. She reached towards him, begging him to stop, but when he turned his face toward her she felt a force unlike anything she had ever encountered. It was dark, unconquerable, and she recognized this man before her, not as her father but as a monster from some other place. All Crystal knew, in an instant, was fear.
Petrified to the point of paralysis, she felt a dull relief when Darien's arms encircled her and threw her in the direction of her mother and the rest of the group. Crystal could hear her uncle shouting, but couldn't make out what he was saying. The monster—her not-father—glowed a strange amber hue and its power caused the castle to moan and shake, sending large chunks of stone crashing to the floor. One narrowly missed Darien as he reached his brother and begged him to stop.
"Andy! Andy!" He shouted. Andrew stared forward, unresponsive, fixated on nothing in particular. Unaffected by the aura, Darien grasped his brother's shoulders sternly, trying not to expose the fear and amazement growing within him.
"Andy, please look at me." He whispered softly.
Andrew obliged. As sapphire eyes met ever-glowing amber, Darien was launched across the room some hundred feet, slamming into a great clock and cracking its face before falling to the floor in a bloody broken heap. From Andrew's shoulders, black wings sprang and stretched. He resembled some dark angel, glowing and demonic, his aura gaining strength as he focused again on Marek. The destruction continued, the castle giving way to the will of this creature standing within it. Crystal heard her mother shouting towards her father, but knew she dare to go near him. Her father's gentle tenor was now a booming, otherworldly baritone as he towered over a cowering Marek and spoke to him:
"You and your kind have killed my son. You will forfeit your life for every last one of them, over and over, until your debt is repaid. You will die a million times for being party to his suffering. You will know what you put my son through, and it is at my hands that you will do it. I will kill you. I will make you cough up blood until your lungs give out; until your skin burns and stretches and disintegrates from your body; until you understand what you've done."
Without warning, the group saw Marek levitate into the air at Andrew's bidding. His body was encased in an amber prison, and the screaming began. Marek transformed again into a merman, and then back into a human in a matter of moments. Being on shore and away from the ocean, the pain was vast and substantial, torturous for Marek. He begged for his life, and every time he did, Andrew commenced the change faster and with more flair.
"You dare beg for mercy when you show my son none? You will know nothing of mercy for the rest of your life. You will die frightened, deformed, and choking as you have done to my only son! You dare threaten my children? You kill my son and attempt to slay my daughter and you expect to get away with it? I hope your cries reach the farthest depths of the ocean and speak to all your people so they might know what descends upon them. May they send their strongest armies! All of you will perish, but you the most of all!"
At that the screaming grew greater, and Crystal was pulled back from her fear. This creature was not her father, but a demon she would have to face. She had to restore the king to her people, and it was with this courage she charged forward, ignoring the panicked cries of her mother as they echoed behind her. Her platinum hair whipped in the wind swirling about the room, and she dodged the dust and rubble that this force created. Working her way along the wall, she came to the front of him and faced his beastly form.
"Daddy! You must stop this!" She shouted. He snarled at her, and tried to push her back. She resisted and continued. "Daddy! He did this out of love! You must understand! Love makes you do stupid, moronic things! It makes you do things without thinking!"
"He knew what he did, girl! If you defend him, you are just as bad as he is." With these words, he broke his focus on Marek and shot a quick glance at her, pushing her back against the wall with great force. Mina screamed and began to run for her, but the group held her back.
Crystal stood, sliding against the wall.
"This isn't you! My father is a merciful, wise, and just king. He is loving and compassionate. You are not my father!"
He threw her back again. Marek continued to scream, his amber chamber filling with sprays of blood. Mina shouted to Crystal.
"Crystal! Stop! Get out of there!" She looked to Darien, who lay lifeless on the floor, and it struck fear into her heart.
Crystal stood again. "He did this for her! If you thought that your lover would die at the hands of another, you would protect them wouldn't you?"
"He did this for his own selfish gains!" Andrew cried.
"No, he didn't!" She shouted, getting weaker under the force. "He did this because he loves her, and what he thought he saw. Daddy! You're in there, listen to me."
"Shut up, you little wretch!" And he threw her again against the wall, with all the force he had to spare.
Crystal slumped against the marble, and Mina ran for her, escaping the group. She had almost reached her daughter through the wind, when she saw the girl open her pale blue eyes.
"Crystal! I demand you stop this, now!" Mina shouted.
"I have to save daddy!" She struggled to get up.
"Crystal! No! He'll kill you!" Mina begged. Marek screamed. Crystal pressed onward.
"Daddy!" She shouted. "Daddy I know you're in there! You have to fight this, daddy! Fight it with all your might!"
Andrew growled and more blood filled Marek's prison. Windows in the palace shattered, and the castle shook furiously.
"Daddy, you know he didn't do this out of revenge! He did it because he loved her! To protect her! He made a terrible choice," she paused, as if remembering something, and her crystalline eyes widened in realization and she got as close to him as possible and screamed at the top of her lungs, "but, haven't you ever been totally gone on someone?"
All at once, the wind in the room stopped, and the shaking settled. Andrew's wings dissipated in a matter of seconds. The bloodied prison around Marek disappeared, and his body fell forty feet to the marble, the sun shone through as it had been before everything began. Andrew's eyes returned to their marvelous emerald green, and his skin regained color, and with a single exhale, he collapsed into Crystal's arms.
Darien was the first to wake. He gazed up at his wife, who loomed over him with tears in her eyes.
"This looks familiar," he joked, chuckling a little, only to wince as the air passed through his chest.
"Try not to move," Amy said gently. "You probably have a few broken ribs. How's your breathing?" She looked concerned, yet practiced.
"Don't fuss over me. I'm fine," he said, wiping the blood from his eyes as it dripped from the wound on his forehead. "How's Andy?"
"He collapsed after the episode," Helios replied, stoic and calm. "It appears the King of Venus is not the powerless man we assumed."
"So it would seem," the king replied.
"Papa, I can't believe he would do that to you." Rini looked as scared as her mother.
"Rini, it's alright. It's not his fault. He couldn't control himself."
"It's true my love. I would suspect his highness will awake to a crowd of people and a broken castle and not remember a thing of what has happened." Helios comforted her.
Lita, Ken, and Greg headed towards Marek. The sight they beheld when they reached him nauseated each of them. There on the floor, a half transformed Marek lay still. His legs were still human, but fused together in parts. On his right arm, a fin had come out from an old wound, tearing the skin to shreds. His gills were open on one side of his neck, and scales dotted his face in patches. His hair was caked with blood, and his skin was a jaundiced, sickly yellow color. He was neither man nor merman, but a heap of some half-blood creature; and most likely dead.
In the center, the largest crowd gathered around Andrew. Mina shook him furiously, trying to wake him as he lay in Crystal's lap. Stefan grabbed her shoulder and caught her attention. He smiled at her, sweetly, airing his assurance, and she calmed down. Stefan placed a practiced hand on the king, at the center of his chest.
"He's gone through a lot. His body is surging with power." As he said this, Raye rested her hands on Andrew's arm and began reciting a Martian healing charm.
"What happened to him?" Crystal asked.
"I'm not sure. But what we now know is that the king has incredible power resting dormant within him."
"Yeah, dark power that he can't control. That's comforting." Chad remarked.
"We must first learn of this power and its true origins before we can take action in controlling it. I always suspected the king's powers to rival his brother's, and so it seems to be the case. And it appears his daughter might be a driving force in this as well." He smiled at Crystal. She returned the gaze and spotted her mother looking at her.
"Mom? What's wrong?"
Mina was silent a moment, but then replied with a tinge of shame in her voice. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, and I'm sorry I didn't trust your ability to take care of yourself. You took him on with no fear, and I'm so proud of you."
Crystal smiled and shrugged. "It's no biggie. I get it from my mom."
Mina smiled and hugged her.
It took the group a second to place it, but when a groan rose from around them, they looked down to see Andrew's eyes, open and aware, staring around in confusion.
"Your majesty, welcome back." Stefan said.
The king said nothing, but continued to stare.
"Andrew, can you hear us? Say something." Mina said.
There was a pregnant pause, as the king found his breath. He spoke weakly, after a moment.
"My back hurts."
Chad laughed. "Yeah, sprouting black wings tends to do that to a guy."
"What?" Andrew began to sit up.
"Your highness," Stefan addressed Chad, "perhaps it would be wise to refrain from triggering the memories."
"He has to know what happened here." Chad said in the first kingly statement he had uttered all day.
Andrew soaked in the conversation and the people around him. He looked up at the ruined castle and the debris. He saw Crystal battered and beaten, Mina's tangled hair. He noticed an absence of Darien, and heard Raye still strong in her Martian charm. He looked at Mina, panicked.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Honey, perhaps we should get you checked up fi—"
"WHAT HAPPENED?" Andrew shouted towards her, confused.
"Daddy!" Crystal shouted, placing a hand on his arm as gently as possible. "It's OK."
"Where's Darien? Why isn't he here?" Andrew motioned to get up. Stefan fought him down, but he pressed through and rose up to see the crowds in the wreckage. He recognized Serena's face, the face she gets when she's worried. He started to run towards them, only to have a great pain rise up in his whole body.
"Andy! Slow down! You've been through a lot." Chad said, helping his ailing form off the floor.
"Chad, tell me right now. What happened?"
"You don't remember anything?"
"The only thing I remember is seeing Crystal with that merman. Where is he, come to think of it?" Andrew was confused, and trying hard to remember what happened.
Chad looked back at the crowd and towards Marek's group, "He's indisposed right now."
Crystal stepped in. She cautiously approached her father and embraced him. "Daddy, I'm so glad you're OK."
He was still a moment, but eventually wrapped his arms around her.
She continued, buried in his chest. "You went through something. Something that's hard to explain."
Stefan took his cue. "Your majesty, you have experienced a power break just now. Enraged at the presence of Marek, and the fact that Crystal had just returned from a battle with him in which she could have lost her life, you transformed."
Mina continued. "You became this…thing. This dark, evil thing I've never seen before."
Andrew went pale.
"You sprouted wings, like I said. Your power shook the castle to its foundations." Chad finished.
Andrew stared at Serena. "And Darien?"
"He…" Crystal began. But Mina interrupted her, putting her hands on either side of his face.
"He tried to stop you, but you caught him off guard I think."
He grasped her hand. "What did I do?"
Mina hesitated to answer, so Raye stepped in.
"You…You threw him into that clock." She said it gently, and pointed to the broken clock face.
Andrew looked and turned back a second later, tears welling in his eyes. He moved towards the group again, slowly this time, and made it there. He saw Darien resting on Serena's lap, his eyes closed.
"Darien!" Andrew shouted, openly crying. "Darien! Oh God!"
Darien's eyes shot open, and he looked to his brother. "Dude, chill out. I'm fine."
Andrew stopped and looked up. In an instant, he was filled with joy and embraced his brother, much to Darien's chagrin.
"Ah! Ribs! Broken! Please no hugging!"
Andrew backed off, apologetic. His face filled with shame. "I'm sorry…I…I don't know what—"
"Forget it." Darien said, waving him off. "You couldn't control yourself. I know that. I know you wouldn't have done what you did if it had been you in here just minutes ago."
"What else did I do?"
Rini pointed. "You had that guy encased in a prison of amber. You were making him go through what Derek went through…about once every minute."
Andrew looked at the small crowd in that direction and turned back with shame.
"What else? What brought me out of this?"
There was a concerned quiet as the group looked at each other, and at Crystal. She nodded and got close to her father.
"I did."
Andrew looked sick. "What?"
"I did, Daddy. I was trying to explain to," she paused, "to that thing that took hold of you that Marek shot an arrow at me because he was trying to save the woman he loved."
All at once, the battle came streaking into his mind. He saw his daughter slammed against the wall, he heard the screaming in the background, he saw her get up and come towards him again only to be struck against the wall once more. He felt the hatred. He felt the rage. He felt the power. And all at once, Andrew was weeping.
"Oh God! Crystal!" He grabbed her, embraced her with full force and brought her to him. "My daughter! I tried to kill you! Oh God!"
"It's OK, Daddy." She whispered. "It wasn't you. It was the rage. You lost yourself."
He wept. "What happened to the merman?"
Suddenly, Lita approached the group and addressed Darien.
"D, we're gonna need your help over here."
Darien became serious. "How bad is he?"
Lita looked at the back of Andrew's head. "He's bad."
Darien rose up slowly, with help from Helios and Serena and walked arm in arm towards Marek. The group followed, Andrew included and they all came upon the sight at once.
Andrew looked at the deformed figure lying before him, and visions of the amber chamber, the blood, and the screaming streaked through his mind. He turned suddenly, stricken to the core, and vomited behind the group. Darien knelt down and placed his hands upon Marek, who was cold and lifeless. They radiated a bright blue light, and he surged energy into the man's body.
"It didn't work on Derek. What if it doesn't work here?" Ken asked.
"We have to try." Amy said, quietly.
There was a time of anxious observation, and the group started to notice the fins receding into Marek's skin. The wounds healed, and his skin color was restored. The scales disappeared, and his legs became two once again. His hair and clothes still caked with blood, he began to stir. Stefan knelt beside Darien and placed his hands on his chest.
"He will live," said the healer, assuredly.
Crystal smiled and sighed in relief, placing a hand on her father's back as he wretched.
"Everyone's OK. You didn't kill anyone. It's gonna be OK."
Andrew stopped and took a deep breath. He stood slowly and turned towards her. "But I could have."
He embraced her again, rubbing his cheek in her hair and holding her close to his chest. "Oh, Crystal. My baby girl." He squared his gaze with her. "I'm sorry!" He wept. "I could have killed you and I would have done it with a smile on my face. Oh God…I…I…" he couldn't speak, but only weep.
She hugged his face to her chest. "It's alright, Daddy. I was strong enough to beat you, because you made me so strong. It's OK. It wasn't you. It wasn't you."
Mina closed in on the two of them, and Andrew locked eyes with her.
"I'm so glad you came back to me," she said, tears welling up.
"If I am able, I always will," he replied, embracing her and kissing her forehead, taking in the scent of her hair. It calmed him.
"I was so wrapped up in Derek," he continued. He looked at the group. "I couldn't stand the thought that I had lost him. And I took it out on whatever I could." He focused again on Crystal, "including you."
"I know. And we'll get through this together. We'll mourn Derek together. I'm sorry I couldn't save him." Now she began to cry.
Andrew looked at her. "You did so much more than anyone ever asked of you. I'm proud of you. I couldn't ask for a better daughter." He wiped the tears from her eyes.
She smiled weakly. "I just wish he could be here with us."
Andrew cupped her cheek. "I know. Me too. I just wish I could hear him call me his father one more time."
The group stood together, arms locked, and soaked in the air of peace that surrounded everything, taking a moment of silence to remember Derek.
Their reverie was broken when a ruckus was heard at the head of the room, coming from inside the castle. The great doors swung open and dust kicked up into the dawning light. A figure approached them, and the group stood strong. Darien stepped forward, Andrew as well, to rise up against whatever was coming for them. The figure wore tattered clothes, the loose fabric silhouetted against the brightening grey sky. It walked towards them and out into the light, and Andrew's breath caught in his chest.
"Dad," Derek gasped. His once emerald green eyes now shone a bright, apple green, and widened in surprise at the sight of the group.
The look was returned as they took in the sight of him. His skin was porcelain, his hair as black as night, save for the streak of blonde in his bangs that fell into his eyes. Behind the blonde, a blue-green Earth symbol pulsed from his forehead. His ears were back to what they had been, a strange hybrid of pointed and round. Around him, light emanated an atmosphere of strength and health. Derek was as strong as he had ever been, and he was alive. Wrapped around his wrist, clinging securely against his flowing veins, his mother's seashell bracelet glistened in the graying light, restored. Rose was behind him, her face a mixture of joy, surprise, and relief.
They approached him with something akin to awe, as if the figure before them wasn't real. Andrew eyed him, taking in every detail, embedding it into his memory. With an air of reverence, and paying especial attention to the white-blonde streak in Derek's hair, Andrew reached forward and gently placed his hands around Derek's face.
"How are you here?" Andrew whispered, his eyes raking over him, moving his hair to look into his eyes.
"I don't know. I…I just am." Derek was breathless. "I was as I had died…a merman, floating in darkness, content to stay like this forever. I knew no pain, and everything here was so far away. But as I prepared to resign myself to silence, I saw," he paused, eyeing his wrist. "I saw my mother. She was there in the darkness too. She spoke to me, and I could hardly understand her. But," he motioned his hands in front of his chest, signifying something deep within himself, "I felt her sadness and remorse as if they were my own. And her love. I understood in an instant why all of this happened. I wanted to stay with her, but she pushed me back, and I woke up on the bed as if I had been sleeping since the party."
Rose nodded. "I watched him change back." She took his hand gently and laced her fingers into his and brought their joined hands forward. "I never thought I'd see this again," she said, regarding the bracelet.
"I never thought I'd see you again." Derek said to her, whispering into the crook of her neck.
She smiled and turned away, a flush rapidly filling her face.
"So, not to spoil the moment, but what's with the highlights, dude?" Chad chimed in. Raye elbowed him in the ribs and he left out a burst of air. "What? I just didn't know Limbo had salon services." Raye shook her head and smiled, unable to contain her amusement at the statement. Derek smiled too, and grabbed the platinum locks.
"I'm not sure, actually."
"I can answer that," came a voice from behind them. Derek stared at its source; eyeing Marek as he stood slowly. "Anteaus has undergone Omiotatus. The Resemblance. It is a phenomenon within the realms of our people. If one parent of a merchild dies, the physical characteristics of that merchild will change to resemble the parent that lives. Since Demara is dead, Derek's Atlantian genes worked to make him take after his father. Thus, he has blonde in his hair and his eyes are greener. The symbol on his forehead is part of it as well."
"Instant evolution! Survival of the fittest like no one has ever seen! Extraordinary!" Amy exclaimed, clearly impressed.
Derek grinned wide and looked at Andrew, who took him in his arms with a hearty laugh. "I guess it's official. You have two kids now," Derek joked.
By all accounts, highness," Marek addressed Derek, "you are now a prince of Venus. Even our people would say so." He did his best to bow deeply in courtesy, still weak from the ordeal. He remained with his head down and spoke to Andrew.
"Your majesty, to repay my treason, I am at your mercy. What you would do with me, so may it be done." He was stoic and regal, showing no fear in the face of possible annihilation.
An air of seriousness enveloped the room, and Andrew gazed on the weakened man. He spoke strongly, as he always did in formal affairs. "Marek, would you live if you had authority to in this moment?"
"Highness?" he questioned, not understanding.
"If I were to let you live, would that please you most? Or do you wish to join your beloved in a world beyond this one?"
It was a striking question, filled with philosophy. Marek relaxed his bow to a casual stance and considered what his answer might mean. After some thought, he replied strongly. "I believe I should live, sir. I am not yet finished with this life as I see it."
Andrew smiled at his response. What he did next surprised everyone. He looked at Crystal, and addressed her sweetly, as he did when addressing his children. "Knowing this, my daughter, what would you have him do to serve his sentence for treason?" He smiled at her and motioned to Marek. "He tried to kill you. Not me. It seems only fitting that you decide his punishment."
Crystal smiled and stepped towards him.
"Kneel," she said, drawing the sword straight and parallel to her arm.
He did so, a look of confusion crossing his face. Unsure of what was to happen, he bowed his head.
"Marek of Atlantis, for your treasonous crimes, I, Crystal, Crown Princess of Venus, see fit to punish you to a life filled with the fullest of joys. You are to live as happily as a man should and can, given the circumstances. You are to share this joy with the spirit of your one true love, Demara, until you are gone from this world. Your joy will reward her for saving my life, and your work in having her enjoy it will clear your name from my otherwise ruthless wrath."
The group, and even Marek, chuckled at this line.
"So I see it, so shall it be written." She tapped the sword on both of his shoulders, and he rose to meet her gaze. She smiled at him, smirking cutely. Marek couldn't contain his gratefulness, and embraced her. She received him whole heartedly.
"Thank you, your majesty," he said.
"You're welcome. Now, get back to the water before my reputation is ruined." She winked, and he turned to leave.
Marek made it all the way to the bridge, some twenty feet before the beach began, when a hand rested upon his shoulder. He turned to see Derek panting, having run after him.
"I'm glad I caught you in time," the boy said breathlessly. "I wanted to catch you, because, given the circumstances, I'm not sure you'll ever come back to land."
Marek didn't say anything, but smiled at him.
"There's still so much I don't know," Derek continued. "So much about our people and our culture and my mother. And I think you're the only one who could ever tell me what she was really like."
Marek laughed. "It's only natural that you're curious. Your mother put me through hell just to know what you looked like. You are so much like her, Anteaus."
He smiled. "I want to know about the happy times, before all this. How did she grow up? Was she popular or does any of that even matter in Atlantis?"
"It matters," he replied, dryly. His face fell at the mention of Demara's family. "You have an aunt, Adriana. A wild, bafoonish harpy of a mermaid. It's best she never know you exist, for your sake. She is a piece of work. Nothing like your mother."
"What was she like?"
"Your mother?"
Derek nodded.
Marek looked off into the sunset, recollecting the memories he had of Demara before the exile.
"Before the solitude, where she began to wither into a shell of the woman she really was, your mother was the most charismatic, engaging, and fantastic woman I've ever met. She was smart, charming, and loving. But at the top of her list of talents was motherhood. When you were born, she sheltered you for as long as she could. She hid you from the world, but did not hide the world from you. She taught you everything she knew, and worked everyday to provide you with strength. She did this under a fear of being discovered that was so great, other people would have buckled beneath it. But not her. Your safety and happiness was all she ever worked for. When you were taken from her, and left on the beach to die, it destroyed what she was. She became a shadow in exile, and that, unfortunately, is the version of your mother that you encountered. The frightened, panicking woman she had transformed into. I loved her through it all, knowing what she was under all the fear and hate, and it is for this reason that I tried to assist her in bringing you back. For every misunderstanding, and every sadness I have caused, you must know I am sorry. But, as it often does, death has a way of bringing out the best version of a person. Your mother died doing what she had done most of her life, protecting you. When she realized her spell would kill you, she sacrificed herself and saved you. She even saved Crystal in the process. As I held her in my arms in those last moments, I saw in her eyes what had so long been faded away; a brightness renewed. She died loving you as she had all those years ago, Anteaus. She died understanding what she had done wrong. You have to know that about your mother, because she deserves to be remembered for that."
Through tears, the men stared at one another. Derek felt a huge emptiness within himself, a hole that he knew his mother would never fill. He recognized that Marek was incomplete as well. He hugged the man before him, and thanked him over and over.
Marek broke the embrace and reached to his collar. From underneath it, he pulled the pendant suspended on twine that matched the tattoo on the back of Derek's neck.
"This was your mother's. It is the symbol of our people. I want you to have it so you never forget where you came from, at least partly." He tried to hang it over Derek's neck, but the boy backed away.
"I can't take this from you." He was respectful in his tone.
Marek smiled. "I want you to have it. Please. She used to play with it with you when you were a child. I gather that some part of you remembers that, since you have a likeness of it tattooed on you."
"But what about you?" Derek was insistent.
"Don't worry about me," he assured him as he placed the pendant around Derek's neck. "I have a thousand years of memories to remember her by."
Marek turned and began to walk to the beach. His feet met the sand before he heard Derek shout after him.
"Wait!"
Marek turned to meet Derek's apple green eyes. In his hand, the prince held the bracelet that was once around his wrist.
"Please, take this."
Marek hesitated, shaking his head.
"Please," Derek pressed. "So that you know you have both of us."
A twinge of red ran through Marek's face as he fingered the bracelet gently from Derek's grasp. He slipped it around his wrist and admired it.
"It's like her."
Derek smiled.
"If you ever have any questions; if you ever need anything…I am here, without question." Marek said, backing up towards the water.
Derek nodded, clutching the pendant.
"Good luck, prince. Be careful. I trust this treaty might insight some riot."
"You, as well." Derek said, waving him goodbye.
Marek returned the gesture as he reached the water, and all at once, Derek saw a great blue green tail grow out of the waves. Marek disappeared beneath the surf, and was gone as the grey sunrise gave way to a clear blue day.