Note: Finally! I've updated! In between working on "The Dark Magician's Trap" I've been thinking really hard on how to set up this plot! It was worth it! So now before I distract you even further, here's the new chapter of "Blue Eyes White Mermaid"! Enjoy!
Chapter 21: The Call to Arms
News of Bakura's Draconic Horde had spread all over Aria and the undersea kingdom since the day the new generation of Dragon Knight champions have been chosen. Villagers were running in fear for their lives, practically abandoning their homes in order to escape from the destruction they hoped would never occur. Karim and Mystra helped with the evacuation on land, of course, but just close to shore there was a different kind of gathering…
Seto stared long at the scene around him, and he still couldn't believe it. There were warriors everywhere he looked, from all walks of life, from simple soldiers to grand knights in armor like himself. Standing out from the crowd were the four other chosen ones: Joey, in his usual clothes, with Obsidian; Mai, clad in leather armor, with her Harpie's pet dragon; Princess Tea, in her armor, with Seiyaru; and Prince Atemu with Slifer. Seto was himself with his four Blue Eyes White Dragons, Azrael, Djibril, Ibris and Azure. And close by the group stood Shadi, Tristan, Serenity and Duke. Mahaado and Mana, in their human forms, was also among the group. When they learned that Atemu was the leader of a new generation of Dragon Knight champions, they were determined to help him out in the coming war against the Horde. Together, they all stared at the shore, waiting. Finally, Kuriboh squealed and started bouncing up and down, pointing in the direction of the sea. Everyone looked, and Mana asked the little monster, "What is it, Kuriboh?"
Atemu simply replied, "They're here." And he was right. The first thing that came into view from the distance was Mako Tsunami, Great White, and Ruby riding their Fortress Whale and as it came closer, it became more obvious that they were not alone. Surging forward like a massive tidal wave was an army of aquatic warriors, most of which consisted of various Deep Dwellers and Dolphin Folk. Each carried a weapon fit for watery battles, like spears, tridents, nets and the like. Some rode upon aquatic monsters, while others jumped in and out of the water with skill and grace. Many let out a melodious war cry that echoed in the ears of the land warriors. None of them stopped until they were close to the waters that led to the shore, and when Atemu and Seto looked over to the army, their eyes widened in surprise. There, right in front of them, was a certain white mermaid with ocean blue eyes.
"Seto! Atemu!" she called out, swimming towards them.
"Kisara!" Seto shouted, "What are you doing here?!"
"I'm here to help you!" Kisara replied.
"No Kisara," Atemu said, "It's too dangerous! You could get hurt in the battlefield!"
"But Big Brother--" Kisara said.
"He's right Kisara," Seto interrupted, "We don't want you to put your life at risk just to help us!"
"Please, listen to me!" Kisara pleaded, "You and Atemu have always been kind enough to help me at the risk of your own lives, so at least let me get a chance to return the favor!" The two men were so astounded by the white mermaid's determination that they just stared at her, utterly speechless. They would have remained so had Mako not call out to them.
"Ahoy there!" he shouted over the noise of the aquatic warriors, "My crew and I are ready to harpoon some evil dragons!"
"Glad you're here to help!" Seto said.
"Oh, by the way—Atemu, your parents are on their way here!"
Atemu's eyes widened in surprise. "What, really? But why are they coming here?!" That question was about to be answered, for he soon saw several more figures approaching. Three of them were swimming like crazy, and it turned out to be Solomon, Ishizu and Marik. And in a giant scallop shell chariot drawn by actual dolphins, sat King Akunumkanon, carrying his trident with his Queen by his side.
"Oi, I'm getting too old for this!" Solomon muttered just as he reached the waters near the shore. Marik and Ishizu arrived soon after.
"Hey Bro!" Marik exclaimed, "Mom and Dad want to talk to you. And bring Mahaado and Mana over here too, it's really important!" Mahaado and Mana stared at the scoundrel in astonishment, then looked at each other. What plan does the King have in store for them? Shadi, upon noticing the royal couple, stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Greetings Your Majesties." Shadi said, "You must be the parents of Atemu, Dragon Knight of Exalted Action, correct?"
"That is correct." King Akunumkanon replied politely.
"As the High Priest of Bahamut, it is an honor to finally meet you." Shadi said reverently. The King simply nodded in acknowledgement.
"I have heard about you through my eldest son." He said, "Perhaps you can help me with something right now."
"I would be honored." Shadi said.
"Mahaado, Mana," Akunumkanon called out, "Please step forward." Again, the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl gave a look of surprise, but nevertheless, they did as the King requested. With everyone watching, the Queen took out a beautiful conch shell.
"The Great Claw you have faced before will be more powerful than you can ever imagine," the Queen said, "and thus more dangerous. This is why we are to bestow upon you a gift that can help you in this battle. Please take it." And with that, she blew the conch shell. Suddenly, to everyone's amazement, two summon circles lit from underneath Mahaado and Mana.
"Now Shadi," Akunumkanon said, raising his trident, "do exactly as I tell you. When the time is right, unleash your power to combine it with my own." And with that, he raised his trident upward. The trident also started to glow, and immediately, streams of magic shot out of the summon circles and covered the two Dark Magicians. They could feel incredible power flowing into them, wrapping around them like a silk sheet. They both closed their eyes and fell into a trance. "Now Shadi!" Akunumkanon commanded. Shadi started chanting immediately and a glowing ball of white light appeared between his hands. Once this ball of light was the size of a basketball, he flung it into the summon circles. Mahaado and Mana were both bathed completely in a beam of light, and many onlookers nearby, especially Atemu and his friends, had to cover their eyes to avoid being blinded. When at last, the light faded away, Atemu was the first to look up. He gasped in awe at what he saw, and when Seto, Joey, Tea, and all the others looked up, they did the same.
Mahaado's appearance was completely different from what it was before. Gone were the flowing violet robes, replaced with a skin-tight, dark violet leather armor with decorative shoulder armor. His biceps, forearms, thighs and forelegs had multiple magenta buckles made of leather. And the buckles all over his chest were arranged exactly like the buckles arranged on Atemu's outfit, only the sides of each one was lined with a gold color. His headdress bore a strong resemblance to a jester's hat, but the front of it was like a stylized magenta crown with a small blue gem and a large round green gem slightly above it. Mahaado's long hair, which was now exposed, had become even longer, almost to the point of reaching below his hip area, and the dark violet color had now become a complete midnight black. As for his skin, it had turned into a gorgeous shade of azure, much like the deep blue of the daytime sky itself.
Mana's outfit had changed rather slightly. It had become sharper, and almost all of its linings had become shining gold. Her boots had reached close to her knees and a pink cloth covered those knees, lining up thinly at the front of her thighs. Her short pink skirt had lengthened to reach her knees, yet it was spread like an upside down flower, and it had become a dark lavender. Her headdress remained the same shape, but on the sides was now a pair of golden wing designs, completing the new look.
Mahaado and Mana opened their eyes, and when they looked at themselves, and at each other, they were just as astonished. They looked toward the Sea King.
"Your magic is now enhanced," Akunumkanon explained, "and new spells add to the power you already have. Now your magic is three times more powerful than ever before."
"Your Majesty," Mana gasped, "I-I don't know what to say!"
The Queen chuckled sweetly. "Let's just say that you and your master have both been promoted, Mana!" she said, "I'm sure it will prove helpful."
King Akunumkanon faced the two bewildered magicians with a smile. "Mahaado," he said, "From this day forward, you will be known as the Magician of Black Chaos. And Mana, you will be known as Magician's Valkyria. May you smite the Draconic Horde with your might!"
Mahaado bent down on one knee and bowed to the King. "Thank you your Majesty! We shall use our gift to its fullest in the war against the Claws of Tiamat!"
King Akunumkanon smiled, then turned toward his son. "As for you, Atemu, you shall also receive a gift. It's not something that would improve your skill in battle, but I think it will suit you perfectly." Carefully, he reached down into the shell chariot and picked up with both hands an object that Atemu found surprisingly familiar. The prince gasped in awe as he realized exactly what this object happens to be: it was his old crown, the one that Kisara gave him on his fifteenth birthday, his final birthday as a merman, the one he wore until the night he became a human. Only, it was no longer just a simple circlet. It was now a circular band, decorated with a pair of stylized wings, one wing on each side.
"Father…" Atemu said, unable to believe he wasn't dreaming.
"This crown I hold has changed in symbolism as well as in form." Akunumkanon said, "What was once a symbol of what you used to be is now a symbol of what you will become: a noble leader, and a true king." He handed the crown to Atemu, and said, "This is your time, my son. Make the best of it, and may you emerge victorious."
Atemu smiled at his father, and slowly put on his crown. Through these gifts, Akunumkanon and his Queen had also given him inspiration. And more than anything, he wanted to share that inspiration. He turned to face the now large army before him, becoming serious as he began his speech.
"Friends from the sea, and from the Realm Above, listen well. As most of you have already known, I was not originally human. In the past, I was once a merman, a Deep Dweller, a creature of the sea just like some of the soldiers that make up this army. And like most creatures of the sea, I knew nothing about the Claws of Tiamat, or of the Dragon Knights of Bahamut for that matter. What I did know is that no matter where you live, the world can be a very dangerous place. Even before I became a human, I was warrior, willing to risk death if it means making this world much safer than it is before. Some of you know firsthand the experience of being such a warrior. Perhaps a few of you lost a trusted comrade or two in battle, or maybe you even lost a limb. Still, there are even those among you who narrowly escaped the jaws of death, right at the last minute. But in spite of those hardships, you continue to persevere, you continue to fight, for justice, for truth, for freedom, for all that is good in this world!" Atemu paused, surveying all the eyes that were upon him, eyes of soldiers and knights willing and eager to hear more. "Even as I speak, the Claws of Tiamat have banded together to form a Draconic Horde that is going to invade both the lands of Aria and the world beneath the ocean. They plan to destroy our homes, slaughter our families, bring forth pain and misery! But listen well my friends from the sea and the Realm Above, we all have what it takes to keep that from happening! We have what it takes to stop Bakura and his Horde, and put an end to his menace once and for all! If there is any among you who, for some reason, feel a sense of enmity toward each other due to issues of race, put aside all of your differences! For it is only by working together that we can destroy the Draconic Horde, just as the first Dragon Knights have done in the distant past! Only as a team can we win in this war! The time has come to rise up against this evil!" He lifted his sword high above his head and shouted as loud as he can, "WHO'S WITH ME?!" The response was phenomenal! Everywhere he looked, Atemu could see countless warriors raising their weapons, all of them giving an enthusiastic battle cry. Some of the Deep Dwellers and Dolphin Folk, and even the monsters that live with them jumped out of the sea. Only Seto was silent, for he was staring in awe at the soldiers, knights, mercenaries and other fighters for the cause, and he too was inspired by the speech made my his former rival—and soon-to-be king. Tea walked to her fiancée and took hold of his arm. He looked over to his beloved and smiled.
"Let's go." she said in a low tone. In response, Atemu gave a single nod in acknowledgement before he and the princess went over to mount their Slifer and Seiyaru.
"Yeah! Let's knock them dead!" Joey hollered as he mounted Obsidian, followed by Mai, who mounted the Harpie's pet dragon.
As Tristan mounted his Thunder Dragon, he said to Serenity, "Wait here for me, all right?"
"Uh, okay." Serenity replied, even as Duke mounted his Curse of Dragon.
"You ready for this?" Duke asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be!" Tristan replied.
As everyone was getting ready, Seto stared out at the sea ahead of him. My dream of becoming a merman would have to wait for now. he thought to himself, This is the time for redemption.
"Seto?" Kisara said, grabbing his attention. They stared at each other's blue eyes, and they smiled.
"I guess you can put those stingers to good use." Seto said.
Heehee, I plan on doing just that!" the white mermaid said confidently. "Good luck with your side of the battle."
The blue eyed knight gave a single nod, then called out, "Azure! Azrael! Djibril! Ibris! Let's kick some Tiamat ass!" The four Blue Eyes White Dragons answered the call, and Seto immediately mounted Azure. Shadi cast a flight spell upon himself and joined up with Mahaado and Mana, who had already rose up to the air to join with Atemu. Once the whole army was ready for battle, the Prince let out a great battle cry and Slifer launched himself into the air. All the other dragons and flying monsters took flight after him, and the warriors and monsters of the sea started their swim away from the shore. It was a magnificent force, and as they surged across the wide-open sea, ready to take part in their final confrontation with Bakura and his minions.
Note: There you have it! It's going to be hard work before the plot in my mind meets up with what is already in my head, but everthing will go smoothly again what it does. The first part of the final batte will start in the next chapter! And for those of you who aren't doing it already, go and check out "The Dark Magician's Trap", I'm sure you'll love it! Until next time!