Chapter 38

A/N: hey y'all, welcome back for the next chapter! Sorry for long break, college really picked up pace, so I'll be trying to update my stories when I can. It's just I have a ton of work to do. Remember, I just own my OCs.

/comms/

"Bold's raptor"

Telepathy/flashbacks

Poseidonis, January 30, 23:50UTC

"Conner, Onyx, M'gann perhaps you'd prefer the Bioship to sleeping in the Atlantean pods?" Kaldurs asked as they all lied down in the strange beds.

Onyx gave a snort, "Please compared to cuddling with the pack, this is roomy."

"I'd be fine if you'd stop calling them pods."

"I prefer this Kaldur," M'gann added, "it reminds me of being back in the womb."

The Martian girl didn't appear to notice the weird looks she got from the others at the comment. And she was saved from such as Kaldur shot up in his bed looking alarmed as a translucent form of the queen appeared in the room. "Anaxxa Mera!" he exclaimed.

"Kaldur'ahm! Ze exo anafkh!" she replied before her image dissolved.

"Kaldur what's going on?" Conner demanded.

"The Queen, she's under attack!" he replied leaping from his bed with the others in tow, leading them towards the Queen's chambers. Turning a bend they came across Ocean Master and his followers exiting the room, and unconscious woman in their arms. "There! It's Ocean Master! And he has the Queen! Hold traitors! Release the Queen!"

"Delay them!" Ocean Master ordered swimming further back with one of his followers.

Several of his men swam forwards towards the group. Grabbing his waterbearers, Glowing maces appeared in Kaldur's hands as he used them to knock his attackers aside as he gave chase. Behind him M'gann used to telekinesis to blast several aside as Superboy and Nightmare punched their targets out of the way.

"You know where to take her."

"You will not take her anywhere!" Kaldur exclaimed as he burst out after the traitors.

"So now the fish-head has issues," Ocean Master sneered turning to face them trident in hand. "A little time among royalty and he believes he himself is royal as well. But proximity does not make majesty, nor wisdom apparently."

"What are you rambling about?!" Superboy snarled.

"Simple," Ocean Master drawled dodging the clone's attack and throwing him back into M'gann, "the royal palace has spells allowing only the use of defensive magic…" light began to crackle across the tips of his trident, "but outside is quite a different story." Turning the weapon towards them, lightning shot out hitting the four in the chest knocking them back.

Raising his arms, Nightmare's own lightning sparked to life in reaction. Swimming towards Ocean Master he threw a punch only to get slammed aside by something else.

Kuleana smirked pinning him down her claws digging into his shoulder. "Goodnight," she said throwing her fist down she punched him between the eyes sending him spiraling into darkness.

-.-

February 1, 00:14UTC

"I have sent word to King Orin," Prince Orm said as they gathered around a map, "but Aquaman is on a mission with the Justice League and cannot be reached, so it is up to us to save the Queen."

"And the heir she carries," Kaldur added.

"Of course," the prince nodded, "My sources informed me of two possible purist strongholds, but as members of the guards may've been complicit in the abduction I will investigate one location with the few guards I trust implicitly while you and your surface friends investigate the other."

"Agreed, but swim carefully My Prince, Ocean Master is formidable and dangerous."

"So it is said," Orm smirked as the surface dwellers swam off. Turning away, he raised his fingers up to the comm in his ear. "Seaspray?"

/Ocean Master/

"How is our guest?"

/Secure and ready. All you need is to show up and use the trident/ she replied. /And the heroes?/

"They took the bait, ready the trap."

/With pleasure/

-.-

Old Roman's Trench, 00:35UTC

"According to Orm one of the purist strongholds is deep within this trench, so stay alert," Kaldur warned as they swam down into the depths. A rumble came from above, gaining their attention as a shadow passed over them.

Eyes growing wide, the group was forced to swim out of the way, narrowly avoiding getting crushed under a massive boulder. It was then they caught sight of the group of purists standing above them, with a certain familiar face leading the charge. "Hey Kaldur," Kuleana greeted with a wave, "miss me?"

"Kuleana," Kaldur growled summoning his weapons. "So I see Ocean Master works for the Light."

"Didn't the traitor already tell you that?" she rolled her eyes. "Anyways, can't have you interfering." She snapped her fingers and the men began to use magic to attack them.

Fortunately, it didn't last long as an attack came from behind as Kaldur's friends swam towards them. Sha'ark lunged first, punching a purist before grabbing him, "Let's get that hood off…the tasty way."

"Sha'ark NO!" Lemaris used her tail to knock the man over the head while simultaneously pushing him out of the way of the beast's bite.

"Lemaris! Don't do that to me again unless you wanna become chum!"

"Uh…you have something stuck in your teeth…"

"Fight now, argue later!" Onyx called grabbing a purist and using him to beat another purist.

-.-

S'atiroman Cave, 00:41UTC

"What do you want with me?" Mera demanded tugging against her chains as she glared up at Ocean Master.

"What do I want?" he mused getting up from his throne, grabbing his trident. "I only want what is mine. But first…" his trident began to glow, "I want your power!"

The Queen screamed, doubling over her rounded stomach gasping, "Stop…please…you're draining…you're draining my life force…I'm with child."

"Ah yes, the heir to the throne of the Atlantis," Ocean Master remembered, "A tragedy if such a child did not survive this night, but at least the babe will be in good company." Raising his trident higher Ocean Master began to chant.

-.-

"Victory is at hand!" Garth exclaimed.

"And then we feast!"

"NO SHA'ARK!"

"Lemaris you really are—uhh!" Sha'ark groaned doubling over.

Kaldur groaned as his body began to ache, his strength seeming to eb from his body as Kuleana slammed him against the cliffside with a smirk. "What's the matter Kaldur? Feeling weak?"

"What did you do?" he grunted as she grabbed the front of his suit yanking him up.

"Simple," she wrapped her hand around his throat turning him around and digging her claws into his scalp, "Ocean Master is purifying all of you!"

Kaldur's eyes widened in horror. Below them he could see his friends struggling just as he'd been. Blubber appeared to have fallen unconscious, Sha'ark wasn't moving as a purist with a knife swam towards him, Garth and M'gann were helping pull La'Gaan and Lori from the battlefield.

"Let's watch the traitors and earthers die together now shall we?"

"Let him go!" A water blast hit Seaspray shoving her back. At the impact, Kaldur cried out in pain as her claws dug across his neck and scalp, blood slowly seeping to permeate the surrounding seawater. "I got you Kaldur," Tula said grabbing his arm and slinging it over her shoulder.

A menacing roar echoed through the water and they both turned to see the mosasaur hybrid shooting towards them. Eyes widening in alarm, Kaldur raised a shaky arm, holding out his waterbearers and creating a shield. Their attacker slammed into it, full speed, pushing against it, her claws slowly digging into it.

Tula let him go, swimming up from the safety of the shield and throwing a blast at her. With a growl, Kuleana pushed off the shield before the attack hit her, shoving Kaldur back at the force.

"WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?!" someone exclaimed as dark clouds seemed to start to engulf the battlefield.

"It's not sorcery it's…Topo!" Tula exclaimed catching a glimpse of their friend swimming off with Sha'ark before they were surrounded in the black ink. "This may've won us a reprieve, but I can't see anything to take advantage of if."

"But I can," a familiar voice snarled and they both grunted as Kuleana attacked them again. "Way to put the battle in my favor!" She spun around, her tail slamming against their heads, knocking them together. Her kick followed immediately afterwards, slamming down on Aqualad's shoulder causing him to cry out in pain.

Kuleana lunged forwards again, and Tula pushed Kaldur aside, screaming as sharp claws ripped through her side.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

Kuleana grunted as a black and red shadow emerged from the darkness, dragging the mosasaur hybrid back into it. Through the ink, the pair could hear roars and flashes of light as the two hybrids clashed.

Onyx slashed his claws across Kuleana's cheek, causing her to hiss as she kicked him in the gut, retreating into the ink weaving between the forms of the others as they drifted in the darkness. Chasing after, a purist swam into his way, causing the Amazon to throw an electrified punch sending him flying back into one of his buddies as the ink began to clear.

"Superboy and Nightmare have won the battle!" Tula cheered.

"But we are losing the war unless…" Kaldur trailed off. "M'gann are you still in range?"

"I'm here Kaldur," she answered. "I'm following that purist we allowed to escape. Just one problem, Kuleana. She made it out."

"Sorry."

"It's no problem, I don't think she knows I'm here yet. Sending you a mental image of the location now."

"Yes, I see it, S'atiroman Cave. Wait for us there," Kaldur ordered opening his eyes and looking at them. "Topo, Sha'ark and Blubber are in no condition for battle."

"Speak for yourself," Tula protested. "Neither are you and Lori! Leave this to Garth, Superboy, Nightmare, and I."

"No Tula, Ocean Master and Kuleana are too dangerous, and their purists are too great in number," Kaldur argued.

"Besides, we if fish-heads didn't fight our own battles, it'd become another excuse for the purists' contempt!" Lori agreed.

-.-

"Please…I beg you…spare me," Mera gasped, "for the sake of….of my child."

"I'm sorry, but mercy hardly figures into my plans," Ocean Master apologized. "Soon, Poseidonis will be purged of its impure, causing city-states of impure majorities to seek vengeance! And with Aquaman too busy grieving his wife and child to reconcile the warring factions…An Atlantis in chaos will fall and the seven seas will belong to the Ocean Master!"

"So you used us…you played on our prejudices and used us to destroy our king and country," the returning purist said lowering his hood in horror. "Forgive me My Queen."

"No Ronal," Ocean Master replied, "forgive me, I am a cliché, rattling off my plans for all to hear and shattering your faith in me. But what's done is done."

"It is you that's done!"

"Seaspsray!"

Ronal cried out as claws raked across his back. He managed to glance at the culprit and went pale at that sight of Ocean Master's lieutenant right behind him. She smirked and thrust her hand out, a blast flying from her palm and turning into a Mosasaur creature, wrapping around Ronal. "Don't act so surprised, magic is so easy to learn," she snickered hurling him across the room.

He grunted as he slammed into something, but it wasn't hard like he'd expected. It sort of felt like…like a person.

"Ah, the Martian," Ocean Master snarled. "Excellent catch Lieutenant. Fortunately I know how to deal with Martians," Ronal screamed as the water around him and the surface-dweller became scalding hot, "they cannot take the heat!" As they writhed in agony, Ocean Master turned as the rest entered the cave, "And the Kryptonian surfacer too. So powerful," he threw a blast obliterating Superboy's mask, "and yet so vulnerable!"

"You cannot fight us all villain!"

"Are you sure of that child?!" Ocean Master grinned slamming the staff of the trident down on the ground. A shockwave rippled through the water, sending all of the flying back away from him while simultaneously freeing M'gann and Ronal from the boiling waters. Reorienting herself, M'gann swam down towards Conner to help him. "The key you see, is to target the weakest opponents first," Ocean Master raised his hand, a giant squid construct coming to life in the water, its massive tentacles swinging towards Kaldur and Lori, "such as those already suffering from my mystic attack on the imoure, forcing those unaffected into futile heroics!"

"We shall see whose actions are futile!" Garth retorted as the marks on his arms began to glow. "I SUMMON THE POWER OF THE TEMPEST!"

Torrents of water swirled around the sorcerer and he thrust his hands forwards, allowing the magic storm surge to shoot through the water towards Ocean Master. As the attack approached a loud roar echoed through the cavern and the construct of a full-grown Mosasaur blacked Garth's attack against Ocean Master.

"Excellent work Lieutenant," Ocean Master praised before looking up to the group with a smirk. "Oh, so close, but we are not so easily defeated."

"Perhaps not," Kaldur snarled, "but your spells are broken and without the Queen's power you cannot stand against us all!"

"I recover rapidly miscreant! Would you risk my full wrath?!" Mera snarled as her marks began to glow.

Beside the Light Officer, the hybrid girl snarled. "Stand down Seaspray, we can not take them yet," he swung his trident creating a portal, "but it shouldn't be long."

-.-

Poseidonis, 7:01UTC

"Once again Atlantis and its king owe you the greatest debt Kaldur'ahm," Aquaman praised as the group stood in the throne room.

"And rest assured, I will deal with the traitorous sources that led us both into ambush," Orm promised.

"Thank you," Kaldur nodded. "How is the Queen and the heir?"

"They are quite well I assure you," Mera replied swimming in a bundle in her arms.

"Thank the gods," M'gann sighed swimming over, "you scared all of us when you went into labor."

"Stress can cause such things," Mera replied gently, "fortunately Artur's birth was not premature."

"Yes," Orin said swimming over and holding his wife and newborn son close, "I am thankful that you all returned safetly."

"Yes, we are most fortunate that the heir and the queen survived," Orm nodded in agreement, looking away as they all gushed over the newborn.

-.-

14:35UTC

"You sure you don't wanna come back with us?" M'gann asked as she, Conner, and Onyx got onto the bioship.

"I wish to spend some more time here, in case another incident happens," he answered. "Plus, I believe having a few peaceful days in Atlantis will do me good. I wish to catch up with my friends down here. see how all the tensions arose."

"Promise you'll call if something goes wrong again?" Onyx requested.

"I shall do my best," he chuckled. "Now you should go, I believe your mother would be worried."

"I'm not a child!"

"On the contrary, you are the second youngest on the Team," Kaldur reminded.

"Not counting me," Conner reminded with a smirk as the hybrid tossed an annoyed glance at him. "But come on, we really should get back. I don't think we want to leave Wolf, Blue, and Indie alone at the Cave too long."

Even underwater, Kaldur could see the teen's hair fluff up in alarm. "Shit! Sorry Kaldur, gotta go, thanks for bringing us, call us if need help bye!"

The Atlantean shook his head as they darted into the Bioship. His friends were certainly protective of their pets. A bubble came from his right and he raised a brow, speaking of which…Bubbles looked at him with wide eyes before randomly deciding to inflate again, his little fins flapping wildly as he started to drift away.

"Is that necessary Bubbles?" he questioned swimming over, looking over the odd fish. The pufferfish's big round eye looked at him and Kaldur was hit by a blast of water as the fish released it all like a balloon flying around him before coming to a stop by bumping into his arm. Sighing, he reached up and started scratching his back, "You are a strange fish."

"I'll say."

Recognizing the voice, Kaldur grabbed his weapons, hiding Bubbles behind him as he turned to face Kuleana. "What are you doing here?"

"What? Girl can't just take a swim?" she asked with a shrug.

A sword formed in his hand, "Your actions have proven unlikely."

"Relax, I'm not here for a fight," she rolled her eyes putting her hands on her hips.

"Then why are you here?" he growled.

"For something that's mutually beneficial," she answered swimming close to him, close enough where Kaldur could see the individual scales on her cheeks, revealing many different shades of blue and green.

Kaldur furrowed his brows backing away from her. "What do you mean?"

She rolled her eyes as if it were obvious, "As I said, what I have to offer is something that'd benefit both sides of this little conflict of ours," she reiterated moving to Bubbles and gently petting the small pufferfish. "You see, Ocean Master, the main members of the Light have deemed him a…problem. One that needs to be handled. So, my offer benefits both sides: we get rid of Ocean Master from the group and you heroes get Aquaman's arch nemesis. Seem fair?"

"Why get rid of Ocean Master?" he questioned watching her suspiciously as she swam around.

"I just said why," she groaned. "He's a problem, I mean, he was willing to kill an unborn child to further his own agenda, the bosses weren't too happy to hear that."

"So they sent you to handle him," Kaldur realized.

"Yep," she smiled. "I am supposed to kill him, but…that'd be too difficult considering who he is. So that's why I came to you! Help me, and your king loses his greatest enemy."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Cause, bonds of blood are thicker than water," she said cryptically.

"That's not an answer Kuleana."

"You'll understand one day," she sighed, "after all Aquaman chose you as his sidekick for a reason."

"What are you talking about?" he growled narrowing his eyes at her.

"A topic for another day," Kuleana shrugged, "So…do we have a deal?"