Chapter 14
A/N: hey everyone! Welcome back! Good to see y'all again and hope y'all're enjoying the story so far! Anyways, I just own my OCs, that's it.
Sorry about some of the confusion last chapter, I tried working it out but that chapter just did not want to cooperate with me. As for some of the OC titan parents, you'll have to wait and see. Anyways, hope y'all enjoy the chapter!
/comms/
Telepathy
September 5, Mt. Justice, 19:12EDT
"Well, that was fun," Skylar groaned stretched her arms.
"No kidding," Artemis agreed as she Kid Flash, and Robin strode to the Zeta Tube. "Kaldur, you sure you'll be alright? We don't have to head home right away."
"I am fine, and will be soon returning home myself," the Atlantean replied.
"Recognized: Robin—B01. Kid Flash—B02. Artemis—B10."
"You sure you don't need to head home?" Onyx asked raising a brow to Skylar.
"Pretty sure, not like I'm in school yet," she shrugged. "You?"
"Diana has some diplomatic party, I just told her I'd stay here," he shrugged. "And all the Amazons seem to be handling my education so I guess I'm being homeschooled."
"Fun," the redhead nodded.
"I am returning to Atlantis," Kaldur spoke up. "I was curious is you all you care to accompany me?"
"We'd love to!" M'gann exclaimed before blushing and biting her lip, "Well, I'd like to."
"Sure, sounds fun," Onyx said.
"I thought you just went?" Superboy commented.
"Yes, but I need—I want to return more often," Kaldur corrected himself.
"So why ask after the others took off?"
"I do not like to play games, but our friends would not do well with the extreme pressure at the bottom of the ocean. It seemed kinder not to make the offer in their presence."
"That makes sense," Amber said. "Though…" she flexed her wings, "I'm not sure how my own wings would do."
"I'm gonna skip to, water and I don't really mix well," Sky said. "Amber and I will just have a girls night."
"You sure?" M'gann asked.
"Pretty sure," Amber nodded. "Don't stop for us, we'll be fine here."
-.-
Shayeris, 23:33EDT
"Welcome to my birthplace, the Atlantean city-state of Shayeris," Kaldur said as the Bioship moved through the water into the Atlantean city.
"Wow," Onyx gasped.
"It's spectacular!"
"Damn, this was so worth the wait," Onyx admired standing up as M'gann stopped the ship. "It's beautiful."
M'gann walked to all of them and all heads tilted down as she stood almost a foot shorter than she'd previously been. "You shrunk," Superboy deadpanned.
"It's the pressure," the Martian answered. "Even at the Bioship's smaller at this depth."
Kaldur began looking worried as he turned to her, "I hope you are experiencing no discomfort—"
"I'm fine," she reassured, "honest."
Kaldur gave her a nod after a moment, "Good. I have stocked the hold with rebreathers and more appropriate attire."
"None for me, thanks," M'gann said as her clothes began to change into a white top with a red x and a set of blue pants.
"Gills, nice touch," Superboy admired as he saw the breathing channels form on her neck.
"Ok, whatever, I wanna go explore!" Onyx said grabbing Superboy so they could change and get going.
-.-
Onyx swam behind the others, he could hear Kaldur talking about something, but he wasn't really paying attention. His nose wrinkled under the rebreather he was wearing, he didn't like it. It felt too much like the muzzle he used to wear back in the lab. At least this one wasn't tight enough to where it'd dig into his skin.
But even with that fact he could still feel his hackles rise. Every instinct was telling him to rip the muzzle off and run now that he wasn't restrained. Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention and he noticed a few civilians glancing at them. With a growl he gave a warning flash, the blue color illuminating through this red stripes and eyes as he pulled the muzzle off. Water rushed into his mouth and he gave a relieved sigh as his gills flared out pumping the fluid through and letting him breathe.
Screw it, it wasn't like the team stabbed them in the back yet. Sure things had been rough, but no one's really tried to kill each other—well, except when everyone lost their memories but that didn't count. So what if they found out about another weird thing of his?
Glancing back to the others, he watched as they swam further away and he shoved the rebreather into his belt pocket, swimming after them.
"This is my parents' home," he heard Kaldur say as he slowed down behind M'gann.
The Atlantean lead the way into a coral-like building, swimming through the arches which he bet if they'd been at the surface would've been windows.
"Kaldur!" a blonde woman with dark skin exclaimed swimming over and pulling their leader into a hug. "Look at you, you seem so thin! Are you eating enough?"
"Mother, please," Kaldur flushed glancing away.
"Sha'lain'a," a man scolded lightly, "let the boy breathe."
Kaldur gave a slight laugh as he pried himself from his mother, "Mother, Father, meet my friends, Superboy, Miss Martian, and Nightmare. My friends, meet my parents: Sha'lain'a and Calvin Durham."
"It's so nice to meet you!" M'gann said. "Please, call me M'gann!"
"You speak Atlantean?!"
"No really," the Martian blushed. "My psychic abilities allow me to translate and communicate."
"The g-gnomes programmed me to speak Atlantean," Superboy answered.
"It was one of the languages I grew up learning," Onyx supplied. Which was true, he'd spent a lot of time learning various languages in the lab, a skill he had to increase on once he started living with the Amazons. Though, for some reason, Atlantean always came fairly easy to him.
"I understand…I think," Kaldur's mother smiled. "Come, I'll show you where you can sleep for tonight."
"Thanks!" M'gann grinned following the Atlantean woman as Kaldur swam off to speak with his father.
-.-
September 6, 03:31EDT
Onyx groaned lightly as he sat up in the strange bed Kaldur's mother lent them. Looking around the room he could see Superboy and M'gann sleeping soundly; he couldn't see Kaldur, but he was probably in his own room, it was his home. He slid out of the bed, swimming through the darkness into the living area, finding it empty which made his brows furrow. He could've sworn he heard something.
Glancing back to the guest room, he could still hear the soft breathing of his teammates, and further down he could hear more soft breathing. So everyone in the house-coral-thing was asleep. Onyx swam to what was supposed to be the window, simply swimming through the open hope and looking around.
For the bottom of the ocean, it wasn't as dark as he expected it to be, even with his excellent night-vision. Lights still twinkled off the various structures and he could see a few people still milling about; but not as many as earlier. Most of them seemed to have a weapon of some sort, so they were probably guards.
Gold eyes flickered to the surface and he watched as he saw flashes of light like stars. He knew they were too far down for natural light to reach, which meant it was bioluminescence of various creatures. He had to admit, the various flashing colors were beautiful.
But that wasn't what woke him up.
Closing his eyes, he listened closely before hearing a faint rumble followed by an echoing call. He turned to look back inside the house, frowning when he didn't hear Superboy stir. So either his friend couldn't hear it or he was a heavy sleeper?
Another call echoed over the city, it sounded…strangely electric…it was like something was powering up, something big. At the same time as the next call, he saw what seemed to be a flash of electric blue in the distance, a flash that was distinctly larger than the others.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Onyx swam out and up over the tops of the Atlantean city. He moved through the water quickly, listening as the haunting call got louder. It sounded…strangely lonely.
The light, when it did flash, only got bigger as he swam closer. Whatever was flashing, was definitely bigger than a fish. Way bigger than a fish. He swam closer, watching the blue light flash again and his eyes widened. The light came from giant dorsal fins that resembled spines running down the back of the creature, the fins were easily bigger than him.
Releasing a pained cry, he covered his ears as another call resonated through the surrounding water, practically making the world around him shake with its sheer power. The call came to a sudden stop and Nightmare felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as he felt eyes turn his direction. On instinct, he gave a warning call, flashing his own bioluminescence. Not that it would do much good against something this big.
The cyan light flashed again, and from the depths he could see a pair of glowing blue eyes along with the rows of spines as they glowed again before disappearing. The water vibrated again as a softer call echoed around him; it didn't sound threatening, more…curious.
Onyx looked around himself worriedly, he could see something in the darkness, but he was having difficulties telling if it was moving towards him. Flashing another warning, he yelped as he came face-to-face with a large golden eye easily about the size of himself. The pupil narrowed into a thin slit, and the eye seemed to lock with his own.
"Holy shit," he whispered.
The beast before him gave another rumble, before another blue flash ran down its body, depicting its sheer size. Onyx couldn't even believe how big the creature was, it was massive, bigger than anything he'd ever seen. The cyan light reflected off the charcoal colored scales, flashing through the body as the eyes changed to the same cyan he had. But unlike his, it didn't seem to be a threat, this was more of a greeting.
The eye continued to watch him, and it was then the teen realized it was waiting for a response. This thing was intelligent. He thought about the sound the beast made, and Onyx made an attempt to imitate it while flashing his own light. The monster rumbled in response, it's large head turning slightly to him with a non-threatening growl as it settled on the sea floor still regarding him with its startling golden eyes.
"Uh…I, uh, should get back," Onyx smiled nervously motioning to the city.
To his amazement, it looked in the direction of the city before giving another low rumble, resting its head on the sands. Did, did it understand?
For some reason, Onyx chose to nod in response to the creature before he turned around and swam back towards the city. Hopefully he could find Kaldur's place and sneak back in before anyone realized he was gone.
As he swam back, he could still feel the gold eyes of the strange beast watching him. It was an oddly reassuring feeling.
-.-
Poseidonis, 08:06EDT
"Kaldur'ahm, it's an honor to finally meet your friends and teammates," Queen Mera smiled as the group of teens swam up.
"The honor is all ours Queen Mera," M'gann smiled giving the Queen of Atlantis a bow. "I've lived my whole life on Mars without ever meeting a member of the royal family."
"Mars has a royal family?" Onyx muttered looking to Superboy who just shrugged.
"There's a certain wisdom in inaccessibility," a new voice spoke and they all turned to see a black-haired man in a red and gold uniform similar to Kaldur's. "The Queen carries the heir to the throne."
The woman sighed, "Allow me to introduce Prince Orm, my overly-protective brother-in-law."
"How can I be anything else while my brother is off playing Aquaman?"
"King Orin's work with the Justice League is anything but a game My Prince," Kaldur replied, his voice holding a slightly biting edge.
"Of course," Orm reassured, "However, I am still glad you and your fellow champions are here Kaldur'ahm. There's been reports of…unrest at the Conservatory of Sorcery."
"Well will be sure to check it out My Prince." With a bow, Kaldur turned and began to lead them away from the royal family out into the city. Moving through the reefs, they could see themselves coming close to a group Atleantean teens. "My friends!"
All heads turned as several swam over, wide smiles on their faces, "Kaldur, it's good to see you again!" a mermaid exclaimed hugging him.
"It is good to see you as well Lori," Kaldur smiled. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my friends from the surface: M'gann, Superboy, and Onyx. Friends, meet my former classmates: Ronal, Blubber, Lori Lemaris, La'gaan, and Nanaue Ska'ark."
"That's King Sha'ark to you chum, and don't you forget it," the shark-boy snarled.
"Wow! You're all so different!" M'gann admired.
"You act like we aren't different," Onyx snickered. "You're green, I have scales, and two of our friends have wings."
"True," Kaldur chuckled. "But our diversity comes from events that occurred millennia ago. Atlanteans used to be surface-dwelling humans until the continent sank."
"You mean after our ancestors angered the gods," a blonde Atlantean snapped. "You know as well as I the gods drove our home into the sea after they found us worthy of life beyond that of a mere surface-dweller."
"Or because nobility like you kept insulting them and pissed them off so much, they sunk us into the sea as punishment," Lori snapped
"Yes…" Kaldur sighed. "No matter on what you believe, the continent still sank into the ocean, and our ancestors used sorcery and science to adapt to life underneath the waves. Since then the populace of each city-state's evolved along its own course, making us a very diverse continent, our capital, Poseidonis, is the most diverse of all as the Conservatory draws the best and brightest from throughout Atlantis."
"That's wonderful!" M'gann gushed. "My world could take lessons—they should take lessons!"
"Are you three typical of the surface?" a fish-like boy with green scales and finned ears inquired swimming up to them.
"Not really," Onyx said crossing his arms.
"You're tail is so pretty!" M'gann exclaimed swimming up to Lori. "I've always loved mermaids!" The Martian girl flipped back, her legs merging together and lengthening out into a long tail. "What do you think?!"
"I…I'm flattered?"
"It's fine, shapeshifting takes time to get used to," Onyx reassured patting the mermaid's shoulder.
"Well, this has been charming, but I should go," Ronal grimaced swimming back.
"Nice meeting you," Onyx said watching as the blonde Atlantean swam around them like they had the plague.
There was a scoff from his left, "He's probably feeling outnumbered."
Raising a brow, Onyx looked at Sha'ark who was floating next to him crossing his arms, "Outnumbered?"
Before he could get an answer the fish-boy who he thought was called La-gaan popped up in his face. "So what is it like on the surface?! Other than drier."
"And tastier if you know what I mean, chum," Sha'ark sneered trying to loom over him.
Onyx glancing up at the shark-man and rolled is eyes obviously. After last night, this guy was nowhere near close. "If you're trying to scare me, you're gonna have to try a lot harder pal."
"KALDUR!"
Everyone turned to see a redheaded girl and a black-haired boy swimming towards them waving. The girl shot past, practically tackling Kaldur in a hug. "It is so good to see you again! We thought after your last visit we'd have to wait longer!"
"I am making an effort to split more time between the surface and the sea," Kaldur replied. "Tula, Garth, meet my friends from the surface, M'gann, Superboy, and Onyx. Guys, meet my oldest friends, Tula and Garth."
"You all are very much welcome in Atlantis," Garth greeted. "Any friend of Kaldur's is a friend of ours!"
"So that's why he brought us," M'gann realized.
"Huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"Kaldur's in love with Tula. It's radiating off him in waves, but she's with Garth and he couldn't face them alone," she explained.
"Well…that's, uh…ok then."
"Topo?"
All heads turned to a squid-looking boy covering his chest with his arm's, looking startled to be spotted as Kaldur swam over. "Topo, I want you to meet my friends."
"Maybe some other time!"
Grabbing his friend's arm, Kaldur's eyes widened as he saw torn clothes and glowing burns coming from his chest. "TOPO! WHO DID THIS TO YOU?!"
Lori, La'gaan and Blubber swam over, pulling Topo away. "It doesn't concern you Kaldur'ahm."
"Ah, Squidboy's chum. And chum gets what it deserves: swallowed," Sha'ark growled swimming off after the group.
"What the hell was that about?" Onyx muttered.
"Those markings, I couldn't read them," Conner replied.
"They're ancient Atlantean runes," Tula supplied.
"Spelling what?"
"Impure."
-.-
"Speak to me of Topo," Kaldur said as they swam in the direction the others swam off in.
"He was a victim of purists," Garth answered, "they consider themselves the direct descendants of the original Atlanteans—"
"The ones that guy Ronal mentioned earlier?" Onyx remembered.
"If you mean the ancient surface-dwelling Atlanteans who were believed to earn the gods wrath, yes," Garth confirmed.
"Which is a stupid belief since there's no proof that the gods ever even existed," Tula rolled her eyes. "Anyways, the purists attempt to scare anyone they consider impure into leaving Poseidonis."
"That's so messed up," Onyx growled crossing his arms showing a flash of bioluminescence to express his anger.
"What qualifies as impure?"
"Tula and I appear human and thus are considered pure," Garth explained.
"But my visible gills render me impure," Kaldur spat looking down.
"Only by the most rigid and ridiculous standards!"
Kaldur shook his head, looking to his friends incredulously, "But I was just here, there was no word of this then?"
"The old prejudices have always lurked under the surface Kaldur," Tula spoke softly, "but the clash between skin and scales, flesh and fins, has…escalated rapidly recently, almost without a cause into violence and intimidation."
"LET GO OF ME!"
They all turned around and swam up the ridge to find Blubber, Lori, La'gaan, Blubber, Sha'ark, and one terrified Topo in a shouting match with Ronal and several others.
"WE KNOW YOU'RE PURISTS!"
"YOU CAN'T HIDE BEHIND YOUR ROBES AND HOODS!"
"DO WE APPEAR TO BE HIDING BARBARIAN!?"
"YOUR KIND ALREADY INFECTS TRITONIS, NANAUVE, NEPTUNOS, LEMURIA, SHAYERIS, EVEN CRASTINUS!"
"SHA'ARK!" Kaldur exclaimed leading the way towards the feuding groups. "What are you with Ronal?!"
"Preparing supper," the beast growled.
"LET HIM GO!" M'gann exclaimed using her telekinesis to yank Ronal out of Sha'ark's grip and pushing them away from each other.
"Careful Earther! Come between a shark and his meal and you become the meal!" he threatened before Onyx and Superboy got between them.
"Try it chum," Superboy warned, "you'll break your teeth."
As Sha'ark moved forwards, Onyx returned the challenge, flashing in warning which made the shark-man back off. "This doesn't concern you surface dwellers!"
"WHO STARTED THIS?!" Kaldur demanded.
"THEY DID!" Ronal and Lori screamed pointing to the other group.
"MY FRIENDS AND I WERE JUST MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS WHEN THESE FISH-HEADS ATTACKED US!"
AND WHAT WAS TOPO DOING WHEN YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS ATTACKED HIM!"
"Please leave me out of this," the boy squeaked.
"You don't know that was us!" Ronal exclaimed.
"But," a girl on Ronal's side snarled with a sinister grin, "if your kind don't like your treatment here you're more than welcome to leave Poseidonis!"
-.-
"If Kaldur and his friends had not intervened, those fish heads would've been marked impure," Ronal smirked. "Especially Lemaris!"
"Then it's fortunate Aqualad did intervene, for anonymity is the greatest weapon of the purists," a cold voice spoke causing them all to look at the dark-skinned girl with white-tentacle hair while a darker-skinned girl with black hair and blue scales and a long tail floated beside her.
"If you're going to antagonize the lesser beings, don't make it obvious," Kuleana snarled. "You'll end up behind bars faster than you can cast a spell."
Ronal moved to make a retort when he want silent as a tall figure rose from the makeshift throne in the ancient temple they were hiding in. "My lieutenants are right my children, put your hoods on they are to you what Neptune's Trident is to the Ocean Master! The hour is close at hand! Good King Orin is away and by the time he returns Posiedonis will be purged of the impure! And since our King himself is pure, he will recognize the wisdom of our actions!"
"And what of Kaldur'ahm and his surface-dwellers?"
The hybrid scoffed, "Please, here in the water, only the Martian and Aqualad are the real threats, the other two are way in over their heads. But, make mistake to underestimate them. You know your missions, so let's get started."
As the purists swam away, Ocean Master removed his helmet, smirking at his Lieutenant, "You did well girls."
"Of course, Prince Orm, it won't be long before Atlantis and the Queen, see the Light."
-.-
Poseidonis, 23:50EDT
"Conner, Onyx, M'gann perhaps you'd prefer the Bioship to sleeping in the Atlantean pods?" Kaldur asked as they all lied down in the strange beds.
"We slept in these last night, what's the problem now?" Onyx shrugged.
"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?" Superboy 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.
-.-
September 7, 00:14EDT
"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, 00:35EDT
"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 remembered pulling out his waterbearers. "I see you have betrayed Black Manta."
"Doesn't work like that sweetheart, 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, 00:41EDT
"What do you want with me?" Mera demanded tugging against her chains as she glared up at Ocean Master and the girl floating beside him.
"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 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."
To her surprise, the girl raised her hand, her solid-colored eyes regarding her. "I was not informed of such a development," she spoke.
"Does it matter," Ocean Master snapped.
"Perhaps."
Her husband's greatest nemesis snarlerd "It is not your place to question orders! Now get in your place and start the spell." Raising his trident higher Ocean Master began to chant and Mera's heart dropped as the girl swam in front of her and her eyes began to glow menacingly.
-.-
"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 ebb 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 young supervillian 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 other 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.
She wheezed, trying to breathe as she felt her life being pulled from her, from her baby. Looking up, she met the glowing gaze of the girl. Her pleading had not been meant for Ocean Master, but for the one he needed to leech the power from. The glow left her eyes and the girl lowered her hand, the spell stopping and Mera gasped as she felt her energy start to return.
"Tsunami?! What are you doing?!" Ocean Master snapped.
"This is wrong," she said quietly. "I will not kill a child."
Ocean Master scowled, aiming his trident at her, "You will do as you are told!"
"Why?"
Ocean Master lunged forwards, grabbing the girl's throat and holding his burning trident to her face, "You owe your life to us. Poseidonis will be purged of its impure, the city-states of impure majorities will seek vengeance, and with Aquaman too busy grieving his wife and child to reconcile the warring factions; Atlantis will fall into chaos the seven seas will belong to the Ocean Master! And to accomplish that, you will do the spell!"
"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!"
"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. Onyx swam after, pulling his rebreather out of his pockets and handing it to his friend. "Nightmare! You need that!" M'gann exclaimed seeing the mask. "I can help Superboy."
"No I don't," he replied shoving the mask on his friend's face so he didn't drown. It was then they saw the gills opening and closing along his neck. "You ok?"
"Fine," Superboy nodded. "You have gills?"
"Yeah, but right now, we have a bigger problem to focus on," Nightmare reminded as he looked back to Ocean Master.
"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 impure, 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 cannot take them yet," he swung his trident creating a portal, "but it shouldn't be long. Tsunami!"
Tsunami, who had been inactive most the battle jumped and swam over before being stopped as Mera grabbed her arm. "Young one, please. You know this is wrong," the Queen pleaded gently. She could see it, this was a girl in the wrong place. She may've done some bad things, but deep down she did have a good heart.
To her despair, the poor young sorceress pulled herself out of her gentle grip and followed Ocean Master into the portal, disappearing into the unknown.
-.-
Poseidonis, 7:01EDT
"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 over.
"Thank the gods."
"Yes," Orin said swimming over and holding his wife hand resting protectively on her stomach, "I am thankful that you all returned safely."
"Yes, we are most fortunate that the heir and the queen survived," Orm nodded in agreement, looking away.