Atem blinked as he found himself suspended in absolute darkness, his being covered in sweat. Wasn't he in the midst of a battle with the goddess? His head craned to glance over his shoulder, brief panic filling him when he found her missing.
"Why do you protect the human?" It wasn't a voice he recognized but it reverberated with power so great that his being couldn't help but tremble as it filled his mind with momentary paralysis. Their consciousnesses had battled for a few seconds, exchanging mental blows until silence had finally fallen. "She is powerless, weak, minuscule, ordinary."
"Anzu is human, I will not argue, but she is the one I care for most in this world."
"And if she were to die, what would you do then?"
His breath stalled.
"The lifespan of the merfolk is vastly different than that of a human. Have you sincerely not spared a thought as to how it may affect you?" The voice grew stern, as if it were scolding a child. "The sacred Ainma Vinculum is not just a means of one finding their soulmate, it intricately ties together the fate of each member. If one were to die, by natural or any other means, the remaining party will be transformed by their grief until not even their own family can recognize them. The sirens that you fear who feast upon themselves and others without care are the poor souls who lost themselves to the sorrow."
Ice slipped down his spine. "No…"
"Do you understand now, Prince of the Merfolk? Was it not strange that the population of your kind was always lacking compared to the numbers of the sirens you fought? Such is the fate of all those with mertails. Though you wish to protect her the enemy that you will never conquer is Death itself when it comes to claim her. When that time comes you too will undergo the transformation." The mighty beast manifested within his mind's eye, its maw opened to wide in a roar that would surely render him deaf when he didn't answer. "Foolish, incompetent child! How do you honestly believe to harness my power when your resolve is so weak? Only a child like yourself would think that such foolish emotions would conquer all as if you were part of some romance drama! Succumb to your power to me so that I may bestow it upon the next one who is worthy of the throne!"
. . . .
She gasped as a chill passed down her back. Atem's head was so far forward that his eyes were cast within the shadow of his bangs, making it impossible for her to see the expression upon his face. Her arms around his neck tightened when he didn't respond to her calling out to him. This wasn't the goddess's doing, that much she was sure, but whatever had a hold of him now was just as strong. Was now the time? Would the song accomplish what she hoped? Cerulean slid closed as she took a deep breath, willing the hammering of her heart to slow just enough so that she could better focus. "Sazanami no beddo de…"
The goddess, who had been struggling to free herself from the clutches of the Leviathan, slipped from its grasp as she roared in rage. "Stop that this instant, human wench! Do not dare to sing that song before me!"
Anzu whimpered softly when something struck the backside of her head. "…me o samashita asa ni…"
Those upon the beach fell silent as as her voice slowly grew in strength, filling the air with her shaky yet passion filled words, all in awe of the resolve she was showcasing. Seto fell to his knees as the distant memory of their mother singing it to his unborn sister flooded his mind's eye. Why would she be singing this song now of all times and how did she know of it? He gasped, recalling how their mother had left multiple journals and sketchbooks that spoke of the water dwellers who supposedly saved Anzu, his sickly younger sister, by offering up a scale.
"It was our mother, you know."
Sapphire locked upon the bronze tailed merman beside him.
Yugi's eyes though were closed as the song washed over him. He'd heard it so many times, too numerous to count, and even though it had always sounded sweet when sung by mother it now sounded so sad that his heart gave a lurch. "She offered her scale to be used instead of Atem's."
"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" His breath caught as an image slowly took shape within his mind. A familiar beach along the Mediterranean, sand so golden sparkled, a sobbing woman kneeling within the foamy waves that stretched high enough to brush her legs. Yugi cracked an eye open when the man was silent for several seconds, his lips pressing into a fine line when he spotted the tears falling from his closed eyes.
. . . .
"…Subete ga owatte hajimaru no…"
The darkness receded recoiled as her voice caused soft golden rays to pierce it, bathing Atem in its warmth as it coaxed him to answer. His eyes opened as feather-like fingers brushed the sensitive skin beneath his eyes, wiping away tears he hadn't noticed, weight settling along his back as the monstrous beast before him reeled back. He would almost swear the mighty beast was trembling as the notes met its scaly skin, causing it to ripple, as it curled in on itself.
. . . .
The raging sea slowly calmed, the twisters and clouds dissipating as she continued to sing. Her voice felt raw by now with how long she had been countering the goddess's own but she pressed on even when her voice began to crack. She has never known fear like this as the two battling giants suddenly stopped fighting to stare down at her. It was enough to choke her into silence… It was just as her heart gave a painful beat, the last strain of her hope threatening to tear, that the one she clung to raised their head.
"Atatakaku shizuka na hikari ni tsutsumarete…" Atem turned his head far enough that their gazes could meet, pressing his lips briefly to her temple in hopes to soothe the tears streaming down her cheeks. "Forgive me, Anzu, I did not mean to keep you waiting."
She shook her head, lips rising into a smile. Her heart had swooned heavily as his rich voice caressed her ears like velvet and the chill of the cold water surrounding them seemed more like a hot spring as her body reacted to the silky notes he sang. "Sing more for me like that and I'll think about it."
His hand rose from the water, palm facing the giant guardian beast as it lunged for them. 'I am the heir to the throne of Atlantis! Your allegiance lies with me and my resolve will not waver anymore!', he all but shouted telepathically. The monster seemed taken aback by the sudden change over the merprince but it's mighty head bowed. No longer was there any hesitation nor was there any doubt within Atem's heart; the power he exhumed demanded respect and absolute obedience of the Leviathan. It wasn't until the mythical being had turned its full attention upon the goddess that amethyst returned to curious cerulean. "Together," he nodded, resting his forehead against hers, his own lips lifting into the smirk she adored. "Are you ready, partner?"
The group upon the beach gasped in unison as the song changed from tear causing sadness to lip lifting joy. It's source, the pair who were still miles away from shore, became outlined in golden light.
"Sazanami no beddo de… me o samashita asa ni…" Anzu's hand held tightly to Atem's as they stared up at the goddess who roared as the Leviathan wound itself around her being, her cerulean eyes briefly meeting his own when she took the lead. "Subete ga owatte hajimaru no…"
He was not about to back down from a challenge. "Atatakaku shizuka na hikari ni tsutsumarete…" Pride welled within his chest when she shivered against him, further strengthening his voice. The smirk raising his lips fell into a fond smile when those glittering eyes of hers gazed up at him, swimming with adoration and care. It had been so long since he'd sung that he honestly surprised he was handling the song so well. "Kibou ga michiteru umi ni kaeru no…"
Her voice joined his, her higher alto range notes dancing through the air with his lower baritone, causing the fine hairs upon both their beings to rise. "… Nanatsu no umi ga kagayaki dashitara… Ai no kiseki o ichiban suki na…" With one the song was powerful, but when sung by a pair tied together by the threads of emotion it became an unshakable force that rendered even gods docile. The goddess was powerless as the spell tugged her consciousness downward along the borderline of sleep as near transparent ribbons entwined themselves around both her and Leviathan. It didn't matter that Anzu was human and Atem was merman, the love they shared was more powerful than even the hate of the fabled water bearer of the Zodiac, Aquarius, herself and she soon disappeared from sight beneath the waves with the Leviathan embracing her as it too followed her into sleep's gentle cradle. "Anata to futari mitsumeta… Soshite sotto KISU o shite ne…"
Such powerful magic always comes with a heavy price.
The party upon the beach quickly moved to the water as the pair fell unconscious, slipping beneath the water. Yugi, being the fastest, dove in the spot where they had last been. Desperation filled him when he couldn't find a single trace of either of them. "They couldn't have just disappeared!"
"Calm down, Yugi, they couldn't have gone too far." Mana placed a hand upon his shoulder.
"They would both be exhausted from such a powerful spell like that!" Yugi argued, shrugging her hand away. "For all we know they could be drowning right now!"
Author's Note: The song used in the last few has reached its completion! It is one of my absolute faves from the anime Mermaid Melody Pitchi Pitchi Pitch known as Sarah's Song: Return to the Sea!