Chapter Fifteen
The Battle of Atlantica
"Look," Melody pointed to a portion of text in the book. "Using the snake totem will gradually take a toll on the user's mental state over time. They'll develop a bloodlust."
"Meaning to say," Tracy began. "Major Kane wasn't always crazy?"
"Possibly," Melody replied.
"But the real question is: how do we stop him?" Ariel asked impatiently. "That's the important part."
"Alright, let's see." Melody flipped the pages, quickly scanning the contents of the book to see if there was more information about the snake totem. "Here," she stopped at a new page. "There's only one way to counter the effects of the snake totem. White magic." Melody furrowed her thick eyebrows, engrossed in the text. "If Kane wields the snake totem and uses it, only a wielder of white magic can effectively cancel out Kane's spells."
"Don't look at me," Tracy shrugged. "I'm a sea witch, remember?"
Ariel immediately whipped her head over at Tracy with a suspicious look written across her face.
"No mom, she doesn't mean that," Melody quickly reacted to Tracy's remark, glaring at the octopid. "I know who can stop the Major." She closed the book confidently, hoping to divert her mother's attention from Tracy.
"Who?"
"Moana," she looked at Tracy, who nodded. "She fought alongside us against the Major in Agrabah." Melody explained. "But she's a human, waiting up in the waters above us."
"Which means we're on our own down here," Ariel pursed her lips grimly.
At that moment, Sebastian appeared at the entrance where the door of the library used to stand. "Wha-" he started, realising that the door was gone. "Never mind. Your Majesty, you need to get out there. The warlord has arrived at the borders of the kingdom." Sebastian informed Ariel in a hurry.
"Right," Ariel responded, and she swam out of the library, followed by Melody.
"I'm coming with you." Melody stated firmly.
"Absolutely not!" Ariel exclaimed. "It's dangerous out there! This isn't just Morgana like last time!"
Tracy flinched a little upon hearing her mother's name.
"I fought him before, remember? You need me out there with you. I know what to expect this time." Melody insisted indignantly. "You're not stopping me, Mom. I'm coming with you whether you like it or not."
"I've got to be the worst mother in all of history," Ariel muttered under her breath. "Come on, we're wasting time."
"Right." Melody looked back at Tracy, who was starting to follow them. "Tracy, I need you to stay here in the palace and guard the trident for us."
"What?" Tracy couldn't believe her ears.
Melody glanced at her mother, who nodded. "I'll wait out front," Ariel swam away quickly out of earshot, leaving her daughter alone with Tracy amid a tense atmosphere.
Melody took a deep breath, knowing where this conversation was headed again. There was no avoiding the inevitable this time. "You heard me," Melody said firmly.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Tracy scoffed. "You're sidelining me? After everything we've been through so far?"
Melody kept silent.
"You would be lying dead in Agrabah right now if it wasn't for me!" Tracy pointed a finger at her angrily, raising her voice as she swam out of the library to confront Melody. "Kane was going to kill you, but I saved your life!"
"Tracy…" Melody raised her hand to her forehead. "After everything we've been through so far, I'm not sure you being out on the battlefield is the best option right now," Melody replied apologetically. "I'm sorry Tracy, but you know I'm right."
"No," Tracy shook her head slyly, getting up in Melody's face. "You're lying. I know why you don't want me out there fighting against Kane. Say it, Princess."
Melody looked uncomfortable.
"Say it!" Tracy hissed.
"I'm sorry, Tracy. I can't trust you out there on the warfront," Melody relented, spilling the truth that she herself did not want to admit.
"And why not?"
"Because…" Melody knew she couldn't escape the truth.
"Because I'm a sea witch," Tracy said quietly, finishing Melody's sentence for her. "Right?"
"Tracy, it's not like that!" Melody knew she was fighting a losing battle.
"Oh wait, no no no, don't tell me! Let me guess," Tracy continued sarcastically. "Let's see…it's because…wait I got it! Because I wield black magic too. Right?"
Melody remained silent, not knowing how to salvage what was left of their friendship.
"You, Moana, everyone in this wretched kingdom, you're all the same," Tracy finished quietly, her voice filled with hurt. "Just go," She shook her head, looking absolutely crushed.
Melody opened her mouth to say something, but decided that she had done enough damage. Swimming away, she turned her head and looked back at Tracy who had slumped against a pillar. She was going to have to deal with this later, just not right now. Melody sighed, and swam away rapidly, leaving Tracy alone in the corridors of the palace. She swam to the hallway leading to the entrance of the palace where Ariel was waiting for her.
"Maybe you should wait in the palace with your friend." Ariel made one final attempt to dissuade her daughter from joining the dangerous battle.
"No Mom, you're not talking me out of this one," Melody insisted firmly. "Atlantica is my home too."
Ariel sighed, knowing that she could do nothing to change her daughter's mind. After all, Melody was already eighteen, and more than capable of taking care of herself. She knew that she had to let Melody go at some point and trust her to keep herself safe. Both mother and daughter swam towards the palace's doors, where two guards were stationed.
"Your Highness," one of the guards bowed. "Please take my weapon. You will need it on the battlefield." He handed his spear to Ariel, who accepted it gratefully. "And mine." The other guard offered Melody his spear.
Melody glanced at a recurve crossbow hanging from the guard's belt. "May I?" she asked, pointing at the guard's belt.
"Of course, Your Highness." the guard hurriedly removed the crossbow from his belt and handed it to the princess. She held it in her hand, admiring its sturdy build and small size. It was so much smaller than her own bow, but it was going to be a steep learning curve as this was her first time using a crossbow. Nevertheless, she was a quick learner.
"One last thing," the guards handed mother and daughter the standard issue armour that all the soldiers wore. Shoulder plates, solid chest pieces that extended down to the waist, elbow guards, shin and knee guards, and head gear.
They put the armour on, which were two sizes too big for them, but they thanked the guards anyway. Ready for the battle, they swam out of the palace doors and were greeted by the sight of a company of Atlantican soldiers formed up at the edge of the kingdom. They were facing out into the multitude of enemies that waited a distance away, all primed for the war that was about to commence.
The Atlantican soldiers were split into five platoons on the frontlines, deployed around the kingdom's open waters as perimeter defence as commanded by Sebastian. There were also a few squads of soldiers hiding behind the reefs and rocks, armed with crossbows to engage the invaders at mid range.
Ariel and Melody swam to the frontline where Sebastian was waiting for them. "Your Highness, the invaders appear to be unresponsive to anything apart from their leader's commands." Sebastian informed Ariel.
"Hypnotized," Melody said. "Major Kane must have used his black magic to put them all under his control."
"Some of the invaders appear to be our own people," Sebastian continued. "From a tactical standpoint, we have the environmental advantage, but the invaders' numbers rival our own and we also can't afford to hurt our own people," he finished. "The leader among them." he pointed at a merman that stood in front of the rest of the invaders.
Melody looked at who Sebastian was pointing at, and immediately recognised the leader he spoke of. "Major Kane," she said grimly. So that was what the Major had used the Lamp of Jafar for: to get Jafar the Genie to transform him into a merman!
"He's requested to parley with the kingdom's next in command at the reef in between the two armies," Sebastian continued anxiously. "Though I would strongly advise against it."
"It'll be fine, Sebastian." Ariel reassured him. Both mother and daughter swam towards the reef.
Major Kane, also decked out in armour, saw them swimming towards him, and moved to meet them at the reef. Both sides stopped in front of the reef, separated by the rocks in between them. "Ah, the daughter of Triton," he began calmly. "Princess," he looked over at Melody, seeing her in her mermaid form for the first time. "To think you were just an ordinary human. I've underestimated you."
Melody stared back at the Major with unflinching eyes. "So this is why you needed the Lamp of Jafar."
"Yes," Kane replied. "Among other reasons."
"We've come to parley, just as you requested," Ariel cut straight to the point. "What are you doing here in our waters?"
"No small talk then. Very well," Kane began. "I've travelled across the world to find Atlantica. I used to think this place was just a myth, a legend. But apparently, it's very real." He gazed at the kingdom, impressed by its beauty, having seen it for the very first time.
"Why have you come here? What do you want?" Ariel asked, knowing full well that he wanted the trident that was safely hidden in the palace.
"I've come for the fabled trident that Poseidon used to wield," Kane continued. "So here's what I propose. We can avoid any bloodshed if you just hand it to me. Otherwise," he glanced back at his troops of mermen. "We are very prepared to take the trident by force."
"You know very well that I can't allow that."
"Then you're forcing my hand," Kane looked at Ariel with sincerity. "I don't want to have to do this."
"Then don't," Melody cut in. "You can turn back now before it's too late."
"Oh, Princess," Kane smirked. "You've already faced me once back in Agrabah. Do you really think I would back down now after going through all this trouble to get here?"
Melody stayed silent, knowing that there was no stopping the Major, and that the war was inevitable.
"Last chance, Your Highness," Kane turned back to Ariel. "These mermen aren't exactly your enemies. You may recognise some of them as your own citizens. You'll regret not taking me up on my offer."
"Either way, you're not getting the trident." Ariel stood her ground fiercely.
"Even to me, that's cold. Very well then." Kane said indifferently, before swimming back to his own troops.
"Did they surrender?" Sebastian asked anxiously as Ariel and Melody returned to the frontline of their own troops.
"Not really," Melody prepared her crossbow.
"Since you have chosen to engage in an unnecessary battle," Major Kane called out from across the reef. "I shall make it all the more painful." He turned back to his numerous troops and beckoned for one to come forth.
An elderly merman made his way to the front line where Major Kane was, and to the horror of the Atlanticans, it was their king, Triton.
"You monster!" Ariel cried across the reef in anger.
"I told you," Kane called out coldly. "You would regret not taking me up on my offer." With that, he pointed at Atlantica, and all the mermen under his control surged forward, speeding towards the kingdom.
"Stop them but do not kill anyone!" Ariel shouted, before leading the charge towards the opposing forces.
The Atlanticans and the Major's brainwashed mermen collided at the reef, a flurry of various coloured tails, weapons and arms. Meanwhile, the remaining Atlanticans positioned behind the rocks in the kingdom looked on at the invaders, ready to defend their home. Since the princess had expressly commanded that they not kill any of their own merfolk, the soldiers had to fight with one hand tied behind their backs, while the brainwashed mermen had no compunctions about killing the Atlanticans.
In the heat of the battle, Melody dodged spears and arrows from crossbows, holding her own crossbow close to her chest. She looked around for the Major, since he was the one that posed the greatest threat. If she could take him down, then she could bring an abrupt end to this mess. A brainwashed merman swam towards her, armed to strike. As he lunged at her, she moved out of the way, using his momentum to trip his tail. The merman crashed onto the seabed, and Melody moved on, looking for the Major as she navigated through the crowded battlefield.
Meanwhile, Ariel blocked off attacks from the spear-wielding brainwashed mermen, keeping a look out for her father, Triton. He had to be among the opposing forces somewhere! She spotted an elderly and well built merman on the other side of the battlefield, fighting against a few Atlanticans, easily disarming and incapacitating them.
"Daddy!" Ariel shouted, blocking off more attacks and swimming rapidly through the war zone. As she reached the other side of the battlefield where her father was, another two brainwashed mermen blocked her path. "Get out of the way!" she cried, using her momentum to barrel past the two mermen, sending them spinning out of control.
Triton hovered above an Atlantican soldier who was lying unconscious on the seabed and raised his spear, completely unconscious of the atrocity he was about to commit. Ariel lunged towards her father and pushed him away from the soldier, and the both of them went sprawling across the seabed.
"Daddy!" Ariel got up from the sand, swimming to where her father had fallen. "Can you hear me?" she called out hopefully.
Triton rose from the seabed, his eyes glazed over. He turned and looked at Ariel, completely unaware that his daughter was trying to get through to him. In a split second, he pounced towards her with his spear, and she quickly dodged the attack.
"Daddy, it's me! Ariel!" she shouted, raising the blunt side of the spear in defence.
Unresponsive, Triton swung his spear at his daughter, and she moved out of the way again. Ariel grunted in frustration. She thought that her voice or the sight of her could break him out of the hypnotic spell somehow, but she was just discovering that she could not be more wrong. It was going to be way tougher than she thought it would be.
On the other side of the battlefield, Melody spotted Major Kane watching the fight from a distance. "Kane!" she cried, barrelling towards him fearlessly. He had turned her own grandfather against his beloved kingdom! How dare he?
Major Kane narrowed his eyes as Melody broke out from the crowded battlefield to where he was hovering. He quickly unsheathed his Falchion as he saw Melody swoop down to the seabed to pick up a fallen spear after discarding her crossbow. "I warned you, didn't I?" he said as he expertly dodged Melody's attacks. "You would regret not giving up the trident."
"You're never getting the trident!" She launched another ferocious attack, but then quickly switched her stance halfway through, catching Kane off guard. The spear sliced through the water, making contact with Kane's arm. However, to her surprise, the spear did not stop at Kane's arm, but cut through Kane like he was water! Melody, having not anticipated the impact that she would make against the Major, was dragged to the seabed by her own momentum. She sat up quickly, to see that Major Kane was completely unharmed, and that he was flickering before her! Blinking her eyes, she could not believe what she was seeing.
"I guess the cat's out of the bag, Princess." Kane smirked, as he disappeared, leaving a red aura to dissipate from where he used to float.
An optical illusion? Melody pushed herself off the seabed, confused by what she had just witnessed. That meant that Major Kane wanted everyone to think that he was on the battlefield! But if that was true, then where was the real Kane? Why would he need to project an optical illusion of himself? Melody glanced around the battlefield. Major Kane was nowhere in sight. She floated away from the battlefield, looking back at the kingdom of Atlantica.
The soldiers behind the reefs formed a perimeter around the kingdom, so how could Kane get through them? There was no way for Kane to get pass them without being spotted. Melody's mind raced as she looked up at the surface to see a large shadow of a ship positioned near the rear of the kingdom. Then it dawned on her. No one had expected the invaders to attack from behind Atlantica since it was blocked by a huge mountain of rock that towered above the palace, but what if the attackers weren't mermen? Atlantica had prepared for war against threats from the sea, but what about the land? What if the attackers were humans that came from the surface? If Kane and his mercenaries had dropped from above, they would have gotten into the palace undetected!
"Argh!" Melody cried out, smacking a palm against her forehead, realising that she had unwittingly fallen prey to the Major's trick. Shedding her cumbersome armour, she launched herself off the reef and away from the battlefield. With her spear in hand, she sped back towards the palace, hoping that she wasn't too late.
Writer's Commentary:
This is the first time I'm writing a war scene, so it was really quite an experience. I went to research on some war tactics and stuff for this chapter, and tried to put it in context of a war under the sea. Writing the details of the battle was kind of tough though, because I needed to think in terms of being underwater, and how the merfolk would move and fight.
We also get to see Major Kane as a real monster, using Triton in his war against the Atlanticans. The twist was fun too, especially when Melody discovers Kane's true plan. I sure hope it was convincing enough, to show Kane as a cunning genius. We'll find out what happens next when Melody comes face to face with Kane in the throne room.