And the return of the mermaids! Originally, I wasn't planning on bringing back the mermaids until around the end or something, but you guys seemed to like them, so I decided to bring them back again. Though, this will be the last time you'll see them until around the end. I only put this chapter to give Atlas more of a character. Review please!
Mokuba, Mkalburti, and Pharaoh Seth swam deep in the ocean. Mokuba loved time being a fish, even enough to swim a back flip circle. Mkalburti also seemed to be copying Mokuba's gesture. Pharaoh Seth just sighed while rolling his eyes. Though, he had to admit, at least his son, even the modern version, still held a childishness inside them. That had to make Pharaoh Seth smile.
The three mermen spotted a cave under the mermaid island. Mokuba began developing a smirk upon his lips before swimming right into the cave. Mkalburti and Pharaoh Seth sighed deeply, bubbles developing from their noses, while slowly closing their eyes. They both followed Mokuba to the inside of the dark cave. Their eyes began to glow and they could see in the dark.
Mokuba swam to the other side of the cave where he spotted a whole mass of naked women with tails. He covered his eyes immediately. Pharaoh Seth kept his eyebrows furrowed and Mkalburti searched throughout the wide mass of mermaids, looking for someone. His eyes widened when he began to spot a few mermaids he personally knew.
Mkalburti pulled on his father's arm and pointed to a few of the mermaids. Pharaoh Seth's eyes widened and his mouth gaped wide open. Mokuba, trying to look away from the nudy women with tails, noticed this and knew they didn't have this reaction out of the naked women. It seemed as though they recognized some of the mermaids.
Mokuba took Pharaoh Seth and Mkalburti by the arm and swam them up to the surface. They appeared with only their heads shown. Mokuba recognized this place as the same area where he met Atlas. He didn't have time to think about that!
"What did you see?" Mokuba asked.
"A few of those women helped us play this Shadow Game against Dalor when one of us was the true warrior," Mkalburti replied as Mokuba's eyes widened. "We thought he killed them."
"Even my wife is here," Pharaoh Seth muttered with furrowed eyebrows.
"Dalor must've taken the women that have entered here with you guys and turned them into mermaids after we lost!" Mkalburti concluded as Mokuba's eyes widened. "I'm such an idiot!"
"Is what how you knew Atlas? Was she one of the players on your side playing against Dalor?" Mokuba asked.
"She was my wife!"
"I guess that's why she has this crush on me!"
"I think something's pulling on my tail!" Pharaoh Seth said after flinching slightly. He swam backwards, then a woman with shoulder length black hair and dark brown eyes appeared from the water.
"My Pharaoh, is that you?" the woman asked, staring at Pharaoh Seth dumbfounded.
"Leciah!" Mkalburti cried out in shock and joy.
"Who's this chick?" Mokuba asked.
"Leciah! She was one of my father's most loyal Priestess after Isis!"
"Leciah, what happened? What did Dalor do to you and the rest of the girls? Why have you all become man-eating savages?" Mkalburti asked with both demand and confusion.
"I... don't know. I think Dalor manipulates us when a trial emerges! It's always impossible for us to resist!"
"So, in other words, because Dalor controls the Shadow Game, he controls the players that play a curtain role in the game?" Mokuba asked as Leciah nodded in reply. "But Atlas seemed fine when I was playing the trial game here!"
"This is the first time that she's ever shown as a small child. Usually, she's grown!" Leciah explained as the men's eyes widened.
"Could it have anything to do with me looking like him and being twelve years old?" Mokuba asked, pointing his thumb at Mkalburti.
"When we change our age, we have to match our thoughts and feelings to that curtain age level. It probably works the same with Atlas. She was known as a very powerful sorceress of light," Mkalburti figured.
"Young mermaids have not developed hormones yet, so that is probably why she was not persuaded," Leciah concluded. "Or at least not as persuaded! She probably was somewhat brainwashed! Acting as an immature version of a mermaid!"
"Anyways, I have a plan to stop Dalor. I was thinking of gathering an army of all the previous players and the ones with me! Each of us gathering an army against Dalor to defeat him, like Capsule Monsters, but also using the abilities we have! If you guys were strong enough to take down mighty warriors, with your help, we can defeat Dalor!" Mokuba explained his plan. Leciah thought hard on the idea, then nodded.
"It might work. I'll call in the girls and see their opinion on the plan," Leciah said before diving into the water.
It did not take long for all the mermaids to emerge from the waters. Mokuba, of course, had to cover his eyes from all the nudity. Of course, the women were very used to swimming around naked, since they had been for 3000 years at the most. Pharaoh Seth and Mkalburti didn't seem to be fazed by the naked women or mermaids around the cave. Mokuba had to wonder how those two were able to put up with this!
"How are you able to deal with the naked women?" Mokuba asked as the two looked at him with glaring looks. "Without freaking out or having perverted thoughts?"
"You really want to know how?" Mkalburti asked as Mokuba nodded. "We pretend they're concubines."
Mokuba showed a cherry red blush, saying, "sorry I asked!"
"Leciah told us your plan! Do you really think this is enough to defeat Dalor?" A red-head mermaid asked with folded arms.
"Teamwork is usually the key to winning Capsule Monsters and since the game was based on this Shadow Game, maybe that's the key to this game!" Mokuba replied.
"Kid, this isn't Capsule Monsters, this is Si-San! It works differently than the game you're talking about!" a curly, black-haired mermaid said.
"Actually Sona, it might work," a blond-haired mermaid with a more determined look. "My lord Supreme King Judei used the same technique! It gathered us close to winning! In fact, it was because of this strategy that we came close to defeating him! Though, what we have now the true warrior, who also thinks about the previous players that tried before him! Let us give this true warrior a helping hand, shall we?" The other mermaids gave glances, then nodded with determination written on their faces. The blond mermaid faced Mokuba. "You have our help! We know the waters up and down in this world!"
"Thank you! What's your name?" Mokuba asked.
"Queen Alexandria of Babylon... or once was," Alexandria replied with a soft smile.
"You're Judei's wife?" Mokuba asked in pure shock.
"All the women were taken here! Dalor wanted to separate the males and females to make us suffer!"
"He sure did a good job with that," Mkalburti muttered darkly.
"What do you mean?" Mokuba asked.
"He separated us from our wives! As hard as it is to believe, it is the most painful experience to be separated from your wife!" Pharaoh Seth explained with a hint of sorrow written on his face. "Dalor will surely pay!"
"I will make sure of that!" Mkalburti muttered darkly.
"Mokuba!" Atlas called, who seemed to be more older now, around her thirties at least. Mokuba's eyes widened, knowing that shirt on her from anywhere. "There is a trial on Dalor's side that might give you a running start! It's also not as easy for him to arrive to! Normally, he makes that the last place he will go to in order to gather all the good items! I will guide the three of you there safely and will give you reports on Dalor!"
"But Atlas, it's dangerous and suicidal!" Mkalburti argued.
"But this item is Dalor's last attack or the key to it anyways! You take that away and he will have nothing when weakened!"
"She's right! This might be the true warrior's only chance!" Another mermaid agreed.
"This could also mean Mokuba running into Dalor unprepared," Mkalburti pointed out.
"Dalor is just as unprepared anyways and it's right at the edge of Mokuba's border!"
"Besides, it's the true warrior's decision, not yours!" The red-haired mermaid said snobbishly.
"I'll take that chance! It might be risky, but we could have a sporting chance!" Mokuba said as Mkalburti shot him a glare.
"I seriously hope you know what you're getting yourself into," Mkalburti glared.
"I'll gain help from all of you. Dalor is probably just as unprepared, so we might as well take this chance."
Mkalburti sighed deeply, hoping that this idea wouldn't lead Mokuba into deep trouble. He knew he would need to tag along to make sure Mokuba would be able to escape safely if they ever were to run into trouble. Pharaoh Seth was thinking on the same level. It seemed like a good idea, but one with very high risks. He wasn't willing to let Mokuba go on this trip alone.
This journey would be a challenging one indeed.