Part Two: Jade Tides
Blue Sea Moon
Chapter Nineteen: Shadow Wars
After revealing herself as Rebyx in Enbarr the Emerald Shark Squadron found no trace of Rebyx anywhere. With the death of the Emperor the war had come to an end but a new one was beginning with the Meritocracy again at the head expecting an attack from Those Who Slither in The Dark. Meanwhile, the real Oceania departed with Finn to the Coalition to explain what had happened and the Coalition voted to support the Meritocracy if, and when, they needed it.
"As Finn and Maira are taking a brief sabbatical to recover from the events in Enbarr I have been chosen to lead this council and debrief you all." Oceania spoke to the council.
"I think I speak for all of us when I say that we require an explanation of what's going on." Kai eloquently explained.
"Yeah! What the hell's going on here!" Hukai brazenly asked.
"Hukai! A little respect!" Fiafia yelled.
"I'm also going to have to ask you to silence your mouth before I blow it off." Atamai snarled defensively.
"All of you! Enough!" Lawe yelled out.
"I just asked a question." Kai sighed. "Go ahead Oceania."
"Your frustration is understandable. Especially seeing as this face is the one that just betrayed all of you." Oceania said.
"It was a brilliantly devised and executed plan on Rebyx's part. It fooled all of us!" Penina remarked.
"I'm glad you find Rebyx's hijacking of my mother admirable." Atamai snapped at Penina.
"Come on Atamai! You know that isn't what she meant." Keola defended Penina.
"Yes, and Oceania you can not hold yourself accountable by actions taken while possessed." Lawe added.
"The devotion to hold a character for several years is very strenuous. No actor could do it that I know of." Fetu said while Atamai glared at him. "What I'm trying to remind us of is that we can't blame ourselves for figuring it out sooner. And we have to remind Finn of that too."
Atamai appreciated this answer and agreed. "Yes, we will all have to put on our bravest faces to help Finn and Maira through this."
"I'm still a little foggy on how you were possessed." Malosi directed this at Oceania.
"It is a little foggy for me but when I went on that diplomatic mission to Albinea around 11 years ago I encountered Rebyx. She had been hiding out there since she faked her death at Arianrhod. Seeing the chance the two of us engaged in a battle but I had no clue how strong she was and was defeated. I was conscious when she took my body." Oceania relayed to the young generals.
"That was the mission when you, I mean not 'you' but Rebyx, returned and acted completely differently." Atamai recalled.
"Precisely. I was in a sort of semi-consciousness the entire time. Unable to control anything but still somewhere in the back of her mind." Oceania explained.
"But when the other mage came out of Catherine Catherine was dead. How did you survive?" Malosi asked.
"Because of this." Oceania held up her right hand and a glittering white coral ring. "This is one of the Mea Hana Nui. Pilina, or Relationship, had the power to attack through another."
"Had?" Fiafia asked.
"Yes. The ring, I hypothesize, bonded my subconscious to Rebyx and allowed me to stay but after the bond was broken so was the power of the ring."
"That tracks, so now that we have had a dialogue about this does everyone remain comfortable with having Oceania remain in the Council Room as we discuss our defense strategy?" Atamai posed to the group.
Everyone voted in favor of welcoming Oceania back to the Council Room.
"One last thing." Oceania said as she took her seat. "I think now is the time for me to join the front lines. It's about time I helped you all out with the effort. I am a tremendous healer."
"YES! Absolutely! It's about time I had someone help heal all the tiny little cuts of this council. You all are such babies." Fetu enthusiastically agreed.
"I'm glad Someone is enthusiastic." Oceania smiled.
"I don't like the idea of you in such a forward position but I take it there will be no arguing." Atamai sighed.
"You would be correct." Oceania smiled.
"With such a looming threat of Rebyx should we pull all troops back to Kapena?" Olaga asked.
"Though the Empire has joined the Coalition there is still some turmoil in the northern region near our border. Instead I would suggest pulling more troops from the Western Church. The Kingdom has proven they will stand beside us." Penina argued.
"Yes, but that would require an order from Finn. And getting him to sign anything at the moment will be difficult." Olaga explained. "If we pull troops from the south then it just takes a few of our orders."
"I will talk to Finn. And Maira. It's the least I can do. Atamai, be a dear and draw up the order, he will sign it." Oceania ended the meeting there.
Finn sat dejected in his private corners. He blamed himself for the loss of Eliana and Wynne. He blamed himself for not being able to tell that Oceania wasn't herself this whole time. He had let Rebyx goad him into continuing to fight instead of angling for a diplomatic end. As he thought about all of this there were a few knocks at his door.
"Go away! That's an order." Finn barked glumly.
"Ooh! An order! How official of you." Oceania said before opening the door and letting herself in.
"You shouldn't be here." Finn sighed as he got up to greet Oceania.
"But I am." Oceania said as she pulled out the orders for the troops.
"You need to sign this to pull troops from the southern border to defend Kapena in case of an attack." Oceania told him.
"I don't need to do anything. Kapena will stand. What I do doesn't matter."
"But of course it does! You've ended this war despite starting in the worst of conditions."
"I ended this war because Hoaloha came to help! And then I got her brother killed because I was too blind to realize there was a traitor right underneath my nose."
"ʻŌ! You fool! The only thing that happened was because of Rebyx. Not even my son knew that I was possessed. Which I admit does sting."
"But I should have! I should have used my best judgment!"
"The Empire was never going to just lay down their weapons! Maybe you are right! Maybe if you aren't smart enough to lead, if you really think that going later would have been any better!"
"I'm still smart enough to know that we shouldn't be pulling troops from the southern border and should be pulling troops from the Western Church instead!" Finn snapped which made Oceania smile.
"See. You are ready Finn." Oceania grabbed Finn's hands. "Now stop lazing around and prepare the capital. We all believe in you."
"Thank you Kumu aʻo. I will get right on it." Finn signed the papers and left his room.
"That kid is so bright. They really all are. Rebyx doesn't know what's coming." Oceania said to herself.
Maira was training intensely. She wasn't fighting like her usual self though, her slashes were without purpose, her swings were wild and uncalculated. Deadly, but without direction.
"Hello Maira." Oceania surprised Maira. Instinctively Maira spun and swiped at Oceania's neck with her sword.
Oceania stepped back and nearly missed losing her head.
"Should've expected that." Oceania laughed at herself.
"Lady Oceania!" Maira realized what she did very quickly.
"Don't apologize. I should know better than to sneak up on someone while they are holding a deadly weapon, especially if anything that person holds can be considered a deadly weapon." Oceania chuckled.
"Still, normally I have more control than that."
"Yes, and that is exactly why I need you to come with me. I've heard a rumor of a cave that can help restore my ring."
"Thank you for thinking of me but I should sit this one out. I'm still grieving."
"Wonderful! So am I! Let's grieve together in a prettier location, shall we?" Oceania was not taking no for an answer.
Maira relented and the pair went off to a nearby cave system.
"Ah! Smell that nice salty ocean air!" Oceania opened her arms and breathed in. "Come on! Try it!"
"If you insist." Maira took a few deep breaths and actually found that she was more relaxed.
"Ha!" Oceania laughed. "Look! Pilina is glowing."
The ring was glowing. Dazzling was actually a better description. It shone like salt in the wind. A gentle light shimmered and made Maira smile. The first time since Wynne had died.
"A smile!" Sothis said to Maira.
"You have a good smile." Oceania laughed. "A shame it comes out so rarely."
"Thank you. And thank you for this. It's what I needed." Maira said.
"Yeah. It's what I needed too." Oceania looked out at the ocean with a serious face. "But the fun doesn't end here."
"What do you mean?" Maira asked.
"I sense them!" Sothis said. "Beasts!"
"This is my favorite beach, you know. So when I heard that it was overrun with a beast I knew that this was just the place to take out some aggression." Oceania smirked.
"We don't have any backup!" Maira yelled.
"Who needs it? You brought Ultimus, right?" Oceania smirked. "Time to get this party started."
Oceania summoned a blue glyph and waved her hand casting Whirlpool. The ocean in front of her swirled and the water bubbled. It swirled and swirled until the water started to bubble. Suddenly, a gigantic squid creature burst forth and slammed down on the sand near the two of them.
"Is she insane?" Sothis screamed.
"I sure hope so." Maira admitted as she got Ultimus ready.
The squid lashed out at the two women with its tentacles, Maira leaped over the first while separating Ultimus. As the other tentacle came towards her she slashed at the air sending power rippling towards it. Maira expected the blast to disarm the creature but it just bounced off. Maira dodged the tentacle at the last second.
"Did I mention that the skin is impervious?" Oceania said as she deflected another tentacle with Seraphim.
"NO! You did NOT mention that!" Maira yelled as she held back a tentacle with both Ultimus segments.
"Oh! That's a pity." Oceania laughed.
Oceania really was no pushover. She knew advanced water and faith magic as well as some very useful healing spells. Not only that but her skill with a staff was impressive. She danced beautifully through the fury of tentacles. Jumping and pirouetting through the utter chaos of suckers and blasts of ink.
"So if the skin is impervious how are we going to kill it?" Maira asked as she stood back to back with Oceania.
"Kill it?" Oceania turned away from the tentacles to look at Maira. "Why would we do that?"
"You said that this place was overrun and that it was a shame!" Maira yelled.
"Yeah, a shame no one had played with the monster yet!"
"It's official!" Sothis remarked. "She crazy!"
Just then the squid wrapped its tentacle around Oceania and pulled her high into the air.
"Whee!" Oceania squealed. "Hey Maira! What should we name her?"
"How about we escape with our lives first." Maira stared at her dumbfounded.
"Oh right. That old dilemma." Oceania cast Wai up into the air and let the water fall down onto her so she could slip out of the squid's grip. "Before we finish up here, you feel focused?"
"Yes. I am focused on getting out of here."
"Good! See I knew that this would get you refocused. It's good to grieve of course but I find a little bit of fear for your life tends to reset you just enough to get you back in the fight." Oceania said.
"Oh! I see what you did here." Maira smiled.
"Good! Now you are right the whole giant squid thing has outstayed its welcome for right now hasn't it?"
"Just a little."
"Well then. Let me handle this." Oceania cracked her knuckles then focused. She cast Abraxas and used the blast of white energy to raise the squid out of the water. Then Maira followed up with many blasts from Ultimus to knock the squid very far away.
"Thank me!" Sothis said.
"I hope we didn't send it too far away. You would be surprised how hard it is to find a good squid these days!" Oceania said.
"Thank you Oceania. This was really good for me. But I'm not done grieving yet. Not even close." Maira teared up.
"I didn't expect you to be. I'm not quite there yet either."
"What are you grieving for? If you don't mind my asking." Maira inquired.
"The last 11 years of my life. Watching my son grow up. Seeing Finn become the man he is today. I didn't get to live through any of that at all." Oceania admitted. "I mean part of my consciousness was present there but in a lot of ways I fell asleep and woke up 11 years later."
"Something similar happened to my father once. He was lost for five years before he woke up. Then he went right into war, fighting for the Empire."
"And here I am, fighting against Those Who Slither in the Dark." Oceania said. "I met your father once, before I was possessed. You were only a few months old then. He was so excited that he talked about you and your brother the entire time."
"That's embarrassing." Maira blushed.
"Good. One parting gift from your father to you. Pride." Oceania gave Maira a hug. "And a gift from me."
"What?" Maira asked.
"Here, take this." Oceania removed Pilina and placed it on Maira's hand. "A token and reminder of the bonds you've forged with those that stand by you now and have in the past."
"Oceania! I can't accept this."
"You have to! I insist." Oceania stared at Maira.
"Alright. But only if we get back to Kapena without running into another side mission." Maira smiled.
"No promises." Oceania smirked. "I think I heard about a giant porcupine in the woods somewhere."
With the month coming to a close there had been no signs of attack anywhere in the Coalition. But tensions were still high as everyone knew that Rebyx would make good on her threat to attack sometime. It was just a matter of time.
"Maybe there won't be an attack." Fetu said while crossing his fingers.
"No way. Rebyx will attack, I'm sure of it." Olaga said.
"Maybe she doesn't have to. The psychological warfare that she already started with this is bad enough." Penina remarked. "We're so paranoid that this might be what she wanted."
"She's coming. I know it." Finn said. "Everyone just be on high alert."
"Your Majesty!" Lawe ran into the council room. "It's come! There are reports of giant mechanical creatures attacking in the streets. And sightings of mages dressed in black."
"Finally!" Keola got out of his seat. "I've been getting bored."
"Don't be an oaf!" Malosi yelled. "This is a direct assault on the capital!"
"Exactly! So we don't have time to argue." Finn barked. "Olaga and Keola. Both of you lead a small team to escort the citizens out of the city. Feel free to take down anything in your way. Oceania and Hoaloha, come with me. We are going to protect the palace."
"Understood!" Keola bowed. "Kai, Fetu, Lawe, and Atamai, you're with me."
"That means Fiafia, Penina, Hukai, and Malosi are with me." Olaga said.
"I've been itching for a chance to stretch my legs." Oceania twirled her staff as she headed towards the front steps.
Keola and Lawe soared above Kapena in search of any citizens in danger on the north side of Kapena. They saw a large congregation surrounded by two Titanus and about five mages. They signaled to the others and dove towards the citizens. Lawe tried to blast the Titanus with Swarm Ζ but it seemed to have no effect.
"Guess we have to do this the old fashioned way." Lawe sighed as she grabbed her hand axe.
She pulled in the wings of her wyvern and did a barrel roll to avoid the Titanus' attack. She threw her axe into the blue light in its chest and it lodged itself in there causing the Titanus pain. She slashed at the giant hand sword the Titanus wielded with her axe and damaged it pretty badly as the wyvern retrieved the hand axe with its tail. Seeing that the creature no longer was emanating a blue light Lawe tried magic again. She summoned a spell glyph and cast Death Ι, the dark spirit burst into a thousand dark sparks and deactivated the giant mech.
On the ground level what they thought was only five mages had turned into twenty. Atamai used Banshee Θ to swirl around the mages paired with Hades Ω to do crowd control but the magic was less effective as the mages had very high resistance. But Atamai's goal was not to kill, it was to herd them so that they were easy pickings for Kai. Kai had set himself up on a roof and with 'Uhane had easy pickings with the mages. One by one they fell to his arrows. The mages caught on though and started to blast at him with Miasma Δ. Kai took a few hits before he jumped down on his horse. Fetu was on standby underwater and healed him with Recover before the two took cover and shot at the mages. The combined strength of all of them finished off the mages.
Keola used Kino to great effect on the final Titanus. The magical coral cut through the Titanus' armor like butter. All Keola had to do was hack away at the mechanical creature and lodge Kino deep into its body to finish the beast. With the citizens safe the five of them started to escort the citizens out of the city.
On the south side of the city the other team was having similar success. Olaga was engaging in combat straight on with a few mages as Penina backed her up with Manao. Hukai was also helping out from fishback. He jabbed and struck at mages while diving from one gap in the crystal to another. The full-on assault was overwhelming and it took little time to neutralize the enemy.
Fiafia and Malosi were taking on both Titanus together. Fi weaved through attacks while chipping away at their defenses with her lance. She was playing a dangerous game but was bolstered by Malosi using Nosferatu not to attack but distract so they couldn't get a clear shot at Fiafia. Finally, Fiafia got a good enough hit in on one Titanus to take out its magical barrier. Seeing this Malosi mustered up a gigantic explosion with Ragnarok and then used Sagittae to force the half-melted Titanus to melt on the other and take both Titanus out.
With the other two teams having completed their jobs it was up to Maira, Oceania and Finn to repel the largest creature. It was half-mechanical and half-monster. It repelled magic as well. But none of the warriors standing right before the palace looked even remotely phased.
"So who wants to take on this one?" Finn yawned.
"I think Maira's earned it." Oceania offered.
"Nah, Finn should take it. He could handle it quicker." Maira commented.
"No way! Oceania, you deal with monsters like this so well." Finn complimented his mentor.
"Let's do this together. Shall we?" Oceania readied herself.
Maira sent waves of energy out and knocked off the magic barrier on the monster. Right after Oceania sent a blast of Seraphim out and hit the creature right in the face. The creature bellowed in pain but exposed its underbelly. Finn then used Griovalr and unleashed Riptide, sending the powerful blast right through the creature, ending it very quickly.
"Well," Finn said. "Rebyx is going to have to do better than that."
"The reports came in that the city has been secured." Maira reported.
"What were we even worried about?" Oceania remarked.
"Not much at all." Finn said before walking back into the palace as dawn broke with the morning.