Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.
Chapter 40
"I don't think I like the ocean anymore," Vlad said, before his stomach rolled again.
He had made himself comfortable near the railing at the side of the ship. He didn't look up when he heard footsteps, and someone started to rub his back in circles. Vlad groaned, before he heaved again.
"We should have done a better job to warn you," Arthur said. "Lukas, how much farther?"
"No idea," Lukas called from his position at the back. "This thing only shows me the direction, not the distance."
"I don't want to get on another ship for as long as I live," Vlad groaned.
"Well, we'll need to board this boat again if we want to get back," Arthur said. "So we'll need you to be strong for a little bit longer."
Vlad moaned, and Arthur moved away. Vlad stared at the waves below, which moved with the boat, and against the boat. He pulled back and closed his eyes. He hated this. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he was this sick.
He didn't know how long he simply sprawled there before he heard a very encouraging sentence.
"I think I see it!" Lukas exclaimed.
"Finally," Arthur sighed. "So, this part of the journey is almost at its end."
"Don't relax just yet. We still need to make it there, and then we need to find the jewel."
Vlad could feel the Forest Mind pulsing against him. He wondered if it was reacting to the proximity of its peer. And then a thought struck him.
"Wait!" he called out. "How are we going to get back if Lukas gets sick from the other jewel?"
There was a long silence that did not help to ease Vlad's nerves.
"…We're going to have to wait a while then," Arthur said. "I don't think we're going to be able to steer this boat on our own. I'm sorry."
"Arthur, steering isn't the issue," Lukas said. "I'm worried about you not being able to sail through the coming storm. Those clouds do not look promising."
Vlad shuddered as he agreed. The clouds that had been gathering in the distance came closer, and they had turned darker and more numerous. Vlad had a feeling that this would only end up being a very bumpy ride for him, and his stomach didn't think that he could manage.
"Should we maybe spend the rest of the afternoon and the night on the boat?" Vlad asked.
"…That could work," Lukas said. "We can go belowdecks to wait out the storm. There are some hammocks and blankets down there too, in case of emergencies. The only problem is, I don't think we have enough food or drinking water."
"Why can't we get water from the ocean? We're surrounded by it."
"Um, that won't be a good idea," Arthur said. "It's going to make us sick if we try to drink it. Unless you know of a spell that would separate the water from the salt?"
Vlad racked his brain before he shook his head. He had no such spell. It was a shame. There was so much water.
"I don't know a spell like that either," Lukas admitted. "Would have helped on a lot of journeys out to sea."
"Okay, if even the person who has more need for this doesn't have a spell like that, then there's no way that the rest of us will be able to manage," Arthur said. "The dream we had the other day showed a pool of water. Do you think that would be safe to drink?"
"Do you want to test the quality of the water that housed one of these jewels?"
"…Alright, I see your point."
"Well, we should have a lot of fish to eat, right?" Vlad asked.
"We could catch fish if we weigh anchor and cast the nets overboard," Lukas said. "But that would require being still for a while, and with the weather acting up, I don't want to take any chances."
"We'll just have to wait then, it would seem," Arthur sighed. "Let's hope this jewel doesn't give us any problems."
Vlad heaved again before he could scold Arthur for saying something like that. The fates did not like to be tempted.
…
Lukas sighed when they finally reached the shore. Vlad stumbled off the boat before collapsing on the sand. As Arthur and Lukas climbed off as well, Lukas couldn't help but think that Vlad was trying to hug the ground. He would have loved to see Vlad playing among the waves, but he doubted that Vlad wanted anything to do with the waters at this moment.
"So, where is it?" Arthur asked.
The island was small – small enough to remain unnoticed, but not too small that it didn't offer them some form of shelter against the waves – and it was easy to see the other side of the island, if one looked around the large boulder in the middle. Lukas stared at the boulder. It was familiar.
"There," he announced, before approaching the boulder.
As they went closer, a sound started to tug at Lukas's consciousness, and it became louder as they moved closer. The sound was singing, and Lukas took that as a sign that they were getting closer. It was just like the dream.
"How are you feeling?" Arthur asked.
"I'm fine," Lukas said. "So far. Do the two of you hear that singing?"
"Singing?" Vlad asked.
"…Right, so it's just me."
It probably only took them a minute to reach the boulder with the pool. Lukas winced as the singing had reached an uncomfortable volume and pitch. He shook his head, before kneeling down next to the pool. He pulled back the sleeve of his right arm and reached down. The pool was small, but it was deeper than expected. His shirt was starting to get wet, even though it was nearly against his shoulder, before his fingers finally touched something hard and smooth. He grabbed it and pulled it out. He sighed when a blue jewel rested in his palm.
"Finally," he said. "The Ocean Soul."
"So, we have all three of the jewels?" Vlad asked. "Does that mean that this is over?"
"Well, we still need to transport the jewels to Mount Alasbu," Arthur said. "But the end is in sight. We're almost finished. And then… We can go back to my home in the forest. Since… Um…"
"Vlad and I don't have a place to go to otherwise," Lukas said. "I understand. If you still want us around, then I hope your house is large enough for the three of us."
Arthur chuckled, and Vlad soon joined in. Lukas smiled as he stood, before he stumbled. Arthur and Vlad caught his arms, and Lukas stared at the pool as he waited for things to stabilise.
"O-oh," he exclaimed. "I'm sorry. I just felt really dizzy all of a sudden."
"Don't worry," Arthur said. "We get it. And you're likely to grow worse. You can give the jewel to me. I'll hold onto it."
Lukas handed the blue jewel over to Arthur, who placed it in an inner pocket. Lukas shook his head to clear it, and they all turned back towards the boat. Only to stop.
"Ah, that's so touching. The three of you seem to be closer than ever."
"Francis," Lukas whispered. "And… Roderich and Dimitri. We knew it!"
"Our master warned us that you suspected us," Roderich said. "It's a shame."
"You… You cursed me the last time we saw you!" Arthur spat, glaring at Francis.
"And you seemed to recover a little too fast," Francis said. "But don't worry, it wouldn't have been fatal. Now then, the three of you will be coming with us."
"And just to make sure you don't get any ideas…" Dimitri said, holding out his hand to the side.
Lukas cried out when flames engulfed the boat. The three snickered before they started to move closer. The island was too small, so they could neither run nor hide.
Unless…
"The water," Lukas whispered. "We need to get in the water."
"What?" Vlad asked. "But…"
"It's the only way we can get away now."
Lukas started running, dragging the other two along with him. Black fingers crept into his vision, but he shook them off as he shoved Arthur and Vlad into the water, before wading after them.
"Do you honestly think that will work?" Francis asked.
"Keep going!" Lukas urged the others.
"But I can't swim!" Vlad exclaimed.
"Then hold onto us. But we can't let them…"
The water rose up in front of them, becoming a serpentine spout. Lukas's eyes widened as it dove down to them, wrapping them in the water. Lukas struggled, his mind reciting a spell that would allow him to breathe underwater. Once it was finished, he took in a deep gulp, before he turned to the other two, who were struggling as well. Vlad was closest, and Lukas pushed his way towards him and grabbed his cheeks. He kissed him, passing the spell along to Vlad, and not too soon. Vlad had already started to drown.
Before he could turn to Arthur, the water serpent spat them out onto the shore. Arthur and Vlad coughed as their lungs expelled the water, while Lukas glared up at their three tormentors.
"That was a nice attempt," Roderich said as he raised his hand. "But it's a bit poorly thought out."
In an instant, the water that surrounded them turned to ice. Lukas curled up as his body started to burn from the cold, and he noticed that they were frozen to the ground.
"No!" Lukas exclaimed.
"Vlad, if you're going to go berserk again, now is a good time to do it," Arthur said.
"Oh, but that transformation cannot be controlled," Francis said. "Also, he should be too exhausted to do it."
Lukas glanced towards Vlad, who indeed looked very pale. He gritted his teeth, before he started to gather energy for a spell, but something was wrong.
"My magic!" he gasped.
"Oh, you finally realised how much trouble you're in," Roderich said. "The first time we met, we cast a spell that would drain you of your magic from the core. The surface magic would remain unaffected, so it would be harder for you to notice that you've grown weaker. I suspect that using that spell to breathe underwater took away the last of your reserves."
"Bastards," Arthur spat.
"Now, I think we've kept our master waiting long enough," Dimitri said. "Time to go."
The three approached, and Lukas pulled at the ice. It wasn't too thick, but it was still difficult to pull himself free. He tried to stand, but his legs refused to cooperate, and Roderich grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to his feet. Francis did the same for Arthur and Dimitri grabbed Vlad.
"No!" Vlad shouted, trying to pull himself free. "Let me go!"
Dimitri backhanded Vlad, earning cries from Arthur and Lukas.
"Quiet, slave," Dimitri spat. "I thought you were supposed to be the one with the most obedience."
"Don't you ever call him that!" Arthur shouted.
Black spots darted in Lukas's vision, and he stumbled a bit, but Roderich's arm tightened as he steadied him.
"You're still weak from being exposed to that gem," Roderich muttered. "I wouldn't try to fight, if I were you."
Lukas growled, but Roderich was right. He was currently too weak and disoriented. He wanted to save Arthur and Vlad, but he was too weak to be able to do something like that.
Light started to surround them, and for a moment, Lukas hoped that it was the jewels reacting to save them, like the other times, but then he realised that the light came from the spell that their captors were using to get them out of there.
"No!" Lukas said, pressing his hand against Roderich.
In the last instant, a spark released from his hand, pushing Roderich away just as they teleported away. Lukas fell to the ground. The world spun around him for a moment before he looked around. Arthur and Vlad were gone, along with the other three.
"No!" Lukas exclaimed. "Arthur! Vlad!"
He shivered and hugged himself. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Desert Heart. It was still warm, and he pressed it against his face for a moment. He stood. They would realise that he wasn't with them, and Lukas would need to be gone before that happened, and before he passed out. He placed the jewel in his pocket again, making sure that it was secure, before stumbling to the water. The spell should still be in effect. He could swim out of there, but where he would go, he had no idea. A thought occurred to him, and he pulled out the compass. It spun around for a moment, before pointing in a direction. He checked the sky and determined that the compass was showing him the south.
"Okay," he muttered. "I trust you."
Lukas waded in, and when he was far enough in, he dove down. Before he was submerged, he thought he heard someone's voice.
…
Arthur gasped as the spell was undone. His vision swam for a moment, but then he could take in his surroundings. And then he noticed the figure on the throne, and he turned even colder than he already was.
"No," he whispered.
"What happened?" Nemthys asked, staring down just past Arthur.
Arthur followed his gaze, and his stomach dropped again when he saw Vlad, but then, he saw Roderich on the ground with a scorch mark on his chest.
"Forgive me, Master," Roderich said. "Just as we were teleporting, Lukas managed to cast a stun spell. I lost my grip in the last instant."
"Then I suggest you return and hope that he was lost at the spot where you left," Nemthys said. "And that he wasn't lost on the way. But still…" Nemthys grinned, his eyes resting on Arthur and Vlad. "You've done what no one else had been able to actually do. You brought two of them to me. And the last one should be easier to deal with."
Arthur's skin crawled as Nemthys's eyes raked over them. He shrank back when Nemthys stood from his throne and moved closer to them. Francis's grip on his arm tightened, and Arthur was pushed forward. He shuddered when Nemthys grabbed his chin, with Vlad suffering the same fate.
"You two have caused my followers more trouble than any of your predecessors," Nemthys said. "You better make up for it."
"You won't get the last jewel from Lukas," Arthur spat. "He'll get rid of it. He'll put it somewhere you'll never find it."
"But all I need is Lukas."
Nemthys chuckled. He reached into Arthur's pocket and retrieved the Ocean Soul. Arthur yelped when he felt Nemthys's touch against his body. Nemthys held up the jewel for Arthur and Vlad to see, and did something that Arthur hadn't expected.
He crushed it.
"What?" Vlad exclaimed. "I-I'm confused. I thought…"
"You thought that the rocks you've been collecting are my jewels?" Nemthys asked. "No. Although, these were my jewels. The previous set. You, Arthur and Lukas… You are my jewels."
Arthur's jaw dropped, and Vlad harshly gasped for breath.
"H-how?" Vlad asked.
"Did it never strike you as odd that my followers were so desperate to get you to come along willingly?" Nemthys asked. "And how they never seem to be searching for those rocks in your possession. Well, Ludwig did, but his reason was unique."
"…Because the red jewel… it was his brother. These jewels…"
"Are the corpses of our predecessors," Arthur finished. He felt sick. "That's why they had such a negative effect on us."
"Indeed," Nemthys said. "You were never meant to make contact with those jewels. Just as they were never meant to leave until the next three were born. But Gupta and that boy he betrayed me for stole them before their power was completely mine. And with the last of their strength, they sealed me away and scattered across the continent. Some of their spirits remained within those shells. They helped you, but they won't be able to do that anymore."
Nemthys reached into Vlad's pocket and removed the Forest Mind – no, Toris – and crushed that jewel as well. Arthur flinched. Now that he knew that it used to be the young man he'd met in his dream… it made him sick.
"Take them to their chairs," Nemthys said. He turned to Roderich. "And fetch the last one."
Arthur dug his heels in, but Francis dragged him along without a problem. Vlad was a lot louder and aggressive with his struggles, until Dimitri grabbed him by the waist and picked him up. Vlad still struggled, but it became difficult for him.
Arthur was forced to sit in a chair, which immediately restrained him. He stared at the grinning face in front of him and spat, the only form of resistance he could still offer. Francis calmly wiped his face clean.
"Once your friend arrives, I will have the satisfaction of hearing you scream," Francis said.
Arthur glared at Francis, before turning his attention to Vlad, who was in a similar position as him. They wasted all this time on the journey. They should have gone to Mount Alasbu as soon as possible.
Gilbert and Toris tried to warn them, and Arthur realised that they couldn't tell them about the true natures of the jewels. They couldn't tell them that the three of them were the jewels. They must have been under a spell. They had tried to warn them, to give them hints, but Arthur and the others didn't know what they were supposed to be seeing.
Arthur shuddered. He could feel that the chair he sat in had seen many deaths. And it would most likely see his death as well. He turned to look at the empty chair. Lukas was weak and oblivious. It was only a matter of time before they got him too.
