Chapter 28: Dawn
Morgana swam through the dark forest of pillars that constituted the Master's lair. Following at her side was Undertow, the giant shark's tail sweeping lazily as he kept pace with her. The white torches above lent an eerie ambience to the chamber, casting their shadows onto the dark stone below in distorted shades. Not even algae or sea scum grew in this place. It was the sort of atmosphere that caused the eyes to play tricks on the mind, earning repeated glances over the shoulder at the sensation of being watched.
"I hate this place," complained Undertow as he looked about. "Seems like it's larger every time we come here."
"If you flapped your tail as much as your mouth we'd be there already," replied Morgana sharply.
A brisk current washed over them, forcing the dastardly duo to stop. Morgana shielded her face as the rushing water forced her to squint, but she was able to glimpse a truly massive something swim by just at the edge of the light. The blue-gray body with black triangular marks moved with disturbing quiet as the creature swam. As quickly as it came it disappeared into the shadow and from sight.
"Riptide! What's he doing here?" exclaimed Undertow in alarm, inching in the opposite direction of the monster. There were few things a shark of his size had to be afraid of, but Riptide was definitely one of them. He was a salmon fry compared to that monstrosity, and Riptide was not known for keeping control of his predatory instincts when hungry–which, lately, was always.
"Probably called here just like us," said Morgana as she started swimming again, hardly in the mood for Undertow's cowering. "Now quit your carping or we'll be late, and then that glutton will be the least of your problems! You know how the Master is about being late!"
Undertow gulped. Fear Riptide he did, but he feared the Master even more. And rightly so, for anyone that could command both Riptide and Remora so unquestioningly was not a force to be trifled with. Reluctantly he followed a tad faster than before, anxiously watching for the leviathan.
It was not long before the stairs to the platform came into view. Morgana quickly swam up to the edge, breaching the water as her tentacles pulled herself onto the platform. Undertow was left to follow along the perimeter, fins and tail rising above the water as he peered up.
The other members of Maelstrom's upper ranks were already gathered together around the black pool. On one side stood Remora and the Master, the two deep in private conversation. On the other stood Ursula, the ends of her tentacles sliding nervously across the floor as she waited. Beside her was Richard, who did not break the hateful gaze he was sending Remora to acknowledge Morgana's arrival. If the golden witch noticed either of them, she showed not the slightest interest or concern. Towering over all of them were the enormous yellow eyes of Riptide. The monster had secluded himself in the shadows, hiding all but his luminescent gaze. Even at three hundred feet in the air Morgana was well aware it was a fraction of his bulk. There was plenty of him still in the water.
The Master turned to her. "Morgana. Undertow. So you finally decided to join us."
"We came as soon as we got your summons, sir," said Morgana.
"Took your time dragging your boneless carcasses out here," grumbled Remora. "I was about to suggest sending Riptide to find you."
Morgana could hear the monster lick his teeth, a hungry hiss emanating from above. It was her turn to gulp, a bead of sweat forming on her brow despite the coldness of her body and the water she just emerged from.
The Master snapped his fingers, the sharp sound echoing across the water. Bleached white bones rose from the water in a hollow clattering dance onto the platform. The skeletal remains rattled and rolled over the stone towards the pool, interlocking like puzzles of a jigsaw to stretch out over the black water. They formed a macabre floor and then rose up, creating a long table with five chairs. One high-backed chair formed at the head of the table, the giant barracuda skull atop the backrest leaving little doubt who it was intended for.
The chair slid out as the Master approached, and then back in as he took his seat. "Sit."
Ursula, Morgana, and Richard claimed their seats with hesitancy, ever cautious of the dark sorcerer. Riptide positioned himself behind the Master's chair, causing waves to lap up onto the stones as he moved. Only Remora showed any sign of ease even with her seat right next to the Master.
"I'm sure you're all wondering why I've called you here," said the Master.
"Indeed. What reason could you have for ordering us here out of the blue…my lord?" asked Richard, quickly adding the last part as Remora let a warning ribbon of electricity jump between her fingers.
The Master gave an amused "hmm" at the man's reaction to the blatant threat. "The reason why…"
Shadows raced up Morgana's chair, seizing her wrists and holding her down as the chair moved of its own accord. It rattled over the bones to the opposite end of the table, leaving her staring straight across at the Master and everyone else.
"Is because Morgana has something to share with us," finished the Master. "A plan she's concocted to further our goal. Isn't that right, Morgana?"
Morgana's blood was cold and pounding in her ears. He knew. What else could explain that unyielding confidence in his tone? But how could he? She was careful to not leave any materials to give away her scheming. All the planning was inside her head, the one place the Master could not get into or so she hoped. Apparently that hope was mistaken, but it should not have surprised her. And if the last time were any lesson, trying to lie her way out of this would result in even worse punishment.
"Y-you knew?" she stammered, unconsciously inching off the edge of her seat. The shadows gripped tighter, keeping her from moving further.
The Master rose from his chair, walking slowly to her. "Did you think I put you under house arrest for disobedience alone? What better way for you to cultivate a strategy for obliterating the Alliance than by removing all those pesky distractions? No magic, no assassinations, no disturbances, and nowhere else to go. Just alone and undisturbed to focus your efforts where they belong."
He walked behind Morgana and rested his hands on her shoulders, gripping firmly as the shadows restraining her disappeared. "If I'd only wanted to punish you, our last meeting would have been much more…unpleasant."
If Morgana had possessed hair on the back of her neck it would be standing straight up. She could feel the power in the Master with frightening clarity, his hands as welcome on her skin as knives. Being this close to him was like standing next to a black hole, the magnitude and density of his power threatening to swallow her whole and rip her to shreds if she strayed past the edge. Or was that his desire to kill she was feeling? Either way it made her skin crawl and stomach flip like a tossed coin. She drew a sharp breath as he leaned in beside her ear, genuinely afraid for her life.
"I hope you'll meet my expectations," he whispered, moving his hands a hair closer to her neck.
"I'd-I'd hate to di-disappoint, sir," she stammered out.
The Master dissolved into wispy shadows, drifting over the table as a black vaporous cloud before reforming in his throne with interlaced fingers. "Now then, let's hear this plan of yours." His eyes darted over to Ursula and Richard. "And without interruption."
Ursula mimed zipping her lips with her tentacles while Richard nodded quickly.
Morgana's tentacles pulled at the bone floor nervously. Truthfully her plan was designed for her and her underlings to carry out. The others factored in only when it came to devising ways to keep her plan a secret. She never intended to include them in her plot. Nor was her plan intended for anything larger than the destruction of Seahaven and Atlantica. She could care less what the Master wanted with the rest of the Alliance.
But as she considered the full implications of this abrupt development, her anxiety began to wane. If she played this right, she could still turn events to her favor. As infuriating as the last months were, she had not wasted them on brooding and tantrums. She devoted weeks worth of continuous thought to devising her plans, agonizing over details and contingencies in a game of mental chess. She formulated scenario after scenario after scenario, weeding through the details until she devised a plan with the best chance of success while allowing room for adaptation. If there was one thing she learned from hers and Ursula's defeats, it was that flexibility and adaptation were the keys to success. Especially when dealing with mermaids with a knack for turning the tides at the last second.
Morgana grinned. Her game was still in play. She just had some new pieces on the board, and what a collection of pieces they were. Sharkanians, pirates, and sea monsters were toy sparklers compared to the firepower the five before her possessed. With their strength at her disposal she could move things along faster than anticipated.
The Master tapped a finger on the table impatiently. "Well?"
Morgana realized she had been staring off into space. She cleared her throat. "Apologies, Master. Just needed a moment to put my thoughts in order."
She laid a hand on the table as one of her tentacles pulled a bone from the floor and dipped down into the pool. A streak of acid green light raced up her tentacle and down her arm. Ice grew from under her hand, spreading forth to cover the table in a glassy sheet. Shapes began to rise from it as fractals and hoar frost formed the outline of a map. Lines and names began to appear in it, until a complete map of the entire Alliance and the surrounding lands had been created.
"Pay close attention," Morgana said as a long shard of ice formed in her hand. "Because this is going to be complicated."
"Eric? Eric, wake up."
Even in the anesthetizing hold of sleep Ariel's voice was able to reach Eric. Slowly he opened his eyes. His vision was blurred and foggy but that angelic face and red hair was unmistakable. And sideways. Why was she sideways?
It became more obvious when Eric felt the wood of his desk pressed into the side of his face. He shifted, causing papers to rustle under his arms as he propped himself upright in his chair, wincing as his wounded ribs reminded him of their presence.
He was in his personal study. It was one of the less opulent rooms in the palace, devoid of lavish decoration except for a few rugs, a portrait of his father in his younger years, and several mementos from his days on the seas. The study was intended as a place for official business rather than pleasure. One wall was lined with bookshelves, each brimming with ledgers of trade agreements, treaties, records, and all other manner of official documents among various legal and political texts. The opposite side held a small fireplace and a trio of armchairs, providing the king with a place to discuss matters of state with dignitaries and whatnot, or to simply relax should he need a break from his work. The only window was a large panorama with navy curtains situated behind Eric's desk, which faced the doorway. Today the curtains were drawn aside, allowing abundant sunlight in to diminish the shadows as much as possible.
His vision began to focus, bringing his wife into sharp relief. Her hair was down and she wore the blue dress and black bodice of her usual casual attire. She had faint lines of sleep around her blue eyes, the only sign that, unlike him, she failed to find any rest that day. It did little to diminish her beauty. Even sleep deprived Eric thought she was as dazzling as a sunrise.
He rubbed his eyes as he yawned. "Did I fall asleep?"
"I'd say so from how you were snoring," answered Ariel, unable to keep a little grin off her face at remembering the droning snorts she heard from the hallway. It sounded like someone dragging a crate over a ship deck.
"I don't…snore," he yawned again, stretching an arm overhead as far as he could without moving his ribs. He ruffled his hair, waiting for his brain to catch up with the rest of him. His memories of the day were fuzzy, but slowly he began to remember what happened that morning.
"It's made of what?" asked Melody.
The princess stood by her father's side as he leaned on the back of his chair for support. On his other side stood Ariel and Grimsby, and beside the advisor was Attina. Atop a stack of papers perched Sebastian. Before them all stood Lara, dressed in her shredded tan halter-top and black baggy pants, hair held back by her goggles. Whatever sudden weakness took her after the monsters left had not returned since, her vigor restored thanks to several hours of sleep and three helpings of Louis' heartiest cooking. The study was not especially bright, as the sun had yet to migrate to the western side of the palace. By no means was it dark though. Not that anyone would complain after last night. Any light was welcome to them.
It was well past daybreak when Melody and Lara arrived at Eric's study. The meeting opened with the royals recounting their experiences from the night to Lara, who listened patiently as each spoke his or her part. Despite her clear attentiveness, Melody thought Lara almost appeared bored, showing no reaction to when they told about the hooded monsters or the ease with which they disposed of the guards. But when they described the teal-eyed "child" with tentacles for arms and her baffling apology, Lara was clearly alarmed. That was enough to start raising Melody's suspicions.
Around that time Grimsby arrived with Attina from checking on the guards and palace staff. For all the commotion caused by Lara's scuffle with the skinner and the hooded monsters, the only ones with any memory of it were Melody, her family, Sebastian, Lara, and himself. True to the hooded creature's word, the guards remained unconscious till morning, yet none of them remembered anything of the night. Nor did any of the other palace staff recall anything out of the ordinary. Even those who aided moving the guards last night had no memory of doing so. As far as they knew the only commotion in the last day happened at the marina. Beyond that all they could offer were blank looks of confusion and apologies for not being more helpful. Attina added that none of the children were aware of what transpired either. Like the guards, their memories had disappeared as well.
Memories were not the only missing thing. There was no physical evidence either. Melody returned to her room that night to find her door and vanity screen intact instead of smashed apart. Nothing in her room was out of place or harmed. Nor did Grimsby find any damage from Lara's efforts to subdue the skinner. Every window, every stone, every ornament and artwork was exactly where and how it should be. Every scratch, scrape, and crack was gone. Even the piano had been reassembled from the splinters the skinner and Lara reduced it to, the stones beneath solid as the earth they were taken from. Clearly the creatures had done this to cover their tracks. How would remain a mystery.
Then it was Lara's turn to talk. She recounted her fight through the halls, leaving out any magic she or the skinner used. She said she fought the creature to the tower stairwell and threw it over the side before sliding down the railing after it. When she reached the bottom, she saw the fall had crippled the skinner, so she planned on restraining it for questioning. But then the hooded monsters and the little girl showed up and destroyed it before departing.
Now Lara had unveiled the "compensation" the monsters left for her. It appeared to be a black cloak, unnervingly identical to the ones their uninvited guests had worn. It was so black it seemed to be woven from ink. The floating flecks of dust in the air seemed repulsed by some polarizing barrier it emitted, unable to land on its surface.
"Shadowsilk," said Lara as she spread the cloak out for them to see. The darkness of it erased all depth and contour of the fabric, turning it into a solid pane of black. "Not surprising you've never heard of it. This stuff's extremely rare and even harder to see."
"Why's that?" asked Ariel.
"It's easier to show than explain," said Lara as she swirled the cloak around herself. It was a perfect fit, enclosing her form fully as the hems dangled just shy of the floor. Even the hood seemed built to her as Lara pulled it up, tucking her hair inside.
"Loosen up that curtain for me," she asked as she pulled the hood further up, shading her eyes so only her nose and mouth were visible.
Seeing as he was closest to the window and not about to make his king or queen do it, Grimsby freed one of the curtains from its golden tasseled holdback, sending half of the room into shadow. Lara went and stood adjacent to the shaded half near the door. Melody felt uneasiness at that impish smirk Lara had, already foreseeing some new mischief as she stepped into the shadow.
And disappeared.
It was not an exaggeration in the least. One moment Lara was standing there for all to see, and the next she vanished. Melody scanned hastily about the room like everyone else, trying to catch even a glimpse of her. Her ears strained for the rustle of cloth or the sound of footsteps, but there was nothing.
"Where did she go?" asked Attina.
"I-I don't know," said Melody nervously.
A pair of quick whistles sounded. Melody spun around as the curtain was thrown back, revealing Lara standing by the window looking pleased with herself. Everyone jumped visibly, Attina placing a hand over her heart to keep it from leaping out of her chest. Sebastian flinched as though he had been shocked, falling off the stack of papers and almost landing in Eric's inkwell.
"Ta-da!" declared Lara, bowing to them as though she just did a magic trick.
Sebastian gawked, looking between where Lara was and where she had been. "What…how…dere…but den…you…how did you do dat?"
Lara removed the cloak and draped it over her arm then extended it into the shadow caused by the curtain. The moment the cloak touched the shadow it disappeared, as did Lara's arm. All that was left was a disembodied hand floating in midair.
"Witchcraft!" gasped Grimsby.
"Not magic. Shadowsilk," said Lara as she wiggled her fingers. "In light it's easy to see as anything else. But put it in the dark and it'll disappear along with anything it's covering. Basically, you're invisible as long as you stay in the shadows."
Lara pulled the cloak away, proving her claim as her arm and the cloak reappeared.
"That's it!" exclaimed Ariel, causing everyone but Lara to jump. "Those creatures! They were wearing those cloaks! That's why all the lights were out! They were making sure we couldn't see them!"
"And it explains why no one saw them," added Eric. "Even with every candle lit there were plenty of shadows they could hide in."
Melody gulped, remembering how dark her room got at night. She found it easier to sleep with less light usually, but now the dark had much less appeal to her slumber. She made a note to keep a candle lit in her room from now on. Or maybe a hundred.
Grimsby cleared his throat, causing everyone to direct his or her focus to him. "As illuminating as this all is, while we are on the subject of last night's intruders I believe Miss Anclagon has some explaining to do."
Lara narrowed her eyes at Grimsby, not deaf to the accusing timbre in his voice. "You want to clarify that, gramps?"
"You know precisely what I mean, Miss Anclagon. Last night you said the creature was the fourth of its kind you have seen. You named it in front of us, and I believe you were about to name the others before you collapsed. Then these monstrosities saw fit to bestow that…" He gestured at Lara's cloak as he searched for the right word. "Thing upon you. On top of that, the child mentioned you by name and, I quote, that you know plenty about their race. Given these facts, it would be safe to venture you not only know about these creatures but had encounters with them in the past…if not an association."
"Watch it!" snapped Lara sharply. "Those things are no friends of mine! Never have been, never will be! And in case you've forgotten, I'm the one who kept that thing from killing all of you! Not something a traitor would do!"
"Your actions do not explain your familiarity with them," replied Grimsby flatly. "Or excuse secrecy."
Lara started to speak but stopped, mouth opening and closing as she tried to find a suitable response. Finding none she huffed, turning her back him. Her indignation at being accused was palpable, permeating the room with an uncomfortable air as she stared out the window.
Melody felt a strange mix of annoyance and nervousness at Lara's resistance to disclosure. On the one hand Grimsby was correct. It was obvious Lara was familiar with these creatures, and not in a superficial manner either. That human-looking one mentioned her by name. And she was not forgetting that Lara identified the knife-handed one before it revealed itself. Melody felt Lara was keeping her fair share of secrets already, but this was one she would not be permitted to withhold. She wanted answers. She deserved to know the truth. They all did. Yet she also felt apprehension at what the truth could be. Her world was already dangerous enough with Morgana and Ursula on the loose. The last thing she needed was another threat to her life, especially ones that could disguise itself as their own people and incapacitate all the palace guards without anyone noticing.
Lara sighed, her shoulders lowering in resignation. "What do you want to know?"
Grimsby was about to ask when Ariel stopped him.
"Let me," she mouthed silently. The advisor merely bowed and stepped back. "Could you tell us what those creatures were? And how you know about them?"
Lara did not answer right away. Melody could see the gears turning in her head as she continued to look out the window, debating whether or not to answer.
"Nyctophiles," Lara finally said.
"Night toe flies?" repeated Attina.
Melody saw Lara's mouth twitch with a repressed smile in her reflection, obviously humored by her aunt's mispronunciation. "Not night toe flies. It's nyctophiles."
"And what exactly is a nyctophile?" asked Grimsby, not hiding his suspicion of her in the least.
Lara shrugged and turned back to them. "Night stalkers, boogeymen, the monsters under your bed. There's a whole list of names for them. You won't find them in many books, and you definitely won't find them by going out searching–which, by the way, I do not recommend. Most people don't know they exist. Or at least, they don't believe they do."
"Then how did you learn about them?" asked Eric.
"Partly from experience and rumor. The rest I…" Lara's voice carried off. Was it Melody's imagination, or did she zone out? She had a distant look in her eyes, as though her mind left the room for a far away place. Her hands rubbed over her tattoos as though trying to give herself some meager comfort. She looked homesick. "The rest I learned from my dad."
A palpable discomfort swept the room. Melody remembered all too well what happened with Alana. She had never seen someone react with such immediacy or anger to something said. Lara transformed into an entirely different person from the one they met after the tournament. She saw Lara's hands clench and relax, attesting to her sensitivity on the subject of her parents.
Lara broke the tension by walking to Eric's desk and grabbing a piece of paper. Taking a quill and dipping it she drew a large triangle. She gestured for them to gather around, which they did with curiosity as she began speaking.
"From what I was taught and what I've learned on my own," she said as she divided the triangle into three tiers. "There are a few things I know for sure. One is nyctophiles aren't picky about food. They'll eat everything from mice to bears, and plants if they're hungry enough. But given the choice their preferred food is…to put it bluntly, us."
Melody and Ariel gulped together, already having their share of experiences with mermaid-eating sharks and other carnivorous sea monsters.
"But it'd be a mistake to think they're just animals," continued Lara. "Because they're not. They're very intelligent, even more secretive, and well organized. There's some sort of leadership called the Hive governing them. My dad compared it to bees and ants. You know, one species with different groups doing different things and one leader at the top."
Lara dipped the quill back and scribbled the word "skinner" into the lowest and largest section of the triangle.
"I'm guessing you've all figured this out, but the one that came after Melody was a skinner. They're just as dangerous as they are ugly, and a lot stronger and faster than the average human. They use human skins to disguise themselves and get close to their prey. Then they'll strike, skin the body, eat what's left, and use the victim's skin for a new disguise. They can change their voices to any they've heard. You could've walked by one this morning and you'd never know it. There might even be one in the palace right now."
"Here?" squeaked Sebastian, his legs chattering as loudly as his teeth. Lara nodded, and the chattering increased further.
Melody felt her own knees tremble, the image of those long sinister claws and the way the monster peeled its face off making her shiver. The idea of coming within ten miles of another one made her feel imperiled, like walking barefoot over broken glass hidden under a thin layer of sand. She locked her knees to stop the shaking.
"However," continued Lara. "This wasn't your typical skinner."
"I fail to see how there can be anything typical about a creature with swords for fingers," said Grimsby.
"Probably because you're always looking down that schnoz of yours," muttered Lara under her breath.
"What was that?"
"I was about to say skinners don't go after random people. They're careful about it. They won't kill if it means getting seen. And they might be able to disguise themselves as humans, but without knowing how to act human it's useless. They'll spend weeks or even months learning their prey's personality and patterns. Everything from how they talk to how they hold a spoon. But I'm betting this one came through while the pirates and that seaclops kept everyone busy, so it couldn't have known anything about the sergeant when it killed him. That and this one really hated humans."
"Probably common for something that eats people," quipped Attina.
"Killing for food isn't the same as killing for hate," said Lara, sending her a look for the interruption. "Mice eat seeds. Snakes eat mice. Larger fish eat smaller fish. Same goes for nyctophiles. They don't eat us because they hate us. They eat us because they're hungry. They have to eat humans. If they don't, they'll eventually die."
"And that justifies killing humans?" said Melody.
Lara shook her head. "Justification's got nothing to do with it. That's their nature like every other living thing. Kill to eat, eat to live. Which is why the one we saw wasn't your typical skinner. It was a rogue. It said it left the Hive and was getting paid to take out Melody. That's not within a mile of normal. Nyctophiles are supposed to be loyal to the Hive. They won't work as hired killers. Not for anyone at any price or for any reason. It goes against their creed."
"Creed?" scoffed Grimsby. "Are you suggesting these beasts have a code of conduct?"
Lara shot him a look that could melt glass for the third interruption. "I'm not suggesting it. I know it! It's to keep us from finding out about them. Skinners are only allowed to kill people the Hive selects, or as they put it, mark. Everyone else is off limits. If they kill an unmarked human, or turn skinner-for-hire like this one did, the punishment is death. And when that happens, or they fail to kill their mark…"
Lara paused and looked around the room, scanning every shadow closely before taking the quill and scribbling into the middle of the triangle. "When that happens, the Hive sends the slendermen."
A chill swept through the room, as though the very name had summoned the red-eyed demons back from whatever dark haven they called home. Melody shivered, glancing at the shadows like everyone else in expectation of a tall hooded figure to appear. But none came, and after several long moments everyone let loose a relieved sigh.
Lara set the quill down. "I guess now's as good a time as any to tell you."
Melody and the others turned their attention back to Lara, curious as to what she meant.
"I saw my first skinner three years ago," said Lara. "I was passing through a mining town far up north. I was traveling at night to avoid the summer heat, so the streets were empty when I rode in. I was almost out of town when I saw two men fighting in an alley. Not too unusual in a place like that. People get drunk a lot. Some get mopey, some get happy, and some just go looking for a fight. I went to stop them till one of them bit the other's throat out. It saw me, grabbed the body and ran. I didn't stick around either."
Melody was shocked. Like her, Lara had seen someone die before her eyes, and violently too. But how could she talk about it so calmly and openly? Melody could hardly bring herself to think about William's death, much less speak of it. She would probably break down into a hysteric sobbing mess if she tried. How did Lara remain so matter-of-fact about her experience?
"The second one was about six months later," continued Lara. "There was a heavy storm, so I stopped at an inn for the night. I was paying the stable master to put my horse up when it spooked at the thunder and kicked him in the face. When I saw the black blood I knew, and it knew that I knew. This one didn't run. It killed my horse and then came after me. That was the first one I killed."
Melody swallowed. Hearing Lara admit to killing something was more unsettling than her seeing someone die, even if it was a skinner and in self-defense. There was no pleasure in her voice, but neither was there regret. Not a shred of it.
"It was another five months before the third one came, and it was definitely after me that time. I guess the Hive didn't like me killing one of their own. Anyway, I was camping out in a forest when it came disguised as a scraggy old fur trapper. I didn't think anything too suspicious of him, but when I looked away it tried to run me through. I didn't get away unharmed, but I got off a lot better than it did. After that they didn't come again. I expected another attack, but after weeks and then months of nothing I figured they'd given up or decided I wasn't worth the trouble."
"But they didn't give up, did they?" asked Attina.
Lara shook her head. "Four months later I wound up in a city called Dornvale. It was a dry year, so food wasn't easy or cheap to find anywhere. That and the rains were promising to come back with a vengeance. I couldn't find work and I was low on money. It was getting to the point I ate every other day. But I caught a break when a local mentioned there was a Duke looking for maids in his castle."
Melody had to pinch herself to keep from laughing as she imagined Lara in a frilly maid's outfit wielding a duster instead of a sword. She would be the strongest force of cleanliness dust and dander had ever known.
"Something funny?" asked Lara as Melody failed to stifle a small giggle.
"Yes–I mean, no!" Melody rapidly corrected. "Nothing's funny! Sorry! Go on!"
Lara narrowed her eyes at Melody for a moment before she spoke again. "It was the sort of work you'd expect. Clean rooms, sweep halls, wash dishes, dust this and wipe that. Not my ideal job, and the Duke and his guards were about as pleasant as forest trolls. He wasn't very popular with the town either, considering they were all in rickety houses trying to get by while he hoarded gold so he could live like a playboy. But work meant money, and that meant food and not toughing out the rain. I planned to stay a few weeks, save up my earnings then leave.
"Turns out the Duke wasn't just a purse-pinching playboy. He was a paranoid purse-pinching playboy. He was convinced the townsfolk were plotting to kill him. No one went in or out of the castle without a complete inspection, and I mean complete. Every scrap of food got tasted, every room swept before he went in, and no one was allowed within ten feet of him or else they spent a season in a cell. He had thirty men guarding him everywhere he went. He constantly sent out soldiers to search the town for…whatever he thought they had. Then he'd chew them out when they found nothing. He wasn't much better to the staff. I got searched a few times for no reason except he saw me. I thought about leaving but I wasn't too hot about trading three meals a day and a roof over my head for winter rains and wind. So I stuck it out, did the work, and kept out of trouble. It went like that for about two months until..."
She stopped, that far off look coming back into her eyes as she leaned heavily on the table.
"Until what?" pressed Ariel.
"It was after sunset, and another storm was brewing," said Lara, her voice now uneasy. "I just finished my last room for the day when I heard the Duke and his escort coming down the hall. He'd been even more skittish than usual, so I decided to stay in the room till they passed. Next thing I heard was thunder and a big crashing noise. He had suits of armor in that hallway, so I think a guard must've gotten spooked and knocked one over on accident. Lord Suspicious started screaming his head off, ran into my room and slammed the door shut."
Lara clenched her hands, jaw tight and teeth grinding before she spoke. "I thought I'd been alone in there. I was sure I was alone! I hadn't seen or heard anything, so I didn't have any reason to think different! But a lightning bolt went off, and when the flash stopped the Duke had a slenderman standing behind him. It tore him apart before he knew it was there."
Every hair on Melody's neck stood straight up. Attina and Ariel gasped loudly in alarm. The color drained from Eric's face, and Sebastian went just as pale. Even Grimsby, who had been maintaining a mask of skeptical stoicism, could not keep his shock from showing.
"If skinners are the monsters under your bed then slendermen are the monsters under theirs," said Lara, pointing to the middle tier of the triangle. "They're the nyctophile elite, and the only ones that use shadowsilk. No one's ever seen what's under the mask, and if someone did, they wouldn't live long enough to tell. They're perfect hunters. Totally silent, unbelievably fast, incredibly powerful, and a hundred percent lethal. Their tentacles can break swords and rip through armor like paper. You could be walking down a street with someone, just blink for a second, and a slenderman could take them before you opened your eyes. There's no way to escape them. Lock yourself in an iron box, surround it with an acid moat, post a thousand guards and set twice as many traps, remove every shadow for miles, and it will still find a way to you. And it won't matter if you're marked or not. If you see it, it'll kill you."
Ariel paled even more than Sebastian had. "The Duke's guards…were they…?"
Lara nodded grimly. "They opened the door before it could hide again. It turned into a massacre after that. They kept coming and it kept killing them. Servant, soldier, man, woman, armed or not it didn't care. It killed anyone who saw it. Someone must've knocked over a lamp or something because it wasn't long after that when the castle caught fire."
"How did you escape?" asked Melody.
Lara had to take a moment. She hated to lie, especially to these people. She was already hiding so much from them. Her past, her magic, and even her true identity. A part of her wanted to trust them, to tell them the truth about what happened. How she had not been a maid at all, but one of the guards protecting the Duke. How skinners attacked him twice before, only surviving the last one because of a guard's lucky arrow. How the slenderman slaughtered the guards before cornering her in the hall, revealing it had come for her as well. How she had come close to dying until she used that. How she then outpaced the slenderman completely, turning it from the hunter to the hunted. How it had been forced to retreat under her onslaught as their fight reduced the castle to a smoldering pile of rubble. How she was then forced to flee yet another city, chased out by the townsfolk amidst calls of "monster," "heretic," and "witch."
But she could not do it. She could not bring herself to tell them. One too many times she had given the truth with hopes of acceptance, and each time it was met with violent rejection. To the eastern kingdoms, she was as much a monster in human guise as the skinners. She did not want to run again. She was tired of running. Of wearing the shemagh and changing her voice. Of using false names and never staying in one place for too long. Of keeping her pack ready at all times in case she had to leave in a hurry. She ran all over the east for five years before coming to Seahaven, clinging to the scant traces of human (and sometimes non-human) compassion she found in those war-ravaged lands. If concealing the truth was what it took to stay here, then she would do it. Not gladly, nor without guilt. But she would.
"I almost didn't," said Lara. "I got my stuff while it was tearing into the guards and made a run for it. I was almost out when it blocked my path. It probably would've killed me too if the fire hadn't gotten to the roof. Last I saw it got buried under a pile of burning debris, and I didn't stay to find out if it survived. I just grabbed a horse and rode till dawn."
Melody could tell Lara was lying. She just knew it. Something in her voice and the way her fingers scratched lightly on the desk told her that was a half truth. She caught Lara's eyes for a moment. Instead of holding her gaze with her usual confidence Lara quickly looked away, shifting her weight to one leg and biting the corner of her lip.
She was definitely lying.
Lara drew a deep breath, letting it go in a shuddering sigh. "But strong as the slendermen are, they're still not the strongest."
"You mean there are monsters worse than them!?" exclaimed Melody. She had difficulty imagining anything that could surpass a creature capable of slaying an entire castle and blending with shadows.
"There are plenty worse monsters out there," said Lara as she picked up the quill again. "But when it comes to nyctophiles there's just one. White hair. Teal eyes. Pointed teeth and disappearing into thin air. There's only one nyctophile like that." She began writing into the pinnacle of the triangle. "She's their leader. Dad called her the Hive Queen, but the nyctophiles call her Mother. She's the only one the slendermen will obey, and they'll guard her with their lives. Not that she needs any protection."
Melody gasped. Queen of the nyctophiles! Those were the little girl's words! That tiny child was the mother of all those monstrosities? It was too astoundingly terrifying to be true, but why else would those things obey her?
Lara set the quill down. "There's a story behind this one too. After Dornvale I figured it was only a matter of time before the nyctophiles came after me again. I got it this crazy, stupid idea in my head that if I could sneak into their lair and kill the queen, they'd stop coming. You know, cut off the snake's head and all that. So, I went back and started looking for a trail or some clue to put me on the right track. It took a while, but I found a farmer who claimed he saw a tall thin man in a black cloak heading for the mountains. I had him show me the spot and went from there. But after a month of searching and nothing to show for it I was getting discouraged."
Lara swallowed and licked her lips. "Turns out I didn't have to go looking for her. She was already looking for me. One day this kid came walking out of the forest. At first I thought that's all she was. Just a little girl. Sure, the white hair was odd, but I've seen stranger things than that. But then dozens of slendermen showed up out of nowhere. Once she changed her eyes and teeth I knew I'd found what I was looking for. She ordered the slendermen to stay back so she could fight me herself. Wanted to see what I could do since I killed two of her skinners."
"I have a suspicion you were unsuccessful in doing the same to her," said Grimsby.
Lara answered by grabbing her right pant leg and pulling it up to her hip. "No, but she came close to killing me."
Melody gasped, as did Ariel and Attina. The outside of Lara's thigh bore eleven rough circular scars, each the size and texture of a walnut with rough edges. They were indented, as though small chunks had been taken out of her. She turned around to reveal the same number on the inside.
"That's just my right leg. The left one isn't any prettier, and these are just the wounds that scarred over," said Lara as she put her leg down. "I was so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I never stood a chance against her! I could barely cut her skin, and she moved so fast it was like…like magic! She beat me to a bloody pulp without breaking a sweat, or whatever she does to stay cool! She was toying with me the whole time, and there I was struggling to keep my limbs attached!"
"How did you get away?" asked Melody.
"I ended up with her in front of me and my back to the edge of a cliff. I was bleeding bad, my legs were shot, and I had nowhere else to go. My options were stay and fight then die; or I could jump for the river at the bottom of the cliff and maybe die. So I jumped. Next thing I remember was a couple guys dragging me out of the water somewhere. It was a while before could walk again."
Everyone gulped audibly. Lara grabbed her drawing and crumpled it into a ball as she muttered, "That's what I get for picking a fight with an Eternal."
"A what?" asked Eric.
Lara froze midway through tossing the paper ball at the fireplace. Her eyes were wide and then squeezed shut as she bit her lower lip, clenching the paper tightly in hand. "Did I say that out…? Oh, me and my big mouth!"
"What's an Eternal?" asked Attina.
Lara bit her lip, wringing the paper between her hands. It was obvious to Melody she just said something she did not intend to. She would have acted the same way. It only stirred her suspicions further, wanting to know what manner of secret Lara was trying to keep from them now.
"Lara, what is an Eternal?" pressed Melody.
"An Eternal is…" Lara paused. She slowly set the wadded paper on the desk and smoothed it out, sober in her motions before she spoke again. "For everything humans can do, there are still some things we can't overcome. If we drop a stone, it falls. If we stay out in the cold, we'll freeze. If it's dark, we can't see. If we're hungry, we have to eat. If we're cut, we'll bleed. And if we're alive, then one day we'll die. Those are the 'laws' that keep balance in this world, and we all have to live by them. It's our reality, if you will. But not for Eternals. They're not bound by that balance because they're not even on the scale. They stand apart from every other mortal in this realm, if you could even call them that."
"So, they're like gods?" asked Attina.
"No, not gods. But there's no real difference."
Grimsby furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
"Eternals aren't divine or demonic, much less actual gods–if there are such things anymore. They're not even a single species. They're…individuals. Entities. And there can't be more than a dozen of them out there. But the scope of their power and abilities is so far beyond what we can fathom they might as well be gods. They don't bend or break our 'laws' because they can't be applied to them in the first place. They are completely out of humanity's reach. We have no way to find them, fight them…or stop them. They're both immovable objects and unstoppable forces."
Lara pressed a finger to the pinnacle of the triangle. "And the Hive Queen is one of them. She is not just some monster or another nyctophile. She is an entirely different kind of existence. There's nowhere she can't be and no obstacle she can't overcome. She's been around long before any of us were even a thought, and she'll still be here long after we're gone. You can't begin to imagine the power she has. If she wanted to, she could wipe out the Alliance single handedly without–."
DOK DOK DOK!
The knocking drew a sound from Melody somewhere between a yelp and a squeak as everyone else jumped. Eric quickly pulled Ariel to him, only to nearly double over yelling when she hit against his ribs. Lara snatched a letter opener from the desk as she turned on the door, holding it like a knife. Sebastian darted into her hair, figuring it was likely the safest place in the room.
"Your highnesses? Is everything all right?" came a muffled voice from outside.
"Who…is it?" grunted Eric, his knuckles white as he tried to tough it through the pain.
"Carlotta, sire. I've just come to tell you lunch is ready downstairs. Her majesty's sisters have already been seated."
Melody was sure she could have bottled the amount of relief everyone felt as their heart rates dropped. Lara's talk of indomitable monsters had put all of them on edge.
"Thank you. We'll be right down," answered Ariel.
They all listened as the portly maid's shoes clopped down the hall and then out of earshot, and then Lara's stomach chose to growl. Her cheeks blushed bright red with embarrassment as she shyly bit her lower lip. Melody was sure she was tempted to use her new cloak to disappear.
"Was dat…how can you still be hungry, mon?" asked Sebastian as he crawled onto her head. "You ate enough to feed a whale dis morning! Maybe two!"
Lara peered up at the crab as she set the letter opener down, giving him a feint scowl that twisted her mouth to the side. "Hey, you try fighting a skinner and see how hungry you get afterwards…by the way, did I mention nyctophiles have a taste for crabs?"
Sebastian gulped. "Dey…dey do?"
Lara's scowl turned into a mischievous smirk. "Oh yes. Especially the small crunchy red ones from Ja–."
Sebastian let loose a frightened yell and all but flew into the hood of Lara's new cloak, shivering in fear.
"Lara!" Melody reached into the hood of the cloak to extract the terrified crustacean before throwing the arcane garment at her. "That wasn't funny!"
"It was a little bit funny," said Lara, giving a cheeky grin as she rolled up the cloak and stuffed it under one arm.
Ariel stretched her arms behind her back. "Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I could definitely use something to eat. And a nap."
"I guess I am a bit hungry," added Attina.
"Sounds good to me," said Lara.
"Wait."
Everyone turned to Eric. He was looking at the triangle on his desk, face stern and worried as he processed what Lara had revealed to them. "Just one more thing, Lara. Since you have the most experience dealing with these things, what do you recommend to protect against them?"
"Protect against nyctophiles?" The stud in Lara's lip moved about as her tongue played with it. "In all honesty? Nothing."
Melody gaped at her in disbelief much like everyone else. "Excuse me? What do you mean 'nothing!?' What are we supposed to do if one of those things shows up here again!?"
Lara held up her hands disarmingly. "Whoa, whoa! Hold on a second! I didn't mean ignore them! But you might as well protect yourself from your own shadow! Unless you start checking the blood of everyone in this kingdom and putting candles in every nook and cranny you find, you're just making yourself frantic worrying about this. You may not see nyctophiles, but that doesn't mean they're always there. And they don't kill indiscriminately. They're too cautious for that."
"But what about that queen you just talked about?" asked Attina. "If she's as strong as you say then we can't do anything against her! Not unless we get daddy's tri–oof!"
Ariel nudged her sister sharply in the ribs, cutting her off before she could say anything further. Lara saw all to clearly Attina was about to utter something she was not supposed to but chose not to press for it. "The Hive Queen's definitely not something you can protect against. Even if we had an army of ten thousand, I doubt we'd be able to do more than delay her. Yes, she's powerful. Yes, she's dangerous. But one thing she isn't is dishonest. With her abilities she doesn't have to lie. If she says the nyctophiles aren't after you, then they're the least of your worries. If you don't breathe a word of this to anyone else, that is."
Lara grabbed her drawing and started crumpling it up again. "And I mean it! Your lives are gonna depend on keeping quiet about everything I just told you. Don't ever speak of this again! Not with your families! Not with your friends! Not with each other! Not even with me! Because if you do and they hear it, I promise they'll come back! And next time they won't leave without your lives!"
She loosely lobbed the paper over Eric's head at the window. "That about right, queenie?"
"Why are you asking me?" said Ariel.
"She wasn't."
Melody almost screamed at hearing that terrifyingly familiar child's voice. She moved behind Lara fast as she could, falling as her feet slid on the floor before scrambling upright. Ariel almost tripped over herself as she and Eric bolted to the opposite side of the room, knocking down the king's chair as Grimsby and Attina did the same. Only Lara remained motionless, though her eyes glanced momentarily at the letter opener.
The white-haired girl leaned against the windowsill, lazily tossing the wadded drawing with one hand as she grinned. "Should I have knocked first?"
"At the very least," said Lara, watching the intruder closely.
"Gua–!" Eric was suddenly cut off. He clutched his throat as he continued to yell, but no sound came out.
"Call for them if you want, sire," said the Hive Queen, one of her pupils fixed on Eric. "Go ahead, any of you. Just know you'll be missing when they arrive. By the way, Lara, did you really know I was here? Or was that a lucky guess?"
"What do you think?" replied Lara as she folded her arms.
The Hive Queen's grin turned into a smirk. She tossed the paper up in the air and tilted her head back, her jaw opening wider than human nature could ever allow. Her black tongue darted out and seized the paper, pulling it into her mouth before it snapped shut. She chewed momentarily before swallowing, her throat shifting as the paper began its descent to digestion.
"As you can see, 'humans,' Lara isn't spinning tall tales about my children or myself," said the Hive Queen as she pushed off the window. "So don't give us a reason to get rid of you, because we can do it whenever we want. Not that I'd get any enjoyment from it. It's too easy when you're so oblivious. Like squishing ants."
The Hive Queen held up her hands, revealing ten buttons on the tips of her fingers. Melody gasped as she recognized two of them from her dress, the others belonging to her aunt, her parents, and Grimsby. She pawed at her back to feel the loose threads where they had been pulled off. When had she done it? While they were listening to Lara? When Carlotta knocked? Just now?
"Lucky for you I don't have a reason for wanting you dead," said the Hive Queen as she tossed the buttons, sending them rolling over the floor. "And as long as you keep quiet it'll stay that way. Oh, and don't go writing to the dead man's acquaintances just yet. I've taken care of it. Far as this kingdom knows he never existed."
Her eyes flicked over to Attina, causing the princess to back a step. "As for the queen-to-be here, I'll let you spill the beans to your daddy and his captain, but that's it. And tell them your people aren't beyond my reach either. Something to remember the next time it feels like you're being watched."
Before Melody or anyone else realized it the Hive Queen disappeared, leaving only child's laugh lingering in their ears.
"Eric?"
Eric was brought out of his remembrance by Ariel's hand resting lightly on his shoulder, her blue eyes filled with concern like the rest of her face. He realized he had drifted off with his thoughts, leaving him staring blankly ahead.
"Hmm? What?"
"I said are you okay?"
Eric smiled for her, placing a reassuring hand atop hers. "I'm all right, Ariel. I promise."
Ariel returned his smile, adding a little ray of sunshine to what had been a foggy day. Speaking of sunshine, Eric now noticed a peculiar dimness had settled over his study. The light was muted and flat like the glow of a candle within a dirty lantern. It had not been like that when he returned from lunch.
"Ariel, do you know what time it is?" he asked.
"Around seven I think."
"Ah…seven!?"
Eric snapped around in his chair, hissing as it pained his chest. The reason for the dim light became clear when he looked out the window and saw the sun halfway past the horizon. The beachside pavilion and rocks along the shore were casting long shadows over the sands, the ocean and sky becoming streaked with oranges and purples as the day entered its waning hours.
He turned back to his desk, taking stock of the damage his nap had done to his schedule. A stack of payment contracts for the new navy ships lay before him accompanied by five trade agreements with Glowerhaven and Vorhaven apiece to be reviewed and signed. Add to that several new reports from the patrols and another stack of papers concerning repairs for the marina and the budget plan for the orphanage. It was easily a full two-day's work, which he was now half a day behind on. Eric groaned, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes as he ran a hand through his hair. He let out a deep sigh, dragging his hand back over his face. He could almost feel the wrinkles forming.
It was days like this that made him wish he were not born to royalty. The position of ruler was idolized as one of privilege and ease of mind to those on the outside, but only the first was true from Eric's perspective. Being king was one part luxury and thirty parts work, and demanding work at that. From dawn to past dusk he was at work, signing this and overseeing that or meeting with these people and then those. The constant memorization, the maintenance of social appearances and connections, and the stress on his mind would wear down even the most organized and studious leaders. And somehow amidst all this he found time to get rescued by a mermaid, marry her, and raise a daughter together! How he was not gray as Triton was beyond him. He was groomed since birth for this task, but even after two decades he still felt ill equipped at times. Living like a king he could understand wanting, but being a king? Why anyone would want that he could not imagine.
Ariel frowned at Eric's obvious distress. She hated seeing him like this. Over the years they both endured their share of stressful days and weeks, some more so than others. No small number of those was due to a certain raven-haired girl who loved the sea and not listening to her parents. But ever since that tragic party the stress wore even harder on Eric as he tried to juggle his duties as king with care for their family. Last night did nothing to ease that burden. He was already working well beyond normal to keep Seahaven safe and everyone happy. To his credit he was accomplishing that, but the cost was his own vitality. He was usually full of life and smiles and humor, not allowing the responsibilities of leadership to weigh him down. To see him so drained, such a shadow of the man she loved, was troubling to her.
She stepped behind his chair and laid her hands on his shoulders. She earned a content moan with the first squeeze, kneading deep into his muscles. She could practically feel the stress leaving him as her thumbs rubbed small circles, garnering a sigh as she worked a tight knot at the base of his neck loose. Eric leaned his head forward, offering her better access to his neck. Her thumbs worked their way up along the vertebra, massaging days' worth of tension out of him. How her touch managed to wring every knot and woe from him he could understand, but right then he was glad it could.
They stayed like that for a while, neither speaking as Ariel continued to soothe Eric's tension away. Then she moved aside and slipped her arms around Eric's neck, leaning in to plant a light kiss on his temple before nuzzling against him. "Feel better?"
"Much better. Thank you." He turned to her and returned the kiss, choosing her lips for his target. "Have I told you I love you recently?"
Ariel smiled, loving the warmth he put in that four-letter word. "Not a day's gone by you haven't. And I…love…you…too," she answered, kissing him back between each word. They lingered on the last kiss, not wanting the moment to end.
As much as they would have loved to get swept away in their affections Eric knew there was work to be done and broke the kiss, earning a small pout from Ariel. "Well, I guess I can at least get a jump on this now and start early tomorrow." He reached for one of the papers, but Ariel took his hand and steered it away.
"Oh, no you don't! You've done more than enough today." She walked behind his chair and pulled it out before coming around to stand before him, holding herself with queenly albeit purposefully overdone authority. "As queen of Seahaven–not to mention your wife–I hereby decree his majesty shall not perform any more royal duties for the rest of this day."
"Oh? Is that a fact?" asked Eric teasingly.
"In fact, it is." Ariel carefully seated herself on his lap, clasping her hands behind his neck. "And furthermore, he shall accompany the queen downstairs for dinner with the rest of his family. Then he shall take a long hot bath and be allowed sleep undisturbed for the entirety of the night. He shall not be woken up early by any definition of the word, and he may only return to his duties at noon tomorrow."
"And what if the king protests?"
Ariel feigned mock offense, placing a hand over her heart. "Sire! Do you mean to say you would go against an order from your queen?"
Eric sighed resignedly and gave a deep nod. "Who am I to deny the wishes of my queen?"
Ariel giggled as he took her hand and planted a light kiss on it, the touch making her heart skip a beat. "Careful, Eric. It was that sort of sweet-talk that gave us Melody."
Eric could not help but smirk as he planted a kiss on her neck, earning a delighted moan from the redhead. "If memory serves, Ariel, you were the one who started said sweet talk. That and the bubble bath."
Ariel's mouth curled in a poorly concealed smile as she blushed almost as red as her hair. "Eric!"
Giving in to a teasing urge Eric abruptly stuck is fingers in Ariel's sides and began tickling her. Ariel squealed and twisted about in his lap, trying to stop his tickling without accidentally hurting him. She quickly stood up and moved out of arms reach before turning on him.
"There's that singing voice!" he said as she straightened out her dress.
"You…you…!" She wanted to get him back with a taste of his own medicine, but knowing he was still healing and that boyish grin on his face prevented her from making a move. She settled for stomping her foot and pouting. "Ooh! Not fair!"
Eric's grin only widened. "No, but it is fun!"
Ariel rolled her eyes and shook her head as she smiled. She opened her mouth to speak when a sound came to her ears. It was faint and muffled but familiar to her. Eric heard it too because he turned towards the window, both recognizing it as the voices of children from outside.
"Ei…eight. Ei…ine…ni-ty…"
Curious to what they were hearing, Ariel took Eric's hand and led him to the window. Eric moved to stand beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist. The view his study afforded them was a marvelous one, overlooking the palace gardens and pavilion below. The absence of a sea wall provided them a sweeping vista over the ocean, a pod of dolphins breaching out in the deeper water as they swam along.
The garden was dim with the failing light, turning the pond into a rippling mirror as fair breezes ruffled the myriad of flowers and other decorative plants. On the pond bank sat Aquata, Alana, and Andrina, all careful to keep their feet out of the water lest it undo the magic of their rings. Large colorful koi swam by, occasionally stopping to see if the princesses would offer anything to eat. The drooping branches of the willow swayed gracefully, shading Melody as she read a book beneath its bows.
The source of the noises became obvious to Eric and Ariel when they saw Lara hanging upside down from one of the willow's sturdier branches doing sit ups, her hair braided and wrapped around her neck. Cora and Nora hung from her hands while Anja clung to her cousins' feet, her own barely skimming the grass. The three girls were counting off each repetition, giggling and laughing as Lara rose and fell with steady controlled motions.
Melody did not appear to find Lara's workout nearly as entertaining, as evidenced by the annoyed look she shot Lara before burying her face deeper in the book. Her aunts meanwhile had diverted their attention to Lara as she approached the end of her set.
"Ninety-four!" called out the children loudly. "Ninety-five! Ninety-six!"
Lara seemed to be struggling with the last few repetitions, her body shaking as she controlled her descent. Her face and toned stomach were sheen with sweat, chest rising and falling with deep breaths.
"I think I'm done, you three!" She arched her head to look down at them, seeing the disappointed looks on their faces. That ever-mischievous lopsided grin appeared on her lips. "Not unless you count really loud!"
The girls were all too willing to meet her request, and did so with gusto. "NINETY-SEVEN! NINETY-EIGHT!"
Decreasing the distance between her eyes and the pages must not have changed Melody's susceptibility to the increased noise. She snapped the book shut and walked smartly back to the palace, no doubt in search of somewhere quiet. Meanwhile Lara went through her motions with newfound energy as the girls counted, spurred on by their chanting.
"NINETY-NINE! FIVE HUNDRED!"
Eric and Ariel went wide-eyed as the girls began cheering, Attina, Aquata and Alana adding a light applause. Had they really just said five hundred? Eric considered himself a healthy man, but even in his prime he was unsure if he would have been able to do a fifth of that without the added handicap of three squirming kids. How did Lara acquire that kind of strength?
"All right! Think you can do another five hundred?" asked Lara. The girl's replied in a loud but affirmative jumble. "Okay! One sec!"
Lara gently lowered the girls to the ground down and motioned for them to move back. They had only gone a few steps when she flipped herself off the branch, twisting over in midair. Her feet barely touched the ground before she fell forward into what was clearly a push-up position. "Hop on!"
The girls squealed delightedly. Cora and Nora clambered onto Lara's back while Anja seated herself on her shoulders, all clinging to whatever bit of clothing or hair was handy. The moment they were on Lara started pushing off the ground at a rapid pace, her passengers counting off in time while trying to stay mounted.
"One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six!"
Eric could not help smiling as Lara shifted to keep Nora from tumbling off. When he and Ariel decided to use the Tournament of Champions to find a suitable protector for Melody, they expected one of their knights or the then unknown villain Lord Richard to win the honor. They never could have anticipated a young woman old enough to be their own daughter claiming such an overwhelming victory. Or that she would be an adept and powerful warrior yet have the gentleness, patience, and humor to endear children to her. Just yesterday she brought down a full pirate crew, a seaclops, and a man-eating monster. Today she was turning invisible and incorporating playtime with his nieces into one of her ridiculous workouts. She was one of a kind in every sense of the phrase.
"Oh, that reminds me!" said Ariel. She extricated herself from Eric and strode briskly to his desk, plucking a folded paper off the edge before returning to his side. The parchment had their names written on it, but Eric did not recognize the handwriting.
"What's this?" he asked as he accepted.
"It's from Lara. She gave it to me this afternoon. She said it's not urgent, so we don't have to read it now if you don't want."
Curious to what Lara could be writing about given her usually up-front nature, Eric unfolded the paper. More of Lara's handwriting was revealed. Her penmanship was not the neatest or straightest they had ever seen, and she had crossed out several mistakes, but it was far from illegible.
Eric and Arial Areil Ariel,
Would've come to you about this in person, but after yesterday and today I think we all needed some down time. Especially you, Eric. Your ribs are going to hurt like a son of a ...really bad for a while. And in case Sir Beanpole gets suspicious about how I found that out, it's from personal experience.
Anyway, I need to ask a favor…
"That's what happened, daddy."
The only sound in the Atlantican throne room was Triton's weary sigh as he leaned back in his throne. He dragged a hand down his face as though trying to wipe his weariness away. His eyes were heavy, and he let them close for a moment as he rested his head in his hand. Beside his throne floated Urchin, the merman clutching his spear tight as he stared at no particular spot on the floor. The trident stood secure in its pedestal, awaiting the king's touch to free it. Outside the sea was starting to darken as twilight approached, the first lights coming on in the homes of the merfolk. Faint flecks of bioluminescent glow could be seen in the distance as the ocean's nocturnal denizens came out.
Attina moved her hands behind her back so her father would not see her fidget. As first in line to the throne she was the most involved of her sisters when it came to the affairs of Atlantica, and that included hearing her share of good and bad news. And what happened in Seahaven was very bad.
Knowing Triton as she did, Attina had a fair idea of what her father was thinking. He would first berate himself for sending his daughters ashore. After her mother's death, her father vowed to protect their children no matter what. He sought to protect them from any and all possible threats, and he was harsh on himself when he failed to even if it was beyond his control. It was not an easy task when a certain redhead kept finding trouble and bringing it home with her. Never mind that he could not have predicted an attack by a seaclops and pirates, or a race of human-eating creatures that lived in the shadows. He was almost beside himself when Attina told how Alana's neck had been cut, or how the slendermen disabled the guards and trapped them all in the hallway. Triton would hold himself as responsible for the danger his family went through as the ones who did the endangering.
Just as he held himself responsible for the shortcomings in the search for Morgana and Ursula.
Though Sebastian spent the majority of the last month on land, he still acted as a relay between Atlantica and Seahaven to keep their rulers apprised of one another. The news had not been terrible per se, but neither was it promising. The Atlantican army spread far and wide in their search, going far beyond the borders of the kingdom. There had never been a search so vast. Yet for all their numbers and labors the hunt had yet to bear fruit. None of Morgana or Ursula's old haunts turned up anything of use. No reports of anything unusual had come in. Efforts to track down the witches' past associates were slow and difficult. Many were either missing or died long ago. Those in prison were tight lipped as clams or had nothing of value to offer. In short, they were no closer to finding Morgana, Ursula, or any of their enemy than when they started.
"Attina, you're sure our family was unharmed?" asked Triton.
Attina almost did not recognize her father's voice. Triton was known for his authoritatively deep masculine tone. It was a voice befitting someone who commanded the oceans. Now it barely carried through the water, beaten thin and flat by anxiety and fatigue.
"Everyone's safe, daddy," she assured him.
Triton shot Attina a look that told her to rethink her words. That and the quick neck-chopping gesture Urchin made while he was not looking. Attina picked up on the cue. The last thing Triton wanted was someone telling him his daughters were safe when clearly it was no longer true, even if that someone was one of said daughters.
"I mean, they weren't hurt," corrected Attina. "Scared, yes. But not hurt."
Triton sighed again. "I see. Thank goodness."
Attina swam to beside the throne. "Daddy, you can't beat your own tail over this. There was no way you or I or anyone could've known this would happen. We didn't even know there were such things as nycto…nycto…"
"Nyctophiles," coughed Urchin.
"Nyctophiles till last night. Everyone except Lara, apparently."
"But I should've known," said Triton. He rose from his throne and swam to the edge of the throne room, leaning an arm against a column as he looked out over Atlantica. "Maybe not those shadow creatures, but I should've known something like this could happen. I should've considered the possibility regardless of where you went. I dealt with Ursula and Morgana many times over the years. I thought I knew how dangerous underestimating them is, but it seems I'd forgotten just how much. And you and your sisters almost paid the price for it. I thought you'd be safe on land, but it seems nowhere is beyond their reach anymore."
Attina looked to Urchin for any help he could offer, but all he gave was a shrug of admitted loss for what to say. She swam to her father's side, gently resting a hand on his large bicep. "Maybe it's time for us to come home?"
Triton glanced at her before looking out over the kingdom again. "Perhaps. But knowing those two, that may be what they're after."
Urchin swam over as well. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"
"Granted," said Triton.
"I think the princess is right," said Urchin. "I still think it's harder for Morgana or Ursula to get to them in Seahaven, but that goes for us too. It takes half an hour at best for us to swim there, but they can do the same thing in seconds. I hate to sound paranoid, but they could attack before we even got the news, and by then it could be too late. And if we did get there in time, we can't be much help if they take the fight onto land. Even if you gave every soldier one of those magic rings, they don't even know how to walk. At least here we have the home advantage, not to mention more soldiers."
"Urchin has a point, daddy," said Attina. "Even if they are stronger now, Ursula and Morgana wouldn't risk attacking us here. Not with you around."
Triton stroked his beard thoughtfully, ruminating on his captain and daughter's counsel. Both made fair points. Seahaven was not terribly far away from Atlantica, but it was still enough to make travel between them a problem if time was an issue. Nor did Atlantica have any ability to battle on land. And there were Seahaven's own soldiers to consider. They had the undeniable advantage on land, but they also had no experience dealing with witches or magic. There were no marauding warlocks or witches in the Alliance like Atlantica once contended with. Those men could not understand how truly dangerous fighting a magic user could be. Magic could turn the tide of a battle faster than swords and spears could hope to.
He lowered his hand, a sure sign he made a decision. "Attina, tell your sisters to make preparations to return to Atlantica. Urchin and I will fetch you all three days from now. If they have any objections, I'll hear them then. Tell Sebastian to return as soon as possible. I want him overseeing the kingdom while we're gone. Urchin, call back the search parties. If Morgana and Ursula are employing this sort of sorcery, we can't afford to scatter our forces anymore."
"Yes sir," said Urchin, saluting before swimming off to carry out his orders.
"Do you want Ariel and Melody to come with us?" asked Attina.
"As much as I want them to, I know what your sister would say," said Triton. "She wouldn't leave Seahaven's care on Eric's shoulders alone. Safe or not, they're still the kingdom's rulers."
Attina nodded in understanding. "You're right. She would say something like that. And they still have Lara." She stifled a yawn, resisting the urge to stretch her arms out. "It's getting late. I better head back to Seahaven while there's still light."
"Agreed," said Triton, rubbing his lower back as he fetched the trident. He made a mental note to have some sponge cushions added to the throne. His spine was not as fond of the stone seat as it once was. "I'll accompany you to the shallows. It will give me peace of mind to know you arrived safely. And a chance to stretch my fins."
Attina smiled. "I'd like that. Thank you."
The two began swimming for Seahaven, gliding above the kingdom as lights started appearing below like the first stars in the sky.
"Attina?" said Triton.
The princess looked to her father as they continued swimming. "Yes?"
"This girl protecting Melody…what did you say her name was?"
"It's Lara. Lara Anclagon."
Triton's brow furrowed. "Anclagon. I see…"
Attina knew her father well enough to know he only furrowed his brow and twirled the trident in his hand at the same time when he was trying to remember something. Judging by the intense look on his face, he was trying to remember something important.
"Something wrong?" asked Attina.
Triton startled as though he was caught daydreaming in class. "Hm? Oh, it's nothing dear. Just an unusual name."
"If only it was just the name that's unusual," muttered Attina under her breath.
Triton ignored his daughter's mumbling as his thoughts split in two directions while they swam. On one side were Morgana and Ursula. The attacks at the marina and by the skinner were worrying. This sort of offense was outside their modus operandi. Never before had they resorted to such an outright or deadly assault. They were always subtle in their attempts to overthrow him in the past, relying on subterfuge and coercion rather than direct confrontation or violence. When he thought about it further, killing was not in their nature either. Their schemes never failed to cause plenty of mayhem, but there were never any casualties. This sudden willingness to spill innocent blood was as unexpected as it was unwelcome. Now that they crossed that line there was no telling how far into evil they would descend.
On the other side of Triton's thoughts was Melody's guardian. He was as surprised as his daughters to learn a woman around his granddaughter's own age had been chosen as her protector. But if there was one thing Triton learned in raising seven daughters, it was that underestimating the capability of the "fairer" sex of merfolk or humans was a serious mistake. If the accounts he heard were true, this Lara was redefining his understanding of human capabilities. He pitied whatever fool tried to take on a woman that could defeat a pirate crew, a seaclops, and a skinner on her own.
He also had a nagging feeling he heard the name Anclagon before.
"Run faster, Dash!"
"I don't have legs! How am I supposed to run!?"
"I don't know! Lumber faster! Just move your blubber! We gotta get outta here!"
Not more than a few miles south of the Seahaven palace, Tip and Dash were "running" over rolling sand dunes as fast as their flippers could take them. Tip was behind his oversized friend, pushing with all his might as Dash tried to haul his enormous bulk to the ocean with as much speed as a walrus could manage. He threw himself over the peak of a sand dune with all the grace of a beer barrel lobbed off a wagon, spraying sand everywhere and flinging Tip into the air as he went rolling towards the beach. He settled at the bottom in a cloud of sand as Tip came hurtling down, bouncing off his gut to land upside-down beside him.
The position offered them a reversed but clear view of their pursuer as it crested over the dune.
"It's gaining on us!" exclaimed Tip, waving his flippers frantically. "It's com–GWAH!"
Dash grabbed Tip's foot in his mouth, throwing himself forward in a sprint for the water. With every lunge he buried Tip's head in the sand before bringing him up long enough to sputter out the grit and half a sentence before going back under.
"Dash, wai–ack! I can't–ppppppthbt! Put me–blaugh!"
Dash ignored him, charging for the ocean faster than any walrus ever had as he tried to speak around his friend's foot. "Horr oo! Ee're armosh ere! Ush a ittr ur'hur!"
He spoke to soon.
The raven dropped out of the sky like a black and orange missile to land on the wet sand, blocking Dash's path. His feathers burned with tracings of fiery light, and his eyes shone like the sunset behind him.
"Halt," he commanded.
Dash chose to ignore the order and changed direction with surprising abruptness, intending to go around the raven entirely.
The raven sighed. "Have it your way."
He spread a wings wide and flapped. The roaring wind that came forth was worthy of a tornado, throwing up vast amounts of sand and water. It flung all two tons of Dash backwards like a tumbleweed and sent Tip flipping and flapping into the air. Dash came to a skidding stop well away from the water, Tip soon coming back down to earth to join him.
A wave rolled onto the beach and lapped over the raven's feet. The water boiled as it touched him, sending up spouts of hissing steam. The lines on his body shrunk away as his eyes flickered, struggling to stay lit. The raven leapt out of the wave's reach with a loud squawk. The lines immediately regrew and his eyes recovered their luminous glow. He scowled at the wave as it retreated to the ocean, regarding it like some sinister creeping menace.
He wasted no time contemplating what happened, turning his attention back to the recently airborne marine life. He raised a claw and stomped the dry sand, sending orange lines racing over the beach to surround Tip and Dash in a wide ring. The sand around them melted, turning red hot and bubbling angrily. Then it grew up and around them, forming a wide dome of molten glass. Tip and Dash clung tight to each other, unable to think of anything else they could do as they waited for the scalding walls to come down and incinerate them.
But the walls did not swallow them. Instead they began to cool, turning from burning orange to yellow and then perfect crystalline transparency. Tip and Dash now found themselves enclosed in a transparent cage like insects trapped under a cup. A twenty-foot diameter cup made of glass.
The raven flew up to alight on top of the dome, a small hole opening in it. "For a pair of talking animals you put on quite a show running from one bird that does the same. I said all of five words and you went scrambling for water. Am I truly so frightening?"
Apparently the answer was yes, because no sooner had he finished than Tip leapt onto Dash's head as the walrus charged headfirst into the glass.
DONK! He bounced off the glass as though it were steel, dislodging Tip who hit the glass and rebounded straight backwards. The penguin had to dart out of the way to avoid getting squashed by Dash as he rolled around clutching his aching head.
"I would not attempt that again," warned the raven. "This may be glass, but the composition and formation I gave it could withstand a rockslide. More than sufficient for containing you two." He looked over to Tip, who was now digging frantically into the sand for a subterranean escape. "And don't bother with that either. You will find the earth just as impenetrable."
Proving the raven's point, Tip flung away another flipper full of sand to find a smooth glassy surface beneath. He flung away more sand, revealing the glass extended further down into the beach.
The raven chuckled, starting to walk down a series of perches that emerged from the dome's wall. "Titanic Tip and Daring Dash, adventurers-slash-explorers. How ironic. Given your attempt at escape just now, I'd go with Timorous Tip and Dare-less Dash. Hmm…Timorous Tip. There's a certain ring to it."
Tip and Dash pressed themselves against the dome, moving around to keep as far away from the raven as possible as he descended. Both of were trembling as though they drank their own weight in coffee.
"S-s-s-stay back!" stammered Tip. "We're w-w-w-warning you! We know…s-s-stuff!"
"Y-y-yeah!" added Dash. "Y-y-you wouldn't want to m-m-m-mess with us! W-we're not afraid of y-y-you!"
The raven smirked as he brushed a feather over the glass.
Shink-shink-shink-shink-shink-shink!
Sharp glass poles shot out the dome and sand, forming a tangle of rods around Tip and Dash. Four went around Tip's wings while eight formed restraining squares around his middle. Another two went above his head and between his legs. Dash had more than a dozen around his body, including three expertly interwoven through his tusks and one behind his neck to restrain his head. They froze, alarmed by the speed and ease with which the raven trapped them.
"And what exactly would I not want to mess with? A tusked seal and a flightless dwarf seabird?" The raven chuckled, not breaking his stride or taking notice of the look Tip shot him. "You two are no more a threat to me than Melody was. Though to her credit, she put up more a struggle before I took more…effective means of subduing her."
It was like the raven flipped a switch. Tip and Dash went from scared stiff to fighting unreservedly against their holds, thrashing within what little room they had. Dash was trying to gnaw at one of the rods, but finding he could not get his teeth onto it settled for thrashing even more. The glass rods grew thicker, tightening their hold on him.
"What did you do to Melody!?" the walrus demanded.
"Get down here, you half-weight bird brain!" shouted Tip, wriggling violently in his hold. "If you laid one feather on her I'll pluck you like a chicken! Then we'll see who can't fly!"
Now the raven laughed in earnest as he flew down to perch on one of the rods in front of them. "There it is! I knew I'd find your backbones if I prodded the right spot. But tell me, if you're so willing to protect Melody from harm…"
His four eyes developed thin black slits through a single circle. The lines on his feathers started to glow brighter, flickering like growing flames. "Why did you abandon her?"
A heavy intangible pressure came off the raven, washing over Tip and Dash like a wave. They felt as though a giant was pushing down on them. The two went stiff as the glass holding them, taken aback by the sheer presence the raven exuded.
"The night Prince William of Strihaven was murdered–why did you abandon her?" repeated the raven.
Dash took it upon himself to try and answer for them. "W-we didn't! We would never–!"
Suddenly the raven burst into flames, crushing his perch as a black winged demon took his place. His eyes glowed like suns as the lines on his armored body flared, shooting out sparks in all directions. Tip and Dash reflexively shrunk back in their holds. The heat the demon gave off was like a volcano, drying out their eyes and coming dangerously close to singing whiskers and feathers. Wind whipped out in a furious tempest, blowing sand and sparks about with blinding force. Four enormous eyes mirroring the demon's appeared in the glass behind him, glaring down at the captives.
"Liars! You ran!" he barked, fire spouting from his maw. His voice carried like an earthquake in the glass prison. "I watched you flee for your lives! When the gunfire started you turned tail and left Melody to her fate! Not once did you look back, nor did you return! You did as you have always done, running at the first sign of trouble with concern only for yourselves! Just as you did with the penguin chick! As you did from Undertow! As you did from the sea monster! And as you tried to do from me!"
He flung his wings wide, extinguishing the flames and heat. The eyes disappeared from the glass, and the wind died as quickly as it had started. His eyes returned to their ember orange as the slits faded away, the lines on his body dimming down as he leaned towards his now thoroughly terrified captives. "The princess calls you her friends. She even calls you family. But I call you by what you are. And what you are…is cowards!"
A knife would have been preferable and less painful to how deeply the demon's words cut into Tip and Dash. They suffered their fair share of barbed words and insults over the years for their attempts at being heroes, the majority of it before they met Melody. Zeroes, flops, failures, idiots, morons, deadweights, nudibranchs, invertebrates–they heard them all. But never before had they been called cowards, and it stung worse than a box jellyfish. Not because it was new to them, but because deep down it was a truth they never admitted to. Try as they had to become idols of heroism in the Southern Sea, their bravery always abandoned them when needed most, putting others in danger and leaving them targets for contempt and mockery. Neither of them had done something they could really call brave until they rescued Melody from drowning, and that had been more luck than chivalry. Even after the sea wall came down and seven years of accompanying Melody on their undersea adventures, it did not take much to send them fleeing like scared catfish.
The two lowered their heads, eyes cast down in shame, although Dash found this difficult with his head trapped. Neither had the courage nor will to look the demon in the eye.
"Well? Am I wrong?" pressed the demon.
Tip shook his head, while Dash muttered a faint, "No."
The demon continued to glare at them, scrutinizing their faces carefully. Then he closed his eyes and sighed, sparks and smoke leaking from his mouth. "Still, there is something to be said for remorse."
The restraining rods dissolved into sand, leaving Tip and Dash as free as they were now confused.
"Perhaps I am too harsh," said the demon. "Few are ever born courageous, and only the foolish are fearless. Faint-hearted as you may be, your friendship with Melody is genuine, and you do possess the capacity for bravery when it is needed. Hopefully that will be enough for what I require of you."
"Wh-what do you want with us?" asked Dash, backing away as Tip hid behind him.
"Information." The demon's body collapsed into a cloud of soot and sparks, dispersing moments later to reveal the raven. "Battles are won by swords and soldiers, but wars are won by knowledge. And I intend to use every scrap of it. However…"
He nodded to the sea. The glass cleared, giving the trio a view of the waves lapping at the shore. "My world now ends where the sea begins. Earth and sky hold no sway over where I can roam, but all in the ocean is beyond my reach. I would barely last a human's breath down there, much less make it to Atlantica. Even if I could, my form is not discrete. That is where you two come in."
Dash gulped. "U-Us?"
"I want you to be my eyes and ears beneath the waves," said the raven. "To keep me informed of the happenings in Atlantica. Specifically, those concerning your enemy."
Tip's feet fidgeted nervously in the sand. "You mean be your spies?"
"A spy keeps watch on enemies, and the merfolk are not my enemies. Nor are the humans. I have as much grievance with them as I do the sand beneath us, and I despise Morgana and Ursula as I would any other like them. I would see humans and merfolk safe, and the ones who spilled their blood reap their dues in full. What I require are informants."
Tip swallowed nervously. There was an edge to the raven's voice when he said that. He noticed his eyes flit brighter for a moment, as though the fires of the Pit itself was held within them just waiting to be unleashed.
The raven looked to the opposite wall. A large section of glass dissolved away, forming a large hole. "Of course, it is your choice to help me or not."
Now Tip and Dash were thoroughly confused. First this bird chased them all the way to the shore. Then he trapped them inside a giant glass tube and lectured them on their least admirable habits before asking for their help in keeping tabs on Atlantica. Now he was giving them a choice?
"Are you…letting us go?" asked Dash.
"If that is what you chose, you may leave," said the raven. "I have no right to force your decision in this or any other matter. Choose to stay and I'll give you my instructions and a means of contacting me. My guarantee of your cooperation will be your word alone."
"And if we leave?" asked Tip.
"Then I'll erase your memories and go. You will remember nothing of this conversation, this place, or my existence. You will return to life as you now know it. I will search for another means of ascertaining events in Atlantica."
Tip eyed the hole warily. As tempting as it was to make a break for it and go straight back to Atlantica and report this to Triton, it was too easy. "How can we trust you not to trick us?"
"I never said you should. Better to trust wisely than freely. And who could blame you for not doing so? A raven that catches on fire, conjures glass prisons from sand, turns into a 'monster' and then asks for your cooperation after scolding you like children? Most would call you as mad for trusting me as for believing any of this ever happened."
The raven ruffled his feathers, loosing several short-lived sparks. "But before you make your choice, I'll have you consider my words. Like it or not, the quiet years you've all enjoyed are over. The party and yesterday's bloodshed were only the start. I cannot predict the future, but I know the prelude to a war when I see one. And wars with magic involved are never solved quickly or peacefully. And I sense there is more than Morgana and Ursula at work here. Whatever your enemy is planning, I fear it is something the Alliance cannot adequately prepare for it."
"Then why don't you warn them?" asked Dash.
"Were it possible I would," said the raven. "But as it stands that is not possible."
"Why?" asked Tip and Dash together.
The raven looked to the last slivers of the sun as it fell behind the horizon. "My reasons are complicated ones, and I do not share them idly." He looked back to the duo. "Now listen well, because you must understand the gravity of what I'm asking. The danger you could–no, will face is real, and it will come from both land and sea. I will do what I can to keep you from harm, but I cannot guarantee your safety or your lives. This may accomplish little more than stalling the inevitable, but there is a chance. It is small and fleeting, but it is real. A chance to save lives that would otherwise be lost. A chance to stamp this evil out once and for all so one day these people, their children, and the generations to come can live out their days in peace."
The raven stepped back, leaving Tip and Dash a clear path to the sea. "I have made my offer. What is your choice?"
Tip and Dash looked at each other. It was a lot to take in, and the raven's words scared them. First, they were hunted by that orange-finned monster. Then Melody was attacked at her party. Then she was attacked again at the marina. Now this? How were they to make sense of it all, let alone a decision?
"Give us a minute, would you?" asked Tip.
The raven only nodded.
Morgana did not know how much time had passed since she began outlining her plan, but she knew it was hours. She went through every detail, every phase, and every reason as her mind worked three steps ahead to integrate the elites of Maelstrom into her machinations. The Master said nothing, only watching silently with clasped hands supporting a chin hiding inside his hood. The others were silent as well, not daring to go against his command for no interruptions. A few times he stopped her for a question of his own, but other than that she was the one doing the talking.
Now she looked to the Master as she finished. A tense silence followed as all eyes turned to the Master in anticipation of his verdict. Seconds passed into minutes, and still he made no move, only staring at the table with those disturbing blue lights he called eyes.
Then he started laughing.
Not a light-hearted, amused laugh a person makes after a lukewarm but still funny joke. It was the sort of rising laugh a madman made. It started as diabolical chuckles before quickly increasing to culminate in maniacal hysterics as he clapped, the sound echoing throughout the chamber.
"Well done, Morgana!" he declared, slapping his hands on the table as he rose. "You've exceeded my expectations! I'd say this makes up for your earlier blunders! Consider yourself redeemed in full!"
"Your words flatter me, Master," she said, bowing thankfully and, for once, willingly. She felt like she might deflate with relief.
"Listen well, all of you," said the Master, scattering his seat with a flick of his wrist. "As of this moment we're putting this plan into action."
"Finally," said Remora as she cracked her neck. "I've been dying for some fun."
"What!?" exclaimed Ursula, shooting out of her seat so abruptly she knocked bones loose. "Are you serious!? You want to go through with this!? It's…it's…!"
"What's wrong, Ursula?" hissed Riptide from above. "Angry you were too dim-witted to think of it first? Or do you have a better idea?"
Ursula opened her mouth to speak but failed to form words. Infuriating as it was, she did not have any sort of alternative to offer. She might be the better enchantress of the sisters, but Morgana was always the superior tactician. Now it was showing in full. This was not some half-cocked scheme slapped together with mud and kelp. It was a work of genius. She dared to even call it art, though not without feeling sick. Months in solitude had produced one of the most brilliant works of villainy Ursula ever heard of. And of all the people to come from, it was her little sister. Her incompetent, useless, worthless witch of a little sister.
Riptide's giant eyes narrowed, glowing as Flotsam and Jetsam's once had. "Well, little witch?"
Grudgingly Ursula sat down, scowling at the smug look her sister sent. Riptide growled low in his throat, mocking her in his own way.
"As I was saying," continued the Master. "We will put this plan into action in three days. Richard."
The man bolted to his feet. "Sir?"
"Remora will send you onto land south of Strihaven. From there you will to go to the Howling Forest and find our forces there. You will act as their commander and report directly to me. Expand our numbers however you see fit, and continue with the raids till I give you new commands. If any challenge your authority or refuse to join our cause, dispose of them."
Richard smirked, pleased at the sudden change of fate that had blessed him. He could already picture himself leading droves of men, a glorious figure of authority and power. It was the sort of position a man of his stature deserved. This would also be a chance to cultivate his new abilities as he prepared for his eventual and final reunion with Lara. He held his arm over his chest in salute and bowed. "As you wish, Master."
The Master turned his attention to Morgana. "You will take Ursula and Undertow with you. Once there you will await my orders before proceeding. Take as many as you can and then raze it to the ground. Make sure you are not spotted before. Once it's done, Ursula will attend to her task and then resume work on our soldiers. Am I clear?"
Morgana merely nodded. Ursula looked ready to protest but wisely kept her mouth shut and did the same. If Undertow had a response, he chose not to give it.
"Riptide." The Master turned to face the giant monster behind him. "You will accompany them for support. Do not leave any stragglers…or excessive witnesses."
The leviathan's teeth chattered as he nodded low. "It will be done, Master."
"Remora," said the Master as he turned to her.
The witch rose to her feet. "Your orders, sir?"
"Do you recall my reasons for using the skinner?"
Ursula looked to Morgana for an answer, but all her sister did was shrug to indicate she was as in the dark about who or what a skinner was as she. Remora glanced out the side of her mask to see Richard rub his neck, remembering the consequence for his smart mouth the previous night.
"The first was trying to kill the princess," said Remora. "The second was testing her new guard dog."
"Indeed," said the Master. "And the third reason was these."
The Master held up his hand. Shadows raced down his arm to his fingertips, sprouting into dark replicas of the skinner's claws. He dragged them over the table, the edges slicing through the bone like soft butter.
"Magnificent, aren't they?" he said, turning his hand to admire his creation. "When it comes to flaying there's none better than a skinner. And now, thanks to the demonstrations it provided us, we have more than enough to recreate the process."
"But why would we need…oh." Remora suddenly stiffened, then sat up straighter in her chair. Something had excited her. "Does that mean…!?"
The Master nodded. "Begin the next phase of your experiments as soon as the captives arrive."
Remora gave off such a fiendish bloodlust it was palpable in the air. Excited snapping threads of electricity arced all over her, her hands trembling and clawing as though possessing a twisted will of their own. Morgana shivered visibly, noting Ursula turn a shade paler. They had seen Remora's experiments before, and what was left afterwards. Evil as they were, neither had the stomach to see it again.
The Master's eyes twinkled, enjoying the enthusiasm of his commander. "This shall be the heralding of our coming, and we will do so with blood, pain, and screams. Especially you, Remora."
The shadow claws whipped off the Master's hand and spiraled into his palm, becoming a ragged scroll. It was sealed with red wax emblazoned with the caricature of a skull.
"Take this with you," he said, holding it out to Remora. "You leave before the third dawn. I believe you'll find this quite…fun."
"As you wish, sir," she said, taking the scroll and slipping it into her sleeve. "And just where am I going to find said fun?"
Morgana was not able to see it, but the Master grinned as wide as the smile of Remora's mask. "Abyssum."
The raven stood patiently as he watched Tip and Dash converse. Almost an hour had passed and still they had not given an answer. But the raven was patient, blocking out their talk for the sake of discretion, though the odd word slipped by. Heroes. Death. Danger. Witches. Magic. Help. Save. Chance. Risk. Melody. They said that last one a lot. Help Melody. Protect Melody. For Melody.
The raven cracked a ghost of a smile. Cowardly these two were, but Melody was fortunate to have them. Friends of such caliber were as rare as they were worth holding on to. Perhaps if…
He cut off his thoughts before they could go further. There was nothing to be gained from dwelling on the past or what could have been. He needed to focus on the here and now or there would be no future for any of them.
"Helloooo? Scary birdie?"
The raven blinked to see Tip and Dash looking at him, the penguin situated on his friend's head as usual. He stepped forward and a perch of glass rose to meet him, lifting him to Tip's height.
"Have you made your decision?" asked the raven. It was hardly a necessary question. He could tell their answer by the look in their eyes.
"We still don't trust you," said Tip.
"Duly noted," said the raven.
"But if helping you means Melody and everyone else stays even a little safer from Morgana…" continued Tip.
"Then you can count us in," finished Dash.
"Not for yourselves, but for those you hold dear…" The raven shook his head. "Seems your courage is not so small after all. Very well. Now, what you–."
"Hold up, birdie!" interrupted Tip.
The raven arched a quizzical brow. "What is it, flightless birdie?"
"Touché, wise guy. You seem to know an awful lot about us, but we know squiddles about you. If we're gonna be working together then we wanna know some things. Who are you, and why're you so interested in helping us? What's in it for you?"
The raven paused to consider Tip's request. Should he tell them? It was a great risk to take. If these two fell into the enemy's hands, they could give away his identity and make him a new target. If the enemy managed to find him like this it would not be only the Alliance that was in danger, but the entire world.
Then again, the odds were stacked in his favor long before this business started. Even if the enemy acquired his name it was doubtful they would know what to do with it, let alone where to start searching. He was as much a figment of myth as the slendermen and their queen. The world had forgotten about him, and those who had not would sooner die than betray him. That was how deep their loyalty ran. And he could always wipe their minds in the event they were caught.
"A fair request. I will answer your questions." His eyes turned to Dash. "Your birth waters are the Northern Sea, yes?"
Dash nodded. "It was a long time ago, but yeah."
"And I take it you heard no shortage of your herd's mythology as a calf?"
Again Dash nodded.
"Then you know of Walpurgis."
"The kingdom beneath Bald Mountain?" Dash's brow furrowed. "Uh…it's been a while, so I'm fuzzy on the details. It was some sort of human place way in the north."
"Tell me what you know of the mountain," said the raven.
"The mountain? It used to be some sort of prison for a demon, if you believe the story. Why're you asking about that?"
"What if I told you the story is true?"
Dash snorted. "What? You mean how the demon was freed and then…was…?"
The words caught in Dash's throat so fast he choked, coughing fitfully and knocking Tip off. The walrus went almost as pale as his ivory tusks. He backed away from the raven till he was pressed against the side of the dome.
"T-t-that's impossible!" he sputtered. "There's no…you can't be him!"
"Why not?" asked the raven calmly.
"Because he's not real!" exclaimed Dash. "H-h-he's a myth! M-m-make-believe! A fairy tale!"
The raven smirked, the slits and rings returning to its eyes. His form burst into flames again, becoming a roaring fireball once more. When the fire cleared he stood before the pair not as a raven or a demon, but as his true self.
Tip and Dash's eyes looked ready to bulge out of their heads as they gaped in disbelief. "You're…!"
"You'd best start believing in fairy tales," said the sorcerer. "Because Walpurgis is more than a story. And I am real!"
DISCLAIMER: I do not own "The Little Mermaid," Disney, or any of its associated characters and intellectual property. Everything else, however, is mine =)
