Chapter 32: Meet the Master
Air is a thing of contradiction. This intangible element encompasses every life on land from birth till death, yet they rarely give it a second thought until it becomes noxious or absent. They regard the air as an infinite invisible commodity with a dismissively constant presence in their lives. Yet when they move through it, interesting things start happening. The faster they go, the thicker it effectively becomes. What was once unfelt becomes viscous and heavy. It deafens the ears and stings the eyes, pulling on skin, hair, scale, and feather without consideration or exclusion. Even the most delicate of snowflakes can sting like a needle if the wind gusts fast enough, and grains of sand can cut skin. The most mundane of things can become quite unpleasant with increasing velocity.
And since water is more than eight hundred times denser than air, any resident of the land could understand how miserable Triton was as he sped towards Abyssum as fast as the trident could take him, leaving a contrail of bubbles in his wake.
Triton rarely traveled like this for a reason. The water dragged over his skin, digging into every wrinkle, line of muscle, and strand of hair. His forearms burned with how hard he was forced to grip, his fins flapping violently behind him. He could barely hear his own thoughts over the roar in his ears, cheeks aching from squinting. But he bore it all willingly, letting the trident continue at its breakneck pace. Atlantica was hours behind him now, and he would continue on for just as long if necessary. His discomfort was a negligible price to pay if it meant reaching Abyssum that much sooner.
He was not without his doubts about his course of action. Should he have gone to Eel Ectric City and sent Urchin and the guardsmen here instead? Urchin was a capable soldier, fully deserving of the rank of captain. His mermen were no less able. But spears, shields, swords, and strength could only do so much against magic. If a witch appeared at Eel Ectric City–or, may the tides forbid it, two of them–they could quickly find themselves outmatched. He could have sent them into a trap.
Turning back, however, would be an even more egregious mistake. Time was of the essence here. Eel Ectric City was spitting distance compared to Abyssum. All they knew was the enemy intended to make it their next target. There was no guarantee the attack would happen today, tomorrow, or even a month from now. And there was nothing to suggest that Morgana, Ursula, or some other occult agent of the enemy would appear there. Even with the power the cilophyte sisters could muster before their deaths, attacking a city of that size was beyond them. Doing so required a proper military force.
Abyssum, however, was another matter. The mangled Skipjack was enough to banish any doubts the prison was attacked. Any force capable of breaking into that stronghold was not something that could be taken lightly. It would require the trident's power to neutralize it. Manta's spear would be insufficient. That weapon was intended for dealing with threats from inside the prison, not fending off outside attackers.
Faint red and orange lights appeared in the black. Triton was close now. The conical contours of the mountain illuminated by the scattered luminescent crystals became increasingly discernible as he closed in, providing a beacon to guide him in the disorienting pitch of the deep.
Already he saw cause for concern. A doorway of light was clearly visible at the base of the mountain. It could only mean the gates were open. Only he and Manta could command those tremendous doors to yield. Anyone and anything going in or out required their approval without exception. Even the changing of the guard was subject to their consent. To find them open before his arrival was a foreboding sign. And where were the guards? There should have been a minimum of a dozen lantern fish swimming patrols with them, yet he saw no lights of such sort or any guards.
Something was very wrong.
Triton slowed the trident as he angled down, diving before leveling out to skim over the empty sea floor. Details of the mountain were becoming clearer as he approached. The edges of the open gates were jagged and irregular, not clean and smooth as they should be. Dark shapes played with his sight at the edge of the entryway, peeking into the light before abruptly retreating for the shadows. Something was planted in the middle of the entryway as well, the backlight painting it dark. The water was tinged with a faint metallic taste, making him question if it was in his head.
He brought himself to a stop, keeping well clear of the entrance. He was not about to rush inside. For all he knew the prison had been enchanted to collapse on him.
Raising the trident overhead, Triton extended his will to it. The forks glowed like sunlight before a single golden speck of light let fly overhead. It arced up into the water before blossoming into a ball of light, creating a miniaturized star in the deep. Instantly the dark was banished, casting Abyssum in light for the first time in its existence.
The shapes hiding in the dark were sharks. Dozens if not hundreds of sharks of almost all species imaginable. Triton had never seen so many in one place. Tigers, goblins, frilled, white-tips, seven gilled, hammerheads, bulls, makos, and even cookie cutters swam around the mountain. Among them was an enormous great white, all twenty-five feet of his gray and white hide marked by the pale scars of battles long past. The other sharks gave him a wide berth as he swam, wary the ancient predator still possessed some of his legendary ferocity.
But Triton did not give the sharks a second thought. He was transfixed by what had drawn them in.
The face of the extinct volcano was a forest of the dead. Prisoners and guards alike were impaled on spears, swords, harpoons, and stakes in a scene that would shake the most heartless of men. Cold pale skin, cloudy sightless eyes, matte scales, and mouths frozen agape littered the slopes. Already they bore the marks of the shark's presence in addition to those of blades and lightning. In the middle of the ruined gateway was Manta's broken spear. A ragged red banner depicting a stylized black skull surrounded by a whirlpool dangled from it, a scroll set at its base.
Along with Manta's head.
Triton had twice the strength of a normal merman, a stubborn streak stiff as rock, and a temper hot enough to match fire. Yet he never beheld a sight that could shake him to the core until now. Anger, disbelief, shock, and disgust churned inside him like the sea in a storm. His insides twisted in nausea as the image seared itself into his mind. His vision started to oscillate in and out of focus; distorting and spinning with such intensity it caused him to sway. His breathing came faster, which only made him more aware of the iron scent in the water. He felt sick.
He turned away as the light went out, unable to look upon the mountain for one moment more. He could not believe what he saw was real. How could anyone–human, merfolk, or other–do something so heinous? So horrifically, mindlessly barbaric? This was beyond villainous, beyond sacrilege, and beyond depraved. There was only one word for it.
Madness. Pure, mindless, evil insanity of the highest order. Only someone entirely deprived of morality and heart could do something so grotesque.
The trident began to glow with a white light, emitting a faint hum that vibrated up Triton's arm. He felt a subtle but firm calm wash over him, as though liquid light was being sent through his veins. His turbulent emotions and stomach settled as he looked at the trident, his vision becoming as clear as his thoughts. He closed his eyes and breathed, quieting his mind. This was not the time to give into despair or anger. He was King Triton, commander of the seven seas and the rightful wielder of the trident. As Atlantica's ruler he had a responsibility to make sure he honored these poor souls with justice rather than blind vengeance. He was bound by duty to ensure their deaths would not be for naught. At that began with discerning who was responsible for this.
He swam over to the spear. What remained of the once azure crystal head was riddled with hairline cracks and clear as glass. It was little more than fragment now, the enchanted head shattered. He held the trident up to it, hoping the two weapons would resonate with their shared power. But the spear gave no such response.
"So, Manta used it," said Triton as he lowered the trident. "For him to go that far…the situation must've been desperate."
Turning his attention to the scroll, Triton cautiously picked it up. It was sealed with red wax, the surface emblazoned with the same skull and whirlpool marking as the banner. Holding it out he used the tip of the Trident to split the seal. The scroll slowly furled open.
Immediately a cloud of ink burst forth and enveloped him. He slashed the scroll, tearing the paper to ribbons as he flung himself away. The ink hung in the water, billowing and swirling around itself. A menacingly steady laugh came from it. Not a laugh Triton recognized either.
He aimed the trident at the cloud, the white light turning electric yellow. "Reveal yourself, whoever you are!"
The laugh continued as the ink coalesced. The formless mass took shape, forming textures and colors. A pair of black-gloved hands appeared. Swirling spirals became cloth of the darkest shades. With each passing second the silhouette of a person garbed in a tattered black robe emerged. The last thing to form was the head, hidden in shadow under a hood as eerie glowing blue eyes peered out.
"At last, we meet," said the figure. "King–."
"Trident, shoot!"
Twin bolts of light burst forth from the trident, striking the figure dead center. But instead of blasting him apart, he burst into a billowing black cloud. The lights passed through him, annihilating the spear and banner before striking the prison's rocky entrance. Two loud cracks and a plume of silted mud sent the surrounding sharks fleeing for the safety of the dark.
"I see your habit of shoot-first-ask-later isn't for dramatics," said the figure as he reformed, turning to examine what damage the shots had done. "Nor is the shortness of your temper and pledge against killing."
"Who are you?" demanded Triton, the trident glowing brighter as he readied another shot.
"Go ahead and shoot," said the figure, not bothering to face him. "You may as well shoot your own shadow. I'm not so foolish that I'd confront you on uneven terms. This shade won't harm you, but the same goes for you."
"I said who are you!?" repeated Triton with an edge. "Give me your name!"
"That's not possible," said the figure calmly.
"Give me your name!"
"I would need to have a name in order to give it. What I have are titles and aliases, but a name is something I've never possessed. But if you need one…" The figure's blue eyes twinkled as he turned to Triton. "You may know me as the Master. And as your enemy."
Triton needed only a moment to remember the dead voice coming from William's mouth those months ago. "You! You're the one who brought Morgana back!"
"Her and Ursula," said the Master. "Both are my servants now."
Triton's hands clenched hard as his jaw as he wrung the trident's shaft. "The sharkanians! The seaclops and pirates! That thing that attacked Melody, and her nightmares! It's all been your doing!"
"Plainly, though the first attempt on your granddaughter was not something I consented to," said the Master. "Morgana and Ursula undertook that venture for their own interests."
"And this!" barked Triton, pointing the now radiant trident to the gruesome spectacle hiding in the darkness. "You murdered them!"
The Master clasped his hands behind his back as he began walking a slow circle around Triton. "A banal accusation. But am I really the one who killed them? To you the answer is as obvious as it is indisputable. I find it open to interpretation."
"You butcher!" Triton rushed at the Master and stabbed for his head. The Master made no move to avoid, allowing his head to be scattered into scattered swirls of ink before reforming.
"If you are searching for the one who ordered the deaths of Abyssum's guards and prisoners, then I am the one responsible,'" continued the Master, his even tone aggravating Triton's rapidly building fury. "And if you are wondering why I didn't try to recruit them to our cause, it's a matter of quality. This heap of rock has more value than your so-called criminals. If I were in your place, I'd be grateful for having such trash disposed of."
"You vile…!" The trident's glow switched from yellow to orange as Triton raised it. "Shoot!"
Another blast flew from the trident, more powerful than the last ones. Instead of allowing it to strike him the Master dissolved his doppelganger, reforming it behind Triton without breaking a step. The magic bolt flew off into the darkness, lingering as a point of light before vanishing into parts unknown.
"As for whose idea it was for them to die," said the Master, making Triton spin around to him. "That credit goes to Morgana."
"Morgana?" Triton lowered the trident ever so slightly. "Morgana did this?"
"If that's how you choose to view it. As for the actual killing part, neither Morgana nor I had a part in it. Too weak for me to bother with, and too troublesome for her to handle alone. The one with blood on their hands is my right-hand man. Or should I say, witch."
"Ursula!?" exclaimed Triton.
The Master, stopped, eyes widening under his hood. "Ursula? You think Ursula is the one who…?"
Suddenly he doubled over with uncontrollable laughter. He clutched his sides in unrestrained mirth as he staggered, chest heaving as he laughed in that disturbing way only villains can.
Triton was having difficulty keeping his hands from shaking as he listened to the Master carry on. Part of it was from his barely contained rage at having the mastermind of this senseless massacre in front of him and being unable to subdue much less touch him. The rest was from a mounting malaise in the pit of his stomach. Something about this warlock had him on a razor's edge, even if he was talking with nothing more than a powerless illusion. Was it how free his voice was of the slightest remorse, as though so much death was mundane to him? Or the nonchalance he spoke with, as though they were conversing about the weather? Or how disturbingly relaxed and composed he was, making this sudden outburst as unexpected as it was troubling?
Triton raised the trident back up, training it on the Master's head. "What's so funny?"
"You…you…!" The Master took several breaths to bring his laughter under control. "You can't be serious! Ursula, my right-hand!?" He descended back into hysterics, clutching his face as though in danger of laughing his head off. "Oh Triton, you are phenomenal! If I'd known you were this comical, I would've made introductions a long time ago!"
Suddenly the Master darted to Triton, stopping within arm's reach. Having those blue will-o'-wisp eyes so close and so abruptly caused Triton to fire a bolt as he flinched back, striking the Master in his chest. His eyes did not even blink as it pierced him, carrying on to strike a rock and blast it to pieces.
"I wouldn't make that squid my right hand if she were the last witch in the entire ocean!" the Master snapped angrily, as though Triton had insulted him personally. "Her magical talents are borderline at best! A soft, mawkish miscreant compared to the one who did this!"
The Master flung an arm to the side, making an inky silhouette appear beside him. The form sharpened and resolved to form a woman wearing a hooded coat and a smiling mask, a large scythe draped over her shoulder. She cocked her head and started spinning the scythe like a baton, a ghostly mad laugh coming from the shadow.
"A human!?" Triton glanced to Abyssum, then back to the image. "A human did this!?"
"Of course! What other race spills blood so willingly? It's what they excel at! It's what humans do!" The Master waved his hand and the woman disappeared, shoulders heaving from his shouts. Triton retrained the trident on the sorcerer's head, ready to blast him if he made a move. The Master stopped his panting, standing erect and composed once more. "Believe me when I say the only reason she's not here to greet you, Triton, is because I had use for her elsewhere. Though, if this light show and shouting is the best you have to offer the one who should be afraid of your paths crossing is you. Perhaps you should join your daughters in Seahaven, Triton? Not that you would be any safer than they are."
The mention of his family was enough to break Triton's restraint. He flung a freezing orange blast at the Master, dispersing his image and plastering a wide section of the sea floor with ice.
"Don't you dare threaten my family, sorcerer!" hollered Triton as the Master reformed.
"I've already done more that threaten them," replied the Master. "Ironic you choose now to become upset."
"Upset? Upset!?" The trident's forks began to turn red, as did Triton's face as his anger continued to grow. "You spread fear and suffering throughout my kingdom! You terrorize the humans! You had my granddaughter tormented with nightmares and sent assassins to kill her!"
"Again, not my doing," said the Master blandly.
"You attacked my daughters with pirates and monsters!" continued Triton. "And now you massacre hundreds and call it a disposal!? I am far past upset! There's no word to describe how much you've angered me!"
The Master blinked slowly. "Enraged describes it perfectly."
At this point the trident was vibrating so aggressively in Triton's hands the metal was chattering. Even the water around it was heating up as Triton approached his boiling point. "Enough! Who is the witch that did this!? Where is she!? Where are Morgana and Ursula!? And where are you!? Give me answers or I swear I'll bring the entire ocean down on you!"
The Master shook his head, giving a sad sigh. "Triton, Triton, Triton…why ask a question you already know the answer to? I told you where they are hours ago."
Triton scowled in irritation at the cryptic response. "Don't be absurd! You've told me nothing!"
"True, I haven't told you anything directly." The corners of the Master's eyes crinkled as he smiled under his hood. "But I did send a messenger."
Triton scowled. "What messen–?"
Then it clicked. It clicked like the hammer on a revolver being pulled back. There had been a messenger. A bleeding and burned merman at death's door, managing only broken words before passing out. Words that pointed to where the enemy intended to strike next.
Eel Ectric City.
"You've gone pale, Triton," said the Master, his tone betraying his amusement. "Did you figure it out already?"
Triton spun around, intent on swimming back to Atlantica as fast as he could. Instead he found the Master in front of him once again. He came to an abrupt halt, thrusting the trident in front of him defensively.
"Don't waste your time or effort," said the Master. "There's no one left for you to save now. My servants finished clearing the city hours ago. As we speak your soldiers are searching through an abandoned ruin. The only ones they've found are a deaf mermaid with a missing hand and the body of Manta's son. The rest are now mine. Every last one."
"Impossible!" shouted Triton in disbelief. "You're lying! You couldn't have taken an entire city!"
"You'll see the truth soon enough." The Master reached into the sleeve of his cloak. "And as for that orphan and his pathetic troupe you sent…"
All of Triton's thoughts came to a screeching halt at what the Master produced from his robe. The trident went dim in his hands, its power slipping into dormancy as his anger was transformed into horrified shock.
The remains of Urchin's silver bracers lay in the Master's hand. The once shiny metal was tarnished and deeply scratched, mangled as though a giant rolled them between its fingers. The trident marks were barely visible anymore they were so bent and twisted.
"You should keep a better eye on your 'family,' Triton," said the Master. "Otherwise you'll lose them. Just like your wife."
There were times in Triton's life that were blank. Times when his temper rose to such extremes, he was unaware of his actions till after the dust settled. There were two instances in particular he regarded as being far worse than the others. The first was when he went on a grief-fueled reef-blasting rampage after his beloved Athena was crushed under the keel of a pirate ship. Then it happened again when he confronted Ariel over her senseless infatuation with a "fish-eating barbarian" she rescued from drowning, made worse by the discovery of her immense collection of forbidden human items. Both times he returned from his rage to destruction he did not remember causing, spending the next several days sulking in guilt over his less than kingly behavior.
Neither could compare to this one.
A howl like an enraged animal erupted from Triton's throat as a trio of blue, white, and yellow lights appeared in the trident's shaft. The weapon vibrated violently, the ground quaking in tandem as it responded to Triton's rage. Electricity arced across Triton from head to fin, making his skin glow as his hair and beard waved wildly in the turbulent water. His veins stood out as his muscles bulged, eyes glowing bright as stars. He heard nothing except the din of churning bubbling water and the sharp crackle of electricity surrounding off him, leaving penitentes of glassed sand where the arcs struck. Water rushed away from him in fierce currents, throwing out clouds of silt and mud.
The Master's eyes widened. "My, my…you still care for that dead mermaid this much? If only you cared so deeply for you so-called son."
The electricity doubled over Triton, now channeling into the trident's forks. The forks turned golden as they absorbed the electricity, emitting a loud hum as the power built. The light they gave off was blinding, but neither the Master nor Triton covered their eyes. Triton saw nothing but white save the sorcerer, a lone figure in black against an empty backdrop.
The clouds dispersed from the mountain slope as Kodama took form in a leopard of snow, roots, and ice atop a shale boulder, glassy claws sinking into the stone as the Hive Queen emerged from the shadows of a nearby rock. Neither gave the other more notice than an acknowledging glance before their eyes turned to the distant sea, gaze fixed on the same point in the water. Their eyes looked into the realms of light beyond those of mortals, visualizing the wavelengths invisible to them. Even so far away they could see the magic pouring forth like water from a broken dam, feeling it surging uncontrollably.
"So, this is what it takes to get the Lord of Four Seasons to show himself," said the Hive Queen.
Kodama glanced at her before returning his sight to the ocean, lips curling back to reveal crystal blue teeth. "I say the same for thee, Empress of Shadows."
The Hive Queen looked back to the sea. "He actually did it! To think there was another mortal that could pull it off!" She grinned broadly, flashing her teeth. "This place keeps getting more interesting by the day!"
Kodama scowled, his eyes narrowing as he growled. "Such a fool king!"
The Hive Queen looked out the corner of her eye at him. "What did you expect? He's never had a grasp of his anger! And we know how that–!"
"Not Triton!" interrupted Kodama sharply, snarling at her. "I speak of him! Of all the relics to lose…!"
The raven manifested on the tallest spire of the palace in an instant, coming into form in a flash of fire. He gazed out over the sea, pinpointing the source of the magic exactly. If he possessed teeth, he would be grinding them with how tightly his beak was clenched. Wisps of flame leaked out the corners of his mouth as he scowled, his slit and ring pupils forming in his eyes.
"Triton, you fool!" he growled angrily. "You truly are your father's son!"
Triton hated the Master. He hated him with every fiber of his being. He wanted to hurt him, to punish him, to make him pay forever for every transgression he committed. He wanted to split him into a thousand pieces and leave them on the shore to dry. He wanted to drag him into the deepest waters till the pressure crushed him smaller than a plankton. He wanted to kill him and bring him back to life just so he could do it again. He was beyond caring about justice and proof of guilt. He was beyond caring about costs and consequences. This monster murdered his people, kidnapped his subjects, threatened his family, and now robbed him of the only merman he ever considered a son. There was only one punishment that would suffice. Only one sentence he could hand down that would even start to quench his rage.
Triton raised the trident overhead then swung it down as he bellowed out, "Trident, destroy him!"
The lightning leapt off Triton to the tip of the trident, forming an orb of blinding yellow magic. It rapidly swelled to Triton's size then compressed to a brilliant point of light before shooting out in a beam of magic and lightning three hundred feet across. A shockwave of sound, heat and fury ripped through the water, throwing up clouds of sand, mud and bubbles. The water boiled as the magic tore through, bathing the dark abyss in light like a sunrise.
The Master shielded himself in vain as the blast struck him, obliterating his doppelganger. It struck Abyssum and pierced through, annihilating the rock as easily as it did the Master's shadow. Rockslides tumbled down the slopes as the blast drilled a massive hole straight through the mountain and out the other side. Onward it went as the beam petered out, shooting through the open sea as it ate mile after mile of water until it faded out far past three horizons.
An enormous melting tunnel had been bored through Abyssum. The rocks were liquid and red with heat, emitting scorching streams of bubbles as they oozed and dripped. The peak groaned and cracked under its own weight before collapsing on itself, filling the caldera with rubble and shaking the earth.
Triton turned about in a frenzy, searching for the dark profile of the sorcerer as lightning built on him again. "Where are you!? Come out and face me, you coward! We end this now! I'll show you what happens to the enemies of—!"
As abruptly as it came the power disappeared. Triton's electrical shroud vanished, and the trident went dark, taking Triton's vitality with it. A pain he never knew took him. His body burned with exhaustion, every nerve raw and hurting. The trident slipped from his hands as he fell onto his back, the soft yielding mud agony on his body as he touched it. He struggled to stay as still as possible despite the rapid rise and fall of his chest. Each gasping breath was a wave of agony, and he struggled to keep them shallow. His vision swam and his ears rang like bells with the pounding of his pulse alongside.
"I told you, Triton."
Triton stopped breathing at the Master's voice and approaching footsteps. He tried to arch his neck to see, but immediately it cramped up like a vice. He was drained completely, muscles refusing to make the effort.
"I'm not so foolish as to confront you without precaution."
Triton looked to the side. The trident was right beside him. He had to get it. Just had to get his hand around it. Agonizingly Triton pulled his hand along by his fingers, inching closer to the trident's shaft. It felt like his tendons were on the verge of snapping, but he kept going. Just a bit further and he would have it.
He was just about to touch it when a shadow passed over him, rough ragged trails of fabric brushing against his head. Once again Triton found himself facing the eerie blue eyes of the Master, now looming over him. He could feel the tatters of his cloak against him and the water moving as he went to stand by the trident. This was no shadow before him. This was the sorcerer in flesh and blood.
"The great king of the seas, reduced to an old merman lying helpless in the mud," said the Master as he called up a wisp of shadow and pushed Triton's hand away. "All with nothing more than words and a flick of my wrist."
Triton had never felt such cold, deep terror in his life as when he watched the shadow wrap around the trident and lift it to the Master's hand. He held it level, feeling its weight and balance. Black spread out over the trident, turning it so pitch it was darker than the perpetual midnight of the deep. The Master suddenly spun it around then took it in both hands and thrust before turning back and slashing upwards, slicing the water cleanly.
Triton had to get up. He had to do something. Anything to get the trident away from this madman. If he possessed it, they were all done for. He tried to sit up, but immediately his body exploded with burning pain. He tried to push through, but the pain only doubled, forcing him back to the ground.
"I'm sure you have questions," said the Master as he ran his fingers along the forks. "Where was I all this time? What was the power you just used? Why have you never seen it before? What have I done with your people? What am I going to do with them? But the question you will have to ask…"
He suddenly pointed the trident at Triton's head. The three lights reappeared in the shaft as the weapon brimmed with lightning. Triton held his breath. He wished he could think of his family in his final moments. That he could think of his daughters and wife, of all his friends he would leave behind when he was gone. That he could fervently wish for a miracle that would bring the Master and his plans to a halt.
But all he could think was how much he did not want to die.
"Is why I didn't kill you."
The Master lowered the trident as its power subsided, the glow diminishing till it was gone. He knelt beside Triton, leaning close to his face. Even so close Triton could see nothing of his features.
"Don't mistake this for mercy," said the Master coldly. "They only reason I'm sparing your life is because I'll find no satisfaction taking it like this. There's nothing to be had from cutting down a feeble merman who can't lift a fin to defend himself, especially with no one to see it. That's not how I want it. I'll save your defeat for our next meeting. As for the trident…"
The Master grabbed Triton's wrist, placing the trident in his palm before closing his fingers around it. Immediately he could feel its power trickling into him as the trident worked to restore his strength. The black receded from the trident, revealing its golden forks once more.
"You need this more than I do," said the Master as he stood.
In that moment, Triton realized why the Master engendered such dread within him. He learned a few things about the habits of criminals and villains from every time some skulking wrongdoer or power-hungry ruffian tried to overthrow him and claim the trident as their own. For all their goading and boasting, the hostage trades, sneak attacks, and shadowy plots, they never confronted him directly. They were too afraid because they knew what he could do. They knew how powerful the trident could become in his hands, and how he could use it against them. Once they lost the upper hand and the trident started flashing, they were quick to turn tail or plead for mercy. It was in their nature to show courage only when the odds were in their favor. From Morgana and Ursula to the forgettable Lobster Mobster, they all became cowards once he and the trident were reunited.
But the Master was not afraid. Not of him, the trident, or the two of them together. He felt as intimidated by Triton as a whale would by a wrasse. His calm demeanor before was not because his shadow kept him safe from harm, or because he already accomplished his goal. It was because he felt completely unthreatened by him. He defeated Triton without raising a finger against him. And now, when he had a greater chance to claim dominion of the seas than any before, he willingly gave it up for no other reason than a whim.
And that scared Triton something terrible.
"Returning to the subject of your captain…" The Master produced the mangled bracers from his sleeve, dropping them beside Triton. "I met him and his soldiers long before they reached the city. They gave me a distraction while we finished taking your people. But mourning his death would be a waste. He lives. You have my word."
Triton groaned as he tried to raise the trident. It felt like lifting an anvil, his arm shaking tremendously as it raised inch by agonizing inch. The Master calmly reached over and took it from him with ease, loosening Triton's hold with the lightest of pulls.
"As for the trident…" He brought the shaft up to Triton's face as the yellow, blue, and white lights appeared once more. "Did you think you'd mastered this merely because you are king? That you and your kin have some special bond with it? Lightning? Ice? Waves? Storms? Transformations? You're no more its master than Ursula or Morgana was. And like them, you're no better than a common street magician. Even a child could do those things. You've only skimmed the surface of its true power."
The Master tapped the forks of the trident, producing a tink-tink-tink sound on the metal as the three lights faded away. "If I were you, Triton, I'd learn how to muster that power at will. While you still can."
The Master put the trident back in Triton's hand and stood, turning away as a black portal formed in the side of Abyssum. "You'll be able to swim in an hour. I doubt anything hungry will come within ten miles of this place after what you did. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to."
Weakly Triton lifted the trident as the Master strode away, but he could do little more than nudge it upwards. "S…stop."
The Master continued walking as he spoke. "No, Triton. I won't stop. We won't stop. We are Maelstrom. Once caught in our current, there is no escape. Swim, struggle, and fight against us with all you have, or surrender to the water's pull. Either way, you will drown." He stopped before the portal and looked back at the downed merman. "We'll meet again. When we do, I expect a proper battle. Bring everything you have against me. Every spear, sword, and drop of magic at your disposal. That way, when you lie before me in the ruins of your beloved kingdom, you will know it was inevitable. That there was nothing you could've done to stop me. That all your efforts were for nothing."
He stepped into the portal, the darkness closing up behind him. "Then, and only then, will you know despair."
The portal closed completely, shrinking out of existence as the Master's foreboding laughter lingered in the dark. Then that faded as well, leaving Triton alone among the dead.
He lay solemn and still, staring into the black around him. Then the veins bulged beneath the skin as every muscle in his body went taught, trembling with a rage worthy of the first kings. He yelled as loud as he could, agonized with a thousand emotions and pains. His voice carried in the water till the oceans absorbed and reduced it to silence.
He clenched his hands till his nails cut his palms. He failed. He failed to protect his granddaughter and her love. He failed to protect his family from danger. He failed to protect his people. He failed to defeat the enemy even when they were right in front of him.
King Triton, ruler of Atlantica and commander of the seven oceans, had lost.
The moon climbed away from the horizon, rising to join the stars in the heavens. Clouds stained silver and white with its light covered the western horizon, the smell of rain on the air. The ocean had already begun to rise with the tide, creeping slowly up the shores with each wave. The gulls had gone quiet hours ago, returned to their roosts for the night as the humans did the same. The skies belonged to the owls now, who announced their dominion with ethereal calls amidst the chirps of bats and crickets.
Only Ariel waited for Triton's arrival now, wrapped in a wool cloak against the cold of night as she sat in the pavilion. A lantern stood beside her, the flame providing flickering warm light. Dinner was hours ago. Andrina had taken Cora and Nora to bed afterwards despite their protests. Melody would have joined Ariel had Carlotta not brought a letter from Elaine. Melody's face had brightened immediately as she tore it open, then fallen just as quickly as she read. She left to her room without another word, the letter hanging from her hand. No doubt she would be asleep now, safe under Lara's watch.
A breeze drifted through, chilling Ariel's neck. She pulled the cloak tighter as she shivered. How long had she been here now? Half the day? More? No doubt her skin would turn red as her hair if not for mermaids never getting sunburn. She seemed to have retained that part of her original biology.
She watched the moon slowly rise over the ocean. The scene reminded her of the night of the second day she came to land. The night before Ursula's treachery almost stole her freedom forever. She rubbed her hands over her legs, remembering the intense pain when she first received them and when they twined back into fins. The only pain that matched it was knowing she might never see Eric or this wondrous world above again.
Her eyes began to droop. She yawned, arching her back and earning a satisfying pop from her spine. Hour after hour of anxious waiting had tired her both mentally and physically. The rhythmic crashing of the waves was hypnotic now, lulling her to sleep. The warmth of the sun seeped out of the stones and into her body, inviting her to dream. Her eyes slowly closed, and this time she allowed them to remain that way. Her consciousness started to slip away, like leaves carried in the current of a wide river.
SPLOOSH!
Water doused Ariel from head to toe, snapping her wide-awake and onto her feet. The lantern hissed angrily as it went out. Her vision was momentarily obscured by a green-blue haze and soaked red hair falling in front of her face, but her ears picked up the clicks and high-pitched squeaks that could only belong to a dolphin.
She pulled her hair aside. There was indeed a dolphin, bobbing up and down in the water below. And not just any dolphin, but one of the large males her father kept for pulling his chariots. Her momentary hope that her father had arrived was quashed when she saw it was alone. That and it carried a scroll in its teeth.
The dolphin chattered at her, head nodding vigorously as it pumped its tail to rise out of the water. As Ariel extended her hand to take the scroll, she was sure that her father was not coming. And whatever that reason was, this scroll sealed in red sea-wax would tell them why.
A minute later she was running to the palace as fast as she could, the scroll clutched tightly in hand.
"And then!"
Lara drew her sword in a flash, slicing through the air and her imaginary foe. The encircled orphans flinched at the sudden movement, attention fixed on her as she walked around the fireplace of their home. Sarah sat in one of the armchairs as transfixed as the children were, Isaac snoring away in his seat. The dinner table was laden with dishes, left behind in the children's eagerness to hear another of Lara's fantastical adventures.
Lara cast a quick glance out the window. She was due back at the palace a while ago. She was going to be late because of this story. But she was determined to give the children the tale she promised. Going by their entranced expressions she was living up to their expectations spectacularly, even if this was the fifth time she recounted this particular adventure to them.
"I cut the worm's head off in one stroke!" she said, earning a round of applause from the children. "But I wasn't out of trouble yet!"
Their applause quickly waned as she lowered the sword, the light of the flames flickering on the blade. "Because while I was fighting the worm, dozens more had come! They came at the noise we made and the smell of food! Soon I was surrounded on all sides by the ravenous beasts! And some of these worms were huge!"
"How huge?" asked Hector.
"Long as a ship's mast! And twice as thick!" Lara said, arms wide to dramatize the size of it. "Mouths with teeth the size of daggers! Spiky hides harder than stone! Long poisoned tongues dripping with venom! And very, very…hungry!"
She spoke the last word darkly, her golden eyes unnaturally bright in the dim. Some of the children huddled closer together, casting nervous glances at the floor.
"So there I was…" continued Lara. "Middle of the desert with just my sword and knives to protect me! Surrounded on all sides by giant, vicious, flesh-eating worms! No one to call for help, nowhere to hide! Escape should've been impossible! But I did escape!"
The corner of her lips turned up into her characteristic lopsided grin. "And I'll tell you how when the dishes are done."
A collective "aw" of disappointment and frustration went up from the children at the cliffhanger, followed immediately by pleading for her to continue.
"Ah-ah-ah,'" Lara said as she sheathed her sword. "No whining! The deal was I'd tell half the story first and the rest after dishes, and I've gone way past that. No more story till table's cleared and everything's cleaned and put away."
"And don't forget we all have school tomorrow," added Sarah as she rose from her seat. "So that means faces washed and right to bed afterwards."
Another round of groans came from the children, none looking forward to an end to the night or what would await them the next morning. Slowly they ambled to the table, dragging themselves along like a pack of miniature zombies.
"All right, fine. Groan and moan if you must," said Lara, giving a nonchalant shrug. "But I know for a fact that devil worms are attracted to dirty dishes."
The children stopped as one, turning to her with alarmed faces.
Lara smirked mischievously. "It's the smell. Believe me, nothing riles up a worm's appetite like the stink of plates and bowls brimming with scraps. Can't get enough of it. Why, they'll cross mountains just to lick the spoons!"
"They will not!" exclaimed Zoey, who was glancing very nervously at the floor.
"Oh yes they will!" said Lara. "They'll come in hordes! And you know what they like to eat even more?"
The children shook their heads, not sure they wanted to know.
Lara grabbed a candle and held it under her face, creating ominous shadows on her features. "The moaning groaning children who don't clean them up!"
Thirty-three children grabbed their dishes and ran out to the wash bin so fast it was amazing they did not rip up the new floorboards or tear the new door off its hinges. The only trace of the dinner was a single spoon lying on the floor, which Samantha quickly returned for before dashing back outside.
"Wow! That worked better than I thought!" said Lara, listening as the children cranked the squeaky water pump for all it was worth.
"You wicked woman!" teased Sarah, smacking Lara playfully in the shoulder as she took the candle from her and extinguished it. "Now they'll never want to come downstairs again!"
Lara shrugged. "Hey, it got the dishes cleaned, didn't it?"
"Yes, and now they're going to be absolutely terrified of taking one step onto dirt!" Sarah shifted her weight, causing one of the floorboards to creak. She flinched at the noise, jerking her foot back as though she stepped on a snake. "Just out of curiosity, those worms…you're sure they don't live around here?"
Lara repressed a laugh at the expression on Sarah's face. "Relax. Devil worms need fine loose sand to live in. Even if by some miracle they made it through the mountains, all the rocks and trees around here would be a nightmare for them. Only worms in Seahaven are the ones for fishhooks."
"And certain thieving lords," said Sarah as she draped a blanket over Isaac.
Lara frowned. "Yeah…those too."
She rested a hand on her sword, feeling the rough wrapping of her hilt as she ran her palm over it. That Richard escaped justice bothered her to no end. There was little doubt among the populace that the thrashing she gave him was well deserved given the amount of thievery, blackmail, and general oppression he inflicted on so many. Very few were sorry to see him gone, if only because they wanted to see him in chains first. Those in Richard's former social circles were less willing to accept the charges, but once the evidence and testimonies came forth, they were forced to admit they had been duped. That said, there were still those who found it difficult to believe him capable of such crimes.
Eric placed a bounty of three thousand gold coins on Richard's head the moment his escape was discovered, reduced to one thousand if he was brought back dead. His assets and estate were sold to pay back the damages he incurred. Everything he stole was returned to its rightful home. His bodyguards Bill and Jack narrowly escaped imprisonment due to their cooperation in the ensuing investigation. Without Richard to cover their backs they were quick to divulge everything they knew. They were now putting their muscles to use mucking the royal stables as part of their sentences. Eric wanted to put them to work in the shipyards, but there was concern that Richard's victims might turn their anger on them in his absence. An environment filled with spiteful people and plentiful sharp implements did not bode well to their health.
Sarah picked up on the change in Lara's air. "What that pirate said…do you think it's true? I know Richard's an awful and treacherous man, but would he really go so far as joining the enemy?"
"I wouldn't put it past him," said Lara as she threw another log on the fire. "The only loyalty he knows is to himself. He'd change to any side if it meant saving his hide."
"But what if he comes back for revenge?"
"I'm more concerned about whoever got him out of that hospital."
Dock-dock-dock!
Lara turned to the door, listening for more sounds. She could hear frantic breathing and horseshoes prancing anxiously in the dirt, the animal breathing as hard as its rider. The knocking repeated, louder and more urgent this time.
"Were you expecting company?" asked Lara.
Sarah shook her head. "Only you."
"Get back," said Lara as she as she stalked towards the door, pressing her back flat against the wall. Sara moved over to Isaac, trying to rouse him as quietly as possible. She pulled her sword out part way, exposing a few inches of the blade. "Who's there?"
"Miss Anclagon?"
Lara sheathed her sword as she recognized the voice. "Gramps? That you?"
"I could say the same to you, young lady!" replied the advisor, banging his fist on the door. "Why are you still here? Open this door immediately!"
Lara set her sword aside and opened the door. Grimsby was leaning against the doorframe and panting hard, beads of sweat running down his face. He looked as though he was bounced the entire way here. Judging by the sweating lanky horse standing next to Tempest outside, he had been.
"Okay, I know I was supposed to be back a while ago," said Lara. "But if you give me a minute before you start shouting, I can explain."
"Never mind your excuses!" interrupted Grimsby. "You need to return to the palace right away! It's urgent!"
Lara could hear the panic in his voice. His being here had nothing to do with her tardiness. "What's happened?"
"It's–!" Grimsby paused to swallow. "It's the enemy! They just attacked the Alliance!"
From the forest edge the glowing eyes of the raven watched as Lara and Grimsby hurriedly mounted up, kicking their steeds into a full run back to the palace. In seconds Lara and Tempest were flying down the road, leaving clouds of moonlit dust and Grimsby behind. Sarah lingered on the doorstep as she watched them go, and then quickly went back inside. He could hear the lock being set, giving her what little security it could.
The raven spread his wings and took off, weaving his way through the trees as he made for the coast. He needed to contact Tip and Dash for the details. It was vital he knew exactly what happened as soon as possible.
Suddenly a smell hit his nose. The raven abruptly alighted on a branch, flapping hard to stop. He sniffed again, making sure he was not mistaken. The smell was wet and pungent, like a wet dog that had jumped in a pond. But it was human as well. The two scents were blended together into something distinct. Something neither human nor animal. Something he held a profound distaste for.
"Werewolves," growled the raven.
He was about to take off and follow the scent when another smell appeared. A tangy metallic one that quickly drowned out the other. It grew strong in the air, soon blotting out the stench of werewolf entirely.
The raven knew this smell. It was blood. Fresh blood, and lots of it. Death would be busy in the forest tonight.
"This is your retribution, is it?" asked the raven.
The forest gave no response. A gust rustled the trees, making the leaves hiss and sway as it passed through their branches. The raven smelled rain on the way. Then everything returned to the silence of the night.
"Ah…a message." He spread his wings. "They would be fools to disregard it."
The raven flew towards the beach once more, a burning shadow among the trees. Terrible as he predicted today's events were, he could take a modicum of satisfaction in knowing the enemy would not see tomorrow without its share of losses. There would be retribution.
A/N: The sun sets on Atlantica's darkest day. Eel Ectric City has been taken as slaves. Abyssum has been slaughtered. Ships have been sunk with all lost but one. The lives of friends and family hang in the balance. And Triton, great ruler of the seas, lays defeated by the very symbol of his rule. The first battle of the war they all sought to avoid has ended, and Maelstrom stands victorious. Their prize is blood, death, and misery bestowed upon those who survived.
But though the day has ended, night has just begun. And the night belongs to those who call it home. Who or what would dare to strike back against Maelstrom from the black? What role does Ursula have yet to play? What will tomorrow's light bring for both sides? Find out the next chapter!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own "The Little Mermaid," Disney, or any of its associated characters and intellectual property. Everything else, however, is mine =)
