Chapter 46: Rage

A/N: "Iron" by Within Temptation

Riptide's roar carried over the marina as he struck at Lara. The mage beat her wings and swooped aside to avoid him, his enormous head crashing into the waters like a rockslide.

"This is insane!" shouted Attina over the din as the earth shook. High waves raced out as Riptide pulled his head up, swamping over what remained of the wharves before crashing against the embankment of the marina. "We're going to die if we stay here!"

"Just keep your eyes open!" said Ariel as she and Melody rummaged in a frenzy through a pile of overturned crates. She picked up an oil lantern and tossed it aside, the metal clattering loudly as it rolled before turning upright. "There's got to be something here we can use!"

"Please tell me there's a nurse in one of those crates!" wheezed Arista, face flushed as she panted. Alana sat beside her, holding her hand for physical and emotional support. "This is really starting to huuuuuuuurrrrrt! Gah!" She grimaced hard as she clamped down on Alana's hand.

"You're doing good!" said Alana despite her younger sister gripping so tightly she worried her fingers might break. "Ariel, she needs a doctor now!"

Aquata came running back from the north end of the marina. Her dress was shredded and covered in dirt. She leaned against the ice wall, breathing heavily and face sheen with sweat.

"Please tell us you found a way around!" said Attina hopefully

Aquata shook her head. "It's no good…that way! Everyone's…trying to get…around the wall! Totally…jammed!"

Moments later Andrina came running in from the opposite direction. She dropped to her knees, gasping for air as she tried to loosen the strings on her bodice. "Can't…go this way…either! Too much…debris! Cliffs…too high!"

Arista's face paled. "You mean we're stuck here!?" She buried her face in her free hand, only to cry out as another contraction hit.

"If you have any ideas for getting through that wall, Ariel, now is the time!" said Alana.

"We're working on it!" said Ariel, prying open the top of a chest to reveal it was full of fabric.

Melody had just pulled open a crate filled with pickled pears when she looked up, her face paling at what she saw. "Look out!"

Everyone looked to see Riptide chase Lara into the marina. Lara turned over and spat a pair of fireballs back at his face, but Riptide raised his head further so they struck his underside. The fireballs exploded, leaving smoking scorch marks on his hide but nothing more. Riptide hissed and then lunged at Lara as she reached the ice wall, mouth opened like a snake. Suddenly Lara veered straight up, narrowly avoiding the massive jaws. Riptide bit deep into the wall near its top, causing the whole structure to shake. Ariel and her sisters were knocked off their feet by the impact. The serpent's body coiled up as he pulled back, but he was stuck tight in the ice.

Lara flew up in the air and then flipped over and dove down, her sword catching fire. She drew it back, the blade burning brightly in her hands. She yelled as she closed on Riptide and struck, slashing down his neck. Smoke hissed as the blade cut into his scales, but it failed to cut deep. Riptide roared, ripping his head free with a twist. Multiple teeth came loose or broke, embedded in the ice as cracks ran through the wall clear to the bottom. Even then the wall did not fall. Riptide hissed as he turned on Lara, his tongue snaking through the gaps in his teeth.

"Hope you've got a good dentist!" shouted Lara as she flew back to open water.

Riptide growled at her, jaw shuddering as though he were cold. Suddenly new teeth sprang out, filling the gaps and pushing the broken ones free to crash into the water. He gnashed his new teeth together, grinning at Lara.

"Oh…never mind!" called back Lara. Riptide bellowed, sending up more large waves as he swam after her.

Ariel watched the titanic beast leave and then looked at the wall. The cracks Riptide created were wide and jagged, leading straight up to several of his lost teeth. It looked like someone had played an enormous game of darts and broken the board with one overpowered throw.

Attina noticed a distinctive and familiar look in her sister's eye. "Ariel, you're not thinking…?"

"That's our way out!" Ariel said. "If we can't go around, then we go over!"

"Are you crazy!?" exclaimed Arista, clutching her stomach. "That's hundreds of feet up! I can't climb that!"

"We can't climb that!" added Attina. "Ariel, there's no way!"

Ariel bit her lip. She hated when her ideas fell through, but already this one was floundering. Truth be told, she knew as much about climbing as her sisters. It was not a significant skill to have underwater. And with a baby literally hours from arriving, Arista was in no condition to scale anything steeper than a staircase. Even if they somehow got to the top, how were they going to descend the other side? They could not slide down. Not if it was as sheer as this one. And since they could not see the other side through the crack, it was unlikely the defect went full thickness.

"We've got to try!" said Ariel as she stood up, only to stumble as her foot snagged on something. She looked back and saw a rope coiled around her ankle. She followed the end back to a fractured crate with a crocus crest and the word "ROPE" branded in large letters across it.

Ariel blinked. She could not be that lucky, could she? She dashed over to the crate and grabbed the lid, grunting as she pulled it up. It came free with a snap, revealing dozens of bundles of thick, brand new rope.

By the strangest of coincidences, the oil lantern Ariel discarded earlier lit of its own accord.

"Thank you, Arendelle!" she said, grabbing several of the bundles and tossing them out. "I've got an idea! Melody!"

Melody looked up from behind the stack of crates, only to have one of them tip over on her. She yelped as straw and pickled pears knocked her down. There was a sound of breaking glass and wood, and then Melody popped up again, brushing straw off her head. "Ow…what?"

"Tie more rope onto this!" Ariel said, tossing one end of the rope to her as she began knotting the other end around her waist.

Melody looked at the rope and then the ice wall. It took her all of one second to do the math. "Mom, you can't be serious!?"

"It's our only option!" Ariel cinched down the knot, giving it a hard tug to check it was secure. "I'll climb up and see if I can tie it to something! The rest of you follow after!"

Melody darted to her mother, grabbing her hand. "You can't! That's too high! One wrong step and you'll die!"

"One of us has to go!" said Ariel. "And there's no one else who can climb that!"

Melody looked at the wall, eyes scanning top to bottom. Then she turned back at Ariel. "I can!"

Ariel's eyes widened. "What!?"

"I can climb it!"

"Melody, no! Absolutely not!" protested Ariel.

"Mom, I spent twelve years climbing over, under, and around that stupid sea wall!" said Melody. "I've done more climbing than all of you put together! Plus, I'm the lightest one here! Probably the fittest, too!"

"She's got you there, Ariel," said Andrina. "When was the last time you saw Melody walk anywhere?"

"That's not the point!" said Ariel. "Melody, you are not climbing that! If anything were to happen to you–!"

"Something will happen to us if you don't let me go!" Melody grabbed Ariel's other hand, squeezing them firmly. "Please! Trust me! I can do this!"

Ariel looked at the wall again. It seemed so much higher and treacherous now. She wanted to tell Melody no with every fiber of her being, but down in her gut she knew it had to be done. Melody was the only one of them who remotely knew how to climb. And yes, she was undoubtedly the fitter one, what with her and Lara running into and out of trouble day in and day out. If they were to have any chance of getting over that wall, Melody had to do it.

Ariel sighed, hanging her head in defeat before looking up at her daughter. "You're stubborn as a barnacle, you know that?"

Melody managed a small smile. "Wonder who I got that from?" She stood up and began untying her dress. "Help me get this off! I can't climb anything in it!"


Riptide roared as he bit at Lara. She flapped her wings furiously, shooting away as his face came down like a meteor with teeth. He struck into a large ice floe, spraying seawater everywhere. The resulting wave raced into the marina and crashed against the stone wall, spraying the princesses and queen.

Lara scowled. If they fought here the waves Riptide generated would endanger everyone on this side of the wall. That and the tremors he was generating were a hazard to either side. That ice wall was sturdy, but how much more shaking could it tolerate? She had to keep Riptide in the deeper waters.

"You missed!" shouted Lara as she flew out to sea. "Come and get me, big guy!"

Lara darted to the side as Riptide bit down again, devouring another swath of ice. She flew towards a ship for cover, but moments later one of Riptide's coils smashed through it, forcing her to veer off. Lara looked back over her shoulder, seeing Riptide's body cut through the ice and water as though it were paper. He was shockingly fast for such a big creature, able to keep up even with her speed.

Lara flipped over and slashed twice with her sword, sending two jets of fire up at Riptide. He dodged to the side, the fires shooting past him and into the clouds. He then lurched forward, whipping his head tentacle around and bringing it down like a hammer. Lara narrowly evaded it, banking hard as the water literally exploded and doused her. Lara tumbled in the wave and then burst out the other side, beating her wings hard to maintain her speed. She quickly angled up, shooting into the sky. She turned over and looked back, gripping her sword as she prepared to–.

Riptide's was rushing straight for her, mouth opened wide. His pharyngeal jaws opened, the pink-red inside glistening with water and saliva as his tongue danced about. How did he get behind her so fast?

Lara abandoned her attack and flapped her wings again, dodging sideways just as Riptide's jaws snapped shut. She swung her sword to send another jet of fire at him, but his head tentacle suddenly whipped around, intercepting her sword. She spun in a circle from the impact, the sword vibrating in her hands as her fire went far off target. Riptide twisted over and struck at her again, forcing Lara to fly backwards to avoid him. He opened his mouth and his tongue shot out at her, tendrils flailing as they tried to grab her. Lara slashed one that came too close as she blasted herself away and then dove down. She leveled off just above the ice, looking back to see Riptide shake his head as he retracted his tongue. His giant yellow eyes fixed on her, tracking her across the water. He roared and started after her once more, his body sending up large waves.

Lara growled as she circled towards open water. This was not going how she expected. Given his immense size she anticipated Riptide to be immensely strong and tough. However, she also expected him to be slow and easy to outmaneuver. His body had to weigh hundreds if not thousands of tons. The titanic sea serpent was proving her assumption wrong by the second. He was incredibly fast and agile for his size, and he wielded that head-tentacle thing with frightening dexterity and precision. To top it off, his scales were hard and thick even by her standards. With all the cuts she landed on him so far, she had yet to see a drop of his blood!

She threw her wings open as her sword ignited, changing course back towards Riptide as she hugged low to the water. Riptide held his ground as she approached. Then Lara angled up at his face as her sword ignited. He bit at her, but she rolled aside and made to slash at his eye.

Suddenly the end of his head tentacle whipped out from behind his head fin. Lara's eyes widened as it came racing straight at her. It was a feint! He planned this!

The end of the tentacle hit her like a wrecking ball, if the wrecking ball was shot from a cannon that was being dropped off a cliff. Lara speared through the air and plunged into the water, throwing a tall pillar of it into the air.


"Lara!" exclaimed Melody from the shore as Riptide hammered Lara into the sea. Her dress was now discarded, dressed only in her camisole and pantalettes. Her necklace hung around her neck, William's ring attached to the chain. She saw Riptide raise his head tentacle again and then swing it back, striking the spot Lara went in. Water shot into the air as though a depth charge had been set off.

Melody quickly undid the rope around her waist and ran towards the water.

"Melody, stop!" shouted Ariel.

"Lara's in trouble!" replied Melody.

"So are we!" said Aquata. "We have to get out of here!"

"If you go in there, you'll only get in Lara's way!" said Ariel.

Melody skidded to a stop at the edge of the embankment. She looked down to see the waves licking against the stones. These waters were normally blue as the sky and clear to the bottom. Now it was turbid and dark gray-green, filled with silt, debris, and ice.

Melody clenched her hands tight, arms shaking with frustration. Her mother was right. There was nothing she could do for Lara right now. She did not have magic. She did not have wings. She did not have fire. She did not have a sword. She was not even that strong. If she went after Lara, she would become a liability and put them both at even greater risk. She would put them all at risk.

"Melody!" said Adella pleadingly. "We can't do this without you!"

"Think!" said Ariel. "What would Lara do in your place!?"

Melody looked up to see Riptide staring down at the water. His attention was still off them, hunting for signs of his opponent. Her hands unclenched. Lara would use the opportunity to try and get her family over the wall. She would put their safety before her own. She would do what had to be done.

"Come on, Lara," she breathed. Then she turned and ran back to the wall, grabbing the rope she dropped. She quickly tied it back around her waist and then slung a second rope over her shoulder. She then set her hands in the cracked ice and started climbing, bare feet digging into the crevices for footholds.


Lara opened her eyes and saw darkness all around her. She scanned about, seeing only black. "Oh, come on! I'm dying again!?"

A familiar orange light flew up from behind her, hovering before her face. "You are damaged. Not dying. Your opponent…what is the saying? Rung your chimes?"

"It's rang your bell. And yeah, he did." Lara sat up, rubbing her aching head. "That fish is faster than he looks. Clever, too."

"You underestimated him, and suffered the consequence for it," said the light. "Didn't your father teach you never take an opponent lightly?"

"Yeah, well…there's a lot of things dad never got around to teaching me. He also said…" Lara stood up, cricking her neck. She winced as it popped loudly. "Ow! He also said pain teaches lessons books never could. So, consider that lesson learned."

The light drifted to her side. "Now that he's hit you, what will you do about it?"

Lara started walking forward as a point of white light began to grow in the dark. "Isn't it obvious? Hit him harder!"

With that Lara ran into the light as fast as she could.


Riptide looked down on the sea, his eyes darting about as he searched for the flying human. "I know you're not dead, Anclagon! Come out, come out!"

He glimpsed something moving under the water. He lunged forward, his head tentacle swinging down to strike like a bomb, sending water spraying in all directions. The end of his tentacle went clear to the ocean bottom. He felt nothing but rock and mud, though. It must have been a wave playing tricks with the light.

"Get out here and fight me!" he bellowed. "I've no time for cowards!"

Suddenly the water near Riptide exploded. He saw a fireball come shooting out at him. Riptide jerked his head aside, the fireball narrowly missing his left eye. Then Lara came rocketing out of the sea right below him, aiming for his face. He looked down and saw her leg ablaze and glowing as she yelled at the top of her lungs.

Riptide's eyes widened. "You…!" He swung his tentacle down to hit her, but Lara beat him to it. She yelled louder as she spun hard before thrusting her heel straight up into Riptide's jaw.

There was a booming crack like thunder splitting. An explosion erupted out of Lara's foot. Riptide's head snapped back violently, three of his teeth flying out in a cloud of fire. The serpent roared as he staggered back, dazed by her strike.

Lara righted herself as she roared in turn, orange lines glowing across her armor. She flew next to Riptide's head as her tail glowed brightly and then spun, whipping it and then the top of her foot into his snout. There was a pair of explosions and Riptide's head snapped to the right, his eyes clenched shut. Lara followed it up by slashing her sword down, releasing a large fireball point-blank into his face. His head was consumed by a burst of fire and then smoke as he howled. He crashed down into the water, the ocean parting for his frame before it swept back across him.

"Get up!" Lara shouted down. "I know you're not dead!"

Riptide lifted his head and shook it, his jaw still smoking. He looked up at Lara, eyes narrowing as he hissed. The corners of his mouth pulled back in a toothy smirk. "That one actually stung!"

Lara gripped her sword as Riptide raised himself back out of the water, towering above her. "Of all the prey I've hunted…" He paused to lick his teeth as new ones grew in. "I'm enjoying you the most!"

Lara dodged aside as Riptide struck at her. His head went streaking past, then she dove low to avoid another pass of his head-tentacle, the giant pearl on the end coming within feet of her. She went for his body and then pulled her wings in tight before spinning like a top, her sword becoming a blur. She hit his back and went spiraling down around him like a saw blade, sword tearing deep into his scales. Riptide roared and whipped around, swinging his head tentacle after her. Lara saw it coming and countered with her sword, holding it out like a shield as it struck. It flung her away from Riptide, but she quickly righted herself and flew back at him. She dodged another swing and shot across his belly, slashing with her sword as she went. The blade buried halfway as she flew, drawing a long cut across him. Then she whipped her blade free and turned around, sucking in air before spewing a stream of fire back at him.

Riptide roared angrily and struck at Lara, his tongues shooting out for her. Lara pumped her wings and avoided them, flying across Riptide's back to land another long cut. Suddenly the water below Lara erupted as Riptide's tail came rising out of the deep. Lara crossed her arms in front to brace before it hit, sending her tumbling up into the air. Riptide's head tentacle swung around and then up to spike her, but Lara got herself oriented just in time. She twisted hard, glancing off the tentacle's wrecking ball tip. She flipped over and spread her wings, turning back to look at the damage she had caused.

The lacerations in Riptide's belly and back were long, as was the spiraling wound winding down his body. However, they were also superficial. She saw no blood from any of them. She failed to penetrate deep enough to cause serious damage yet again.

Riptide clicked his teeth, his tail swaying behind him as he watched her. "You're not the only one with a tough hide here! You won't draw my blood that easily!"

He struck at her, jaws opening wide as his tongue shot out to ensnare her. Lara swung her sword as she flew up, sending a cloud of fire down at him. It collided with his tongues, scalding them instantly. Riptide pushed on, hoisting more and more of his body out of the water to pursue her. Higher and higher Lara went, flinging fire back at him with gusto. Then Riptide's ascent suddenly slowed and stopped, his jaws snapping shut on air as he sank back into the sea. Lara kept going up, rising to the edge of the clouds before she flipped over.

"Think you're sword proof, huh?" She pulled her legs in and then kicked them upwards, twin blasts bursting from her feet to send her shooting down. "Let's see you shrug this off!"

Riptide looked up at her as she fell, beating her wings to gain speed. He bared his teeth and started rising towards her. "Come, human! Show me what you've got!"

Lara took a hand off her sword, the arm starting to glow as she tucked her wings in. The air in front of her began to cloud and then suddenly it broke, ringing Lara with vapor. She held her sword straight out like a spear, aiming for the serpent's head. Riptide began to open his mouth as she approached.

"Claymore…!" Lara squeezed her eyes shut. "Flash!"

A dazzling white light erupted from the sword. Riptide snapped his mouth closed as he clenched his eyes shut, flinching back as he was blinded.

Lara opened her eyes as the flash receded. She had her opening! She drew her fist back and aimed straight for Riptide's head. She yelled as she dove and then punched as hard as she could into the top of his skull.

BOOM! The explosion obscured all of Riptide's head and a generous portion of his neck, a visible shockwave rolling out. His head shot down with the force of the hit, dipping into the sea. He reared up and rolled about, his eyes unfocused as his brain recovered from the impact.

Lara's arm felt like it might break, but she did not let up her attack. She flipped off the side of Riptide and took her sword in both hands. She turned it point-down in her hands and then drove it hard into the side of his neck. The blade sunk to the hilt. Lara used it to pull herself onto the sea serpent. She dug her claws into his scales as she poured magic into the sword. The blade burst to life, fire leaking out to bathe her. With a yell she took off running down Riptide's body, her sword searing a long burning gash into him. Riptide roared with pain as she went fifty feet. A hundred feet. Two hundred feet. Three hundred feet. She kept running until Riptide finally recovered his wits. He lunged down fast as he could and bit at her. Lara leapt off his body and flew away just before he struck, his own teeth piercing through his scales. He reared back, letting loose another roar at the pain from his bite. Lara rose into the air, putting distance between herself and him.

She became acutely aware of the pain in her arm. She looked and saw small cracks across the armored limb. It ached and throbbed as though the whole thing had been slammed in a door. She cringed behind her faceplate. This form was strong, but even it had limits. If she tried another hit like that, she would break her arm and the armor.

Riptide let out a screeching howl as he examined the gash in his side. Blue fluid wept freely from it, and it stunk of burned flesh. That and his head was pounding fiercely. It hurt to move his jaw.

Lara swung her sword to the side, the blade humming as it cut the air. "How about that? You can bleed!"

Riptide narrowed his eyes at her and hissed. "Let's see you do it again!"

Lara's sword caught fire as she flew at Riptide. She was not aware of it, but under her faceplate she was smiling.


Melody pulled herself onto the highest of Riptide's teeth, clutching the smooth enamel surface tightly. The wind was playing with her hair as she straddled it. She looked up and saw the top of the wall barely fifteen feet above her. She was almost there.

She started to pull the rope off her shoulder, but then made the mistake of looking down. She had been good about keeping her eyes up during the climb, making each grab and step count as the top grew incrementally closer. Now the ground looked like it was a mile away, the rope around her waist shrinking down to a thread. Ariel and her aunts were tiny figures in an expansive diorama from up here. Her legs instinctively clamped onto the tooth as she forced herself to look up, sucking in a deep breath as her pulse quickened.

"Don't look down, Melody. Do not look down," she repeated to herself. She unwound the rope from her shoulders and looped it twice around the tooth. It was a good thing the tooth tapered so acutely near its apex. If it buried in much farther, Melody would have a real problem getting her rope around. Then she tied the ends around herself, adding extra throws for security. Now she had an anchor to catch her if she slipped.

"You all right up there?" Attina shouted from below.

"I'm okay!" Melody shouted back. "I'm tied on!"

As if to test her claim, the marina shook as Lara and Riptide went crashing down into the water. Melody immediately bent down and grabbed onto the tooth with her arms like a gecko, trying to get as much friction from her skin as she could.

"Melody!" Ariel called up. "Are you okay!?"

Melody nodded, not loosening her grip as the wall shuddered again. "I'm good! Just hurry!"

"Hold on!" Ariel replied. "We're tying the second rope…okay! Pull now!"

Melody nodded, slowly sitting upright. She grabbed the hanging rope and began pulling it up, leaving it attached to her lest it slip. She pulled it up fast as she could, making a pile of coils in front of her. She did not want to be up here a moment longer. Hand over hand the rope came up until she had the end in her grasp. She grabbed the coils and, taking careful aim, tossed them up over the wall. They sailed across and unfurled down the other side. Melody slowly began feeding rope to it, allowing the weight to pull it across. She stopped once the conjoining knot was in her hand. Any more and they would not be able to get up this side. Now they needed someone to find the other end.

"Hello!?" she called over. "Anyone there!?"

Another quake shook the wall, causing bits of ice to loosen from around the tooth Melody was sitting on. She gulped as she watched them fall to the earth. She knew Riptide hit this wall exceptionally hard, but given how ferociously he and Lara were "roughhousing," she had her doubts about how secure her perch really was.

"Hello!? Someone up there!?"

Melody whipped her head back at the voice "Hello! Can you hear me!?"

She felt tension on the rope. Someone was pulling it! Someone found them!

"Wait! Wait!" she shouted as the rope began going over in earnest. "Don't pull! It's not secured yet!"

The rope stopped moving. "Sire! There's someone up there!" came a man's voice.

Melody's eyes widened. Sire? Did that mean…?

"Hello! Who's up there!?" called a much more familiar voice.

"Dad!" exclaimed Melody. "Dad, it's me!"

"Melody!? Melody, is that you!?"

Melody breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Yeah! It's me!"

"Thank the gods you're all right!" Eric yelled. "Are you hurt!?"

"I'm okay!" Melody shouted back. She was interrupted when Riptide lunged down hard at Lara, his head going all the way to the sea floor. Water sprayed out explosively as the wall shook, forcing Melody to hang onto the tooth again. "Mom's fine too! So's everyone else!"

A scream from below reached her ears. She looked down and saw Arista hunched over against the ice wall, Alana and Attina beside her.

"Mostly everyone," she said to herself. "Dad, can you get up here!?"

"No!" called up Eric. "We can't get anything anchored into this ice! We can't get around either! The south end is completely blocked, and the north one is mobbed! How did you get up!?"

"There's a crack on this side!" Melody responded. "I used it to climb! Guess the sea wall was good for something!"

It gave Melody a small amount of courage to hear her father laugh. "Melody, what's happening!? I hear fighting!"

"Dad, it's Morgana! And Ursula!" shouted back Melody. "They're attacking the marina!"

"I saw!" said Eric. "From the palace! Are they still there!?"

"Grandfather's fighting Ursula! And Lara–!" She paused before speaking. "Lara killed Morgana! And Undertow! They're gone!"

"She what!?" exclaimed Eric. "Is she still over there!?"

"Yeah!" said Melody. "She's the one causing the racket!"

"She's causing this!? How!?"

"She's fighting this really, really, really big sea serpent! It called itself Riptide! And–!" She winced as she saw Lara slam her sword into the side of Riptide's neck, loosing a thunderous blast. "Lara's got wings and a tail! And she can fly!"

"Fly!?" Eric shouted back. "Did you say fly!?"

"We'll tell you later!" said Melody. "Dad, Aunt Ari's in trouble! Her baby's coming!"

"Now!?"

"Why does everyone keep saying that!?" shouted Arista from below. "It's not like I planned thiiiiiiiissssss! Aaaaaoooooowwwwww!"

"We need to get her over first!" said Melody. "Any ideas!?"

There was a pause on the other side. "Do you have something you could secure another rope to up there!?"

Melody looked at the giant tooth she was sitting on. She was not sure how secure this one actually was. The broken one twenty feet to her right, however, looked solid. "Yes!"

"I need you to listen closely!" yelled Eric. "We're going to tie another rope onto this one! When I tell you to, pull it up and tie it off! We'll use it to climb up and help you all down! Once that's done, send the rope back over and tie a loop in your end! We'll use that one to haul you to the top! From there we'll rappel you each down with a guard! Do you understand!?"

"Got it!" Melody stared up at the top as she waited. It felt like hours passed, but barely a minute later she felt three sharp tugs on the rope. She quickly pulled it up, finding another rope on the end. She quickly took the end of the rope and fashioned a crude lasso out of it. Her tongue stuck out the side of her mouth as she prepared to throw it, trying not to shift her weight too much. She missed the tooth on her first try, but on the second she managed to get the loop around the free end. With a bit of shimmying the rope slid down to the wall and cinched tight.

"Okay! It's secure!" Melody shouted. The rope began to lose slack and then went taught as someone on the other side tested it.

"We're coming up, princess!" called a guard. "Send your rope over!"

Melody nodded and began coiling her rope up again. She leaned cautiously over the side and looked down. Even tied in it still made her dizzy. "Mom! Put a loop in that end!"

"What?!" Ariel called back.

"A loop!" Melody repeated, cupping her hands to her mouth. "Tie a loop into that end! A big one!"

Melody saw Ariel nod then quickly work to put a sizeable but secure loop into the rope. Melody pulled up the last few feet she needed on her end and prepared to throw.

"Incoming!" she shouted before throwing the coils over, holding onto the other end. Moments later she felt someone pull on it.

"We have it!" said Eric. "Melody, are you near the top!?"

"Yeah! It's maybe fifteen feet from me!"

"I want you to take the rope and climb up!" There was another pause. "Is Lara with you!?"

"No!" said Melody as she grabbed the rope. "She's still fighting that sea serpent!"

"Melody, listen to me!" called Eric. "Whatever you do, do not let Lara get near you!"

Melody looked back to the top of the wall as she started untying herself from the tooth. "What!? Why!?"

"Lara is not who she said she was!" said Eric.

"She has wings and a tail!" replied Melody. "I figured that out already!"

"Not that! She's dangerous!"

"I thought that was the reason you hired her!?" said Melody.

"Just listen!" called up Eric. "Lara–!"

A violent tremor shook the wall. The tooth Melody was on suddenly dipped down. She froze, every nerve in her body focused on her dentine perch. Then the tooth shifted again, ice falling away from where it stuck into the wall.

"Uh-oh…" Melody said out loud. She felt adrenaline flood her system as the tooth shifted again. It was coming loose! She shoved the climbing rope into her teeth and hastily started pulling at the knots in her anchor rope, not wanting to be attached to the tooth a moment longer.

"Melody!" Ariel shouted, seeing the tooth shift from the ground. "Grab the rope! Hurry!"

Another tremor hit, this time loosening the tooth completely just as Melody undid her anchor rope. She felt it slip from the wall and start to fall, tipping straight down and pulling the climbing rope out of her mouth. Her hands grasped wildly for it, but the rope was already out of her reach. She looked down and heard her mother and aunts screaming. She felt her stomach rise into her chest, and for a brief moment she hung totally weightless in space. Then her fall began, the tooth taking her back to earth with it.

She thought she would be terrified. That falling to her death would reduce her to a screaming mass of fear and despair. Instead she felt an unusual calm and focus settle over her. Time slowed down, turning the world into a still image. She saw all that was happening around her. Lara and Riptide. Triton and Ursula. The gunship. Her mother and aunts. The clouds. The ice. The ocean. The rope. The tooth. Everything held its place in perfect clarity. She looked down and saw where the water met the stone embankment of the marina. The waves lapped against them, enlarged by the struggles happening out at sea. The surface was turbulent and rough, filled with foam and spray. There was a clear patch of water between a pair of downed ships.

Her legs moved without thinking. Using her anchor rope for leverage Melody got into a crouch against the tooth, set her feet, and then leapt as hard as she could towards the ocean. Her legs and arms circled in empty air, hair flapping in the wind as the ocean rushed up to her. A wave crested just before she hit. The water did not greet her softly. She plunged into it and went deep. Her body felt as though a giant hand just slapped her, but she could move. She heard a heavy crash and spun around to see Riptide's tooth spear into the water, embedding into the bottom.

Immediately her necklace began to glow and dissolved into a swarm of golden lights, taking William's ring with them. They spiraled down her body to her legs, the magic transforming them to red fins in seconds. Melody breathed in the water, letting it fill her lungs like cool air. She beat her fins to keep the swells from tossing her around, taking in her surroundings. She landed right between two frigates wrecked by the gunship's cannons. Broken wood and twisted metal flanked her left and right. Any one of them would have been fatal if she landed wrong. How she managed to avoid impalement she did not know, but somehow she did. That being said, the currents in the water were no less dangerous. She swam hard as she tried to keep them from tossing her about. She looked up and kicked her fins, swimming for the surface. She threw her head back as she breached, spitting out water in exchange for air.

"Melody!" Ariel shouted from the shore. She was about ready to jump in when she saw another rope nearby. She grabbed it and quickly tossed it to Melody, the end landing right next to her. "Grab on!"

Melody did so willingly as her aunts took the end of the rope. Together they pulled Melody out of the water and up the embankment wall. Her fins started changing back before she was halfway up, reforming her locket and the ring. Ariel practically crushed Melody with her hug once she was on solid ground, squeezing her tight.

"Are you okay!?" asked Ariel, frantically patting Melody down. "Are you hurt?!

Melody shook her head. "No, amazingly!"

Ariel looked Melody over again, searching for even the smallest injury. Astounded and relieved she clasped Melody's shoulders. "How on earth did you do that?"

"I don't know! I just thought…" Melody paused to blow water out of her nose. "What would Lara do in my place?"

Ariel stared at Melody for a moment. Then she dropped her head and laughed before hugging her again.

Aquata leaned over to Andrina. "I can't tell if she's crazy or brave, and that kinda scares me."

Andrina shrugged. "At this point, I'm assuming it's both."


Pain. That was what Morgana felt when she awoke.

Her eyes slowly opened, seeing the waves roll and crash above her. She saw giant coils of Riptide's body sliding through the deep waters. His enormous fin churned up silt and rocks as he chased a black and orange dot darting through the sky.

She groaned as she sat up, pushing bits of sunken ship off her. Truth be told, she was surprised she survived Lara's fireball. In the moments before it hit, she was able to get just the tip of one tentacle into the sea. She used that time to pull a quick layer of ice across herself. It kept the blast from killing her, but it did not spare her harm. Every inch of her body was hurting. She had burns all over. She had no idea where Undertow was. Not that she cared much, either. The brute had proven useless against Lara. He had not even made a good meat shield.

Morgana growled. She could not wait to get up there and tear Lara apart! She would send every last scrap of ice she could summon after her, deep freezing her until–!

She stopped, closing her eyes and shaking her head. No, she had to calm down. She had to think. Getting hot-headed and angry was what undid her. She let Lara get to her, and she ended up in a one-on-one fight for it. She was not a powerful fighter. Her magic was best suited to sneak attacks and traps. She had to play to her strengths here, not Lara's. Starting another duel with the firebreather would not favor her.

And she had to remember her ultimate goal. Kill Melody. Lara was secondary. The attack was secondary. Everything was secondary. She had to kill Melody. She had to get her revenge. If she did not do that, then she wasted her entire role in this offensive.

She pushed herself upright, looking around as she evaluated her situation. Right now, Lara was busy fighting Riptide. That sea serpent would be more than a match for her, or at least a persistent distraction. As for herself, everyone saw her get blasted by the fireball. They likely thought she and Undertow were dead. That gave her the element of surprise and an opportunity.

She slunk towards the shore, away from the brawling beasts. She brought her hands together, forming a thin column of crystal-clear ice. It rose to the surface, a small and perfect glassy hemisphere poking above the waves. Morgana pressed her eye to the end, getting a fish-eye view of the world above. The marina was in even rougher shape than before she was knocked out. Most of the wharves were burning or in tatters. She saw no clockmen or mutants anywhere–living ones, at least. She saw Riptide and Lara fighting as Triton continued his deathmatch with Ursula. The gunship's stacks were barely smoking, the Master watching from the prow as Remora waited agitatedly behind him.

She smirked as she spotted Melody, Ariel, and the rest of Triton's daughters against the ice wall. They were watching as Arista and Adella were hoisted into the air, a rope slung under their arms. A guard was standing at the top of the wall, fixing ropes around what could only be Riptide's teeth. Another guard appeared moments later, waving over the ledge to the royalty far below.

Morgana's smirk widened into an evil grin. "So that's your plan!"

She looked back to Lara and Riptide as they collided head on. Now that she located Melody, she needed to wait for the opportune moment. She would have one narrow window to do this in. No charging in with magic blazing and grand speeches. She needed be stealthy, quick, and precise. Hold until a chance presented itself and then seize it to the fullest.

For instance, when Lara let her guard down.


Melody watched with Ariel, Attina, and Alana as Aquata and Andrina neared the top of the wall, the two of them slung in the rope together. A pair of guards reached down to them, pulling the sisters onto the top. Arista and Adella were probably near the bottom by now, clinging tightly to their own guards as they were rappelled to safety. Once Aquata and Andrina were on the ice the guards waved, the rope beginning to sink back down. Melody could only assume they had a team of men hauling on the other side. That or an ox. The rate they were able to lift her aunts at was remarkable.

"All right," said Ariel. "Attina, Melody, you're next."

Attina shook her head. "Ariel, no! You and Melody are going next!"

"Not happening!" said Melody. "You and Aunt Alana are going first!"

Ariel looked at Melody. "Now hold on! You're not staying here a moment longer!"

"And I'm not leaving you alone!" said Melody with finality. "So unless you have some way to force me into that thing, I'm staying!"

"This isn't a discussion!" said Alana. "We're the oldest! That means you two are going!"

"And this is my kingdom!" said Ariel as the rope reached them. "Queen's orders! And since I don't have any way to make Melody go, that means I'm staying with her! So you two! Up the rope! Now!"

Attina glowered at Ariel. "Are you seriously pulling royal rank on us?"

Ariel grabbed the rope and shoved it towards them. "If it gets you both over that wall, then yes!"

Attina stared at Ariel a moment, and then she grudgingly took the rope. "You swore you'd never do that."

"Yeah, well, a battle with giant sea serpents and sea witches wasn't in the fine print." Ariel helped loop the rope under Attina and then Alana's arms, and then she waved up. "Go!"

The slack left the rope. The princesses rapidly rose into the air, looking down at their niece and baby sister worriedly. Suddenly Alana looked up, her eyes widening. "Watch out!"

Ariel and Melody spun around to see Lara come flying at Riptide coated in fire, striking him in his middle. There was a massive explosion as Riptide roared, falling backwards. His head hit one of the wrecked wharves, smashing it apart and shaking the earth violently. Ariel and Melody were knocked off their feet as Attina and Alana started swaying back and forth like a clock's pendulum. The guards above them flailed as they tried to keep their balance. Another of Riptide's lost teeth came loose, slipping free to plummet to the earth. Attina and Alana screamed and covered their heads as the giant tooth narrowly missed them.

"Ariel! Melody!" Attina shouted down.

Ariel grabbed Melody as they dove out of the way. The tooth smashed into the ground, crushing the cobblestones to dust before it rolled into the water. Ariel and Melody pushed themselves upright to see it start sinking. The spot they had been standing in was demolished. They narrowly escaped.

"Mom, you okay?" asked Melody.

Ariel nodded as she stood. "Somehow!"


Lara winced as she saw Ariel and Melody get up. That was too close! A split second later and any of those four would have been crushed.

Riptide pulled himself upright and lunged at her. She narrowly evaded his jaws and then head tentacle as she flew backwards. He pursued her back into open water, his teeth coming close to her each time. He struck at her again and she rapidly changed directions, flying up over his head and along his back. She drew in air and then breathed fire as she flew along, strafing him with flames. The fires burned on his scales, but they failed to penetrate any further.

Riptide hissed and spun around. His giant tail slashed out of the water at Lara, nailing her from the side. Lara went skipping out over the sea like a stone on a lake. She then flipped over, skidding to a stop on the ocean surface amidst a cloud of steam.

"It's no use!" Riptide spat, baring his teeth at her. "Your flames can't burn my hide! Your sword can barely cut me! You're outmatched, Anclagon!"

Lara grit her teeth. The colossus was right. She could not get her flames focused or hot enough to penetrate through those scales. Not without giving him a chance to knock her out again. That and their fight was dragging on. The longer it kept going, the more likely she was to burn through her magic or cause more collateral damage. She had to find a way to put him down, or at least out of commission. She was going to either need a massive attack that could blow through his natural armor or figure out a weak spot she could burn.

Riptide hissed, his mouth opening as his tongue snaked out. Lara saw his pharyngeal jaws snapping in the back. It was a ghastly sight, seeing two mouths eager to rip her apart on one creature.

Her eyes widened, but then she groaned. "Oh man…I'm really gonna hate this!"

Lara drew her sword back and then flung it hard towards the shore. The blade caught fire as it flipped through the air, striking point-first in the ice wall near Ariel and Melody as they prepared to ascend together. Ariel yelped when the sword embedded barely feet from them. The fire abated, revealing the blade had reverted to its original form.

Melody looked out to the ocean as their feet left the ground. "What's Lara doing?"

Riptide growled as he stared at Lara, his coils slithering through the water in the distance. "Let's end this, witch!"

Lara ground her feet against the water. "Thinking the same thing!" She launched and flew straight at Riptide. He lunged at Lara as she shielded her face, not trying to evade him. She disappeared inside his mouth and then the jaws snapped shut, devouring her whole.

"Lara!" screamed Melody, the color draining from her as she watched Riptide swallow. His tongue snaked out. Then he threw back his head and roared victoriously.

Melody quickly wiggled out of the rope, dropping back to the ground. She ran to Lara's sword and grabbed it, wrenching it from the ice before running out to one of the destroyed wharves.

"Melody no!" said Ariel as the rope continued to lift her. She tried to wiggle her way out, but she could not get her arms free. "Stop! Don't pull!"

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" shouted Attina from the top. "We lost Melody!"

"What do you mean lost Melody!?" Eric shouted in distress. "What happened!?"

"She's okay!" called back Alana. "She's just being…an Ariel!"

"Love you too, sis!" Ariel called back sarcastically as the rope stopped. She managed to get herself out of the loop, dangling for a moment before dropping down. She hit the ground and fell on her side, the impact jarring her legs. "Melody, come back!"

Melody ignored Ariel. She ran as far onto the wharf as she could, her hands trembling with disbelief and anger as she stared at the sea serpent. "You…you monster!" She started grabbing whatever she could lay her hands on–stones, broken wood, pieces of ice. She threw them all pitifully towards Riptide. "Give Lara back! Spit her out right now!"

Riptide turned to the noise, his yellow eyes fixing on her. "Look what I found. Another snack!"

Melody dropped the rock she held and took the sword in both hands. It was hot, but not as hot as the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Come on, you oversized snake!"

Riptide hissed, opening his mouth wide. Then he charged forward, advancing on Melody with frightening speed. She was not sure if it was courage, desperation, or fear keeping her from running away. All she knew was she wanted Riptide to pay for what he did.

Suddenly his whole body lurched to the left. Riptide stopped, blinking in confusion. Then he lurched the other way. He roared loudly, not with anger but pain. Melody's eyes widened. That did not look like movement. That looked like something was hitting him!

"What is this!?" shouted Riptide as his body began to jerk and twitch. Then smoke began to rise from his mouth. "Ah…ah…aaaaahhhh!"

Riptide thrashed about, roaring and screeching as black smoke poured out his mouth. He began hacking and coughing, trying to clear something from his throat. He lunged down and buried his head in the sea. Moments later he re-emerged, but not alone. Lara was standing in his jaws. Her hands and feet were braced on his teeth, forcing his mouth open. His tongues tried to push her out, but she jammed her tail and wings between his teeth, securing herself in place.

"Lara!" exclaimed Melody.

"Got you know!" shouted Lara as she strained to keep the monster's jaws from closing on her.

"How are you not dead!?" yelled Riptide as he tried to bite down on her. His jaws closed slightly, but Lara held them at bay. "I ate you!"

"I didn't come all this way to be breakfast!" grunted Lara. "And guess what? I just found somewhere you're not fireproof–inside!"

Glowing lines appeared on Lara's body as a hum filled the air. Riptide's eyes widened as he realized what she intended. He threw his head about wildly, trying desperately to dislodge her.

"Still hungry!?" Lara said as the lines reached her mouth. She sucked in a deep breath as she forced Riptide's jaws further open. "Eat this!"

She leaned forward and breathed a deluge of fire straight into Riptide's mouth and down his throat. He shrieked in agony as the fire raced into his gullet, scalding his insides. His head whipped side to side as she held on tight, burning him from the inside-out. She kept going until all her breath was spent and then leapt free of Riptide, wings carrying her quickly to the wharf Melody was on.

"Lara, you're okay!" Melody said in relief as Lara landed.

"Yeah, I am! Now would you please get out of here!?" Lara whistled sharply and her sword flew out of Melody's hands to her. The moment she caught it fire devoured the blade, transforming it into the black claymore once more. "You're in the splash zone!"

Melody nodded and ran back for the rope. Ariel met her halfway, grabbing Melody's hand in case she tried to run off again.

Riptide flailed about, howling and screaming as he burned. Smoke and sparks billowed from his mouth. He shoved his face into the ocean, drinking greedily. Melody looked back to see great streams of water pour through his gills as he tried to douse the fires inside him.

Lara took her sword in both hands, holding it at the ready before her. "Claymore…!"

The wharf around Lara blackened and then burned as the air roasted. Ariel and Melody could feel it against their backs as they fled. Sparks and flames flew up to Lara's sword, gathering on the blade. The weapon thrummed to life, the black turning red and then hot orange. The lines on Lara's armor glowed even brighter as light filled her eyes. Her entire body was ringed with an orange aura as her hair waved about like a torch.

Riptide rose up from the water, his mouth steaming. He shook his head side to side, spraying water hundreds of feet out. Then he turned and glared death at Lara before roaring, revealing the blackened inside of his mouth before charging her again.

Lara took a step forward as she raised her sword overhead. The moment her foot touched down a shockwave emanated forth, extinguishing the fires and blowing Melody and Ariel down. The last sparks swarmed to her sword as the hum reached a peak.

The sea churned as Riptide approached, bellowing smoke and rage as he bore down. Even Ursula and Triton paused their battle to see the great sea serpent closing in on the young fire mage.

Melody and Ariel looked back to the sea. They saw Lara standing at the end of the charred wharf, the sword glowing like a sun in her hands. Ancient black runes appeared on the blade, standing out against its light. Lara drew the sword back, hands tightening as she took in her breath and stepped forward once more.

"ROAR!" Lara shouted at the top of her lungs as she swung the sword down.

A blast of pure fire shot forth, large enough to match Riptide's girth. It raced towards him with immense speed, evaporating water and ice with its heat. As it did, the front of the blast morphed into the head of some primordial six-horned monster, four red eyes glaring at its target. The head roared back at Riptide as it rushed up and struck him directly in the face. Riptide held his ground against it for several long seconds, and then he was pushed backwards as his angered roar turned to a bellow of burning pain. Half the flames wrapped themselves around his body like a python as the rest burrowed down his mouth, both scorching him as they went.

Lara yelled as she slashed upwards through the air. There was a shine from the blade, and then the fire on Riptide exploded with terrifying force. There was a blinding flash as he was devoured in roiling clouds of flame. They rose into the air as a mushroom cloud, fire churning within the black. A shockwave swept over the marina, kicking up dust and debris. Riptide swayed about for a moment, his body smoking and burned. Then he toppled over into the water with a loud crash.


Morgana covered her ears and closed her eyes against the explosion. The shockwave was even more intense underwater, washing over her like a hand squeezing her entire body. Her ears rang as she opened her eyes, seeing Riptide's massive blackened form floating and still.

She looked to the marina embankment. Much as she would have liked to see Lara turned into the monster's next snack, his defeat would give her what she needed. With Riptide down and her presumed dead, Lara's focus would be turned out to the sea, either on Triton and Ursula or the gunship.

And away from Melody.

She cackled as ice spread beneath her. Any moment now…


Lara panted as she watched Riptide start to sink. She gave her sword a swing, clearing smoke off the blade. She looked down and saw cracks in both her arms now, which were aching horribly. She burned through a sizeable chunk of her magic for that attack, but it did what she needed. Riptide was not going to get back up anytime soon.

She looked out to the ocean. "Poseidon" and Ursula were still going at it. How those two dragged their fight on for so long she did not know, but as long as it kept two of her enemies busy, she would accept it. It left her free to deal with the gunship.

She turned her attention to the vessel in question. The smoke from the stacks was thicker now but still minimal. They must have restarted the boilers. Her solace was that they probably did not have enough pressure to move the guns yet. As long as she did not go directly in front of the barrels, they had no way to target her.

Her eyes narrowed as she spotted two figures on the deck. One was unmistakable. With his black form and that magic pressure coming off him, it could only be the Master. No doubt he watched her entire struggle with Morgana and Undertow, and then Riptide. And the other one…

Lara growled as she recognized the white smiling mask, gripping her sword tighter. "Sable…"

She snarled and leapt off the wharf, beating her wings hard as she flew for the gunship. "Sable!"


Remora scowled angrily as she watched Lara charge the ship. Electricity danced down her arms as her scythe formed, marching towards the prow. "Come on, brat! Let's–!"

The Master held his arm out, cutting her off. "Stand back. I will handle this." He walked to the end of the prow, allowing his arms to hang loose at his sides.

Remora stiffened. The Master was going to fight? Alone? He never fought. He was the commander, not a front-line soldier. She had never seen him take any interest in fighting an opponent before. Nor had she seen anyone even pose a challenge to him. Anyone who ever went against him was defeated in seconds, including herself. Yet he was about to face Lara in single combat?

The Master glanced over his shoulder. "Did I slur my words? Stand. Back."

Remora quickly backed away, her scythe disintegrating as the shards returned to her robes. Even if she was determined to take Lara's life by her own hands, a part of her wanted to witness this for herself.


Lara yelled as she flew at the ship. She saw Remora move back as the Master approached the prow. He clearly intended to get between them.

"Fine by me!" she shouted. Her sword blazed as she closed on him. She drew it back and then swung for his neck as hard as she could.

There was a brilliant flash of fire, consuming the Master in flames. The heat was so intense Remora's metal came flying out to form a shield in front of her. The entire ship leaned to one side for a moment before it rocked back the other way. The prow was engulfed in fire, obscuring the Master and Lara completely from sight.

Suddenly the flames spiraled in like water down a drain, collapsing into the Master's hood. He stood unharmed, clutching the blade of Lara's sword in one hand and her throat in the other.

Lara and Remora balked equally. He caught her sword. He had not dodged or blocked or countered it. He caught it with his hand! More than that, he was unscathed by the same flames that turned Riptide's insides into grilled fish! He was not even warm!

The Master sighed disappointedly. "No, no, no. This won't do."

He released Lara's neck and then backhanded her in the face. The sound was like a cannon, sending Lara flying away. She saw flashes of light and color as she tumbled in the air. She righted herself and stopped in a hover, rubbing her head. That was like getting hit by Riptide all over again. How was one man that strong? What was he, Hercules? She growled and clutched her sword tightly, flames starting to grow on the blade again.

"It is pointless, Lara Anclagon," the Master said flatly. "You are not ready to face me."

"We'll see about that!" shouted Lara. She took off at the Master again with a shout.

The Master sighed, closing his eyes. "You should focus elsewhere. You have a job to do, remember?" He raised his hand, pointing to the land.

Suddenly there was an explosion in the waters near the ice wall. Lara looked back to see a pillar of jagged ice shoot out of the waves, rising high into the air. On top of it stood–.


"Morgana!?" exclaimed Ariel and Melody together as the rope began pulling them up.

"I'm still kicking, mer-brats!" Morgana shouted down, glaring death at Melody and Ariel. She held her hand out, a sharp disc of ice forming in it. "But you won't be for much longer!"

"Pull!" Attina shouted in panic from atop the wall. "Pull! Pull! Pull!"

Morgana drew her disc back and hurled it at the rope. It flew up towards the top of the wall and cut the rope cleanly. Mother and daughter screamed as they fell back to earth, landing hard on their backs. The rope trailed after them, pooling into a jumble on the ground.

Morgana drew her hand back, a trio of ice javelins forming in the side of her pillar. "You won't escape this time!"

Ariel and Melody scrambled to their feet as Morgana began shooting the deadly spears at them, points nipping at their heels as she cackled.


Neither Eric nor the princesses were deaf to the commotion atop and beyond the wall. They knew Ariel and Melody's voices anywhere, and they knew when they were scared. That and they saw the tension in the rope suddenly disappear, causing the twelve men pulling on it to fall backwards.

"Run!" shouted Attina. "Just run!"

"Attina, what's going on!?" yelled Arista as a trio of guards load her into the back of a wagon. They set her next to Adella, the woman's leg now crudely splinted by a pair of spears.

"What happened!?" Eric shouted.

"It's Morgana!" Alana shouted back. "She's still alive!"

Cold dread swept through Eric as he cupped his hands to his mouth. "Get Ariel and Melody out of there! Now!"

"The rope's been cut!" called down a guard. "We can't get to them!"

The dread Eric felt transformed into utter terror. His wife and daughter were trapped!


Lara's heart almost stopped beating as she saw Morgana start throwing ice at Ariel and Melody. She flipped her wings up, bringing her to a hard stop. She started to raise her sword but stopped. If she tried to hit Morgana from here the blast could throw debris or fire on her friends. And they were not nearly as tough or fireproof as she was.

"Melody! Ariel!"Lara beat her wings as hard as she could, shooting back towards Morgana like a bullet. "Run! Get out of there!"

The Master calmly clasped his hands behind him, watching as Lara flew off. Remora ran up beside him, looking between him and Lara. "What the…you let her go!?"

"That I did," said the Master.

"But…she was right there!" yelled Remora, electricity swarming all over her. "You had her! A moment more and I could've–!"

Suddenly the Master had his hand around Remora's throat, lifting her off her feet as she gagged. Her legs kicked about as she clutched his arm.

"You could have done nothing!" said the Master, his tone controlled but severe. "Because, as I ceaselessly find myself reminding you, Lara Anclagon is not your concern any longer! But it seems you cannot be trusted to remember that!"

He threw her away from him, Remora hitting the side of the forward gun battery and bouncing off. She coughed heavily, rubbing at her throat as she staggered to her feet. She started to walk but found her legs would not move. She looked down and saw shadows engulfing her legs completely, holding her in place.

"What?" Remora struggled against the shadow hard as she could, but it would not even budge. "What!?"

"You will stay right there, and you will watch," said the Master. He clasped his hands behind him and turned back to the shore. "I encourage you to do so. The next minute will decide how I deal with Lara."


Triton struck aside a blast from Ursula's trident as he heard Lara's yell. He glanced at the land to see Morgana hurl a shower of icy spears straight for his daughter and granddaughter. They landed in front of the women, cutting off their path and corralling them onto one of the wharves. Ariel and Melody ran for the edge, intending to escape in the water. A pulse of green light raced down Morgana's pillar into the sea, causing sharp spikes of ice to shoot up from below. The princess and queen skidded to a halt, doubling back only to see the other sides blocked as well.

"No!" shouted Triton. He pointed his trident at Morgana and fired, sending three blasts of lightning forth. They flew past Lara to strike Morgana's pillar, blowing it in half at the middle. Morgana flailed her arms, but then spikes of ice shot forth from the sea and penetrated the top of her perch to hold it in place.

"Nice try, Triton!" Morgana called back. "But not enough!" She drew her right arm back, a thin shard of ice forming in her hand. "Say goodbye to your granddaughter!"

Triton leveled the trident at her again, the forks glowing as he prepared to–.

"You're mine, Triton!"

Triton looked back as Ursula aimed her black trident at him, the forks taking on an insidious purple glow. A bolt of black lighting shot forth from the tips. Triton swung his own trident upward, calling forth a wall of ice to protect him, but it was not enough. The black lightning struck the ice and exploded, destroying it instantly. A chunk of ice hit Triton in the head, sending him tumbling through the waves and into unconsciousness. The trident flew from his hands and splashed into the sea.


Melody watched in horror as Morgana threw the ice shard as hard as she could, the spear coming straight for her…except it was not. The aim was wrong. It was going just next to her. Which meant…

The realization hit Melody like a brick. Morgana was not aiming for her. She was aiming for Ariel!

"Mom, look out!" Melody shouted. She lunged at Ariel, knocking her aside.

Ariel fell hard on the dock, hitting the side of her head. Stars exploded in her eyes as sharp pain radiated through her skull. She heard a wet cough and looked up, clutching her head. "Melody, are you–?"

Her words died on her lips. Melody knelt with eyes wide and mouth gaping, hands grasping the ice shard in her chest. She choked on her own breath and then looked up to Ariel, face filled with shock and confusion. "M-Mom? I…I can't…"

A trickle of blood slipped past Melody's lips. Then she collapsed, the ice shattering as life and breath left her.


Ariel forgot everything for one terrible moment. She forgot about Morgana. Forgot about Lara. Forgot about Eric. Forgot about her father and Ursula. About the ship. The wall. Her sisters. Her kingdom. Even herself. All she was aware of was Melody falling to her side as she let out one final exhale.

"Melody!" Ariel screamed.

She scrambled on hands and knees to Melody, rolling her onto her back. She ran her hands across her daughter's face, feeling the fading warmth in her cheeks. She looked to her chest and saw the hole directly over her heart. She pressed her ear to Melody's ribs. She heard neither breath nor heartbeat.

"No!" Ariel cried, tears pouring out her eyes onto Melody. She clutched Melody's face with trembling hands. "No, no, no, no! Please no, sweetie!"

Melody's head rolled limply to the side, her blue eyes staring emptily into nothing as they began to cloud over. Ariel turned her head back, planting pleading kisses across her face.

"Melody, please!" Ariel begged as she stroked her daughter's hair and cheeks. "Say something! Say anything! You can't be dead! You can't!"

No response came. Melody was still and silent as stone.

Ariel squeezed her eyes shut as sobs began to wrack her. She bent over, pressing her forehead against Melody's as the tears came in rivers. "My girl! My sweet little girl! Not you! Not my baby!"

She did not want to believe it. She refused to believe it. But she knew it was true. Morgana's ice pierced Melody's heart. This could not be undone. Melody was gone forever. Her only daughter. Her sunshine. Her moonlight. Her reason for living. Taken before her very eyes.

When Ariel came ashore more than twenty years ago, walking among humanity by the grace of a witch's spell, she knew she wanted to become part of this world. And when she found Eric, she gained not only a partner in life, but someone to share in the wonders and joys of this world she once could only long for. Ariel remembered their shared happiness when they discovered she was pregnant. That happiness became infinitely greater when they first beheld their newborn. A healthy girl, screaming her little lungs out to announce her arrival into the world. In that moment, holding her baby swaddled in linens with Eric beside her, Ariel understood what was meant by unconditional love. There was no distance she would not go, no trial she would not overcome, no fear she would not face if it meant keeping her safe. The love Ariel held for her only grew with every passing day. Melody was not a part of Ariel's world. She was her entire world.

There have been many cries of grief in the time since mortals first felt sadness. Many came from the loss of a loved one. Others came from the injustice of the world coordinating against unfortunate souls, and still others came from the stressors of life piling too high to bear. They have all been terrible sounds that make the heart weep and the soul tremble.

But there had never been a sound so mournful or bereft of hope as the one Ariel produced right then.

Thunder rolled in the storming skies above. Ariel's mouth opened wide as she screamed over and over again, her voice casting one drawn-out cry of despair after another as her world shattered.


Eric heard the screaming over everything else. His heart raced in his chest as an anxiety like he never knew clutched him. That was not a scream of fear. It was unabated, overwhelming grief. The princesses turned to the sound as well, recognizing their sister in distress.

"Melody!" he heard Alana yell atop the ice wall, followed by crying from her and Attina.

"What's happening!?" Eric yelled up. "What just happened!?"

One of the guards poked his head back over. "Sire, the princess! She…she's…!"

"What just happened!?" shouted Eric.

The guard swallowed. "The sea witch! She attacked the queen! The princess pushed her away, but she…!"

"What happened to Melody!?" Eric shouted, his tone as desperate as it was fearful.

The guard looked away, grimacing as he found himself struggling to say what he witnessed. "She struck the princess, your majesty! Princes Melody is…!"

Eric froze in place as he heard Attina and Alana's crying intensify. Adella gasped loudly, covering her mouth. Arista sunk back against the wagon in shock. Aquata grimaced, her head slowly sinking as her hands clenched tight.

Andrina slowly shook her head as her face paled. "No…no, you're mistaken! There's no way! Melody isn't…she can't…she can't be…!"

Aquata walked up to her, carefully placing a shaking hand on her sister's shoulder. "Andrina–."

"She's not dead!" Andrina shouted loudly as she spun on Aquata, her eyes already turning red and watery. "She's not! She can't be!"

Aquata hugged Andrina fiercely as her younger sister's yelling devolved into loud cries, squeezing her tearing eyes shut as the two clung to each other.

Eric stared dumbly at the stones. Melody was dead? His Melody, his only daughter, was gone? It was impossible. He talked to her barely ten minutes ago. She could not be dead. He could see her face so clearly in his mind. See her running, dancing, laughing, singing, smiling, happy, and alive. Yet the ashen faces of the guards atop the wall, the crying from his sisters-in-law, and that continual screaming beyond the ice of his wife only served to confirm his worst nightmares had become reality.

Though he was overjoyed when he learned Ariel was expecting, Eric had his share of trepidations about becoming a father. His parents were gone for most of his childhood. Grimsby was the closest thing he had to a father. Without them, how was he supposed to know what to do? For months the prospect of parenthood plagued him, gnawing at his doubts and worries. Would he even be a good father? What if he spoiled the child? What if he was too harsh? What if he did not feel anything for them? When the time came for the child to take the throne, would they be ready? What if something were to happen to him or Ariel? What if something happened to both of them? How would their child fare without them? Would they grow up to be like him? Or would the trauma scar them forever?

Yet those worries vanished when he saw Ariel, lying in bed drenched in sweat and hair disheveled, holding their baby with the most gorgeous smile on her face. He remembered seeing his daughter's face for the first time, her blue eyes looking up at him. With that one glance all Eric's doubts became trivial. Whatever trials and tests fatherhood brought, he would gladly face them. Not for the sake of himself or his kingdom, but for his family. For their future and their happiness, he would give his very life. If that was not love, he did not know what was.

And Morgana took that from him. She took Melody's life to satisfy her thirst for revenge. She killed his daughter. She killed Melody.

Anger like nothing Eric had ever known bloomed inside him. He wanted to find Morgana and kill her. No, he wanted to hurt her. He wanted to visit every torment he could think of upon her so she would know even a glimmer of the anguish he felt. He wanted to cause her pain again and again till her agony replaced his own.

He seized a crossbow from a guard and ran to the wall, taking hold of one of the ropes.

"Stop him!" ordered the captain as Eric started climbing furiously, his limbs filled with a mournful strength. He was barely two feet up when the guards latched onto his legs and pulled him down.

"Let me go!" he hollered angrily, flailing against them. "Let me go!

"Sire, you can't!" said one of the guards as Eric's crossbow was pulled off him. "It's too dangerous!"

"Hold him back!" ordered the captain. "Do not let his majesty go!"

"She killed her!" Eric bellowed. "Morgana killed her!"

The captain strode up and took Eric's sword. "Forgive me, your majesty! But I cannot let you go over that wall!"

"You let me go this instant! That's an order from your king!" Eric yelled, spittle flying from his lips. "Or I swear I'll have you all court-martialed!"

"You can have our heads if that's what it takes!" said one of the guards.

"But the princess wouldn't want you rushing to your death!" added another. "And neither do we!"

The strength rapidly faded from Eric. His flailing weakened until he all but hung in his guards' hands. They cautiously released him, ready to pounce back if he tried to run again. But Eric simply stood there, his head tilting back as he stared at the dark gray sky. Grief washed his anger away, filling him till it leaked freely from his eyes. The pain in his heart was greater than any blade, fire, or poison could ever achieve.

"Melody…" he whispered as he fell to his knees. His face scrunched up in anguish as he pressed his palms against his eyes, as though trying to keep the tears from flowing. "Melody, I'm…I'm so sorry, sweetheart! I'm so sorry!"

The guards hung their heads, pulling their caps off as they silently bore witness to a family's grief.


A/N: "Sinking Into Flames" by Really Slow Motion

Lara flew past Morgana and landed hard on the wharf, cracking the boards underfoot and nearly falling through. Her hands and wings caught her at the last moment, and she hauled herself out and ran. She skidded to a stop where the boards met stone, staring in shock as Ariel screamed and wept over Melody. Red blood seeped onto the frost covered cobbles, her blue eyes staring lifeless. Lara knew those eyes too well. Those were the eyes of the dead.

"Melody!" cried Ariel, her voice barely a distant echo in Lara's mind. Her body heaved and shook as she sobbed uncontrollably. "My Melody! My baby!"

Lara stopped hearing after that. She did not hear Attina and Alana screaming from atop the wall as the guards pulled them away to begin their descent. She did not hear Eric yelling or the other princesses wailing. She did not hear the hysteric crying as Ariel cradled her daughter's head, repeating her name again and again. She did not hear the sword slip from her clawed fingers, reverting to its original form before clattering onto the cold ground. She was not even aware of falling to her knees. All she saw was Melody.

Melody, who shunned her for months. Melody, who struck her deepest wounds. Melody, who almost broke her hand punching Lara after their scrap. Melody, who she exposed her magic to. Melody, who taught her to swim. Melody, who was there when her darkest memories threatened to devour her. Melody, who helped her through the nights when she woke up in terror from nightmares. Melody, who held her hand when flashbacks tried to pull her out of reality. Melody, who showed her an ocean she never could have imagined. Melody, her princess partner in crime. Melody, her best friend. Melody, the closest thing she ever had to a sister.

Melody was bleeding.

Melody was hurt.

Melody was dead.

Dead because Lara failed to protect her. She promised nothing would happen to her. She swore she would give her life to keep her safe. She swore it before Ariel and Eric. She failed, and Melody paid the price for it. It should be her lying there with ice through her heart. Not Melody. Never Melody.

Then Lara heard it–Morgana's laugh.

"I did it! I finally did it!" Morgana threw her head back, punching the air in victory as she laughed loudly. "Revenge! At long last, revenge is mine! So long, fish cake! Say hello to William for me! Bwa-ha ha ha ha!"

Lara grit her teeth hard as she slowly got to her feet, her voice escaping in choking growling sounds. Her fingers moved with a frenzied mind of their own, claws scraping against her palms. Hot tears leaked from her eyes, vaporizing immediately so it seemed she was crying steam. Her tail twitched angrily, wings vibrating as her body trembled. She hated that laugh. It rang inside Lara's head, drowning out everything until only that sound reverberated in her ears. It grew louder, and louder, and louder still, stoking her anger like gasoline to a raging fire.


Lara was about to leave when she heard it. The unmistakable shrill whistle of a shell heading towards them. And it was getting louder by the second. But if it was getting louder, then that meant it was coming right for…!

She spun on her heels, her tail and wings manifesting with flashes of fire. "Yumino! Get away from the window!"

Yumino heard the sound a split second later. She glanced out the window, seeing something that made her eyes widen and drop the book she was holding. She bolted away from the window towards Lara, both reaching out to–

There was a dazzling flash as the shell hit the castle wall, detonating with the force of ten cannon rounds as the chemical explosives inside the head were catalyzed into a fireball. The blast wave smashed into Lara like a sledgehammer against a nail, throwing her against the far wall. Her head struck the stone hard, dazing her as she was pelted with debris. She fell to the floor, ears ringing, head pounding, and lungs empty. She sucked in dust and smoke, hacking despite the pain of her broken ribs and right leg. The light was faint with the dust clogging the air. Her vision swam, causing her to stagger and then fall as she tried to get up.

"Yumi…*cough cough* Yumi, are you *cough* okay?" she croaked. She felt something wet run down her head. Her fingers came back red when she touched it. "Yumi? Hey, Yumi!? You there!?"

"Kaida…" came a faint reply through the incessant ringing. "Kai…da…"

Lara pinpointed the noise. She drew her wings back and flapped, thinning the dust. Yumino lay half-buried beneath a pile of stone and wood. Blood stained her long golden hair with crimson. Streaks of it ran down her dust-covered face, and rivulets trickled from her nose and mouth.


Something broke inside of Lara. She felt a roaring anger swell inside her. It was deep, strong, and violent. It welled up like a pot coming to boil, spitting scalding droplets of water beyond the rim. It coursed through her, making her body tremble.

"Morgana…" she growled darkly. "I'll…kill…you…"


Ursula grinned menacingly as she stood over Triton, his miniscule form rising and falling with the waves. "At last! At long last! You can't imagine how I've dreamed of this moment, Triton! Of the day I'd finally get my revenge!"

One of her enormous tentacles grabbed Triton, lifting him into the air. She laughed as she pulled her trident back, lightning flashing down from the sky. "Farewell, King of Atlantica! When you see your granddaughter, tell her Ariel will be join–!"

The magic hit Ursula's senses so hard it was painful, like a high-pitched screech in her ears or a blinding light in her eyes. She forgot about Triton, the merman falling from her grasp to plunge into the sea. Her head whipped to the shore as the magic washed over her again. It was as immense as it was intense.

And it was coming from Lara.

Ursula lowered the trident, staring with confusion and disbelief at the tiny black speck by the shore. "What in the…?"

Triton groaned as he roused, blinking rapidly. He looked up through the waves and saw Ursula's gigantic form looming over him. He snapped wide awake, holding out his hand as he summoned the trident to him. It came shooting up from the depths and landed in his hand. He swam to the surface, rising on a column of water as the trident shone vividly. He pointed it at Ursula and–.

He stopped. Ursula was not paying attention to him. Her focus was entirely on the shore. He followed her eyes and saw Morgana standing atop her ice pillar, looking down on Ariel. Lara stood nearby.

His eyes widened as he saw Ariel holding onto Melody. "No…Melody is…?"

Ursula spared a glance at Triton. "I'd worry less about your granddaughter if I were you, Triton! I've got a feeling Morgana just made a very big mistake!"


Remora felt Lara's power spike far above anything she had produced before. Then it surged again, even higher this time. It was fluctuating further and further with each pulse. And it felt different. This magic was not the fiery burning power she gave off before, or like the heated rage she showed in Glowerhaven. This magic was raw, unstable, and potent. Like alcohol brewed so strong it became poison, or fire stoked so hot it destroyed the very hearth that birthed it. It was not something that should ever come out of a human. She was not sure it qualified as human magic anymore.

The Master chuckled, drawing her attention to him. It was difficult to see, but there was the faintest trembling in his hands.

"Yes…" he uttered quietly, voice tinged with excitement. "Yes! Show it to me, Lara!"


The raven's eyes widened along with Kodama and the Hive Queen's as they watched atop the palace. Something just changed in Lara. Her magic spiked an entire magnitude of order above its current level and then dropped back. Then it came again, even stronger than before. It was losing its former traits, transforming into something far darker and bestial.

"What is this?" asked Kodama, his voice thick with alarm.

"Oh dear," said the Hive Queen, the corners of her mouth curling into a sly smile. "Morgana's done it now!"

The raven hopped to the edge of the roof, his form growing hot. "No! This must be stopped!" He took off and his form crumbled, becoming ash and sparks in the air.

Kodama's green eyes narrowed as his jowls pulled back in a snarl, exposing stone teeth. "What hast thou done, sea witch!? What madness hast thou wrought!?"

The Hive Queen leaned forward, smiling like a child about to hear their favorite story. "Only the best kind! Sit back and watch! You're in for a real treat!"


"Aw, shedding tears for your princess?" sneered Morgana as another ice shard formed in her hand. "Don't worry, freak! I'll send you to see her soon enough! Right after I send her mother!"

With a shout Morgana flung the shard fast as a cannonball for Ariel's head.

Who was saved when Lara caught it.

Lara disappeared and caught a spear of ice traveling fast enough to pierce through a ship's hull and out the other side. It stopped dead in Lara's grip, the tip inches from Ariel's head. The queen looked up and saw the point of the shard right in front of her face. She abruptly jerked back, alarmed at how close she came to death.

"I'll…kill…you," Lara growled, turning to face Morgana. Her eyes were glowing with anger. Her hands clenched as the ice shard melted and then boiled away.

Every hair Ariel had stood on end. Lara spoke the words with such visceral hatred it scared her. Her entire body was shaking, a tangible heat radiating off her like an open oven.

"What was that?" said Morgana, cupping a hand to her ear. "Speak up, sweetie. I can't hear you over Ariel's crying."

"I'll kill you," repeated Lara. "I'll kill you…I'll kill you…I'll kill you…"

Morgana sneered at Lara as she lowered her hand. "Well, someone's in a mood! Sounds like you need to cool off!" She extended her hand towards Lara. A dozen sharp spears grew out of her pillar.

She was preparing to fire them when the spears shattered apart, reduced to sparkling dust.

Morgana's sneer disappeared. "What the…?" She called forth another salvo of ice, only to have the same thing happen. She formed a heavy ice javelin in her hand, but it burst apart the moment it completed. Lara was making no move, but Morgana's ice was being destroyed before she could even use it.

Orange lines spread over Lara's armor, covering her arms before moving down her torso to her legs and tail. They spread out along her wings and up her neck as an orange aura enveloped her and then turned red. The air grew hot, vibrating with a low hum.

Ariel backed away from Lara, pulling Melody with her. Something was wrong. The sensation she was getting from Lara was pure danger. As though she were standing on a volcano right before it blew. Something terrible was about to happen. She just knew it. And if she was anywhere near Lara when it did, she would not survive. No one would.

"I'll kill you," Lara repeated as her hair turned the color of blood. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you."

Ariel picked up Melody as best she could and started running awkwardly for the wall. She had to get out of here while she still could!

"I'll kill you," continued Lara. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

The smile fell off Morgana's face. She could feel the magic coming off Lara now…no, she could see it. It burned and danced around her like an out-of-control wildfire as its deviations grew even more erratic.

"That's enough!" Morgana shouted, green light covering her. "I've had it with you!" She flung her hands forward, sending three of her ice eels straight for Lara. They opened their jaws wide to bite, but then suddenly they shattered into countless pieces.

The lines crawled up over Lara's faceplate and touched her eyes. They flashed, turning solid red as she looked up at Morgana.

"I'LL KILL YOU AAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"

Lara threw her head back and screamed. There was a boom and then a blast of air erupted from her. Ariel and Melody were blown off the wharf, splashing into the water. Morgana's ice pillar burst apart, the witch flying backwards into the sea. Waves radiated out from Lara, pushing Ariel and Melody further away. The entire marina began shaking, boards and beams falling from what remained of the wharves. Cracks ran up the ice wall as sinking ships collapsed on themselves.

The lines on Lara's armor expanded, and then shards of the same black material as her armor burst through. She screamed even louder as they covered her arms, legs, and back with jagged spikes like broken glass stabbed into wounds, her voice filled with as much pain as rage. Her bones and joints popped and cracked as they changed. Burning holes appeared in her wings like paper eaten by flame. The claws on her fingers and toes grew longer, as did the teeth on her faceplate. Six backward swept horns grew out of her head, their ridges glowing with heat. The light filling her eyes intensified as Lara thrashed about, clawing at her face and still screaming loud as she could. Flames burst to life across her body until she was covered everywhere but her head. She became a burning flailing figure, her anguished voice carrying out over water and land with terrible clarity.

The fires on Lara belched a single large tongue of flame. The raven's body formed from it and he latched his claws onto Lara's mouth, wings beating rapidly as he fought to keep her head still. Orange lines spread off him onto her face as he forced his magic into her. Lara went stiff, her eyes fixed on him.

"Stop, Lara!" he ordered. "Regain yourself before–!"

The orange lines suddenly retreated off Lara as the raven's magic was driven from her. She screamed at him, releasing a blast of air and fire from her mouth. The raven shattered like glass on a rock. Lara fell to her knees and began repeatedly smashing her head against the ground, cracking the stones.

She was drowning in her rage. Her consciousness was barely holding up as a flood of hate and anger threatened to devour her. She was reliving her worst memories over and over again in her mind, seeing death and loss repeat itself countless times. Violence and loathing the likes of which few mortals could fathom were eating into her psyche and body. It burned inside her, coursing into her blood like molten steel. It called to her with sweet poisonous promises of an end to her pain and the delight of violent revenge. Her sense of self faded away as the power kept boiling over, corroding her will with blind wrath. It infected deeper and deeper into her psyche until it coalesced into a nexus driven by one simple, devastating thought.

'BURN IT ALL.'

Lara's conscience was swallowed up as her rage, hatred, and grief overwhelmed her. She threw her head back, her scream turning into a roar. Her voice changed as though some dark dweller of the Otherworld had taken possession of her. A pair of bleeding slits appeared above her eyes, and then they widened to reveal a second set of red eyes.

The last thing Lara remembered before she blacked out was pain.


There were four flashes of light from Lara, and then an explosion devoured her in an instant. Roiling black smoke and fire spiraled into the sky, piercing through the clouds as a twisting pillar of fire. The storm that once covered the heavens was eradicated in seconds, but the pale blue of day was glimpsed for but a moment before it turned crimson. The air across Seahaven became hot and dry as all fires went out simultaneously.

The eruption loosed another blast wave. The masts of any ships still upright were snapped off instantly, unable to stand up to the gale. Morgana shielded her face as she called forth a block of ice to protect her from the waves and heat. Ursula and Triton had to shield their faces as the shockwave struck, drying their eyes out. The gunship lurched backwards, rocking as the sea became violent. Remora watched frozen in place as the Master rode the swells, never losing his balance for a moment.

"Magnificent!" declared the Master, holding his arms out wide.


Behind the wall, buildings shook dangerously as the earth heaved and fell, knocking Eric and the guards down. Horses neighed and screamed, wanting to run off as many of the people were now doing. The ropes Attina and Alana were being taken down snapped, leaving them and their guards a full fifty feet in the air. Their screams of fright carried out for two long seconds before they landed on a mob of guards, their falls broken by human cushions.

"Are you all right, your majesties!?" one of the guards yelled over the din as Attina and Alana were pulled to their feet.

"What is this!?" shouted Alana as she saw the fire climbing into the red sky.

"I don't know!" shouted Attina as she grabbed Alana's hand. "But I think it's Lara!"

Alana's eyes widened. "You think Lara is doing this!?"

"Do you have a better explanation!?"

"Get their majesties out of here!" yelled the captain. "Now!"

Suddenly a pair of guards seized the two women by the middle, slinging them over their shoulders. Another pair grabbed Aquata and Andrina, hoisting them into the wagon. The horse attached to it was pawing and rearing in terror, the guards barely able to keep the animal from charging off.

"Put me down!" Aquata demanded, pounding her fists against the guard's back. "Let go of me!"

"How dare you!?" exclaimed Attina as she was handed off to the wagon's driver. "I am not leaving! Not without Ariel!"

Eric was no less compliant as it took four men to basically throw him into the back of the wagon and two more to keep him from jumping out. "Stop! Ariel is still out there!"

A section of the ice wall came free. It slid loose and fell to the earth, shattering apart. Large chunks smashed through buildings as the wall began to crack in earnest. The horse reared up, breaking free of the guards restraining it. Then it took off down the street, ignoring the pull of the driver's reins as he tried to stop the panicked animal. In seconds they were flying through the streets and away from the marina.

"Stop this wagon!" shouted Eric as he scrambled to the driver.

"I can't!" said the driver as he pulled hard on the reins. The horse threw its head and kept on running. "He's too spooked!"

The wagon rattled past a red and brown three-story building as another tremor hit. The building shuddered and then suddenly collapsed. The front gave way and then it toppled forward into the street, blocking any chance of return with rubble.

Eric grimaced and then moved to jump out, only to stop when Arista grabbed his belt and yanked him back. He fell hard on his behind, giving one of the guards a chance to grab Eric and restrain him.

"Please, your majesty!" the guard said as he struggled to keep the king from getting up.

"Ariel is back there!" said Eric. "I have to save her!"

"And you can't break your neck trying to!" Arista shouted. "She already lost Melody! Don't make her lose you, too!" Suddenly her face twisted up in pain, eyes clenched shut as another contraction hit her.

"So we abandon her!?" yelled Aquata. "She's with Morgana! And Ursula! We can't leave her with them!"

Arista managed to open one eye. "Ariel's the toughest, bravest, and luckiest out of all of us! If anyone can survive those two, it's her! And she's still got Lara with her!"

"Lara's may be as much of a threat as those two!" Eric yelled.

Attina looked at Eric in confusion. "Since when was Lara on the same page as Morgana and Ursula!?"

Eric reached into his belt and pulled out the folded paper, unfurling it to them. "Since this!"

The princesses stared at the paper for a moment. Then Attina reached out and snatched it, her eyes scanning over it frantically. "Th-this is…!"


The waves tossed Ariel and Melody about like driftwood. Ariel was too busy trying to keep her head above the water and ahold of Melody to even think of grabbing the jade ring hanging from her neck. By some stroke of luck one wave swept them up against what remained of one of the wharves. Ariel took the chance and grabbed onto it, seizing hold of a broken board as the wave receded. She clung tight as she and Melody dangled off the edge, then yelled as she pulled with every ounce of strength she had to slowly lift herself. Her fingers gripped hard as she got her top half onto the decking. She rolled over to pull Melody up before flipping onto her back, gasping for air. She quickly sat up, pulling Melody close as she beheld the skyward conflagration. Lara was lost somewhere in that column of smoke and fire. Ariel could hardly stand to look at it. The heat was intense.

A flare of fire flew off the side of the column, rushing towards Ariel. It swirled and shrunk before disappearing with a rustling of feathers and wings. Ariel saw the raven form out of the fire and land before her, his charcoal claws digging into the wood.

"It's you!" exclaimed Ariel.

The raven looked at her and then Melody, his head bowing sadly. "I am sorry, your majesty. This is not what I intended. For your daughter or Lara."

Ariel looked down at Melody, and then at the raven. "Help her! Please!"

The raven's expression turned grim. "I told you once before, your highness. There is no power below or beyond the stars that can restore the dead. Once the soul is departed, it will never return. It must not return."

Ariel's tears started anew as she gripped Melody tighter. "I'm begging you! I don't care what it costs! Take my life! Take everything I have! Whatever the price, I'll pay it! Just don't let Melody die!"

The raven scowled. "You would be wise to never say those words again, Queen Ariel. There is much that could still be taken from you."

He hopped over to Melody, alighting on her chest. "Fortunately, the boundary between life and death can be quite vague during the transition."

Ariel watched as the raven brushed the hair from Melody's face with his wing. A glowing orange mark appeared on her forehead. A crudely carved circle with a line running through it, pulsing like a heartbeat.

"Death has no claim to your daughter yet," said the raven. "Her soul is still within."

Hope sprang in Ariel's heart like the sun breaching the horizon. "Then…you can save her!?"

"Can, and intend to." The raven placed the tip of his beak against the wound in Melody's chest. His eyes glowed brightly as his body began to dissolve into sparks. "Healing this would be easy enough, but it would raise unwanted questions as well. Therefore, an adjustment is in order."

The raven collapsed into a cloud of sparks. They swarmed to the wound in Melody's chest, filling it with light. The light then began to move towards Melody's shoulder, leaving smooth skin and unbroken fabric in its wake. The light moved to just below Melody's shoulder and then washed over her in a ripple before disappearing, taking the mark on her forehead with it. The wound remained, but now it was far from Melody's heart and not nearly as deep or wide. A traumatic wound to be sure, but not life-ending.

Ariel would never hear such a wonderful sound as when Melody gasped, her chest expanding and back arching as she bolted upright. She looked down, pawing at where the ice struck her. Then she let out a pained cry as she clutched her shoulder, feeling the wound in it. Ariel almost screamed, covering her mouth with her hands as she wept fresh tears.

Melody looked at her shoulder in confusion, then her eyes fixed on Ariel. "Mom?"

"Melody!" shouted Ariel, throwing herself onto her daughter.

Melody hugged her back with as much fervor as her good arm could manage. "Mom! You're all right!"

"So are you!" Ariel squeezed Melody tighter. "Oh, Melody! I thought I lost you!"

"Ow! Mom, that's too tight!" wheezed Melody. "You're hurting me!"

Ariel quickly released her. "Sorry! But I thought...I mean, you were…!"

"I thought I was too! I remember Morgana throwing that ice, then pushing you away, and then–!" Melody's eyes shifted past Ariel, widening as she saw the burning pillar. "Mom, what's that?"

Ariel turned around to see the pillar of smoke and fire still roaring high into the red sky. Was she seeing things, or was the pillar getting smaller? And was it being sucked down?

The pillar was indeed shrinking and receding. The fires were dwindling, thinning from a column to barely the width of a ship's mast. She saw a figure standing in the middle of the conflagration, a dark shadow against the orange wisps. At once the fires and smoke dissipated, reduced to lingering rivulets before extinguishing to nothing.

Lara stood in a circle of fire, but not as before. She was over nine feet tall now, her limbs longer and less human. Her arms, legs, and back bore more spikes. Her red hair was longer, flickering with light like a candle behind crimson-stained glass. Six curving black horns jutted out from her hair. The faceplate had expanded into a mask covering her entire face. Her mouth had elongated into a snout, the light of fire caged behind fang-like teeth. Her wings were larger, the membranes riddled with smoldering holes. Her tail bore a dorsal row of thorns leading to a sharp sickle-blade at the end. Red lines of light traced over her body, matching the crimson glow from her four eyes. She breathed out, smoke threading into the shimmering hot air that surrounded her.

"Is that…Lara?" asked Melody, scooting closer to Ariel.

Lara's head snapped to Melody, her eyes fixed upon her and Ariel and then narrowing. A chill went up the women's spines despite the heat. Then Lara raised her palm at them. A point of light appeared, and fire gathered into a ball in her hand. It swelled rapidly, growing to the size of a person.

Fear and confusion clutched Melody. "Lara! What are you doing!?"

"Stop!" yelled Ariel. "Lara, it's us!"

Lara growled as the fireball grew larger, producing an angry hum. She began to draw her hand back in preparation to throw.

"You!"

Lara's head whipped around, keeping the fireball aimed at Melody and Ariel. They followed Lara's gaze to see the anthropomorphized Undertow crawl up onto the embankment. He was a mess to say the least. His right eye was swollen shut, and large charred marks were visible where Lara struck him. His armor was gone save for his left arm. His tail dragged limply over the cobblestones. A galleon's anchor was slung across his right shoulder like a club. His dented metal teeth were bared in a furious snarl, veins bulging across his frame. His one good eye was centered on the transformed woman, bloodshot with rage.

Morgana sat up nearby, eyes widening as she saw Melody and then Undertow. "How are you two still alive!?"

"You maggot!" Undertow yelled at Lara as he stumbled on a loose stone, dropping his anchor. It cracked through the cobblestones with a loud clang. He pulled it up, ripping through more stones in the process. "I'll kill you for what you did to me!"

Lara hissed and lowered her hand, the fireball dissipating in a shower of sparks that swarmed into her mouth as she turned to face him.

Undertow took hold of the anchor in both hands. "I'll smash you to pieces!"

He rushed at Lara, drawing the anchor back with both hands to strike. Lara remained still, quiet growls escaping from her throat as her tail slithered back and forth. Undertow swung at Lara with every ounce of strength he had. Just before he struck, she suddenly ducked and darted around him, leaving Undertow to stumble forwards. Her tail snaked out and cut deep across his thigh with the bladed tip, causing him to collapse to his knees. The anchor crashed down, bits of rock flying out as they cracked. Lara let out a hissing sound as she turned to face him.

Undertow spun around, swinging the anchor at her head. "Die, shrimp!"

Lara made no effort to dodge or block this time. She allowed the anchor to strike her square in the side of the face. More than three tons of iron was brought to a dead stop from a swing that would have torn out the side of a house, yet she stood solid as a mountain. She did not even budge, though the stones beneath her feet shattered in protest.

Undertow stared with mouth agape. "How did–!?"

Lara grabbed Undertow's hand with her own, clamping down till there was a crack. Undertow howled as he tried to wrench his hand free, but Lara held him in place. Suddenly the anchor turned white hot, causing Undertow to shriek as it burned his hand. The anchor held its form for a moment and then came apart, splashing onto the ground as though it were water.

"Let go!" Undertow shrieked in agony as the molten metal seared him. "Let go! Let go! Let go!"

Lara growled, her mouth parting slightly as she let out a menacing hiss.

Ariel knew what Lara intended when she saw her tail draw back. "Lara, no!"

A/N: "Disguise" by Motionless in White OR "The Reckoning" by Within Temptation (to be continued into next chapter)

Lara's tail flickered as it swung around and then up in a straight line through Undertow. There was a crack and then a crescent of air shot through him, the embankment, the broken wharf, and then the water and ice beyond, splitting them in half for over a hundred yards. Undertow went still, wet choking noises coming from his mouth. A line appeared straight down the middle of his body, blood welling up in small beads from it.

Lara's eyes suddenly flashed. She released Undertow as she drew her left hand back. It started to glow red, and then she swung at Undertow. There was a loud booming and then the air ignited, flames engulfing Undertow instantly. A blaze swept down the wharf and out over the water, annihilating the structure. Water boiled instantly, creating a wave of steam and heat that washed over the entire marina amidst howling wind. Undertow became a black shadow in the raging fire. Then came a wet breaking sound like a melon falling onto the ground as his form split in two and then was blasted to nothing.

Melody and Ariel lowered their hands as the fire and wind finally stopped. Undertow was gone. Not a speck of him or the wharf remained. A channel of boiling water five hundred feet long had been torn into the marina. Steam rose from the sea as ice continued to melt. The stones in front of Lara glowed red hot, some of them turning liquid they were so heated.

"What…what was that!?" Melody asked.

Ariel swallowed hard. "I-I don't know! I didn't…what did she–!?"

Suddenly Lara flung her wings wide, threw her head back and roared to the sky. It was a bellowing thunderous noise she never could have made normally. Ariel and Melody clapped their hands to their ears, along with everyone within a mile of the marina. Windows shook and cracked across Seahaven all the way to the palace. More cracks raced out through the ice wall as large sections of it crumbled, falling down into the sea.

Melody stared in horror at Lara as she continued roaring. What happened to her? What caused her to become like this? And why did she just try to attack them?

Then she saw Lara's eyes. She saw the glowing red hatred inside them as she kept roaring. The uncontained fury they gave her view to. That was not Lara in front of them. Just the body. Whatever she was looking at, it was not Lara. She was not sure it was human. It did not see her as a friend. It did not see Morgana or Ursula or that ship as enemies either. She, Morgana, and this entire kingdom were all the same–something to be burned away.

She was looking at a monster.


A/N: Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.

The path of anger is one of destruction. Those who walk it are doomed to leave a trail of indiscriminate annihilation and pain in their wake. Lara now walks this path, lost in her rage without compass or map to guide her out. An entity of wrath and fire driven by the desire to tear creation asunder. What hope is there against such hatred? What water can quench such flames? Will there even be anything left of her when the ash settles?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own "The Little Mermaid," Disney, or any of its associated characters and intellectual property. I do not own any of the listed song(s). Everything else, however, is mine =)