Chapter 47: Destroyer
Even with the clamor of the speeding wagon rattling in their ears, Eric and the princesses heard the roar as though they were in the marina. They covered their ears as the noise assaulted their hearing. The driver flinched as though the sound were a physical blow, unable to protect his hearing due to the reins in his hands. The horse whinnied in fright, running even faster. Seahaven's palace grew minutely taller above the trees with every turn of the wagon's wheels.
"What is that!?" shouted Alana, wincing at the sound.
"If I had to guess, it's Lara!" Attina yelled in reply, her face flushed and wet with perspiration. "Probably some other thing she lied to us about!"
Eric looked back over the town. The slope to the palace was almost imperceptible at the marina, but from this far away it made itself known. The metal gunship floated in the open sea, thin black ribbons rising from its twin stacks. Smoke rose from burning wreckages scattered in the waters. Ursula's giant form loomed large as a primordial titan in the ocean. Triton would have been indistinguishable beside her were it not for the golden glow of his trident. Their duel to the death had been put on hold, both looking along a steaming tract of seawater towards the ice wall. The frozen structure spanned the width of the marina, separating town from sea as effectively as the palace wall once had. Even from this far Eric could see cracks spreading through it, releasing pieces of ice as the wall lost integrity. There was a distinct fiery glow behind the white and blue barrier.
Eric clenched his jaw. Ariel was down in the middle of that somewhere, along with the body of his daughter. She was trapped between a perilous sea and tons of ice, unable to make an escape in either direction. Those same barriers would keep anyone else from reaching her as well. All Eric could do was hope she found an opportunity to slip away or a safe place to hide.
The roaring intensified, causing Eric to wince. He had little doubt what was causing the glow or this ear-shattering noise. It had to be Lara. Something happened on the other side of that wall, and likely as a consequence of Morgana murdering his daughter. From what Eric witnessed over the last six months, Lara's magic seemed tied to her emotions. Anger was an especially potent catalyst for it. Eric could only imagine what Melody's death did to her guardian. He only hoped Ariel would not be caught in the crossfire.
He already lost half of his family. How would he go on if he lost the rest?
A/N: "Disguise" by Motionless in White OR "The Reckoning" by Within Temptation
Lara's wrathful roar continued, leaving ears ringing across Seahaven. The ocean still steamed where her blast obliterated Undertow, burning wreckage floating in the hot swells. The last civilians were scrambling around the north end of the ice wall, desperate to escape the warzone. Ariel and Melody watched from the wrecked wharf as Lara bellowed her anger out, hands clamped tight as possible over their ears. Ursula and Triton had momentarily forgotten each other, both transfixed by the beast now standing in the marina.
A burning piece of wharf burst into flames. The raven's body materialized out of the fire. He flew onto the charred skeleton of a schooner, absorbing the fires around him as his form solidified. He scowled as he looked upon Lara, her eyes red with rage.
"You are lost, Lara," said the raven, his own eyes glowing as more fire gathered to him. "You surrendered yourself to anger, and in turn it devoured your humanity. Are you so eager to repeat history? To rebirth this monstrosity?"
Lara's roar died off for a moment as she took a breath, only to return as she bellowed into the sky. A pressure wave rolled off her, flattening out the waves and kicking up clouds of dust and ash. It washed over Melody and Ariel, knocking them onto their backs.
"I cannot halt your rage," said the raven as his body began to fade. "Not as you are now. However, I will not leave it unbridled."
The raven collapsed into a cloud of bright sparks. They flew to Lara like fireflies to a candle, settling onto her armor and then vanishing. The raven felt his own conscience connect with Lara's like two threads being tied together.
The sensation was immediate. Lara herself was gone. The collection of memories, conscience, and emotions that was her had been buried. In their place was a rampaging inferno like a grassland wildfire stoked by hot summer winds. It howled and lashed out at his presence with rabid fervor, claws and teeth bared for the kill. The raven found himself being pushed back, unable to penetrate deeper into Lara's mind.
The raven's own magic and anger rose in response. His will sharpened, and with a mental thrust he cut a path into Lara's tumultuous emotions like a surgeon's blade through flesh. He penetrated down the incision into her mind, finding it ablaze with the darkest human emotions. Anger. Hatred. Contempt. Vengeance. Doubt. Grief. Despair. All and more, roiling together in a frenzy. The raven reached out with his magic, forcing his own conscience into the madness. He would not be able to quench Lara's wrath, but he could give it a modicum of focus and direction. With it, he could aim Lara's power where it would do the least harm–at Maelstrom.
Question was, how did you aim something intent on setting the world ablaze?
Morgana glanced around the pylon she was using for cover as Lara's roar unleashed another blast wave. It hit her like a mallet against a drum, cracking the pylon and making her ears ring louder. Her head pounded as the noise attacked her, forcing her to retreat behind the failing wooden pole. She faintly heard Ariel and Melody cry out as they too were assaulted by the blast.
Morgana could not have been surprised or angry at Melody's survival even if she wanted to. Her fear of Lara overrode all other thoughts. Just looking at Lara's new form was as terrifying as the magic coming off her. It was unstable as an earthquake, rising to enormous peaks one moment and then disappearing the next. Morgana had no illusions about going after Melody with Lara in this state. Her voice alone was an assault on her senses. She was leagues stronger now. Stronger than Ursula, Riptide, and even Remora. Possibly the Master himself. To face Lara directly was to invite death. She would be killed before she lay so much as a finger on Melody. Her only option was to escape and live to kill the princess another day.
A swarm of sparks flew over Morgana's head. She peered out once more to see them settle on Lara's body and then disappear. Her roar wavered and then tapered off, settling into an angry growl. A glowing circle with a vertical line through it formed on Lara's forehead as flames grew on her fingertips.
Suddenly Lara turned towards Morgana. The hair on Morgana's neck stood on end as four red eyes locked with hers. There was not a shred of human consciousness in those eyes. It was like staring into the heart of an uncontrollable fire, each eye filled with deadly heat and unquenchable anger. All of which was now focused on her.
Morgana did not bother attacking or putting up a barrier. Whatever was coming next, she had nothing that could match it. She turned and dove into the water, swimming as fast and deep as she could.
Lara bellowed and a beam of orange and white fire shot from her mouth, piercing the water and striking below Morgana. There was a deafening explosion as the water was instantly vaporized. The shockwave traveled through water even more violently than the air, catching Morgana in a turbulent rising column of steam. The ocean surface bubbled and then exploded. Morgana was ejected out of the geyser that erupted from the sea, screaming as she flailed in the boiling water. She fell back into the sea with a loud splash.
Lara roared again, unleashing another beam as the ground cracked beneath her. The beam flew across the marina and struck a distant cliff, blowing out the side of it. Burning rock and earth rained down over the marina as Lara swung her head out towards Ursula and Triton, raking her beam through a wharf and several sinking ships. The doomed vessels exploded violently, throwing more debris high into the air. Screams of terror echoed as the very last people fled around the edge of the ice wall.
Triton saw the beam coming and thrust his trident into the water. A wall of ice burst forth from the sea, intercepting the fire. The magics collided and then detonated with terrifying force, shaking the marina as the ice was sublimated to vapor. The blast wave sent Triton tumbling across the water as Ursula lurched backwards, covering her face against the concussive force.
Melody squinted as the heat washed over her and Ariel, the wind flapping their hair. She felt tears leak out her eyes as Lara drew her wings back and then flapped them forward, sending a massive gust of wind forth. The air once pushing against princess and queen became a vacuum, threatening to pull them off the wharf. Ariel and Melody were dragged forward as the gust tore its way across the marina, sending large waves crashing against the shores. Their hands clawed frantically at the wood for a hold. It seemed they would be cast into the sea when Ariel caught a loosened board. Her fingers latched onto it as Melody caught hold of her mother's leg, clinging tight to her ankle. Her eyes squeezed shut as her wounded shoulder screamed in protest, but she held on through the pain.
A loud boom sounded out, followed by a blast wave that canceled out the wind. Melody opened her eyes and saw a rising mushroom cloud of fire from one of the destroyed ships. Lara opened her mouth and spat out a fireball at the ship, destroying it even further with a second explosion.
Melody was torn between the desperate urge to run out to Lara and the fear telling her to run as far and fast as she could in the opposite direction. That thing before her was Lara, and yet it was not. It was something wild and uncontrollable born from her anguish and hate. She was lashing out indiscriminately, as though her worst nightmares had been given form and voice. If Lara did not snap out of it, she could destroy the marina and Melody and Ariel along with it.
Equally concerning to Melody, however, was that Lara might destroy herself in the process.
The driver turned the horse right at a fork in the road, bringing the palace directly into their path. Eric made his way up to the driver, grasping the man's shoulder for balance. "Drop me at the palace!"
"What!?" yelled the driver.
"Drop! Me! At! The! Palace!" Eric repeated louder, annunciating each word. "Then! Take! Them! To! The! Hospital!"
"Yes sir!" said the driver. The road turned and dove into the cherry blossom orchard before the palace gates. Eric saw guards running to open them as they approached. The roaring finally died off, leaving Eric with a high-pitched tone resonating in his ears.
He turned back to the princesses. "I'm getting off here! All of you, go with Arista to the hospital!"
"The hospital!?" exclaimed Arista, exerting a death grip on the side of the wagon as she rode out another contraction. "Don't you have a palace doctor!? Or a midwife, at least!? Someone here!?"
"Arista, you're a mermaid in human form about to have your first baby!" said Attina. "If something goes wrong, where would you rather be? Here with one doctor, or over there with…I don't know, twenty?"
Arista grimaced as another contraction hit her, doubling over as she tried to keep from screaming. Her face turned the same color as Ariel's hair and then she abruptly flopped back in the wagon, panting in short choppy breaths. "Point…taken!"
The wagon clattered past the main gates and into the bailey, pulling up beside the main entrance. A pair of guards ran to the scared horse, taking hold of its halter lest it try to run off again. Eric saw many of the windows were cracked, including the large stained-glass ones flanking the double doors. Guards and servants were running about in panic, shouting questions and orders to each other.
"Get going!" shouted Eric to the driver. The man nodded and snapped the reins. The horse whinnied and took off, heading back out to the road. Eric watched it roll out the gates, the princesses bouncing around in the back. Then he turned back to the palace and the task at hand.
The double doors opened to allow a very distraught Grimsby through, his face pale and wet with sweat. "Your majesty! Oh, thank the stars you're…where are the queen and princess?"
"Ariel's still down there!" said Eric as he ran past Grimsby and headed straight for the eastern tower. Grimsby chased after him, panting as he tried to keep up.
"What!? Still down there!?" exclaimed Grimsby. "Why!?"
"We couldn't get her over the ice wall!" said Eric as the stairs came into view.
"What about the princess!?" said Grimsby. "Is she safe!?"
Eric froze on the bottom step. His hand clenched the railing, fingernails digging into the polished wood. He knew the words, but he could not bring himself to say them. "Melody…Melody is…"
Grimsby did not need Eric to continue to understand what happened. He knew what that tone meant. He used it twice before himself. The first when he informed Eric of his mother's passing. The second when his father went to join her. He clutched his chest, stumbling back against the wall. "No! Princess Melody! She can't be…!"
Eric's hands tightened into fists. Deep down he wanted to fall to his knees and cry till the ocean itself overflowed from his tears. Beneath his determined exterior his heart was breaking with every beat. But his grief would have to wait. There were two sea witches to be dealt with, not to mention the gunship and Lara Anclagon herself. How he would deal with them he did not know, but something had to be done.
A dull booming sound reached the palace. The building vibrated, knocking Eric out of his thoughts. Paintings fell off walls as more windows cracked and broke.
"Great typhoons! What was that!?" exclaimed Grimsby.
Another boom sounded, shaking the palace even harder than before and knocking Grimsby off his feet. Eric ascended the stairs three at a time, heading for his private study. From there he would be able to see all of the marina. The stairs and halls seemed to stretch on forever, even though it took him less than a minute to get to the room in question. He ran to his desk and snatched a spyglass off it then rammed the balcony doors open, splintering the latch. He turned to the marina in time to see a streak of orange light rake across the water towards Ursula and Triton. He saw the glow of the trident as a wall of ice rose to intercept the light, only to be destroyed in a violent fiery explosion. Eric brought the spyglass to his eye, bringing the marina into focus as he tracked the light to its source.
What Eric could only describe as a demon stood on the embankment of what remained of one of the marina's many wharves. Its hair was the color of blood, four glowing eyes of the same wicked shade looking out over the water. Its tail waved behind it, large dark wings folded against its body. Eric could see the heat coming off it, causing the air to waver like water.
Eric's eyes widened. Was that Lara?
The demon spread its wings and then beat them forward. A visible gust of wind tore through the marina, stirring up large waves that crashed over the shores. Eric looked to the north end of the ice wall and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw no people. They were finally out of the way. He scanned the other direction, looking to see if anyone was trapped on the southern end. He spotted two women clinging to the broken wooden skeleton of a wharf, their black and red hair flapping in the–.
Eric's heart leapt into his throat. That was Ariel! She was alive! And holding onto her leg was a very alive Melody! Relief and joy Eric had never known were possible blossomed in his chest. They were alive! His family was still alive!
That joy was short-lived, though, when Lara suddenly spat a fireball at one of the downed ships. It struck the vessel and blasted it apart, throwing burning wood and metal in a wide cascade as a cloud of fire rose into the sky.
Eric ran back into his study and out the door. He had to get back down there! He had to save Melody and Ariel! Both from the enemy, and from Lara!
The sound of screaming drew Melody's gaze off Lara and to the sea. Morgana was writhing around in the waves, her body steaming like the water. Her skin was riddled with blistering burns. Ice formed around her as her magic chilled the water to cool her wounds. Lara noticed the sound as well, turning to face the sea witch. She growled angrily as her hands caught fire.
"Lara, no!" shouted Melody, reaching out to her. "Wait!"
Lara crouched down, shifting her weight side to side as her tail flicked like a stalking cat. Then she leapt after Morgana, the embankment shattering beneath her as she flew off. The air tore, leaving a path of broken water in her wake. Melody realized a second later she was staring at empty ground now, unable to follow Lara with her eyes.
Morgana was still thrashing in pain when Lara appeared over her, standing on the water. The sight of those four rd eyes staring down from that monstrous face snapped Morgana out of her anguish. She flung a hand towards Lara, sending sharp spears of ice straight into her chest. They hit her armor and shattered, leaving not even a mark. Lara growled and then swung a hand at Morgana, raking her face with her claws. Morgana screamed and clutched her face. Then Lara leaned over and roared, blasting Morgana with burning hot air. The water was pushed back by the force of it, crushing down on Morgana till she was pinned against the bare sea floor. Morgana screamed as her skin blistered further. Seaweed and kelp around her were desiccated in seconds and then ignited, the sand and rocks cooked dry. Lara stopped her roaring and drew her hands overhead as fire engulfed them, preparing to burn Morgana into oblivion.
A bolt of black lightning flew in from the sea, striking Lara in the head. She was blown away before she could strike Morgana, tumbling across the water and then slamming into the marina wall. The water crashed back together over Morgana, dousing her with blessed coolness. She tumbled in the waves for a moment and then swam to the surface. Four long claw marks ran down her face, weeping black blood into the water. There was a cloud of dust rising from where Lara hit the marina. Suddenly another black lightning bolt flew through the air and struck the spot. There was a sharp crack and an explosion, launching shards of rock like bullets.
"Morgana!" Morgana spun around and saw Ursula aiming her giant black trident. "Don't swim there gawking! Kill that thing!"
Triton rose up from the water, the trident clutched tightly as he aimed at the shore. "We're far from finished, Ursula! But for now, that monster takes precedence! Trident, shoot!"
"My thought's exactly!" said Ursula as she aimed her own trident at Lara and began firing off lightning bolts.
Morgana turned back to where Lara hit the marina, watching black and gold lightning hammer at the spot. She sent her magic into the water, calling forth a dozen of her ice eels. They surged forward and struck where Lara landed, embedding deep into the earth. The stone structure cracked as they rammed into it one after the other. The crack widened with each eel, advancing towards the ice wall. Another swell of Morgana's magic entered the water, causing clusters of enormous ice spikes to grow out of the swells. They raced towards the land and then burst forth, piercing clear through earth and stone. The crack reached the ice wall and leapt into it, causing a section of it to collapse. A pair of black and yellow lightning bolts struck the spot moments later, piercing through the ice and then exploding. The ice was shattered like glass, raining down into the sea.
"That got her!" shouted Ursula. "There's no way she–!"
As though sensing the sea witch's optimism, a red glimmer appeared behind the ice. Then a burst of fire shot forth, annihilating the ice. Morgana shielded her face as it streaked over her, scalding the air. She turned and dove into the water, trying to escape the intolerable heat.
"Survived!?" exclaimed Ursula in disbelief. She swung a giant tentacle as the fire came at her, sending up a wave to intercept. The fire struck it and exploded, destroying the wave. The shockwave hit Ursula, causing her to squint as it blew her hair back.
Something burst out of the hole in the embankment, rising into the air with a comet tail of dust and smoke behind it. The dust fell away to reveal Lara flying into the sky. The mage stopped in a hover and looked down on the marina, eyes scanning over the water. Then she drew her head back and inhaled before leaning down, spitting out a large fireball at the sea. It hit the water and detonated like a bomb. Churning fire, smoke, and steam rose into the air as a giant wave issued forth.
Ariel and Melody were forced to cling to their wharf yet again as the wave washed over, threatening to rip them free. Mother and daughter sputtered and coughed as the wave left them to crash against the ice wall. Lara turned her head and spat another fireball, and then another. She began blasting away randomly at the marina, sending up plumes of fire and tidal waves with each one.
Melody watched as Lara drew another breath in and then unleashed a fiery beam across the marina. It raked through the water, creating a wall of steam and fire in its wake as a new wave raced for the shore.
"Come on!" said Ariel as she stood up, ripping her jade ring off the chain on her neck. "We've got to get in the water! If that fire doesn't get us, one of those waves will!"
Melody was not going to argue that point. She followed after Ariel as the wave closed in, the two diving headfirst into the water. Ariel quickly slipped the ring onto her finger. Magic enveloped the two, turning feet into fins as they were transformed into mermaids. The transformation finished just as the wave hit. They held onto each other's hands as they were tossed about like kites in a tornado. Debris peppered them from all directions in the churning water, leaving marks to become future bruises. Then the wave passed as quickly as it came, crashing into the shore with a sound like thunder. Ariel and Melody quickly swam for deeper water as the wave receded, not wanting to be in the shallows when another one came.
They took cover by a lone rock on the sea floor, looking up to the surface. It looked like the sky was bleeding. Suddenly another explosion went off, followed by a concussive wave washing over them. They grabbed onto the rock, not wanting to be swept away. They saw a ball of firelight fly from a single dark point in the sky.
"What is she trying to do!?" shouted Ariel as another wave hit them, stirring up silt and pushing them about.
"I don't know!" said Melody. "But if she doesn't stop, everything is going to be destroyed!"
Ursula wrung her giant trident as she watched Lara lay siege to the marina. This was bad. This was extremely bad. Before now she could feel that witch's magic clearly, like a lighthouse on the night of a new moon. Now it was as unpredictable and violent as her behavior. The only human aspect she seemed to retain was her hatred for Morgana. She was attacking the marina at random to flush her sister out, and she showed no signs of stopping.
Lara suddenly turned to face her. A chill when through Ursula's spine. That gaze alone made her feel miniscule, as though Lara were the size of a mountain and she a small tree at its base. Lara growled, fire dancing behind her teeth.
Ursula reacted on reflex. She aimed the black trident at Lara, magic flowing into the weapon. A crackling dark purple orb of lightning formed at the tip of her trident, and then it blasted forth in an arcing beam of black lightning. It sailed through the air for Lara. Ursula expected Lara to react to it, but she did not move. The blast struck her square, and for a moment Lara was obscured within it. Then the lightning receded to reveal Lara had not so much as budged. The purple electricity crawled across her black hide, and then Lara raised her right hand. The lightning gathered into her palm and became a black crackling orb. Then Lara clenched her hand down on it, destroying the orb in a shower of sparks. Her eyes narrowed at Ursula as she hissed. A glowing pointed tongue came out, licking across her mouth.
Ursula lowered her trident, eyes wide in alarm. That was enough magic to destroy a ship! A small castle, even! Yet Lara shrugged it off without so much as a singed hair! No counter! No evasion! No attack of her own! Nothing! It would be more accurate to say Lara was immune to it!
There was a loud crack as Lara vanished. The next thing Ursula saw was Lara right in front of her, maw open wide as light built inside.
Triton did not see Lara move. One moment she was hovering in the air, unfazed by Ursula's magic attack. The next she was in front of Ursula's face. Ursula barely had time to show alarm or surprise when there was a flash and an explosion that obscured the witch's head in fire. Ursula screamed as she recoiled, dropping her enormous trident as she clutched her face. The trident fell apart in midair, returning to the black tarry ink it was formed from. It hit the water and splattered apart. Triton was forced to swim back as Ursula's tentacles thrashed about, churning up the sea with towering waves and fierce undertows.
"My eyes!" shrieked Ursula, smoke coiling off her face. "My eyes!"
An angry growl came from Lara, followed by an enraged roar as she drew a wing back and then swung at Ursula's head. There was a crack of rending air and then a heavy boom as Ursula's head whipped to the side and she fell over into the sea. Enormous waves raced out from her body, threatening to wash Triton away. He swung his trident up and then brought it down, pushing the waves back into the ocean.
Two of Ursula's tentacles swung up at Lara. She hissed as her tail slashed at them. There was a flicker of arcing light and then a loud snap as the tentacles were cut cleanly in half. Lara growled at Ursula and held one hand overhead. A point of fire formed in her palm, and then it rapidly swelled. It grew to three times Lara's size, and then it compressed down into a glowing hot ball. Lara then lowered her hand, aiming the orb at Ursula. Triton expected her to shoot it at the sea witch. Instead the ball began firing off hundreds of small orbs, peppering Ursula's body with them. Small they might have been, but each one detonated with enough force to sink a ship. Ursula screamed as she was burned and battered by the barrage. The fireball gradually shrunk until it disappeared, leaving Ursula floating unconscious in the sea. Her body began to shrink, rapidly diminishing to her original size as it sunk beneath the water. Lara hovered in midair, glaring dangerously at Ursula.
Triton heard the sound of rattling metal, and then realized it was the trident shaking in his hands. Every doubt he had about Lara was gone now. Her appearance, her power, and that form were unmistakable. He knew exactly who she was and what she had done. And he knew precisely who her father was.
Lara turned towards Triton, snarling when she saw him. Immediately Triton pointed the trident at her. "Trid–!"
Lara dove faster than Triton could speak. She was on him instantly, clawed hands gripping the trident's shaft. The weapon letting out a scream like rending metal, as though Lara's very touch were causing it agony. The trident glowed with an intense red light and vibrated as though it might shake apart. Three lights appeared in the trident's shaft, one white, one blue, and one yellow. A point of bright orange light appeared in the middle of Lara's chest. Whatever magic Lara wielded, the trident was reacting to it.
Triton called his weapon's magic forth, using it to bolster his own strength and calling the sea to push back against her. He yelled as he summoned a pillar of water from below her, smashing into Lara and launching her high into the air. Even then she did not release the trident, dragging Triton up with her. She lunged forward and bit at his head, forcing Triton to release one of his hands to evade her. The water lost its upwards momentum and collapsed, holding Lara and Triton in the air for a moment before they fell back to earth. Triton and Lara tumbled towards the sea, the mad mage trying twice more to bite Triton. Then she released the trident and brought one of her feet up, stomping into his stomach. Triton felt the wind leave him as he hurtled down into the sea, plowing into it with a loud splash. His body was numb as he floated to the surface, the trident flickering in his hand as the numbness was replaced by pain.
Lara roared as she floated in the air, and then she breathed in and unleashed a stream of roiling fire down at Triton. The sea king forgot his pain and quickly swept the trident across, commanding the sea to protect him. A wave rolled over Triton and intercepted the fire. Water enveloped his fins and pushed him away, but not fast enough to completely avoid harm. The flames hit the wave and vaporized it instantly, sending out a large steam explosion. The blast hit Triton, knocking him out of water as Lara landed. She chased after him, closing the distance almost immediately. Triton saw her, his anger channeling itself into the trident. The forks glowed and cracked with electricity as he thrust it at Lara's face.
To his shock, Lara grabbed the trident's forks with her bare hands, holding the weapon at bay. The lightning grew even stronger as the red glow and terrible screaming issued forth once more. The heat she gave off was insufferable. Triton felt he could burst into flames at any moment. He tried to send the trident's lightning into her, but it hit her skin like a brick wall. Nothing could get through.
As though sensing the unseen assault, Lara roared in Triton's face, forcing him to shut his eyes and turn away. Then Lara spun and flung him and the trident towards the sea. Triton flew through the air for several long seconds, and then he hit the tip of a swell. He tumbled over the water like a skipping stone for hundreds of yards before he finally stopped. He lay at the surface, groaning at the aches in his body and the spinning in his head. Lara watched him float, drawing in a deep breath as she prepared to–.
Riptide erupted through the sea with a thunderous roar, exposing the black smoking inside of his mouth and the stubbed remains of his tongue. His left eye was squeezed shut and large sections of his body were charred. Lara turned to him as he reared up and then struck down at her. All of Riptide's body slithered through the water as he pressed on her and then smashed her against the sea floor. He kept pressing, driving her through the sandy bottom as he headed towards the shore.
"We're not done yet, Anclagon!" Riptide yelled as he streamed into the marina.
Melody eyes widened as she saw Riptide swim past, crushing Lara against the bottom. "I thought she beat him!"
Ariel pulled Melody onto the far side of the rock. "Cover your head!"
Melody barely had her hands over her head when Riptide smashed Lara against the marina embankment. The earth shook, causing more of the ice wall to fall down and collapsing all the buildings within a hundred yards. Ariel and Melody clung to the rock as the water vibrated. One of the surrounding shipwrecks shifted, sliding down the sea floor towards them. Ariel and Melody quickly swam off, escaping as the wreck collided with their rock. They swam for a broken pylon, clinging to it as they broke the surface. Riptide's entire face was buried in the embankment, his large dorsal fin rising from the water like a sail.
Suddenly there was a loud crack. Riptide's head shot backwards as though he were uppercut with a bat, three of his teeth flying away. A moment later Lara flew up from the water and slammed her body into Riptide's neck. The giant sea serpent reeled backwards and shook his head, roaring angrily at her. He hissed as his tail whipped around, striking Lara from the side. She shot across the marina and went rolling through the water, only to right herself and skid to a stop. Riptide raised himself, growling at Lara as his teeth regrew. Then he roared and swam after her, breaking through wreckage and ships as though they were piles of leaves. He swung his head tentacle down at her. Lara responded by roaring in kind and then drew her right arm back and punched, even though there was hundreds of feet between her and the sea serpent.
The distance proved irrelevant when Lara's right arm extended as though it were made of elastic. It flew out and struck Riptide's head tentacle square in the bulbous pearl. It shattered apart with a sound of breaking bones. Riptide howled in pain, only to be silenced when Lara's fist carried on and struck him square in the jaw. He recoiled backwards as a loud cracking filled the air. Riptide tried to roar again, only for the sound to change to a pained bellow as his jaw listed to one side. His head tentacle was not the only thing that was broken.
Lara roared and flew at Riptide, striking his middle and knocking him backwards. The sound of giant bones breaking was like boulders splitting as fire engulfed the sea serpent's midsection. Riptide shrieked as he bent over, mouth hanging open. An instant later is head whipped back as Lara appeared under him and punched up into his jaw, breaking more of his teeth. Then she spun and thrust her hands at Riptide's neck. There was a clap like thunder as a visible shockwave hammered into Riptide. He crashed down in the water, sending up yet another deadly wave. Ariel and Melody clung to their pylon as the wave washed by, their fingers gripping with desperation as the water tried to rip them free. A floating crate raced towards them, forcing Melody and Ariel to hide behind the pylon as the box smashed into it.
Lara kept roaring at Riptide as she flew down at him, piercing the water like a diving bird. The ocean did nothing to slow her as she drew her left leg back and kicked his midsection. Riptide lurched out of the water as though a giant had struck him, sending another wave racing out into the open ocean. He quickly righted himself, only to lurch back when Lara burst from the sea and unleashed another shockwave on him with her wings. He bellowed angrily and lunged at Lara, driving his snout into her as a battering ram. He pushed her down to the water and then back towards the marina. Lara skidded over the water, steam emanating from her feet. It seemed Riptide would push her through the water and into the earth again, but suddenly he found his advance becoming harder and harder. The water around Lara was repulsed by an invisible force until she was standing on the bottom of the marina, a tunnel of water formed around her. Riptide was pushing against Lara as hard as he could, but she was resisting him. She was stopping him!
Suddenly Lara hooked her arms into Riptide's lower jaw and took off, shooting into the air and then out to the sea. Riptide found himself being pulled along. He resisted Lara as best he could, but her strength seemed boundless. She dragged him further and further away from shore and then suddenly rose into the air, pulling him out of the water. She kept going till more than half his length was exposed. Then she roared and twisted over, throwing him across her shoulder.
Melody and Ariel stared in shock and awe as Riptide's entire monstrous length was pulled free of the water. He truly was a leviathan of the deep, larger than any sea creature they had seen or heard of. For a moment he hung in the air, his body unfurling towards the sea like a fifteen-hundred-foot whip. Then Lara threw him down in the water, shaking ocean and earth as his enormous bulk landed. The water parted for his mass, sending a giant wave out from both sides. Ariel and Melody immediately dove for the sea floor, knowing it would mean death to stay at the surface with a wave like that.
Lara flew into the air as her mouth opened wide, a ball of fire forming before her face as the spines along her back began to glow. The fireball grew and swirled about, and then a hail of fiery shots began raining down on Riptide. The shots blasted his body, riddling him with burns. The beast howled as Lara assaulted him. Then she drew another breath, the spines along her back glowing even brighter. A pair of glowing circles appeared on her wings, and then two monstrous copies of her head grew out of them. They snarled and opened their own mouths as Lara flung her head forward. Beams of heat and magic tore from the three mouths. They struck Riptide and pushed him to the sea floor, then pierced through his body and exploded. Riptide was lost in a towering plume of water, steam, and fire.
Remora clenched her hands so tight she cut her palms as she watched Lara roar above where Riptide fell. She figured the princess' death would send Lara into a rage, but she never imagined this. That thing she became was beyond a monster. It wiped out Ursula with one shot and then tossed Riptide like a sack of rice! And she had yet to see any evidence of Lara suffering damage from their efforts to harm her. Worse still, Lara's power kept getting stronger and more unstable with every passing minute. This was no mere melding of magic and anger she was witnessing. This was like something out of mythologic times, when gods and demons were said to walk among the mortal races. Where did Lara get this strength, and who taught this magic to her?
Remora scowled angrily behind her mask as her blue eyes watched Lara blast Riptide a second time. Her eyes shifted to the Master as he watched from the prow of the ship. If he was concerned by Lara's latest transformation or the decimation of two of their strongest assets, he was doing a perfect job of concealing it. He observed silently, unfazed by the waves and concussive forces that repeatedly rocked the ship.
One of the waves washed by the ship, causing it to rise and fall steeply. Remora twisted herself around as much as she could with the shadows restraining her. "Why aren't our guns firing yet!?" she yelled at the communication tubes.
"We can't!" came the reply. "We don't have the pressure to move them! There's barely enough for the propellers!"
"I don't need excuses!" barked Remora. "I need those guns!"
"Calm yourself, Remora," said the Master.
Remora spun on the Master. "Calm!? Did you see what she just did!?"
"I did," said the Master.
Remora growled, angered by his disinterested tone. "If we don't get the guns back now, we'll get wiped out just like those two!"
The Master sighed. He opened one of his hands and a ball of shadow appeared in his palm. Within the orb Remora saw angrily swirling flames.
Remora's eyes widened. "Is that–!?"
"Anclagon's flames, yes," said the Master. The orb fell apart, releasing brilliant fire into the sky. The Master's shadows swarmed up around them like snakes constricting their prey, directing the flames into the smokestacks of the gunship. They funneled down into them till the last spark disappeared. The thin ribbons of smoke suddenly became billowing black clouds. Remora felt a tangible and familiar vibration under her feet.
"Captain!" came an alarmed voice from the tubes.
Remora looked back to the tubes. "What!?"
"We have pressure!" said the pirate. "I don't know how, but we're back at full capacity! The guns are fully operational!"
"There," said the Master, causing Remora to flinch in surprise. "You have your ship. Use it as you wish."
"You mean…?" Remora started to ask. She was on such a short leash with the Master lately that she dared not presume.
"I will allow you to engage Anclagon," said the Master. He waved his hand and the shadows vanished from her legs. "But remember, you are not to leave this vessel. Beyond that, have at her."
A hot, bright sensation welled up in Remora's gut. It was not joy, nor was it anger or pleasure. It was an excitement she had no name for, but one she was very familiar with. And one she enjoyed immensely.
"Orders, captain!?" asked the pirate.
Remora spun back to the tubes. "Get those guns moving! Be ready to fire on my command!"
"What are we firing at?" asked the pirate.
"What do you think!?" yelled Remora, spittle flying out her mask. "At that brat!"
Lara's roar tapered off as her eyes fixed on the gunship. The heads on her wings cracked and fell off, becoming dust to be carried by the winds. She drew her head back and then roared again, unleashing a plume of fire at the ship. Remora immediately ran for the prow, metal flying out of her robes as she prepared to defend against the fire.
"Stay your magic," ordered the Master.
Remora skidded to a stop as the Master raised his hand. A pinpoint of darkness appeared on his fingertip. There was a whistling sound as air began to sink into the dark point, drawing the fire in with it. The roaring inferno was sucked into the darkness and then vanished without a trace. Lara growled at the Master, her eyes narrowing.
The Master approached the edge of the prow. "Remora."
"Sir?" said Remora.
"I will handle Anclagon myself," said the Master. "Attack when you see an opportunity, but do not hinder me."
Remora thought there could be no more surprises this day. The Master just proved her wrong. He was going to fight this thing alone? Did he even have the strength to do so? Yes, he was immensely powerful. No one in Maelstrom held a candle to him. Not even herself. But even his magic was–.
As though sensing her doubt, the Master's magic suddenly flared. Remora found herself struggling to breathe much less stand under its crushing weight. The oppressive force of it was unreal. She felt as though the very sky were pressing down upon her. Ariel and Melody found themselves choking underwater as the pressure constricted their throats. Even Lara seemed fazed by it. She dropped out of the sky, landing on the surface of the ocean. She hissed at the Master, her tail twitching in agitation.
The Master floated over the railing of the ship and dropped to the sea, landing without so much as a ripple. He unclasped his hands from behind his back, shadows flickering around his body as he approached Lara.
The Hive Queen arched a brow as her grin widened. "Ooh! Now that's something I wasn't expecting!"
Kodama did not share her enthusiasm or amusement. "If Anclagon engages yonder warlock, she may bring about the destruction she endeavors to prevent."
The Hive Queen glanced at her companion. "Since when did you care about humans?"
The leafy fox turned to her, growling as its green eyes glowed brighter. "Thou wouldst be wise not to mistake my heed for Anclagon's wellbeing as sentiment for humanity!"
The Hive Queen smirked, amused at the rise she was able to get out of him. She looked back to the marina and scooted closer to the edge of the roof. "This is gonna be good!"
Ariel and Melody breached the surface, gasping as air filled their lungs. Both were beginning to regret their decision to enter the water. While they could not be battered by the giant waves Lara's battle was creating, the water was no less perilous. It was filled with objects and wreckage from the destroyed ship and wharves, turning every sudden current and swell into a cloud of hazardous flying debris. They thought deeper water would be safer, but there was no end to it. It was a ceaselessly shifting storm of boards, ropes, metal, and wood from surface to sea floor. There was no safe way to get to open water.
And watching the Master come closer to Lara, neither queen nor princess thought things were about to get any safer.
"Mom?" said Melody nervously.
"Yeah?" said Ariel.
"We need to leave."
Ariel nodded. "I think you're–."
Lara suddenly roared at the Master, cutting Ariel off. She beat her wings and flew at the Master faster than a bullet, striking at him with a glowing orange fist. The Master merely sidestepped her attack as Lara's fist released an explosion past him, sending fire tearing across the water. He drew his hand back and swung at her, nailing Lara in the side of the face. A shockwave rolled off his blow, whipping Lara's head to the side. He drew the same fist back to his hip and then punched into her chest. Lara skidded backwards and shook her head, as though dazed by the blow. Then she snarled at the Master and lunged at him, swinging her claws for his face. The Master backpedaled out of the way as Lara chased after him, lashing out with explosive fists and tearing claws. The Master narrowly dodged and parried each one, keeping just out of her reach. Lara moved faster and faster with each blow, the Master responding in turn until the two became a pair of blurs streaking across the water. The ocean came alive with explosive sprays of water and fire, as though it were being bombarded by invisible cannons. Fireballs began flying out in random directions, detonating with immense force against the first thing they hit. Ariel and Melody swam nervously at the surface, torn between watching and fleeing.
Suddenly there was a loud boom, and Lara and the Master separated as an angry cloud of fire and shadow burst over the water. Lara skidded back through the water, leaving steam in her wake, and then unleashed a beam of fire at the Master. He nimbly dodged aside, the beam shooting past him and out over the sea till it vanished. He flung a hand towards her and a narrow stream of shadow shot from his hand, striking Lara in the head. She staggered backwards from the blow, only to turn and roar back at him. She raised her left hand up and then swung it down hard. An arc of burning air ripped forth, splitting the water as it raced for the Master. The Master calmly lifted his own hand, summoning a pillar of darkness in its path. The arc struck the pillar and vanished inside the black. A moment later it shot back out at Lara, stained with the same pitch as the Master's magic and moving twice as fast. Lara leaned forward and bellowed, releasing a burst of fire at it. The magics collided and exploded, boiling a column of ocean.
Lara hissed and crouched, then launched herself at the Master. She flickered out of sight with a blast of water. The Master thrust his arms forward, sending two tendrils of darkness forth. They snaked through the air and then hit Lara in the face and stomach, causing her to reappear as though her disappearance were an elaborate magic trick. There was a hard-hitting sound and then the tendrils wrapped around Lara's body and pushed her back. They stretched out endlessly until they smashed her against a sea cliff outside of the marina.
"Remora!" shouted the Master.
"All guns to three-hundred-ten!" Remora shouted from the ship. "Angle twenty-five! Double charges on all barrels! Fire at will!"
The gunship's batteries turned towards the cliff and then roared back to life, belching fire and smoke from their mouths. The whistling of shells filled the air. Then the cliff exploded as the shells blasted into it, throwing shattered rock and clouds of earth everywhere. Ariel and Melody ducked low in the water as they heard shrapnel go screaming past them, just their eyes peering above the water. Then the cliff gave way, dropping literal tons of rock and dirt down on Lara. It piled onto her till it spilled over into the sea.
"Adjust angle to twenty-seven!" shouted Remora. "Bring that cliff down on her!"
The Master watched as the ship's second volley assaulted the cliff, burying Lara even further. "This cannot be all you have, young pyromancer. Come. Show me what the infamous Blackjaw is truly capable of."
A loud explosion ripped through the cliff, a blast of searing heat and flame flashing outwards. The cliff split apart as Lara appeared, her form illuminated by a red aura. She drew her arms across and then flung them outwards as she roared angrily. The cliff blasted apart as though it had been laced with dynamite. Then Lara disappeared with a crack of rending air, throwing up a dust cloud from the collapsing cliffs. Suddenly she reappeared behind the Master, her right leg drawn back and ablaze. The Master turned abruptly, raising his arms as shadows covered them. He got them up just as Lara struck, releasing an explosion that shook the entire marina. The Master went tumbling across the water, his robes smoking, and then flipped himself over and landed on his feet. He looked up and saw Lara building a fireball within her mouth, preparing to fire at him. The Master drew his right hand back, darkness gathering into his palm to form a ball of purest black.
Lara howled and the fireball shot from her mouth, racing towards the Master. The Master flung his own magic ball in turn. The spells flew towards each other and collided like two charging bulls. Fire and darkness unfolded onto each other, twisting and sinuating like a wad of hagfish. Then they exploded, releasing a massive pillar of fire and shadow into the air as the earth shook all the way to the palace.
Ariel and Melody knew what was coming. They saw the wave long before it reached them. They abandoned the surface and dove deep as they could. They reached the sea floor just as the wave reached the marina, washing through it like a tsunami. Every last wharf was ripped apart by the water, dashed to pieces against the ice wall. It shuddered and crumbled in places, but the barrier refused to allow the wave through.
Remora had a moment of panic when she saw the wave, but only a moment. There was only one way to go over a giant wave, and that was head on. "Engines full! Ten degrees starboard! All hands brace for rise!"
The smokestacks belched out fresh smoke as the ship turned into the oncoming wave. The sharpened bow rose up the face and then pierced through the crest. Remora held tight to the railing as the ship rode the wave down, its head dipping into the sea for a moment before it rose from the water.
The Master watched the fire dissipate, his focus on Lara's glowing eyes through the smoke and steam. She drew a wing across and then flung it wide, blowing away the cloud completely. She growled at him, eyes flickering with angry light.
"Well done, Anclagon," said the Master. "You're beginning to amuse me."
Lara drew her head back before leaning forward and bellowing out another beam of fire at him. The Master waved his hand and a disc of shadow grew in front of him. The beam struck and refracted off the shadow like light through a crystal, diverted around the Master. The split beams raked through ocean and land at random, leaving explosions in their wake. One cut across the top of one of the gunship's smokestacks, melting straight through the metal before flying off into the sky.
"Watch your aim!" shouted Remora.
Suddenly Lara burst through the Master's dark shield, shattering it like glass. She roared again and swung her fists at him. The Master dodged back as fast as he could, skating over the water as she chased him with a spinning barrage of swipes and strikes. The air from her blows alone tore the ocean apart around her. She snarled and her right arm suddenly stretched out, her hand snatching the Master's shoulder. Her claws sunk into him as she spun and whipped him overhead and down into the sea. Then she threw him like a bullet back at the gunship. The Master tumbled over the water like a skipped stone, recovering himself just in time to backflip up onto the ship's deck.
"Master!" said Remora in alarm, noticing the blood dripping onto the ship. "Are you–!?"
"I'm fine," said the Master as he stood. "Don't get distracted. She's coming."
Lara bellowed at the ship and then flew at it, aiming straight for the Master. Her right hand became engulfed with flames as she drew it back to strike. The Master darted to the prow, shadow extending from his left hand to form a thin flat sword of black. Lara reached him and struck as the Master raised his right arm in front of him as a shield, shadow anchoring him to the deck. He stopped Lara from striking him, but he did not nullify the force behind her blow. The entire gunship listed to one side, threatening to roll over before abruptly swinging back. The metal groaned in protest as water swamped over the decking.
"You are powerful, Anclagon," said the Master as he held her arm at bay. "But…"
He turned his sword over and swung up at Lara's right shoulder. The blade passed through her body as though he had missed, and then suddenly Lara's right arm and wing flew off. Fire burst out from her wounds and she howled in pain, her severed limbs flying off into the waves.
The Master smirked. "You'll need more than blind strength in order to–."
The fire from Lara's wound raced out and seized her arm and wing, engulfing them in flames. There was a snap and the fire receded to Lara and condensed, reforming her amputated limbs instantly.
The Master's eyes widened. "Oh?"
Lara swung her restored fist at the Master's head, hitting him cleanly in the side. The Master staggered back, dazed by the blow. Lara then grabbed the Master's arms, squeezing hard as she perched on the railing. The metal began to glow and then bend as she started pulling his arms apart. The Master tried to resist her, but her strength gradually overwhelmed him till she pulled his arms out straight. She leaned in and roared in his face, blasting it with superheated air. His hood started to slip backwards.
"Bow gun, line up on her!" Remora shouted.
Neither Lara nor the Master noticed the forward battery of the gunship swivel around till it was pointing directly at Lara. She looked up at it and then at Remora, the witch standing directly under the long gray barrels. The beast's eyes widened and then narrowed as she hissed angrily. She pushed the Master away, eyes glowing brighter as she turned to face an even more hated enemy.
"Fire!" yelled Remora as she covered her ears.
The Master did not even flinch as the gun went off, nailing Lara straight in the chest. The heavy round carried Lara back towards the shore and then slammed her into the base of the ice wall. He looked at the smoking hole where Lara landed, and then at his own arms. He smelled smoke and the stench of burned flesh, his skin as charred as his robes where she touched him. He glanced at his shoulder, seeing the burning holes in his fabric. He felt blood running down his arms.
He felt pain. Real, genuine pain. Pain from his burned skin. Pain from his broken arms. Pain from the wounds in his shoulder. Pain where Lara struck his head. In all his years, he had never experienced this sensation. No one had been able to cause him pain. This was new to him. This sensation of damage. Of his body informing him harm had been done. What a curious thing.
"Impressive," he said to himself as his shadows seeped into his wounds, pulling them out of him like water from a well. He looked back to the hole in the ice wall. "No wonder they want you dead."
Ariel and Melody returned to the surface just as the gun went off, seeing Lara come flying back into the marina. She hit the ice wall and smashed into it. Ice collapsed down on her, burying her beneath large cold blocks.
"Lara!" exclaimed Melody. Immediately she dove for shore, leaping through the water like a dolphin.
"Melody, wait!" said Ariel as she swam after her.
Melody swam towards the embankment and then dove down to the bottom. Then she turned up and swam as fast as her fins would let her. She shot out of the water, rising to the edge of the embankment and snatching it with one hand. She hung there for a moment and then swung her other hand up, grabbing the edge firmly. She hissed at the pain in her shoulder, but she grit her teeth and pushed through it. She started pulling herself up as the magic of her necklace began restoring her legs. The chain and shell reformed around her neck as her feet returned. She wedged her toes between the rocks and pushed herself up, rolling onto the top.
Ariel popped up from the waves to see her daughter clamber onto dry land. "Melody!"
Melody looked back over the edge, seeing Ariel bobbing in the water. "Mom, up here!"
"Get back in the water!" said Ariel, beckoning for Melody to dive back in. "It's not safe up there!"
"It's not safe in the water either!" Melody lay on the ground and extended a hand towards Ariel. "Come on! We have to stop Lara!"
"How!?" said Ariel. "She's gone mad! How can we get through to her!?"
"I don't know!" said Melody. "But we have to try!"
Ariel looked at her, then over at the crumbling section of ice wall. Her brow furrowed for a moment, and then she dove under the water. For a moment Melody genuinely thought she turned tail and swam. Then Ariel leapt out of the sea, reaching for Melody's hand. Melody caught her wrist, clasping it with both hands. She grunted with exertion and pain as she pulled Ariel up and onto the land.
Ariel quickly looked around. "Find something to dry me off with! The sooner we do, the sooner my legs will–!"
The piled ice blasted apart as Lara leapt out of it, landing at the edge one of the wharf embankments. She growled angrily, glaring at the gunship. She smacked her tail against the ground, cracking the stones all the way through.
Melody swallowed nervously. Even from hundreds of feet away, she could feel the heat coming off Lara. All of a sudden, coming out of the sea seemed a lot more foolish than she first thought.
Remora scowled as she looked through her spyglass. "Still kicking, huh?" She turned back to the gun battery. "Fire again! Kinetic loadout, maximum charge! Take that thing's head off!"
"Aye, cap'n!" came a reply from inside the battery. The long barrels adjusted slightly, and then there was a thunderous boom as another shell was fired straight at Lara. Remora watched in anticipation of seeing Lara burst apart in a cloud of gore and shrapnel. The kinetic rounds were solid copper with a tungsten alloy tip. Remora engineered them for maximum penetration rather than explosive force. One round could punch clear through a castle. Even Lara would not be able to withstand one of these head on.
But instead of being blasted to pieces, Lara skidded backwards as her head whipped to the side. Her clawed feet scratched into the stones till she stopped. Her head was turned away, smoke issuing from her jaws. Then Lara slowly turned back, revealing the heavy shell clutched in her jaws. Her teeth were sunken into the metal like a piece of meat. She growled as the shell began to heat and then glow, turning red and then orange before it liquified. It melted to the ground as Lara hissed, molten metal dripping from her maw like glowing saliva.
The hair on Remora's neck stood straight on end. Lara was staring right at her. Those four eyes were fixed on her. And Remora had the strongest sensation that, even in the midst of her blind rage, Lara knew who she was and what she had done to her.
And Remora just made her even angrier.
The raven felt the change in Lara the moment she set eyes on Remora. So far, he had been able to keep Lara's wrath directed away from Seahaven, if only just. Now, however, he did not have to guide her at all. Her focus was centered entirely on Remora. She had Lara's undivided attention.
Memories began mixing into the brew of magic and emotion Lara's mind had become. Memories of her mother dying. Of years of abuse, torture, and pain aboard the pirate ship. They flashed through Lara's mind like a nightmarish kaleidoscope. Suddenly her anger and magic spiked even higher. The raven felt his control loosening as Lara brought out more and more of her power. He felt it reaching out for miles in all directions, finding every source of fire and heat it could and drawing them in. It even reached towards the stars themselves.
The raven immediately recognized what she was attempting. "No! Not that!"
Ariel and Melody covered their ears as Lara leaned forward and roared, vibrating the air with her voice. The air around Lara began to shimmer like a mirage on a hot day, and then her body was encased in a red-orange aura. She walked to the very edge of the embankment and stopped, dripping molten metal from her mouth. Her four eyes glowed bright as she raised her hands above her head.
The day suddenly dimmed, giving the light a muted overtone. Ariel looked up and saw the sky darken, as though a solar eclipse were about to take place. The temperature of the air dropped, causing her and Melody's breath to become visible as steam. She shivered as a chill descended upon the marina. The fires dancing on debris and wreckage went out, leaving cold black cinders behind as the air became still.
"Mom…" said Melody nervously.
Ariel looked at Melody. She was staring at Lara with clear apprehension, eyes wide and afraid. Even with the cold air and lingering seawater on her skin, a bead of sweat ran down Melody's face as she took a step back.
A single point of light formed between Lara's palms, flickering as it slowly grew. It rose into the sky, ascending above the ice wall till it was a speck against the red. A quiet settled over the marina, like the stillness in the moments before a disaster struck.
"Melody?" said Ariel, unnerved by her daughter's sudden trepidation. She suddenly wished she had her legs back. "Melody, what is it?"
Then Lara threw her head back and roared.
The point suddenly burst into a large fireball, rapidly growing larger. It swelled in size with every passing second, becoming large as a house. Now a ship. Now a castle. It grew until it was large enough to be called a fallen star, hanging in the air above Seahaven. The heat it gave off was unbearable. The ice wall behind Lara began to melt, threatening to expose the buildings and people it was protecting to the lethal heat. The sea began to steam as the surface evaporated, filling the marina with a haze. Far off Ariel saw frost and ice begin forming on the ocean, a ring of steam rising where baking heat and frozen air clashed. Ariel's skin was suddenly dried, magic swirling around her as her legs returned and her lips cracked.
Melody grabbed Ariel's hands and pulled her to her feet before the magic had even finished. "Run!"
Ariel did not need to be told. She and Melody ran for the far end of the marina as fast as their legs could take them.
The Hive Queen squirmed with excitement as the fireball grew even larger. "There it is! That's it!"
Kodama growled, baring his stone teeth. "Lunacy! What derangement grows before mine eyes!?"
"Who cares!?" exclaimed the Hive Queen as she got to her feet.
Kodama turned to her. "Where is thou going!?"
The Hive Queen grinned broadly. "You think I'd pass up a front-row seat for an encore like this!?"
Before Kodama could say another word, the Hive Queen vanished, leaving him alone atop the palace. He looked down at Lara, scowling as he watched the magic continue to gather. "Thou hast become thy fear, Anclagon! And now, thou beckons Death into these lands!"
Kodama closed his eyes as the light left them. The leaves on his body withered and browned as his presence left. The vulpine form fell apart, returning to the leaves and sticks it was made from as he returned to his mountains.
Ariel did not slow as she looked back at a heavy booming noise. She saw the giant fireball suddenly collapse, its fires streaming down into Lara's mouth. Her entire body began to glow as she absorbed them, letting off immense heat. The air temperature turned dangerous, threatening to scald Ariel. Lara's body glowed red, then orange, and then yellow as she took in the last wisps of the fireball. There was a flash as another blast wave raced out, leaving fires in its wake.
Ariel's eyes widened in alarm. If that struck her or Melody, they would burn instantly. She dug her heels in as they ran past an overturned crate, pulling Melody to a stop. Ariel tugged hard, dragging Melody down behind the crate as they took cover. The blast hit a split second later, burning the face of the crate and pushing it backwards. Ariel closed her eyes tight as the heat washed over. For a moment she thought she was on fire. How else could she feel so hot? Then it alleviated as the heat wave passed on. Ariel opened her eyes and saw no fires on herself or Melody, but the crate they used for cover was almost charcoal.
"Are you okay, Melody?" asked Ariel.
Melody looked herself over. "Y-yeah."
A low humming sound filled the air. Ariel and Melody cautiously peered over the crumbling crate, both already knowing there was only one possible cause for it.
Lara's body was no longer black. Her entire form glowed white-hot, distorting the air around her. The stones beneath her were melting, allowing her to sink into the ground. Rivulets of molten rock ran off the embankment into the boiling sea below, sending up clouds of white steam. The ice wall behind her was releasing streams of water as it melted. Her wings folded in and then she speared the tips into the ground, releasing sharp hissing and spitting sounds as stone was immediately liquified.
Ariel and Melody shook with awe and fear as they stared at Lara, even though the heat made their eyes water. Lara looked like an ancient sun goddess, brimming with fire and fury enough to set the very sky ablaze. Everything about her spoke of terrible power just waiting to be unleashed.
In a word, she looked unstoppable.
Remora's thoughts were very similar to Ariel and Melody's. Lara looked like something out of the ancient legends. Yet somehow, with all the magic and fire that had to be swirling inside her, Remora could not sense one speck of it. It climbed higher and higher as she drank in her fireball, and then it suddenly disappeared. It was as though Lara became a void. Remora could see her. Hear her. Feel her heat. But her magic was gone.
Lara twisted her feet, setting them firmly into the molten earth.
The Master's magic suddenly flared, shadows engulfing his hands as he ran to the ship's prow. "Remora, open a portal! Now!"
Remora had no argument. She had a fair idea what was coming. Her scythe formed in her hands and she slashed the air, tearing open a lightning-rimmed portal. The Master flung his hands forward, the shadows leaping off him to form a disc of darkness in front of the ship. It expanded till it covered the entirety of the ship and then grew outward, forming a dense shield of black.
A loud humming filled the air as Lara inhaled. Ariel drew a sharp breath as she realized what was about to happen. There was no crate large or dense enough to protect them from it. If she and Melody did not find something substantially tougher to hide behind, the next few seconds were going to be their last. But there was nothing to protect them. The water was now scalding hot. Everything wooden was burned away. There was no way through or around the ice wall. Not in the time they had left.
Melody took Ariel's hands. "Mom? Mom, what do we do!?"
Ariel squeezed Melody's hands tightly. "I…I don't know!"
A glint in the corner of Ariel's eye caught her attention. She looked up and saw Lara's sword come tumbling out of the air, landing point-first in the stones in front of them.
Melody's eyes widened. "Wait, that's–!"
"I'd use that if I were you!"
Ariel and Melody spun around to see the Hive Queen sitting on top of the ice wall. She smiled at them, revealing her pointed predatory teeth.
"Y-you!" stammered Ariel.
"Been a while, mermaids!" said the Hive Queen. Ariel quickly put herself between the "girl" and Melody.
"What are you doing here!?" said Melody, her body shaking with more fear than she thought possible in their current predicament.
"Getting a better view," said the Hive Queen, kicking her feet back and forth.
"Get us out of here!" pleaded Ariel. "Please!"
The Hive Queen cocked her head, smiling wider. It was disturbing to see something that looked so human smile like that. "Mmm…I could. But the sword will be enough. And much more entertaining!"
"But it's Lara's sword!" shouted Melody. "It won't listen to us!"
The Hive Queen snickered as she saw Ariel and Melody begin to tremble with panic. "You won't know till you try, will you? Better try soon, though."
Lara drew her head back and then leaned forward as she opened her mouth as wide as possible. Her body turned black again as the heat and fire inside her coiled into a searing white ball between her jaws, the hum building in volume till it caused the ground to shake.
"Unless you'd prefer to burn to a crisp, that is!" The Hive Queen threw her head back and laughed.
Melody grabbed the sword with both hands without a second thought. She had no idea if this would work. For all she knew, the Hive Queen was playing a sick joke and trying to get their hopes up before watching them burn. But she had to try. Even if the odds were a million to one, that was better than certain death.
"Claymore, please! Protect us!" Melody shouted, gripping the sword with every ounce of will she had. Ariel did the same, laying her hands over Melody's. They squeezed their eyes shut, bracing for what could only be their impending end.
A strand of water suddenly raced up from the sea like a snake, forming a thin wall in front of the women. Neither Ariel nor Melody saw it as their eyes were still closed.
The Hive Queen's brow arched in surprise. "Well, well! This place is just full of surprises!"
Lara's breath came out as a deafening roar. The white ball erupted into a giant beam of fire and light more than a hundred yards across. The earth heaved and shook as a heavy shockwave and searing wind issued forth. It washed over the marina, evaporating countless gallons of water in an instant and pushing back the rest. The ice wall began to fail in earnest, melting away as large boulders of ice fell from it. The shockwave struck the water shield, which bent under the force but did not break, protecting Ariel and Melody from the deadly wind. The Hive Queen sat unfazed atop the wall, watching with wide eyes and a gleefully sinister smile.
The sandy sea floor was melted to glass as the beam coursed straight for the gunship. It struck the Master's dark shield and coursed around it, enveloping the ship within it. The beam carried out over the sea, blasting through the water clear beyond the horizon. Down in Atlantica, the merpeople saw the swathe of fire and light stream over the top of the kingdom. It struck awe and fear into their hearts as the fires were reflected in their eyes, wondering what could create such a breathtaking yet terrible thing.
The heat was beyond stifling for Remora. The ocean, sky, and Seahaven were gone. All around her was fire. She felt her skin threatening to spontaneously ignite as her robe smoked and then caught fire. The metal of the gunship was already glowing with heat. The smokestacks exploded as the boilers flashed, turning every ounce of water in the tanks to steam.
Remora looked up and saw the Master standing at the prow. Fire streamed past his barrier of darkness as he grunted, leaning forwards against the wind. Suddenly cracks appeared in the dark shield, tongues of flame slipping through. The Master's eyes widened as the cracks did the same. His hood fell back, exposing long white hair that blew out behind him.
"Leave, Remora!" yelled the Master. "Neither you nor this ship can survive this!"
"What about you!?" shouted Remora. An explosion then ripped out the port side of the ship.
"I will hold this!" shouted the Master. The cracks in his shield began to fill, but then they grew again as the flames intensified even further. "Now go! That's an order!"
Remora was not about to dispute this command. She ran for her portal and dove in without a second thought. A split second later the artillery exploded, tearing the stern and midship batteries apart. A tear appeared in the hull, and then the stern half of the ship ripped away and was carried off by the beam, melting and then evaporating within it. The Master held his failing shield up as he backed towards the portal, and then he too jumped through. The flames broke through the darkness and overwhelmed the ship as the portal collapsed.
Remora emerged through her portal to see grass before her. Her feet barely left the magic tunnel when it snapped shut behind her, a brief jet of searing flame slipping through. It sailed over her and tore into the nearby woods, leaving a mile-long trail of blackened earth and burning trees in its wake. Remora rolled to smother the flames eating at her robes and then stood up, swatting out the lingering embers.
She turned about, taking in her surroundings. She had no destination in mind when she opened the portal. Just somewhere away from the fire. Anywhere was better than being incinerated. She wound up barely outside the battlefield. She was near the cliff the Master slammed Lara into earlier. Frost covered the grass and trees, and her breath was visible as steam. She could see Lara clearly as her enormous fire-beam enveloped her ship. The sound of it was immense, as though she were the avatar of a volcanic eruption. The vessel's prow lingered in the fire as a shadow, and then it split in half and faded away as it was vaporized. The beam carried on out to the horizon, tearing a boiling trench into the sea.
Remora scowled, hands ripping up grass as her fingers clenched tight. "How!? How are you doing this, you damn brat!?"
The raven grimaced as he fought to regain control of Lara. She avoided releasing her magic all at once, but the blast she created was no less dangerous. If it went off over the ocean, the resulting tidal wave would ravage thousands of miles of coastline. The devastation would extend far beyond the Alliance. There was only one place it could go off safely, and even then, the collateral would not be null.
Tapping into Lara's own magic, the raven formed the upper half of his demonic torso from her back. He seized hold of her head, pulling back hard as he could. She resisted him heavily, still pouring her magic and anger into the attack. The demon's eyes glowed brighter as his wings burst into flame and then condensed into a second pair of arms. He roared in his own voice as he clasped his new hands overhead and then slammed them down on Lara's skull. Her focus was broken, giving the demon the opportunity he needed. He seized her head with all four arms and pulled hard as he could, lifting the beam upwards. His arms cracked as the beam rose high into the air, and then Lara snapped her mouth shut. The beam trailed off, dwindling into the crimson sky. Lara's head whipped around, glaring furiously at the demon.
"Stop this, Lara!" said the demon. "Remember yourself before–!"
Lara's tail reached around and slashed through the demon, breaking him like a clay pot. He scattered into the air. The symbol on her forehead faded away as the raven was driven out of her mind. The sea flooded back into the channel her fire had created, thick clouds of steam rising from the crashing waves.
Melody was the first one to open her eyes. The first thing she saw was that the Hive Queen had disappeared. The section of ice wall she sat on had been destroyed, though Melody doubted the creature shared a similar fate. A triangle of untouched earth swept backwards from in front of Lara's sword, as though the heat and fire had parted around it like water around a rock. Outside their protected triangle the earth was scorched black and steaming hot. Melody separated from Ariel, the two looking each other. Somehow, the sword had responded to their plea. They were alive.
Melody pulled Lara's sword out and looked up. A beam of fire was shrinking into the sky. All the waters of the marina were steaming as though they were standing inside a giant pot set to boil. The ice wall was in shambles, running into the ocean as gushing streams of melt. Somehow it held up to the heat long enough to protect the town. The ground of the marina was blackened far as Melody could see.
A blinding explosion filled the sky, forcing Ariel and Melody to shield their eyes. For a brief moment Seahaven became a land of white light and dark shadows. Then the light faded, revealing an enormous roiling fireball shining in the sky like a new sun. Melody and Ariel looked up, staring at the fireball much like the rest of Seahaven.
"Are you okay, mom?" asked Melody.
"What!?" yelled Ariel, her ears ringing.
Melody leaned in. "Are. You. O-ka–?"
The shockwave hit Ariel and Melody so violently it threw them several feet. It swept over Seahaven as though a typhoon were captured in a bottle, placed on a high shelf, and then someone knocked the bottle over and broke it. Every standing soul was knocked off their feet. The palace windows shattered all at once, blasting glass like snow in a blizzard. Homes shook as tiles were sent flying off roofs. Animals cried out in alarm at the noise and sensation. The Emerald Woods trembled as entire limbs were snapped off trees, the weaker among them toppling over. The wave continued on clear to the edge of the Howling Forest before it died out. The heat that followed was like stepping out of a cool room into a baking summer's day, turning the air stifling and muggy.
Melody slowly stood up, her ears ringing even louder than before. She stared at Lara and then at the giant cloud of smoke hanging in the sky. Did Lara really just do that? That magic was beyond anything she ever thought possible. It bordered on godly. If that had gone off in the marina, it would have destroyed all of Seahaven. The marina, the town, the palace, the forest–all of it!
Lara stood still for a moment, staring out over the sea. Then she stepped forward and roared as she flung her wings wide, as though declaring her victory to the world.
Melody could hear the anger in that sound. It terrified her. It was brimming with hostility and hatred. Where was that much raw power and rage coming from? Was that thing really Lara? Was she even in there anymore? Was there anyone left to save? Or was she too far gone?
'What does your heart tell you, princess?'
Melody almost dropped Lara's sword at the demon's voice. Ariel noticed her stiffen, as though someone had splashed ice cold water on her back. "Melody? Melody, what's wrong?"
'Listen to her,' said the demon. 'What do you hear?'
Melody looked at Lara as she roared again. She could feel the heat from her body even from so far away. The sound of her roar was as furious as it was deafening. The hatred and rage inside it seemed boundless. Like a fire no river, storm, or ocean could ever hope to quench.
But as she listened to Lara's bellow carry on, Melody heard more than uncontrolled wrath. She heard grief, frustration, and guilt as well. It was an angry sound, but also one brimming with sorrow, loss, fear, and anguish. A noise made by someone who felt they had been robbed of everything they held dear. She could almost see Lara underneath the black armor, eyes clenched tight and weeping tears as she screamed her pain for all to hear.
Within that form and its fury, Lara was suffering.
Tears welled up in Melody's eyes, and then one managed to escape and roll down her cheek. This was like one of Lara's flashbacks. The kind that would cause her to wake up screaming in the dead of night or suddenly behave strangely. Lara was trapped in another nightmare, only this one would not end. Her anger and pain were tearing her apart inside.
"She's calling for help," Melody whispered.
A warm sensation filled Melody's hand. She looked down and saw Lara's sword, the polished blade reflecting the red sky. Melody tilted the blade till she could see a sliver of her own reflection in the metal. She saw the tear streak down her cheek, then turned the blade to show the other side of her face. She saw her own blue eyes looking back at her.
'Then go,' said the demon. "Answer her."
Melody gripped the sword firmly. Then she suddenly ran off, racing towards Lara with the sword in hand.
"Melody!" shouted Ariel as she chased after her. "Where are you going!?"
"To save Lara!" replied Melody. "I know she's in there! She's never given up on us! I'm not about to give up on her!"
Morgana swam as fast as she could for the open ocean, sticking close to the sea floor. The wounds in her face left a weak trail of blood in the heated water. The sounds of the battle followed her as she fled, including that light and terrible tremor. She knew it was from Lara. Only she could produce such a violent, wrathful sound. Even in the depths of the ocean she could feel her magic as though the fiend was right behind her.
She had to get out of there. Yes, she wanted Melody dead more than anything. But down in her core, Morgana was a coward. She cared little for her life right up to the moment it was genuinely threatened. Melody was not worth killing if it meant facing Lara again. She was unbeatable. A living embodiment of fire and destruction. There was no ploy, no plan, no spell she could use against her that would not end with Lara outright slaughtering her. She had to run far, far away. Somewhere no one could ever find her. She would go to the deepest, darkest hole in the ocean and stay there if she had to. So long as that monster could not find her again.
A noise behind Morgana caused her to look back. All she saw was a trail of bubbles and swaying seaweed.
"Running, are we?"
Morgana spun around to see the Master standing on the sea floor. She came to an abrupt stop, backing away from him. "Master! I was...I was just–!"
"Deserting," said the Master as he raised his hand towards her. "Yes, you were."
Morgana went paler than she already was. "No, wait!"
The Master clenched his hand tight. Morgana screamed as her entire body was wracked with pain. She fell to the ocean floor, stiffly jerking about as the agony swept across her in wave after wave.
"I anticipated your cowardice when I resurrected you," said the Master as he watched Morgana writhe. "I've tolerated it till now since it posed no true threat to my plans. Today, however, that tolerance has run out. Anclagon has become a threat because of your vengeance. You created the disaster she has become."
The Master opened his hand, releasing Morgana from her torture. She rolled onto her back, panting as the pain slowly receded. "Therefore, she is your responsibility."
Morgana stiffened as she looked up at him. "W-w-what!?"
"You will deal with Anclagon," said the Master. "That is my order."
"You're insane!" exclaimed Morgana. "I can't fight her! She'll kill me!"
"She might kill you." Shadows grew over the Master, his presence bearing down on Morgana like a landslide. "But if you refuse me, I will kill you. Return and fight, or die here. Those are your choices."
Morgana shook her head, eyes wide with fright. "That's not a choice! It's a death sentence!"
"Only if you fail. And you will not go against her unaided." The Master reached into his robe, extracting a vial of bright red liquid.
Morgana's eyes widened. She recognized that potion. "Tears of Ares!"
"Indeed," said the Master as he held the concoction up. "And a potent batch." He tossed it to Morgana, who caught it with fumbling hands. "This will improve your odds."
"Forget that flying freak! Do you have any idea what this will do to me!?" cried Morgana.
The Master approached Morgana, leaning over her. "Do you have any idea what she'll do to you without it?"
"B-but if she kills me, then how–!?"
"What? How will we proceed with our plans?" The Master scoffed, walking a circle around Morgana as he spoke. "You overestimate yourself, Morgana. You are a mere cog in my war machine. A small, replaceable cog. My ambitions are not so fragile they could be derailed by your death. I had hopes for you and Ursula when I pulled you both out of the Otherworld. That you both might be of use to me. Infuriating as your sister can be, she has proven worth the effort."
The Master stopped, casting a sideways look at Morgana. "You, however, have not. Your skills are as negligible as your fortitude. Your contributions meager. And your actions have created one hindrance after another." He turned to face her. "If Lara kills you, then so be it. At worst, I will be rid of a disposable…disappointment."
Morgana swallowed hard. Her choice was impossible. Die by Lara's hand. Die by the Master's hand. Drink the potion, maybe survive Lara, impossible as that sounded, and then die from the aftereffects. No matter which way she approached it, there was no path where she survived. No opportunity for mercy.
"You have ten seconds," said the Master, his left hand becoming shrouded in darkness. "Nine…eight…seven…"
Morgana bit her lip, leaking swirls of black blood into the sea. She cursed the day she ever met this sorcerer. She cursed the day Melody was born. The day Ariel was born. The day Lara came to Seahaven. She cursed whatever day or person or event it was that brought her to this moment. She was facing her inevitable death once more, only this time it was not at the end of the trident. It was at the hands of a pair of monsters, with her left to decide which one would be her undoing.
"Five…four…three…"
Morgana looked at the vial. Her chances were slim, but only one choice had the possibility of survival, even if it was short term. That, and the potential for her to permanently sate her thirst for revenge. Not just against Melody, but against the Master's contemptible perception of her. Against everyone who ever looked down on her.
For some reason, Morgana thought of Lara's words as she held her above the water, hot clawed hand clamped around her neck.
'To put in bluntly…you're weak.'
Morgana clenched her hands as she grit her teeth. Then she reached out and snatched the vial from the Master's hand, pulling the topper off and drinking it down in three hurried gulps. The taste was sweet yet fiery, like heavily spiced honey. She felt it glide down her throat and settle in her stomach. It pooled there for a moment, and then…
For several tense moments nothing happened. Then suddenly Morgana doubled over, eyes wide and mouth agape as she crushed the vial in her hand. She screamed as her body began to glow green. Her veins stood out against her skin, visibly throbbing with her frantic pulse. Ice began to grow across her skin as the temperature of the water sharply declined. The whites of her eyes turned red, black blood leaking out her nose as the wounds in her face began to close.
"A good start," said the Master. "However, better to play this safe."
He reached down and grabbed Morgana's face, bringing it within inches of his own. He plastered his lips against her mouth and exhaled. Shadows slithered out of his hood and into Morgana's throat, nose, and ears. Morgana's screams turned into choking sounds as her struggling faded. Her veins and lips turned black as shadows spread over her eyes, as though stained with the purest ink.
The Master pushed Morgana away from him, waving his hand to open a portal behind her. Another wave of his hand and she was sucked into it. He followed after her, emerging on the cliff next to Remora. The witch was looking down on the marina as Lara bellowed angrily at the ocean.
"Obeying orders again, I see," said the Master.
Remora startled, her scythe forming instantly as she spun around. She swung at the Master's neck, then stopped short as she recognized him. The Master eyed her scythe, noting the fraction of an inch left between his neck and the blade.
"Should I take that as a threat?" said the Master.
Remora hastily removed the scythe, the weapon collapsing into shards that flew inside her robes. "I thought you scarpered off home! Where have you been?"
"Taking care of a deserter," said the Master as he strode to the edge of the cliff.
"Morgana?" inquired Remora.
"As if you need to ask," said the Master. He looked down at the marina, watching as Lara breathed fire out over the water. "Has she made any movement?"
"None," said Remora. "She's just standing there throwing a tantrum." Remora looked around. "Wait, where is that spineless squid?"
The Master slid his hands into his sleeves. "You will see."
Melody ran as close to Lara as she dared, which was still a good hundred feet away. She could feel the heat of the stones against her feet, but the melt from the ice wall was preventing them from burning her. She stopped as a section of wall collapsed in front of her, the ice falling into the sea.
"Lara!" Melody called out, cupping her hands to her mouth. Lara turned to face her. "You have to stop this! Please! You have to wake up!"
Lara's eyes flashed. Suddenly Melody was blown backwards by a gust of hot air. She rolled head over heels, dropping Lara's sword. She grimaced as her shoulder burst with pain. Lara raised a hand towards Melody, fire gathering in her palms. A fireball started to build, but then suddenly Lara looked back out to sea. She lowered her hand, the fireball disappearing with a puff of smoke.
"Melody!" exclaimed Ariel as she rushed to her. "Melody, are you okay!?"
Melody nodded as she sat up, pressing a hand to her shoulder. "I'm all right! Just–!"
Suddenly the earth shook, cutting Melody off. The middle of the marina erupted like a volcanic explosion, spraying water everywhere. It hissed as it hit Lara's body, and she hissed in turn. The water surged upwards as a pair of enormous glowing green arms made of ice emerged from the waves. They reached down and planted themselves against the sea floor to push up an equally massive body and head. The ice giant rose as six immense tentacles made of the same glowing ice emerged, water cascading down in waterfalls. It stood even taller than Ursula had. Within the chest of the giant was a lone but very familiar tentacled figure.
Melody's eyes widened. "Morgana!"
It was indeed Morgana, but not as before. Her eyes and lips were jet black. Four gray scars ran down her face from where Lara slashed her. Icy spikes grew out of her skin at her shoulders and elbows, and her fingernails were now sharp ice claws. The undersides of her tentacles were lined with equally sharp points of ice. The witch threw her head back and laughed, her enormous ice creation mimicking her movements.
"Incredible!" Morgana said, her voice amplified by the giant's mouth. She laughed again, running her hands through her hair. Her tentacles squirmed about, stirring up the seas to a tempest. "The power! So much power! This feels divine! I've never felt so strong!"
A/N: "Animal I Have Become" by Three Days Grace
Lara snarled as she turned to Morgana, her tail swaying angrily. She stepped forward and roared at her, eyes glowing with hatred. She drew her right hand back, a fireball reforming in it. She then flung it at Morgana, the ball streaking towards her. One of Morgana's immense tentacles swung up with surprising speed, intercepting the fireball. It exploded against the ice, sending cracks racing through it. Moments later the cracks filled in, leaving the tentacle pristine.
"You won't have it so easy this time!" shouted Morgana. "I'm not the same as before! I'll kill you first, and then send Melody and her family to join you!"
A lightning bolt fired into Morgana's ice titan from behind, striking its shoulder. She turned around to see Triton aiming the trident at her.
"You stay away from my family!" Triton yelled, firing another lightning bolt at Morgana. The lightning glanced off her ice, unable to penetrate it.
Morgana drew one of her tentacles back and swung it down into the sea. The tentacle sent an immense wave at Triton, who raised his trident to counter it. However, he quickly discovered the wave was a ruse. Another of Morgana's giant ice tentacles snuck under the water and snared him, wrapping around his body and pinning his arms and the trident to his sides. Triton was lifted out of the water and then flung out to sea, sailing through the air.
"Daddy!" screamed Ariel as she watched.
"Grandfather!" Melody shouted, horrified to see Triton splash down far out in the ocean.
"Stay out of this, Triton!" yelled Morgana. She breathed in deep and then exhaled in a long blow. Freezing wind issued from the mouth of her titan, solidifying the ocean in its wake. She turned in a wide arc, creating a barrier of ice between her and the open ocean. She raised a hand upward, calling forth towering spires of razor-sharp ice from the barrier. They rose hundreds of feet into the air, becoming a wall of frozen spikes. The ice then spread towards the land, flattening out the waves and freezing the ocean surface solid. Within seconds the marina had been turned into a plane of ice once more.
Lara drew a breath, unleashing a beam of fire straight at Morgana. She spun around and thrust her hand at the fire, blocking it with her palm. The fire exploded, destroying Morgana's icy hand.
Morgana smirked as ice grew out from the stump, reforming her hand. "Show me what you've got, you monster!"
Lara roared angrily and took off, flying straight at Morgana as the witch drew her colossal construct's arm back. She swung it with surprising speed and strength, smacking Lara out of the sky like a fly. She hit the ice and smashed into it, sending steam and ice spraying. A second later the ice exploded again as Lara came rocketing up, flying to level with Morgana. She roared as she flung her wings wide, a dozen fireballs forming around her. They glowed bright and then collapsed into solid beams of fire, raking across Morgana's form. Steam sprouted from the melted gouges the fires created. One raked across the titan's chest, trying to penetrate to Morgana. It bored feet into the ice but failed to reach her.
"I don't think so!" shouted Morgana as she swung one of her hands up.
A sharp stake of ice shot out of the sea and struck Lara. She went flipping up into the air, and then a second stake shot up and nailed her in the back. One of Morgana's tentacles raced up and grabbed Lara by the legs. It then swung down towards the sea, smashing Lara against it.
"What's wrong, dearie?" Morgana shouted down. "Feeling a little drained? Running out of juice?"
The tentacle lifted her back up and swung again as Morgana swung another of her enormous ice tentacles at Lara, the two colliding like a rockslide. The tentacles shattered on impact, Lara's form lost in a cloud of steam. Then she came flying out of the steam. She flew up above Morgana and shook her head in a daze. She clawed pieces of ice off her body as the rest melted away.
Morgana sneered up at Lara as her broken tentacles rapidly regrew. "You're a tough one, Lara! But you know what they say! There's always a bigger fish! And this time, that's me!"
Lara bellowed furiously and dove at Morgana. The ice titan drew one enormous fist back and then punched at Lara. Instead of dodging Lara met it head on with her own flaming fist. They collided in the air like a thunderclap, a flash of light issuing forth. Morgana rocked back as her hand was shattered. Lara went tumbling down, hitting the ice and skipping across it. She rolled over onto her feet, leaving a trail of steaming skid marks before she stopped.
"Don't think you're safe down there!" shouted Morgana as her hand reformed. She clapped her hands together sharply and her glow intensified.
Suddenly the ice around Lara came alive as two enormous ice eels formed. They reared up and then struck at Lara, mouths filled with long sharp teeth. They slammed against her like the jaws of a bear trap, catching her between them. Lara pushed against their jaws with her hands, their teeth scratching against her black armor. The light in her hair and eyes began to dim.
Morgana smirked maliciously as she watched Lara struggle against her creations. "Got you now!" She pressed harder on her hands, causing the ice to press even stronger on Lara.
Suddenly Lara's eyes flashed. She roared and then flung her arms and wings wide. The ice shattered apart as two long cracks were torn into the frozen ocean surface. She crouched down and then shot towards Morgana, her hands blazing with fire. Morgana flung one of her tentacles at Lara, but she smashed straight through it and went straight for the face of Morgana's ice titan. She flew up and then drove her knee into the titan's chin. Its head rocked back, as though it had taken a heavy uppercut. Then Lara spun and swung a hard and blazing kick straight into the giant's face. There was an explosion as the titan reeled back, only for Lara to blast it again with a fireball. The head broke, sending whale-sized blocks raining down onto the ice.
For a moment it seemed the ice titan would fall over. Then it whipped itself upright and swung a giant hand at Lara, swatting her at the ice barrier. Lara plowed through the sharpened spires and into the sea.
"It's no use!" said Morgana as the titan's head reformed, complete with her smirking visage. "I have the entire ocean at my disposal! Break this apart all you want! I'll just reform it!"
Morgana lifted one of her hands up. The ice near her began to bulge and then grew upwards. A head and arms rapidly formed on a new figure as it grew to the height of Morgana's ice titan. In mere seconds a replica of the titan stood beside it, both sneering down at where Lara went underwater.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" the titans called in unison.
As though answering their call, two beams of fire burst from the ocean towards the titans. They blocked them with their tentacles, sacrificing the limbs to avoid a direct hit. Lara burst out of the sea and flew at the one holding Morgana, bellowing as she came straight for her. Morgana swung a tentacle at her, only for Lara to dodge.
It was what Morgana wanted. Her other titan saw where Lara was going and snatched her with one enormous hand, clutching her tightly. Before Lara could get free the titan brought her to its mouth and blew hard. Freezing wind struck Lara, coating her with ice till she was stiff and white. Then it drew its hand back as Morgana's titan did the same, the two swinging at each other for a titanic high-five. Their palms collided so hard they shattered, sending ice flying in all directions. Ariel and Melody found themselves scampering about as they dodged pieces of ice. Lara dropped and crashed onto the ice. She pushed herself upright, shaking her head. There were a pair of cracks over her chest.
Morgana's titans laughed loudly together as they watched Lara stand. "Having fun yet?"
Lara looked up and saw the titans punch down at her with their other hands. Lara dug her feet into the ice and then shot towards Morgana's titan, dodging the crushing blow. With another roar Lara drew her right hand back and punched into the titan. Fire burst off her fist, tearing a hole straight through the titan to the other side. Morgana looked down as Lara flew through the hole and landed on the other side.
"You missed!" shouted Morgana as the hole began to close up, her hands already fully reformed.
Lara drew her hands back and then flung them towards Morgana's head. Her arms stretched out, stretching past Morgana and seizing the second titan's neck like a bola before her claws sunk into the ice. Lara turned and bellowed as she pulled hard. The replica fell towards Morgana's titan, but slow enough that Morgana was able to turn herself around to face Lara. She saw her and thrust one of her hands out. Lara looked up in time to see Morgana's palm smash down on her. Lara disappeared as the giant hand embed deep into the ice. Her stretched arms became fire and disappeared. The replica titan shimmered and then sank into Morgana's titan as though it were water, disappearing completely.
"That's how you deal with a bug!" shouted Morgana. "You smash it! Bwa-ha ha ha ha…huh?"
Morgana's hand slowly and shakily lifted away from the ice. She pressed down harder, but still she found her hand being pushed back. Lara had more cracks in her armor, but she was not flattened at all. She was on her feet, pushing Morgana's hand away with an angry snarl. Then she roared and drew one hand back before punching straight into Morgana's hand. The ice shattered clear up to her shoulder, raining large blocks of ice on the sea. Without her arm to brace her Morgana pitched forward, bringing her giant's face into range of Lara. The armored mage drew her other arm across as her fist glowed white-hot, and then she swung a vicious backfist into the icy head. There was a heavy explosion as the titan's head jerked to the side, half its face scattered across the ice.
Morgana snarled in frustration. "Would you just die already!?"
The titan drew itself upright as Morgana breathed in, and then exhaled a jet of freezing magic straight at Lara. It washed over her, forming ice on her body. Lara's eyes flashed and she roared, the force of it pushing back against Morgana's winter breath.
"Stay! Down!" shouted Morgana. Ice grew up from the sea, wrapping around Lara's torso. Before Lara could get herself free, two of Morgana's tentacles rose out of the sea and swung at her from the sides. They caught Lara in a pincer, smashing her between them. Moments later jets of fire blasted through the tentacles, cutting them in half. Lara rocketed out of the ice straight towards Morgana and punched at her. Her fist penetrated into the ice, causing Morgana to back away inside her titan. Lara drew her other fist back and punched again, sending cracks racing through the ice.
Morgana suddenly bent over and coughed, clasping a hand to her mouth. She pulled her hand away and saw black blood on her palm. Whatever magic the Master forced into her had impeded and drawn out the adverse effects of the Tears of Ares, but it had not removed them. The backlash was starting. She was running out of time.
She wiped the blood off on her ice, scowling as Lara continued to punch her way towards her. "Fine! If I can't kill you…" Morgana's body glowed with a sinister green aura. "I'll trap you forever!"
Hands of ice flew up from the sea, seizing Lara's limbs. She bellowed and pulled at them, shattering the ice easily, but the hands came faster than she could break them. They engulfed Lara, latching onto her greedily like starving eels. Then they pulled, ripping Lara off the titan and dragging her down to the ice. Lara roared as one tried to cover her head, but she bit through it with ease. Five more took its place, clamping her jaws shut and overwhelming her.
Layer after layer of ice rose from the sea and wrapped itself around Lara, forming a globe of ice with her at its center. The air grew colder as the globe grew in size, until a mass of ice large enough to hold a house stood in the marina, a lone dark figure imprisoned at its center. Morgana raised her hands overhead and then swung them down into the globe's sides. The prison began to grow even larger as Morgana lay sheets of the coldest, hardest, strongest ice she could possibly make onto it. She kept going till it was large enough to hold an entire ship, and then a green flash burst forth. Ariel and Melody had to shield their eyes yet again as it blinded them, but Morgana would not look away. She would not be denied one moment of her triumph.
The light faded as quickly as it came. Lara was frozen inside a large globe of perfectly clear and flawless ice. The light was gone from her eyes. Morgana sensed nothing of her magic, either. It, like her, had been forced into slumber.
"You won't break out of that so easily!" said Morgana as she tossed the orb away. It crashed into the ice and plunged through, sinking into the sea before bobbing back to the surface like the most perfect iceberg. "I should know! That's how I died!"
"Lara!" Melody screamed from the shore. "Lara, wake up!"
"Get up, Lara!" yelled Ariel, cupping her hands around her mouth.
Morgana turned back to the shore, grinning as she spotted Ariel and Melody. The two cowered back from her, delicious fear plastered all over their faces as the ice titan moved towards them. "Oh, no! Don't stop on my account! Go on! Beg! Pray! Cry! Hearing you two pining for your freak savior is going to make killing you all the more–!"
The sound of cracking ice reached Morgana's ears. She stopped in her tracks and turned around. There was a fissure in the globe she created, and it was growing. Beads of water ran down the surface of it. The surrounding sea ice turned blue, and then it went clear as it began to melt.
In the middle of the ice prison, the light was returning to Lara's eyes.
Morgana's eyes widened. "No…"
She thrust her hands into the sea, pouring more magic into it and Lara's prison. The ice thickened as it refroze. She froze the ocean clear to the bottom around Lara as she poured even more ice onto her. But the light kept getting brighter and the sea ice kept melting. Three new cracks appeared in the ice globe.
"No! No!" yelled Morgana. "Stop! Just stop already! You're done! You're dead! I won! You hear me!? I won!"
The fracturing ice ignored her claims. The cracks spread rapidly through the globe as the ice and then the marina began to shake. Glowing orange lines appeared on Lara's body. Morgana could hear a faint growling as Lara began to radiate heat underwater. The sea ice was rapidly melting now, returning the ocean to its liquid state.
"Stop!" shouted Morgana, frantically pouring all she had into refreezing Lara's. Frost crawled onto the land and past the wall of spikes, but the prison refused to reform. "Stop it!"
Fissures raced through the barrier of ice spikes. The water began to bubble and then boil around the globe. Frozen ocean became churning sea in a matter of seconds. Morgana's ice wall finally fell to the heat, collapsing into the water. Lara began to move inside the ice, slowly drawing her arms and legs in.
"You can't do this!" Morgana all but pleaded, watching her ice prison come apart with despair. "You can't! This is impossible! What are you!? What are you!?"
Lara's eyes flashed. Suddenly she threw her arms and legs out. The ice globe shattered like glass as Lara roared, releasing a pillar of fire straight up into the sky. The water around her was pushed outwards as an immense wind flew off her. Her eyes were as ablaze as the aura surrounding her, her armor alive with glowing orange lines.
Morgana shielded her face as she stared down at Lara, backing away from her. "You…you're a monster!"
Lara fixed her gaze on Morgana, snarling as sparks flew out her mouth. Then she crouched down and blasted off the sea floor faster than Morgana could react, piercing straight through the ice titan's chest. Her claws seized Morgana by the throat and then she burst out the other side, flying high into the sky. Lara turned around and released a beam of fire from her mouth. It sliced through the ice titan as she drew the beam down its middle, cutting it in half. The ice titan went still and then began to crumble, deprived of the magic that gave it life.
Before Morgana even had a chance to be afraid, Lara released her and then flipped forward, striking down with the back of her tail. Morgana shot towards the sea, only to have Lara disappear and then reappear below her. Lara drew her leg back and then swung her shin into Morgana's back, sending her flying towards the same collapsed sea cliff the Master pinned her against. Morgana hit the earth hard, burying her into the cliffside and then collapsing it further.
Lara gave a hiss as the rubble settled. She drew a breath in and then spat a brilliant beam of fire at the cliff. It hit and detonated in a fiery blast, sending blazing rocks and earth high into the air. Among the debris was Morgana, the witch shrieking with pain and fright. Lara drew her right arm back and then punched at the air, causing her arm to stretch out towards Morgana. Her clawed hand closed on Morgana's tentacles and then contracted as rapidly as it grew, hauling Morgana back towards Lara. Lara turned and swung Morgana overhead, slamming her down against the ocean. Then Lara raised both her fists overhead and brought them down on Morgana, pounding her straight to the ocean floor.
Morgana lost count of how many times she lost consciousness after she hit the cliff. Her mind kept dipping in and out of awareness like a fishing lure riding the ocean waves as Lara beat on her. She had no chance to counter or defend herself. Lara would not allow it. She would wake up for split seconds, only to be deprived of her consciousness before she could take stock of her situation.
The only consistent thing was the pain. Every limb, every bone, every muscle, every inch of her skin was aflame with it. Lara was laying into her with a savagery that would put off the darkest denizens of the Pit. The Tears of Ares and the Master's magic were healing her as fast as Lara could inflict damage, but it only prolonged her agony. Just when Morgana thought she could experience no greater pain, Lara would douse her anew with it. It was the only thing occupying Morgana's mind aside from one desperate thought.
'Please stop!'
She briefly felt searing hot claws grasp her neck, and then Morgana was sent flying through the air again. The world tumbled past her blurry sight, and then a force like a god's hammer slammed into her back. Morgana shot straight down towards the earth, colliding with the top of one of the marina embankments. There was a fresh flash of pain and then her world went black again, only to return seconds later. Everything hurt, from the tips of her fingers to the ends of her tentacles. She felt broken rock pressing into her front.
Morgana weakly opened one eye as she lifted her head. She could see the edge of the embankment before her. At one time it led out to one of the marina's many wharves. Now it only led to ocean, the dark waters meeting red sky at the horizon. Grunting with pain and exertion, Morgana began pulling herself on her belly towards the water. If she could just touch the sea…
The sound of something landing on the stones told Morgana that Lara was now behind her. She wheezed and then coughed as she kept crawling. The potion was no longer empowering or healing her. It would not be long before it exacted its own terrible toll. She heard Lara's heavy footsteps approaching, yet she dared not look back. She was still far from the water. Panic welled up in her as she dragged herself along. Every motion caused her blinding agony.
Suddenly a scalding hot foot stepped on Morgana's back, pinning her to the ground. She screamed as the heat of Lara's armor began burning her, only to be cut off when the black tail whipped around and wrapped her throat. Morgana choked and gagged as she was lifted in front of Lara, staring into those four hellish eyes and infernal maw.
Desperation took Morgana as she tried to get in touch with the sea. Her tentacles reached out for any water in any form, but there was nothing close. The air was dry as well, drained of moisture by Lara's heat and her own ice. She had nothing to use. No way of defending herself. She was completely at Lara's mercy.
And judging by the look in her red eyes, Lara intended to give her none.
Fire began to leak out of Lara's mouth as the light in her eyes became brighter. She growled, her tail squeezing down on Morgana's neck. Morgana felt the already brutal heat from Lara begin to rise even further. Meager frost formed over Morgana as she instinctively tried to shield herself, but it was a futile effort. The heat only intensified, melting the ice as fast as it was created.
Morgana's last conscious action was a scream of deathly fright as Lara opened her mouth wide, allowing her to stare into the furnace-like depths. Then her world descended into fire.
Melody and Ariel saw the glow from Lara's mouth illuminate Morgana's screaming face for a split second. Then the witch was lost as billowing flames burst out, enveloping Morgana and streaking out past the end of the embankment. Her screams changed from fear to agony as she was burned, her ice unable to form fast enough or cold enough to withstand the heat. She writhed about in the flames, a black figure flailing inside the inferno.
A hand reached out from the fire and grabbed Lara's face, tentacles quickly following to try and dislodge Morgana from Lara's grasp. Lara grabbed the hand and wrenched it free, squeezing down till there was a crack. The screaming intensified. Ariel squeezed her eyes shut and turned away, unable to watch any longer.
Melody did not notice her eyes water and then tear as she watched Lara literally roast Morgana alive. She was watching someone burn to death right in front of her. Melody wanted to look away, but her eyes were rooted to the scene. It seemed to go on for hours, each second of Morgana's screaming stretched out into inhumane agony till she went silent. Even then Lara did not stop, continuing to burn her. Then it finally ended as Lara closed her mouth. Morgana's body hung limp and flame-covered in her tail. Lara drew the body back and then tossed it towards the sea. It landed just short with a heavy sound, like a bag of flour dropped on the floor.
Melody stared at Morgana's smoking body as the flames quelled. Then, to her disbelief and horror, the body moved. It was slow, but Morgana reached out with one arm and grabbed the ground, pulling herself towards the sea and away from Lara. She was still alive!
Lara growled and started walking after her.
Melody sprinted after Lara. She had to stop her before it was too late. She had no doubt Morgana needed to pay for her crimes, but not like this. Not with Lara becoming this monstrosity of destruction. Not with Morgana being tortured to death. Melody had a terrible feeling that, if she did not stop Lara, she would never return. She would continue forever as this entity of rage and fire until she burned either the world or herself to ash.
"Melody, wait!" shouted Ariel.
Melody ignored Ariel and ran past Lara, skidding to a stop in her path. "Lara, stop! You have to stop!"
Lara continued walking towards her, eyes fixed on Morgana. She brushed past Melody, oblivious to her presence.
"Don't do this!" pleaded Melody, reaching out to grab Lara's wrist. "Sto–ah!"
Melody jerked her hand back. Lara's armor was burning hot. She looked at her hand, blisters dotting her palm. Lara continued advancing on Morgana. She gave a hiss, her hands clenching and unclenching.
Melody ran back in front of Lara. "Please, Lara! Listen to me! It's Melody! Can't you hear me!?"
If she did hear her, Lara gave no sign. She kept walking straight at Melody. She was about to walk over her when Melody rushed up and pushed on Lara's midsection, trying to slow her down. She screamed as her hands burned, but she did not let up. She kept pushing back as Lara kept going, her feet sliding against the ground. She was not slowing her in the least.
"Lara, stop!" begged Melody, crying from the pain and desperation. "Please stop! It's over! Morgana's done! She can't fight anymore!"
Lara's tail came around and smacked Melody aside, almost rolling her into the sea. She started to get up when she saw a bucket tied to a rope hanging off a stone from the side of the embankment. How it survived the madness of the battles Melody had no idea, but it had. She grabbed the bucket and flung it into the water, quickly hauling it up and chasing after Lara. She stopped just behind her and, taking the bucket in both hands, flung the water at her. It drenched Lara from head to tail, sending off a cloud of hissing steam. Lara spun around immediately, eyes fixed on her.
"Lara, don't do it!" said Melody. "Don't give in! You have to–!"
Suddenly Lara seized Melody by the neck, lifting her off the ground. Melody grabbed at Lara's arm, trying to keep herself from choking. The water cooled Lara's armor down somewhat, but it was still uncomfortably warm and rapidly getting hotter.
"Lara…please…!" choked out Melody. "Don't!"
Lara's eyes narrowed. She pointed a finger at Melody's head. A bead of fire began to form at the tip. Melody's eyes widened. Was she really preparing to kill her?
"Lara, no!" screamed Ariel. "Don't do it!"
"Can't…you recognize…me?" Melody wheezed. "It's Melody! Don't you…remember?"
Lara continued to glare at her, the fire building on her fingertip.
Tears leaked from Melody's eyes. "Lara, please! You're…my friend! Remember…all we've done? The whales? The forest? The…snow? The day…you stopped me…from leaving? The day…we started…over?"
Lara growled, smoke leaking past her teeth as her eyes narrowed.
Melody felt her mind starting to fog. "Remember...what you…told me? You always…look out…for your…friends."
Lara continued to stare at her. Then her mouth opened slightly. "Fr…fr…frien…"
Melody's breath hitched. "Lara?"
"Fr…ends…friends…" Lara's hold on Melody loosened. "My…friends." The fire on Lara's finger diminished and then disappeared as her second pair of eyes slowly closed. "Mel…o…dy."
"It's me!" said Melody. "Lara, It's Melody! Please come back!"
"Melody…" Lara slowly set Melody down and released her. Melody stepped back, coughing as she massaged her neck.
A crack appeared over Lara's face. Then it spread down her neck and across her body as the armor turned gray and began to come apart, falling to the ground like used charcoal. The cracks grew rapidly and then engulfed her at once. A cloud of gray ash and smoke enveloped Lara, and then she collapsed out of it, human once more save her tail and wings. Melody stepped in and caught her, lowering Lara to the ground. The sky began to change, rapidly transitioning from red to the blue of midday.
"Lara? Lara, can you hear me?" asked Melody as she propped Lara upright.
Lara groaned as she looked up at her, eyes filled with the same red light as her hair. Then the furious crimson faded away, revealing her natural golden eyes as her hair lightened to its vibrant orange color. "Mel?"
"It's me, Lara," said Melody.
Lara reached out and gingerly touched Melody's face, as though afraid she was looking at an illusion. "But… Morgana! I saw her pierce your heart! You…you died!"
Melody shook her head. "She hit my shoulder, not my heart! It hurts, but I'm not dead!"
Lara pressed a hand to her head, wincing as a headache like no other pounded her skull. "What happened?"
"You defeated Morgana," said Melody. "And Riptide, and Ursula, and that ship. You won!"
Lara blinked at her. "I did?"
"You don't remember?"
Lara grimaced as she shook her head. "I remember seeing Morgana kill you. Then I remember her laughing and your mom crying. After that it…it's all a blank." Lara looked herself over and then at their surroundings. Melody could see the fear in her eyes as she beheld the damages to the marina, and then the burns on Melody's palms. "Oh no…Mel, what did I–?"
Melody almost threw herself onto Lara, wrapping her in a tight hug with her good arm. "It's all right, Lara! It's over!"
Lara was still for a moment, unsure how to respond to Melody's affections. Then she slowly reached out and hugged her back. "Your voice…I remember your voice, Mel. I was stuck in one nightmare after another, and then I heard you calling to me. You brought me back."
"Of course I did!" said Melody. "You're my friend!"
Lara's hold on Melody tightened as she buried her face in her shoulder. "Thank you."
The sound of uncertain footsteps made Melody look up. Ariel was slowly walking towards them. Her eyes asked Melody if what she was seeing was real. Melody only nodded. Ariel abandoned caution and ran over, dropping to her knees beside the pair and embracing them both.
Remora frowned as she watched the heartfelt reunion. "What, that's it? All that fire and wrath, and a few words from a princess undoes the whole thing? What kind of sappy ending is this!?"
"An ending, nonetheless." The Master turned away as a black portal formed behind him. "Regroup at the Factory gates. I will collect Riptide and Ursula. You see to Morgana."
"She's probably dead already," said Remora. "That, or she wishes she was."
"Regardless, I want her retrieved," said the Master.
"What about the royals?" asked Remora. "Should I finish them off for good measure?"
"Leave them be. We'll come for their heads soon enough."
Remora watched the Master's back. "And Lara?"
The Master stopped just outside his portal.
"You really plan to let her live?" asked Remora. "After what she just did?"
The Master was silent for a moment. "Fifteen seconds."
Remora blinked at him. "What about fifteen seconds?"
The Master glanced over his shoulder. "You have fifteen seconds to fetch Morgana and dispose of Anclagon. I suggest you make them count." With that the Master stepped into the portal and disappeared.
Remora looked down at the marina as Ariel and Melody started helping Lara onto her feet. Lara then lay her hand on Melody, and a white fire burst off Melody's shoulder and then raced onto Lara. The winged mage collapsed back to the dock, clutching her own shoulder as Ariel and Melody quickly knelt beside her.
At last! At last she had a chance to go after Lara again! Fifteen seconds was not nearly enough time to do all she wanted to her. Fifteen days would not be enough to inflict all the misery and pain she wanted to. But given the Master's temper and their working relationship as of late, fifteen seconds was better than nothing. Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth and all that.
Metal shards crept over Remora's hands as she stomped her foot, an electric rimmed portal forming in the ground before her.
"Are you crazy!?" exclaimed Melody, pawing at her now healed shoulder with her unburned hands. "You're in worse shape than I am!"
"Hey, better on you than me!" said Lara with a grin, then winced as she clutched her now wounded shoulder. She then winced again as she looked down at her burned hands.
"Can you walk?" Ariel asked, slinging one of Lara's arms across her shoulder as Melody took the other one.
Lara nodded, but made no attempt to rise. "Just give me a moment."
A crackling noise caused all of them to look up. A dark hole rimmed with electricity had appeared out of thin air before them. Without thinking Lara suddenly pushed Ariel and Melody down. A chain came flying out of the portal a second later, whipping out over her head and wrapping around Morgana's charred body before jerking her back through the air.
A woman stepped out of the portal. She wore a dark hooded robe with golden designs around the hem. Her long blonde braid draped almost down to her feet. It was the smiling white mask on her face, however, that told the trio exactly who she was.
"Consider yourselves lucky!" Remora said as Morgana landed on her shoulder. "If it were up to me, I'd slaughter you all right now! But the Master wants you two alive for some reason!"
She turned her focus to Lara. "Fortunately for me, he's more flexible with your life!"
"Sable!" growled Lara. She pushed off her knee to get to her feet, but then she stumbled and fell back down. She was exhausted in both body and magic.
"You won this round!" spat Remora, venom thick in her voice. "But this isn't over! Not by a long shot! And next time…!"
Remora extended her hand towards Lara. The chain around Morgana broke apart into metal shards, flying around Remora's hand to form a weathered gauntlet. Four small metal balls began rotating around the gauntlet, arcs of golden electricity jumping between them.
Melody and Ariel's eyes widened. They had seen the trident enough times to know what the start of a magic lightning bolt looked like.
"You won't be around to stop us!" finished Remora as she clenched her fist tight, causing electricity to dance across her gauntlet.
Lara acted before Ariel or Melody could. She pushed them aside as she flung a wing in front of her. She dug as deep into her magic as possible, fire sprouting across her chest and face as she formed what she could of her armor in the remaining seconds.
Remora released her hand and the lightning bolt came forth instantly. It tore through the air with a loud crack, striking Lara's wing and exploding with a force that put a cannon to shame. Lara went sailing off the end of the embankment, only to have a second lightning bolt strike her in midair. She flew away even farther than before, splash into the water and sinking.
"Lara!" Melody and Ariel screamed together.
Remora spat through her mask. "Burn in the Pit, brat! It's where you belong!" She then stepped back into her portal, the opening closing behind her.
Melody was already on her feet before Remora left. She dove off the edge of the embarkment, plunging into the debris-riddled water. Golden light quickly replaced her legs with red fins. She swam for where Lara fell as fast as she could. She was not hard to spot with her orange hair and wings, sinking limp in the water. Her head was bleeding and her eyes were closed, bubbles escaping her mouth.
Melody kicked and made a beeline for Lara, hooking her arms around her. She tried to pull her to the surface, but Lara was heavier than she expected. Her wings and tail also made her cumbersome in the water, dragging against it. They started to sink, spurring Melody to swim harder. It was no good. She would not get Lara to the surface in time.
"Melody!"
Melody looked up to see a mermaid Ariel swimming towards her. "Mom! I can't lift her!"
Ariel swam down to her, taking one of Lara's arms. "Together! Swim hard as you can!"
Mother and daughter kicked in unison, working their fins furiously. The trio began to rise, first slowly and then in earnest. Soon they breached the surface. Lara woke up when the air touched her face, coughing out water. Ariel touched the wound on Lara's head, but it was already closing over.
"That's *cough* that's twice in a day *cough* you've saved me!" said Lara.
"Let's not make it three!" said Ariel. "Can you swim?"
Lara shook her head. "Not *cough cough* not really. I'm pretty much spent now."
"Head for that beach," said Melody, nodding towards a patch of sand just south of the marina. "The water looks safe over there."
"Just *cough* just one second," said Lara. She shakily raised her hand out of the water, feeling around her head for her googles. "Good, still there."
"Come on, let's get you out of the water," said Melody. Together she and Ariel began swimming for the shore. Between the two of them it was a matter of minutes before they were hauling Lara onto the sand. Lara rolled onto her stomach and crawled out of the surf on all fours, coughing up more water.
"Are you seriously okay, Lara?" asked Melody as her legs returned.
Lara gagged and reached into her mouth, pulling out a long string of brown seaweed. "Eugh! Knew I swallowed something!"
Ariel pulled herself further onto the beach as Melody helped Lara away from the water. Her orange hair hung heavy around her face, the lip and brow piercings she once bore now gone. Her black wings and tail glistened with wet, dragging in the sand. Ariel knew she was still Lara, and yet she was not. It was as though Ariel were seeing her for the first time all over again. As though Lara had become a new person.
"Lara?" said Ariel. Lara coughed and then turned to look at her. "Not to sound ungrateful, but you have a lot of explaining to do!"
Lara followed Ariel's eyes back to her wings and tail, then gave her an apologetic smile. "Yeah…I do, don't I?"
A bolt of lightning suddenly shot past Lara, striking the sand and exploding. The group covered their eyes as grit peppered them.
"Get away from my family, you monster!"
The three women looked back to the sea. Triton floated towards them on the waves, the trident aimed at Lara and glowing with magic.
Lara's face twisted into a snarl, her exhaustion forgotten as she held one arm straight out to the side. "You again! Claymore!"
The sword came flying in from the marina, landing in Lara's outstretched hand. She stabbed it into the sand and used it to push herself upright. She stumbled to the side before falling to her knees, shakily pointing her sword at the sea king.
"I won't let you escape!" said Triton. "Not this time!"
"My thoughts exactly!" said Lara as the blade of her sword began to heat. "Claymore…!"
Before Lara or Triton could say or do anything else Melody put herself between them, arms spread wide. Triton stopped, his lower half still submerged in the sea.
"Move, Melody," said Triton, gesturing with the trident.
"No!" said Melody.
"Move aside!" Triton ordered firmly.
"I won't!"
"I said move!" repeated Triton even more forcefully.
"Don't get in the way, Mel!" said Lara as she got to her feet again, legs shaking as much as her sword. The blade flickered orange and red, struggling to maintain its heat.
Ariel pulled herself towards the sea. She would have traded her voice for a week to have her legs back right then. "Daddy, stop! She's hurt!"
"You don't know what that thing is!" said Triton. "What it's done! Now move!"
"No!" Melody said, stomping her foot for emphasis. "She's my–!"
The sound of marching boots caused everyone to look towards land. Seahaven soldiers were running down to the beach. In the lead were Eric and Grimsby, a sword on the king's hip. Even from afar they could all see the ecstatic relief that washed over Eric when he saw his wife and daughter.
"Ariel! Melody!" shouted Eric, racing ahead to them.
Melody looked to her father. "Dad!"
Eric practically bounded to Melody, wrapping her up in the tightest hug he could. He was oblivious to Triton and Lara sending death glares at each other through their embrace. "Melody! Oh Melody, thank the gods! I thought you were killed! The guards said Morgana attacked you and…!"
"I'm all right, dad!" said Melody as she hugged him back. "Just–ow!–sore! I mean, Morgana did get me! But she missed my heart! And Lara took the wound off me! I'm okay! Really!"
Eric released her, his face falling when he saw the hole in her camisole. He looked around the marina. "Where are Morgana? And Ursula?"
"They're gone!" said Ariel. "Lara–!"
"Protect their majesties!" shouted Grimsby, interrupting Ariel as the guards finally reached them.
Before Ariel could say anything else a guard took her arms and pulled her away from the ocean, dragging her fins through the sand. Others ran to Melody and Eric, ushering them away from Lara. At the same time the guards encircled Lara, who turned about in alarm.
"Grimsby! What are you doing!?" exclaimed Ariel.
"Keep your spears on her!" said Grimsby. "Don't let her escape!"
The guards obeyed by lowering their spears at Lara, forming a ring of sharpened metal around her. Triton merely watched, his face set in a scowl. Ariel started to crawl frantically towards Lara, but the guard grabbed her and pulled her back.
"Let go of me!" Ariel shouted, but the man held her fast.
"Lara!" Melody pushed away from Eric, trying to escape him and rush to Lara. Eric held her back long enough for a pair of men to restrain her, taking her arms firmly in hand.
"Keep Melody and Ariel back!" ordered Eric.
"Yes sir!" said the guards. Eric turned away and drew his sword as he approached the ring of spears.
"No!" exclaimed Melody, struggling fiercely against the guards. "Don't hurt her!"
"Eric, don't!" said Ariel. "Lara's not the enemy! She saved us! I don't know what you saw, but we would be dead if it wasn't for her!"
If Eric heard them, he gave no sign. He squeezed through the guards into the circle, the men taking several steps back to give him room.
"Your majesty!" exclaimed Grimsby, following Eric into the circle. "She's not safe!"
Eric ignored him and approached Lara. She lowered her sword slightly, flashing a small nervous grin. "And the cavalry arrives. What took you guys so long?"
Eric said nothing, continuing to stare at Lara. Grimsby pushed his way into the ring. He started to approach her but then stopped, remaining behind Eric. Lara could see the distrust in their eyes. The last time she saw that look in another person's eyes, she was in the eastern kingdoms. She saw plenty of eyes like that in those lands. Too often, in fact.
Lara's grin faded. "So that's how it is, huh? I sprout a few new limbs and some extra magic, and now I'm the bad guy?"
"I'm not here about your changes," said Eric. "Or what you did to the marina. What I want to know…" He reached behind him, pulling out a piece of folded paper. He snapped it open in front of her. "Is this you?"
It was a picture of Lara. A crudely drawn one, but it was undoubtedly her. The vivid orange hair, the golden eyes, the black face and ear piercings–they all matched. It even had her goggles and shemagh right, the green and black fabric wrapped around her neck. She was scowling in the picture, as though angry at being looked upon. The picture, however, was not as alarming as the words accompanying it.
Lara's eyes widened, the tip of her sword lowering into the sand. "Where did you get that?"
Eric handed the paper the paper back to Grimsby, who began to read it aloud. "Wanted. Enemy of humanity, Kaida Blackjaw. Also known as Demon Kaida…"
"Where did you get that!?" Lara repeated.
Eric stared silently at Lara, his jaw as tight as the grip on his sword.
"Cannonfist," continued Grimsby. "Torch Blade. Wind Cutter. Pirate's Bane. Hellhound."
"Tell me!" Lara said, her tone louder and angrier.
"Painkiller. Witch Blight. For crimes innumerable including theft…"
"I know what it says!" Lara shouted. "Tell me where you got it!"
Grimsby spoke louder, his voice rising above Lara's. "Assault, trespassing, kidnapping, arson, treason…!"
"Where did you get it, Eric!?" Lara yelled, lifting her sword up. The guards moved closer, hoisting their spears to thrust if needed. Lara glanced around, grimacing as she realized she would be skewered if she did anything remotely threatening. That, and her shoulder and hands were not healed enough to let her fight effectively.
Grimsby went on. "Assassination, murder, heresy…!"
"Tell me!"
"Witchcraft, and the holocaust of Lao-Xan! Reward is one million gold alive…" Grimsby lowered the paper and looked at her. "Five million gold dead."
The silence that followed was among the worst Melody had experienced. It hung in the air, allowing Grimsby's words to permeate her thoughts. She heard them clear as anyone else, but she could not believe them. This had to be a mistake. That or someone was trying to frame Lara. None of that could be true. "Lara? Lara, what's he talking about?"
"I am talking about this," said Grimsby, exiting the ring with the paper. He went over to Ariel and Melody, holding it before them to inspect. Lara could see the disbelief and confusion on their faces as they read. "It's a wanted poster."
Melody shook her head vigorously. "No! I don't believe it!"
"This can't be real!" said Ariel.
"I assure you it is," said Grimsby as he took the paper away. "It arrived from Strihaven this morning. It was marked as a matter of utmost urgency by King Willard himself."
Eric stepped towards Lara. "I'm going to ask you again, Lara. I don't want questions. I don't want excuses. All I want is an answer. Is that you?"
Lara looked at Eric, then at the paper in Grimsby's hand. Her face settled into an angry scowl as she glared at it. Then she sighed, her sword and face dipping down. "Yeah. That's me."
"Then I have no choice," Eric said, sheathing his sword. "Lara Anclagon, by my authority as king of Seahaven, I place you under arrest as a suspected fugitive of the law."
"What!?" exclaimed Ariel and Melody together as a guard approached with a set of wrist and ankle manacles.
"You will be taken to the dungeon and held there till your trial," said Eric. "You will be judged by the laws of Seahaven and the Alliance in the royal court. You are presumed innocent till proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. You have the right to fair representation if you so wish. If you resist, force may be used to detain you. If you attempt to or are able to escape, it will be taken as an admission of guilt to all charges. An inquisition will be held before the trial, during which you may be interrogated."
"Ooh, sounds fun!" said Lara sarcastically. "I haven't had an inquisition in ages! What'll it be first? Whips? Hot brands? Thumb screws? The rack? Please say the rack! My back could use a stretch! Give it your best shot! I'm a tough girl!"
Eric frowned. "You know us better than that, Lara. I wish we could say the same about you."
Lara flinched as though Eric slapped her. Perhaps she would have preferred that.
The guard with the manacles entered the ring. He reached out to put them on Lara, but Eric stopped him. "No. I'll do it."
"But sire…!" protested the guard.
"I said I'll do it," insisted Eric. The guard relented, handing the chains to Eric. "Lara, put down your sword."
Lara refused, keeping her hands on the weapon. Eric sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Don't make this harder for me than it already is."
"If it's that hard, then don't do it," said Lara.
"You know I can't." Eric stepped towards her. "On my honor, I swear no harm will come to you. You will not be mistreated. You will not be tortured. But I can't let you roam free. Not after this."
Lara looked at him. For a moment it seemed she would try to make a break for it, or fight her way out. The guards tensed, ready for Lara to make the first move.
Then Lara sighed as well. "Yeah, I guess you can't. Heavy is the head with the crown, right?" She turned her sword over and stabbed it into the sand, then pulled her remaining knife out and dropped it. She held out her hands and Eric closed the first manacles around her wrists, and then the second set around her ankles. He handed the end of the chain to four guards, who then locked it to their own belts.
"Be careful with that sword," said Lara as a guard collected her knife and then reached for her sword, only to snatch his hand back when the hilt caught fire. "It has a mind of its own sometimes."
"For what it's worth," said Eric. "You saved my family again. I won't forget that, or what you've done for us already."
"Doesn't seem to be worth much," said Lara.
"Enough of this farce!"
"Daddy, no!" Ariel yelled.
Suddenly a large wave washed onto the shore, knocking down the guards, Eric, and Lara. Before anyone could recover their wits a bolt of blue lightning struck Lara. She seized up as magic coursed through her and into the manacles. She screamed as she convulsed on the sand, electricity dancing over her body, tail, and wings.
Everyone spun around to Triton, the light leaving the trident. "That takes care of your magic, beast! Now to finish you for good!"
"Grandfather, stop!" shouted Melody, fighting against the guards holding her in earnest.
"Stand down!" ordered Eric as he leapt to his feet.
"We're not safe with this thing still alive!" said Triton, the ocean carrying him ashore.
Lara turned on Triton as he approached, getting to her knees. "I'm not done with you either, Poseidon! Not by a long shot!" She sucked in a deep breath. "Temp–aaah!"
Blue lightning coursed over Lara, cutting her spell short as she fell back screaming in the sand.
"You won't be using magic again!" said Triton as he loomed over her. "Not with those chains on you! You so much as think of a spell and you'll regret it!"
Lara glared up at Triton from the sand. "Bastard!" She sat up and spat at him, her spittle landing on his hand.
Triton's face flushed red. He pointed the trident at her, the forks glowing brighter as they charged. "This is for my father!"
Before Triton could fire, Eric drew his sword and swung it up into the trident, knocking it towards the sky. He put himself between Lara and Triton, pointing the sword at the merking.
"Get out of my way, Eric!" Triton yelled, swatting the sword aside. Eric deftly swung his sword back around, pointing it in Triton's face and forcing him back.
"Lara is my prisoner!" Eric said angrily. "You will not lay a hand on her! Do, and you will never be welcome in this kingdom again!"
Triton scowled at him. "I said get out–!"
"Ever again!" Eric shouted, cutting him off. "Is that clear!?"
Triton halted, wringing the trident in his hands. He clearly wanted to kill Lara, but he also recognized his temper was getting the better of him. He was on the verge of causing an incident that could fracture the Alliance. He backed up, the trident's glow fading as he peered around Eric to lock eyes with Lara. "Tell me who you are, monster! You, where you come from, and your parents!"
"Why should I tell a murderer like you anything!?" hissed Lara.
"Tell me!" ordered Triton.
Lara scowled fiercely at him. "I think you already know."
The trident began to glow again. "Now."
Lara held Triton's gaze with equal hate. Then she shakily stood up and walked towards him. Eric stood aside, watching closely as Lara came right up to Triton. She glared back at him, standing tall with her chin held high. "My name is Lara. Last scion of the clan of Anclagon. My home was the island of Arcania. My mother was Tirael Ri Faldras."
"Who is your father?" asked Triton. "Give me his name…if it's even a he at all."
Lara held Triton's eyes, light flickering within her own. A warm breeze swept through the air, toying with her wet hair. It swayed behind her like a flame as she uttered one word.
"Bel'al."
Melody never heard that name before. Not even in passing. It was as foreign to her as everyone else who heard it. Yet when she heard it, the effect on her was immediate. She felt a chill run through her spine, spreading across her skin like an ice bath as a twinge of fear pricked her insides. Her breath hitched, pupils dilating and mouth becoming dry. Equally distressing was that Melody did not understand why it unsettled her so. That name stirred some atavistic terror within her she did not even know existed.
Lara narrowed her eyes at Triton. "And you…you killed him, Poseidon."
Triton leaned towards Lara. "I am not Poseidon, you beast."
"Liar!" snarled Lara. "You're him! I know it! I'd recognize your face and that oversized fork anywhere! You drowned my dad in the ocean with it!"
"Lara, it's the truth!" said Ariel. Lara turned to her. "He's Triton, not Poseidon!"
Lara's eyes widened. "Triton? Did you say Triton?"
Ariel nodded vigorously. "Yes! He's my father! I swear! Poseidon was my grandfather, and Melody's great-grandfather!"
Lara blinked at her. "Was?"
Ariel nodded again. "He passed away decades ago! When daddy was still a kid!"
"Stop talking to it, Ariel!" Triton ordered.
Lara turned back to Triton, staring hard at his face as she tried to see the features beneath his thick beard. Suddenly her expression shifted from angry inquisition to stunned recognition, her lips parting slightly. "Wait…Red?"
Triton stiffened for a moment, and then he suddenly drew his hand up and struck Lara across the face. She fell back in the sand, the waves lapping against her legs. "Do not call me that! That is not a name the likes of you can use to address me!"
Lara shook her head as she got back to her feet, anger replaced by confusion. "No…no, no, no! Red is a kid! He couldn't have been more than five when we met! He shouldn't be older than ten by now! You can't be him!"
"I was six when we met," corrected Triton. "Poseidon was my father, and the former King of Atlantica." His hand tightened around the trident. "And you killed him! Right before my eyes, sixty years ago!"
Lara's face paled. "S-sixty years!?" She backed away from Triton. "That…that's not possible! How can…but then what…?"
"Take Lara to the dungeons," interrupted Eric. "Keep guards on her at all times till she's locked up."
The guards nodded, taking a stupefied Lara by the arms and leading her away. She gave no resistance, following them obediently. The guards formed a box around her, hands ready on their swords as they watched her. Melody stared as they left, torn by her desire to break free and run to Lara and her confusion over what she just witnessed.
"And have the cells cleaned out," added Eric. "They're probably filthy."
Triton watched Lara leave, hands tightening around the trident. Anyone could tell he wanted to shoot her, prevented only by the presence of his son-in-law and the innocent guards around her. Then he noticed Lara's sword still stuck in the sand. He scowled at it, the weapon evoking as strong of a reaction in him as Lara's presence.
"This thing is as blood-soaked as that monster," he said, reaching down to take the sword. "I'll be–ah!"
The entire sword burst into flames, singeing Triton's hand before he could grab it. He snapped his hand back and the flames extinguished. He reached for it again and the fire appeared, blocking him from touching it.
"Cursed thing!" growled Triton, pointing the trident at it. "Then I'll just be done with it!"
Lightning shot from the trident, but the fires engulfed the blade once more. The lightning was scattered in a shower of sparks, leaving the blade untouched. The guards shied back, Eric and Ariel shielding their eyes.
Triton was about to fire again when Melody finally broke free of the guards holding her. She ran for Lara's sword, sprinting across the sand. Triton quickly pulled the trident up as he saw her coming. "Melody! Get away from that thing!"
Melody ignored him, running till she stopped several paces from the sword. She looked at the blade, sunlight glinting off the polished metal. To think this weapon had not only been able to stand up to the trident, but also nearly brought down that monster Riptide and defended her and Ariel against Lara's kingdom-killing attack. Who knew what power was really sleeping within it? Or in Lara? And she was about to pick it up again. But she did it before, and nothing happened. There was no reason to think it might harm her now. Of course, that was before its master was marched off in magic chains.
"Melody, wait!" said Eric. He started towards her when Ariel grabbed the hem of his pants.
"Hold on," said Ariel. Eric looked at Ariel for an explanation, but when she offered none, he was forced to trust that she knew what she was doing. He watched with her as Melody stopped in front of the sword and then reached for it.
Triton leveled the trident at the sword, already calling up water. "Don't touch it!"
Melody was expecting the flames to come out as much as Triton. But to both their surprise and her relief, it gave not even a spark as her fingers wrapped around the hilt. She pulled it free of the sand, taking it in both hands. It really was heavy. How did Lara wield it so deftly?
"Give it here." Melody turned to see Triton holding out his hand. "Give me the sword."
Melody backed away from Triton, clutching the sword to herself. "This is Lara's!"
"I'll not have you near that beast!" barked Triton, causing Melody to jump. "Or have anything to do with it! Give it to me!"
Melody stepped further away from her grandfather. "Why!? So you can blast it with your trident as well!?"
"Because it's just as dangerous as that creature!" Triton advanced on Melody. "Now give me that sword!"
Triton reached for the sword, only to have fire erupt from it as his fingertips drew close. Melody almost dropped it, but then realized the flames were not harming her. They were not even warm. Her hands were in the middle of the fire, yet she was completely unharmed.
Triton stared at the burning sword his daughter was holding. "Impossible!"
Melody watched the flames withdraw as Triton retracted his hand. The king reached for it again and the flames came back. He quickly reached for the handle, only to pull his hand back as the fire licked his skin. Eric approached Melody and attempted the same thing, only to have the fires reappear. Melody felt nothing. She opened one of her hands. Instead of red blisters she saw completely normal skin. She switched hands and saw the same thing.
She looked her grandfather and father in the eye. "I think Lara's sword knows who its friends are."
"Oh, mon…"
Everyone looked to the surf as Sebastian came wearily scuttling up onto the beach. Bits of seaweed were stuck in his shell, he had mud marks on his face, and he swayed side to side as he climbed the sand. Then he pitched forward with a tired groan, letting his face rest in the beach before he looked up at the group.
"I'm too old for dis…" he muttered. Then his face flopped down in the wet sand as he passed out.
A single smoldering ember lingered on the drifting remains of a ship, clinging to life amidst the ocean. The ember dwindled for a moment, and then it flared to life as a slow stream of fire rose from it. The raven's body formed from the flames, alighting on the flotsam littering the marina.
He frowned as he watched Lara be led away by the guards. The look on her face was one of defeat. She could have flown off or fought her way out if she wanted to. Even drained by her rage, that much was still within her abilities. Instead she allowed herself to be arrested and chained. Her tail dragged behind her, leaving a long sinuating streak through her footprints.
His frown deepened as he saw Melody walk past her father and Grimsby, Lara's sword clutched protectively in her arms and anger clear on her face. A guard tried to reach for her, but the sword ignited before he came within a foot of the princess. Grimsby looked at the paper in his hands and then returned it to Eric, who pocketed it in his belt. A glimmer of golden light announced Ariel's return to her human form. Eric helped her up from the sand, the two embracing tightly. The raven then watched Eric and Ariel converse with Triton. They talked for a minute, Triton rather animated as he pointed towards Lara's retreating form. Then Eric pointed to the palace's beachside pavilion. The three separated, Triton scooping up the unconscious Sebastian and returning to the ocean as Eric led Ariel away. Triton paused for a moment, looking back at his daughter as she left the shore. Then he turned and slipped beneath the waves.
"Well played, Maelstrom," growled the raven. "Well played indeed. Seahaven won this day, but because of your interference, Lara lost the battle. She may yet be another victim of your malevolence."
He followed the red of Ariel's hair as she and Eric walked towards the town. "It's time for us to speak again, your highness. As you said to Lara, there is much explaining to be done."
A/N: Rage begets rage. Violence begets violence. Yet in our darkest hours, hope can come from the smallest of lights and the quietest of voices. Amidst the tempest of her own anger and sorrow, Melody's voice is able to reach Lara and bring her back from the brink. Maelstrom retreats to the shadows to lick their wounds. Yet what should be a moment for celebration is soured by revelations of forgotten histories, buried sins, and a single name. With trust broken on all sides, loyalty may soon follow in its steps.
Hope you all enjoyed this! And good news…another chapter is coming right after this one! Expect it very soon!
Till next time, everyone!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own "The Little Mermaid," Disney, or any of its associated characters and intellectual property. I do not own the listed song(s). Everything else, however, is mine =)
