The Campbell Chronicles Part Two
Chapter 4
King Shark exploded forward; his hulking form was a blur as he charged toward Namor.
Namor went to meet him, the tiny wings jutting from his ankles fluttering wildly as he closed the distance between them. At the last second, Namor dropped low, sliding through Shark's legs.
Springing up in a Crouch, Namor spun at the waist, slamming a kick into Shark's knee as he stopped.
With a roar, King Shark's knee buckled, and he slammed to the earth, sending sand into the air. Straightening up, Namor danced forward and pounded his fist into Shark's kidney.
With a snarl, King Shark twisted, bringing his throbbing leg around in a kick.
Crouching low, Namor caught his leg, grunting as he skidded in the sand against the weight. With a yell, Namor flexed his body and spun, throwing King Shark through the air.
The people of the ninth parted as King Shark slammed into the ground and rolled to a stop at the opening of an underground tunnel.
Shoving off the ground, King Shark launched into the air. Twisting in the air a good five feet off the ground, he landed facing Namor.
The two began circling each other; dark midnight orbs met pale blue eyes.
"So," Namor began, "What's your name? I know your mother didn't name you King Shark."
King Shark raised his oversized fist, flexing his webbed fingers before clenching them into fists. "You know what? It's been a long time since anyone asked me my name."
Namor raised an eyebrow, "Well, are you going to tell me?"
King Shark's lips curled, showing off his large white triangular teeth. "If you can make me bleed, I'll tell you."
Namor raised his fist and danced forward, eyeing his skinned knuckles. 'His skin is tougher than I thought, and was it his regeneration or durability that allowed him to recover from that kidney shot?'
King Shark leaped off the ground and blurred through the water.
Namor's blue eyes tracked his movement, the gills behind his years flaring as his body breathed more oxygen.
King Shark appeared on his right, his head lunging forward.
'He's fast.'
Namor jerked away, King Shark's teeth inches from his neck as he danced backward.
Keeping his eyes locked on King Shark, Namor removed his Trident from his back, "I didn't realize wewere playing for keeps."
King Shark's wide webbed grey feet touched the ground, "As a man of the sea, you should know sharks bow to no one."
Namor spun his Trident, sending bubbles shooting away from him, "I would rather not kill you."
King shark lunged forward, his muscled arm outstretched, his fingers splayed, as he tried to rend Namor's flesh with his claws.
Swiping his Trident through the air, Namor knocked King Shark's arm aside and lunged forward.
King shark pulled back, but the tip of Namor's Trident scraped the grey skin over his heart.
Blood flowed through the water as King Shark again touched the ground. Raising his left hand, Shark touched the gashes on his chest, rubbing the blood between his fingers. Raising his gaze, he stared at Namor, "You made me bleed."
"I did," Namor agrees, bringing his Trident before him, "Now, what's your name?"
King shark stared at him as his left arm dropped to his side, the cuts on his chest slowly growing shut. After a moment, he snorted, "Nanaue."
The people of the ninth began to whisper; no one had ever seen King Sharkbleed before, let alone knew his name.
King Shark glanced behind him, and the people fell silent.
Their eyes widened, and each took a step back toward their homes.
It appears you have impressed the people.
Namor slammed his Trident into the seafloor, "Does that mean you concede defeat?"
King Shark shook his head, "No, there's only one way this fight ends, and it's in blood."
"Why? You could be a boon to Cradle, especially Oceana."
"Sharks are subservient to no one," King Shark shot forward, launching a punch toward Namor's face.
Namor raised his Trident, blocking the punch. The force of the blow sent Namor skidding backward, and while he was off balance, King Shark's foot flickered up and slammed into his stomach. Namor felt his ribs bend as he was sent rolling across the ground.
"Namor!" Nyad cried out, water churning around her.
"Stop!" Namor rose to his feet, a hand on his stomach as he leaned on his Trident, "This is my fight. If I cannot prove to the people of the ninth that I am strong, they will always be afraid; I will not let them live in fear."
Biting her lip, the water around Naiad calmed. Her hands drifted downward, and her fingers laced together over her stomach.
King Shark appeared on Namor's right, his head lunging forward.
Namor grimaced as King Shark's angular teeth scraped along his skin.
Blue energy flared around Namor's arm, forming into a turtle shell as he tapped into the power of a sea turtle' stopping Shark's teeth from digging deep.
Blood flowed through the water as Namor brought his left arm around, sending a bolt of electricity straight between King Shark's eyes.
Shark's head snapped back, and ascream echoed throughthe water as his hands clamped over his eyes.
Namor lunged forward, his golden Trident piercing Shark's body, but with the short distance between them and the toughness ofKing Shark's skin, it didn't go deep.
With a yell, King Shark's hands fell from his eyes and wrapped around the shaft of the Trident. With a grunt, a battle began. Namor dug his feet into the ground and tried to force the Trident deeper while Shark fought to force it out.
"Yield," Namor screamed, "you do not have to die!"
"Never!"
Namor's eyes hardened, "fine, what a waste of blood." Electricity flowed from Namor's hand and into the Trident.
Shark spasmed, and smoke rose off his body as the current flowed through his form.
The residents of the ninth backed away almost into the doorway of their dwellings as electricity arced through the water in all directions. People cried out and shielded their eyes against the light.
An orange-scaled Atlantean stepped forward. Dropping to his knees, he slammed his hands on the ground. Walls of sand shot up around Namor and King Shark.
Electricity slammed into the sand, turning It into clouded glass.
When the electricity faded, the people of the ninth peered through the glass and found King Shark slumped over Namor's Trident, its prongs piercing out his back, bits of bloody meat hanging from the tips.
With a grunt, Namor lifted the Trident into the air. Blood flowed down the Golden shaft as the weight of King Shark's body forced him further down onto the prongs.
The King of the Seas of Cradle twisted at the waistandthrew him toward the glass wall.
The glass shattered.
Shards scraped and pierced King Shark's body as he slammed into the ground.
Nyad strode forward, glass crunching beneath her feet as she closed the distance between her and Namor. Stopping beside him, she grabbed the wrist of his free hand and raised it high, "Winner."
For a moment, there was silence, andthen an Atlantean with a black beetle-like shell covering his body began to clap. Slowly, others joined in and began tocheer.
Namor slid his Trident onto his back before raising his handsslowly; the crowd fell silent, and Namor pointed to King Shark, "He still lives; what do you want to do with him?"
A woman with green skin, webbed fingers, and fins where her ears were supposed to be stepped forward, "You're letting us decide."
"Yes, miss…"
"Siren," the woman answered, fiddling with her ragged pale blue dress,
"Well, Miss Siren, he has committed no crime that I know of, and our deal was that he would train the people of Oceana for 20 years, but it is obvious he doesn't want to do that, so I ask you, the people who live under his rule what is to be done with him."
A man with beetle-like armor covering his body stepped forward. Pale light reflected off his bald head as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. His Brown eyes bore into Namor's pale blue.
As they stared at each other, Namor realized the man before him was 5 inches taller than his 6'2" frame.
"You have something to say, Mr.…"
"Chrysalis," the man grunted, his voice a deep baritone.
"Well, Chrysalis?"
"King Shark was not a good leader. He did not take care of us or provide forour needs. He sometimes abused us, but he kept us safe from others. He chose to die." He turned to face the others of the ninth. "For all he's done for us, I say we grant his wish."
People nodded at Chrysalis's words, and with a sigh, Namor slung his Trident off his back and approached King Shark. Stopping beside him, Namor raised his Trident high in the air. "You fought well,Nanaue. Rest now, and may you find what you're looking for in the afterlife."
Nanaue's eyes cracked open. "Do it before I regenerate. Show these people your strength and lead them to a new era. Show them there's more to living in the sea than blood and pain."
With a nod, Namor brought his Trident down, slamming it into the base of Nanaue's neck with enough force to sever his head from his shoulders. The splintering of bone and spray of blood signified King Shark's ending.
There was no cheering as King Shark's head was kicked away from his body. The people of the ninth bowed their heads to the man who had taught them to be strong.
Flicking the blood off his Trident, Namor slipped it onto his back and walked away.
Mai moved before him and placed her dark blue hands on his face. "Are you all right?" she asked, concern shining in her eyes.
Pale blue eyes met red, and Namor shook his head, "No, I'm not; King shark did not have to die."
Mai nodded, her dark green, almost black hair swaying in the water. "No, he didn't, but he wanted to come. He was a man who lived a life of pain, driven by the beast within. He didn't know how to be anything else, but he did want something better for these people."
"He saw and you a better chance for the people of the ninth; by defeating him in combat, you showed him that you have the strength to lead these outcasts of the sea. However, despite your win, he knew the shark within him would never concede."
Mai leaned forward and kissed his lips. "Now," she moved her hands to his shoulders and turned him to face the silent crowd. Let's take these people home."
Staring at the people of the ninth, Namor cleared his throat. "People of the ninth tried, if you come with me to Oceana, I cannot promise everything will be peaceful or that it will be a land flowing with milk and honey, but I can promise you that you will have the freedom to go after your dreams."
"Cradle will try its best to protect you, but the universe is a vast and dangerous place, so we must all remain strong," he gestured to King Shark. "We must all be sharks when it comes to protecting our homes and our families."
"Knowing all of this, will you come with me?"
The people of Cradle looked at one another before looking around at their home.
An Atlantean covered in orange scales stepped forward, his back straight, his red eyes full of determination, "Can you promise us it will be better than," he gestured around at the ninth, "This."
"Well, Mr.?"
"Scour."
"Well, Mr. Scour, we're not going to hand you everything on a silver platter, but from the way, you manipulated that sand, I can guarantee you will find employment in Oceana or anywhere else you want to go." He looked around at the rest of the ninth, "and not just him if you're willing to put in the effort, we have a place for everyone."
Scour turned and looked back at the people of the ninth; most of the crowd nodded individually. Then he turned back to Namor. "As long as you keep your word, we will go with you to Oceana, but if you lie to us," his eyes glowed like two drops of blood, "You will find out just how dangerous the ninth can be."
Namor nodded, "Fair enough." He turned to Mai, "Can you contact Wanda and let her know that the people of the ninth are ready?"
"No need," Mai spread her arms wide, and a circle of blue energy appeared beneath them.
With quick steps, Namor closed the distance between him and his love, his hands sliding to her belly, "Are you sure you're…"
Mai cut him off with a glare.
Namor glared right back but eventually looked away, "Fine."
In a flash of blue light, the Ninth Tride disappeared from Atlantis.