The Call Of Thalassa

“You’ve seen my descent.

Now watch my rising.”

-Rumi

The Eastern Caves weren’t far from the Kingdom of Atlantis. It didn’t take them long before they arrived in the familiar waters of their homeland. Their tails had moved silently but quickly, bringing them closer and closer to the place they desired most. Their determination was painted on their faces as they took a glance at the familiar walls. The walls that once protected them now stood against them. The fact didn’t terrify them -it didn’t cause fear in their hearts. It only fueled their desire to kill the invaders and take back their home.

The Atlanteans weren’t bloodthirsty people neither did they desire war. They enjoyed their peaceful lives in their glorious city, where they spent their time by the side of the people they loved. However, don’t be mistaken; they were a force to be reckoned with. They knew how to fight. They were taught the art of war at a very young age. Not to cause havoc and chaos, but to be able to protect everything they loved. And when someone fights for such a noble cause, he doesn’t surrender. He is a force so strong that his enemies behold.

And now, standing before the city of their hearts, they gripped their tridents tighter. Their hands were ready to use the lethal three-headed arrows and avenge their loved ones’ death. They weren’t shaking -their hands were steady. Their eyes pinned on the home that was taken so violently from them. Their teeth grew longer and sharper as their nails gave way to their fatal talons. Their scales covered their bodies as their muscles tensed impatiently. Their eyes glowed dangerously as their true nature appeared.

They were ready for battle. The city was close by -you’d think if you stretched out your hand you’d be able to touch it. However, they had to wait, hidden behind the hills that were close to the eastern gate. For Havelock had sent out a scout to observe how the city was fortified. He would not risk falling into a trap and his men getting killed. He wanted to be absolutely sure before he made any move.

They didn’t have to wait for too long -though time flies differently when you’re impatient. Just a few minutes later, the familiar form of the guard appeared beside them in the same soundless and swift way that he had disappeared. Havelock approached him eagerly, praying that everything would go as planned.

“So?“, Osmond asked impatiently.

“There are only a few along the walls”, the guard confirmed their suspicions, “The gates seem to be completely unprotected. I didn’t see anyone guarding them.”

“Of course”, Havelock remarked, “If an attack occurs they don’t care about holding the gate. The Tenebris will attack us once we are inside.”

“Classic barbarian behavior”, Osmond rolled his eyes, “What do we do, my King?”

“We follow our plan”, Havelock stated firmly.

“Excellent”, the general smirked.

Turning around, his yellow eyes took in their men. They were waiting until the order was given to them and they could finally return back home. Osmond could clearly see how eager they were. He could not blame them; he felt the same impatience running through his veins. To be so close to your goal and to not have achieved it just yet... It’s a strange feeling. A feeling fueling your actions and motivating you to try harder.

“Come one, boys!“, the general smiled, “It is time we take our homeland back!”

These words were all they had been waiting for. As if a thread snapped, the Atlanteans poured out like a wild torrent. With their hearts beating wildly and their determination reaching new levels, they followed their King to battle. Their tails moved fast, guiding them closer and closer to the battlefield. Their tridents were held high, ready to slash the ones standing between them and their home. Terrifying growls and hisses escaped them as their lips pulled back, revealing their sharp teeth.

The rogues were surprised at their presence -they hadn’t been expecting them at all. Believing that fear had gripped tightly onto the Atlanteans’ hearts, they believed they wouldn’t dare to return. The Tenebris were outnumbered and doomed to fail -they wouldn’t be able to defend the city. However, the fact didn’t seem to faze them -their lethal instincts kicking in. Instead of swimming inside the city and warning the rest of their kin of the upcoming threat, they abandoned their posts and swam towards their enemy.

Their eyes flashed red, like the blood they wanted to shed. The Tenebris enjoyed nothing else as much as inflicting misery and wreaking death around them. Perhaps, because they themselves had no longer any sense of logic -madness had occupied every corner of their minds. They felt no pain, no fear -they had nothing to lose. They bowed to no King -they didn’t follow orders. The only reason they had followed Sethelious was that he allowed them to take their revenge against the world that had shunned them -he let them be the bloodthirsty monsters they had become.

However, their attack was without thought -they had no order nor plan. Their lust for blood clouded their thoughts, making them forget that they were completely outnumbered in front of a trained army. Their sharp talons and teeth didn’t stand a chance before the tridents that were turned against them. The pointed arrows slashed through their flesh, painting the water with scarlet ink. Soon enough, the growls of terror turned into hisses of pain until they were silenced once and for all.

Havelock pierced a Tenebris with his trident, before expertly passing it into his other hand and slashing another rogue coming his way. Behind him, Osmond slit another’s throat before turning his weapon around and stabbing a rogue that was right behind his back. The general sent an assuring glance at his King before continuing his work. He followed close by, covering Havelock from any sudden attacks.

“Have!“, the general suddenly shouted, “The Gates!”

Turning around, the young King realized what he meant. In front of the Gates stood a woman with skin as white as the sea’s foam and lips as dark as the deepest abyss. Her eyes were a light blue color, but the way they shinned would make anyone believe they were total white. Her long locks were like black kelp -the same color as the scales decorating her form. Although, instead of a mermaid’s tail, she had the tail of an eel -small sparks of electricity escaping her form.

A Nymph, he thought.

They had found the traitor.

Havelock could feel his claws digging into the flesh of his palms as the realization hit him. His jaw clenched in fury as he moved his tail quickly, swimming towards the Sea Deity that was cutting their path. Standing before her, the young King didn’t seem to be agitated by her warning growls nor from the electric sparks of her tail. His eyes found her almost white ones, daring her to continue standing between him and his city.

“Why did you betray your own?“, he asked her firmly.

The Nymph let a strange sound escape her -something between a hiss and a laugh.

“Betray?“, she chuckled, “I never betrayed my people. They were the ones that dared to bow to someone lesser than us -they gave their loyalty to the King of Atlantis.”

“And you call that betrayal?“, Havelock shook his head, “It’s called making an alliance.”

“You make alliances with your equals”, the Nymph hissed, “We are Sea Goddesses -we have powers merpeople could only dream of. Why would we ever get involved with Thalassa’s children?”

She moved her tail quickly, aiming towards his chest. The electricity running through her scales would be enough to burn him alive. However, he saw her intentions before she made them -he moved to the left before it was too late. The Nymph let an annoyed scole at his movement.

“You say merpeople are lesser than Nymphs”, Havelock yelled at her, “Yet, you chose to follow one. Why would you help Sethelious, if you don’t want anything to do with us?”

The Nymph growled angrily, before trying to hit him again with her scales. Her attempts were fruitless -the merman avoided them expertly.

“Because he promised he will not get involved with my kind!“, the Nymph hissed angrily, “Plus, he would kill most of you. The oceans will be finally freed from your vile presence!”

Suddenly, a veil of white foam and bubbles covered her whole form, hiding her figure away from everyone’s gaze. A faint light appeared on the inside before quickly disappearing. Havelock gripped his trident tighter, knowing exactly what that meant. She didn’t wait for her cover to disappear before she attacked. She used it as coverage, wanting to find the young King unprepared.

A large eel appeared from the chaos of foam and bubbles -her dark green scales filled with electricity. She opened her mouth wide -her sharp teeth ready to dig into some royal flesh. She had used this form to escape from the Eastern Caves -her sisters never noticing her absence. And she had used this form to reach her precious master when he was imprisoned in a gorge so deep and narrow that nobody was able to pass through. And she had done her part perfectly -giving him all the information he ever needed and transferring his commands to those he wanted.

And now, she could finally rid her kin from this shameful alliance once and for all. She would prove to them that merpeople didn’t stand a chance against a Nymph. Her kind was much more superior -they didn’t have anything in common with the weak and powerless Atlanteans. And therefore, they shall not bow to their King nor offer them their help in any way.

His trident pierced her right below her mouth, where her neck was supposed to be. Havelock knew he couldn’t risk her tail making contact with his weapon –the electricity would pass through the metal and hit him in the process. Her mouth remained open in a silent scream –her black eyes pinning him with a gaze filled with hatred. She died alone, fighting for a cause that wasn’t hers. Her sisters wouldn’t grieve for her –she had endangered them all with her lust for supremacy. She had no place among them. No tears would be shed for her.

His army surrounded him, standing right behind him. Osmond squeezed his shoulder in encouragement as a few of their men swam towards the unprotected gate. They prepared themselves for the attack they knew would come as soon as the gates were opened. Havelock took a deep breath before nodding to his men.

The Gates opened.

And all hell broke loose.

There were so many of them, swimming through the gates and attacking them. Their lips were pulled back into terrifying snarls, revealing their eager canines. Their scarlet eyes were glowing brighter as their need for blood grew more intense. Their claws slashed anything on their way, not caring even if they hurt one of their own. There was no logic in their attack -they didn’t care if they died or not. The Tenebris only knew that there was an enemy in front of them -someone they could finally satisfy their bloodlust with.

The Atlanteans formed some kind of wall -standing side by side with their tridents extended. They let the rogues come closer before piercing them with their weapons and staining the three-headed arrows with their blood. Then, they would move a bit closer to their city –they had almost entered through the glorious gates. They continued the same act -piercing their enemies and swimming a bit forward. The water around them turned scarlet with the blood of their enemies.

After a few more tries, they managed to pass through the gates. They didn’t keep the solid act –the place wasn’t as narrow as the passage to the city and therefore, it would no longer help them. They dispersed, swimming towards the rogues and slashing them with their tridents. The whole place was filled with furious growls and hisses of pain. The battle was brutal but the Atlanteans didn’t give up.

Havelock slashed a Tenebris with his weapon before hitting another with his tail, sending it straight on Osmond’s awaiting trident. In front of him, Amias took hold of another that was lurking behind his brother’s back. Completely unaware of what was happening behind him, Evander was expertly avoiding a rogue’s attempt to slash him with his talons.

Havelock couldn’t help but feel proud of his men. In the midst of chaos, they still looked out for each other. It wasn’t an easy thing to do –especially when you have bloodthirsty rogues trying to kill you in the process. But the Atlanteans would never leave one of their own unprotected –they wouldn’t let him be killed. Not on their watch.

A flash of black scales brought him out of his thoughts. His gaze found a familiar figure –the one responsible for all this havoc. Fury ran through the young King’s veins as he stood before the man that had caused so much grief and loss to his family. The one who was responsible for his people’s miseries.

Enough is enough.

Havelock didn’t let him speak –he didn’t want to hear more lies falling from his lips. Before Sethelious could utter a word, the young King had swiftly appeared right in front of him. He was determined –this would end today.

The sound was echoing as their tridents clashed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End of chapter 48!!

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