The Call Of Thalassa

“We all have a sea inside us;

can you hear it?

Can you hear the ocean roaring?”

- Dianna Hardy

His chest was burning from all the emotions swirling inside of him. The grief and devastation of his best friend’s death gripped his heart tightly, making him physically ache. The image of his people being slaughtered around him as they begged for mercy intensified the pain of his soul, making the words die in his throat as the emotions choked him.

And then, his gaze snapped at the man standing before him. Sethelious seemed quite pleased with himself as he watched Osmond’s blood dripping from his trident. The aquamarine eyes of his uncle were similar to his father, but he found nothing familiar in them. There was a fiery fury in them, a pleasure in creating chaos and burning the world to the ground.

Although, what set Havelock off wasn’t Sethelious’ eyes and the spark of deceit in them. It was his smirk -that sickening smirk that decorated his face as he gazed down at his dead friend. The corner of his lip raised in pleasure as he watched the results of his riot. It was enough for the rage inside him to overpower his grief.

A wrath so blazing mixed with a sorrow so deep is a dangerous combination.

The snarl that came out of his mouth was enough to terrify the bravest of men. The murderous sound came from deep inside him, filled with every emotion he couldn’t put into words. It echoed around the halls of the palace, making everyone tremble at the sound.

“Well”, Sethelious gave him a devious smile, “Looks like we’re more alike than you think, nephew.”

Havelock balled his hands into tight fists, unfazed by his sharp nails digging into his flesh and the blood that was spilled.

“You and I have nothing in common, uncle”, he growled deep in his throat, “You betrayed those you swore to protect –your people, your family, your brother!”

Sethelious let a laugh escape him as he played with his trident. He seemed unbothered by his words as he took in the chaos surrounding them. He let a sigh of content as the scent of iron reached his nose. The smell of blood seemed to be very appealing to him as well as the sound of the screams of terror.

“You swore to protect this city! Yet, this is the second time you bring an army to spill blood in your name!“, Havelock snarled viciously as he took hold of his own trident, “You swore to obey your King! Yet, you went after his crown! You swore to have your brother’s back! Yet, you killed his mate in cold blood!”

The scar on his face deepened as he furrowed his eyebrows.

“So many oaths”, he shook his head in disgust, “They make you swear and swear.”

The two men started to circle one another. Their tridents shinning as they gazed upon their enemy.

“Protect Atlantis, obey your King, honor your brother, love your mate...And for what?“, Sethelious laughed humorlessly.

Their tridents clashed together, letting a boisterous sound. They used them with incredible skill and elegance as if they were two dancers moving along the rhythm.

“There comes a day, kid, when you wake up and you have lost everything”, Sethelious barked, “And all because the oaths you have to honor are the same ones destroying your life.”

Havelock groaned as Sethelious’ black tail hit him with force, sending him to the wall behind him. He barely had time to register the pain on his back, before quickly rolling to the side as a shiny trident came his way.

“The throne was never yours”, the young prince provoked him, “My mother was never yours.”

Havelock smirked at Sethelious’ anger, enjoying his fruitless attempt to pierce him with his weapon.

“You were just a spoiled kid –going after what belongs to others because you were never satisfied with what you had.”

His aquamarine orbs glowed as his fury took the best of him. He moved expertly in the water, delivering swift hits to the young prince as a punishment for his words. He wasn’t a man to be ridiculed by an imbecile kid who had half his years. It was beyond the limits of his patience and tolerance.

With a lightning movement, he managed to hit Havelock with the long handle of his trident, sending the young prince to the floor. He let a shout before bringing the sharp edge of the weapon down on him. Havelock barely managed to block his attack –the long handle of his weapon found its way into one of the three recesses of his uncle’s trident.

“If someone was spoiled that was your father, not me”, Sethelious spat out furiously as he put pressure on his weapon, “He degraded and disrespected me as soon as he sat on the throne of Atlantis!”

“He was the King!”, Havelock defended his father as he tried to repel the sharp edges going down on him.

“He was my brother!”, he let a ground-shaking growl, “He was supposed to treat me with equality and respect! But as soon as he took the crown, he had no use of me. He forgot he ever had a brother! "

Havelock pushed him back with his tail, throwing him a few feet away from him. He rolled his shoulders before charging at him with his trident. The sound of metal hitting metal resounded around them as they moved swiftly in the water.

“He forgot he had a brother when you killed his mate –my mother !“, Havelock shouted at him, “When you threatened his people and forgot all the oaths you had ever taken! You are a traitor! A murderer! "

Sethelious hit his chest with the handle of his trident, making him lose his balance momentarily. But those few moments were all he needed to bring his weapon down and pierce his flesh. Three long slashes appeared on his right shoulder, making the prince hiss in pain. But he did not dare back down.

“He forgot he had a brother when he didn’t need one, you foolish kid”, he snarled hatefully at his nephew, “He took everything from me until I had nothing else to give him. He took the love and admiration of the Atlanteans! The respect of our father! The woman I loved! Everything !”

Sethelious got hold of the prince’s arm before forcefully guiding him into a column. Havelock groaned as his nose started to bleed. His eyesight blurred as he became dizzy from the pain on his head.

“He destroyed my life!”, he yelled in his face with fury written all over his features.

“But don’t you worry. Now, I’ll destroy yours!”, he smiled darkly.

Havelock shook his head in denial.

“You are the one who destroyed your own life”, he tasted blood on his tongue from his busted lip, “You could have been happy with your mate by your side and kids of your own. But do you know why you are not?“, the young prince let a humorless laugh escape him.

Sethelious growled in warning.

“Because you were too focused on destroying the happiness of others than to build yours!”

The older man took hold of his long black locks before hitting his head on the marble of the same column. Taking advantage of his dizziness he threw the prince on the floor and pierced his tail with his trident. Havelock let out a loud whizz at the painful sensation –a burning ache began from his scales as the sensitive flesh was pierced.

“Your words may be brave, but your strength is not enough to support them”, he gritted through clenched teeth at the wounded man.

“Sometimes words can hurt you more than a weapon could”, Havelock answered back at his enraged uncle.

His delight turned to pain as soon as Sethelious turned the trident that had pierced his flesh. Letting a hiss of agony, he gazed at his uncle recognizing the spark of pleasure in his eyes. His glowing blue orbs closed momentarily as he became blinded by the searing pain of his fins being sliced open.

“I’ll take my chances with a trident”, he gave him a malicious smile.

With rapid movements, Sethelious removed the trident before bringing it back down to him. Havelock despite the pain in his tail, managed to stand up and repel his attack. Their tridents sparkled as the two gladiators fought each other. One motivated by a thirst for revenge and the other to protect all he held dear.

“I hope you said goodbye to your mate, nephew”, he smirked darkly, “You’ll never see her again.”

“Oh but I will!“, Havelock growled through clenched teeth, “As soon as I have your head on a spike!”

Sethelious brought his trident upon him with a heartfelt laugh.

“Even if there was a possibility of you making it out alive, who said she’ll be waiting for you on that lonely beach of yours? "

Havelock froze -his eyes widening in utter shock. How did his revengeful uncle know about their safe haven? About their meetings on their lonely beach? His blood ran cold as the realization hit him with force. Aileen was never safe on land -she had a target on her back no matter how many worlds away they were. And right now, she could be in danger for all he knew.

How could he be so stupid?

Why hadn’t he seen it coming?

Sethelious wanted revenge and his mate was the first on his kill list.

Havelock growled loudly at the thought of his mate getting hurt. He snarled at his smirking uncle, showing him the sharpness of his teeth. Reminding him that he was a predator that was not to be messed with. That he would destroy everyone who dared challenge him. Anyone who dared lay a single finger on her. Anyone who came between him and his soul’s other half.

And that’s how he pounced on him.

The prince was an excellent warrior, having mastered the art of war with the help of his father. But Sethelious had received a similar education and had taken part in more battles than the young heir. Taking advantage of the wound he had inflicted and the slow movements of his bleeding tail, he brought his trident down at him repeatedly trying to find a vulnerability.

And he did.

As Havelock raised his weapon to strike him, his side was left unprotected. Stooping to avoid the pointing ends, Sethelious held his trident close to its base and plunged it into the young prince’s flesh. The sharp points slashed his lower stomach, creating profound gashes that started to bleed profusely.

Havelock stumbled a few feet away, his hand going instinctually to the bleeding flesh. His eyesight blurred as the pain hit him like nothing he had ever experienced. A loud growl of anguish was heard from somewhere behind him, but his ears were ringing. The stench of blood around him intensified, making him gag in disgust.

He opened his eyes watching as the water surrounding him became scarlet from his own blood. As the splashes of red appeared in front of him dancing in the clear waters like spilled ink, an image of red hair appeared in his mind. Emerald gems flashed in front of him, making him forget the pain momentarily. Soft lips touched his own, making a faint smile appear on his face.

The world around him started to spin. Everything was covered in red liquid –the golden hallways, his people’s bodies, his father’s throne. The fighting figures around him became unrecognizable shadows as darkness covered his eyesight. The snarls of pain and the mourning screams didn’t reach his ears anymore. Unmoving corpses started to pile Neptune’s palace and the screams started to die one by one.

Atlantis had fallen.

But he couldn’t bring himself to fight anymore –he had no strength left in him. He just wanted to close his eyes and fall asleep with Aileen’s laughter as a lullaby. His fingers combing through her fiery hair as they watched the sun setting on the horizon. Her head resting on his chest as his arms embraced her petite form. Her eyes sparkling with love and adoration as she gazed at him.

Such a beautiful image to die to.

But someone wouldn’t let him rest in peace –he wouldn’t let him close his eyes forever.

Opening his orbs he found himself gazing into aquamarine ones, filled with worry and distress. His father held onto his shoulders firmly as he tried to keep him awake. His lips were moving but he couldn’t hear anything as if he was underwater –ironic enough.

“Son!“, the King shouted, “Havelock!”

The prince barely registered Sethelious’s form as he tried to get up from the end of the hall. The wall behind him was dented as if someone had thrown him with incredible force on it. He was trying to get up with slow movements, searching for his trident in a haze. Havelock let a soft smile appear on his lips. It seemed that his father had not yet forgotten how to fight.

“You need to leave Atlantis, meus fillius”, the King gripped his attention, “right now!”

“No!“, he mumbled in dizziness, “Atlantis needs me! My people need me!”

Neptune shook his head, giving him a smile filled with sadness.

“There is nothing here for you, son”, the King forced him to look at him, “Only death.”

“Pater, I-”

“You cannot help your people now, but you’ll be able to in the future”, the father stated firmly, “Leave, rest, regroup –the fight is lost, but the war is not over yet.”

Sethelious stood up, gazing at the frustrated father and dazed son.

“Leave!“, the King pushed him away, “Now!”

Aquamarine eyes found their twins.

“I’ll deal with my brother myself.”

He didn’t have another choice. Bleeding and barely awake, the young prince used all his remaining strength to swim away from Atlantis. Angry tears left his eyes at the last image of his home before he left. His heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

The screams of his people would haunt him forever as they begged for mercy and found none. Their blood painting the ocean red as the stench of death filled his nose. Bloodthirsty rouges feeding on their flesh, even after they had left their last breath. The King’s trident shinning as he fought against his own brother -his enemies surrounding him in case he won.

He didn’t.

He closed his eyes with a smile on his face. One thought was repeating through Neptune’s mind -peace. He would finally be reunited with his mate on the other side. The weight on his shoulders had finally been lifted after so many years. His duties had finally come to an end -his rule was over. He had tried so hard for the prosperity of his people, only to see them getting slaughtered just before his death.

When did it come to this?

A King had fallen.

But a new was rising up.

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

End of chapter 32!!

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Until next time!!