The Third Power: TTS AU

Chapter Twenty-Six

@loggeress

"And that's the school." Mari gestured to the large building across the rocky path. The sound of young merfolk shouting and laughing could be heard from the other side, assumably playing.

"This is amazing," Varian said for the millionth time as they walked around the city, eager to take in every little detail of the place. He had never imagined that a lost civilisation could be so alive with inhabitants going about their days and the potential mysteries this place could hold.

Cassandra, however, had a much different view in mind. She was acutely aware of the merfolk they passed. They all seemed to stare or whisper behind their hands. Some even gave dirty looks to the humans like they'd done something for them to take personally.

Mari noticed their actions and Cassandra's evident discomfort. "Ignore them," she told her. "Humans don't come down here often so it's a bit strange to see them, especially for this long." She shot a glance at a nearby group, silently indicating for them to just be on their way. "Give them a day or so and they'll leave you be. They'll probably show more respect too once they know about Varian being the Seastone's holder." She muffled a squeal of excitement.

Cass sighed and forced herself to look away. "If you say so," she muttered. She looked up to Eclipse to try and strike up a conversation, until she noticed a strange look on the ghost's face. "Everything OK?" she asked.

Eclipse blinked as if she'd been snapped out of a trance. She looked down to Cassandra's puzzled expression and threw on a smile. "Oh yes, everything's fine," she assured. "Just got a little lost in my own head."

Cassandra didn't push it any further. She gave Eclipse a nod to say she'd acknowledged her answer then looked forwards again. Her eyes rested on a particularly interesting-looking building: tall, twisting, topped with a teal-tinted glass dome for a roof. "What's that?" she called to Mari.

Mari followed the warrior's gaze to the building. She smiled. "Oh that?" she said. "That's-"

"Mari!"

The group turned in the direction of the shout. Running to them was the familiar figure of Soren, looking tired but with eyes alive with fear.

"Soren?" Mari met with him halfway. "What's wrong?"

Soren couldn't answer for several moments, desperately trying to catch his breath. When he did answer, it was one, shaken word: "Squid."

At his word, every ounce of colour drained from Mari's usually rosy face. For a moment she stood there, seemingly paralysed, her wings twitching from anxiety. Then she started nodding as she calmed down and started pacing. "OK," she said quietly then looked at Soren. A more confident glow filled her eyes. "OK, round up a group of guards and I'll be over as soon as I can. Hold off the squid and..." She took a breath and bit her lip. "and let's hope we don't have any casualties."

Soren nodded and retreated back the way he had come.

Mari turned to the three stood behind her. "Let's go," she told them. "We need to get you all back to the castle."

"What? Why?" Varian asked. "If there's trouble then surely we-"

Mari was shaking her head. "Cassandra can't breathe underwater." She looked to the blue haired warrior who had been about to pull her sword from its sheath. "And you won't be able to until you claim the Seastone, but there's no time to get it." She held each group member's gaze in turn, holding Varian's just that bit longer, and smiled. "If you want to help, go back to the castle and stay alive." And with that she turned and flew off in the direction Soren had come from and towards the city gates.

"So we have to sit around being useless while these people risk their lives?" Varian stared dumbfounded in the direction Mari had left.

Cassandra sighed. "If it's all we can do..." she trailed off bitterly.

"We'd just be in the way," Eclipse told them. "We've never fought a squid. We don't know what it can and can't do."

I have a rough idea based on my research, Varian wanted to say, but he bit his tongue and exhaled as quietly as he could. He looked around at the mers, running either towards the battle or to their homes. What he wouldn't give to be able to do something to help right now. But he begrudgingly ran with Cassandra and Eclipse back to the castle. He looked up to Cassandra to see pure frustration on her face. Eclipse's face was blank, her feelings locked away.

The feeling of being useless hung heavily in his chest all the way back to their room.

Sorry for being gone for so long. But I've officially finished school now! That means more time for this AU!