Abyssal (ManxMan)

Inner Pool

Inner Pool

Kai had gone insane. After resisting the madness that was his life for so long, finally, he'd lost his senses utterly and completely. It was the only explanation for what he was attempting. Only an insane person charged their enemy when they were so comically underprepared; he didn't even have his sword with him, or any other weapon for that matter But he was choosing to trust in the Spirit of the Sea this one time for two reasons. One; the Spirit swore to keep his mother safe, and two: he didn't have any other choice. Marius was too distracted by the decoy merman to notice the true danger lurking just behind his mother's attacker.

In front of his eyes, Marius performed astonishing feats of magic (something Kai had secretly wanted to see him do since the moment he discovered the King could wield magic), but he couldn't afford to be distracted as well. He kept his eyes firmly on the target, waiting for a chance.

And then it came. Marius disposed of the attacker with such instant violence, Kai was glad he hadn't really been looking; he suspected whatever he saw would have traumatized him.

Now!

His legs spurred on of their own accord. The Spirit had taken control of his body. A wave of panic swept through him like a dark miasma invading his lungs, the need to regain control of his own body nearly sending him into a frenzy. Then he remembered the plan, and that he needed the Spirit to take control this one time at least. He'd relinquish it just this once, for his mother's sake.

You better know what you're doing or you'll likely get us killed! He'd meant to open his mouth and speak the words, but somehow he didn't have to. They echoed all around him, coming back to ring in his ears.

If Zolban was anything like the warrior king Marius was, then God help him. And something told him he was. He was willing to stoop, to hit below the belt, to hurt Kai where it really hurt, just as Marius had done on occasion to get what he wanted. These selfish kings needed to be put in their place.

So let me. I will make them kneel at your feet.

He was suddenly a lone figure standing in a dark, shallow pool that reached to his ankles. Darkness surrounded him, closing in on him from all sides. His subconscious. He was in his own subconscious, he quickly realized. The Spirit had taken the wheel and put him in the passenger's seat, literally. And the passenger's seat was a dark, wet place.

He is nothing to me. The resounding words echoed overhead in the darkness as if from stereo speakers, rattling the pool that splished and sploshed around his calves. The darkness around him abruptly cleared and the sudden bright light nearly blinded him. Kai didn't have time to marvel over how instantaneous the 'shift' was as he watched himself hurtle forward with unnatural speed he never knew he possessed -and likely didn't. He was a spectator standing in front of a ridiculously-large screen, watching everything clearly unfold like he was in the cinema.

The Spirit -them- raced past Marius, the destroyed attacker and his mother, not even sparing her a momentary glance to see if she was unhurt by Marius' attack.

Instantly forgetting that they were utilizing the element of surprise, the good son in him opened his mouth to protest the abandonment of his mother when the Spirit did something with Kai's body that was... extraordinary.

What seemed like a (magnetic? magical?) pulse burst out of his body like a shockwave directed where the blurry figure was standing. He didn't have time to teleport or move out of the way; the pulse was nearly bullet fast. It hit the figure square in the chest, shattering his cloak of invisibility like mirror shards falling to the ground and sending him flying back a few inches.

Zolban's stunned face appeared. His crown was nowhere in sight.

The Spirit teleported Kai's body. He was now behind Zolban. He slapped what looked like a glowing green rune in the middle of Zolban's back, but Kai couldn't be sure because they quickly teleported back to where Kai had been standing.

The Spirit had done all that in less than ten seconds.

What was that you put on him?

A spell to keep him from teleporting and escaping.

"You!" Ryodan hissed from somewhere behind him. He wanted to look over his shoulder at Ryodan to see if he was as surprised as he sounded, and check if Erasmus was still... a lizard monster, but the Spirit still had control of his body. He was still standing in the middle of the dark pool, albeit with excellent 4K vision and surround sound.

He felt a pair of piercing eyes stare at him. Their source was unmistakable. They weren't burning holes into Zolban, they were staring at him.

Quick, look at Marius.

Why?

I want to enjoy the look of utter shock on his face because of those cool things we just did!

The Spirit ignored him.

It's my body! Do as I sa-

"Your Majesty."

Erasmus -now in humanoid form- came to stand next to him. He looked unharmed, thank God.

"What an unexpected surprise, your Majesty. For a second, we mistook you for another attacker. May I be so bold as to ask what brings your Majesty here so far away from home?" Erasmus asked slyly, perfecting a small bow.

It was as if he was in on their plan, knowing exactly what to do and say.

Their plan -or rather the Spirit's plan- had worked: they'd very literally exposed Zolban's true face and intentions to his subjects, who would return to court and tell their fellow Astrians all about it. Let Zolban try to deny his intentions of killing their Crown Prince to Ryodan's faction -the faction that loved his father and wanted to see Kai be crowned- then. That should keep him busy for a few days.

When he realized the trap he'd fallen into, King Zolban's face morphed into something unseemingly for a split second -rage, fury, vengeance, promise of retribution, sheer hatred -then it was gone just as quickly. Kai was left feeling very alarmed. His uncle hated him. Despised him. Wanted to see him burn. Wanted him dead and no longer a threat to his claim on the throne. He'd blame it all on Marius or some other fool for sure.

He is the true enemy. Be wary of him. Always be wary of him, he wants to take that which is yours. The Spirit warned with a hatred of its own. Rarely did the Spirit express emotions, but Kai felt the Spirit's hatred like molten lava coursing through his veins. It was hot and all-consuming.

He wants to take me from you.

Yeah, I know. Kai never wanted and never asked for the coveted power of the oceans and the seas to dwell inside him from birth like an unerasable birthmark, but he'd breathe his last before he let someone like Zolban take it. If only to spite him. That was enough reason for Kai.

I won't let him have you. A fiercely possessive emotion washed over him. Was that him or the Spirit? He wasn't sure.

With his mask of perfected civility back on, King Zolban lied unwaveringly, "I came to intervene, of course."

"Kai?"

At the sound of his own name being called by a familiar voice, the spell on Kai's body was broken. He'd exited the pool and was back in the driver's seat again. Unconsciously flexing his fingers to exercise some of that control, he looked to the direction of the voice. And froze.

It was Hakan. 

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

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