Abyssal (ManxMan)

Distraction

Dread settled in the pit of Kai's stomach like a sinking boulder. Warning bells were sounding in his head like war drums, and his skull rattled and shook to the primal beat. His heart was trying its damndest to pound a hole through his chest. In short, he had a bad, bad feeling about this.

He had seconds -if even that- to intervene and save his friend from annihilation in the hands of King Zolban, he knew.

Do something! He cried, willing the Spirit of the Sea to exercise its power once again, but this time to save his friend rather than his mother.

Quiet. I am gathering my strength.

What?! I thought you're all-powerful!

Not in this form. This form has limits.

Dammit, this wasn't the time for the Spirit's fickleness!

Desperate, Kai turned to General Ryodan and Erasmus.

Erasmus shrugged.

Kai gaped.

"His Majesty is right, Kai. Humans can't be allowed to live once they've seen one of us. It's the law." Erasmus said in monotone by way of explanation.

Bullshit! A mage like Erasmus who lived in an underwater cavern away from Astria didn't strike Kai as the rule-abiding citizen. Erasmus was choosing not to do anything; he could see that very well with his own eyes! But why?! Why was he abandoning him now? What happened to all his proclamations of wanting to help Kai and having his best interests in mind? Now that it had come down to it, he was choosing to side with their illegitimate King over Kai?

Now truly desperate, Kai looked at Ryodan with beseeching eyes.

He was met with a hard gaze. "Your Highness, His Majesty's word is law. I cannot go against it."

Un-fucking-believable.

"Traitors! Liars!" He wanted to yell at Erasmus, but time was of the essence, and he was wasting it begging a bunch of traitors who clearly weren't going to budge, all the promises and claims made to him be damned.

Against his better judgment, Kai was left with no other option but to turn to the last merman who wanted to ask for help.

"Do something," he said to Marius.

Their eyes collided and Kai felt time skid to a halt. Now, it was just the two of them on this cracked cliff.

Please. Dammit, he absolutely hated begging Marius for anything, but Hakan wasn't 'anything'. He was his best friend who'd been cluelessly caught in the crossfires of this new and strange world Kai now belonged to, and now Kai had a duty to save him. Hakan was worth any amount of begging he'd have to do, even if it meant begging King Marius the Conqueror, his father's killer and his kidnapper. And also his partner.

"Please." Kai pleaded, biting his lower lip to keep the tormented scream that followed from ripping out of him. Marius had to help him. They were partners. A true partner would help him out.

"He is right." Marius said, referring to King Zolban. "It is the law."

Time resumed. A giant wave crashed against the cliff's side, spraying them all. In the distance, a cloud rumbled. A storm was coming, and it was not Erasmus' doing.

Kai's heart sank at Marius' refusal to help. It must've shown on his face, because Marius' face tightened. Out of pity? Surely. King Marius the Conqueror was not the sympathetic type. Far from it.

His perfect lips stretched into a small smile.

How cruel. Marius would even mock him now?

"Astrian law."

Kai's brows furrowed in confusion. "What?" Well, yes; it definitely wasn't human law that was going to get his friend killed-

"Astrian law. Not Nostrazian." Marius declared to all present. "I needn't oblige any laws set by Astria."

"W..." Kai wasn't sure what to say or think. Rather, what did Marius mean?

He was scared to hope and be shot down. He couldn't take that right now.

"You have no right to interfere here." Zolban, visibly riled, barked. His handsome face contorted into an ugly, malevolent expression again.

Marius was actually going to help him?!

King Zolban glowered at King Marius with no hostility held behind. He slowly lowered the outstretched hand that was aimed at Hakan, his hand curling into a fist.

Kai was beginning to think Zolban would forget Hakan and start trying to kill Marius instead.

Marius' smile widened; he was very much enjoying riling the enemy sovereign. Knowing Marius, he'd welcome the fight.

Good. Let them fight. The distraction would allow him to sneak his friend and his mother off the cliff.

"Why should I? You have no power over me."

"The human will die. You will stay out of this." Zolban warned in a dark, foreboding voice, his shark-like eyes flashing, the pupils narrowing even more.

Tension crackled between the two like an electric current. Kai was tempted to flee as far away from the two as possible lest he was caught in the middle, but as long as his mother and Hakan were here, here was where he'd stay.

"I do not take orders from you."

Ah, and there it was. Zolban struck the rawest nerve in Marius' body. Because everyone knew that the second thing King Marius hated the most after humans were Astrians. Kai imagined Marius wouldn't react very well to an Astrian giving him orders, especially if it was his archenemy dictating to him what to do and not do.

Perhaps Kai should step away from them after all.

To the Spirit of the Sea, Kai said: Did you finish gathering your strength yet? Quick, while they're distracted-

Hakan was gone. So was his mother.

Eyes bulging, Kai searched for his mother and best friend, but they were nowhere to be found.

I teleported them far away from here.

What?! But I thought you said you didn't have the strength-

That is not what I said, my Prince. You must learn to listen well. And be patient.

The breath whooshed out of Kai in a relieved sigh that turned into a cheerful chuckle. All the tension that had weighed on him like mountains deflated, leaving him feeling almost high.

How much strength you got left? Kai asked, turning to Zolban.

It didn't surprise him that the Spirit immediately understood what he intended to do next. In a cautioning tone, he began: My Prince-

Someone needs to teach him a lesson. Kai needed the Golden Merman to agree to this; only in his dreams could he take on Zolban and survive. But he didn't just want to survive, he wanted to win. For that, he needed the Spirit's power.

After a moment, the Spirit surprised Kai once again. You are right. It is high time Kaerus' little brother was put in his rightful place. Beneath you.

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

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