Lost City, Lost Kingdom, Lost Soul - Orm (Aquaman)

XXIV - New Day, New Mission

Amnesty Bay - 2023

"You're like a superhero now too," Arthur told her.

She wasn't sure if she would go that far, but she was enhanced now, at least when underwater. Thanks, Poseidon. 

Usually when people found out she was an archaeologist - after questioning what she was doing with her life - they would more often than not make some joke about her being like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. And she would reply that while she loved both, those were dramatized versions and that archaeology was nothing like that in real life.

How things had changed - how the tides had turned. Ever since the attack on her cottage and her new connection to Atlantis and the royal family, she had been putting herself through an intensive training regime. Her work was clearly getting more dangerous, and she wanted to be more prepared than last time should the need arise. 

Today she stood in the front yard of the cottage, training with Orm's trident. He had left it behind, and so she had kept it. It was only recently that she had decided to start training with it, his showing her vivid in her memory, just like every other memory of them, of him.

"AH!" On her  next spin she launched it forward, and it struck the wooden wall of the cottage, embedding itself there. 

"Nice one!" 

She spun around at the voice. Arthur stood there.

"Thanks - it's still unbalanced though."

"That's cause it wasn't made specifically for you. Maybe we can have one made for you."

"That would be amazing, but I'm not sure it would be fair." Again, she remembered Orm's lessons clearly: "And each ruler has a trident of their own, like mine, as both battle weapon and symbol of power. All are crafted in some form of Poseidon's steel... The greatest metal of all." 

Arthur smiled, but it quickly fell and he turned serious. "Atlantis was attacked."

Her jaw fell open in shock. "What, by who?"

"Manta."

Now her whole body stiffened at this.  "The same guy who attacked me?" It was a few years ago now, but any mention of it would take her right back, just like now. 

"Yeah."

She swallowed hard, the fear infiltrating her. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Yeah,  Mera was hurt pretty bad."

"Oh Arthur, I'm so sorry." She shook her head. "He's still after you, I guess."

"Yeah, and he knew exactly how to hurt me. I need to stop him once and for all. And it's not over, not by a long shot - he stole our stores of orichalcum."

"That's an energy source, isn't it? Rumoured to be used by Ancient Atlanteans."

"You know more about it than I do. But he's been stealing it for months, which perfectly coincides with the weird weather patterns and plague outbreak." 

"You think he started all that?"

"I think it's safe to assume so."

"My God - so he's not just coming after you this time, but the whole world."

"Yeah."

This was big. Big, and very bad. "Do you know where he is now?"

"No, but I'm gonna find out. About that - I think I know someone who could help me find him."