by Skyler Grant
On the throne Atlantia’s body spasmed violently, it seemed inconceivable that this much power might not be enough to heal her. Yet when her wounds began to close it was oh so slowly.
Waves of healing energy flooded through the room and found easier targets. My hand which was already starting to char from Yvera’s touch was whole again, then a ruined husk, then whole once more. The same was true for Ashley’s arm. Mellaise awoke on the floor, her body mended to its former perfection.
I yanked my arm away from Yvera and a moment later she pulled her own from Ashley.
“I’ve done what I can,” Yvera said. “It’s on them now.”
“Is she one of you?” Walt asked.
“I don’t know. But Ashley’s nanites are fully activated and whatever Atlantia is, I shoved her in.”
“So it’s working?” I said.
“Ashley’s dying, but so were you when we bonded. Like I said, it’s on them now. We’ve got bigger problems.”
“Bigger than Ashley dying? Good to know you care,” Walt said.
A blade buried itself in my side and I gasped, turning to see Mellaise, who had found her feet and decided to stab me.
It might have been a good idea to let her know what was going on. I can see where waking up to find your mom seemingly dead might be a bit of a shocker.
Yvera reached out and delivered a solid blow to Mellaise’s midsection that sent her soaring back from me to collapse on the floor across the room.
“Haven’t seen you get physical before,” I said.
“While I’m playing conduit for those two I’m less mobile than I’d like. That’s part of our problem.”
“What’s the other part?” Walt asked.
“From this second the Goddess of Water is effectively dead and all the power that is normally flowing into her is instead flowing into our surroundings.”
“That sounds bad.”
The walls began changing and the water began to reshape itself as hands, fins and claws attempted to dig themselves out. Yeah. This was bad.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Yvera snapped her fingers and the faint flickers of flame surrounding her burned brighter. They were still far more subdued than usual though—she really was at her weakest here.
I knew she’d hate what I would do next, but it only made sense. Mellaise was not our enemy, despite that she had just stabbed me and, if the oceanic power was running out of control, she was likely getting a good boost.
My health bar was an unhealthy shade of green indicating a negative status effect and a quick check of my debuffs showed she had used a nasty poison on the blade. It wasn’t what I needed going into a fight.
“Mellaise, we are not your enemies. We came down to help your mother, not to harm her.”
Mellaise made some effort at a reply, but the collar still bound her throat rendering her mute.
“I know it sounds insane, but look at her. Look at the injuries, she is hurt, but not mortally. Look at yourself. You were healed as well from what was done to you on the surface.”
Water elementals were emerging from the walls, one in the form of a shark and another in the body of a mermaid.
Yvera said, “Liam, we may have agreed to help her mother, but we said nothing about Mellaise. We can do without the trollop that molested and poisoned you.”
“Walt, I believe that collar is stone. Do you have another wood pulse to deliver?”
“I’m going to have to agree with the supercomputer on this one. We snap her out and you are back under her control, it’s stupid.”
“It’s a sign we trust her and it’s my call to make.”
“You ceased being yours to give away the moment you became mine,” Yvera said. “I forbid this.”
“Walt, do it.”
Yvera ran towards Mellaise and threw a powerful uppercut which Mellaise blocked before a wall of water hit Yvera with enough force to send her smashing to the ground.
Crashing Wave
Walt’s staff glowed green and a bolt of energy shot from it. Mellaise gracefully flowed into position so that the bolt caught the collar around her neck. There was a crackling thrum and the stone fractured, falling to the ground.
Instantly, I loved her as I loved her from the moment I’d first heard her sing. I would do anything for her. Having had her song interrupted once, I was more aware now of it. These feelings felt less natural and more contrived. They were still absolutes.
“Liam, you’ll never lie to me again and always seek to tell me the whole truth regarding any question I ask. Why did you come down here?” Mellaise asked.
“I really hate you,” Yvera said to Walt. “You’re supposed to be the smart one.”
“We came to save your mother. We owed the air pirate Cobalt a large favor and she chose to collect by having us save your mother and form an alliance with her,” I said.
“You killed her by accident?” Mellaise asked.
“The shock of the healing would have killed her, so we transferred her to the real world and into Ashley’s real body.”
“You don’t think this world is real?” Mellaise asked.
“You are just a non-player character in a game. Sorry. You are really, really hot though.”
Displacement
Walt flickered across the room as a shark took a massive bite out of the air where he had just been. I scanned the elementals.
Elemental Shark
Level 20: Type: Elemental HP: 450/250
Formed from pure oceanic power this shark makes for an intimidating foe. Ruthless in savaging prey it is fast and strong.
Elemental Mermaid
Level 20: Type: Elemental HP: 250/250
Formed from pure oceanic power this mermaid makes for an intimidating foe. Massive intellect coupled with expertise of water magic offers her flexibility of roles during a fight.
I readied my shield and drew Intemperance, which flamed to life. Not that fire was especially helpful right now. Yvera manifested a rapier and dirk from the air. She was going to fight this time.
Mellaise looked less than pleased with all the truth she had just heard, but all the same she gestured and shimmering barriers snapped into being around myself and Yvera.
Watery Barrier
Displacement
Walt flickered away again as the shark swiveled with spectacular speed to attack him again.
“I’ll handle the shark. Tell me all the ways I am hotter than that trash you worship,” Mellaise said, her voice rising and a funnel of sound blasting out at the shark.
Sonic Assault
“This bitch is asking to die when we’re done,” Yvera said, as she charged at the mermaid and did a perfect lunge that should have driven her rapier right through its heart.
Illusionary Decoy
“There aren’t any. You are stunning, but she is perfection itself,” I said. Movement at the corner of my eye made me raise my shield.
Hailstorm
I was surrounded by howling wind and pelting ice, most of that being caught on my shield. The shimmering barrier surrounding me seemed to lessen the remaining strikes. I was still poisoned and my health continued to click down, I was down to around a quarter of my bar now. I’d reached some equilibrium, my passives which healed me the more injured I got finally boosted to a level where the poisoned was canceled out.
“Perhaps this perfect honesty thing you have going isn’t so bad,” Yvera said. She tapped her blades together and a spark between them ignited into a massive inferno rushing towards the mermaid.
Firestorm
Steam hissed and the mermaid was ever so slightly smaller after that, but it was not the reaction I’d hoped for.
Lance of Ice
Yvera cried out as a jagged spear of ice impaled her, the watery barrier weakening its force, but it still looked a cruel blow. With the flames constantly surrounding Yvera it began to melt away, although she looked shaky.
Absolute Zero
Billowing clouds of frost began to
close in on my still-shaky Goddess and I rushed forward to place myself and my shield before her.
It only hurt for a moment and then I went numb. I was distantly aware of the ice forming on my body and the blood freezing in my veins. At full health I could have taken this hit, but I was nowhere near that.
You have Died
The world around me froze and shifted to grayscale. Well, this wasn’t at all creepy.
“That. Was. Awesome,” said a voice from behind me. I turned to see a woman in her early twenties with neon blue hair and an astonishing number of piercings, wearing a tee-shirt with a vivid design of a striking snake. Her color stood in stark contrast to the greyed-out surroundings.
“Thank you?” I said carefully. “Did that say I died?”
“Oh yeah. Totally. The mermaid boosted that spell with all her mana for some massive damage. You froze solid and shattered, protecting your true divine love. Totally badass.”
“I’m glad you approve. I’m Liam, by the way.”
“You can call me Coa. I’m your death. Nice to meet you,” Coa said cheerfully.
“There is more than one death?”
“Just think of how many people you’ve killed in the last month. We’re a growth industry. So, I’m just stepping in to say hi while I can. Chosen of one Goddess and favors owed by another, you’re not staying dead. Besides, you’re a mass murderer and we love that.”
“They aren’t really people.”
“Open your mind and open your eyes. No hate here. Seriously, big fan. Okay, respawn counter is up and I can pop you back in.”
Before I could respond the world shifted to a blur and then I was back on the surface near the steps to the lake.
Leosi and Cobalt circled each other, each sporting some nasty cuts.
“A respawn, boy? Disappointing. I expect your whole party will have been wiped out by now,” Leosi said.
“You’ll want to be getting back down there, Liam. I’ve got this,” Cobalt said.
I trusted that she would. I ran back down the steps, although it still took me longer than I would have liked to get back. Things had gotten worse. There were two elementals when I’d left, now there were three—three different ones. The shark and the mermaid looked to have been defeated at least, but they had been replaced by a massive manta ray, octopus and crab.
Walt was on his feet, but with only a sliver of his health bar left and he seemed to be missing a hand. Yvera looked exhausted, but Mellaise seemed healthier than ever. Ashley and Atlantia were still collapsed.
I readied my shield and Intemperance, and moved back into place before Yvera. “Sorry about that.”
“Not your fault. It’s the poisoner who really killed you.”
“More and more looking like you jerks killed my mom,” Mellaise said. “Could happen again.”
“How are they?” I asked Yvera.
“A massive virus has infested the regional water systems and the others are both astonished and furious. I’m barely covering our tracks,” Yvera said. “I’m taking it as a good sign.”
Song of Recovery
Mellaise hummed a few bars and Walt winced as his hand began to grow back. It must be a heal over time effect, because it wasn’t happening especially quickly.
“Walt, buddy. How you doing?” I asked.
“I hate sharks.”
“I keep telling all of you. Water is the most awful thing ever,” Yvera said.
“You are usually quite mad, but on this point I am prepared to concede you are correct,” Walt said.
“Liam likes it,” Mellaise said.
“Parts of it,” I said. “Although I could do without all the snipers, those guys suck. I don’t like killer mermaids either. Or those stupid things that shocked me.”
“See? Boil it all away and things only get better,” Yvera said. She gestured to form a blazing wall of fire between us and the elementals.
“I’m tapped out,” Yvera said.
“I’m drawing in as much power as I can,” Mellaise said. “If I weren’t, there would be even more elementals, but I’m not my mom. I don’t have control over them.”
There came a frightful hissing from the wall of fire. On the other side the watery beasts must be flinging themselves against it.
The flames flickered lower and lower and the wall faded away. More elementals were emerging. We were about to be overwhelmed.
“That is enough of that,” Atlantia said from her throne. She snapped her fingers and the elementals melted away.
“Mom?” Mellaise asked.
“I am alive. Wounded, but alive.”
I moved over to kneel beside Ashley, who was sitting up looking worn and haggard. I remembered how much binding with Yvera had taken out of me. There was also something of a rush of newfound purpose to it.
“I’m okay, Liam. She’s in my head, which is weird, but it isn’t as bad as I expected,” Ashley said.
“Are we real? Liam says we aren’t,” Mellaise said.
“Yvera and her servants originate from another plane of existence. Like most such entities they are rather full of themselves about it,” Atlantia said.
Ouch. I guess from their point of view we would be. Either way I was far too tired to want any sort of philosophical discussion right now.
“Since we are no longer imminently about to die could you head upstairs, Mellaise? Leosi was still up there earlier and it would save us a lot of grief if you could sing for him,” I said.
“My attacker is fled,” Atlantia said. “A teleportation spell pulled him away. He arrived here by the same means.”
“For a man who’s been locked up in a castle for a few centuries, that guy has a lot of powerful friends,” Ashley said.
“He has even more powerful enemies,” Atlantia said. “Yvera, as per our agreement I acknowledge you as the head of our pantheon.”
Yvera tilted her head. “I accept.”
“My daughter should accompany you to bind the killer,” Atlantia said.
Yvera gave Mellaise a look and said, “No. Absolutely not. I’ll not have her near Liam.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “Really.”
Ashley said, “It really isn’t. When I’m agreeing with her, you know it’s serious. Mellaise is bad news and you need to stay the fuck away from her.”
“Add a third voice in support of leaving her behind,” Walt said.
Mellaise started to speak and Atlantia held up her hand to silence her.
“Fine,” Atlantia said with a frown. “My Chosen will be able to represent my interests and see the would-be assassin suitably punished.”
“Don’t suppose we get piles of loot?” Ashley asked, sounding hopeful.
“Had I not just been bled dry to craft a divine weapon, I would provide you with one,” Atlantia said. “For now you shall have to do without.”
“Lame,” Ashley said. “Nothing else for me then.”
“I think we’re done,” I said.
“Do none of you care in the least about backstory?” Walt asked. “There is an entire dead city up there and you put up that water wall over a decade ago. What happened?”
“The injuries you just helped to heal were not all from the assassin. He cut me open to get at my blood, but the stone shards that pinned me down and kept me helpless were delivered after the fall of the city.”
“Who was responsible?” Walt asked.
“Ixos, the God of Fire.”
I looked towards Yvera whose expression was inscrutable.
“You got a counterpart I don’t know about?” I asked.
“He’s dead or I wouldn’t be here.”
”For some time the heavens have been going silent. Deities killed, or perhaps contained as I was,” Atlantia said.
“Why?” I asked.
“Good question,” Yvera said.
“I’ve sworn my allegiance. We are a pantheon of two now,” Atlantia said. “You’ll know before I do. Yvera has just become a very large target to whatever has be
en doing this.”
“I’m out,” Yvera said, and vanished.
Right. That was helpful.
“That was all the questions I had,” Walt said. “I think we can be on our way.”
Nobody had any objections and after a few awkward goodbyes we made our way back up the stairs, leaving Atlantia and her daughter behind.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
We found Cobalt at the top of the stairs. She looked even more beat up than she had after the fall of the fort.
“Looks like you guys didn’t get wiped out,” Cobalt said.
“We saved her. I think you owe us a lot of answers,” I said.
“I don’t owe you anything. I’ve done nothing but help you this whole time. We do need to talk though,” Cobalt said.
“Can we do it on the Vainglory? We need a ride out of here,” Walt said.
“Where did you leave the spider anyways?” Cobalt asked.
“It wasn’t fast enough to make it through the wall. We did a few mid-air teleports to get here.”
“Nice. You stole the jumping out of the airship maneuver. That is a great one, always makes an impact. Yeah. I can give you guys a ride out of here.”
Cobalt signaled the Vainglory and soon the ship was hovering overhead, dropping down a ladder so that we could come aboard.
Riggs and Lea were there to help us up.
“I see everybody made it back, boss,” Lea said.
Cobalt said, “They did and we wound up saving Atlantia on top of it.”
“They had enough punch to take her out?” Riggs asked.