Final Pt. 01

The final chapter is here.

Originally, this was going to be one big chapter, but it's been taking me too long and the chapter itself is also very long, so I'm splitting it in half.

I hope my friends and readers enjoy this and the last installment of Aquata Cove.

*****

Chapter 100: Together Forever

As far as history can remember...

The old king breathes weakly in his bed. The inside of his body feels so ragged and withered, all of the healers and medicine people have done all that they can, but his time is up.

"Hhhgghhh... My son..." King Mithras wheezes as he turns to his kneeling son, fully clad in his armor as he bows his head by his father's regal bedside.

"I am here, Father." Prince Nalcious answers.

"I am not long for this world... I can feel myself being called to the realm unseen..." He says with a very feeble voice, "Time has not been kind to our land and to our people..."

"We endure, Father." Nalcious says in a reassuring tone, "Our empire will survive these dark times."

"Hhhh... It does not take a soothsayer to know that our empire, like me, is slowly toiling away... We have stood on our own for as long as we have been able... Son... I know we have discussed this in the past, but you must listen... The time has come for new bonds to be forged..."

"Father, I disagree-"

"My son... Hn-unnH! Uh-ghh..." He coughs, "I have foolishly ruled our lands with the pride of a stubborn child, and our prosperity has always had a predestined fall... Our forefathers squandered the goodness of our land, and spoilt their natures... Hghghgh... I wanted to believe I alone could redeem our people... But all I did was become a hero in my own mind... We are almost out of our borrowed time... And I was always too blind to acknowledge the future..."

"I will fix our country, Father. I will heal us all. You must rest in the knowledge that you leave this world in worthy hands."

"Son... You must continue my plans with my Counsel..." King Mithras whispers, "The Kingdoms of the Sea... Atlantis, Lyoness, Kandam... We must give ourselves to them, and themselves to us... We need their ways and their guidance..."

"Father, no!" The prince says, "We do not need to stand on their shoulders! If we plead to them, we will needlessly be putting ourselves in their debts. Our armies alone will sustain us-"

"Nnno...! I will not have my legacy darkened... My son..." He gives ravaged inhale and exhale, "I have already written our proclamations..." The king tells him drearily, "If we are to survive our struggles, we must reach to the waters..." The king coughs several times. He has only one moment left, "I have met only the high priestess of one such of the kingdoms... Hmhmhm, she is a worthy and gentle spirit... We must reach out to them... From them, we will slowly rebuild the losses and wilted ways of our people's living..."

"Father... If you just... Allow me to amend the drought in our lands. I can do it without-"

"Carry my last wish, my son..." King Mithras asks, "Carry on my final act as a monarch... Connect our people to a brighter future..." He slowly closes his eyes as the light started to fade, "Herd our flocks... To the salvation of the beyond..."

"Father..." The prince grimaced stubbornly as he listens to the king's last breath. One by one, the huffs become softer, quieter. The priests stand by the door as Prince Nalcious stands up from kneeling, looking over his passed father...

The two priests come in with their ministrations, already beginning the primary prayer for their fallen king. Turning, Prince Nalcious walks out of the royal chambers, frowning as he goes.

'Father... Once again, you have proven so weak... So like a child...' He thinks angrily as dark intent seeps into his heart.

~~~Several Weeks Later~~~

"No..." Leander says as he looks over the Kingdom of Atlantis. The soldiers, wearing red leather and iron armor, from his own clan fight with clashing swords against the Atlantean warriors. Blood flies and paints much of the iridescent architecture, "What... What is the meaning of this??..." His olive-skinned face looks over the warring people, his thin-bearded mouth ajar from the ongoing carnage before his deep brown eyes, as the blood-scented winds rush through his semi-short brunette hair.

Robed in a traveling cloak, clad in basic iron chainmail, arm and shin guards, the nomadic man watches in horror in the ruins of the once beautiful city of the sea. He removes his hood, his stomach churning from the rising smoke and the rising of the war cries of the soldiers, the dying roars of the warriors, and screams of the civilians.

"Take to the gates, men!" Shouts the general of Leander's company. He looks as his own comrades charge in squads from the warships from his homeland, "The city is ours! Their castle waits!"

"General Teranton!" Leander calls out. He drops his pack and leaves his cloak behind as he runs to the leader, "General Teranton, what has happened?! What are we doing in battle?!"

"Leander! You have come! Good, I have sent word for you. King Nalcious has proclaimed the water kingdoms as threats to our lands!" He answered, "Waste no time! MOVE! Arm yourself quickly!"

"Answer me! What are we-" He stops, having to run off as the ramparts are pulled forth. In the craze of the battle, Leander runs about, looking around at all the carnage. His very soul cringes and falls at the very sight of his fellow soldiers - men he grew up with...

"YOU MONSTERS!!"

"Hhh?!" Leander gasps as he draws his sword as a woman in gleaming golden armor with shimmering blue alloy charges at him, "No! Please!"

"Our home! Our kingdom! For what reason do you harvest us like vile pestilence?!" She swings her spear savagely at him, her eyes glaring at him with sheer rage through her helmet.

"I do not wish to fight, please! I-I-I do not kno- Ah!" Leander clangs her weapon with his shield, only able to turn in circles to keep away from her.

"You have ruined EVERYTHING! My family lies in- GLLLKK!"

"Hhh?!" Leander's eyes go wide as an arrow is suddenly shot through her neck. She gags and chokes as she drops her spear, blood pouring onto her breastplate. She staggers until another arrow pierces her head, and knocks her into a ditch, "NOOO!" Leander grabs for her but misses. He falls to his knees at the edge, staring as the female warrior rolls and slides down, dead. He shakes as the woman who just tried to kill him... Was slain by one of his own comrades...

"Get up!"

"Ghhh!" Leander grunts as he feels his armor yanked up, finding himself back on his feet, and seeing a thick-framed archer move Leander's shield up.

"Keep going, or you will die!"

"W-Wait!" Leander called out, but he had already left. Leander groans as he tries to run, but his legs are suddenly a lot heavier than they should be. His mind remains on that woman, that brave lady of the sea... And her eyes becoming wide with agony, her voice distorted as she tried to walk... The very sound of her gagging...

"What... What are we doing..." Leander says as he shakes where he stands. He had been in many battles, but this? "This... This is wrong... What is happening??" He gets a little dizzy, almost topping over before his shield hits a wall, using it to keep his balance. "... Pelagios. Pelagios!" He forces his legs to move, sheathing his sword, but keeping his shield at hand, "I need to find him!"

"AHHH!" Someone screams. Leander turns to see a collapsing house as a man and child struggle to get free. Leander immediately dashes over to them, and brandishes his sword. He slashed the door down with several swings and swooped in to force the two locals out of the hut, seconds before it fell.

"The royal family!" Leander says after to two he just rescued, "Please, I-"

"Stay away! Leave us be!!" The man demanded at Leander as he picked up his child, and ran away. Leander stares with hurt as the two of them make a run for their lives.

Casting this moment aside, Leander turns and continues to sprint.

~~~

"So... It has come to this..." Says a beautiful woman from the window of the highest balcony of the palace. A mid-aged woman, she is draped in blue and white silks, with a Atlantean platinum mantle around her chest and shoulders, and river-like circlet around her head that brings the shine of her long light hair.

"Our forces could not stop them... The Gods could not help us... Fate has declared our fall... So much will be lost..." She bows her head as she listens to the sounds of destruction and cries within the city. "Our kingdom bleeds unending... I truly believed our destiny was so bright and welcoming..."

The door opens behind her and in comes a priest in a white and silver toga inscribed with Atlantean symbols on the trim.

"Your Majesty, it is time..." He reported after he kneeled down. "High Priestess Atargatis... We must begin with your blessing."

"Yes." The graceful and sorrowful woman turns to the humble servant, and stepped from her window, "I pray that we will find refuge in the next plane of our survival..."

~~~

An Atlantean warrior swings his blade across a soldier, gritting his teeth as holds his ornate shield. He fights fiercely as he is outnumbered 4 to 1. He slings his body try to out-maneuver the nearest soldier but ultimately falls to another assault from behind.

Leander gasps as he runs as fast as he can, his eyes looking everywhere for Pelagios. He could be anywhere! There's no telling just how far the forces have already reached within Atlantis.

Soon, Leander sees the majestic gates of the royal ring. A pair of golden statues of a female holding a silver urn, and a male holding a silver trident, both sculptures half human from the waist-up, and fishtails from the waist-down.

"STOP! Let us leave, I beg you!" Comes a plea from an older woman. Leander turns and sees three of his brothers in arms corner a few Atlanteans.

"We are unarmed! We are not warriors!"

"Make this swift..." One of the soldiers tells the others. They raise their weapons to eliminate that terrified civilians.

"NO!" Leander spins a sling around and lets it fly at the heads of one of the soldiers. The targeted one falls to Leander's quick tool, before he runs in, and uses his sword to cut down one of the soldier's spears, "Stop this! They are not even armored!"

"You betray us?!"

"The orders were to spare no one!"

"What are you doing?!"

"This is wrong! Why are our forces assaulting Atlantis?!"

"This is the will of King Nalcious! Now resume your post, soldier!"

"I will bear no such mark!" Leander says as he removes his helmet, and throws it to the ground. "I will not stand idle!"

"You dare betray your kingdom?!"

"Deserter!"

"Do not do this, Leander..."

As the four soldiers confront each other, a gold sandal steps onto the ledge of the gates, looking down upon them, and the Atlanteans sneaking away from behind Leander.

"Then you will die with them!" A soldier says as he turns his blade, and charges for one of the people. Leander dashes to the side and clashes his sword with the other. Leander throws it off and kicks into the hard abdominal plate of his comrade.

"You TRAITOR!!" Another soldier rushes in and charges at Leander. He stops him with his shield. Leander swerves and knocks down the ankles of another soldier, slashing his sword into his leg and making him fall. "AHHH!"

Two more soldiers see one of their own fighting against them, and they come to investigate. Leander winces as his left arm is already feeling sore and tired from all of the defensive bashing. He grunts and dances with his weapon around in circles as his fellow soldiers start to become more interested in him than raiding the city.

FfffffPPP

"AHH!" Leander suddenly feels an arrow pierce into his right shoulder, making him drop his sword, and backing into a corner, where the civilians were before. He pants as blood dribbles down his face from a cut, as well as the wound on his shoulder. He can see his general staring down at him, readying another arrow from his quiver, and taking aim at Leander, not to mention the others brandishing their swords, and started to run towards their traitor.

Then, the general squints his eyes, seeing a bright light being reflected from the sun. After a moment of trying to understand, the general then feels something swift and heavy hit his helmet! "Gaahh!" He falls from his post onto the ground, "GHHHHH!" His back feels intense pain from the impact... "I... I can't move..." He realizes, "I cannot move! I-I-I cannot-"

"General!" One of the soldiers says.

Just then, all of them hear a clear voice ring out around them. They look up to see an Atlantean flip and turn in the air before he lands on his feet and one hand crouching down, between Leander and the numerous soldiers in red and silver. His free hand grasps his gracefully designed silver trident as the air suddenly felt a lot cooler. He looks through his own gold and blue-pearl helmet, adorned with a straight blade on the front of the face between the eyes, and one on either side of his head for a crown-like appearance.

"An Atlantean!"

"Caution! This one is a Triton!"

"A son of their king?!"

The Triton then springs forward, leaping even, and rotates a 180 swing of his trident. A shield blocks his attack, but he continues in the rotation of his motion, using his left hand to knock the shield just to the side before he pounded the pummel into the soldier's neck.

He lashes another half-circle move, brandishing his royal spear, and stabbing the soldier in the back, easily ripping into the armor on the back! "AHHHH!" The Triton turns, and backs away, flipping his trident and sprinting forward. He catches the next soldier off-guard as he comes from below. The armor on this Atlantean's forearm and hand is shaped much like a spade, using it to knock up onto the soldier. He is blocked, his shield bashes him away, and he strikes the man with his sword!

"No!" Leander races to him. The Triton rolls with tumble, clicking on something in his handguard, and letting it sling around his limb, and lock onto the side of his arm. Flipping his trident backward, the Triton shoots forward.

"AhHHhAHhaahh!" The soldier backs away in rabid steps, as the Atlantean enacts a melee of swings, with his left arm humming an eerie, mystical sound as the wind races through the tuned weapon, turning around and thrusting the trident up, and then around and around again, wasting nothing in his movements.

A soldier knocks the Triton onto the ground, and then clashes his sword into the singing arm-weapon, shattering it, and then stomping his foot onto his arm. The soldier raises his sword to slay this man. "You are- GAAHHHH!!"

Leander stands there, panting with eyes filled with rage as his sword is deep within his comrade. The Triton's right hand shoots a hidden blade from his metal wrist-cuff, and then stabs into the soldier's leg! He grabs his trident again, and whirls the wind around him, and gashes the soldier torso with the three blades.

Standing together, Leander and the Triton attack the remaining guards. Leander takes the Triton's arm, and swings him around before the trident knocks the sword away, and Leander comes full-circle to block another blade with his shield. The Triton takes his trident, and reverses to the other way, and goes into another tornado of two-handed assaults, easily cutting down the soldier.

"You will die with the rest of them!" Yells a soldier as he crosses blades with Leander. He grunts as he's pushed backward, before the soldier takes his dagger, and stabs Leander's side between the lines of his chainmail!

"AHHHHH!" Leander relents from the pain, and the soldier kicks him into the ground. Whipping his sword around, the soldier goes to make the killing blow to his wounded comrade.

HnnnNNnggghhh

A silvery sound rings through the air before the soldier is struck down in mid-run! "ACCKKHHH!" He falls to the ground as the trident impales his chest. The Triton walks to the dying soldier, taking his weapon, and then giving it a harsh crank with both hands. The soldier suddenly stopped moving, his hands going limb.

They are relatively alone now, he and Leander. The Triton turns to him as Leander gingerly takes the dagger out his body, dribbling with more blood than there should be. He pants and grunts as he stands on his shaking legs, putting his hand onto the wall of the gate, and looking at the Atlantean before him with just one as, as the other one is closed to prevent the blood from his head from getting in.

"Pelagios..." Leander groans. Pelagios takes his helmet off, revealing his short and bright yellow hair, his piercing eyes of deep and vivid blue from his fair skin. Those eyes rim with water as he looks at the wounded soldier.

"Tell me this isn't true..." His shaky voice requests.

"Pelagios..."

"Tell me this is all a heartbreaking nightmare. A dark joke of the Gods to teach me allegory. Tell me, Leander."

"Pelagios... I do not understand..." Leander shakes his head, "I-I..."

"Then what is the meaning of this?!" Pelagios stomped forward, "Tell me!"

"Hhh... Hhh..." Leander covers his eyes as he wipes the blood from the right one.

"Hgeh..." Pelagios scoffs as he walks away a few steps, "So I suppose this is King Mithras's great bridge of unity to our kingdom, yes? Is that not what he discussed with my Mother all those years ago?!"

"No... I cannot, I do not know what any of this means." Leander says as he shakes his head, "I-I... I just arrived..."

"Hence why you are not in full armor. I had the slight delusion that you were somehow PART OF THIS!" Pelagios shouts, his eyes searing at him, "Leander, you are telling me that you do not know of your country's own warfare?! They did not even send a bird?!"

"I have known nothing!" Leander defends, still panting as his wound still bleeds.

"Then explain the reasoning. My Mother spoke of how King Mithras sought to bring his kingdom to others, or else stand strong alone. How is THIS," He waves his hand to the crumbling city, "How is this building the bridge to us?! Why has King Mithras invaded us?!"

"Kih... King Mithras?" Leander groans as he pushes up, "Pelagios, has the king and queen not heard? Have you not been told?"

"What are you talking about??"

"King Mithras has passed."

"... What?" Pelagios blinks slowly with confusion.

"A fortnight, King Mithras fell to illness. The heir King Nalcious now rules." Leander huffs with a hint of disbelief, "I have heard tell that he had conflicted with the former king's council, but... Pelagios, I..." Leander shakes his head, "I do not know what this is."

"Fine... Your King Nalcious then... Has declared war upon the three Kingdoms of the Sea - Atlantis, Lyoness, and Kandam." Pelagios explained hollowly, "He demanded we surrendered ourselves to his hand, or we will fall."

"By the Gods..."

"Leander, the city has fallen as of 7 days before now. Yours is a small country, how can we even have fallen so soon, so easily??"

"King Mithras... Has established many small bonds with training camps across the land... After he died, King Nalcious decided to conscript every soldier within the boundary."

"What... But... That is outlandish, barbaric!" Pelagios covers his mouth, "What does he hope to gain by this?!"

"I do not know... I do not know..." Leander says as he takes out the paper letter he received from the general, "All I was told was that we were at war, and to report to Atlantis immediately."

"No... No, no..." Pelagios shakes his head as he turns away from him, planting his trident on the ground, still holding it with both hands, and putting his forehead into it.

"Pelagios... Will you l-"

"You have to get out of here, Leander." Pelagios says, before taking his trident, and turning back to him, "You have to leave Atlantis as fast as you can."