Atlantis

Hobnailed boots clacked on the marble floor as you entered Atlantis’s palace. The fact that this place was dry as a bone was somewhat surprising to you, but you had other things to worry about. Turning back, you observed one of your submarines with Mermen clutching it’s sides careen into a line of Serpent men, the Mermen letting go just before impact and mopping up the resistance.

“So” came a smug and condescending voice in front of you. “You’ve come,” said an angel sitting on a throne at the end of the palace. The place almost looked like Zeus’s palace and you suppose it would have been based on that.

“Yes, I have” you reply, drawing your sword and turning back to the angel.

“I must admit, I didn’t expect you to bring land dwellers all the way down here” The angel told you “But now that you have, I suspect my Lord will have quite the use for you, AND your men” he told you. You then felt his power descend upon you, attempting to suppress your own power just like that angel who killed and ate your Quiphants. The memories this brought back did nothing to help the poor deluded angel.

“Are you expecting that to do something other than anger me?” you ask, shaking off his control with a mental flick. For the first time, worry crossed the angel’s face and he straightened up on his throne.

“Strange” the angel commented “I thought for sure that would work” he said.

“It hasn’t before” you tell him.

“Well then” The angel began, pulling out an Aztec obsidian sword from behind the throne “I guess I shall have to do this the hard way” he said.

“How on earth did you get one of those?” You asked with a frown. The angel’s only answer was a shrug before he charged you.

You were not bothered. A wave of your godly power snatched the angel out of the air and slammed him into the ground, where he went skidding right back to his throne.

With a sigh, you rub your brow and then sheath your sword, before picking up the throne with a short bit of telekinesis and slamming it down on the angel a few times.

“Not horribly bright are you?” you ask, walking up to the battered angel who was groaning in pain on the floor.

“What are you?” The angel gasped out, fear in his eyes.

“There isn’t much communication in your ranks is there? You got sent here and haven’t heard any word from the surface have you?” you ask, almost rhetorically. You didn’t bother waiting for the answer, merely leveled a finger over the angel’s body and fired a beam of sunlight into him.

“But . . . I’m immortal” the angel said, as if he couldn’t believe what had happened.

“Not any more kid, not anymore” you reply as the angel disintegrates.

A slithering distracts you from the pile of ashes that used to be an angel, and you snap your head up to the sight of a trio of Serpents. Two of them had spears and were clearly escorting their leader.

“I thhhhhank you for ssssaving ussss” The snake told you in a decidedly female voice.

“Uhh, you’re welcome?” You reply, blinking.

“Thhat monssster wassss controlling my people thhhrough me” The snake explained. “When you arrived, I wassss able to break it’sssss hold” she told you. “Now thhhat it’sss dead, my people are all free” she added. Your eyes widened at the implication and you quickly used your god powers to determine if she was lying. When you found she wasn’t you switched your focus to her people. Having been freed from their control and being slaughtered on both sides, the Serpent people had unwittingly fallen into your trap, and the waiting harpoons and spears of the main Atlantean army as it pressed in. Thinking quickly, you send a message off to Gwen and Strabo to halt the attack, before slapping a ward over the Serpent people. The ward was immediately tested when the Merfolk tried to kill the serpents, heedless of orders to stop.

“Tell your people to stand down and not fight” You tell the serpent woman “I am protecting your people for now, but if so much as one raises a spear in anger . . .” you say, trailing off as you let the implication hang. The Serpent woman’s eyes widened for a moment before she reacted, unleashing a hissing screech that blasted through the palace and into the waters outside. All at once the serpents laid down their arms and ceased fighting.

Thankfully, your legion was disciplined, and so, when the order to halt came, they did. With the air filled areas now a safe haven, the fleeing serpents turned back and hid once more among the streets, though they left their weapons behind.

“That was close” you mutter as the situation began to slowly resolve. You frowned as you noticed several of the Merfolk attempting to launch attacks on the air filled areas in a **** attempt to kill more serpents, despite your orders.

“Too clossssse” the serpent lady replied, seeming to sigh in relief. “I thhhank you onssse more for ssssaving my people” the serpent told you. “I am Ahuic leader of thhh Naga '' Ahuic said.

“Solus” you replied with a nod.

“Solus!” came the angry voice of Gwen as she somewhat literally stormed into the palace. Clouds of water vapours followed her into the palace as her wings folded in on themselves. Little bolts of lighting began flickering through the vapour clouds.

“Gwen” you greet, turning to meet her.

“We are at the cusp of our victory and you choose NOW to betray me?” Gwen demanded, looking very close to tears. Whether they were of rage or grief, you couldn’t tell.

“Betray you?” you ask “The battle is won” you tell her.

“I see unslain serpents right there!” she barked, her sword flashing in her hand as she made for them. You step in front of her and look down at her, your hand on your sword.

“Calm yourself Gwen, and listen to me” you say. Gwen stopped and glared at you, her sword hand trembling with her anger.

“Your excuse will amuse me” came Gwen’s reply. You sigh a deep, forlorn sigh as you heard those words.

“You are already aware that the enemy possesses the ability to brainwash or otherwise control people” you begin. “Did you really think that ability only worked on gods? It doesn’t, the enemy has used it on my own people before” you tell the sea goddess who blinked.

“What are you saying? That the serpents were being controlled? A whole species?” Gwen began before shaking her head. “Really now, if such a thing were possible, I think the Great Enemy would just brainwash all of mankind” she said with a scoff.

“He didn’t control my whole sssspecies” Ahuic piped in. “Did you thhhink a few hundred thhhoussssand was the entirety of my people?” she asked. “Many were forsssibly born here by thhhe enemy” she added. Gwen blinked a few times as she presumably realised what had taken you only a few seconds.

“I . . . but . . . I” Gwen stammered, blinking repeatedly. She then noticed the sword in her hand and that you were nearly drawing your own. Gwen’s blade clattered to the ground as she all but threw it away, stepping back as if the weapon burnt her. “I . . . I didn’t . . .” Gwen began. Nearly coming to blows with Gwen because she didn’t trust you left a sour taste in your mouth. Now that she had come to her senses, you just wanted to get out of here.

“I must tend to my men, I shall return some time later to see to your people” You tell the Naga queen. “For now, remain in Atlantis, but begin making preparations to leave” you tell her. Ahuic nodded in response before turning to her guards and talking to them in some hissing language.

“Solus” Gwen said, almost pleading with just your name. You ignored her and turned to leave. “Solus please” she begged as you walked out. Hearing her sobs as you left hurt, but you needed time. Unfortunately, your body didn’t appreciate this sentiment one little bit and you came to a stop at the edge of the palace.

“Gwen” you said in a low voice, almost whispering. You turned to look at her and the sight of the tears running down her cheeks hit you hard. “You nearly attacked me because you trusted me so little” you told her.

“I . . . I thought you had decided . . . because . . .” Gwen tried, stopping when she realised she wasn’t making any sense. “We came here to kill the serpents,” she finally said. “I knew you were protecting them, I could feel your power around them all” she told you “I just knew they were using that protection to wreak havoc on our lines” she added “Everywhere I looked, the lines were breaking” she said. With a heavy sigh you rubbed your face. “I took it as a sign you had sided with them” she said with a forlorn smile.

“No Gwen” you told her “Your lines were breaking because your soldiers were charging after the fleeing Serpents” you said. Gwen blinked. “Even now, some of them are so **** to get kills that they are attempting to attack the serpents in the air filled sections” you tell her. Gwen closed her eyes in dismay.

All at once, the sea vibrated and, almost as one, the Merfolk stopped their attack and backed off.

“This is over '' Gwen muttered “If the serpents need safe passage out, they have it” she said tiredly, walking up beside you and looking out into the sea.

“Your sword?” you ask as you turn back to look at the weapon.

“I’m done with it” she muttered “I was about to use that on you, I can’t ever hope to touch it again” she told you. You hummed in thought.

“Then might I suggest sticking it into a rock until a worthy mortal can claim it and become king?” you ask. Gwen turned to face you, blinking as she did so.

“I think I know just the mortal you are talking about” she muttered, turning back to look at the sword.

“Arthur would make for a great king” you say, hedging your bets.

“Yes, he was my choice for Brittania . . .” Gwen commented “But how do you know about him?” she asked, turning back to you.

“Oh, legends and such” you reply with a cheeky grin. Idly, you wonder if you and Gwen can repair your relationship after this debacle. The sea goddess’ soft smile, however, was all the answer you needed.