by J N Moon
Rage swelled in me, like the fire that soared through me, this creature had come to kill these creatures? No!
Slowly walking backwards, carefully placing my feet, the water had now gone deathly still but I knew it was waiting, so I assessed and I watched and waited.
Maybe I had scared it after all?
Like a tornado, it bolted out the water so fast, it must’ve dived deep and soared quickly up, and against my own mind, I walked swiftly to it, bolting out my own weapon as it edged its way onto the ledge floor towards me. Immediately the flame, the celestial light bolted through it, shattering its attack, it seemed to struggle for a moment, like a fish flapping to breathe, trying to survive, trying not to die, not suffocate. I stepped forward again, this time putting my hands directly on its head, long with jaws almost as big as my torso, eyes slit like a snake. Rocketing through it the energy pounded, it struggled, I couldn’t see its body but it writhed, twisted and slid away as fast as it could, but as it did, it whipped out its tail, smacking me into the wall, smashing my face, my body hard against rock. Pain seared through me, winded, unable to breathe, I struggled for breath, trying to move my head, fear convulsing through me, was it gone. Shit, was it going to eat me? My body shattered, I couldn’t move, facing the rock wall I could only hear the splash of waves, the sound of water being beaten violently behind me, my neck, back locked in excruciating agony. Groaning loudly, I managed to twist around but like a woman made of stone herself, I couldn’t move, and could only watch in horror as this thing, with apparently lizard type arms, claws the size of me, reached forward, grabbed me and pulled me back into that living nightmare of suffocation, the cold and dark abyss.
Ancient City of Aegae.
Lucius.
I’d never anticipated fear like this before, or cold except when I was in Hell but here at least I can morph into the non-physical, handy when you’re lost in the vast ocean without your guide, and a huge sea creature tries to devour you and your friends. Not that Ava or Elijah were exactly that, and I know I should feel remorse. I should feel something, sometimes I do, like now. Right now, when I’ve been swimming south for over a day, then head due west as apparently Poseidon’s son doesn’t reside near Greece, pollution has sent them away, and now in the emerald green sparkling world, though I admit I cannot really be harmed by another, by the unknown however miraculous and stunning does fill me with anxiety.
And I keep asking myself why, why am I doing this, but I know. Being a demon of little to no feelings, it’s experiences that I crave, new ideas, creatures, sensations. And in all my hundreds of years on this tiny planet, I’ve never done anything so reckless. Sure, I’ve been in the sea, swam its darkened depths but not this far, not alone. But Kai assured me if I heeded this direction, I would find Triton, and then he had to leave, his kin were in trouble.
So here I am, someway off the coast of Western England, using my occult self to speed through for a while, but then I came across the scariest creatures, mermen, green-black flesh, barnacled skin, tangled mess of hair and tails like dolphins, armed and their huge mouths and razor teeth, not to mention their nails, no- more claws, spied me and immediately formed a barrier between me and my path.
Their huge eyes narrowed as they assessed me, I moved slowly, submissively and approached them only to find a spear at my throat.
A demonic entity swimming around in their Kingdom, is definitely seen as a threat to them.
“My name is Lucius, I am here on behalf of the Selkie, of the Nephilim, and the Wolves. I am looking for Triton who might hear my cause, Teran has lost his mind and is killing your kin, and mine, will you let me pass?” I stuttered, surprise that my ethereal voice travelled so easily under the ocean.
Eyed over by the biggest of them, his rough skin, leather straps bound across his chest, he floated towards me, holding a Trident that gleamed under the ocean.
Clenching his square jaw, arms as big as my body, he didn’t speak for a time, just stared at me. Churning around my stomach tensed, technically they couldn’t harm me, unless they used magic, and they would, wouldn’t they? I mean most Supes do...
“The selkies have no right to send you into our domain, as for wolves or Nephilim, they have nothing to do with us either. This area is guarded, especially against demons, and you, a demon seek counsel with Triton!” he bellowed, then turned to his army who joined his laughter.
“And yet here I am, trying to get help for the sea supes along with the land supes, and yes, I am a demon, I am Lucius and if you ask around, you’ll know my reputation isn’t... bad. I was made a demon, born of wickedness, sin and cunning but... I did not choose that. So, will you let me pass or no?”
“No, we shall not, we will kill you here!” he snapped angrily, and held the Trident at my throat.
“What of Poseidon? When he hears that land dwellers came to help you, and you killed them? What then? Two dragon shifters were taken by the Leviathan, back there where Teran dwells, I saw it myself and escaped. If the Leviathan has risen, then only destruction lies before us all.” I pleaded.
“Dragon shifters, ha, you lie, Leviathan... they’re...”
“Why would I lie? Do you think I like being here, I mean it is beautiful but it is hard on me, not being from the ocean? What the hell could I, I mere demon do to you? See for yourself, Teran sent his demon on land to destroy the peaceful packs of werewolves, now he’s stealing and consuming blood from a dragon shifter...”
One of the others swam over to this leader, whispered in his ear. He snarled at me, raised his head and sternly spoke, “So it is possible you speak the truth, demon. I shall let you pass this time, but if you do anything at all, I will have your head on a trident so fast, you’ll see it yourself, understand?”
“Absolutely.”
There was no point in giving my word, the way he spat the word demon, he would see my word as useless, so it is...
I lost count of time, without stopping the sea became thicker with seaweeds, less fish darting around. Diving deeper to the ground, I decided to walk for a while when before me moss- green reeds towered up before me like imposing and macabre trees, swaying relentlessly in the ocean’s ebb and flow, the multi-coloured, speckled and luminescent fish became less and less, and only black eels creeping forward from their rocks to see what this new danger, this strange creature is that walks alongside their home.
The weeds became denser, and just as they seem to become sparse again I spied something in the distance, something eerie.
Slowing down, my stomach, for what it is, clamped up, my mouth hanging open in horror...
Swaying with the ebb and flow of the currents, ethereal, almost diaphanous spectres were rooted to the seafloor, their hollow faces, dark holes for eyes, white hair floating above their heads like the sea weeds surrounding them. A grave in the ocean, a place of the dead, clothed in rags, dozens of these ghoulish humans, now blocked my path, and I admit, I am not wholly infallible, not to dark, arcane magic.
For the first time, I gulped pulling out a pentacle that I had long ago imbued with power and then I trod lightly, looking up wondering if I should swim above them.
Taking a deep breath- I know, I don’t breathe as such but fear makes me act in a very mortal and weak way, I jumped lightly so that I could swim quietly overhead them.
Looking ahead I only moved my feet lightly, these ghoulish fiends, skin and sinew tattered over skeletons and ragged clothing moving in the currents like seaweed, their eyes too black, ominous I took quick glances down to check they had not come to life.
As I swam away, shock smashed through me, one of them had my foot, its mouth now like its eyes, a huge black hole. Struggling against it, it tried to pull me down, twisting around I grabbed at its skeletal fingers, bits of flesh separating from its decaying hands, body.
Then to my horror, more of them unhinged themselves and floated up, their mouths like this one opening wide, black as if they meant to consume me. Mustering my will, I chanted wildly in my head a
spell to break demons, holding out my hand, palm splayed but that seemed to make it worse.
Its grip tightened and the others grabbed me, the unholy it seems can harm a demon, for I’d believed that in this form none could do that. A darkness descended on my soul such as it is as their strength pulled me down.
Thinking fast of all the spells I’d learned over the centuries, all the magic filled my mind but I was distracted by a creature so obscene, a chill shuddered through me.
Her face in the few seconds was delicate, powder pink cheeks and soft pink lips, golden hair that reached past her waist, cobalt eyes and her naked body, at least the human part, curvaceous and pale, her tail gleaming brilliant silver- green and as she smiled, my body responded with a buzz of energy and sensual desire so strong that for those seconds, I forgot my predicament.
But in those few seconds her features, so alluring, contorted, sharp teeth, skin dirty- green and seaweed hair her mouth too large for her face almost, laughing her tongue leapt out to my face, split like a snake.
Wrinkly skin hung off her arms alongside her withered body and her tail now black. Barnacles stuck to her body and tail and claws as opposed to hands lashed at my skin
My black blood seeped into that dark underworld, like the ink from a squid, I lashed about, making it worse as she clung to me, drinking up my lifeforce, my blood.
Instantly her face changed, narrow eyes surveyed me as this creature had to try and define what I was, an unnatural being here in the ocean. She turned fast, flitting away, but the bony grip of the ghouls held fast, and as I felt relief the witch had gone, she was again before me, but with others holding out a phial, laughing and chanting in some tongue.
The ghoulish hands let go, I found myself forced towards the witch, realising that she meant to trap me, unable to stop her with my magic, as I was dragged towards her.
A thrashing of water suddenly engulfed us, without wasting a moment I swam fast away, glancing back briefly seeing what I could only describe as a fleet of mermen, gnarly creatures, not dissimilar to the ones I’d met earlier. The witches gliding fast towards them, spears out, contorted faces, their mouths large with beast like fangs, barnacled skin and seaweed hair floating, both species fought, tails whipping but I didn’t look back and swam as fast as my ethereal legs could kick!
In seconds, I was accosted by one of these male creatures, he looked different from the others, his long hair, jet like mine and his features more mortal, softer. Narrowing his eyes, more of confusion I thought, he lowered his muscular arm that held the Trident, holding his other arm out in front of me, hand splayed, “You’re Lucius, the land demon?”
I nodded.
A small grin on his lips, he nodded back, “I am Triton, I heard from the Selkie a land immortal was looking for me, lucky I found you. Come, follow me,” his voice was deep, his body was more man than his followers, whose skin had a hue of emerald similar to the Selkie.
Glancing back, his men were ushering the witches away, as for the ghoulish figures they’d returned to their dormant state, swaying in the waves like weeds, quiet. Shuddering, I turned back to Triton, Poseidon’s son, relieved indeed that he had found me.
The ocean held a thousand wonders, as I followed Triton and we edged deeper into the Atlantic, sunlight faded, translucent jelly fish with hearts gleaming with the brilliance of a star, tentacles like silver threads floated by us in the deep. Sea stars, mauve and pink hues, like the jelly fish with their insides emitting bright white light, and they seemed to walk upon the surface, upright. Silver- white starfish made their way across the ocean bed, passing a cute Dumbo octopus, it’s huge dark eyes and white-grey body flecked purple, lived up to its cute name. Salmon coloured fish puffed out, down-turned mouth and delicate fins, but I stopped. Tiny legs beneath the fish walked carefully in the ground. Triton turned to see what I was doing, then laughed, “Beautiful isn’t it?”
Schools of brilliant coloured fish, some illuminating weaved their way around us, darting fast and translucent sea cucumbers like elongated jellyfish, their sepia diaphanous bodies revealing their white glowing hearts.
After the ghoulish figures and the witches, so much beauty, wonder... I was gobsmacked and unable to proceed for some time, entranced by this magnificent nature.
As I swam to catch up as he waited with patience, a large jellyfish with a warm orange body, glowing bright in the deep, its tentacles feeling around for food, for contact.
As we swam his followers caught up, for a moment I tensed, wondering if I was getting out of one capture only to be led into another but then... if I breathed my breath would have been taken away.
A shiver rippled through me as I saw, deep within an ocean, an enormous ridge as we swam towards it, peeking down there it was.
Atlantis... home of Poseidon, of Triton and his followers the Tritons.
Calling softly, Triton spoke, “Come Lucius, let’s get those wounds tended to. And then we’ll discuss what brings a demon to the deepest part of the ocean...”
Leviathan.
Emma.
A roar of laughter, jumping, I grunted loudly. Shivering violently as I scanned the blackness, only remembering the beast. What the shit happened? Scouring around, I must’ve passed out but now I was on land again, my head stung like I’d been smacked with a heavy object, my skin, warmer than before but I had no feeling in my body but I was on land.
A hand clapped once against another, realising then that my eyes had been closed, for some reason I was compelled to open them. But afraid... Slowly I peeked, was I in a monster?”
Again, the roar, a bellow like thunder from a large man, now he clapped his hands, “Emma! I believe you want something from me? I hear your boyfriend has been taken by that idiot Teran? Ha, well now you’re safe with me, for now. I see you look confused, a land creature, totally unknowing of our ways, the ways of the ocean folk. But you have no idea who I am, do you, and you look terrified. Now then, allow me to introduce myself, I am... the mighty God, Poseidon! Ha-ha, you see, you never expected that, did you?” he grinned.
His eyes were wide as if he were insane, but I quickly grasped he was a loud, larger than life character. His hair was wild, a massive burly man his beard matching his hair and large eyes, he grinned at me as if this was all some kind of joke.
Still, shock was the only thing going on with me. Trying to speak, I opened my mouth but it refused to work. Trembling at this huge man before me, I was glad he was dressed in modern clothes and not some Grecian loin cloth, so I simply nodded, tensing my muscles, trying not to look afraid. I mean, Poseidon, fuck... really?
Questions raced through my mind like a high-speed train but eventually when my mouth decided it was safe for words, I just squeaked, “Water?”
Again, his voice made me jump, every word was loud, theatrical, booming. “Of course, and then perhaps some wine?”
I watched as he poured water from an ornate glass decanter, now starting to take in my surroundings. I was in a bed, in a white dress, dry obviously but last time I was awake I was being dragged off by a sea monster.
As Poseidon handed me the glass, my hand shook taking it, frowning he tilted his head and gently sat on the bed next to me.
“Forgive me, but you survived being brought here by my daughter, Scylla, and even though you’re not mortal, that’s no mean feat.” His voice was purposefully quieter now, holding the glass with two hands I tried to steady it, and sipped the water that I wanted to chug but was too shaky in case I spilled it.
White stone walls with Grecian archways and large windows, smooth the colour of buttermilk, gasping, outside the windows fish of all colours swam, their brilliant colours like faceted diamonds glimmering under the slight rays of sunlight that reached here. Darting here and there alongside jellyfish whose bodies shone white, like a bursting star, in a trance I wondered how could this be real, there was no glass between the ocean and myself, yet I lay in this huge wooden bed, brocade bedspread covering me next to a God, watching me and
just a few feet away, the ocean with nothing between me and it. And yet I breathed.
Almost absent minded I asked, “Your daughter? I only saw a monster, a monster that tried to kill me and the Selkie?”
But my attention was drawn back to the window, fixated on the creatures, on... people, mermen? Swimming around like people wander in a city...
Suddenly aware that my mouth was hanging open, I flinched as Poseidon put his burly hand on my leg, “Ah, yes it’s all a wonder to you, isn’t it, little wolf! The world of the marine immortals,” he raised his voice as if a rhetorical question, “How is it possible? Well, my daughter Scylla takes the form of ocean beast and that of mortal woman. As you take the forms of mortal, wolf and werewolf... Is that not so?”
Not wanting to shrug his hospitality, but his hand was still on my leg, albeit I was covered in thick brocade bedspreads, I hoped he was just being fatherly. ”That’s right, but the ocean? Such a powerful force...”
Roaring with sudden laughter, he replied, “As am I dear Emma Blakesley and you and your friend seek my help to free your friend from Teran? Then I agree and we shall, this day set forth and rescue your dragon friend from that wizened old pagan fool.”
I had no idea how he knew all of this but then a God who can hold back the ocean from a glassless room obviously knew than I could imagine, or then maybe Kai had spoken to him?
My body relaxed knowing this mighty God was about to rescue Luke, and more relief when he stood up, taking his hand away.
“Come now Emma, when you are ready one of my servants will take you to the Great Hall and we shall muster our forces and free this dragon shifter. I’m not surprised though, that Teran took him. I’ve only heard of a smattering of dragon shifters over the last few hundred years, I myself am looking forward to meeting him.”
My suspicious mind questioned why he was so keen to meet Luke, but quickly reigned in those stupid thoughts, this is Poseidon, God of the Ocean. And he is on our side.
