The Last Emprex

by EJ Altbacker

  “Why did you stop?” asked Conton. “Hey! I—I can’t move! What’s happening?”

  “Shut up,” Hokuu told the thresher. “I’m thinking.”

  Of course Hokuu was going to betray Grimkahn.

  But that would be later, when the Big Blue was securely in the mosasaur king’s clawed flippers and Hokuu could mysteriously kill him. After a respectful funeral ceremony, he would have been in perfect position to swim from first in Line to being the new ruler of the Big Blue.

  Now that wouldn’t happen.

  It was all Gray’s fault.

  Grimkahn would be punished for his stupidity and causing Hokuu pain.

  But Gray?

  Hokuu would eat Gray, mouthful by mouthful, from the tail up. And he would use his power to keep the pretender alive as he did it.

  Takiza was too small to be a meal, so maybe he’d be a light dessert.

  But first things first. . . .

  Hokuu looked out over the paralyzed crowd. Some Jetty sharks had been pushed into awkward positions by the current as he had been pondering his situation. That was all right. They wouldn’t be uncomfortable too much longer.

  “I have something to say,” Hokuu said. “It’s about knowing your place. Any given day in the Big Blue you can have lunch, or be lunch. Today, you’re my lunch.” Hokuu could see their shock and terror, and it warmed him. There were a few muffled grunts from the stronger sharkkind but nothing more since he had paralyzed their throats.

  He didn’t want to be interrupted, especially during his brilliant speech.

  Hokuu reversed the flow of the dark-kata, dragging the life force energy from each shark and dweller from Jetty Shiver to his own body.

  The weakest among them, the old and young, died in a wave.

  “When you woke up today you fully expected to have lunch, not be lunch. You didn’t really know your place. That’s how it is with everyone else in the Big Blue. No one understands that I am the greatest fin that has ever swum the waters, greater than Tyro even!”

  Hokuu’s voice rose as dark-kata energy filled him to bursting. It was wonderful! It was glorious! He felt his wound close up and heal. Still he sucked at their life force greedily, making sure to take every last bit. There was a collective moan from those still alive as they felt themselves dying. Hokuu’s power grew until he glowed, shining bright as if he had swallowed a piece of a wicked, green sun.

  “Like the others, you didn’t realize that I am your king! You should have driven your snouts into the muck when you saw me. The Seazarein doesn’t understand either, but he will! Oh, how he will! I swear that like you, everyone will know this fact by the time I am done!”

  Hokuu surveyed the silent scene in front of him.

  Every sharkkind and dweller—even the polyps that were responsible for the beautiful black coral fans—was gray and dead. The current carried away the flakes, which crumbled from everything affected by his spell. Hokuu had seen snow falling into the ocean a few times. This looked like that, but in reverse, as the flakes floated up and away from the Jetty Shiver homewaters.

  It was pretty in a way, and this pleased Hokuu. It was a vision of the future for Gray and his friends, for Grimkahn, and for the rest of his jurassics.

  Everyone would get what was coming to them. Hokuu would see to it.

  With a snap of his spiked tail he turned the corpse of Conton into a cloud of floating gray and white flakes. Hokuu swam through the quiet crowd. The sharkkind and dwellers of Jetty Shiver seemed to be watching him, their black eye holes watching—maybe judging—as he swam toward his destiny.

  Let them stare, thought Hokuu. They’re all jealous.

  And with every swish of his tail, Hokuu sent blooms of ash upward into the water.

  CHAPTER 20

  GRAY DISMISSED THE REST OF HIS ADVISORS after they had gone over the events of the day. Only Takiza was left in the small private chamber. Gray had to order the betta to allow himself to be examined by Oceania, a surgeonfish. The white lumo light in this particular cavern cast everything in a ghostly half-light that Gray found unsettling.

  “Will you stop your infernal prodding?” Takiza huffed. “The wound is tender. You are not aiding matters by poking it!”

  “Hold still,” Oceania said, ignoring the betta.

  Speedmeister was on his way to the Arktik. Gray hoped the resourceful little fish would find a way to get there. But could Hideg and Icingholme Shivers even swim from the north to Fathomir in time?

  Barkley and Velenka had also managed to slip out during Speedmeister’s mad swim. Gray worried that he had sent his best friend on a fool’s errand to convince Trank. The stonefish might even decide that capturing Barkley and Velenka and giving them to Grimkahn would be a better idea. And then, of course, there was the continuing threat of the jurassic horde. They came in waves of frenzied swarms, trying to get past Fathomir’s defenders.

  So far Striiker and the mariners from Riptide United were keeping them out. But they were losing sharkkind. Gray was worried. He never let on to the mariners or shiver sharks, but he couldn’t see how they would get out of Fathomir, much less win.

  “Can I speak with you?” Oceania asked.

  Takiza shook his fins in irritation. “I am over five hundred years old. Do not treat me as you would a pup!”

  Gray nodded to the surgeonfish. “He deserves to know.”

  She sighed. “I don’t know what to do,” Oceania began, looking over Takiza’s injured flank. “The rips in his fins aren’t the worst of it. Whatever vile force hit him, it’s doing something. Something that I can’t stop. The wound is getting worse.”

  “What does that mean?” Gray asked, his worry increasing.

  “It means nothing!” Takiza said, stopping the surgeonfish from speaking. “Oceania, however well intentioned, doesn’t know the ways of shar-kata. I could not block all of Hokuu’s power burst. Some small bit seeped past my shield. That is all.”

  Gray turned his bulk in the small cavern so he could get a better look at Takiza. He didn’t look as bright as usual. His rainbow colors seemed to be melting into each other.

  “He’s correct about that,” the surgeonfish said.

  “So? So?” asked Gray. “What does that mean? You’re not—you’re not—” He couldn’t bring himself to say the words.

  “No, I am not!” Takiza huffed. The betta could see that Gray was unconvinced. “Rest assured I will be here to see many more of your training mistakes. I will slowly regain my health using shar-kata. Sometimes this requires going into a deep trance. But once we are in the open waters where I can feel the full healing powers of the tides, all will be well.”

  “You’re sure,” Gray prodded.

  “I am,” answered Takiza. “Go and complete your tasks. I will rest. The current is fine here. Would that make you both stop hovering over me like I’m a turtle hatchling?”

  “It would be a start,” Oceania said.

  Gray nodded to Takiza and swam off, still troubled.

  Thankfully there was a lull in the battle. He went into one of the deeper caverns, gliding on the current that filtered in from the front entrance.

  In a moment Gray found his mother, Sandy, taking care of the shiver sharkkind and dwellers of Riptide. Nurse sharks were good at that. Lumos gave off light from their positions on the walls and down below the ancient reef. Mosses, lichens, and other cave greenies grew, giving the smaller dwellers a place to rest and feed.

  “Hi, Mom,” he said.

  She must have seen something in his eyes because the barbels on the sides of her mouth vibrated. She called to Onyx, who was helping keep order. “Can you take over?” she asked the blacktip. “I’d like to speak with my son.”

  “Sure thing, Sandy,” Onyx told her. He immediately shouted at a few older pups that were causing a stir. “Hey! What have I told you fin biters about
snout-banging each other in the middle of everyone! Get over here!”

  Gray and Sandy swam to a ledge below everyone else where they could be alone. They hovered where the current was stronger so they could breathe better. “Tell me how you’re doing,” she said, giving him a flank rub with her tail.

  This felt wonderful and calmed him. Gray had thought he was too old to be so affected but apparently that wasn’t true. “Well, our food supplies are low and Grimkahn keeps sending his frills to try to breach the main cavern—”

  Sandy slashed her tail through the water. “I asked how you were doing, not how the battle is going.”

  Gray didn’t have an answer. Finally he said, “Is there a difference?” Sandy shook her head as he continued. “I’m the Seazarein, Mom. I’m supposed to have all the answers. Everyone looks to me to lead. I don’t think I’m allowed to say, ‘Well, I feel a little down today. Maybe we could play tag-a-long until I feel better.’”

  “You’re a shark, Gray,” Sandy chided. “You have feelings. You get to be sad. You get to laugh.”

  He forced a grin for his mom. “You’re right. See? I’m all better.”

  “You know what I mean,” Sandy said.

  A dweller poked his head from the mossy greenie and for a moment Gray didn’t know who it was. But then the colorful sea dragon opened its mouth.

  “Hey, Gray!” Yappy said as his leafy fins moved with tiny micro-currents that only he could feel. “Sorry to listen in but I’m playing hide and seek with Riprap and Ebbie so I heard. They’re really good by the way, but I miss the days when you and Barkley used to swim and play around the reef. Sandy’s right, you need to smile more.”

  Gray chuckled. He couldn’t believe Yappy was inside Fathomir. “How did you get here from Riptide’s homewaters?”

  “Oh, the quickfins help us slower dwellers with directions if everyone leaves,” Yappy said. “It took a while but I made it.” Gray nodded in wonder. The journey for such a small dweller would have been staggering. “How’s everything going with Grimkahn?” the little dragon asked.

  “Well,” Gray began. “We’re safe now. That’s all I can really say.”

  “You’ll win,” Yappy said, nodding solemnly. “You always do.”

  Gray looked at all the sharks jammed into the cavern. There were so many, and every single one was counting on him.

  “Oh, and I delivered your message!” the sea dragon said.

  Gray was confused. “What message?”

  “To my cousins.”

  Gray still didn’t know what the sea dragon was talking about. “You know, the message to my giant cousins from the deep waters of the Dark Blue. I couldn’t go down there myself but I sent word. Once they hear about us—I mean, I did call them to help with Finnivus and he’s gone—but these fins are worse so they’re still needed. They’ll come and help you beat all those dumb monsters keeping us in here. You, Takiza, Barkley, Striiker, and my cousins! You’ll see!”

  Yappy had spoken of his giant cousins that lived in the depths of the Dark Blue since they were pups. Supposedly, when Gray was fighting against Finnivus’s Black Wave armada, Yappy had sent a message for these imaginary giant sea dragons to come help. But Yappy also had a theory that the moon above the chop-chop was made of cheese.

  Despite the situation Gray let out a barking laugh. He couldn’t help it.

  “What’s so funny?” said Yappy.

  Gray couldn’t think of anything to say and didn’t want to let the sea dragon know he had been laughing at him. Thankfully Riprap and Ebbie saved him.

  “Tag! Tag! Tag!” shouted Riprap, skimming by Yappy and touching him with a fin.

  “We found you!” added Ebbie.

  “You did!” Yappy said. “You guys are definitely the best finders ever!”

  Riprap and Ebbie swam excitedly around Sandy and Gray.

  “We are awesome,” said Riprap. “That’s a fact.”

  Ebbie gave her brother a bump to the side. “Quit being such a chowderhead! We only found him because he was talking with Gray.”

  Yappy shook his head and fluttered his colorful fins in disagreement. “No way! I was hiding while talking! I was—”

  Suddenly there was a tremendous rumble. It seemed like the walls of the mountainous cavern were collapsing.

  “What’s that?” asked Sandy fearfully.

  “I don’t know, Gray told her. “Stay here and make sure no one panics.”

  Gray swam out of the back cavern in a flash. The noise grew louder as he approached the throne area. Had Grimkahn figured out a way in? Was Hokuu using his power to blast a path inside?

  “GET AWAY!” shouted Striiker. “CLEAR THE AREA!”

  The rumbling grew, shaking the throne cavern violently. Gray saw boulders falling down outside. It didn’t stop until Fathomir’s entrance was totally blocked.

  The noises stopped. The mariners and everyone else were silent.

  Striiker quietly said, “I guess Grimkahn wasn’t too keen on you sending that quickfin out.”

  “I guess so,” Gray answered, staring at the wall of giant boulders.

  They were sealed in.

  In a moment the current slowed and then stopped. The cavern was large enough for them to survive for a little while.

  But only a little. A half day at most.

  If Gray didn’t figure out how to escape, every one of them would suffocate.

  CHAPTER 21

  JUST OUTSIDE OF FATHOMIR TERRITORY Barkley watched as the guards circled in front of the greenie curtain that hid the Stingeroo Supper Club. The patterns they swam seemed random but definitely weren’t. They were fiendishly complex and no area was ever unwatched for more than a minute. Yes, he and Velenka could easily swim the distance in less than that, but they couldn’t do it without being seen.

  “No way in without being caught,” Velenka whispered, also noting the situation.

  Barkley nodded but gave the mako a soft fin flick to the flank to be quiet.

  She was smart. He would give her that.

  Well, I didn’t swim all this way for nothing, Barkley thought.

  “What are you doing?” Velenka hissed as he left the greenie and headed toward the Stingeroo entrance. He didn’t get far before guards blocked his way.

  “Club’s closed,” a bull shark told him. “Come back next week.” The shark was older but swam with skill and no wasted motion. Probably an ex-mariner.

  “I’m not here for the seasoned fish,” Barkley said. “I’m here to see Trank.”

  Other guards spotted Velenka and surrounded her. “Got another one here, Rocko,” yelled another guard, a big blue shark.

  “Friend of yours?” asked Rocko, who was obviously in charge of this group.

  Barkley nodded. “Yep. A setting for two would be nice.”

  Rocko smirked and led them inside. Stingeroo was deserted. They were swum to the center area of the club. Barkley saw that Ripper was with Trank.

  “You didn’t tell me he was going to be here!” Velenka said nervously when she spotted the battle-scarred hammerhead.

  Velenka had betrayed a shiver leader named Goblin when Ripper had been his first. Barkley had forgotten that little fact but there was nothing he could do about it now. Velenka tried to hide herself among the guards but these ex-mariners—they had to be, they were very good—didn’t allow it.

  Ripper saw him first. “Doggie! What are you thinking coming—” The hammerhead stopped speaking when he saw Velenka. His eyes flashed with anger. “YOU!”

  He was about to streak at her when Trank yelled, “Hold it! Everyone calm down!”

  Ripper’s fins and tail twitched in anger. “I’m so glad I get to see you again, Velenka. So, so glad.”

  “Take it easy, why don’t youse,” said Trank in his odd drawl. No one in the ocean spoke like the stonefish and n
ot for the first time Barkley wondered where he was from.

  Velenka hovered close to the old fins guarding her. She didn’t want to give the hammerhead a shot at her gills. “Ripper, good to see you,” she said, although plainly it was the last thing she was thinking. “I’ve always respected you, you know. You should have been the leader of the shiver. I always thought that.”

  “Why?” spat the big hammerhead. “So you could put a hit out on me? Yeah, I work for Trank. I hear things.”

  “Whoa, whoa,” Trank said. “Let’s not dredge up the past. What you doin’ here, dogfish? I know you don’t like my seasoned fish.” Trank signaled the guards with a fin waggle and allowed Barkley to move forward.

  “You know what I’m here for,” he told the stonefish. “Gray’s prepared to offer you a hunk of territory, including some of the golden greenie field for your help.”

  “Youse can’t do anything with new territory if you’re dead,” the stonefish said.

  Barkley flicked his fins but kept his temper under control. “Help us and you’ll be paid well. We’re in trouble.”

  “Not my problem.”

  Barkley slashed his tail through the water. “You’re wrong. It’s everyone’s problem. You think you can ride this current out? No way. Grimkahn won’t be satisfied with free seasoned fish.”

  Trank gave a noncommittal swish of his fins. “Maybe he’s a music fan. We got great bands here. Youse never know.”

  “Oh come on!” Barkley said. “Do you really want to take that chance?”

  “More than I want to take the chance of making him irate,” Trank answered. “In case youse haven’t noticed, I’m not sealed up inside of Fathomir like Gray and the rest of yer pals. I got my tailfin waving free here.” The stonefish saw the confused look on Barkley’s face. “Ain’t been keepin’ up on current events, have youse? I might not have quickfins, but I do pay good fish for information. Grimkahn’s bruisers caused an avalanche. Fathomir’s shut tighter than a clam. And youse wants me to risk my skin? Thanks, but no thanks.”

  “Even with that, it’s still the right play,” Velenka said.