Chapter 154 2-26-MER-KING AEGEUS
\-VANCE'S POV-
Approximately one hundred of our warriors lined the gray plateau at the summit of the cliff, southwest of the territory. Awe-inspiring scenery can be seen here thanks to the panoramic view of the horizon and the thundering waterfall to the right which plummets directly into the ocean.
Given its natural beauty and the absence of unpleasant recollections of bloodshed, it would be a pity to tarnish the region's unblemished history today.
It was the Black Ops Patrol Station at the end of Beacanview Forest that alerted Raj of our visitors.
Undoubtedly, he must have gotten the word to Blayne, or maybe Blayne beat it out of him. Either way, he was not supposed to be working.
"Oh damn!" I inspected my battered Gamma up and down before we went down the granite cliffside trail. "You look worse than Freddy Krueger."
My heart went out to him and, oh boy, I was thrilled that he was alive. Although, he was disobeying my orders.
Blayne was in black gym shorts with his blistered top shirtless and missing an eyebrow. Sporting burn marks all over his body, he walked with a limp because he was not fully healed. The sun beat down on us and I knew his injuries had to be murdering him under the roasting rays. Yet, he
showed no signs of pain.
"Why didn't you let Duke handle this
with me and go to Sianna to be
healed?" I questioned him as a
reminder that he should take my orders seriously.
"And miss the action?" He asked, scrunching his face into a grimace. “I don't think so." He boldly muttered, shaking his head. "Nothing holds me down."
"I think that you proved that yesterday, but now it's time to take
care of your health. Why don't you listen to Cleo?" Though I was reprimanding him, I averted my sharp
gaze to scan the bottom of the rocky
cliff as the rough waves splashed against them, filling the gray rock
pools. There, the merfolks were
waiting for our arrival.
As I drew nearer, I was annoyed by
their presence. After just coming back
home, I preferred to enjoy some
quality family time before taking on
another adversary.
Blayne shrugged. His defiant mind did not see my rationale. To him, duty came first.
Mer-king Aegeus saved Blayne's life,
and so, I believed that this meeting was not a hostile one. Quite frankly, I wondered what drove him to our
shores.
Our warriors were heavily armed in
the event that a defense was required and we all wore siren-blocking earpieces to avoid being bewitched or affected by their high-pitched screams.
My black silky hair was caught in a man-bun to keep out of the way, knowing that the wind on this side of the territory was quite blustery.
Turtles basked on the hot sand. I
avoided their eggs as I passed them. Sea pebbles freckled the rest of the sandy ground where orange, gray, and red starfishes sunbathed.
Several colorful merfolk heads were seen on the sea's tidal surface. While a few others laid in the rock pools that
were close to the shore. My emerald irises counted approximately fifty of them.
Mer-king Aegeus with a shiny gisarme
in his right hand, perched his ass on a large gray boulder as waves crashed on his hanging golden scale tail. His cyan hair blew in one direction because of the strong winds. Bearing a solemn
expression, his dark orchid eyes watched my descending strides. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Aegeus?" I asked, with my hands
going into my white jeans pocket. My eyes narrowed as I took a militant stance on a large boulder that was in
the shallow waters but away from the incoming waves.
"I personally came to thank you for getting rid of the werelions for us." His deep voice stated. "Their hypersonic missiles had wiped out a
large number of our tribes. We are rebuilding our homes on Holmeva Ferney and I hope that we can continue
living without interference from any landwalkers."
The hypersonic missiles were a useful weapon that traveled underwater at lightning speed and produced a
rippling sound that stunned even the strongest underwater creatures. It paralyzed the merfolks in their ability
to retaliate, and so they had to go into hiding in the deepest parts of the ocean. Surely, their underwater kingdom must have been obliterated in
the process.
"I cannot speak for all species, but my
wolves will not bother you," I assured him. In truth, I had no qualms with the
merfolks. They had kept to themselves for years. The Mer-king nodded and placed a
hand into the seawater, giving it a swish so that a glass box surfaced and
was carried by a small gentle wave to
me.
Curiosity filled me. I eyed him keenly with a vertical wrinkle appearing between my eyebrows. My interest
piqued.
"It is a gift from us to you. May it bind us into cordial relations for the future." Aegeus politely entreated for an alliance. He desired to have our backing against landwalkers or other species that might pose future problems for Oscianever Loch.
I bent and picked up the glass box. Opening it with skepticism, I discovered a small green vial. "What's this?"
"It's a cure for your daughter. Our your organ pipe coral extract will rid her of the barakian kripling's blood in her system. You may confirm with witch." He stated arrogantly to dismiss any doubts that might brew from his unexpected gesture. "Indeed, I shall." Stoically, I placed the vial in the glass box and closed it, keeping it in my hand. I must ensure that it was not a heinous deception to harm my bloodline. My family was the world to me. If this was some diabolic way to hurt my little princess, I'd finish the bloodshed that the werelions had started. Nevertheless, my instincts hinted that he had good intentions.
A new hope moved in my heart and I avowed to the Mer-king, "If this is the antidote, then rest assured that you will have my support."
Pleased, a faint smile carved into the Mer-king's serene features. "By the way..." Aegeus trailed off and threw something at Blayne. He caught it and his face lit up, showing teeth. "Wow, I thought I'd lost it." Blayne held it between his thumb and index finger to show me his toe that went missing during the explosion. He quirked a wry smile at the Mer-king, "Appreciated." "Well, Beast King Vance," Aegeus began to bid farewell and slid into the rough sea. "I will take my leave." "Hold on, Aegeus." I stopped him and
leveled a stern glare at him. "I expect that Asyrena will no longer plague my son in any way." It was more of a command than a statement. Enough with that filthy half-fish's bullshit in tormenting my son in his dreams. I would seriously hate to have to wage a water battle just to free Valen from her hauntings. "I assure you that she will be dealt with." He gave a courteous nod and swam away. The rest of his people followed. They dived with the fins of their colorful tails flipping in the air and disappearing below the water's surface.
My perspiring, sun-baking warriors and I stood our ground until we were sure they were gone. I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. Then I glanced at my Gamma. Blayne looked like a grilled boar after being under the sun's intense rays.
Some patches of his burnt skin had started to peel. Disgusting! I pursed my lips because I wanted to puke and quickly averted my gaze to the top of the cliff.
"We are going directly to the hospital to get you healed." I asserted and he opened his mouth to rebut. "Not another fucking word!" I silenced any protest that he might have and began to climb the path back up. "Aren't we going to Winsinco to wipe out the pussycats?" He pressed. Blayne always loved combat. He will never change.