Chapter 15-402: Shadows at Sea, Part III (1/2)
Red and gray scales burned along and stained the vizier’s awkward lower body. His stubby fins and tail instantly grew longer, sharper, more lethal and predatory, his tail and lower body extending out into something that was definitely not a sunfish... although it was definitely thicker and more powerful than any normal shark.
Hellfire-red ignited inside his black eyes, but he could only quiver there, his now much-wider jaw shaking open and revealing rows of shark’s teeth.
“Give,” Legion said, shaking their head and holding out a clawed and scaled hand.
Ah. Taking the Queen had established a racial tie, and they could Consume merfolk now, eh?
I just shook my head in resignation, and waved my hand, in doing so stripping the vizier of all his clothing and accoutrements, including his Chain of Office. With his Astral Ward down, a Light of Revelation instantly revealed the deep, fluid crimson of his Aura to his King, who could only stare in disbelief. The hefty and paralyzed Vizier wafted across the air towards Legion.
“Why are you...” the King began, and trailed off as Legion unceremoniously slapped the vizier with nine Tails, branding him in gold and crimson; then grabbed him and jammed him down their throat.
“<Your Royal Majesty, I HOPE that you will accept a Blessing from me.>” I strode right up to the edge of the water, within his reach, and held out my hand, ignoring the fate of the vizier.
King Oichio blinked at me, at the word Ringing in the air, and all sorts of emotions swirled in his dark eyes as he stared down at me.
Then he abruptly stuck out his great webbed hand, also tipped with deadly claws, breaking the surface of the water and pausing right in front of me and my hand.
I grasped two of the middle digits, gently pulled them forward, and bent over to kiss the back of his hand. Sacred energy swirled out and formed a demonic Rune on the back of his mighty palm.
-If Your Majesty would open the Door for a moment.- He stared at me, eyes flickering as he focused on the Door in his mind, and after only one breath he grimaced, forced the Door open, and glided through.
He was a bunch of liquid rainbows and gold, a whimsical King who wanted the best for his people, a fierce warrior... but not the best manager or politician. He ruled as much by personal strength and nobody daring to tell him otherwise.
-Your Majesty, there are things you need to know now and act on with great speed,- /said a voice that contained two others that he knew, and he turned to look at the golden swirls dotted with other ribbons that was Legion. Two of those ribbons were instantly familiar: one flowing crimson, one inky black. -There is dark corruption in your kingdom, and you must act before they get away. Would you like our assistance?-
“TRUTH. HOPE. VALOR,” I added to that, and he grimaced even as his eyes lit up and his heart swelled.
This was a moment that could make or break his Kingdom. The truth of it pounded in his soul.
-Tell me what I need to know,- he /declared, his eyes flashing, and the much-faster-than-talking /communication began.
I actually didn’t need to speak with him now, as Legion had informed me that they had all the information required to not bomb any of his people into oblivion, and a great deal more besides. I dropped the belongings of the queen and vizier onto a Cast Disk that I slaved to the King off-handedly.
Legion glanced at me, I nodded with a sigh, and even as King Oichio was turning and starting to bellow out orders, they leapt out to join him at his side, moving through the water as if they were boneless and just as impossibly strong as ever. The instant Legion struck the water, their legs and tails merged into a many-finned set of powerful draconic tails, and they swelled in size to nearly as large as the Dragon King.
I landed on Sleipner as the cleared dome in the water filled itself smoothly back in, and the motorcycle bobbed up with it.
Prince Tithkianlan broke the surface next to me, still trying to hide his shock. He looked at the Blessing on his own hand, and the blizzard of communication happening between Legion and the Dragon King of Lemuria.
There were a lot of things going on, and the King’s voice was traveling through the water. Knots of conflict were breaking out among his escort as hidden Warlocks and traitors were revealed among them and summarily killed.
Me, I was murmuring TRUTH mentally whenever the King wanted to doubt, and he could only sigh and grieve and rage, while HOPE and VALOR gave him the strength to act now, when acting would do the most good.
“Did you know about this, Lady Traveler?” the triton prince asked me in passable Human, scarcely believing what was taking place so quickly.
“No. But there was no way I was going to reveal to them the fact that we could bomb the Hell out of the Sahaug and Deep Ones without verifying that there would be no leaks. I had Legion turn off her Aura as the Dispel I wove into the waters suppressed their Crowns and the vizier’s Chain so I could study their Auras with a VII. They didn’t layer their protections enough, probably figuring the Crown and Chain were enough since the Toys would shield them even if not being worn, since they were their proper bearers.”
He considered that extremely rude and totally pragmatic maneuver, and could only nod at my foresight. “I imagine that you did the same when you first met us, Your Majesty?” he asked, both ruefully and respectfully.
I nodded without hesitation. “Of course I did, Your Highness. General Peronithc was an Azure-wrapped stick-in-the-mud, but the rest of you held to the white and silver marvelously. I found it very inspiring.”
I gave him a Smile, and I’m pretty sure right then his heart skipped a beat, judging by how he stared.
“Normally, I believe proper etiquette would see to it that you stay for a couple more days of feasting as an ambassador... but, you know, there is going to be a tremendous amount of violent activity in the near future. The King is going to need someone trustworthy by his side, and a royal triton prince might not be a bad candidate for the position.”
He looked at me, I lifted an eyebrow at the fourth son of the Triton King of the Mediterranean, and he managed to laugh.