Cara LaceCara LaceDiva
Joined: 29 Dec 2011
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re: Cara Part 10: The Sub Mariness Part II
 by Cara Lace on Sat Sep 19, 2015 12:46 pm
The Sub-Mariness
Part II
Somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean
“So Subby, these Phorcydes and their army…” Jenny Styger says via communicator as she and the Sub Mariness glide side by side through the water beneath the Pacific Ocean. “…what are we talking, maybe twenty or thirty fish guys with spears or nets?”
“It is unwise to mock the denizens of the deep, Jenny Styger.” Ianeira responds sternly. “We are a force to be reckoned with in any realm.”
“Mermadia should be just over the next rise, Madame.” DANIEL announces in Iron Beauty’s helmet as her holographic HUD confirms her approaching destination.
“We’re almost there. Interference is getting stronger the closer we get.” Jenny informs her aquatic companion.
“Aye, it is the magic of the Phorcydes. Their very presence corrupts the water and warps any sea life into mindless monsters under their control.” Ianeira seethes, her voice displaying her hatred of her old foes. “Their influence will eventually stretch over the entire ocean if I do not stop them.”
“Your ‘I’ should be pronounced ‘We’.” Jenny corrects. “…and as for magic? We’ll see about that. DANIEL?”
“Yes Madame, beginning sensor sweep.” DANIEL replies to Jenny and after several seconds then continues. “I am detecting a unique form of ambient energy permeating the entire area.”
“An energy field, hmmm? Get me an analysis. I want a rundown of the frequency and modulation rates.” Jenny orders as her fantastic brain kicks into high gear.
“As you wish, beginning analysis. Also, Madame, I am detecting a large contact approaching rapidly from the southeast.” DANIEL responds, providing Jenny with a three dimensional radar window to the right of her HUD. Within in it, and speeding directly at them, is a very large blip.
“You expecting company, Subby?” Jenny asks.
“Nay, all whom I knew are long since passed beyond the Laylines. What troubles you?” Ianeira replies.
“I’m picking up something, something big, and it’s headed right towards us.” Jenny answers.
“Bah, mortal technology!” Ianeira scoffs. “You would do better to trust your eyes and ears.”
Without warning, Jenny reaches out and grabs Ianeira’s forearm with her armored hand and Iron Beauty’s thruster erupts with a bright flash as Jenny pulls the Sub Mariness out of the path of a huge monster the size of two whales. The turbulence in the water from its passing throws the pair around for a moment as they pause to watch the behemoth begin a long turn to swing around at them again.
“By the Laylines…a Kraken!” Ianeira gasps.
“Yep, weird that I couldn’t see it or hear it though.” Jenny’s trademark sarcasm replies.
“The Phorcydes have grown much stronger if they can already summon such beasts to their aid. Go and help your friends for they are in dire peril. I will join you shortly.” Ianeira says ignoring Jenny’s jab.
“Are you nuts? I’m not leaving you to fight that thing alone!” Jenny replies abruptly.
“The Phorcydes know I am coming. They’ve sent this Kraken to stop me; it will pay no mind to a single foolish mortal. This is my fight and I will face it alone. Now GO!!” The Sub Mariness commands, and then like a torpedo she charges at the oncoming monstrosity.
“…bitch is crazy.” Jenny mumbles to herself as she turns toward Mermadia and blasts off into dark water.
Meanwhile…
Nestled in a great crater at the bottom of the ocean is the city of Mermadia, home to the undersea race that surface dwellers call Merfolk. Magnificent spires of shining coral buildings rise beneath a dome of impenetrable crystal as the citizens scramble to take shelter within them. The only entrance to the city is a massive gate which stands closed tight at the craters entrance. Outside the gate is a wide valley, hundreds of miles across and cropped by tall and imposing cliffs. Normally the valley floor is tranquil and serene, but not today. Today, a great battle rages as the full forces of the noble Mermadian army fight against a horde of invading sea monsters.
Twin blades made of pure ice literally slice through the dense water and find their mark, slicing flesh and bone until hewing limb from body. The creature’s roar of anger thunders out and mixes with countless others as the battle rages across the seabed. In pain and rage, it rears back its other appendage to strike only to have it severed like the first. As the monster falls, its final sight is that of Aquta Siren plunging her icy blades into its midsection.
“You were right, Merms.” The young warrior says pulling her blades out of her foe. “It’s way more fun in Mermadia.” She looks out across the valley, the only approach to the city, where the Mermadian Army valiantly tries to defend by forming a wall of soldiers across the seabed while she defends the gates against any that get through.
Behind Aquata, and floating twenty or so feet above the sea floor is the heroine known in the surface world simply as Mermaid. An undersea hybrid of sorts, little is known about her in the surface world as she exhibits traits of several aquatic races from her soft colored Mermaidian skin to her fierce red Atlantean hair. Magical power flows from her in great swirling bands of glowing red runes that seem to dance through the water.
“Don’t celebrate, Aquata. These sea creatures are victims, they aren’t acting of their own free will. Something is driving them. It’s almost a kind of un-dead!” Mermaid says solemnly as she strains. A group of unnatural monstrosities pass through her magical runes with barely a hesitation and close in on the pair.
Mermaid’s eyes flash brightly. “ENOUGH!!” The sea sorceress shouts and the very water around her explodes outward in a huge ripple. The power of it sends their attackers spiraling far away.
“It’s too late for them.” Mermaid says almost panting from exertion as she touches down next to Aquata on the valley floor. “I can’t turn them back, so they must be destroyed.”
“If there’s one thing I love, it’s turning un-dead into just dead.” Aquata responds.
“Looks like you will get your chance.” A voice says from above.
The pair look up to see Atlantis Girl floating above them with a companion that Mermaid recognizes as Oceana, the water elemental. From a race that even the Atlanteans know little about, she is literally living water that takes the form of a human female to fit in among her human and aquatic friends, but also simply because she likes it. Her liquid form shimmers clearly in the sea water around her, at least the parts not covered in armor.
“We ask for help and the Atlanteans send us two?” Aquata says with disappointment.
“Yes. One more than the Mermazons sent, unless you have an army in your pocket?” Atlantis responds coyly. “Something is stopping us from contacting anyone, it was lucky I knew where Oceana was.”
“Dark…evil…the water here is growing corrupted.” Oceana says, straining. “Getting stronger…we must hurry before it corrupts us as well.”
“What is this Atlantis Girl? Why is the sea attacking us?” Mermaid asks.
Suddenly, a symphony of horns blares across the valley catching the heroines and the Mermadian army off guard. All peer into the distance through the shifting shafts of sunlight piercing down from above. Slowly, menacingly, a dark cloud emerges over the horizon. It rolls across the valley towards the great city gate, with only the Mermadian army between. The soldiers brace themselves as it approaches and they see it is a swarm of all manner of different monsters, so vast that their numbers seem limitless. The swarm engulfs the Mermadian army, as the four heroines stand horrified by the site and the realization that within seconds, they will be next.
“Anyone got any ideas?” Aquata asks meekly.
“Just one…” Mermaid says glancing at Atlantis Girl who returns her gaze with a nod. “… DIG IN!!”
Mermaid throws up her hands and forms a magical barrier covering the city gates and the small group warriors. As she strains, Atlantis Girl follows suit and creates a barrier of mental energy to reinforce Mermaid’s sorcery. Outside the barrier, monsters of all types slam and bash against the protective field while the two red haired Justice Girls strain to hold it intact. Aquata and Oceana point their tridents upward and use their mastery of water to form jagged shards of ice outside the barrier; launching the deadly projectiles in all directions as the sounds of a thousand raging monsters deafens them all. As they hold against the brunt of the attack, Mermaid notices that for some strange reason, Atlantis Girl is smiling.
“Before…we all die…I’d like to know…what you find…so amusing!” Mermaid struggles to Atlantis Girl.
“Wait for it…” Alana responds.
All at once the communicators that each of the women wear in one of their ears cracks with static and then mixes with feedback for a moment before music begins to break through the noise.
“…A modern day warrior, mean, mean stride, today’s Tom Sawyer, mean, mean...pride.”
The lyrics sing in their collective earpieces until the music fades behind the strong and sarcastic voice Jenny Styger. “Atlantis Girl …did ya miss me?”
Before any of the women can respond, a blur of red and gold streaks overtop of their straining barrier leaving a swirling trail of bubbles and turbulence in its wake. The force of its backwash sends the horde of monsters flailing off the shield for a moment, dispersing them in every direction.
In a flash of thruster fire the blur stops and Iron Beauty hovers above small group of Justice Girls. With her right fist raised, a panel slides open on her forearm producing a launcher. It fires a small rocket projectile into the center of the swirling mass of horrors and detonates in the center like a depth charge, obliterating many while the shockwave blows the rest several hundred yards away. As the sea beasts slowly begin to recover and regroup, Atlantis Girl and Mermaid drop their shields, nearly exhausted from the effort.
“What… happened?” Mermaid asks.
“She did.” Alana says pointing a thumb over her shoulder with a grin. “About time… you showed up, I was… starting to get worried.”
Together, the women turn and watch the Iron Beauty descend and touchdown on the soft ocean floor. “Uh, that’s… a lot of fish guys.” She says as she gazes upon the swirling mass of monstrosities while they regroup.
“Iron Beauty?!” Aquata says with some amazement. “What in the world are you doing here?”
“It’s a long story.” Jenny answers.
“Where is the Sub Mariness?” Atlantis Girl asks.
“Yea, hmmm….. I’m not exactly sure at the moment.” Jenny responds.
“What do you mean? She was with you!” Alana snaps back.
“Wait, who?” Mermaid interjects. “Did you say, The Sub Mariness??”
“The Sub Mariness? She’s just a legend.” Aquata says.
“Merfolk were just a legend once, Aquata.” Mermaid reminds her young companion.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Aquata grumps back.
“Yea? Well get ready to believe it then.” Jenny responds pointing upward.
The group of women looks up in sudden shock to see Ianeira high above them holding the carcass of a huge, whale-like monster with both hands above her head. Barely a speck to the size of Kraken she carries, Jenny marvels that Ianeira appears completely uninjured.
“Phorcydes!! You have much to answer for!!” Ianeira booms at her adversaries. “Now, face the might of the Sub Mariness!!” Then, with a mighty growl, she heaves the massive Kraken’s carcass into the midst of the Phorcydes army. The sickening sounds of bones cracking and smashing fills the water as it slams face first into the ocean floor and collapses on itself under the force. A plume of ocean silt fills the area from its impact. As the silt and debris settle, the stunned heroines watch as the Sub Mariness descends to join them with her Trident in hand.
In eerie silence, the stunned horde of sea monsters pulls back and holds position. Three large creatures stride out from their midst and it is clear they are very different from the rest. Standing at least twelve feet tall with jet black skin and fins on their calves and forearms and back followed by powerful looking tails. Their piercing blood red eyes flash as each gives an evil grin showing their shark like teeth.
“Welcome back Sub Mariness, to OUR kingdom.” The three Generals hiss in unison, and perfect English. “You’ve come a long way to die.”
“Arrogant monsters!! You speak the mortal tongue?...” Ianeira shouts back. “How is this possible?”
“We know what our loyal subjects know. Don’t you admire their devotion to us?” They ask with their voices grating on every nerve in the girls’ bodies. The middle General twirls a scaly hand in the water and a small mutant remora begins swimming in circles around it. Suddenly, with lightning speed, the monsters hand grabs the little creature and shoves it into its mouth, biting it clean in half. “They taste so delicious in this realm.”
“Devotion?!” Ianeira seethes. “You twist gentle creatures into abominations and consume their minds as well as their flesh like foul leeches. I swear by the house of Amphitrite and the waters of Polaron you shall not live to awaken your foul serpent master!”
“You think this is still about Ceto? Foolish Sub Mariness.” The Generals laugh, mocking Ianeira. “Ceto led us from world to world in shackles. Always fighting and destroying in her mighty name, then watching as she cast our spoils aside, abandoning our conquest in favor of the next! No longer! We will take the waters of this realm. We will conquer its pathetic surface world and use its most powerful weapons to destroy Ceto where she sleeps. Then, when the land serves no further purpose we will sink it beneath the waves and rule as the kings we deserve to be!!”
“Not as long as I breathe, monsters!!” Ianeira shouts with a snarl.
“A condition easily remedied.” They respond. “Come, Sub Mariness. Bring your new Nereids and face us if you dare.”
“Guard yourselves, mortals.” Ianeira says turning to her companions. “We attack!!”
As the Sub Mariness crouches to launch herself into battle, she pauses as Atlantis Girl lays a gentle hand on her shoulder. Annoyed, she glares back at Alana. “What?!”
“Ianeira stop! Think. Look around you.” Alana says. “We’re outnumbered…”
“Uh, yea! There’s thousands of them, and six of us.” Jenny cuts in. “’We attack!’ may not be the best plan.”
“We must do something.” Oceana pleads, almost faint. “While we debate, the… dark magic is getting… stronger!”
“I agree, we are running out of time. Their magic is beyond my power to counteract.” Mermaid concurs.
“There’s no such thing as magic. It’s only science I don’t understand, yet.” Jenny says bluntly. “I just need Subby to keep the Generals distracted while we hold the gate and I figure it out.”
“Keep them distracted?” Ianeira says with disdain. “Tell me Atlantis Girl, is Styger always such a coward?!”
“I think you’re confusing cowardice with intelligence.” Jenny says indignantly. “How did you become a ‘Sub Mariness’; whatever that is; without any common sense?”
“The mighty Sub Mariness!! HAHAHA!” The Generals laugh mockingly. “Your mortal allies cower in fear and you are too weak to face us alone.”
“Arrogant cur!” Ianeira shouts defiantly.
“Ianeira calm down, they are trying to divide us.” Atlantis Girl says.
“It’s obviously a trap.” Jenny states.
“Styger you weakling!” The Sub Mariness shouts. “The Phorcydes are barbarians not strategists! They know only combat, not traps! If you would rather cower in fear then so be it, but the Sub Mariness will fight!!”
With a mighty leap, Ianeira charges at the Generals with her Trident’s tip aimed straight at them. The Generals stand, each with a toothy grin as she closes in on them. She begins to spin her Trident , winding up for an attack as suddenly, a gigantic tentacle bursts from the ocean floor just yards in front of the evil Phorcydes and it coils around the Sub Mariness’s body, holding her tight and immobile. It squeezes her mercilessly until finally her Trident slips from her fingers and lands with its point sticking into the ocean floor.
“And you call us arrogant!” The Generals mock. “You should have heeded the mortal’s advice, Sub Mariness. As you see we anticipated your arrival and made preparations. Did you forget that there is more than one Kraken?”
“Errrrghh! You shall not…..” The Sub Mariness stutters as the massive tentacle squeezes harder cutting off the flow of sea water to gills.
“Subby, you might want to check into that whole ‘common sense’ thing I mentioned.” Jenny says and ignites her thruster as she and her companions snap into action.
Atlantis Girl launches into battle releasing a powerful burst of her mental energy. It fires out in a wave before her and strikes the three Generals knocking them back. As they scramble to right themselves a circle of glowing red runes appears beneath them, drawing them down to the ocean floor where they struggle but cannot move from its grasp. Mermaid grins as she and Alana begin to pummel the defenseless Generals with bolt after bolt of magic and mental power.
The sea monster army begins to close in on pair of warrior red-heads but find Aquata Siren and Oceana protecting their flanks. Oceana summons her mastery of water itself creating powerful currents that sweep up the attacking enemy forces and toss them around like play things toward Aquata Siren, who moves almost effortlessly as her twin ice blades dance with deadly precision chopping the flailing monsters into fish bait.
With the Generals and their army distracted, Jenny pilots Iron Beauty upward and above the battle weaving her way through a mass of twisting and thrashing tentacles that continue to burst through the ocean floor.
“DANIEL?” Jenny says more than asks. “Gimme something!!”
Jenny goes stiff for a split second as a tentacle swipes just behind her, then ducks another as it passes just over her head. She spots the Sub Mariness still being held immobile yet still struggling against the massive tendril of solid muscle.
“Analysis complete, Madame.” DANIEL announces. “The energy field’s signature is very similar to one emitted by an Elliptical Particle Generator. Wavelength and modulation rates are as follows.”
A side window opens on Jenny’s HUD where DANIEL displays the data she requested. Jenny looks it over and starts making calculations in her head while continuing to evade the onslaught of the huge kraken below.
“Makes sense, radiation from Elliptical Particle Generators can affect organic matter.” Jenny says, thinking to herself outloud. “An EMP pulse at the right counter frequency should cause a feedback loop and short the whole field out.”
“Running numbers….” DANIEL says as Jenny bobs and weaves around more grasping tentacles. “The EMP pulse would work however current armor impedance factors would prevent you from generating the amount of energy necessary.”
“Yeah…I’m working on it.” Jenny says as she turns to the tentacle holding the Sub Mariness. A targeting reticule appears on Iron Beauty’s HUD highlighting an area on the tentacle just below where it holds the mighty sea goddess. Dodging yet another grasp by the giant Kraken, Jenny unleashes powerful bolts of her pulse energy from her palms. They strike the tentacle and explode jarring its grip briefly on Ianeira who uses the moment and with a roar she breaks free. She holds out her hand and from below her Trident lurches free of the seabed and flies straight into her open palm.
“Subby! I got an idea!” Jenny shouts through the communicator in Ianeira’s ear while dodging and blasting the tentacles still grabbing for her.
Ianeira deflects a tentacle with a single punch and wheels around to gaze up at the Iron Beauty, her Trident slicing a deep wound into yet another as she does.
“Want to pit your might against mine?” Jenny continues.
“What?!” The Sub Mariness asks, unsure of Jenny’s intent.
Iron Beauty raises a palm toward the goddess. “Put your trident up!!”
“THIS is your plan, mortal?” Ianeira responds with disbelief as the intent becomes clear.
“Yep!” Jenny replies in a word.
“So be it.” Ianeira says solemnly as she spins her Trident in her hand, winding it up faster and faster. Then she levels it straight at the metal mortal and fires a beam of pure freezing energy. It strikes Iron Beauty square in the chest and once contact is made she is bathed in the full icy fury of the Sub Mariness. Jenny’s armor instantly begins to ice up, coating her and building up; rendering her once again unable to move.
As the ice grows thicker across her armors exterior, inside Jenny’s helmet is a symphony of alarms and flashing red indicators. “D-D-DANIEL??”
“Exterior temperature is approaching absolute zero, Madamme.” DANIEL reports. “Another few seconds…”
Encased in an ever growing chunk of ice, Iron Beauty begins to sink rapidly and a tentacle snakes through the water towards her. As it closes in on her helpless frame, Ianeira grunts and yanks her Trident back pulling on the icy cord and jerking Jenny away from its grasp and toward her waiting fist. The two collide but this time Ianeira tempers her strength and only shatters the ice to free the Iron Beauty.
“Super conducting effect achieved, Madame. Electrical impedance factors at zero.” DANIEL reports.
Jenny closes her eyes, squinting and almost growling as every muscle in her body tenses up. Power indicators on her HUD all begin to rise, going from green to yellow to red as Jenny unleashes her exobyte given electric fury directly into Iron Beauty’s systems. Arcs of electric power begin dancing across the armors surfaces, growing brighter and brighter.
“Power at four hundred percent capacity...five hundred...six hundred...” DANIEL updates as new alarms and flashing alert pop up across Jenny’s HUD. “Madame, you are dangerously close to overloading the armors circuits.”
“Keep….going!!!” Jenny orders. “Get ready to fire the EMP!!”
With pure warrior’s instinct, Ianeira pulls back from Iron Beauty to join the rest of the team below. The battle pauses as heroine and monster alike look up at the brightly glowing ball of energy that is the Iron Beauty. Electrical power arcs off of her in bigger and brighter flashes scorching any tentacles that dare get too close to her.
“This is madness!” Ianeira gasps. “What is she doing?!”
“She’s being Jenny Styger.” Atlantis Girl says with a gentle smile, and then a sudden look of concern. “Which means, we need cover NOW!”
“Then cover we shall have!” The Sub Mariness responds holding up her Trident and spinning it above her head. From its center a dome of ice begins to form and envelop the women. In seconds a thick layer of frozen solid water covers them completely.
Above, the Iron Beauty glows as she literally seems to quake with the power she contains. Finally, unable to hold anymore, Jenny’s sweat covered face gives a snarling smile as she checks her HUD one last time and then gives the command.
“…Fire…”
Iron Beauty erupts in a flash so bright that even beneath their ice shield the heroines cover and close their eyes. Then the very seabed shakes as the EMP’s massive shockwave rolls over them, the deafening sound of raw power echoes like thunder into the distance until finally all is quiet once more. After several seconds, Ianeira dissipates her ice dome as quickly as she had formed it and the women gaze upon the scene. The huge tentacles of the Kraken lay twitching, strewn about on the ocean floor with arcs of electricity still dancing across them. The same is true of the sea monster army, all of them floating immobile in an eerie silence.
“Look!” Mermaid says pointing all around them at the helpless creatures. “They’re changing!”
As the others watch they see the Phorcydes army physically reverting back into their true forms. Hideous rampaging monsters are slowly replaced by frightened dolphins, whales, sharks and countless other forms of normal sea life.
“Waters of Polaron…” Ianeira says in almost disbelief. “The Generals spell is broken!”
Together, the women reach out with their aquatic telepathy to calm the panicked animals and instruct them to flee and return to their homes in peace. Suddenly, Ianeira remembers and whips around to gaze above.
“Where is the Iron Beauty?!” She asks just as she spots Jenny’s lifeless form sinking like a stone to the seabed below. Instantly the sea goddess launches herself upward and quickly catches the plummeting Iron Beauty and she sees that Jenny’s normally brightly lit eye slits are dark.
“Styger!? Are you all right?” She asks but gets no response.
With the area now clear of sea life, the three Generals remain unchanged as they rise from the ocean floor, stunned and groaning in pain as they each grasp and shake their heads.
“What have you done to us??!!” They shout in pain and anger as they try in vain to re-extend their control over the fleeing sea life. “It’s not possible!! Do you realize what you have done?!!”
“It is gone, the dark taint.” Oceana says with great relief. “The water is pure once more.”
“You mortal FOOLS!!” The Generals hiss. “A Kraken is a spawn of Ceto herself! Without our power to control it you have doomed us all!”
As if on cue the tentacles begin to move once more, twisting and snaking through the water. Before, they had moved deliberately with a sort of grace but now they flail about wildly, whipping violently to and fro. At times they slam into the seabed raising great plumes of silt and shaking the very ground beneath. The girls scatter as one such tentacle swats at them.
“Regroup!!” Mermaid shouts. “Protect the city at all costs!!”
The heroines comply, even the Sub Mariness as she carries the Iron Beauty to the gate and lays her down, holding her gently, while the rest stand defiantly and wait for the monsters next move.
“Wait! The Generals are getting away!!” Aquata shouts pointing at the Phorcydes as they flee.
“I think not.” Ianeira says boldly, nodding toward a lone tentacle snaking through water behind them. It wraps around the first General, then the second, and finally the third. They scream and struggle as their once fierce visages turn to sheer terror. The seabed rumbles and in a massive upheaval the Krakens huge beak appears through the sediment, snapping eagerly and menacingly as it pulls its prey closer and closer.
“Obey us!! We are your masters!! Nooooo!!!!” The Generals scream in futility until finally the Krakens savage beak silences them forever.
“A just fate for such evil vermin!” Ianeira states as she watches the carnage.
“Ewwww!” Aquata Siren utters.
“We can’t worry about that now.” Atlantis Girl announces. “That monster is out of control and hungry, and we are all that is standing between it and a buffet.”
“I will die before I let that thing into Mermadia!!” Mermaid proclaims and charges into battle.
Without hesitation, Atlantis Girl, Aquata Siren, and Oceana all follow the noble Mermaid with nothing but determination on their faces. The Sub Mariness watches, still cradling the Iron Beauty in her arms, and she marvels at these mortal women risking their lives for the lives of others. Polarans have always fought to protect mortal beings since time began, but Ianeria had always regarded them as lesser creatures. More like pets. To see them wield such power, with courage and honor and sacrifice; it touches something within her and she vows that these women and this realm shall not perish.
“Power interface online.” DANIEL announces. “Initiating core systems reboot.”
“Styger!” Ianeira says delighted. “You are uninjured?”
“Uhgg.” Jenny groans. “That’s something I never want to do again. My systems are rebooting so I can’t see. Did the EMP work?”
“Aye! The Phorcydes foul taint not longer holds sway over the creatures of your seas.” Ianeira answers. “Now only the last Kraken remains, but without the General’s control it has gone berserk. Atlantis Girl and the others battle it as we speak.”
“I just need a few more minutes and we can….” Jenny begins.
“Nay, your friends fight valiantly but they will not survive unless I act now.” Ianeira responds.
“You’re not going to do something stupid are you?” Jenny asks bluntly.
With a raised eyebrow the Sub Mariness grins. “So asks the surface dweller in the iron suit at the bottom of the ocean.”
“Touché” Jenny concedes.
Ianeira smiles as she stands and with a sudden leap she launches upward with barely a ripple. Spiraling around and around through flailing tentacles until she comes to a stop high above the grasping monstrosity buried in the sand and muck below. Barely a speck to those beneath, Ianeira holds up her Trident in her right hand and begins to spin it. Faster and faster she twirls her weapon until it is just a blur, a whirling disk above her head, beyond the ability for the eye see. The water around the sea goddess surges violently and soon begins to form a raging vortex. It grows in intensity and the roar of its fury builds, reaching the still blind and immobile Iron Beauty far beneath.
“How long till we’re operational, DANIEL?” Jenny asks, frustrated.
“Forty seven seconds, Madame.” DANIEL announces.
“Grr, I need to know what’s going on!” Jenny shouts.
“Sensors are online, Madame.” DANIEL responds calmly. “I am detecting what appears to be a violent tempest forming in the vicinity of the Sub Mariness.”
With her visuals still down, DANIEL is able to display a window to Jenny plotting the position of the Sub Mariness high above. A series of rapidly spinning circles surround Ianeira and show the speed and power of the swirling currents around the goddess’s position.
“What the…?” Jenny utters in awe of the readings. “Show me the Kraken thing.”
DANIEL rotates the graphic into a three dimensional image, highlighting a large area on the ocean floor beneath the Sub Mariness.
“Aw crap.” Jenny says realizing what is about to happen. “She IS going to do something stupid. We gotta warn Alana and the girls!”
“Communications restored, Madame.” DANIEL says as the Comms window springs open.
“DANIEL, you just earned your pay for the week.” Jenny says proudly as she opens a channel. “Alana! Merms! Everyone CLEAR OUT, NOW!”
Like clockwork the girls break combat and pull back, covering each other’s escape as they rejoin Jenny at the city gate. They look up at the tempest forming above them and brace themselves, unsure of what to expect next.
High above, Ianeira sees the girls disengage and with a mighty heave she kicks her spinning trident into high gear. Spinning it impossibly fast, the tempest of water around her begins to extend downward like a massive underwater tornado. In moments it reaches all the way to the sea floor, engulfing the entire area concealing the raging Kraken and sucking its massive tentacles up into its funnel. Even at the relative safety of the city gate, the Justice Girls can feel the currents in the water tugging at them.
“ErrrrrrrrrRRRRAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!” Ianeria roars as she strains even harder, spinning her Trident even faster. The surging whirlpool grows bigger; huge boulders around the Kraken lift off the sand and are pulled up into the maelstrom as the seabed covering the beast begins to crack and disintegrate. Violent tremors race across the sea floor and massive upheavals of sand and stone begin to erupt. Even the Justice Girls can feel the very ground quaking as they watch the spectacle unfold before them. Then, in an explosion of rock and debris, the Kraken is literally wrenched from underground. Free of its hiding place, the true form and scale of the hideous creature is revealed; a gigantic squid nearly the size of Mermadia itself. It struggles in vain against the pull of Ianeira’s might; its tentacles twisting and flailing in the raging current. The monster’s horrible and unnatural screams are drowned out by sounds of cracking Earth and roaring water as it is drawn upward, faster and faster, towards the tiny sea goddess.
“Come, foul worm!! LET US EMBRACE!!!” The Sub Mariness shouts, her voice booming over the maelstrom. As the Kraken nears, its tentacles reach out for the hovering Ianeira and she swats each away with her whirling Trident leaving gaping wounds sliced open and bleeding along them. The Kraken opens its huge beak in a deafening shriek of pain, and the Sub Mariness acts swiftly.
Diving suddenly straight down through the center of the swirling vortex, she plunges into the monsters gaping maw and time seems to freeze for a moment. The giant squid’s body stops in place and the mighty swirling vortex begins to slowly dissipate. Expressions of shock and disbelief cover the faces of the Justice Girls below, each completely unsure of what has just happened.
Then, without warning, the creature erupts in a fountain of flesh and blood and bone as The Sub Mariness rips through its back and into the open water once more. The massive squid goes stiff and, without the power of the Ianeira’s maelstrom to keep it aloft, begins to plummet to the depths below. In seconds, the Kraken’s lifeless carcass crashes into the crater it was yanked from with a force so great the impact shakes the ground even within the walls of Mermadia itself as rock, silt, and blood rise together in a great underwater mushroom cloud.
Aquata Siren opens her eyes and gazes upon vast expanse that stretches out from the valley entrance of Mermadia, and is awestruck. The very seabed lays in ruin, crisscrossed by deep and jagged cracks and covered in massive slabs of rock, upended and overturned and smashed. Debris and remnants of the Kraken rain down from above and lay strewn about in pieces of torn flesh and bone. After a few minutes the roaring sounds of chaos fade and are replaced by the normal tranquility of the deep ocean.
As the last of the debris finally settles, the girls see the bright sea-green glow of the Sub Mariness hovering above the shattered landscape. Trident in hand, she descends to her new friends once more. Aquata, Mermaid, Atlantis Girl and Oceana all greet her with admiration and amazement.
“That was amazing!!” Aquata Siren says excited. “You have GOT to teach me that!”
“So, it is true.” Mermaid proclaims. “You ARE the Sub Mariness of legend.” She gives a bow, not of submission or even adoration, but of respect which Ianeira returns in kind.
“Atlantis will celebrate your victory, Ianeira.” Alana says with admiration. “The Phorcydes could have been the end of everything.”
“Yes, and with the Elementals under their corruption those monsters could have easily done as they’d promised.” Oceana adds with a bow of her own.
“Nay, my mortal friends.” Ianeira responds. “The victory belongs to us all, and to the valiant soldiers of your army. For none of us could have defeated the Generals without the others.”
“Reboot complete.” DANIEL announces for all to hear as Iron Beauty’s eyes light up. “All systems are online and operational.”
“About time you woke up.” Alana jokes playfully as the Iron Beauty’s servos kick in and raise Jenny up into a sitting position. “Enjoy your nap?”
“Pffft! I need a vacation.” Jenny jokes as she stands.
As her HUD flickers back to full view, she looks out upon the miles of rubble and carnage on the sea floor. Incredulously, she turns to Ianeira and points an armored thumb at the wreckage. “So, THAT’S what a Sub Mariness is?”
“Aye, more or less.” Ianieira answers with a proud smile. “Does it meet with your approval, Styger?”
“Technique needs work, but over all I would say adequate.” Jenny says with her trademarked sarcasm.
“Haha!” Ianeira laughs. “You are a delightfully arrogant mortal, Jenny Styger. You should have been a Polaran!”
A sudden loud clang draws the girls’ attention to the huge city gate and they watch as it slowly begins to open. Behind them, the citizens of Mermadia begin to emerge in an ever growing crowd of cheers and elation. They line the streets as they pour out of the buildings to greet the saviors of their city. Mermaid, the Princess of Mermadia, turns and holds up her own trident full view of her people and they in turn grow silent.
“Mermadians, I give you the Mighty Sub Mariness and the Justice Girls.” Mermaid proclaims to the thunderous applause and cheers of the sprawling crowd.
“Come, mortals! For victory should be celebrated!” The Sub Mariness proclaims, thrusting her Trident upward as the crowd howls in delight at the sight of her.
“Well, it seems you all have everything under control here so I should probably get going.” Jenny says a little uncomfortably. “I got ships to thaw out and stuff…”
“Styger.” Ianeira cuts her off softly. “Know this; you are no coward and you have earned the respect of the Sub Mariness this day.” She holds out her hand to Iron Beauty and smiles.
“Oh, uhm…the feeling is mutual, Subby.” Jenny says with genuine surprise and placing her hand in Ianeira’s as the two shake. Then the Sub Mariness pulls Jenny to her chest and with her other arm scoops up Atlantis Girl.
“Now, we feast!” Ianeira shouts as they all turn towards the cheering citizens. “Let us see what the dining halls Mermadia has to offer! HAHA!” Together the group swims proudly through the gate and, lead by the Princess Mermaid, make their way towards the palace as the gigantic city gates gently close behind them.
Suddenly among the roaring crowd, Jenny wonders out loud. “Hey, wait a sec! How exactly am I supposed to feast? ...guys??”
To be continued in
Daredevlette
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you wrote my Aquatican princess well look forward to keeep reading more from you
