Under The Sea

Chapter Ten - Kidnapped

Axel stared back at Samuel as he felt his body change, returning to its natural state as his scales re-emerged.

They stood still for a moment before Samuel turned away and disappeared from view. Axel sighed, his cheeks burning as he replayed the last few moments in his mind. Samuel hadn't reacted when he mentioned his past relationship.

Could he be-

His thought was cut off as he slammed right into the wall, causing items to slip off the rock slabs lining the wall. Axel reached out to grab the items as they float around him, returning them to their places.

He eyed the items as he swam back, skimming over his inventory of human belongings collected over years of exploring shipwrecks around the Kingdom. Axel has always been curious of the humans and their cultures, despite all the rules regarding their kind.

His eyes fell to the space between a chest and a mirror, where Axel knew a small box belonged. He searched the surrounding waters until his eyes came to a stop on the overturned item in the sand below. Axel lunges down and pulls the container from the sand, releasing the contents as he does.

The small box had been empty when Axel had first discovered it in a shipwreck six years ago. Axel had almost left it amongst the rubble as he thought it was junk, but as he picked up the small box, the heavy weight of it piqued his interest, despite holding nothing inside. He examined the embellished exterior, elaborate designs covering its facade, and stuffed it into his satchel as he continued his search through the wreck.

"Huh," Axel sighs as the contents fall from the box, the interior he believed to be empty, slipping off and releasing a small object from within.

Axel swiped at the item, catching its weight in his hand as the box fell through the water. Axel brought the item up to his face.

A necklace.

He studied the small pendant hooked on the chain - a small nautilus shell - its design intricate and ornate along the shell wall. He turns the shell in his fingers, the small object mesmerizing Axel, reaching up to place the item around his neck. Axel smiled to himself as he studied his reflection in the small mirror, thinking to himself that Finn would be jealous of the beautiful shell when she saw it.

Returning the now empty box to the shelf along with the mirror, Axel continued out of the cave, catching as the dark shadows cascaded around him as the sunlight disappeared.

He had gotten away too late. If he wasn't back before Bast did his evening check, he didn't even want to imagine what his father would do to him... or Finn.

He sped up, working his way up to a dash, until he was speeding through the warm water, dodging hills and rocks as he maneuvered across the sea floor. His vision blurred, he focused his best to focus on the object blocking his view ahead. Unable to control his speed, he darts full force toward the object, unable to find a way around as the wall of jellyfish comes into view. Axel breathes a sigh of relief at the realization that it's not a rock...

Jellyfish!

His blood runs cold as he realizes what he's seeing, scanning the expanse for a hole, only to find the wall of jellyfish obstructing his path forward. Panic seeped through his veins, his limbs tensing as he prepared for impact, the wall of creatures drawing closer. Bringing his hands up to his face, he slams headfirst into the wall, bouncing off their gelatinous bodies, the force of his speed shooting him to the ocean floor.

His body crashes into the sand, skidding against the seafloor contents, as the sand and minerals scratched against his skin. He inhales a deep breath as his body stills, casting his eyes back on the wall of jellyfish as his thoughts spiraled.