Black Hearted

Part 73

Mark coughed, rubbing his throat as the cold water soothed his heated skin. Kai glared at him, sneering out. "I need an answer. Now. Or shall I have Nate manipulate Sean into killing those petty and vain merfolk you led here?" Mark clenched his jaw, questioning him bluntly. "How do I know that you'll even keep your word? You talk as if Poseidon is here... You claim he led Sean here... but I can't help thinking he's an illusion you made up just to steal his power for yourself!" Kai's wings folded back down, before he calmly stated out. "Are you trying to be funny? That's a joke, right?" Mark shrugged, retorting seriously. "You don't see me laughing." Kai raised a hand to squeeze his temples, muttering under his breath. "Poseidon, save me from this stupidity... Mark... How could you miss him? He's exposed by the west gate." Mark shrugged again. He honestly hadn't been paying that close of attention to his internal nautical compass. Was it important? Kai lowered his hand to flash him a drained look as he sarcastically added out. "You can't be this stupid... Don't you know what happened to him?"

Mark furrowed his brow, saying in disbelief. "That thing encased in ice is Poseidon? But it looked like a-" Kai cut him off with an irritated groan, snapping out over his shoulder as he swam gracefully back to the anchor. "No, you idiot! Poseidon is trapped in the jaws of that thing. What's left of the north gate fell on them when the beast brought him down. The ice is the result of Poseidon's magic keeping it immobile. However, the weaker Poseidon gets... the weaker the ice gets. I've been commanding the Sirens to sing the beast to sleep to help. It was working for a time... Until YOU! Your flux in power has made the beast restless. It's trying to move! And the more it moves, the more it hurts Poseidon!" Mark rose in the water, saying bitterly. "So, why kill the merfolk for their power? Why not let them help you?!" Kai grabbed the chain and swam around the anchor lazily as he replied sourly. "Simple. They are vain cowards. THEY LEFT HIM! And we can't help it... Which is why I suggest you hurry. Merfolk don't last long here... Our dark nature demands that we eat them. You can thank Zeus for that."

Mark's eyes drifted to Sean with sudden worry. Nate was nuzzling Sean's throat, but how long would that last before he started trying to eat him? Kai followed his gaze, before telling him with a sharp toothed grin. "Don't worry. It's me that's keeping Nate from feasting on his flesh. One of my many... improved abilities." The castle vibrated violently again. Mark grabbed the doorframe to steady himself, hearing a sharper deep growl mixed with a strange low human sounding groan of pain. When it stopped, Kai hissed out angrily. "I told you what I want! Bring her to me! Or I'll sacrifice Sean's blood to Poseidon to keep him alive!" Mark dug his claws in the doorframe, asking heatedly. "And Nate?!" Kai gave him a swift shrug, coolly purring out. "That's a whole other bucket of worms... The only thing that can change him back is the Sea Crown. But the Sea Crown is MINE! Leaving you with nothing that you can bargain for him with." Mark lowered his hand from the doorframe, saying in a softer voice. "If I save Poseidon... Will you let him go?"

Kai stiffened, his hand clutching the chain tightly. Kai avoided his eyes though, when he growled out through his teeth. "It's impossible. The Leviathan will kill you first." Mark thought for a second, before whispering out in soft disbelief. "Wait, that thing incased in the ice... It's the Leviathan?" Kai slowly turned to look at him, his bright sea green eyes glinting through his soft pink bangs like emeralds as he answered sarcastically. "Ya. The Leviathan. What the fuck did you think it was?" Another violent tremor rocked the castle, causing Kai's face to suddenly go pale as he lifted his head and asked him with unsettling fear. "It's never moved this much before... Wait... What gate did you come in by?" Mark turned a bit to calculate the waters nautical direction, before answering softly. "The North. Why?" Kai's fins all tensed up as he snapped out. "WHAT?!" A stronger tremor rocked the castle, followed by cracks veining out across the thick blue crystal walls. A Siren swam up quickly behind Mark, causing him to raise Nate's sword at the ready.