Black Hearted

Part 75

Sean snuggled tight against Mark's chest. With every part of the building that crashed to the floor and vibrated the water, Sean buried his face a little more into Mark. He was afraid to look around. Was the whole building going to come down on them?! He didn't want to die like this. The water eventually stilled, and the vibrations stopped. Mark pushed up off him a bit to look around and for the first time, Sean really looked over Mark. Tracing a hand down his grey colored chest, he took in his beautiful black scales that started at his hips. How had this happened to him? Wasn't Mark human? Above him, Mark turned solid black eyes on him, telling him softly. "I think we're safe for the moment. Are you ok?" Sean reached up to cup his face, his eyes fragile as he ran his fingers through his black hair, whimpering out. "I thought I'd lost you... Nate said you were ok but... I don't think I really believed him." Mark leaned his cheek into Sean's hand, softly replying in a deep soothing voice. "I'm ok."

Sean reached up to touch Mark's small bloodred deer antlers, raising his eyebrow as he mumbled out. "What are these? Mark, what happened to you?" Mark rose more off him, helping him up off the ground as he said coolly. "It's a long story... but apparently I'm something called an... Oceanid? Which from what the Elder's say is like... Well, Poseidon. I'm like a Titan's kid or something." Mark glanced around at the collapsed entrance and the stairs leading to the upper floors. While Sean hugged himself and mumbled out in shock. "Oh shite... but Granny never said that Oceanid's had antlers? She said they looked like us. Only... more powerful." Mark huffed, leading the way toward a hallway that went deeper into the Castle. Over his shoulder, Mark stated out dryly. "Ya... There is a lot of shit that I'm learning as I go. Like the fact that I have fucking similarities to the Leviathan for some damn reason." Sean followed Mark reluctantly down the hallway. The moonstones in the walls brightened up the hall, revealing beautiful mural drawings.

Slowing behind a bit to look at the murals, Sean said very lightly. "Mark... we should be trying to find a way out. Why are we going deeper?" Mark turned, gently regaling to him. "Believe me, I don't want to go down into the belly of a collapsing building... but trust me. Something wants me to get the Sea Crown." Sean crossed his arms, stubbornly mumbling out. "Mark... How is the crown supposed to control the Leviathan? It was never designed to-" Mark cut him off to interject respectfully. "The Sea Crown was made by Oceanus. Only a Titan can wield it, right? Well, he's the only Sea Titan. The Leviathan was HIS creation according to the Elders." Sean continued following Mark, shrugging out confused. "I don't understand. If he created the Leviathan and he could control it... Why give the crown to Poseidon and the people of Atlantis? People who couldn't us it?" Mark shoved a large piece of rumble out of the way, straining out. "I don't know... From what I understand... The crown was given to Kai to keep away from Poseidon and Granny tried to take it when the Leviathan attacked Atlantis."

Sean swam through the gap Mark had made, then asked him curiously. "Wait... You don't think that Oceanus was trying to destroy it... do you? And why give it to Kai?" Mark chuckled, telling him with a smirk. "Because Kai was sleeping with both of them. Not only that, but Kai himself was made by Poseidon from pieces of his human lover and some Oceanid named... Asia?" Sean rubbed his temples, mumbling to himself. "Mark, maybe we should stop and think about this real quick. This crown sounds like it is something we shouldn't touch." Mark spun around to face him, lightly shouting back. "We don't have time to think about it! Nate is out there with a bunch of exhausted Merfolk and four warring giants! If this thing controls even one of them it could end this mess." Sean extended his hands out to him, saying seriously. "I get that. But Mark, I'm trying to process all this and right now... I'm scared. For you. For Nate. For Granny. Everyone! I don't know what that crown is, but a Titan tried to hide it rather than use it... Why? What was a Titan like Oceanus afraid of?"