Everything I Need - Orm Marius/Ocean Master

Five - The Second Challenge

The next step was like night and day again.

Leaving the island paradise with the mermaids, darkness quickly engulfed her as she plunged down to the very depths of the ocean. Here she came upon what looked like some sunken ancient ruins. Stone pillars lay broken and crumbled around her in the murky depths, and the ocean floor was littered with bones, bones from various sea creatures as well as humans - this wasn't looking promising. 

This was creepy. And what made it more so was that Aurelia got the feeling she wasn't alone here. 

This was confirmed by a low rumbling that seemed to surround her and shake the ground. 

"Who's there?" she dared to call, her voice echoing back to her across and through the darkness. 

The  low female voice, when it spoke, filled her head. "I am the Karathen."

Aurelia had heard the legends, but she wasn't sure what the Karathen looked like - she couldn't tell in the dark. Was this going to be like the Kraken in Pirates of the Caribbean? She hoped not - that thing was scary! And that had been in a movie, not so up-close and surrounding her, so facing such a creature would be much worse. Maybe this was how Bilbo Baggins felt when he confronted Smaug in the mountain...

But enough pop culture references, she had to focus - unless she wanted to be crushed by this hulking sea creature. That was a big fat no. 

"You do not belong here,"  the chilling voice rumbled through the dimness. "I have been guarding the Trident against false rulers since the beginning, and for a thousand years I have watched the greatest champions try and fail. But never have I sensed one as unworthy as you."

Um, rude, she thought. She tried but still couldn't get a good look at it, as it was so dark, which only made it all the more frightening.

"You dare come here with your tainted mongrel blood to claim the sea's greatest treasure. Very well, half-breed." The voice was now taunting.   "You thought yourself worthy? You thought yourself a Queen? You dishonour this place with your presence-"

Aurelia held out her hand towards the creature, sound waves emitting from her palm. This silenced the creature. "You're right, I am nothing but a half-breed mongrel. But I didn't come here because I thought I was worthy - I know I'm not."

"You understand me?" The creature sounded shocked. 

"I do."

"How?"

"I'm not really sure.  I've always been able to speak with the sea life." Which, apparently, included giant scary sea monsters. And maybe that was a good thing. 

Her eyes were slowly adjusting to the strange darkness, enough that she could just begin to make out the outline of a shadow - that of the hulking creature before her. 

Yup, this was worse than the Kraken or Smaug.   

"No one has conversed with me since King Atlan. Who are you?"

That must have been very lonely.  "I'm nobody. And you're right, I don't belong here. I came here because I have no choice. I came to save my home and the people that I love, my friends and family. I came because that trident is our only hope. I came even though I'm scared shitless about what's happening.  And if that's not good enough for you, well then screw you!"

The Karathen clearly didn't like that, and batted Aurelia with her tail in response, sending her crashing back into some of the broken stone. 

"I thought my mom said facing you was the third and final challenge."

"Well she was wrong. She never made it this far herself."

"So what's the third challenge then?" The third was usually the hardest, so she couldn't imagine what would be worse than battling this sea monster.

"Going before the God of the Sea himself - Lord Poseidon."

Okay, she hadn't been expecting that.  Aurelia knew her Greek Mythology - she knew that Poseidon was also the God of storms, and that he had quite the temper - she was beginning to think facing this giant creature would be better.

Or maybe not.  

"You have left me curious, half-breed. No one has been able to free the Trident from Poseidon's grip. You may try, be my guest, but if he deems you unworthy, well..." There was a low rumble that sounded like the creature was chuckling - it was chilling.  "I haven't feasted in eons and I am famished..."

(I love that Julie Andrews voiced the Karathen! 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))