Darkness Arises

Chapter Thirteen: The Army

Found the perfect image of the Dark Queen!
And guess what. I fixed my motorcycle! Don't worry. I won't crash again (hopefully). ;) yes yes we Americans are quite crazy. I know.

May 12th 

Emmet's POV

Everyone immediately jumps into action. The guards scramble to get in line with their captains while others rush to get suited for their armor. My mother rushes all the royals out of the room, commanding they stay inside their homes for safety. The room is loud with the shocked cries of the realization that another war is coming. A war that could destroy us all.

Among the chaos my two sisters find each other, "Opal!" Aurora cries and Opal rushes into her arms. Opal bursts into heavy sobs apologizing repeatedly. "Hush dear sister, hush. It's alright now." Aurora soothes, her voice thick with tears.

"Opal," I say softly, "please head up to your chambers. Stay safe and Aurora please go with her"

To my amazement my sisters agree and Opal places a soft kiss on my cheek. In her eyes I see the unspoken words of an apology about Charlie but she's unable to say them. Too deeply ashamed of herself. Giving her a soft smile I turn away and find my mother.

"Oh my son. What a mess this has turned out to be. All this with your father... I wonder what other lies he has spun out of his mouth." She sighs sadly, rubbing her forehead in distress.

"Everything will turn out to be okay."

"Will it?" She says tiredly.

And to that I have no reply for her. Our hope lies with the Elder but I don't have much for it. In the pit of my stomach boils with the anger that a mother would just leave her child alone. For all those years. Foolishly letting her live among the humans only to be thrown into the middle of a disaster. Years of power growing, untamed, uncontrolled, to be unleashed at the hands of the Dark Queen.

• • •

There are fifty of us while the rest of the guards stayed behind to protect the kingdom. We are all swimming full speed towards the cave where Charlie stayed. The Elder is in front hand in hand with her mate and between the two of them they release a massive amounts of power. Power that surly the Dark Queen will be unable to match.

I follow closely behind with Radiance beside me and her mother next to her. We are followed by the best of the Royal Guards, dressed in full armor. Something that hasn't been done in many, many years.

Everyone is on edge. Waiting to see what we will face. Will the Queen be there with her army? Or will we find nothing? Nobody knows but we are prepared for the worst. A shift in the ocean currents carry us faster towards the cave, thanks to the Elder, but everyone dreads the arrival. Finally we follow the under water cliffs up to the cave.

And find it cold and empty.

The feeling of failure crashes over me in waves. "No." I mutter in disbelief. I enter the empty cave and chills run over my body. "NO!" I roar, picking up the bag of food we left for Charlie, untouched, and throw it against the cave wall.

"Emmet!" Radiance calls. "Emmet please. Come look at this!" The fear in her voice is what makes me look over and there, below the cave is a body.

Two captains swim down and pick the body up, disgust written across their face. It's a dark merman. His mouth is hanging open, his jaw clearly broken showing rows of pointed teeth and his yellow eyes stare up at nothing, open in shock. One of his murky green webbed hands is broken and the back of his skull is crushed but then I notice his tail.

Radiance covers her mouth with her hands gasping, staring at his tail with wide eyes. "What... What is he?" She manages to choke out before turning away in disgust.