Aquaman

Chapter 9

They all flew back and landed on the ground hard, Arthur helped Mera to sit up while yelling at Althea making sure she was ok, Althea gave him a thumbs up. They all get up just as some Atlantean guards appear along with a new guy, Althea looks at him confused. She's never seen him before "Um..does anyone know this guy or..?" The two adults shook their heads, the technology was definitely Atlantean though.

"Loathsomeness waits and dreams in the deep, and decay spreads over the tottering of cities of men." Althea saw him turn to her and his armor start to turn on again, she took a step back in fear. Arthur realized what was about to happened and ran towards Althea, he managed to block the blast that was going to hit her but it still sent them both flying thought the air and crashing through concrete, landing roughly on the ground.

"Arthur! Althea!" Mera tries to run to them but was blocked by a guard that held a sword to her neck "I order you to stand down!" "Princess Mera, you've been charged with high treason." The guard stated. The man in the black armor activated his thrusters and headed towards Arthur and Althea.
~
Arthur struggled to get up and groaned in pain from the burns on his arms, Althea had hit her head hard and was in a daze. Arthur helped her to stand up and held most of her weight "Are you ok?" He asked, she shook her head "What is it?" "I-It's my arm..." she whimpers this as her head was still pounding and now she felt a stinging pain from her elbow.

Arthur shushed her gently and takes a look at her arm, it was scraped badly. The skin was torn from her fall and her elbow was bleeding. Arthur heard the man in the black armor land behind him and he turned around to face him while pushing his daughter behind him.

"Who the hell are you?" Arthur growled, Althea was starting to wonder the same thing "Maybe this will jog your memory." The man produced a sword from his arm and Arthur pushed Althea away "Run!" He barked at her and the girl immediately nodded and made a move to run from the area.

The man punched Arthur away and created a blast to the rock wall, the rocks almost fell on Althea if she didn't stop and quickly back away "Your daughter's not going anywhere." He said, Arthur then realized where he knew this guy from "You're the guy from the sub." He said, the man kicked him in his leg "That's right. But now I have Atlantean technology." He stabs Arthur in the shoulder.

"Dad!" "Call me..Black Manta." Althea grabbed a rock and threw it at him. It hit his helmet, knocking his off balance, Althea took that as an opportunity to roundhouse kick him. Black Manta swung at her a few times with his sword, managing to slice her right arm "Ghk!" Althea held her arm, Black Manta swung at her again but Arthur grabbed her in time and pulled her away.

"I will show your daughter the same mercy you showed my father!" Black Manta growled "You touch her and I won't feel bad for snapping your neck." Arthur threatened, Althea whimpered a bit. This guy wanted to kill her. Black Manta chuckled "Let's see if you can protect her." His red lens started to flare again and Arthur scooped Althea up in his arms and jumped from the building just as a blast came from his helmet.

Althea screamed as they fell and crashed through a roof landing in an old woman's living room, Arthur shielded his daughter from the fall and groaned from the impact "You good?" He asked. She nods shakily "Dad, who is that guy? Why does he want to kill us?" She asks. Arthur sighs "You remember those people I saved on the submarine a while back?" She nods.

"Well this guy and his father were pirates who were killing the people on the sub. His father got trapped and I could've saved him from drowning...but I didn't." Arthur explained. Althea stares at Arthur "Dad you...killed someone?" She asks. Arthur looked away ashamed.

Just then Black Manta landed through the hole they fell through and Althea was quick to throw the table the old woman was dusting at him, he knocked it to the side but it was a quick diversion for Arthur to attack him. "I told you not to make this a habit." He said before slamming his body into the ceiling then back on the ground. He looked to the old woman and apologized before Black Manta roundhouse kicked him out the window and he fell to the other roof, hanging from the side.

Althea ran out before Black Manta could grab her and rushed over to Arthur "Dad, hang on! I'll help you up!" She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him up, but she was suddenly grabbed her by the back of her collar and threw her towards the bell. Althea hit the bell hard and landed on the ground, she rubs the back of her head "You're gonna give me a concussion." Althea whined.

"A concussion is the least of your worries once I kill you." He sneered "You mean if you kill me." Althea corrected "Cause I'm pretty sure he's not gonna let you kill me." Althea says pointing behind him, Arthur grabs Black Manta by his shoulder and throws him back. Althea suddenly heard noise from the opposite side of where they were and turns to her right to see Mera being chased by Atlantean guards.

Black Manta noticed her distracted, pushed Arthur to ground and made his move "Althea! Move!" Arthur shouts. Althea turns and sees the red lens were glowing "Shit!" She immediately started running and jumped from the roof as the blast destroyed the bell tower.

Arthur kicked Black Manta off of him and ran towards his daughter but was stopped "You owe me blood!" Black Manta yelled "I don't owe you shit!" Arthur yells and throws him off the building. Arthur jumps down from the bell tower and sees through the crowd of people panicking Althea laying by the fountain. Not moving.

He felt his stomach drop at the sight and he started to run to her until he felt a sharp pain in his back and cried out "Now you feel the same pain as I did when my father died! And then I'll gut you like the fish you are!" Black Manta yells as he starts to pull Arthur towards him from using the harpoon he just shot at Arthur's back.

Arthur felt rage at the fact that he said Althea was dead, she couldn't be dead. But he was reminded of the fact that he hurt her..bad. Arthur grabbed the electric line that Black Manta was holding and yanked the man towards him and punched him "I told you that if you touch her, I won't feel bad for snapping your neck." He growls.
~
Althea's eyes fluttered open and she groaned from the pain all over her body, she saw through her blurred vision Arthur fighting Black Manta and Mera falling through the roof of a wine shop. She had to help them but she was too weak. Althea was then aware of the feeling of water dripping onto her hand, she felt some of her strength coming back. She props herself up by her elbows and sees the fountain that was full of water. She remembered Vulko saying something to her..

"The water is one of your strength's." He says, an 8 year old Althea looks confused "Doesn't that imply to all Atlantean's though?" She asks, "Not all." Vulko was quick to say "Your kind is special." "You know about my kind?" She asks, Vulko smiles and nods "Your kind of Atlantean's use the power of the moon and the sea." He dips his hand into the ocean and moves his hand through it "You feel the energy of the ocean and then you harness it. It's how you control the water. You absorb it into you to give you strength."

Althea held her hand out and focused, 'Concentrate.' She thought to herself "It helps if you imagine yourself surrounded by water." Mera says as they both walk to her bed chambers "You focus on the emotions you're feeling in that exact moment and then use it to power you."

Althea needed to protect Arthur and Mera, she feels water start to run through her veins and her green eyes turned blue.
~
Arthur hit the ground again and Black Manta loomed over him "Now...time to die." He unsheathes his sword and goes in for the kill only to have a barrel of water sweep him away. Arthur looked to his side and saw Althea using the water from the fountain to hold Black Manta in the air, she was using her powers "Now Dad! Get him now!" She shouted. Arthur gets up and two balls that are chained together and throws it at Black Manta.

Althea lets him go, and the chain wraps around his neck, Black Manta attempts to blast one from hitting his helmet but it caused his armor to lose function, making him fall down the cliff and into the sea. Mera rushes to Arthur, Althea following her "Arthur!" "Dad!" Arthur falls into Mera's lap and Mera brushes away some of his hair while panicking "Mera, they're tracking you." "What?" She asks.

"They're tracking you." Arthur repeated, Althea looked at Mera then remembered the bracelet Orm gave her. Mera also came to that realization and didn't hesitate to smash it on the ground "Arthur, Arthur stay with me." Mera says when she realizes that Arthur went limp. The last thing Arthur hears before he passes out was his daughter's plea "Please don't leave me Dad.."