” NOOOOOOOO! ”
Ruby gasped over and over again.
The Queen was surrounded my the entire mer-population. Like the pistil of a flower , covered by layers of petals, they were protecting their Queen who was in a trance like state. Immersed in her occult.
Ruby watched as the mer- witches dropped dead one by one. Their blood tainting the waves.
” What on heavens is happening! ” But before Roe could get her questions answered, something dark lashed their way.
They ducked to void.
Lin spied Anjana and the mer-boy.
” Roe, look over there! ”
The veil that had kept Anjana hidden all those years were lifted by Mia’s touch.
Now he was as visible to everyone else like he was to Mia.
” That’s the creature that helped Mia back at the Land of the Lakes! But… what is that beside him? ”
Anjana did have a strange structure since nobody had ever seen a full grown mer- male apart from the Queens and their inner circles.
“That’s.. That’s Crystal’s mate! They are tied up… It means they are not on the Queens side! ”
Ruby was theorizing.
” Let’s set them free. We will have a helping hand! ”
The Queen was in trance but there was a consciousness circling.
Those waves of attack started bombarding in Lin’s direction as soon as he began going in their direction.
” Lin, watch out! ”
Roe pushed Ruby to a safe corner before joining in.
They dought their way towards the two of them to free those captives.
Ruby was sliding back steadily when suddenly someone caught her from the backside, closing her mouth so she would not be able to shout.
” Hhhhhmmmmm! ” Ruby fought to free herself. She turned to face her attacker when she saw Xie advancing rapidly in her direction to rescue her.
Before he could do anything Ruby saw who was holding herself.
She turned to block Xie’s attack by making a shield of herself.
” Ruby…. Are you mad! ”
Xie stopped himself just in time.
He had to grab her by the waist to regain his balance.
” Why would you… ”
” This is Jade. My sister! ”
Jade had regained her consciousness. But was still to weak to get up. She managed to slide unto Ruby and hold on.
” I am so happy you are alive! What did they do to you! ”
Ruby hugged and kissed her.
” Ruby, there is no time. We need to stop this occult from completing. The queen is planning to sacrifice our entire population along with Mia’s son. Then they will start afresh. Along with the chosen few from her elite guards who are patrolling the parameters! ”
” There isn’t anymore. We got rid of them all! ”
Xie proudly announced.
” We need to break the chain. With thai exodus, this evil witch wishes to establish her own undisputed bloodline. She had always been jealous of Crystal. We had no idea it was to such an extent. She wants to be God in our kingdom. ”
Ruby stood up as soon as Jade finished her narration.
” Take care of their air bubbles sister. I am going for the Queen! ”
” Ruby wait! ”
Jade tried to tell something but she was gone. Xie spared a last look at Jade before swimming after Ruby’s trail. It was difficult to manoeuvre in water in his Wolf form. But he didn’t have an alternative.
Ruby’s brute attempt was dismissed immediately as she was thrown like away from the formation like someone squatting a fly.
Xie caught her.
She had closed her eyes in fear but slowly opened them at his soft touch.
“What exactly are you doing stupid girl? Can’t you see there is a force creating a barrier shied around this! ”
He pointed with his hands in a circular manner.
It wasn’t that it was not visible to Ruby’s eyes. But she had not been mindful. A dark dome shaped layer was circulating. Protecting the Queen in that death formation.
Ruby looked into Xie’s eyes. Was that concern. She looked away ashamed for her rash action even before he could confirm.
” It’s the Dark Forces that have come to take it’s due. We have worshiped it for too long. Replenishing the void that was created by our own greet. Now there is another void happening in progress. Is this the end of us? End of our race? ”
Lin, Roe joined just in time along with Anjana and the Mer- boy.
“Move! I make way! ”
Anjana bellowed in their ears.
They took a step aside to give him his space.
The moment he put his hand forward, it touched the barrier. His touch made the spot ripple but it did not repel like it did to Ruby.
” We made of the same energy. It know us! ”
Anjana tried explaining in his broken words. He was referring to the mer- boy and himself.
The ripples intensified. Along with it the speed with which the mer-witches dropped dead, increased too.
” Hurry! ”
Jade yelled as they all looked in horror. Their visions were getting murky as the ocean waters became redder.
The ripples now were vibrating. There was a force pushing back.
Anjana held the hand pressed against the barrier with another hand. He himself was shaking to containing.
” Aaaaaahhhhhh! ”
Then with one last forceful pull there were cracks.
It was a sight to behold. Cracks in water, liquid.
” Step back! ”
Jade warned pulling some of them back with both her hands.
The crack gave way and a dark cloud gushed out grim the crack like lava does when molten.
It had a strange stench. Thr stench of evil and blood. Very hard to dismiss our ignore.
With that the barrier collapsed. It disintegrated and was gone.
Yet the Queen was un flinched. She carried on with her ritual. Though the intensity lessened, bodies still kept falling one after another.