Helios stood in silence at the base of the palace gates, his hand gripping the hilt of Equilibrium. The air was heavier than before, saturated with grief and unease. Kurai floated beside him, her expression unreadable, as ever.
They had returned to Atlantica through a corridor of shadow—and found a kingdom falling apart.
"What happened?" Helios asked a nearby guard. The man hesitated.
"The queen…" he finally whispered, "is dead."
Helios' eyes widened, if only slightly. "Athena?"
"Murdered."
Before Helios could speak, Triton appeared above the procession, the hand gripping his trident clenched tight, his face ashen and storm-filled.
"You."
The word was laced with venom, accusation, and despair. Triton descended rapidly, his soldiers parting for him. The King's eyes blazed as they locked with Helios'.
"You were supposed to help us," Triton spat, voice echoing across the coral court. "My wife trusted you. I trusted you."
Helios remained still, jaw tight. "I wasn't here. I—"
"Exactly!" Triton bellowed. "You weren't here. And now she's dead, and my daughter…" He stopped himself, trident trembling in his grip.
Kurai spoke up, arms crossed. "Who did it?"
"Who did it?!" Triton's rage reignited. "Your little group was supposed to stop this from happening! And now the Queen of Atlantica is gone—and no one knows what might happen to our precious girl!"
Triton's trident lashed out in a sudden surge of power. Helios deflected the blow instinctively, summoning his reflect spell creating a wall of shimmering force with a snap of his hand. Guards raised weapons. For a moment, bloodshed seemed inevitable.
"Stand down!" shouted a general.
Helios dispelled his shield. Triton's eyes were wild, but he said no more.
"We should calm down and speak rationally," Helios said calmly. "Before this gets worse."
Inside the Grand Conch Chamber, tensions rippled like shattered glass on still water. The nobles gathered again, but this time, not to mourn. They had come to pass judgment.
The tribunal began without ceremony. A senior official read the charges.
"Failure to protect the royal family. Introduction of unknown magical elements. Complicity in allowing Ursula to gain a foothold. The death of Queen Athena. The corruption of Princess Ariel."
Kurai scoffed. "Bold accusations from cowards too weak to fight their own battles."
"We let you in," growled Lord Cephrael. "Because the Queen believed in you. Her faith cost her life."
Helios raised a hand. "Enough. This isn't justice. It's panic."
The court erupted into arguments. Some demanded exile. Others demanded immediate execution of the outsiders along with Ariel, whom they now viewed as a vessel of darkness. One noble even called for Thalen to be interrogated under magical duress. The paranoia had festered into madness.
Triton stood silent, glaring at the floor.
Finally, Helios spoke again. "You're right about one thing—something dark did take root. We believe Ursula used dark magic to link herself to Ariel. We found evidence. It's not the girl's fault. It was done wholly by Ursula."
Kurai tilted her head and added with cold detachment, "If it is her fault, I'll handle it. A quick death would spare you the drama."
Outrage exploded.
"You dare threaten her?"
"You side with the witch!"
But Kurai only smirked. "Make up your minds. One minute, you want the child dead. The next, you want to protect her. Hypocrites."
Helios turned toward Triton. "You knew Queen Athena best. Would she want this? Fear, paranoia, vengeance? Or would she want us to find the truth and end this so that you may help those hurt by the events?"
Triton said nothing.
He left the chamber without a word.
Helios found Thalen in a guarded chamber, sitting on a bench beside Ariel's sleeping form. Her face was peaceful, her breaths steady. But her aura flickered still—darkness coiling beneath the surface like an unseen current.
"Is she okay?" Helios asked.
Thalen nodded. "I think so."
Kurai crossed her arms. "They're talking about executing her. And you. Us too by the way."
"I know," Thalen said, not moving. "That's why I asked you here."
He turned toward Helios. "I want you to make her forget."
Helios blinked. "Forget what?"
"What she did. What she saw. What she lost. All of it."
Kurai raised a brow. "You want to erase her memories? That's drastic, and even if I did everyone else would remember it."
Thalen's voice was quiet. "She won't survive this if she remembers. She's already breaking. Make her forget and all of them too."
Helios considered it. Memory spells were dangerous when used to remove important emotional memories, but possible. Especially with someone so young. Carefully, he entered the cell, swam over to Ariel's side, and crouched down.
He murmured an incantation, and a gentle swirl of blue light flowed from his hand to her forehead.
The girl twitched once… then relaxed.
It was done.
"She won't remember the blade," Helios said. "Or Athena's final moments or words."
"Good," Thalen whispered.
As they turned to leave, he asked one final thing. "Will you do the rest now?"
Helios didn't answer at first.
"I can't I'm not powerful enough but with the trident, I should be able to make the spell cover the ocean."
Triton stood on the highest spire of the palace, gazing out over his fractured kingdom.
When Helios and Kurai approached, he didn't turn.
"I should kill you both."
"I don't see why you would other than the fact that you're letting your regret and grief overwhelm you. If you didn't do that you'd probably be unable to face yourself otherwise, correct?" Helios asked.
Triton exhaled. "I can face myself. I know I am to blame just as I know whatever allowed Ursula to obtain these powers has to do with you outsider. I am only allowing you to live because I need you."
He finally turned. "You're banished. Both of you. Leave Atlantica. Never return. But you will find Ursula. You will destroy her. And if you fail—your friend Thalen dies."
Kurai chuckled darkly. "Using a child as leverage. Charming."
Triton's eyes burned. "You brought this ruin. I'll use whatever means I must to end it."
Helios stepped forward. "You think I brought ruin?" His voice was calm. Quiet. "I'm the only one trying to save you."
He opened a dark corridor. The shadows writhed.
Triton didn't respond.
Without another word, Helios and Kurai vanished into the darkness.