“Thank you,” I whispered, patting his head like a dog.
When I turned to my army, I was greeted with many blank stares. Apparently, Sharlie was just as mythical within the merfolk community as he was with the Humans. Swimming along the strong line, I felt a bit like William Wallace in Braveheart. Did this army command my respect as they did his? Some sort of inspiring speech was needed, but the words escaped me. That was until I saw Tammer. His loving smile urged me on.
Blessed are we that joined in cause
Bow our heads and take great pause
Before the Father and the Son
We pray your mercy ‘til the deed is done.
Protect and forgive us each our own
Please watch over us from your throne
And when the battle draws us fear
May your steady hand be near.
As one we go to face the fight
As one we ask for your light
Keep us close to your heart
Never to be apart.
I finished my poem and chanced to look at the people before me. Every head was bowed – not one of my followers moved and I felt unsure as to what to do next.
“Amen?” I asked and was startled when the entire army shouted it back in unison. I hadn’t meant it to be a prayer; it was just a poem I made up. Kenneth swam forward.
“Each unit knows their part in this. Stick to it, no matter what. Dominic will lead the first wave and I the second.”
He motioned to the man in the second row – a man I recognized. He grinned and approached as I waved him to me.
“I know you,”
He nodded. “You blessed me once.”
“I met you in New York! The day I got married!”
“That would be me,” he raised my hand to his mouth and kissed it. “You changed my life that day. I hadn’t taken merman form for ten years and I didn’t think I could go on living. When I saw you, I knew you were The Link. You released my burdens. I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you.”
“But I did nothing,” I explained.
“You did everything. You saved me from myself.” He withdrew into formation.
There was nothing left to do but set out.
“Let’s begin,” I ordered and the line of merpeople split straight down the middle.
Conjuring all my energy and all the power from The Links before me, I let it wave around me, filling me, coursing through me until I shoved my hands forward, throwing it violently upon the first group.
“Levitak!”
The wave of power rippled over the merfolk, causing many of them to grab their stomachs in pain. Seconds later, they disappeared.
“Did it work?” Kenneth whispered into my ear and I held up my hand. The tremendous use of energy had drained me and the last thing I wanted to do was vomit in front of the second group.
When I was able to compose myself, I focused on the merfolk I’d just sent.
“They’re there. We must go.” I looked to Mom and Tammer who held onto Sharlie.
“I love you both,” I said.
“We love you,” Mom replied, surprising me. She had barely acknowledged my existence since I’d failed to save Naira. Tammer nodded and prepared for The Leap.
Again, I focused, doubling and then tripling my power. This time, it rolled around Kenneth and I, suspending us along with the second group and my family. It was consuming, forcing my breath from my lungs and then, we were catapulted through the water, the force of The Leap, crippling.
When we arrived at our destination, the fighting had already begun. The first group materialized above the Mariana trench meeting up with the Akamatta. The presence of two species easily distracted the feral merpeople and they ascended from the canyon like drones from a beehive; their distinctive sluggish colored tails propelling them into battle. Some were armed with spears fashioned from driftwood, others with pieces of whale bone whittled into knives. Their manic faces doubled with the fact that many fought with bare hands and their sheer tenacity to kill, was terrifying to observe.
Our group watched from below, hugging the walls of the trench so as not to be seen. On my mark, we swam full speed upwards, splitting at the last moment, and circling the fighting mass, drawing it tightly into a ball. We had them surrounded and by the time the enemy had realized it, it was too late. The feral merpeople were hardly any match for us as without powers, they were not as strong. Using The Look, I was able to destroy several at one time.
Gavran reached my side, heaving and out of breath. “Is that it?” He panted.
“No,” I scanned the waters, “it was too easy.”
“What do we do now?”
“Look for a scout,” I dove, using The Sight to increase my vision. The ocean splayed before me like a black and white comic book. “They will report back to Herra.”