#14: War Games Part 2

[Drake]

#14: War Games Part 2
“Get Outta Town”
By Drake

<Ready…begin!>

Arthur forced back a laugh at the almost Street Fighter-esque start to his match with Kaldur’ahm, a dark-skinned remarkably human-looking Atlantean preteen. The young prince stepped around the edges of the small circle that acted as a barrier; Kaldur mimicked his movements. Arthur had been in enough fights in his life to know the key to achieving victory was trash talk. If you could get your opponent angry enough, they’d get reckless. Recklessness meant loss.

<So, they call you an Orin too? What are you, some freak? Human spawn?> Arthur pushed. Kaldur couldn’t…what the hell??

Arthur found himself on the ground before he could project another word. Kaldur crouched over him, forcing Arthur’s arms to cross over his chest.

<Don’t play games with me, prince. You will find yourself embarrassed,> Kaldur calmly projected. Arthur felt the hysterical thoughts of the warriors around him. They were laughing at him. Never again…

<Same goes for you, Kaldur,> Arthur pushed with all his might, throwing Kaldur off of him. The younger Atlantean had to make a backwards somersault to land unscathed. He came up frowning. Good. Now Arthur had gotten him mad.

Kaldur ran forward. Arthur expected the move. He feinted a punch. Kaldur instinctually ducked. That’s when Arthur went for a knee to the chest, only to find Kaldur using his knee as leverage to flip behind Arthur. The slim warrior slid up Arthur’s body like a gymnast, and in the briefest second wrapped his legs around Arthur’s neck. Kaldur swung his legs around, flipping himself upward and slamming Arthur headfirst into the ground.

The prince saw starfish.

<Submit, Arthur Curry,> the honorifics were gone. Kaldur really was mad…but so was Arthur.

The blonde Atlantean grabbed Kaldur’s ankle and pulled the younger aquaman onto the ground, pinning him. Arthur’s head rang as he growled out, <I have to win.>

<The feelings are mutual,> Kaldur reversed the pin. Arthur let out a guttural roar, pushing Kaldur off of him, but the young warrior was too fast. He had already leaped up and away from Arthur.

The prince swam out and tried to tackle Kaldur. The dark-skinned Atlantean nimbly dodged the attack, elbowing Arthur in the small of his back as he did so.

<Kaldur…!> Arthur swung around, tears leaking from his eyes from the pain.

<Silence, Arthur Curry,> Kaldur chopped the side of Arthur’s neck, and the young aquaman found himself paralyzed on the ground, unable to move. It was like some anime, only the hero had found himself defeated by the bad guy’s seemingly impossibly powerful, nerve-paralyzing blow, not the reverse. Arthur was done. His body was frozen, defeated on the ground.

Kaldur bowed. Arthur gritted his teeth in response.

<Now you know, surface-dweller,> Pa’len grinned, <We Atlanteans are not to be trifled with.>

<I swear…> was all Arthur managed, before being interrupted by Pa’len.

<It is time for lunch! Everyone to the messhall!>

Arthur found himself rather reluctantly accepting orange sludge and burnt fish for lunch. It seemed even Atlantean cafeteria food was awful. It was time to see if the seating arrangements worked the same as well.

Arthur tried to approach a table of skinny warriors. They all gave him the evil eye. Yeah, he really was an outsider here. Even the geeks didn’t like him. Of course, there was one person Arthur could sit next to…

Kaldur sat alone at a table in the corner of the room, a table or two from Gal’en and his lackeys. Great. Arthur would be within throwing distance.

The young prince approached Kaldur’s table. Immediately the younger aquaman glared at him.

<May I sit here?> Arthur asked politely.

<Of course not. If Gal’en saw me sitting with you…> but it was too late.

<Oh, look at the two cute Orin over there, sitting together. Next thing you know they’ll be cuddling and complaining about their problems,> Gal laughed. His lackeys, and soon everyone within thought distance joined in. Kaldur began to shake with rage. Arthur gave Kaldur an understanding nod and walked away.

If he could just avoid a fight…

<Weak-willed prince…I bet his father’s a slave on the surface…>

Arthur threw his food to the side, allowing it to float in the sea, and rushed over to Gal’en, <What did you say?>

Arthur’s expression bled rage, but Gal didn’t appear afraid.

<I said your father is probably a slave on the surface, Orin,> Gal grinned, <What are you going to do about it?>

<Fight me. You think you’re so tough, then fight me,> Arthur demanded.

<What?> Gal exclaimed.

<Too chicken?>

<What is a chicken?>

<Hey! Break it up!> Pa’len floated in between the two teens, arms out to hold them off. Pa turned to Gal, <You’re too good to fight with this Orin, Gal…>

Something broke in Arthur. After all the name-calling, all the failure, all the resentment, he couldn’t stand it any more. The prince grabbed Pa by the collar of his yellow shirt and held him up forcefully.

<Say that to my face!> Arthur roared. Immediately, everyone around Arthur stood from their seats. Psychic gasps could be heard echoing across the room. Arthur realized he had just crossed a line. No attacking the teachers. Right. Arthur reluctantly let Pa’len down before the warrior said a word.

<Good. He knows his place…beneath us.>

Shattered.

<BENEATH YOU???> Arthur turned around, looking for any reason to strike out against Pa’len or his spoiled disciples, <Beneath you?! I am your prince! And I am one of you!! Enough with this surface dweller nonsense! I am Atlantean; I may be an Orin but I am one of you!>

<And yet as prince you are too weak to beat one of us,> Pa motioned to Kaldur. Arthur’s face reddened to the color of his shirt.

<I annihilated Gal’en’s father, Glorid’en, who, by the way, fought like a child,> Arthur retorted.

<My father is ten times the warrior you will ever be!> Gal argued.

<Then why couldn’t he beat me?>

<He was surprised is all…you surprised him…>

<Right,> Arthur sarcastically agreed, <He was surprised. I’m sure he was.>

<Enough!> Pa’len ordered, <No lunch for you, Arthur Curry. Out!> He pointed towards the door.

<That’s not such a bad idea,> Arthur admitted, already floating towards the door.

<Wait, Arthur!> Arthur was pulled around by Kaldur, who appeared surprised and a bit scared.

<Look at those two…>

<There’s nothing wrong with being an Orin!> Arthur interrupted Gal before he could finish.

Kaldur paused briefly, but nodded, <You’re right…there isn’t…>

<Oh be quiet, you half breed seal pup,> Gal said.

Suddenly, Kaldur was in Gal’s face, hands clenched into fists.

<What did you call me?>

<The son of a whore and a human,> Gal spit in Kaldur’s face, <A half breed.>

Arthur was already at Kaldur’s side, <Listen, Kaldur, you don’t have to…>

But it was too late. Kaldur had swung out wildly in rage, punching Gal across his face. Pal’en immediately tried to intervene, attempting to strike Kaldur.

<You insolent…>

<Stay away from him!> Arthur reacted too quickly. All the anger, all the hidden emotions he held, Arthur unleashed onto Pal’en, pushing the man away. He flew into a wall, crashing straight through it. It took Arthur a second to realize what he’d done.

<He just…>

<By Atlan’s name…>

<Is Master dead?>

<No,> Arthur began, tears forming in his eyes, <I didn’t mean to…> He rushed out of the room, ignoring all the glares he received.

<I never should have come here…> Arthur thought, swimming away as quickly as was possible, until he found himself in the courtyard, back where he’d first met Gal, Pa’len and Kaldur.

This was it. This was the final straw. Orm was going to have him killed. He…he needed to get out of here. To leave. Any hope he had…no, Arthur had to stay! His past, and maybe his future, it was all here! If he left now, there was certainly no hope, no chance for Arthur to discover his past down here. But…

Arthur’s thoughts were interrupted by a hand tapping gently against his shoulder. He turned around, fully expecting it to be a soldier here to arrest him. It was a student, a female, and a couple other male students. Arthur couldn’t meet the woman’s gaze.

<I admire what you did back there, standing up for that child,> the woman soothingly projected.

<Kaldur,> Arthur admitted, <Yeah.>

<You would make a fine king,> the woman projected.

<And you might just get killed thinking things like that,> Arthur retorted, <I mean, after that….after I…wait…>

Arthur recognized this voice—or psychic voice, rather. It couldn’t be…

Arthur looked up to meet the gorgeous green eyes of the woman. She wore a brown wig, but there was no mistaking it. Those eyes, that face, could only belong to one woman—Mera!

<No…> Arthur backed up.

<I must admit this is the first time a boy’s run away from me,> Mera psychically laughed, removing her wig, <You are an interesting young man, Arthur Curry.>

<Why are you here?> Arthur demanded, getting ready for a fight.

<You misunderstand. I am not here to hurt you, Arthur. I simply want you to meet my lord and king…>

<The Ocean Master!> Arthur finished, <Never!>

<Please, Arthur, do not make me hurt you. You do not understand. You are on the wrong side in this war,> Mera argued.

<No means no,> Arthur quipped, <Leave me alone.>

<And tell your father that I couldn’t bring his only son to see him?>

<What??> Arthur exclaimed. That couldn’t be right! Ocean Master…his father??!!

<Come with me, Arthur,> Mera held out her hand, <Learn the truth.>

<No…> Arthur’s world twisted upside down and there and back again. Ocean Master, the rebel leader, his father? There was no way…was there? His mother wouldn’t tell him…maybe…

<NO!> Arthur shook his head, <You’re wrong. The Ocean Master is not my father!>

<Suit yourself, Arthur> Mera psychically sighed. She motioned to the two men around her, <Take him, boys.>

The silent warriors attacked, pulling out their staffs.

<ARTHUR!> Kaldur tackled one of the guards away from the young prince.

<Kaldur…> Arthur thought, but he had no time to greet the young warrior. The other rebel and Mera were on him in a flash. Arthur dodged the rebel’s first strike. And second. And third. And then Mera hit him with a hammer of water. Arthur crashed into a column.

Meanwhile, Kaldur was having no luck with the rebel. The guy was good, and having no weapons made it much harder for Kaldur to fight him. It took two precisely aimed feints before the rebel managed to hit Kaldur, knocking him into the ground with a swift downward swipe.

Being knocked into a column and seeing Kaldur get hurt awakened something in Arthur. An instinct, a rage took over and Arthur found himself attacking his rebel warrior before the other could swing. He chopped the side of the rebel’s neck, and the man instantly collapsed into the ground. Where had Arthur learned to do that?

And then it hit him. His fight with Kaldur. The young aquaman had used that on Arthur to win the fight. How had he known where to hit though? There was no way he’d…

No time to think! Mera was attacking Arthur with a brutal barrage of water attacks. The young Atlantean had no choice but to dodge each one. He had no time to attack her.

Elsewhere, Kaldur had finally managed to get into the fight. He disarmed the rebel gracefully and used the staff to hit the man over the head, knocking him out. Kaldur grinned. Yeah, he was that good.

Mera continued her barrage of attacks, leaving Arthur no room for offense. Dodge left. Up. Duck. Mera was fast. Really fast. Arthur needed help. Luckily, he wasn’t alone.

Kaldur tackled Mera into the ground, <GO!>

Arthur paused, <I can’t…>

<GO!> Kaldur shouted, struggling to hold the witch on the ground. Arthur nodded his thanks and swam off. As he swam away, he heard Mera’s thoughts echo through the sea.

<We are everywhere, Arthur. You cannot escape us!>

What did she mean? Could there be spies in the city? Where could Arthur go? And then Arthur realized there was only one place he could go where he knew the spies would not be.

Home. The surface.

Arthur swam directly upwards and began to see flakes of sunlight circle the current around him.

Orm burst through the doors of the Conservatory of War, heaving with anger and fear.

<Where is he?? WHERE IS ARTHUR CURRY?!?!>

The king was flanked by dozens of warriors. No teacher dared approach him. What was wrong?

Just then, a handful of students appeared on the other side of the hall, swimming frantically towards the door. In their arms they carried Pa’len.

<What is this?> Orm demanded before the students could even reach him, <Who did this?>

<The Orin…I mean, Arthur Curry, your majesty,> one of the students, Gal’en responded.

<He…where is he?> Orm demanded, trying to piece together what happened.

<He is gone.>

Orm struggled to find out who thought those words. Gal’en…another student…who? And then Orm saw him, on the far end of the hall, a short figure struggled to stand. Orm quickly swam towards him, only to discover a beaten and bruised Kaldur’ahm.

<What happened?>

Kaldur fell to the floor, breathing heavily, but he managed to let out a few final thoughts, <Rebels attacked. Arthur ran…> And Kaldur fell unconscious.

No. This was horrible. Where could Arthur have gone? In a panicked state, where would he go…? Orm knew. He knew where Arthur would go. He was going to the surface.

First, injuring an Atlantean teacher, and now…this. The boy had made his fate clear.

<Messenger!> Orm called out. A lanky Atlantean swam towards him, dressed in two shades of blue.

<Your Majesty?> the messenger bowed before Orm.

<Messenger, find Shira’pon…tell him to come to the palace. It is urgent. And tell him…>

<Tell him I need Black Manta.>