Mera provided Atlanna with a detailed account of Orm's current political situation, though she admitted to having limited knowledge about Arthur's circumstances.
"Orm requested a marriage alliance with the Kingdom of Xebel because he wants to weaponize your military power for his assault on the surface world," Ben explained, his voice carrying the authority of someone who understood the broader strategic picture.
Although he had never personally encountered Orm, his knowledge of the Aquaman films provided complete insight into the young king's motivations and plans.
"He really is consumed by that incident," Atlanna said, her expression clouding with maternal sorrow.
The only emotion she harbored toward the previous King of Atlantis was pure resentment, he had been nothing but a political manipulator who had used her as a pawn. But Orm was her child, regardless of his father's sins, and that maternal bond transcended the hatred she felt for his lineage.
However, because of his traumatic past, Orm had developed an consuming hatred toward all surface dwellers and their civilization.
Atlanna glanced back at the massive form of Karathen lurking among the underwater mountain ranges, then turned and grasped Mera's hands with desperate urgency. "Princess Mera, please, you have to stop him! Don't let my son make an irreversible mistake!"
Mera pulled her hands free and stepped back with obvious reluctance. "Why don't you go talk to him yourself?"
"I'm just a criminal in exile," Atlanna replied with bitter resignation. "Even if I somehow managed to leave this place, I would have no political standing or influence with the royal court."
"Well, so am I," Mera said with a dismissive shrug, wrapping her arms possessively around Ben's.
She had no desire to maintain any contact or entanglement with Orm ever again. Initially, she had regarded Ben merely as the prophesied Sea King who could unify the seven kingdoms, thinking she could rely on his protection to avoid becoming a political sacrifice in someone else's game.
But after experiencing so many adventures together, Mera had genuinely fallen in love with her mysterious partner. He was devastatingly handsome in his human form, and terrifyingly powerful when transformed into his various alien configurations.
In every shape and appearance, there was always something that captured her imagination and desire.
For instance, Mera absolutely adored Heatblast's volcanic intensity, the way his flames danced on his head reminded her of her own passionate red hair, and the scorching heat he generated made her feel truly alive. His cephalopod transformation was equally appealing; the sense of absolute security she experienced wrapped within those massive tentacles, combined with the rhythmic heartbeats that seemed to resonate in her very bones, created the most perfect intimate experience she had ever known.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, she reflected. Now even Ripjaws appeared uniquely attractive in Mera's perception. Even if Ben transformed into the most grotesque creature imaginable, she was confident she could find something to appreciate about the form.
Orm, please don't contact me anymore, she thought firmly. I'm afraid Ben might misunderstand my intentions.
Atlanna fell silent, clearly remembering that the young woman before her was a fugitive just like herself. The only difference was that Mera had been fortunate enough to find a powerful protector and true love, unlike Atlanna's own tragic experience. She had been forced to sacrifice herself to save her husband and son's lives, surrendering her freedom to the King of Atlantis and bearing him a child she could never properly love.
Could it be that the crown of Atlantis is cursed to create these patterns? she wondered bitterly. Why does everyone seem determined to rebel against their assigned roles?
"I'm sorry," Atlanna said finally, releasing Mera from her pleading grasp. Her expression darkened with resignation. "I wasn't thinking clearly. In that case, you should escape the Dark Sea as quickly as possible. Although the Trench dwellers have been eliminated, there are still other terrible monsters in this realm. The danger is far from over."
"We've already exterminated countless Trench creatures," Mera replied with hands planted firmly on her hips, puffing out her chest with obvious pride. Her expression clearly conveyed the sentiment: Ben and I are absolutely unstoppable when it comes to monster slaying.
"The Trench dwellers are nothing but appetizers compared to what else lives here," Atlanna warned, speaking the name of the legendary sea monster with reverent fear: "Karathen."
She shuddered involuntarily, shaking off the heavy skeletal camouflage to reveal yellowed white armor underneath. Time had been surprisingly kind to her features, and Atlanna remained strikingly beautiful despite her decades of exile.
"You need to leave immediately. I have to depart as well. Regardless of the personal cost, I cannot allow Orm to continue down this destructive path. I have to find a way to stop him."
"You're planning to confront Orm?" Mera stared at her as if she were observing someone who had lost their mind. "Do you honestly believe he'll listen to anything you have to say? If the Council Elders discovered you were still alive, they would order your immediate execution without hesitation."
"I understand the risks," Atlanna replied with a sad but determined smile. "But I'm his mother. It's my responsibility to prevent my son from making catastrophic mistakes, even if it costs me everything."
Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of envy toward Mera and Ben's obvious happiness, and steely resolve regarding her own grim mission.
"If you ever encounter an Atlantean wandering lost beyond the seven seas, please give him my regards. He is my other son, Arthur."
"You should deliver that message yourself, after I resolve this situation," Ben interjected, taking several purposeful steps forward and passing by Atlanna's position.
Mera hurriedly trotted after him, walking barefoot across the smooth stones of what passed for a shoreline in this realm. Her movements were slightly unsteady but filled with curiosity about this strange underwater landscape.
"Wait, you're not actually planning to, " Atlanna began in alarm.
"That's exactly right!" Mera declared, spinning around to point dramatically at the former queen. Meanwhile, Ben's figure continued walking steadily away until he stood among the towering underwater mountains, approaching a massive curtain of cascading water.
That was Karathen's Lair, a colossal waterfall that led to an ancient underwater cavern. And within that hidden sanctuary, Poseidon's Trident awaited its next worthy wielder.
"Ben will become the king who unifies all seven seas, the true sovereign of the ocean!" Mera proclaimed with absolute conviction.
"He will claim the Trident, and then Orm will have no choice but to kneel and obey his commands. The war will become impossible to start."
"You're completely insane!" Atlanna exclaimed in horror.
"Only descendants of King Atlan can awaken Poseidon's Trident! Even members of the royal bloodline aren't guaranteed recognition. He'll be killed by Karathen the moment he sets foot in that sanctuary!"
Atlanna became increasingly agitated and broke into a desperate run toward the waterfall, diving in after Ben's disappearing form. Her maternal instincts and hard-won experience made it impossible to watch two young people who could have lived happily together throw their lives away so pointlessly.
Please let Karathen still be sleeping, she prayed as the dark water enveloped her.
The only sound remaining in the water was the gentle percussion of rising bubbles.
Ben examined this enclosed aquatic chamber with scientific interest. The obsidian water was eerily calm and still. For the final resting place of King Atlan, the environment seemed surprisingly peaceful rather than ominously dangerous.
The depth measured several hundred meters, and the distant bottom was scattered with the ruins of ancient architectural marvels. In the overwhelming darkness, only one source of illumination continued to flicker with golden radiance.
A magnificent trident stood upright, gripped by a mummified corpse wearing verdigris armor, emanating ripples of divine energy that painted the water with aureate light.
Even though the figure had been reduced to a desiccated husk, one could still perceive the tremendous majesty that King Atlan had possessed during his lifetime.
Ben's body descended gracefully through the water until he reached the legendary weapon. He extended his hand and grasped the shaft, applying gentle pressure, but the Trident refused to budge even slightly.
Coincidentally, Atlanna and Mera had followed him into the cavern out of concern for his safety. When Mera observed the Trident, her eyes lit up with excitement, but her expression shifted to confusion when she noticed Ben hadn't successfully claimed the weapon.
This doesn't make sense, she thought with bewilderment. Ben is King of the Sea, how could he possibly be unable to lift the Trident?
"Does it truly require a descendant of King Atlan?" she wondered aloud.
"I told you it was impossible for him to lift the Trident," Atlanna said with mounting panic as she surveyed their surroundings. "Listen, we need to leave immediately before Karathen awakens!"
"Wait a minute, who said I can't lift this thing?!" Ben's voice carried immediate indignation.
A man can never accept being told he's incapable, especially not regarding his physical prowess!
His arms, corded with muscle like ancient tree roots, suddenly exerted tremendous force. His muscular structure expanded dramatically as he strained against the weapon's supernatural resistance. With tremendous effort, he finally succeeded in wrenching the Trident from its resting place, pulling King Atlan's desiccated arm along with it.
"How is that possible?!" Atlanna's eyes widened in shock. "How did you manage that?"
Ben adopted his most confident expression. "I was born with supernatural strength."
This wasn't entirely false, he genuinely possessed extraordinary physical capabilities.
His ability to lift the Trident at this moment didn't rely on bloodline recognition or mystical worthiness, but rather pure, overwhelming force applied against the weapon's magical constraints.
Atlanna stared as if she were witnessing something impossible, while Mera didn't find the achievement surprising at all. She had always maintained complete confidence in Ben's abilities.
Ben tested the weapon's weight and balance with professional interest.
"It's acceptable. At least it's superior to those fake Poseidon tridents you see in movies. The heft feels appropriately substantial."
Of course, Ben didn't forget to collect genetic material from King Atlan's remains for later fusion. Without that crucial step, the Trident in his hands would remain nothing more than an attractive harpoon with impressive weight. It might serve adequately for physical combat, but casting spells would be impossible.
"It actually lifted..." Atlanna remained immersed in amazement when the underwater cavern suddenly began shaking violently, as if experiencing a seismic event that jolted her back to immediate concerns.
She spun around and witnessed eight terrifying tentacles moving like colossal serpents through the darkness. The massive bulk of the Karathen descended upon them, creating water pressure that made breathing difficult.
"So this is Karathen?" Mera instinctively took a half-step backward, but her expression resembled someone encountering a stray dog on the street, concerned about potential injury requiring medical attention, but not genuinely terrified.
"Karathen serves as the Trident's guardian," Atlanna theorized. "Now that you possess the weapon, it should recognize you as its superior and refrain from attack."
Ben curled his lips skeptically. He wasn't truly recognized by the Trident through mystical means, so divine beings only knew whether the creature would acknowledge his authority.
But the uncertainty didn't concern him. Worst-case scenario, they would simply have to fight. He harbored no fear whatsoever about that prospect.
Gripping the Trident firmly, Ben raised his head and positioned himself protectively in front of Atlanna and Mera, facing Karathen with direct challenge. Even Mera became somewhat nervous as she studied the massive creature intently.
Ben prepared himself for combat, muscles tensing as he calculated tactical approaches.
However, in the next moment, the Karathen before him suddenly lowered all eight tentacles, prostrated itself on the cavern floor like a submissive dog, and began... playing happily.
Sharp sound waves echoed through the water, distinctly resembling children's laughter.
Atlanna felt overwhelming relief. "It's submitting to you! You truly are the legitimate King of the Sea!"
She gazed at Ben with newfound admiration before kneeling respectfully like a devoted subject, completely failing to notice that Ben's expression had become distinctly uncomfortable.
"What's wrong? Karathen has surrendered. Is there some problem?" Mera asked with genuine confusion.
"Surrendering? She's not surrendering," Ben replied with a darkening expression as he observed the terrifying monster.
Karathen was writhing and undulating, performing what could only be described as an bizarre and grotesque mating dance...
Mera caught the concerning implication, and her expression when she looked at Karathen became equally strange.
"Don't tell me she's not begging for mercy, she's trying to seduce you?!"
Ben realized with growing horror that although Karathen was technically a sea monster, her intelligence far exceeded that of all the Trench dwellers combined. Despite her monstrous appearance, she was likely classified as a sentient creature by the Omnitrix's standards.
But that wasn't the most disturbing aspect of this situation.
The truly troubling revelation was that Karathen was female, and she had apparently fallen in love at first sight with Ben's cephalopod tentaklaws transformation.
This is the power of optimized genetics, he thought with resignation. Whenever I transform, I inevitably become the most outstanding specimen of that particular species. Individual aesthetic preferences may vary, but since I possess the absolute best genetic template, it's impossible for me to appear unattractive to members of that race.
"Where did this monster come from?! How dare she try to steal my husband?!" Mera suddenly became furious and launched herself forward to kick Karathen's appendages.
Ben indicated his complete lack of interest in the situation and signaled for Mera to use her hydrokinetic abilities to create a vacuum zone. Once she had cleared the area, he cancelled his transformation and began collecting King Atlan's genetic material.
Karathen's courtship display abruptly ceased. She couldn't comprehend how the "handsome specimen" had suddenly transformed into an "inferior creature," but considering that he had successfully lifted the Trident, she refrained from attacking.
King Atlan's genes represented a mutation of the Atlantean bloodline, similar to Broly among the Saiyans, an exceptional variant that transcended normal limitations.
Ben had previously extracted genetic material from ordinary Atlanteans, but even after optimization, their capabilities remained relatively modest. Many specialized abilities simply weren't present in the general population.
The Omnitrix's gene optimization function didn't include mutant variants by default, but they could be fused and enhanced after being collected separately.
Soon, the genetic fusion process was completed.
Ben activated his transformation once again.
"Ripjaws!"
Golden luminescence now shimmered beneath his gray scales, creating an otherworldly effect.
This time, Ben lifted the Trident with effortless ease. The weapon, which had previously remained completely inert, now displayed obvious excitement and confusion.
This doesn't feel right, the Trident's consciousness seemed to wonder. Why does this individual feel so much like King Atlan? Isn't the old man supposed to be dead?
The Trident was confused. Karathen was confused. Atlanna was also thoroughly confused.
"Excellent. Now that we have the Trident, let's return to the surface," Ben announced with satisfaction.
Beyond the Dark Sea's boundary, thousands of patrol vessels hovered in the distance like an armada of mechanical predators.
Wearing ceremonial armor and mounted on a craggy blue sea-dragon, Orm led his assembled forces in a complete blockade of the entire Dark Sea region.
King Nereus of Xebel rode beside him on an elegant seahorse, his expression grave with paternal concern and political calculation.
"King Orm, is everything you've told me absolutely true? Was my daughter actually kidnapped by criminals from the Fishermen Kingdom and forced into the Dark Sea?"
"I've already provided you with the video recordings, haven't I?" Orm replied with a cold snort that conveyed his displeasure, though his tone quickly moderated. He carefully avoided mentioning that his own pursuit had driven the fugitives into the Dark Sea, instead offering Nereus a face-saving explanation while directing blame toward the Fishermen Kingdom.
"Of course, I believe Princess Mera was abducted against her will, otherwise she would have no reason to depart with these criminals. Regarding the perpetrator's identity, I've already obtained his entry documentation from our immigration records. He is confirmed to be from the Fishermen Kingdom!"
He retrieved the identification papers that the King of the Fishermen Kingdom had provided for Ben's diplomatic visit.
King Nereus studied the recorded image of Ripjaws' distinctive features, the bioluminescent patches on the creature's head blazed like the hair of some delinquent youth riding a motorcycle.
Having viewed the surveillance footage, he could clearly see that Mera hadn't been held hostage at all, but was obviously collaborating with her supposed abductor.
This damned punk doesn't even have a proper motorcycle, but he still managed to elope with my daughter?!
It was absolutely intolerable!
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