Chapter 65

Hila strode up to the submarine's location, her elite bodyguards flanking her. The massive, grey Ohio-class vessel lay half-submerged, its hull dented and scarred. Hila gestured sharply, barking orders.

"Check it out. I want a full report."

The guards moved in, their movements careful and controlled. They circled the stricken submarine, inspecting the damage. Kiran, a veteran warrior, swam closer, his brow furrowed in focus. He ran his gloved hands along the hull, searching for clues.

"Princess Hila, the hull is breached in multiple locations," Kiran reported, his voice crackling through the communication device. "It appears the submarine was struck by a powerful force, likely torpedoes or depth charges."

Hila listened intently, her brow furrowed. "And the crew? What of them?"

Kiran's expression darkened. "We've found the bodies, Princess. They were killed, most likely by the same force that sank the vessel."

Hila's lips tightened into a thin line. "And the cargo? The weapons?"

"That's the strange part," Kiran said, his tone puzzled. "The cargo hold has been emptied. All the weapons and supplies are missing."

Hila's eyes widened, the implications of this discovery weighing heavily on her mind. "Hijacked, then," she murmured, more to herself than to the guard. "Pirates, most likely."

Kiran nodded solemnly. "That is our assessment as well, Princess. The damage to the hull and the missing cargo suggest a coordinated attack and plunder."

Hila's gaze hardened, her regal features etched with determination. "Gather the rest of the team. We must investigate this further and determine the fate of the crew and the stolen cargo."

"At once, Princess," Kiran replied, already signaling the other guards to converge on his position.

Moments later, the squad of Xebelian warriors surrounded Hila, awaiting her orders. Hila turned to them, her voice commanding yet tinged with concern.

"This submarine's presence near our borders is a grave matter. The fact that it has been attacked and its cargo stolen is even more troubling. We must find out who is responsible for this and recover the stolen goods before they can be used against us."

Asha, a young and eager guard, stepped forward. "Princess, do you believe pirates are behind this attack?" Her brow furrowed with concern.

Hila's lips tightened into a thoughtful line. "It's possible, but I can't say for certain." She gazed at the damaged submarine, her eyes narrowing. "What troubles me is its proximity to Atlantis' borders. That raises some unsettling questions."

One of the Xebelian guards carefully surveyed the damaged submarine, his brow furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, a blur of black movement caught his eye, and before he could react, a figure in sleek, ebony armor struck him down with a powerful blow. The guard's body crumpled to the seafloor, his lifeless eyes staring into the abyss.

"Ambush!" Asha cried out, her voice laced with panic as she witnessed her comrade's demise. She whirled around, her trident raised in defense, only to be met by a barrage of Manta Men, their weapons trained on the Xebelian guards.

Hila's eyes narrowed as she assessed the situation, her regal features etched with determination. "Guards, form up!" she commanded, her voice ringing with authority. "Defend your positions!"

The Xebelian warriors swiftly fell into formation, their tridents at the ready. Hila raised her hands, her eyes glowing with the power of her hydrokinesis. With a swift motion, she conjured a swirling vortex of water, crashing it against the Manta Men's ranks and disrupting their movement.

The Manta Men retaliated with a volley of energy blasts, their weapons whining as they unleashed a hail of projectiles. Hila deftly wove through the attacks, her graceful movements akin to a deadly dance. She lashed out with tendrils of water, ensnaring the Manta Men's oxygen masks and ripping them off, leaving the invaders gasping for breath.

The Xebelian guards followed Hila's lead, their tridents flashing as they engaged the Manta Men in close-quarters combat. The clang of metal against metal echoed through the underwater domain, punctuated by the muffled cries of the combatants.

Asha, her eyes narrowed in focus, weaved between the Manta Men, her trident a blur of motion as she struck with precision. She ducked under a sweeping energy blast, retaliating with a powerful thrust that pierced the armor of her foe.

Hila, her hands glowing with the power of the ocean, conjured a series of whirlpools, trapping the Manta Men in their relentless currents. The invaders struggled against the crushing force of the water, their movements becoming increasingly erratic.

For a moment, it seemed the Xebelians had the upper hand, their training and Hila's hydrokinetic prowess proving to be a formidable combination. However, the Manta Men had a ace up their sleeve.

With a deafening whine, the Manta Men unleashed a barrage of ultrasonic energy blasts, the pulsing waves disrupting the nervous systems of the Xebelian guards. The warriors faltered, their tridents slipping from their grasp as they clutched their heads in agony.

Hila, her concentration broken, watched in horror as her guards succumbed to the Manta Men's assault. She summoned a protective barrier of water, but the ultrasonic waves penetrated her defenses, sending searing pain through her body.

The Manta Men, seizing the opportunity, surged forward, their weapons trained on the vulnerable Xebelians. Hila, her strength waning, fought to maintain her composure, her mind racing to find a way to turn the tide of the battle.

The Manta Men, their black armor glinting in the murky depths, surged forward, their weapons trained on the vulnerable Xebelian guards. Asha, her eyes narrowed in determination, shouted to Hila.

"Princess, you must run! We'll hold them off as long as we can!"

Hila's gaze swept across her beleaguered comrades, her heart torn between duty and survival. Kiran, his trident raised in defiance, met her eyes with a solemn nod.

"Go, Princess," he said, his voice strained but resolute. "We'll buy you time to escape."

Hila hesitated, her mind racing with the weight of her decision. She knew her guards were outmatched, yet the thought of abandoning them filled her with a sense of dread. But Kiran's unwavering gaze and Asha's urgent plea left her with no choice.

"Forgive me," Hila whispered, her voice tinged with regret. With a heavy heart, she turned and fled, her powerful strokes propelling her through the water as she made her way towards the distant glimmer of Atlantis.

The Xebelian guards, their tridents flashing, engaged the Manta Men in a desperate last stand. Asha's movements were a blur as she darted between her foes, her weapon a deadly extension of her will. Kiran, his face etched with determination, weathered the Manta Men's onslaught, his trident a bulwark against their relentless attacks.

Hila swam with all her might, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of her mount, a majestic seahorse that had served her faithfully for years. As she neared the designated meeting point, she spotted the familiar creature, its graceful movements cutting through the currents.

"Hurry, my friend," Hila murmured, her voice laced with urgency as she grasped the seahorse's reins. "We must reach Atlantis with all haste."

The seahorse, sensing the princess's distress, surged forward, its powerful tail propelling them through the water. Hila glanced back, her heart heavy with the knowledge that her guards were sacrificing themselves to ensure her escape.

"Forgive me," she whispered, a single tear escaping her eyes as she turned her gaze forward, determined to honor their sacrifice by reaching the safety of Atlantis.

As Hila and her mount neared the border between Xebel and Atlantis, a new threat emerged. A group of Manta Men, their sleek armor gleaming, appeared from the shadows, their weapons trained on the fleeing princess.

Hila's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the seahorse's reins. She knew she could not outrun them, not with the Manta Men's superior numbers and firepower. Gritting her teeth, she made a decision.

Channeling the power of her hydrokinesis, Hila conjured a swirling vortex of water, lashing out at the Manta Men with the force of a raging storm. The black-armored soldiers recoiled, their weapons disrupted by the relentless currents.

Hila pressed her advantage, her hands glowing with the energy of the sea. She unleashed a barrage of water blasts, each one striking with the power of a tidal wave. The Manta Men struggled to maintain their position, their armor and weapons proving to be no match for the princess's command of the ocean.

Seizing the opportunity, Hila urged her mount forward, the seahorse's powerful strokes cutting through the water. But as they neared the border, another group of Manta Men emerged, blocking their path.

Hila's heart sank as she realized her options were dwindling. She could not turn back, for the Manta Men behind her would surely catch up. And with the new group before her, she had nowhere to run.

Gritting her teeth, Hila made a decision. She could not let her guards' sacrifice be in vain. Turning her mount, she charged towards the Manta Men, her hydrokinetic powers surging around her.

The Manta Men, caught off guard by her unexpected maneuver, opened fire. Beams of energy lanced through the water, forcing Hila to weave and dodge, her mount's agility the only thing keeping them alive.

As she neared the surface, Hila knew she had no choice but to flee to the land above. The Manta Men, their weapons trained on her, continued their relentless assault, their energy blasts trailing her as she broke through the waves.

Hila emerged from the water, her lungs burning as she gasped for air. She glanced back, her eyes widening as she saw the Manta Men following her, their black armor glistening in the sunlight.

Hila assumed a battle stance, her hands glowing as she manipulated the water around her. The currents swirled and churned, her hydrokinetic power a formidable force.

One of the Manta Men, his black armor gleaming, stepped forward. "Give it up, Princess. It would make our jobs easier." His voice was laced with a hint of condescension.

Hila's eyes narrowed, her regal features etched with determination. "I'm not one to go down so easily." She tensed her muscles, ready to unleash the full might of the ocean.

The Manta Men opened fire, their energy weapons crackling through the water. Hila deftly wove between the blasts, her movements fluid and graceful. She lashed out with tendrils of water, ensnaring her foes and dragging them into the crushing currents.

But the Manta Men were relentless, their numbers and firepower gradually overwhelming Hila's defenses. She gritted her teeth, her brow furrowed in concentration as she fought to maintain her control over the water.

Just as Hila prepared to unleash a devastating wave, a sharp blow struck her from behind. Hila's eyes widened in shock, her connection to the water severing as consciousness began to slip away. She crumpled to the ground, her vision blurring as the world around her faded to black.

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Give Power Stones so I can continue to write this story. If it does not gain any interest, I will drop it.

Advance chapters on my P@tE0N Najicablitz, which is also the best way to support me.