DA : Chapter 94: Betrayals and Pleas II

( Amphitrite POV )

( Same Time )

She nervously sat in her coral and shell throne within the court as she, along with her husband, waited for the envoy said to be coming to offer them support in this new war.

Amphitrite kept an impassive face as she glanced to the side, watching Poseidon as his scowl grew the longer they waited for said envoy … and just who it was.

Even Poseidon had not been able to quell the court once it was learned that her father, Oceanus of all divinity, was coming to Atlantis again. However, the fact that he came under the white banner set off all kinds of alarms in her head.

She knew her father, or at least had millennia ago. Not as boisterous as Kronos and generally far more mild mannered while being a cool-headed warrior in battle but to come as an envoy for someone else? That was not something her father had ever done, even during the rule of Kronos.

Oceanus was still a proud being and to willingly concede authority to another was worrying. Just who could make the master of the oceans to bend his knees?

Her thoughts remained in turmoil as she distantly noticed the arrivals. Some telchines stood as honor guard, their ugly mugs looking around in barely concealed distaste in Poseidon's direction. Amphitrite glanced around the seated court of sea nobles and Oceanids looking intently between Poseidon and the approaching titan standing at nearly 20 feet.

Just like she remembered him, her father walked in a chiton suited to the tastes of Atlantis, made of sea-silk in shades of light blue and gold collars, his own skin having a barely noticeable blue hue unlike the green of her mothers, Tethys.

His black beard reached just to his collarbone, his deep blue and bronze mixed eyes looking intently at Poseidon as he stepped forward. His eyes passed over Amphitrite for but a moment but in that moment she saw no true warmth directed towards her.

She knew their relationship had always been rocky with most of the love she'd felt being explicitly maternal but then with the recent Titan war and their second defeat, one in which Amphitrite stayed decisively with the Olympians had just about ended any remotely friendly relations that may have remained. It made her heart ache knowing she was becoming more isolated by the day with rising agitation throughout the kingdom.

'But there might be one,' she thought as she discreetly glanced at the 'pearl' handing from her necklace as Oceanus took a seat across from Poseidon.

She looked to the side and saw that her son was also standing on guard in a median space, close enough to intercept a possible attack from Oceanus' escorts and also defend her. Returning her attention to her father and husband, both having exchanged useless pleasantries and now getting to the real goal of the visit.

"So Poseidon," Oceanus started, expertly hiding his distaste of the god across from him. "It seems that you and the other Olympians are facing a new adversary that you aren't ready for."

"And what do you know of them?" Poseidon asked with narrowed eyes. "Or are you just hear to stir up trouble while my attentions are elsewhere?"

"Hmm, I could make use of it but no, this is strictly in regards to your problem which will unfortunately become ours soon enough," Oceanus retorted.

"And who exactly is your … group?" Poseidon asked with a raised eyebrow. "In fact, what is it that you want out of all this with me and my kingdom?"

"Someone who is far stronger than either you or I and without his help, you will never defeat this 'Umbra' and his own group. As for what we want, well, for now it is merely a friendly ceasefire and possible co-operation in regards to combating this group. We can bolster your forces exponentially and help hide your movements from the demon."

"His? You keep mentioning a he and saying he has knowledge on this group but you have yet to give me anything substantial," Poseidon returned as he gripped his trident menacingly. "Give me a name or otherwise I know you're giving empty promises."

Oceanus smirked, his eyes drawing up the god across from him while Amphitrite felt the unease within her grow. She already had an idea of who Umbra's group consisted of considering she met Jason, even if she wasn't sure what they were exactly.

All she knew was they were far beyond any demigod and judging by the reports on Artemis' defeat, they had several powerful warriors to their banner. Sadly, even she was completely unprepared for the name Oceanus dropped as his bait.

"Pontus."

She along with many in the court gasped, a feeling of overwhelming pressure stifling their breathing for all of three seconds before it disappeared as all fell silent. Oceanus didn't seem bothered at all and openly smirked at Poseidon's suddenly pale complexion as low murmurs started to carry around the court.

Amphitrite felt her nervousness increase with every minute that passed and even started to feel cornered when her father glanced at her before looking back to Poseidon.

"The very oceans themselves are willing to provide aid and give you knowledge the likes of which you could hardly imagine," Oceanus continued while raising a closed fist.

"The power to finally take over as the kings of this world. All three of us have been forced to bend knee in the presence of our siblings, cowed into subservience while the world was run amok. Now these 'demons' are attacking and the weak Olympians are acting like headless chickens."

Oceanus paused as he stood and approached Poseidon while Triton and several of the guards tightened their grips on their weapons but made no move to attack while Poseidon remained stoic. Oceanus stopped a mere few meters away, looking Poseidon in the eyes.

"You know you were always the strongest of your brothers, second only to your sister but she was too docile to take the reigns.

The world is changing, your father is long gone and so is mother and yet you stand silent as your brother, in his ever-reaching incompetence, concerns himself more with where to stick his cock rather than ruling," Oceanus pressed as he leaned forward.

"He betrayed you after the first Titan war while I remained neutral, knowing my own brother was in the wrong and yet I was forced to flee or be imprisoned for simply being what I am. You came to my domain and created your home away from him but again his follies drag you into them," he continued before cutting his hand across the water in front of him.

"Well no more! Take action Poseidon, join us in reclaiming our world back from pompous gods and man alike."

Throughout his speech Poseidon remained silent, his eyes downcast as Amphitrite inched back farther into her throne. She kept glancing between Poseidon and Oceanus, not liking the turn of the conversation at all. Gaea had already wanted to destroy civilization and let her children conquer which meant putting all of them into damnation as slaves, dead, or worse.

"And what's more," Oceanus almost whispered as he looked to Amphitrite as he continued, "We can help you route out all traitors…"

Amphitrite felt her heart seize up as Poseidon looked to her in something akin to shock and anger but she wasn't sticking around to find out what he was going to do. She started to mentally picture one of Hestia's old homes in the mortal world but then felt a barrier erect itself around the whole of the castle. Several shouted in shock of the feeling until Oceanus raised his hand in silence.

"Not to worry, that's just to keep traitors contained," he said as Amphitrite threw herself off her throne, willing an Atlantian silver blade to appear in her hand.

She turned around and raised her blade just in time to block a thrust from Poseidon's trident but wasn't able to stop the pommel of her father's sword from nailing her in the gut. She had the ether blown out of her as her body tumbled back through a side of the court, bowling over some sea nobles.

They scrambled around as she rolled to her hands and knees, spitting up some ichor before her free hand went to her neck in effort to grab Jason's pearl however her hand found nothing.

She gasped as she looked passed her husband's approach, seeing the necklace at the feet of her throne right next to her son. She met Triton's gaze and her heart nearly broke to see him looking at her in disbelief even as Oceanus spoke while approaching with Poseidon.

"She thought she was clever but the oceans can see far. She just so happened to be consorting with one of the 'demons' rather … enthusiastically," he said as Poseidon's grip on his trident tightened.

She grit her teeth as she stood up, her sword at the ready.

"Why?" Poseidon asked as he aimed his trident.

"I could spend years telling you and I already have but it won't matter," she said as she glanced around looking for escape routes but to her dismay, both Oceanus' guard and Poseidon's were at all of them.

"I resigned myself to being your arm decoration after being kidnapped, I surrendered the love of my parents after siding with you in the second war, and now you've become something even I don't recognize."

With that she charged forward, her sword swinging down but Poseidon blocked it with easy, barely even grunting at the pressure that could have crushed a cyclops into paste.

He shoved back forcing her to backpedal before he repeatedly thrusted as she tried to deflect every attack. Sparks sizzled in the water as she lost ground. She felt her arms starting to sting as her muscles protested from disuse.

She ducked under a swipe but just as she was about to bring up her sword Poseidon lashed out with a kick striking her in the ribs with an audible snap as she cried out. The blow tossed her into a pillar, smashing the stone structure and having several pieces fall on top of her.

Her back started to hurt with the weight but she ignored it as she forced herself to her feet and was about to try for another attack before she screamed as Poseidon's trident impaled her shoulder to the back wall.

Tears streaked down her cheeks as she desperately tried to tug the trident out but it remained solid as Poseidon approached. He stopped right before her, his face giving nothing away as he reared his fist back.

She glanced past him and locked eyes with Triton for a moment. 'I'm so sorry you had to see this,' she thought, seeing the visible struggle in him as he watched his mother and father come to blows.

'I wish I could see you again … Jason,' she thought as Poseidon's fist came down and emptiness became her world…

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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.

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