Trump Card

"Isaac, be careful. That guy is no joke. That's the Prince of Atlantis, Namor." Darwin warns Isaac as the boy can't take his eyes off the Atlantean.

"You, boy. Tell me who holds the Nerrisalith." Says Namor, pointing at Isaac.

'The what?' Thinks Isaac, raising an eyebrow. Namor catches onto his confusion as he speaks once again.

"The small beautiful gem," Namor explains further, to which Isaac finally remembers.

"The Sirenstone?" Asks Isaac, to which Namor's face twitches.

"That is not its name. The stone does not possess the essence of a dreadful Siren. That is a lie that was put in place to mask the true origin of the stone." Says Namor in a heavy tone.

"The true story of the gem starts with a long-ago Queen of Atlantis called Nerissa, known for her unparalleled beauty and mesmerising voice. A Queen beloved by her people and renowned for her wisdom and grace."

'Great, another history lesson.'

"However, tragedy struck when a cataclysmic event threatened to engulf Atlantis in darkness. Desperate to save her kingdom and its people, Queen Nerissa made a fateful pact with a powerful sea deity."

"In exchange for the safety of Atlantis, she sacrificed her voice and her ability to walk on land, forever binding her to the depths of the ocean."

"In the aftermath of this sacrifice, a shimmering gem emerged, born from the depths of Queen Nerissa's love and selflessness. The gem, Nerrisalith, embodies the essence of the queen, carrying her ethereal beauty, her enchanting voice, and her unwavering loyalty to Atlantis." Isaac sighed, knowing a small gem with an origin like this was sure to make the fish people mad.

"The Nerrisalith became a symbol of hope and protection for the Atlanteans, a reminder of their queen's sacrifice and the eternal connection between the kingdom and the sea. Therefore, I will not stand for its name to be tarnished and for it to be seen as nothing more than decoration." Says Namor, slowly intensifying his voice.

"Now I'll ask you once more, where is the Nerissalith?" Before Isaac can say anything, he looks over to the outside of the hall. On the edge of the ship, he sees a familiar Cat waving to him as she holds a sparkling jewel in her hand.

Isaac slowly opens his mouth, until he's gaping at the sight he sees. Cat waves at him with her usual smirk as she puts a mask-like device on her mouth and jumps into the sea.

'That little…' Veins pop from Isaac's neck as he waves his fist like a member of the elderly. He soon calms down as he looks at Namor.

"Well, this is what I wanted. I'll be a fool to run away now." Says Isaac as he walks toward Namor.

"I've got the Nerissa…whatever it's called. If you want it, then come and get it, Fishman. Light Gravity x100!" He yells, bolting toward Namor and landing a punch on his face, causing the both of them to crash through the yacht and into the sky.

After a few seconds, as they travelled a fair distance, Isaac's heart skipped a beat as his eyes widened, seeing Namor's eyes glued to him, his head barely pushed back as if he wasn't affected at all.

"Then so be it."

'I wasn't holding back at all…'

Before Isaac could finish his thought, he felt a crushing force crash into his gut, as if someone had taken a sledgehammer to his soul. He bent over the calm Namor's fist, even noticing a few specks of blood escaping from his lips. His eyes threatened to pop out of his skull as he floated in the air, trying his best to catch his breath.

'My steel skin…useless.' He thought, grasping his gut.

He looked up, only to notice Namor, whose demeanour and facial expression showed no emotion at all, raised his fist and cracked Isaac on the side of the face, sending him flying through the sky.

Isaac's head spun as he lost all sense of direction, fighting to keep himself from falling unconscious. He was barely able to catch himself before crashing into the water.

"Light Gravity x100."

If his durability and strength weren't enough to win him this battle, he'd use his speed. I mean, Namor was a sea creature, he couldn't match up to Isaac in aerial speed.

Isaac bolted from his position as a slight boom could be heard. He travelled at great speeds, keeping his eyes on his opponent as he looked for the perfect time to strike.

This was his plan, however, he didn't expect to see Namor disappear from his position, only to reappear before him, welcoming him with a rocket of a punch.

In an act that seemed purely impossible, Isaac seemingly changed his position in an instant, appearing to the right of Namor, as if he were a dragonfly, zipping through the air.

"Isaac, he has you beat in every category that matters. There's no way for you to beat him." Says Darwin.

"So what the hell am I supposed to do? Should I be running?" Says Isaac, blood dripping from his mouth as he tries putting some distance between him and the Atlantean, only to see Namor wasn't chasing him.

"No, this is the perfect opportunity to get stronger. Keep fighting." Says Darwin as Isaac knew exactly what he was thinking.

Isaac stopped midair, staring at Namor who seemed to have given up.

"I must say, boy, you're tough. Like a cockroach that poses me no threat, yet refuses to die under my boot." Says Namor. Isaac would reply, however, he was having enough trouble trying to breathe right.

"No matter, I've long since known you've been lying." After saying this, a few individuals emerged from the water below.

There were two of them, however, something was wrong. Isaac noticed the peculiar attire they were wearing. Armour with intricate designs. However, what was even more noticeable was the blue hue in their skin, webbing between their fingers and the gills in their necks. It didn't take long for Isaac to figure out they were with Namor.

With a heave, they tossed an object into the air, which Namor caught.

Isaac squinted his eyes to be sure he was seeing things right.

"Cat?" He says, seeing Black Cat, struggling to break free, wet and being held by the throat.

Namor digs around her pocket, only to find an object he's been looking for.

"I loathe the fact that such beauty has been in the hands of treacherous and filthy humans for this long. Forgive me, my Queen." He says, staring at the gem and throwing Cat aside.

"Light Gravity x100."

Isaac grabs Cat before she hits the water, flying her to the roof of the yacht as she coughs and tries to regain her breath.

"See what happens when you betray your teammates?" He says as Cat stands on her feet.

"Thanks a lot, Speedy. I thought I was a goner."

"Are you willing to help me out now? I can't take this guy out by myself." He asks.

"What are you talking about? He's leaving. This is our chance to get out of here." She says, confused at Isaac's choice.

"I'm not leaving. I told you, I do this to get stronger. This is how I'll do that. But I can't beat him without your help." He says as Cat stares at him, looking between him and the docks.

"Fine, only because I owe you one. You should be ashamed, making a pretty girl do your heavy lifting." She says.

"Thanks, Cat. I need you to make Molotovs. Round up all the alcohol and napkins you can find and come back." He says, flying back to the retreating Namor.

Cat sighs as she runs back to the hall of the yacht, finding some of the civilians awake. She ignores them, running past into the bar where she finds countless cold and expensive champagne bottles.

"Not good enough." She says, finding nothing else. She notices one of the real waiters, rubbing his head as he wakes up.

"Alcohol. Where can I find more?" She says, grabbing him by the collar, to which he raises his hands in submission and points slightly.

"Below deck. That's where we keep everything." He says, to which Cat lets him go and rushes. However, she comes back a few seconds later after noticing a box of cigarettes in the man's pocket.

"Lighter. Now." She says, to which the man frantically checks his pockets, handing her his silver lighter.

She bolts out of the hall, finding the stairs that led below deck, only to come across countless crates that all look the same in the dark room.

"Well, isn't this my lucky day?" She says sarcastically.

***

Ten minutes had passed since Cat had gone looking for alcohol. She finally arrived back to the roof of the yacht, carrying countless bottles of strong alcohol and napkins.

She looks to the sky, almost dropping the bottles as she looks at the scene before her. Isaac was suspended in the air, floating as his head seemed limp, blood flooding from face as he seemed as if he was barely conscious.

Meanwhile, Namor stood without a scratch on him.

"You're stubborn. However, stubbornness will not ensure your victory. Surrender now, boy…" Before he could finish, he slaps away something that was coming toward him, only for his arm to catch on fire.

His eyes widen as he stares at his arms, gritting his teeth in pain. It wasn't the fire that hurting him. No, instead it was the rapid drying of moisture within his skin. The moisture and liquid he drew his power from.

"Agh!" He yells, unable to hold it in. He looks to the water, but before he can move, he notices Isaac zooming toward him.

"You pesky little…"

"Heavy Gravity x100." Before Namor could finish his words, he felt a force greater than anything he had encountered all night, smash into the side of his face as he stumbled back a foot, trying his best to regain himself as a few drops of blood escaped his mouth.

"Not now, Isaac. Wait a little more to unleash your trump card." Says Darwin as Isaac launches another punch, gritting his teeth, his mask partially broken as well as his lense missing and face bloodied.