Chapter 40
Redemption
Warning: Some scenes may be triggering that involve death. Reader Discretion is advised.
"Meredith, wait..." Ernest rushed to her before she could catch up with the others. "Ernest, I need you to stay here. If anybody asks where we are, tell them that we are on urgent business, but do not give explicit details."
"But she might have..." "I know, but she's too dangerous for you to encounter. I will avenge you and your family, Ernest. On my honor as a Samudran, I will." Meredith calmly consoled Ernest persuading him to remain in the ocean. He nodded in submission.
As she swam up to catch up with the rest, the group swam as swiftly as possible to reach to the Delaware shoreline. Amelia still writhed in pain as she witnessed the atrocities she was committing. The pain she displayed concerned everyone. "Please hang in there, Amelia, we're getting there as fast as we can." Lynae pleaded to her as she was hanging over Keanu's shoulder.
"Of all the pettiest things I've seen, I never thought Allura would stoop so low to do this," Meredith scoffed. "It's not her. This happens whenever I'm close to where my vision is taking place. The closer I get, the stronger the vision and the pain becomes." Amelia grimaced. "You can't let the pain control you no matter how bad it is. We need you to stop Allura." Haruto added. "Who said I was giving up? Did I give up when I had epilepsy since I could walk? It's going to take a hell of a lot more than that to keep me down. Alright, if we're going to get there, at least put me down."
"You sure you can swim with what you got in your head, princess?" Keanu asked. "Was my inspiring speech not enough to convince you otherwise?" Amelia retorted. Keanu released Amelia from his hold and she started darting off leading the group where she knew where the chaos was happening. "You mean this whole time she could have been swimming, and I didn't have to carry her?" Keanu said coldly. "I think she just wanted to rip the band aid off if you know what I'm saying," Haruto added.
"Well, she's not going to wait on us to catch up we better pick it up," Lynae instructed.
Less than half an hour passed by and they reached to their destination. They stopped at their usual changing spot to clothe themselves up. As they all gained their legs back, Lynae, Haruto, and Meredith struggled to stand up. "What's happening? Why can't we stand up?" Lynae asked. "You've been in the ocean for so long, your legs will feel like that if you don't go up once in a while." Keanu explained. "Oh, now you tell us!" Lynae cursed while saying this.
"Hey, you guys okay?" Amelia ran up to them already dressed. "Stone face here told us our legs aren't working because we've been swimming for far too long without using our legs." Lynae huffed in exhaustion trying to get up. "Keanu, grab one of them, I'll figure about the other two."
"I'll be fine, Mia, I have my weapon I can use as a crutch. Get the others," Meredith declined assistance. Keanu and Amelia grabbed each one with Meredith lagging behind. "Come on, you've got to get circulation in your legs." Amelia instructed Haruto calmly. "We're only slowing you down on the mission, go without us," Haruto pleaded. "Not a chance, we need all of you, I can't face Allura by myself if the speculations are true about her potential now. Besides, I can't leave you behind."
Haruto's heart pounded hard at that statement she made. Then he started to put more force into his steps trying to speed the progress. "Hey slow down there, you don't want to tire yourself out," Amelia warned.
After some walking, the three regained the ability to walk once more and followed Amelia's lead. They were led to a more populated area where fire was burning cars on the streets, the roads were unleveled, windows were shattered, and people were scattering. "She's near, I feel her," Amelia declared.
"Look out!" Meredith dove over Amelia seeing a car flying towards them. "Well look who decided to join in," Allura glowered knowing why they were here. "Allura, this is not the way to gain peace for us. Most of them don't even know we exist." "And that will change, child. You will finally understand that humans are not to be messed with. Yet you've disregarded our history with them like it meant nothing to you." Allura glared at her.
"That's not true! Most battles come with misunderstandings, I know what happened between you and the priest. I know you were one of the maidens that Columbus found. You said you are to protect our species but you didn't protect the ones that were burning at the stake." Amelia calmly explained. "How dare you suggest I'd let my people burn! Have I taught you nothing?" Allura grew angry at Amelia. "You have, you taught me to shut out a lot of people's thoughts and control the impact of each vision I get – just like the one I had of you causing havoc in this city. But you also taught me to be a leader the mer should look up to. And I believe we can co-exist without the unnecessary bloodshed."
"Your heart is not in the right place, girl! You will learn, and you will learn painfully." Allura pushed everyone against each side of each building with a hard thud. "That's where you're wrong again." Amelia said as she focused all of her power to summon all of her strength causing her golden aura to emerge from her body. "You may have taught me how to use my abilities, but you were not my only teacher!" Amelia screeched as she threw a golden blast towards Allura. She managed to dodge the blast effortlessly.
From the side, Lynae joined the fight. She began harnessing her own power to produce a light blue aura around her. Her eyes changed to an icy blue as her skin began to lighten. "I never liked you since we met. And I'll be glad when I help put you in your place!" Lynae snapped at her as she hurled multiple ice daggers toward her way. She managed to dodge effortlessly from each dagger that came her way. Lynae then summoned an icy fog that clouded her vision but that did not stop her from defending herself.
Meredith was next to channel in her power. Her aura glowed a bright green and her eyes changed into a bronzed color like the earth. She focused her power to shake the ground to give Allura the disadvantage to not have stability on her feet. "There is no justification in those countless lives you took. You not only murdered innocent humans, but our kind as well! That is unforgivable!" She then attacked from behind using her heavy artillery to strike her on the head, but Allura pushed her away telepathically. She landed on the ground shocked because she thought she still had the upper hand.
"No way," Lynae gasped with her eyes widening. "I knew you'd be my biggest obstacle, yet, Meredith. Just think how much blood it took to get to be able to counter your attack." Meredith swore under her breath, got herself back up, and began charging at her once more using the unleveled terrain to her advantage. As the ground rose as Meredith climbed around, she used her momentum to thrust towards her at full force.
While Allura was busy fighting off Amelia, Lynae, and Meredith, she was caught unexpectedly tied up in a wind binder by no other than Haruto. "This ends here, either surrender and face your crimes, or die right here. Your choice." He said harshly.
As she tried to get out of his binder wind, she was then shot by a harpoon gun far away tearing through her gut. Not caring on where the shot came from, Amelia seized the open opportunity and immobilized her with her telepathy. Lynae then thickened the fog to freeze her whole body up to where her head remained free. Then Meredith gave a sickening swing with her hammer sword giving a blow that finally got Allura down for the count as the ice shattered within impact.
Everyone powered down as they saw that she was not getting back up. Keanu walked over and checked for a pulse. "She's still alive, but that harpoon will probably bleed her out."
"Tie her up, I'll be right back." Amelia commanded. She turned to the truck that was coming her way that shot the harpoon gun. On the bed was Eddie with the gun. He jumped off and came running toward her.
"Thank god that worked." Eddie's voice began to shake as he hugged her tightly. "You shouldn't be out here, it's too dangerous." Amelia warned.
"I couldn't stand there watching the news as this unfolded. I knew you'd be coming to clean her mess. I'm so proud of you, Amelia. I love you." "I love you too, Eddie." She said closing in with a kiss. Their lips parted from that lingering kiss. What happened next would be something Amelia didn't see coming until it was too late.
Eddie could feel something go through his chest. He looked down and it was the harpoon he used to gut Allura. "NO!" Amelia shouted. She looked around and she saw everyone on the ground. Allura trying to stand with her hand stretched with a devilish grin on her face. He fell struggling to breathe. "A...mia..." He gasped. She pulled the harpoon out and cradled him into her arms. She stretched her hands to try to heal the deep wound that impaled his heart. Everyone looked in horror on what just transpired. Weakly, Keanu got up and pulled her away from Eddie. "That wound is irreparable, even if you heal the heart, he'll die before then."
"No, I can save him! Stay with me, Eddie, stay with me!" Amelia panicked. His hand feebly touched her wet cheek. His eyes grew cold with each minute passing by. Keanu kept tugging her but she pulled resisting him. Then she realized that Eddie was gone. Her childhood friend - her only love died. Then something snapped inside Amelia. She began having visions of the others keeping secrets from her. Then she saw the skeletal remains of Cirra and Lachlan that was hidden below the grand hall of the Aula. Then her head began racing with these thoughts after seeing what she saw. How? How could you? All of you? Is this the thanks I get for looking out for everyone? Secrets? Betrayals? I thought you all trusted me! Haruto ran towards her trying to protect her from Allura. However, he wouldn't make it as he would be pushed away from sheer force of power that radiated from a grieving Amelia.
She screamed in anger. As she did so, another wave of power encompassed around her. It frightened Lynae and Meredith. "No, Amelia, don't do it, please!" Lynae begged knowing what was going to happen next. One moment, they saw a grieving girl, then the next, they saw their worst fear – a beast that they thought would never make an appearance, the Magna Dracona Aquia.
Back in the ocean, Rimulus felt a pain in his chest. He knew what that pain was, and he sobbed silently. "Is something wrong, Rimulus?" Sirena asked. He stopped and regain his composure. "Nothing for you to worry about, don't worry about me. Shouldn't you be getting home?" Rimulus said changing the subject. "My mother wanted to thank Queen Amelia for her mercy. Thanks to her, she is well again and we're living better off than we were before. Can you give her that message to me?" Sirena asked. "I will relay the message to her, thank you." Rimulus smiled but his eyes were still swelled with tears in his eyes.
"NO! Amelia! No, please!" Lynae cried out to her. "There's no point in reaching out to her. She's gone." Meredith stated. "How could you say that about your own cousin?!" Lynae scolded her by grabbing her by the shoulder. "Now's not the time, guys..." Haruto said pointing out their main issue.
The dragon roared a deafening cry. Then Allura started breaking into laughter. "Yes... yes, do your bidding, Dragon. Eliminate all the terra!" The dragon eyed her and breathed out a devastating fire towards her direction. "Take cover!" Keanu instructed. Everyone did so. The blaze engulfed everything in its path including Allura. She was nothing more than a pile of ash.
Then the dragon swayed its claws against the buildings destroying them with its impacting hit. "We can't let her have the chance of taking off. Everyone, stall her. Make sure she is away from any of the civilians." Haruto barked orders. Still shaken from their argument and the reality that Ameila has transformed, the girls hesitated in joining in the fight.
They then looked up at the raging beast as they once saw as their beloved cousin. "I'm sorry, Mia, I hope you can forgive me." Meredith said gritting her teeth as she unsheathed her weapon. "Meredith..." Lynae began shaking. "I'm the one who can stop her. I don't want to kill her, Lyn, I really don't. Lachlan, please help me where ever you are. Guide me."
Lynae then started blowing ice towards the flames. She struggled to keep them at bay as she kept throwing every move she had to die out the flames. Haruto tried directing the wind to keep the dragon wavering over the strong gusts he was giving. "Meredith, power up, I don't know how much more Lynae and I can hold her. But if you want to get on it, now's the time to move!" Haruto barked at her.
She did so by concentrating all of her focus to power up. She then dove in at the wind gusts to get her on the dragon. The wind picked her up to sky height to where she could get on the dragon's back. The dragon then started spreading its wings and took off with Meredith hanging on. "Is she on?" Keanu asked. "She is. Let's hope she can stay on it while she is in the air with it." Haruto answered as he tried to look at the dragon making distance as it flew away from them.
"We won't be able to catch them by standing there, come on!" Keanu yelled. They started running towards a beat-up truck. Lynae got in with Keanu as he was working on hotwiring the truck. They sped off after he successfully got it turned on. Haruto rode on his gust of wind leaving them behind.
Meredith dug in her long fingernails in the dragon's scales hanging on for dear life. She climbed further trying to get close to the neck of the dragon but it became difficult with the height she was at with the dragon and the speed the dragon was going. Then out of nowhere, Haruto hit the dragon using his wind torpedo from a safe distance in the air. Meredith's eyes widened as she grew confused on how he was able to fly up here.
The dragon then blew fire once more at him. "Haruto, are you trying to piss this beast off or what?!" Meredith grunted in frustration trying to hold on. The dragon then tried swiping at Haruto but still couldn't catch or hit him.
As they were still battling in the air, Keanu stopped the truck and both of them got out swiftly. "Do you see them?!" Lynae asked panicking. "No, not yet." Keanu answered quickly. "There they are!" He said pointing west of him.
Haruto kept throwing everything until he managed to cause damage to one of the dragon's wings. It screeched in agony as it swatted Haruto in reflex. Haruto then was sent spiraling towards the ground at insane speed. As he noticed he was getting close to the ground, he used the gust to slow down his acceleration on hitting the road. He managed to do so by only skidding on the road leaving him with scrapes all around him.
"Haruto!" Lynae screamed for him as she rushed toward him. They turned him over seeing he obtained massive scrapes on his face and everywhere else. "Oh my god, are you okay? Anything broken?" Lynae asked in concern over him. "I'm okay, she's coming back down so get ready. I managed to damage her wings to the point where she can't fly well enough to stay up there." Haruto struggled to speak. "Stay down, you've done enough." Lynae ordered.
The dragon came down like Haruto said showing some massive damage it was inflicted from Haruto's attacks. "It's now or never, Meredith." Lynae said.
Still clinging onto its back barely, Meredith was catching her breath from the flight she endured. "Lachlan, please, where did you give the final blow to Cirra? I don't see any weak points on her. I'm begging you. Please... people are counting on me to stop her once and for all." Meredith stuttered as her strength was failing her gradually. For the first time, Meredith was able to remember some memories she had at the beach when Amelia convulsed into a seizure. Then she remembered her father explaining Amelia's condition to her as she was at home waiting to hear back at the hospital with her dad and cousins.
"Amelia has Epilepsy. This is something she's had when she was a toddler."
"What is epilepsy?"
"It's a condition where she has seizures that can be triggered with or without cause. They don't know what the root is yet for her. Basically, she has abnormal activity in her brain which can cause her whole nervous system to go overload."
"The brain... I have to aim at the head!" Meredith shouted as she figured how to subdue the dragon.
She then shouted toward the ground, "Lynae, Keanu! Find a way to stop it from moving any further! When it's immobilized, I'm going to make my strike!" Meredith barked.
"Do you think she found a way to stop the dragon once and for all?" Keanu asked. "No clue, get back in the truck, I'm going to climb on the bed." Lynae barked. "You know, at this point, I'm not going to question what you have in mind anymore." They both got back in the truck. Keanu drove towards the feet of the dragon started to circle around it without making the beast notice. Lynae started to freeze the dragon's feet. After she applied so much frost on the beast, it started noticing and started to break the ice off its feet.
"It's not working, you're just wasting your power trying to keep her still." Keanu shouted. "I'm not trying to keep her still!" Lynae answered with a smile. Keanu then realized that this was just a distraction for the beast and resumed driving around.
Meredith then carefully stood up holding her weapon. Taking a deep breath, she told herself, "It's now or never, Mere." She darted up to its neck and began her swing. Everything around her slowed down. As she made it to the end of the neck, she mustered all of her strength in her swing. Using the hammer end, she struck the dragon at the back of the head in where she knew she hit the most vulnerable part of its head. The dragon then stopped its destruction after feeling the impact of the hit and began falling into unconsciousness.
Meredith lost her balance after using all of her strength behind the swing and began falling from the dragon. Her breathing was labored seeing that she would meet a painful fall on the asphalt. She closed her eyes as exhaustion waved over her.
Suddenly, the dragon started fading away from a golden light. That golden light would then reveal an unconscious Amelia falling behind Meredith. Keanu and Lynae grew confused as to why she transformed back to herself. Then that question diminished to the back of their minds as they were falling at a fast rate.
"They're coming in too fast!" Lynae cried out. "Get your sister, I'll find a way to catch her," Keanu suggested. Lynae then formed an ice pillar to raise herself up to catch her sister. The force that was driving Meredith pushed Lynae significantly. This made Lynae try to cradle them by thawing the ice creating a dense float for them to come back to the ground safely. After landing in the float inside the large pillar, Lynae then melted the ice further to get them both into the ground safely and to dry themselves from them being on the float.
Out of nowhere, a gust of wind cut Amelia's falling speed in half. Keanu then looked behind him seeing that Haruto collapsed after throwing that gust of wind. After catching Amelia, the force of that fall still made Keanu lose his balance and fall on the asphalt of the broken street.
"I'm sorry, I tried to slow her down as much as I could..." Haruto lamented as he laid there unable to move. "Zip it, hero!" Keanu snapped at him reacting from the pain he inflicted falling down. Then he spoke again only softly this time, "You've done enough, Your Highness." He painfully exhaled as he said those words giving him respect and gratitude in helping him get Amelia down safely.
A few feet away from them, Lynae still cradled a semi-conscious Meredith in her arms. "You did it. You saved them. I'm so proud of you, sis," Lynae said crying in relief as she held her tightly. Then her attention was toward Keanu still clutching to Amelia who was still lifeless against his chest.
Out of the blue, Rimulus and Ernest ran toward the scene where everyone except Lynae was lying on the road feeling like they are on the brink of death. Rimulus tried to brush her hair away from her neck, but Keanu, trying to muster the strength to speak, stopped him by saying. "She's alive. Barely, but she's alive."
Rimulus then tended to Haruto as he laid there helplessly. "I'll help you get back to the ocean, hang on tight." Rimulus offered. "No!" Haruto cried out in agony. "Not without Amelia. Not without her." He cried stretching out his hand in the direction where Amelia was. "I'll come after her once I get you to safety. I can't carry you both. Keanu will watch her until I come back to get her. You have my word." Rimulus reassured him.
Then Ernest came to Lynae offering to take Meredith back as well. "Here, I'll get her back, she'll heal faster when she's in the water." Lynae nodded silently as she handed her sister over to Ernest.
As Lynae watched them both carry Haruto and Meredith back in the direction of the beach, she slowly walked towards Keanu who was still on the ground clutching to Amelia. She didn't say another word as she stroked Amelia's long hair.
A day had passed since everything that had happened in that area. Haruto and Meredith were able to recover from their wounds after they were able to go back into the ocean. Keanu eventually went back to the ocean after Amelia was taken to the hospital. Lynae stayed behind to make sure no one found out her cousin was a mermaid.
The local news reporters went on with the story that a massive earthquake impacted Lewes. No mentions of dragon sightings or what Allura did. Honestly, everyone thought it was nothing short of a miracle no one remembered. No one knew for sure how this happened, and if Amelia's transformation back to herself triggered it or not.
Amelia's family came once they heard she was at the hospital. Then once her family found out Lynae and Meredith were here, the girl's parents' followed suit since it had nearly been a year since they saw them last.
"Mom, Dad..." Lynae was going to ask them what they were doing here, but seeing them pulled a string inside her, and she rushed to hug them. "I'm sorry, I couldn't take it anymore." Lynae said through her sobs. "You have no idea how much worry you gave us over the past several months." Hank said gripping her tight in his grasp.
"We were with Amelia, mom. We were okay." Meredith explained but left out everything about them being in the ocean. "I'm glad, I'm just glad you both are okay," Brie mumbled.
"We had no idea they were staying with Amelia, Hank. Honest." Bill apologized. "She moved out?" Hank asked. "Yeah, we let her move out. It wasn't easy, but she said she wanted to follow her own path. We didn't stop her." Bill explained further.
As they were still talking, Haruto entered into Amelia's hospital room coming in with a vase full of flowers. "Can I help you?" Bill asked. "I... was just paying my respects to Amelia." Haruto stuttered nervously. "She's not dead, son." Bill snapped.
"Right, I meant no disrespect, sir." Haruto hung his head down. "Uncle Bill, Haruto's just wanting to visit Amelia." Lynae calmed him down. "You know this guy, Lyn?" Brie asked. "Of course, he's our friend, mom."
They all backed off of him giving apologetic looks to him. He set the flowers down near the stand. "We'll give you some space, I need to go back to work anyway," Bill said walking out with Ashlynn. "We'll be checking in at a hotel. Meredith is waiting for us in the car."
As they left, Lynae and Haruto were left alone with Amelia hooked on machines. Haruto then leaned on Amelia's arm crying on it feeling as though he failed her. Lynae just watched him as he cried feeling a weird painful tug on her seeing him on her like that. She knew that he loved her, and she knew that Amelia loved her boyfriend who is now dead.
Keanu then walked in the room. When Lynae saw him, she went up to him and slapped him across the face. "What a way to say thanks for coming to see her." Keanu said unphased from the slap. "You shouldn't be here. I heard what you told Amelia before she transformed." Lynae spat.
"And how did you? Let me guess, lover boy over there told you. You weren't there. The boy was good as dead when he took that harpoon to the chest." Keanu sighed in annoyance feeling she shouldn't have to explain himself. "So my help was not appreciated then."
"You felt guilty, you had to redeem yourself, that's why you were so eager in helping me stop her." Lynae continued as tears rolled down her cheeks. Keanu did not speak another word. He then left the room quietly looking as though nothing had happened. He stopped by outside to light his pipe to smoke mulling over what Lynae said to him. As he blew out the smoke from his lips, he closed his eyes and left the hospital.
Back at a local hotel near the hospital, Meredith sat in her room quietly. Her parents asked her if she wanted them to bring her back something, but she declined. After her parents left for dinner, Meredith crouched down pulling her heavy weapon she had at the battle. She looked at it remembering the battle as it was still fresh on her memory.
She then went to the bathroom looking at the mirror with no life in her eyes. She then took the blade end holding it up against her. Then in an instant, light splotches of blood stained the bathroom wall as a loud thud came after echoing the bathroom floor.