Queen Athena rushed into the chamber just behind Helios, feeling immediately that something was deeply wrong. Her maternal instinct flared into a frantic alarm as she saw her daughters clustered tightly together, their faces pale and shaken—except Ariel, who was starkly absent.
"Ariel?" she gasped, her voice betraying the panic tightening in her chest. "Where is Ariel?"
Helios, hovering silently nearby, turned to her with grim solemnity. "Your Majesty, I'm afraid Ariel was taken."
Athena's face drained of color, a wave of horror sweeping over her. She quickly composed herself, drawing upon every ounce of her regal bearing, and moved swiftly to comfort her remaining daughters. Her gentle embrace calmed them, whispering soothing words even as dread gripped her heart. But her eyes found Helios again, searching for explanations.
Before Helios could speak further, the massive double doors burst open. King Triton surged inside, his powerful form radiating barely controlled fury. He surveyed the room sharply, his powerful voice booming like a tidal wave.
"What is going on here? Athena? Ariel—where is Ariel?"
Athena turned slowly, grief and fear etched plainly in her eyes. Triton instantly sensed the truth in her gaze. A father's intuition needed no words.
"Two large eels I believe belonging to Ursula attacked and took her," Helios confirmed quietly, yet clearly.
The King's expression darkened immediately, his knuckles white as they gripped his golden trident. Rage and sorrow entwined like twin serpents around his heart. "Generals!" he roared, a forceful command rippling outward through the waters, shaking the very foundations of the palace. "Prepare our armies! We march on Ursula's lair this very moment!"
"Wait! Please!" Helios surged forward, placing himself directly between the furious monarch and the exit, speaking quickly but calmly. "Your Majesty, I strongly urge caution. Ursula has deliberately taken your daughter as leverage. This is not merely an act of aggression, but a calculated hostage situation."
Triton bristled, eyes blazing. "And you expect me to wait? To do nothing while my daughter remains in her grasp?"
"Not nothing," Helios replied steadily, maintaining a respectful but unyielding tone. "But a direct assault is precisely what Ursula expects. If you storm her lair, she will have no reason to keep the young girl alive. Your anger and impulsiveness are exactly what she hopes to exploit."
Triton visibly struggled, torn between the overwhelming impulse of a father's protective fury and the steady logic of a king responsible for an entire kingdom.
Athena moved beside Triton, gently laying her hand upon his arm, her voice soft but firm. "My love, listen to Helios. He speaks wisely. Ariel's safety depends on careful strategy, not immediate retaliation."
Triton hesitated, anguish clear on his features. His gaze shifted between his wife's pleading eyes and Helios' steady gaze, weighing every possible consequence. Eventually, his shoulders slumped slightly in reluctant acceptance, though his voice still trembled with anger.
"You have one opportunity, Helios. I trust my daughter's fate in your hands—but only briefly. Do not fail. A scout shall take you to her lair as you are not familiar with these waters."
"I won't. Thank you sir," Helios promised solemnly.
The generals, uncertain yet relieved, waited quietly as Triton turned away, fists clenched, battling internally with helpless rage.
Athena exhaled quietly, nodding gratefully at Helios. "Thank you."
Helios inclined his head respectfully, then immediately signaled Kurai and Thalen to gather their things. A scout awaited nearby, hovering anxiously at the entrance.
"Lead us swiftly," Helios instructed, his voice firm. "There's no time to waste."
The scout gave a curt nod and darted away, leading the trio out of the palace and into the darker, deeper ocean currents where Ursula's twisted domain awaited.
Back inside, Athena gently directed her daughters toward the royal chambers, each clinging desperately to her hands.
Triton remained alone momentarily, staring into the emptiness Ariel left behind, sorrow and rage warring within him. He felt the heavy responsibility of his crown, yet the primal drive to defend his family threatened to overwhelm him.
General Marinus cautiously approached, observing Triton's troubled expression. "My King, do you truly trust these outsiders with something so important?"
Triton's jaw tightened, his voice heavy and tired. "That young man Helios is cunning and insightful. But trust is not what compels me. It is hope. For Ariel's sake, we must give him this chance."
Marinus nodded quietly, understanding the torment weighing heavily upon his sovereign.
Helios, Kurai, and Thalen moved swiftly, gliding through darker waters behind the anxious scout. The oppressive silence amplified their tension, the stakes rising sharply with each passing current.
"I didn't expect Triton to listen. I was sure emotions would make him act irrationally," Kurai murmured quietly, her voice edged with disdain.
"He barely did," Helios countered coolly. "His restraint won't last long. Time is not our ally here."
Thalen remained silent, his expressionless as he followed behind the scout and the two in front.
Helios felt the weight of responsibility pressing heavily upon his shoulders. Ariel's kidnapping mirrored the tragedy he remembered from his original world, and he understood clearly the peril of letting emotion dictate actions.
"Something troubles you more deeply than this kidnapping," Kurai observed shrewdly, noticing Helios' distant gaze.
"It's nothing just bad memories," Helios replied softly, his voice betraying rare uncertainty. "But this situation is making me think there is another hand at play here. Villains aren't competent enough to overwhelm us like that."
Kurai raised an eyebrow, recognizing the significance immediately. "Another manipulator?"
Helios nodded slowly, eyes narrowing. "Or another outsider. Either way, we must proceed carefully. Ursula isn't a simple enemy."
Ahead, the scout hesitated, gesturing nervously at a narrow crevice that led downward into shadowy depths. "There. Ursula's lair awaits below. I've fulfilled my task."
"You may return," Helios replied dismissively. The scout vanished swiftly, eager to escape the oppressive darkness that seemed to grow thicker with each second.
Helios paused briefly at the threshold, exchanging meaningful glances with Kurai and Thalen.
"Stay alert," Helios warned them softly. "The enemy expects us, but even they underestimate our abilities."
Together, they descended into the darkness, moving resolutely toward the uncertain confrontation waiting below.
Back in the palace, Triton paced restlessly, increasingly unable to contain the dread rising within him. Athena watched quietly, understanding his turmoil intimately.
"Give them time, Triton," she urged gently.
He stopped abruptly, frustration evident in his fierce gaze. "And if we lose Ariel?"
Athena moved gracefully toward him, her voice firm but compassionate. "We won't. Helios promised us. Trust that, if only for a little longer. I trust them."
Triton exhaled heavily, anguish etched plainly into his features. "It is easier said than done."
Athena wrapped him in a reassuring embrace. "I know."
He held her close, drawing strength from her quiet conviction, even as anxiety tore relentlessly at his heart. Outside the palace, his armies waited, poised on the precipice of war, their sovereign's patience wearing desperately thin.
And deep below, unseen, Helios, Kurai, and Thalen drew closer to the dark heart of Ursula's domain.