Chapter VI:Zeno Neptune

I came to infront of a large kingdom, the rings of water and land circling a massive place. Waterfalls flowed form the palace into the rings of water providing life to the kingdom, around it. Something was wrong though, something pulled at my gut. This Kingdom, that palace, I had seen them before. I was standing infront of Atlantis, the white marble and vibrant paint mixed well with the light blue oceanic brick.

Behind me lay an army, bloody and defeated, all wearing the chunky stone armor with blue lights poking through. Everyone carried bronze swords and spears with stone shields with bronze underlay. I had heard of this day, the day Atlantis went to make itself an empire.

I stepped up the steps, the once bustling city now laid quiet. I continued up the steps past the rings, I drew the sword at my side and watched the palace. A detail of guards were there, instead of the chunky stone armor they wore bronze armor with green cloth. They each wore masks molded to their face, all made from varying colors. The leader wore a purple mask, and stepped forward.

"King Neptune! We've awaited you're return!" The man shouted, a hand on his coral and bronze sword.

"Semas! We could've used you, The Athenians fought like dogs. Rally the men, I expect a counterattack." I had answered, I placed a hand on the palace door.

Semas had placed a hand on my chest, stopping me. "I'm sorry, Atticus, a new king sits on Atlantis' Throne. I warn you, your brother has gone mad but he sits on the throne now. Turn back, please."

"So Zeno finally did it, step aside Semas. Go be with your wife and child," I answered bluntly.

"Atticus, I can't," Semas answered drawing his sword.

One of my men stabbed a spear through his neck as I turned away, Semas was a good friend. His loyalty was always to The Throne, as was the rest of the guards. A fight erupted between The Atlantean army and The Royal Guard, the remainder of the army fought quick and effectively. I ran inside while the mix was distracted and looked around, I dropped my cape made from Levithan scales on the ground. Zeno was a quick and agile fighter, if it came to it I would fight him but I needed the agility to match his.

"ZENO!" I roared down the hallways, my grip threatening to break the handle on my sword.

I marched to the throne room, the throne was smaller than I remembered but the room was still a grand hall decorated with marble. In front of me sat Zeno Neptune, wearing armor made of mysterious metals and molded to form spikes at the shoulders. He had wild leather colored hair and blue eyes that carried anger.

"Hello brother, how was Athens?" Zeno smiled, standing up.

"Horrible," I answered as I stepped back. "Damn Athenians were expecting us."

"I know, why do you think I insisted The Royal Guard stay here," Zeno laughed to himself. "Oh brother, I played you for a fool. I have welcomed your downfall, the Athenians will come and find you dead and I will surrender gladly to them. An unfortunate pawn in his brothers game of madness, then I will poison their empire from the inside."

"You're mad!" I yelled.

"And you're a horrid king! Twenty-seven years I watched a dying kingdom, twenty-seven years I stood idle as men died to plague and hunger, twenty-seven years I watched our army grow weak to the rest of the world, twenty-seven years I have served as your general only to watch our fathers pride be disgraced. I have waited for you to change, prayed to the gods you would Atticus!" Zeno drew his sword, carefully examining the blade father had given him. "I gave you twenty-seven years of servitude, and you spat in my face. Only the gods can forgive you now, and they have made it my job to send you to them."

"There's one thing that you forget brother," I drew my sword from my side, the bronze encased coral shined in the residual light. "Your plan requires my death, and I'm not going to just roll over like a dog to die like one."

Zeno smiled as his eyes went pitch black, "Oh I'm aware Atticus." His irises reformed in a crimson hue, "I look forward to your attempts to stop me, I'll think of them often when I need something to cheer me up."

Zeno ran forward, his sword dragging on the floor and cutting the stone floor. I went to block, but suddenly Zeno was to my right. I turned, but it was to late, my armor was sliced open and blood sprayed from the slash. I backed away, hand over the cut in my armor as blood poured from the gash. I held my sword up, but Zeno was nowhere to be found he had vanished once more.

"Some fight! Put away the tricks and fight me, Zeno!" I shouted, back into a wall.

A portal darker than night appeared in the floor, Zeno emerged with his sword in hand. He looked at me and his stare cut into the depths of my soul. A knife dragging into my very being, as Zeno lifted his sword arm for defense. I charged at him and swung with precision, but each hit was blocked masterfully. Zeno went on the offensive and swung from the left, I parried the hit and went for his neck.

In a moment I felt a cold burn across my chest, my mouth began to dry as I fell back. Above me was Zeno, the spikes on his shoulder were bloodied. My heartbeat grew rapid as my chest rose and fell quickly, my vision began to darken at the edges.

"I'm sorry brother, you were a good man. That's what made you weak," Zeno said, through a smile.

I heard more voices but they were distorted, I couldn't hear them. My heartbeat slowed and echoed around in my skull, Zeno turned to his left as I laid there. He pierced my heart, a fitting end for Atticus. My vision went black as I woke back up as Sara Pearl, the sun was out breaking through the curtains in the beautiful yellow hue. My chest felt heavy as I sat up, a thousand realizations came to mind. The first one being that in an old life, I was King Atticus Neptune of Atlantis. That's the furthest back I've seen, was that my first life?