Chapter Text
Nightmare has seen many things in his long immortal life.
Some so great and wonderful that it left him in complete and utter awe, but very much in the same vain, he has seen things that are so terrible and heinous that he wishes to erase it from his memories entirely.
There was a time however, long before any of that mattered. A time where the only thing that mattered was protecting what they where expected of. *Each-other* and guarding the pools of magic residing in their respective bodies of water.
With that being said, the ancient Leviathan has a vast understanding in forgotten magics and knowledge.
Nightmare always had a thirst for knowledge, but that thirst was quickly quenched in the aftermath of the events of Atlantis…Now instead, choosing to reside in the furthest recesses of the seas. Far away from anything can cause him harm and heartache. Along with keeping everything that he treasures within tentacles reach of his domain (His shiver and Dream).
Everything involving that place was a muddled mess after…Mother’s passing…Which is truly a shame as Atlantis held a vast library of knowledge hidden within it walls, but it is all washed away under the waves at this point. Nothing but, old stories and faded memories left over…
The most concerning and devastating thing to come out of that horrible mess was the unexplained disappearances of the two of his kin. It was just as shocking, as it was unsettling. Even though they all were warring with each other, it was an unspoken understanding that only a Leviathan could pose a true
threat to another Leviathan.
How very foolish and naïve to think that was the case. Proven true by the despicable and backstabbing acts of the land walkers. Shaking the ancient sea beasts to their very core…After everything that the Leviathan and Mother had done for them. Only for then to get greedy and try to control the very beings that provided them with the sea’s glorious bounties and protected them from the harshness of the stormy dark waters.
They dared to put the Leviathans against each other, using magic that never belong to them in the first place.
The battles were bloody and unforgiving. Many mortal lives were lost in the process and in the end the Leviathan keep on fighting even after the others were freed of the land walkers control. Over what little remained of their Mother and her precious creation. Also, whether or not the left over land walkers where guilty or innocent…
Looking back at it now, it was truly just folly on their parts.
But, even so, that doesn’t explain how his two kin had gone missing all that time ago…
Nightmare has always suspected the people of Atlantis had something to do with it. Considering the sea goddess herself gifted them with magic and knowledge far beyond their wildest dreams and understanding. However, there is no proof to back this. There was also no clues or hints about the missing Leviathans whereabouts.
Or that was until now, that is…
The Leviathan quickly shakes his skull, tentacles curling up into themselves. No time to be thinking about the past. He needs to focus. Especially with such a massive threat coming into his territory, he needs to plan.
As much as Nightmare wants to believe that his missing kin has miraculously returned from their long absence with good intentions and good tidings. Meaning him or the others no harm, he knows that’s a foolish and naïve notion. When the two missing leviathan mysteriously vanished from the depths of the seas, each was ready to put an *end* to any that oppose there ideals, by any means necessary. This is very much included in the other Leviathan who didn’t agree with them. It didn’t really help that both had completely opposite morals and ideals in regards to the land walkers of Atlantis and what was to be done with them…
Thinking about it now, the Maker of Misfortunes, was always the most unpredictable of the seven. As well as the most in-tune with their instincts. However, their emotions where much like the changing tides. One moment, gentle and playful like the warm embrace of the sun, then in the next, like a raging storm ready to destroy everything in its path.
Unlike the Devourer of Disasters, who was always calm. However, that’s only near the surface. Much like the still waters of the open oceans; clear and seemingly harmless, but the further down you go the more you realize the calmness is just a façade and the more darker and enticing personality begins to show. And before you know it you’re trapped in a field of seamounts and if you are not careful, you risk getting burnt by the boiling waters of the deep and swallowed whole by the darkness.
Out of all the Leviathan, The Maker of Misfortunes and The Devourer of Disasters where always the most quick to confrontation and violence. Wishing to show who was the most dominant and powerful of all the ancient sea beasts. A majority of the fissures caused in the ocean’s floors were created by the two Leviathan’s power struggles and battles. Shifting the tectonic plates of the Earth as their bodies would crash into the bedrock and sea beds….
There’s no telling what intentions the Maker has for him and the other Leviathan after missing for so long.
If only that good for nothing porpoise was closer to him and the others, then maybe…
No, there is a reason why Reaper separated himself from the other Leviathan.
The mer clicks his tongue. Bring up a hand to pinch the brim of his nasal cavity. Letting out a loud sigh. Small bubbles escaping from his open mouth.
Even with the full moon’s presents to help increase his magic, Nightmare knows he will still struggle to take on the Maker in a one on one fight…But, there was no way he would risk Dream’s well-being and safety in this battle. He knows that golden-mer and himself has grown soft over the many years of no conflict. Unable to maintain their skills and magical abilities like they used to, with their constant fighting. It also didn’t help that Nightmare now preferring to hide away. Avoiding any land walkers or conflict…
Subconsciously, he raises up a hand. Phalanges ghosting over the bandages that cover up a majority of his skull. The excruciating pain now nothing, but a dull ache in the back of his mind.
Land walkers were another problem to factor in. The Kraken needs to be careful not to reveal his and the other Leviathan’s existence to the rest of the world. Nightmare can only imagine the chaos it would cause if they were ever discovered by the land dwellers. He knows that the brief glimpses that the land walkers did manage to catch evolved into over exaggerated legends of terrible beasts of the Seas. The tales of horrific Kraken that only lives to sink ships are proof enough of that (Then again, Nightmare did do that for a brief period of time.)…Which wasn’t bad in itself, but considering that they were only brief glimpses and interactions leaving little to no survivors, it could easily spell trouble for them all…
He can only hope that Dream can convince Ink and Error to help in this endeavor. And on top worrying about the backup arriving, he is still waiting for Cross to return from his hunting trip so that the Kraken can send the mer-shark on his way, to catch up with the others. (Nightmare needs to make sure his Shiver is as far away as possible from this dangerous threat.)
Currently, the Leviathan is residing in his private cabin of his favorite ship. His brother’s bottled magic lining the wooden walls. Magic illuminating the whole room in a brilliant, but soft glow of golden light. Contrasting with the outside of the ship, that’s forever casted in ghastly darkness. The quiet hush of still the water, feels heavy on Nightmare’s chest, like a anchor.
The Kraken taps his phalanges anxiously on the well crafted oak desk. The magic proofed books and stone tablets laid scattered about on the hard oak table.
Everything on the ship has held up quite well over the last century or so. (It probably has something to do with the magic that’s deeply embedded into the wood of the vessel. The foolish land walker of a captain, truly though that he could really take down a monster as legendary as the kraken.)
The countless unsuccessful, scenarios Nightmare has already gone through in his head, plague him with doubt and worry of his ability to take down the other leviathan.
Nightmare though about beaching the Maker. Immobilizing them with his abilities over the tides, but that would require him and the other ancient beast to be close to said land. And last time he checked the only land mass with in Nightmare’s territory was Kelp’s little chain of Islands…
Definitely not enough to beach the massive Leviathan. He would have to push the other back into the mainland. And even if he does succeed in doing that, then what?
Nightmare grimaces as his darkening thoughts.
The land walkers find out the existence of the leviathan and they all get captured and cramped into tanks to be experimented on and dissected? Nightmare’s is not so foolish to think that all land walkers are as kind and generous as Kelp is. (Kelp is the exception, not the rule.) The Kraken has seen and heard from Cross and Kelp of what some walkers are capable of. The many clean stitched scars along the white-tipped shark’s tail are proof enough of that. Not to mention the dangerous weapons that they can produce. Subconsciously, kraken reaches up, lightly brushing his fingertips along his bandaged eye-socket.
Nightmare has experienced their unstable powers firsthand…
“What can I do….?” The deep-purple mer sighs to himself. His tone sounding defeated even though he has yet to faced the looming threat.
No matter the outcome, it’s a lose-lose situation for everyone involved.
At that thought Nightmare felt the familiar presence of Cross’s magic approaching the trenches ledge. Along with…an unfamiliar magic?
Nightmare frowns. A new mer in the territory?
Mer’s aren’t all that common to be found
wandering in these parts of the waters. Be it from the legends and stories told about the evil beast made of darkness and dread that lives in the deepest part of the barren pits of the seas. That will devour any passing mer that dares set a fin in it’s territory. (On occasion, young foolhardy pods of mers will try and lay claim to his waters, but his shiver makes quick work of them. That may play into the stories as well.) Or the fact the waters are slowly being infested and polluted with garbage from the land walkers that are now being to reach the depths of his home. Poisoning and pushing all types of mers to stay as far as possible from the mainland and live in more isolated and clean waters….
Either way, this is the worst timing for Cross to make a new friend and bring them back here…
Nightmare clicks his tongue half heartedly. Cross really is the softest of all the mer-sharks. Willing to take in a lone mer instead of scaring them off like the others would…
Tentacles uncurling to propel himself up in the water. Slipping his way out of the large sea vessel and into the inky dark waters of his home. Debating on how to deal with this new turn of events. Only to feel something *unpleasantly* familiar, emanating from the top of the trench.
Something powerful.
Panic grips at Nightmare’s chest.
Oh no…
He thought he had more time to prepare for their arrival…
The octo-mer pushes down his worries.
Regardless of what’s to come, Nightmare was going to do whatever it takes to insure the safety of his home and his precious shiver.
A blinding light engulfs Nightmare’s form. Massive inky black tendrils uncurling from around him. Effortlessly curling around the tallest topmast of the boat. The only thing that distinguishes them from the depths of the dark water are bright, hundreds of glowing rings of cyan and the low hum of magic building up around the grand Leviathan.
“Whatever it takes.” Nightmare whispered to himself.
He will do whatever it takes, to take down the lingering threat.
If only the Kraken knew, that wasn’t the case…
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You curl into yourself.
Wimping quietly, as your sad patchy quills faced outwards. Towards the small opening of the makeshift shelter. Providing you with some form of protection from the scary dark waters. Fear twists deep in your chest.
You can barely hear Cross’s worried calls faintly in the distance, but you’re in no state to reply or process the fact that he is calling for you. Too preoccupied with your inner turmoil.
You stare at your precious tail that is curled before you. The hard rope digs into your scales uncomfortably at the base of it. Discoloring it to the point of irritation. As do the ones around your wrists, neck, and midsection. With these things attached you nothing is going to heal properly and your beautiful tail will forever stay disheveled and ugly.
A low growl escapes the back of your throat, angrily reaching out. Pulling and clawing at the offending object. But, the only thing that you ended up accomplishing was damaging your already irritated scales worse than before. A small cloud of glistening blood begins seeping from the shallow scratches.
You stop abruptly at the coppery smell.
Frustration and helplessness eating away at you like swarming parrot fish that found a decaying corpse.
Never before have you felt like this.
So helpless and afraid.
You feel the angry stinging of tears, gathering in the corner of your eye sockets. At the horrible site of your once beautiful tail.
Grief and sorrow, hold back the wild rage in your soul.
You hate it.
You hate the cold and dark water. You hate how famished you are. You hate the hard ropes that continue constrict you painfully and chafe away at your precious scales. You hate how you hurt so much. And you especially hate the land walker that brought this upon you…
You bite back a quite sob, gritting your fangs together. Blinking rapidly, trying to clear away the tears gathering in your eye-lights. You wrap your arms around yourself in hopes of some form of comfort. Letting your gills filter the chilly water around you, trying to clam yourself. Rubbing your cheek against the smooth surface of coral below you.
You miss your lagoon…
You miss your many sparkling rocks…
You miss your sun bathing…
You miss your silly sea creatures that you use to play about with…
You miss your silly land walkers and the yummy fruit they would bring you…
Your pity party was quickly interrupted, however when you feel something slither its way into your shelter. Something large, it almost feels like an eel and it’s was by passing your quills to wrap around your waist…You immediately go on the offensive giving off a loud warning hiss. Throwing yourself back. Quills sinking into large object. Piercing whatever it is and drawing blood, causing your vision to become clouded. You hear a low rumble outside of your hideout, before being violently yanked out. The object completely wrapping around your form, regardless of the quills that are sinking into it. You are dragged out, you can hear Cross more clearly now. Sounding panicked and saying something. Unfortunately you have no idea what, as suddenly your world is filled with a bright, cyan light and an eerily familiar voice.
“So you have returned?”
It’s just do bad you have no idea what it’s saying…