A map of Izroulia lay out on the table, a few crosses and lines on it marked out. The group sat around it, all looking down at it and thinking.

"Ok... since the more inland you go the less people there are I'd say we keep within this area" Aries said.

"Good idea. I don't feel like becoming sushi" Pandora replied.

"I think we can go for an ambush approach. We want to get Agnemetra in the water, she's a fire being so she's powerless when wet. If we can figure out a way to stop her henchmen from attacking us so it's just us vs her we can push her into the water and render her powerless"

Aries circled the castle on the map, it being near the north coast of the island.

"Idea: if you have the destruction ring we can block off the area around the castle by cracking the earth big enough no one can get over it. Then we push her toward the sea and finish her off. And then I can put the earth back together with the creation necklace" Icarus suggested.

"Good idea, that way she can't escape"

Aries marked off an area around the castle and coast that they could try and crack once they'd harnesses their powers.

"We can also use Zag's illusion bracelet to distract anyone that tries to get involved in the fight we don't want" Pandora said.

"Also good idea. I reckon we scout some more for good locations in the area to ambush from, then refine from there"

With their plan set in motion, the group went back into Izroulia, landing in the same spot as before. Each of them with a map and a spot to go check out, and a backup plan in case anyone got in trouble. Although in the middle of nowhere they didn't expect to run into anyone. Most of the population was by the coast.

"Meet up at... 3pm, signal if anything goes wrong and mark anything important on the map" Aries said.

They got agreement from the others, and they all split off to their areas to scout. Aries adding a note to Icarus to stay on the path and not get lost like she did at camp when this all started. Zagreus did intend on scouting the area he was assigned, but there was something else he wanted to do while he was here, and that was see the Naiad again. He couldn't stop thinking about Styxx since they met. He was so head over heels it was almost scary how fast he fell.

But Styxx was just so pretty... and his voice was smooth and gentle, his smile bright enough to light up the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

He needed to see Styxx again. So he detoured off the path to the same lake he'd fallen into before, and stood at the edge looking for any sign of the Naiad. This time he knew not to fall in.

As he looked around, he noticed movement in the water and up popped the exact person he was looking for.

"You're back!" He smiled.

"I'm back, scouting for the plan" Zagreus replied, ducking down to Styxx's level in the water.

"I was hoping you'd come back. Not every day you see a merman when most of them vanished"

"I still don't know much about this place, you wouldn't happen to know of any areas well hidden and good for an ambush would you?"

Styxx climbed out of the water, squeezing his hair and shaking his pants dry.

"I do actually, I'll take you" he replied.

"Thanks, I knew I could count on a Naiad" Zagreus said.

"I want that old bitch off the throne just as much as you do man, she'd constantly threatening us water people 'will be next' if we don't comply to her. I'm lucky my families lake is all the way out here, no one ever comes here so we can get away with disobeying her sometimes" Styxx explained, leading Zagreus down a route he clearly knew well.

Zagreus followed along, admiring the Naiads long hair and slender frame, unable to take his eyes off him.

"Ooo rebels. You do illegal magic or something?" He asked.

"Mainly just breaking the no water magic law. She knows she's useless against water, that's why she hates us" Styxx replied.

"Oof, she'd hate Icarus then. Water elemental AND a mermaid"

"Oh definitely. Are your buddies one of each element?"

"Yeah. I'm earth, Icarus is water, Pandora is air and Aries is fire... and a siren that too"

Styxx stopped in his tracks, Zagreus almost bumping into him.

"Woah, Aries? Black hair?" He asked.

"Yeah, know them?" Zagreus asked.

"Not personally. I know of them, there's been rumours around us Naiads that one of us gave them top surgery"

"Oh yeah, they mentioned that. Aries is definitely real, they're kind of the mastermind behind this whole thing"

"Damn I gotta meet your friends. They sound interesting" Styxx said, continuing to walk along with Zagreus following him.

"You probably can, we're all meeting up at 3"

Zagreus followed Styxx through the Forrest, the two talking about life in izroulia, and what growing up in the human realm is like. Finally making it to the area Styxx had in mind, they came to a pool with a waterfall flowing into it. Zagreus looked around, liking the area and finding it peaceful.

"Literally no one goes here, it's super far from the main population. But I've been hanging around here all my life, found it by accident and kept it secret ever since so I could hide if I had to get away from Agnemetra at some point" Styxx explained.

"I'd kill to live here, water to swim in, nice view. Lots of plants, quiet and tucked away" Zagreus said.

"Maybe if things work out you can set up shop here"

"I hope. This could definitely be a good spot to hide out and prepare an ambush"

Walking up to the edge of the waterfall, Zag looked down at the water. It was bright blue, looked clean and reflected in the sun. Styxx sneakily slid over to Zagreus, putting his hand in the mermans shoulder.

"Hey zag" he smirked.

"Yeah?"

"Feel like a swim?"

"Wai-"

Before Zagreus could finished, he was pushed into the water below. Styxx jumped in after him, and laughed when they both broke to the surface.

"Sorry I had to" he giggled.

"I should have known" Zagreus snickered.

"No salt?"

"No salt, you got me"

"But Styxx, you need to keep something in mind-"

"Wha-"

Zag dove under water and grabbed Styxx's ankle pulling him under. Styxx twisted his way out of Zagreus's grip and broke back to the surface with him.

"Hey!" He laughed.

"Merfolk are known for being sneaky" Zagreus teased.

"Ok I deserve that. Want a tour of the waters though? There's a few cool things around here"

"Show me man, I want the details"

The two ducked under water, swimming around the large lake and collecting rocks and shells at the bottom. Styxx grabbed Zag by the hand to lead him around, making Zag blush at the contact, only fuelling his little crush more. They spent what felt like hours swimming around and playing underwater games with each other, growing closer by the second.

Breaking back to the surface, Styxx caught his breath.

"Ok maybe having a tail makes you faster" he admitted.

"The bigger the fluke the more propulsion" Zagreus replied.

"You win, you win. You fin having fish"

"OI!"

The two jumped at the voice, turning to face it up at the top of the waterfall. It was Aries, looking down at them arms crossed with a smug look.

"Nice scouting there zag" they teased.

"I did scout! This is what I found with some help" he called back.

"We got an hour, the others are heading back to the meeting spot by now"

"Come down here, met the Naiad I was talking about" Zagreus said.

Aries shrugged, figuring why not. Jumping down into the pool they swum over to the boys and surfaced beside them.

"So the top surgery having siren does exist" Styxx said.

"That's gotten around with you Naiads has it?" Aries replied.

"You're kinda an urban legend. Some of us don't believe you exist, but here you are"

"I exist alight. I'm good at hiding though. I trust you can keep us a secret? I can fry if you don't"

Styxx drew a cross over his chest and held his hands up.

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. I want Agnemetra gone as much as you two do. I'll help where I can" he assured.

"Hm. Alright then, the more help the better. We've got one of my childhood friends and his man on our side too" Aries explained.

"Damn, the whole rebellion group is some shade of the rainbow huh?" Styx snickered.

"All but one. Our honorary cishet" Zagreus joked.

"What is it with us queers and just finding each other?"

"We're magnets, we're drawn to each other"

"Look we can keep chatting on the way back, we gotta meet up with the others" Aries said.

They all got out of the water, and began to head back. Heading back through the Forrest, they all made it back to the meeting point where the girls were already waiting.

"Oh so that's the Naiad Zag can't stop talking about" Pandora teased as they approached.

"PANDO-" Zagreus snapped.

"You're talking about me?" Styxx snickered.

"I've just... never seen a Naiad before"

"Eh, it's fine. I've been thinking about you a lot too, never seen a merman. Well, as a baby I did but I don't remember that"

"Ok that's Pandora, that's Icarus. Icarus, Pandora, Styxx" Zagreus introduced.

They all shook hands, finally officially meeting.

"Everyone marked out the maps?" Aries asked.

"Yep, found a few spots we can go over later" Pandora replied.

"Same, and I didn't get lost this time" Icarus said.

"Any trouble?" Aries asked.

They all shook their heads, everything having gone to plan.

"Perfect. We made good time too" Aries said.

"We can go over everything and make a full plan on the weekend. I recon one big meeting with everyone involved. Us, Haru and Micha, Styxx. We can all plan together" Pandora suggested.

"Sounds good. Let's get back before it's dark"

"I'm down, never been to the human realm before" Styxx agreed.

"We'll send Zag to come get you" Aries said.

Zagreus and Styxx looked at each other with a smile, already looking forward to seeing each other again.

"I look forward to it" Styxx said.

"Me too, it'll be fun" Zagreus replied.