Elric cursed as he bandaged the wound on his arm. The red-haired prince had a better aim than he'd expected. Moments after Elric had stabbed the witch, a spear had whirled past him, the sharp point cutting a deep gash into his arm.

"You imbecile," a deep voice growled from the shadows, sending a shiver down his spine. "Like a coward, you ran away before killing the host. Now these chains will never let me rise into my true form."

Elric's heart thudded painfully as he bowed his head toward the voice, his shoulders trembling slightly. "I apologize, my lord. But if I may remind you, only two gods have awakened. The other five have yet to cross into this realm. And I've already killed the witch that had begun their awakening."

A cold silence filled the space, stretching longer than Elric's nerves could bear. At last, the voice spoke again, each word a hammer's strike. "Very well, then. Prevent the others from passing through. Stop any matches between a royal and their mate. I will find a host for myself."

Elric's fingers curled over the blood-soaked bandages on his arm. "Yes, my lord."

The first thing Caspian saw when he arrived at the Emerald Kingdom was the blood. It hung in the water like clouds of crimson mist. Predators circled the fallen soldiers from both the Onyx and Emerald Kingdoms, their jagged teeth tearing into flesh, twisting the already-murky waters into a macabre vortex of red and gray.

His heart felt like it had been hollowed out. "Gods," he whispered, his voice fragile as seafoam. "How much damage have I done?"

"We're about to find out," Destan murmured beside him, his voice strained but steady. The two swam swiftly over the wreckage, their tails propelling them toward the Emerald Palace. The current tugged at them, weighted with sorrow.

A wailing cry echoed through the water, piercing through the dissonant quiet of the aftermath.

"No! That's Atlantis!" Destan's eyes went wide with panic. Without hesitation, he surged forward, his powerful strokes cutting through the water like a blade. Caspian followed, dread coiling tighter with each kick of his tail.

When they reached the coliseum, Caspian's heart sank into his gut. His eyes widened at the scene before him. Tears welled up in Aceso's eyes, her hands covering her face as her chest heaved with quiet sobs. Destan's expression shifted into a mask of stone, his features sharp with pain too deep to express.

At the center of it all, a red-haired merman—Atlantis—held a limp body in his arms. The merman's face was crumpled with grief, his lips moving in silent prayer as his tears floated up like broken pearls. The body in his arms was Morgan. His golden circlet glinted faintly, marking him as royalty, but it looked more like a shackle in that moment.

"Please," Atlantis whimpered, rocking Morgan's still form. "Please wake up, Morgan. You promised. You promised we'd always be together. Please..."

The rawness in his voice left the onlookers stunned. Even the guards stationed around them kept their eyes averted, their postures stiff with discomfort. Destan stepped forward, resting a hand on Atlantis's shoulder, his own pain visible in the hard lines of his face.

"You," a rough voice snapped, sharp as a blade. Caspian's breath hitched. He turned slowly to see Atlantis's eyes locked on him. Gold fire flickered in his gaze, rage bubbling up like boiling water. "All of this is your fault!"

Before anyone could react, Atlantis snatched up his spear, the metal tip already slick with blood. His muscles tensed as he lunged for Caspian.

"Atlantis, no!" Destan's voice boomed with authority. He was already moving, grabbing the spear just inches from Caspian's throat. Their gazes clashed, one filled with fury, the other with quiet acceptance.

Kai threw himself into the fray, gripping Atlantis's arms and pulling him back. "It's not his fault, Atlantis! He was under an enchantment! He's not to blame!"

"It's his fault Morgan's dead!" Atlantis's roar echoed off the coliseum walls, his voice wild with grief and fury. His body trembled with barely contained rage, his tail thrashing the water like a storm.

Caspian's heart cracked under the weight of the accusation. Guilt slithered through his mind like poison. "He's right," Caspian whispered, his voice hollow. He stepped forward, his eyes never leaving Atlantis's. Slowly, he reached up and grasped the tip of the spear, guiding it to his throat. The sharp point pressed against his skin, cold and unyielding. "If it will lighten his heart, then let him kill me. I will not resist."

Everyone froze. A moment passed where it seemed the entire ocean had gone still.

But then Aceso's voice rang out, cutting through the stillness like a ray of sunlight piercing through storm clouds. "Atlantis! He's still alive! Morgan's still alive!"

Atlantis's rage dissolved in an instant. His eyes snapped to Morgan's body, wild hope overtaking his features. He dropped the spear with a clatter and darted toward Morgan, his hands hovering but afraid to touch him. "Can you save him?" Atlantis's voice cracked as he pleaded with Aceso.

Aceso's face was pale with strain. Her webbed hands hovered over Morgan's chest. "I can do little. If we were in the human world, I'd have more power. But... our bond isn't fully sealed. I'll do what I can."

Kai watched everything unfold with a tight jaw and a clenched heart. His gaze lingered on Caspian. The Onyx King's face was drawn with weariness, the dark shadows beneath his eyes telling the tale of sleepless nights. His gaze was haunted. Kai's fists curled tightly at his sides.

He glanced toward Morgan's floating body, his chest slowly rising and falling. Atlantis cradled him, his lips pressed to his temple as he whispered words too quiet for anyone to hear.

"Please, Aceso," Atlantis begged, "Do everything you can. Please, save him."

Aceso's face was lined with concentration, her eyes shut tight as her hands glowed a soft, baby blue. The glow spread slowly from her fingertips to Morgan's body, wrapping him like a cocoon. For a moment, there was peace—a warmth that seeped into the hearts of all who watched. But it was fleeting.

Her eyes flew open, her breath hitching as she yanked her hands away. Destan's arms caught her as she slumped forward, her face pale with exhaustion.

Morgan's chest rose and fell slowly. The two gaping wounds had closed, but faint scars remained. His body was still.

"What happened?" Caspian's voice was sharp, his eyes darting from Morgan to Aceso.

Aceso's lips trembled. "I healed his body, but his mind... There's something blocking me. I... I'm sorry. I couldn't do more. The rest is up to him."

Atlantis's hands cradled Morgan's face, his fingers brushing against his hair. "Then I'll wait," he whispered, his voice raw but steady. "I'll wait until the end of time for him to wake up."

Kai's eyes snapped to Caspian, his expression dark. "Caspian, we need to talk."