Fists of the Night

Chapter 4

~the wreckoning~

As I sat on my silk cushion pondering the ways of the world, it occurred to me that the books I had read as a child had contained another bit of information. The crab shell of destiny could only be found in one place; the underwater nation of Aquaria. This place was deep beneath the waves of the Pacific and could only be accessed by the people who lived in the city – the mer people. I looked at Annie for a moment and then told her this. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and told me that she had once encountered a mer person while on the end of the dock in San Francisco. She had tossed a silver dollar into the ocean and made a wish that one day she would find the ultimate purpose in her life and low and behold the coin was flung out of the water back at her. Annie looked at the water in surprise and then realized she saw a face! It was a mer person, a maid, by the name of Atalante. She had a beautiful red and gold tail with long, flowing amber hair and luminescent purple eyes. Annie smiled as she remembered and finished her story by telling me that Atalante had warned her be careful what she wished for – and that Annakin was Luke and Leia’s father. I gave Annie a puzzled look and Annie just smiled. She put her hand on mine and told me that she could call up Atalante at any time just by playing the theme music to Star Wars. I looked at the Pink Pirates and asked them if their ship had underwater speakers. Ren and Nut consulted each other for a moment before ringing a tiny bell. A man appeared and they whispered something to him. The ship began to rattle (and hum) and suddenly there was slashing off the port bow. We all ran to the side of the ship and sure enough, there was a beautiful mermaid there. Atalante waved at Annie, who nodded her head.

The mermaid asked Annie why she had called her after all this time. Annie told her that no, there wasn’t a sale on at Barney’s but that we needed her to help us get the crab shell of destiny. Nut started to tell the story about the disco ninja, “Fists of the Night” but Atalante stopped her. Atalante already knew about FoN and the shell. The mermaid told us that one of us would have to go to the bottom of the ocean to help get the crab shell of destiny as Atalante could not possibly do it on her own. Immediately, Nut volunteered, as she wanted to show off her fabulous rhinestone studded pink bathing suit with matching SCUBA gear. I couldn’t help but gasp- she looked like a mermaid herself! Nut quickly jumped off the ship and into the water where Atalante told her to stay close. Atalante flicked her tail and we saw Nut’s mask come off her face. Nut tried to grab her throat but was being dragged down by Atalante! I screamed and Annie leapt into the air. But it was too late….Nut had disappeared below the surface. Ren looked stern, she told us she had a psychic connection to her sister and that she could feel Ren almost breathing but wasn’t sure how. We would just have to wait.

Chapter 5 – The Wreckoning Part the Second

Rennie and Atalante swam rapidly to the bottom of the ocean. Rennie knew that she would have to go quickly with the mermaid or else face her death. Luckily, Rennie had learned to carry Gillie weed with her at all times and had taken a mouthful of it the moment she had felt Atalante’s hand on her neck. Rennie tried to act as limp as possible but readied herself mentally for the attack she knew might be coming. Soon, Atalante and Rennie had landed in a small sea cave and Atalante used her tail to cover the entrance, making the surroundings seem very dark. Atalante then told Rennie that she had been forced to do take Rennie hostage but that she secretly wanted to help, since Fists of the Night had kidnapped her very own sister and was holding her for ransom. Atalante went on to say that the crab shell of destiny could only be found by consulting the mystic of the Java sea and that she would take Rennie there immediately, but Rennie had to promise not to tell anyone about the kidnapping or the Disco Ninja’s involvement.

Rennie shook hands with the mermid and they made their way out of the cave and across the sea floor. Soon, they came to an expansive castle where they found, in the main hall, a giant clam shell made of the most beautiful pearl. It sparkled in the filtered sunlight and with a flash of bubbles opened to reveal a beautiful mermaid. Her skin was a delicate shade of light blue and she hd flowing purple hair and vivid, sparkling green eyes. Her tail was long and the fins at the bottom elongated and flowing, like silk, they were blue and green and pink. She truly looked like a mystic. The mermaid bowed her head and told Rennie and Atalante and she was indeed the mystic of the Java sea and that her name was Peri. Atalante nudged Rennie, how bowed quickly and asked where she might find the crab shell of destiny. Peri laughed, it sounded like tinkles in the water, a lightness bouncing off the waves, the two instantly felt relaxed and happy. Peri looked at them and Rennie was so relaxed she did not notice the tiny crab that had appeared in the shell of Peri’s throne. Peri told them it was the crab of destiny who had just shed it’s magical shell. She told them that the shell had not so much as been shed but stolen from the crab. Atalante blanched at the news, and Rennie put a hand on her shoulder. Now they would never find Atalante’s lost sister…or Fists of the Night. Peri held up her hand though and told the travelers not to lose hope. There was an even greater power than the crab shell of destiny and it was waiting for them on the surface in the heart of a warrior and a guardian. Only the warrior and a bad of intrepid adventurers could break the spell of Fists of the Night. Rennie thought for a moment, perplexed. She would need to speak with her sister, Nut about this. Rennie could feel the Gillie weed wearing off and instinctively put a hand to her throat. Peri smiled and lifted her hand, sending Rennie up onto the deck of the pirate ship, much to everyone’s shock. Atalante followed quicklyafte her, leaving Peri, her shell, and the tiny crab alone, for now.

On the deck of the pirate ship, Rennie looked up at all of us and said that we needed to have a group meeting, as quickly as possible. She had news of great importance to share.