Captain Red Aye was carried into the city as Kyle cautiously zipped ahead of Meridian soldiers on his wild sting ray. He slid off the wing and landed on red bedrock looking around for his brothers. An opaque shield lowered over Aquatica as a Meridian clad in battle armor darted desperately toward them. “Mi Novia!” He shouted. “Mi Novia!” He cut through the water, whipping his tail back and forth. Desperation consumed him as he stretched out his arms. “Bebe’s detachment didn’t return,” he panted. “She’s trapped on the other side!” he exclaimed, morphing as he fell to his knees. His heavy heart beat frantically in his chest.
Kyle turned on his heel at hearing the gut wrenching news that the second detachment of Aqua Defenders was still trapped on the other side of the shields. He tried to look through the opaque dome but it was like looking through scratched glass. He raised both of his hands and pressed on the shield, then watched metallic ripples expanding outward as it flexed. Purple lightning zinged off the ceiling and illuminated the dark water surrounding him. Kyle stepped back from the shields and looked down at his glowing hands. A blue glow radiated from his palms and extended all the way to his fingertips. He had just escaped from certain death on the back of a golden sting ray, and though it had seemed like an eternity, it had been just a matter of minutes. The unique glow meant he was connected in some magical way to the creatures of the deep and their life force. Just as he had been with the stinging nettle that had wrapped itself around his arm on his first mission with Feng. Delphina, the oracle, had told him it meant he had Neptunium in his blood, and incredibly he was a descendant from the royal bloodline.
An eerie creaking noise surrounded them as the water shuttered. It felt like an earthquake as war torn Tangled Tower started to settle. The tower of wrecked ships that had seemed to defy gravity had a huge hole blasted in it. Lights flickered on and off from the port holes of the high rise. Tangled Tower appeared to be living quarters for many of the Meridians. Children’s faces were pressed against circular windows curiously peering out unaware of the danger that lingered. Wood splintered into a thousand tiny pieces and shot through the water as the building started to collapse.
Bebe’s friend looked up in terror as the shadow of the building fell across his broad shoulders. A young boy with sandy brown hair rushed in trying to help the Meridian to his feet. The twisted building smashed through the water, crumbling all around them. Instinctively, Kyle threw up his hand in an effort to protect himself and Bebe’s hapless boyfriend. Blinding white light with streaks of blue shot from his palm and held the building at bay. Wounded Meridians cried out as the wreckage hung suspended above the boy.
Another beam of light lassoed the building from the other side and steadied it as Kyle fell back, drained from the use of his newfound magical powers. Kevin and Triston ran over to the commotion and were stunned to find Kyle lying in the rubble next to the Meridian. Kevin rushed to Kyle’s side dusting off debris. “Kyle! Please be okay!” Kevin held his breath looking down at his little brother who lay limply on the seafloor. Kyle’s chest rose and fell. Kevin took a ragged breath. “Aaahhh,” he sighed. Tears of relief welled up in his grey eyes. “Thank you for saving my brother,” Kevin choked.
“I didn’t save him. He saved me,” Bebe’s astonished boyfriend looked down at the pint sized hero at his side. He was much younger than he had first realized.