Aquaman #16: “Crimson Tides, Part One”

“Run!” Kit Jarivas of the Poseidonis council swam as fast as he could from the shadows zigzagging through the trenches that he attempted to escape in.

Councilman Rorisk Bergitune followed closely behind, darting quickly through the long trench that stretched across the ocean floor. The assailants were close behind them and getting closer as each second passed by.

“We have to go faster!” Kit hollered, his aristocratic robes flailing around his body as he sped up his pace.

The trench was dark and narrow, rocky walls on both sides of it. Neither of the councilmen looked back, too fearful of what would be there if they did. They continued to go as fast as possible through the shadowy trench, across the floor of the sea. They swam hard until both of them were absolutely exhausted and stopped.

“Did we lose them?” Rorisk wondered, looking back at the snakelike trench behind them.

“I guess…Be careful though,” said Kit.

They waited silently, slow anxious breaths being the only noise in the area. Cautiously, patiently, they waited for any sign of being followed. Though it was only a few minutes, it felt like hours of tension.

“Okay. I guess we’re clear,” Rorisk said optimistically.

Rorisk swam up and out of the trench and smiled at the sight of clear blue ocean. Not a thing in sight but water. He was overflowing with joy and relief.

“It’s all clear up here, Kit! Come on up! The water is fi-”

There was a sudden squeal, followed by a blur cutting across the water, taking Rorisk out of sight.

“Rorisk?” Kit said in shock.

Kit stayed in place, too scared to make any movement, hoping the darkness of the trench would shield him from the view of the attackers. The urgency to run started to take over his thoughts. There had to be a way out. There just had to be.

There is no way out for you, Atlantean. No way…

Kit tried to drive the voice out of his head but the echoes continued to torment his mind. He gulped with anxiousness and, going against his better judgment, threw himself out of the trench, speeding as fast as he could out of the area. Suddenly, a great force collided into his jaw, throwing him back to the rocky ground. Kit, surprised by the blow, looked up, wiping some blood off his lip, to see a most gruesome image.

A figure floated a few inches above his head; tall, well-built and wearing a dark purple suit. However, the most distinguishing feature was the face of his assailant. The head was a light brown, dozens of razor-sharp teeth in its jaw, and dangling from its mouth, a bloody slender arm. Kit’s eyes darted to the bracelet on the wrist of the arm. The bracelet was marked with the symbol of the Poseidon council: A dolphin.

“Rorisk!” Kit cried.

The shark-man let out a cold tasteless laugh, still clenching what was left of Rorisk in its mouth. The attacker spat out the arm, the surrounding water beginning to turn a dark red as the arm slowly descended onto the ocean floor.

Your friend was just the first. The menacing voice tore into Kit’s thoughts.

The shark-man grinned, its blood-stained mouth twisting with excitement and glee.

“Damn you!” Kit said in both anger and fear.

He didn’t even have a chance to react; the shark-man leapt on top of him, knocking him onto his back. Kit’s eyes widened in horror as the shark-man kept him pinned onto the ground.

I can sense your fear, Atlantean…It feels almost as good as your friend’s.

“I do not f-fear you…” Kit cringed, trying to resist the psychic probes.

Lies

The attacker opened his bloody mouth and spoke. Kit recognized the voice immediately. It was the exact same voice that had been eating at his mind.

“Yes. You have much to fear from…The Shark!”

Screams filled the surroundings but were quickly replaced by the appearance of deep red water.



“Attacked?”

Orin listened to his half-brother Orm’s story thoughtfully, taking in every gruesome detail.

“Yes. We were able to identify the bodies only by the bracelets we found in the bloody water. It was horrible.” Orm’s eyes darted to the ground, sickened by the memory.

Orin sat on the throne, his hand stroking his beard in a trancelike fashion, his mind focused on what he had heard. Orm folded his arms restlessly.

“What should we do, sire?” Orm asked.

Orin looked up at his brother and got to his feet. Orm took a step back, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Orin noticed his brother’s awkwardness and stared at him curiously.

“What’s the matter, Orm?”

“Nothing. This whole thing has just gotten to me I guess. It was a terrible sight,” Orm said.

Orin put a gentle hand on his brother’s shoulder.

“That’s why I do not intend to let it happen again. We will place all of the council members and politicians of the city under escort.”



Garth sat on a cliff outside Poseidonis, legs crossed as if in meditation. His eyes shut tight, Garth muttered to himself strange words and a water began to swirl around him rapidly. He began to speak quicker and the water whirled around him faster, its speed increasing at each word.

“Garth?” Tula’s voice rang through the area.

Garth opened his eyes and the water came to a sudden stop. He stood up slowly, taking deep breaths, exhausted. Tula came over the ridge, looking worried.

“Garth, I’ve been looking for you. I wanted to see if you were okay,” Tula said, beaming up at him.

“I’m fine. I just needed some air…well, just needed to relax,” Garth said.

Tula noticed Garth avoiding her gaze.

“Oh. Okay. I’m sorry I disturbed you.”

Tula turned to depart.

“Tula.”

“What?”

“Thanks…for checking up on me. Means a lot.”

Garth sadly watched Tula swim off into the distance. Garth gave a sigh but then sat back down again, took another deep breath and then closed his eyes.



“Their security has tightened,” hissed one of the three figures standing inside a small cavern about thirty miles away from Poseidonis.

“You expected less?” the shark-man who had butchered the councilmen said.

The Shark, as he was known throughout the oceans, had bright brown skin and a muscular body.

“Well, no. But isn’t this bad for us?” Kunaha was a slimmer shark-man than The Shark, with dark grey skin covering his body.

“No. The tighter the security, the tighter their focus on a certain objective, the easier it is for us to slip through their defenses. They are far too concentrated on one certain thing that they’ll fail to be prepared for another,” The Shark said smugly, picking his rows of teeth with the sharp nail on his index finger.

“Is that a good enough answer for you, Kunaha?” The third shark-man, Oharu, stepped out of the shadows, identical in appearance to Kunaha.

“I never get tired of watching the boss have fun with his victims. It’s a lot easier for him, with his whole psychic thing…” Kunaha said

Kunaha shut up when he saw The Shark walking towards the exit of the cavern.

“Well, are you two coming? We have more hunting to finish.”

“Really? And who is our target this time?” Oharu asked.

The Shark grinned through blood-stained teeth then turned to his underlings.

“Oharu, you’re about to find out.”



“At about 7:15 p.m., after a collision with what reports are saying was a very large wave, the ferry, New Yorker, capsized. According to the latest buzz, there are countless amounts of people stranded in the ocean. And with the stormy weather beginning to pick up, it will be even harder for rescue boats to help them. Over to Cindy for more…”

Peter Mortimer sat uncomfortably at his kitchen table, which was covered in cartons of Chinese food. With a sheet of statistics for the SCAVENGER suits he was developing at his side on the table, Peter glanced at the TV while he ate.

If the suits were ready, we would be able to save all of those people easily.

“DADDY! Nick hit me!” Peter’s six-year-old son, Henry, ran into the kitchen.

“Did not!” the five-year-old Nick protested.

“Knock it off, you two!” Peter said irritably.

“But, Daddy! He hit me! He needs a time out!”

“Wait…is that who I think it is? Yes! It is! He’s here!”

Peter’s head lashed around and gazed at the TV screen. Nick and Henry continued to whine and scream but their complaints fell on deaf ears. Peter was mesmerized by what was on the TV; there he was…there he was…

Aquaman.



Orin rocketed through the freezing cold tides of the Atlantic with great haste. The water rushing through his golden hair, he launched through the rough waves that the storm had brought on. Storm or no storm, it was still the ocean. This was his turf.

Orin was baffled by the amount of shivering bodies floating around in the water, clinging desperately to their lifejackets. He might need some backup. The shore was a good distance away, maybe around eleven to twelve miles. Even with his great speed, it would take him a while to move everyone to shore. There had to be some help around somewhere.

Orin closed his eyes and his thoughts immediately narrowed on his surroundings. He could hear each vibration a ship made as it passed. Sense every wave that broke. Smell each and every drop of water that dripped. Water flowed through his very thoughts and essence. He was one with it all.

He felt his signal make contact and his eyes popped open. With a flash, he jetted across the surface of the water and plucked a young boy and his grandfather into his strong grip and swam them towards what seemed like more open water. He dropped them off into the open water, their expressions confused.

“Sir! You can’t just leave us here alone!” the grandfather said.

Aquaman turned his head back as he prepared to go get more passengers.

“Alone? Quite the contrary actually.” Orin grinned, beaming with confidence, as he swam back towards the stranded.

“What? What are you t-”

The windy air was overtaken with a new sound. A beautiful sound. The grandfather held onto his grandson, cautiously. The sounds began to grow louder and more rhythmic. The old man loosened his grip on the boy slowly as the sounds flooded the air. He could make out a strange beat within the sounds and then it hit him. It was a song.

No sooner had he discovered the answer than he felt his feet touching something solid. The old man and the boy began to rise slowly above the water, staring down at their feet as they continued to ascend. When they came to a sudden stop, they were shocked to find themselves atop a giant humpback whale. The grandfather looked at the other passengers to find the same thing was happening to them. About a half-dozen humpbacks had risen from the depths of the ocean and Aquaman was taking the passengers to them and dropping them off onto their backs.

The grandfather held his young grandson’s hand as they watched Aquaman’s rescue with astonishment. It was a day they would always remember.



“This is ridiculous, Vulko! We should be able to stay in our homes without a bodyguard on us every second!” Councilman Giv Froz shouted.

“Might I remind you that these are the king’s orders! It is too dangerous for anyone in a position of political power to be without an escort at the moment. Two have been killed already!” Vulko said, infuriated by the councilman’s tone.

“Well the king is away right now! So I will do as I please!” Giv said.

Orm, who had been standing calmly at Vulko’s side, grabbed Giv by the collar and pinned him up against the wall.

“You would dare disobey my brother?” Orm hissed.

Giv’s face contorted with horror, Orm’s grip tightening.

“No, Orm. The king is right…we should be protected,” Giv said bitterly.

“Much better.”

Orm dropped Giv onto the floor and stalked off. Vulko watched him leave, concerned.



Javen sat on the muddy ocean floor, watching Tramm and Koryak chasing a school of fish around. Javen felt incredibly bored and wasn’t in the mood to be fooling around.

“Over here, Tramm!” The young Koryak laughed playfully, holding a large fish caught in his arms.

Javen looked up at Koryak’s prize and couldn’t help but smile. Koryak was so young and full of energy while Javen could already feel the pressure of becoming an adult weighing on his shoulders. The fish slipped through Koryak’s grip and sped off with a fright.

Javen gave a sigh of tiredness when the sound of a loud crash erupted. Tramm and Koryak stared into the distance, unsure and confused. Javen also looked over to see what was going on but couldn’t make out anything but an enormous cloud of dust drifting upward a ways away.

“Guys…let’s get out of here…”

Javen took a few steps backwards, cautiously, but bumped into something hard behind him.

Terror spread on Tramm and Koryak’s young faces. Javen turned around hesitantly and his eyes made contact with a dark purple shape in front of him. He looked up at the object before him, and saw a hideous face peering down at him.

The Shark, anxious with hunger, grinned maliciously at the boy, while Javen’s whole body went numb with panic and his eyes wide with fright.

Boo.



Orin smiled brightly at the news cameras that flashed at him on the dock as the rescued passengers climbed off the whales and onto land. Mera had been telling him that he really should try to regain the trust of the surface dwellers that he had lost because of Starro. Maybe this was his chance.

“Aquaman! Would you like to comment on the rescue?” a reporter said enthusiastically.

Orin rubbed his beard for a moment in thought, and decided it’d be best to be lighthearted and comfortable.

“Thank god for whales.”

The reporters and cameramen let out a few laughs but still seemed a bit edgy around him.

“We’ve only seen you around on a few occasions since you were, well, declared a threat to national security…Care to comment?” a reporter said nervously.

“Not at all. I’ve been busy dealing with trouble in Atlantis lately.”

“Do you think you will be on the surface m-” The reporter’s next question was interrupted by the grandfather and grandson that Orin had saved.

The old man approached Orin slowly, holding his grandson’s hand tightly. Orin watched curiously as the man stopped his approach about a foot from where Aquaman stood so that they were eye to eye. Orin stared at the man’s tired face while the grandfather didn’t so much as twitch. Then, to Orin’s surprise, the man held out his hand.

“Thank you.”

Orin glanced at the hand and then back up to the man’s face. He swung out his own hand and clasped the grandfather’s. Orin didn’t know what was happening but he felt something he hadn’t in a long time. It was the feeling he had felt when he first started helping people as Aquaman. The connection between him and the surface; it was beginning to be repaired, slowly but surely.

“You’re welcome.”

Cameras flashed at the image of two men from two entirely different worlds uniting. The great moment was interrupted as an explosion came from the water, and a shape emerged from it, into the air, and then onto the pier. The crowd all gasped and took a few steps back in panic. Orin stood still, recognizing the new arrival.

“Orm?”

The chief of security rushed to Orin, his face pale.

“There’s been another attack.”

“What?” Orin gasped.

He immediately stepped away from the crowd and strolled towards the water with Orm at his side.

“Aquaman! What’s happening?” a reporter shouted, but Orin would not stop.

“Were there survivors?” Orin asked, his pace quickening towards the water.

“Yes. Three were attacked.” The brothers dove into the cold water and began to swim through its currents, making haste towards Poseidonis. “Two only have a few minor injuries but the third…”

Orin shot a look at his brother, who avoided making eye contact.

“Well, he wasn’t so lucky. He’s in critical condition in our Med Labs. Blood everywhere.”

“Make sure no one in the city discovers the seriousness of the situation. We can’t afford to have a mass panic,” Orin explained to his right-hand man.

They zoomed through the water with great urgency and, before long, they could see the beautiful aquatic city not too far ahead of them.



Garth sat perfectly still, legs crossed, eyes shut tightly. Water continued to swirl around him in a whirlpool of energy. He continued to mutter chants, letting all distracting thoughts leave his mind.

Suddenly, Garth’s transmitter rang loudly on his belt. He picked it up with a start, the whirlpool around him breaking apart almost instantly. A hologram of Vulko appeared in his palm.

“My boy, we need you in the Med Labs immediately!” the elderly man barked.

“On my way!” Garth said, launching off from the cliff he was sitting on.

Minutes later, Garth entered the Med Labs to find Tramm sitting on a bench staring at the floor.

“Tramm…”

Tramm continued staring down, not taking any notice of his friend above him. Garth nodded his head, now understanding just how serious this was, and rushed down the hallway and then down a side corridor to be met with a very sad scene. Mera was hugging Tula comfortingly in her arms, tears rolling down Tula’s cheeks. Garth walked hastily toward them but was intercepted by Vulko.

“Garth. Follow me,” Vulko said.

Garth did as he was told and followed Vulko into a medical room where, on a metal slab, Javen lay. Garth’s eyes widened at the sight of one of his best friends, now a victim.

“He was attacked along with Tramm and Koryak by the same monsters who killed Jarivas and Bergitune recently,” Vulko said.

Garth stared at the great bloody wound ripped open into Javen’s chest. It was something the likes of which Garth had rarely seen; even then he had usually only seen it from shark bites, but everyone knew that even Atlantean children could handle sharks. This was something different but very similar. His thoughts were interrupted as Orin and Orm rushed into the lab. Orin examined the young boy quietly, his mind full of panic and grief.

“This looks like a shark bite…” Orin said aloud.

“Impossible. No shark could beat a child of Atlantis in combat,” Orm replied.

“Well it looks like one did…Could you guys give me some space?” Garth stood towering above Javen.

Orin, Orm, and Vulko all retreated a few steps and watched. Tula and Mera stood outside, looking into the lab through a window. Garth put his hands over Javen’s large wound cautiously, looked at Javen’s unmoving face and then took a deep breath and shut his eyes tight.

Garth felt a warmth blaze through his entire body and into his palms, as a bright yellow light engulfed the room. Garth focused his power as Javen’s wound began to heal; as if aided by an invisible surgeon, the gash sealed itself, while the others in the room shielded their eyes from the blinding light. The wound fully healed up, Garth took his hands away, the light fading soon after. There was utter silence in the room. Then, Javen’s eyes opened.

Tula stormed into the room and embraced her brother who moaned weakly.

“...Tula…that hurts...”

“Everything’s going to be okay now, Javen. You’re okay.” Tula hugged him even harder.

“Good work, Garth.” Orin patted his protégé on the back.

“Thanks…”

Garth looked down at his hands and realized he didn’t feel exhausted in the slightest. Usually he would be trying to catch his breath but now it felt easier. Maybe his exercises wer-

“First they attack our leaders. Now our children. Something must be done,” Orm said boldly.

“I agree. This will take more than just escorts.” Orin cycled through the options in his head, trying to decide what would be best. “I think we have to take extreme measures.”

“Brother, you don’t mean…”

“Lockdown.”

Everyone’s faces lit up with shock. Lockdown of Poseidonis had only been done once in the history of the city. It was impossible to even think about it happening again.

“As of right now, Poseidonis is under emergency lockdown,” Orin said sternly.

Vulko nodded but seemed hesitant to go and relay the order. Orm folded his arms impatiently.

“So we’re just going to sit here while the murderers wait outside?” Orm growled.

“No. Orm, you’re coming with me to make a visit,” Orin said.

“A visit?” Orm asked, puzzled.

“The attackers have been described as shark-men. That points to one person…Nanaue.”

“King Shark?” Mera cut in.

“Yes. It has to be him.”



Metal plating began to cover the domes of Poseidonis. Rising high above the city, the metal took the place of the transparent domes; the domes which stood tall with the thick layer of metal grafted onto them. And outside of the city, swimming out towards the distance, were Orin and Orm, ready to face the challenges ahead of them, along with the threat of King Shark. But they still remained unaware of the true threat, who was waiting patiently to make his next attack.

To Be Continued…


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