Chapter 91: Chapter 90
Orm forefront of the combined armies of Atlantis and Xebel. His eyes narrowed as he surveyed the troops, their ranks swelling with the conquered Fishermen warriors. A grim determination etched across his features - the time had come to seize control of the Brine kingdom and cement his vision for Atlantis.
Beside him, Nereus, the king of Xebel, oversaw his own contingent of Xebelian warriors. Their fierce gazes mirrored Orm's unwavering resolve. The alliance between Atlantis and Xebel had proven fruitful, allowing them to amass a formidable force capable of subjugating the lesser kingdoms.
"The Brine kingdom will fall before us," Orm declared, his voice carrying a hint of triumph. "Once their armies are ours, we shall turn our attention to the surface world. The time has come for Atlantis to reclaim its rightful place as the undisputed ruler of the seas."
Nereus inclined his head, his expression unreadable. "Xebel stands ready to support Atlantis in this endeavor. Our people will fight alongside yours to ensure the success of our mission."
The two leaders exchanged a brief, tense nod, their partnership forged through pragmatism rather than true camaraderie. Orm knew Nereus harbored his own ambitions, but for now, their goals aligned.
With a sharp gesture, Orm signaled the advance. The combined forces of Atlantis and Xebel surged forward, their aquatic propulsion systems carrying them swiftly towards the Brine kingdom's borders. The Fishermen warriors, now under their command, followed dutifully, their loyalty secured through a mix of coercion and intimidation.
As they approached the Brine kingdom, Orm's gaze hardened. He had no illusions about the nature of the conflict to come. The Brine people were a fierce, warrior-like race, and their kingdom would not fall easily. But Orm was determined to succeed, no matter the cost.
"Prepare for battle," he ordered, his voice ringing with authority. "We will show the Brine kingdom the might of Atlantis and Xebel. There will be no mercy for those who defy us."
The armies responded with a resounding roar, their weapons at the ready. Nereus remained silent, his eyes fixed on the horizon, where the Brine kingdom's defenses loomed.
Brine King stood at the forefront of his crustacean-like warriors, his gaze unwavering as the armies of Atlantis and Xebel approached. The Brine people were a proud, brutish race, and they had no intention of submitting to the whims of their rivals.
"Atlantis and Xebel dare to invade our kingdom?" Kadmos bellowed, his voice rumbling like the crashing of waves. "We will show them the true might of the Brine!"
The Brine warriors roared in response, their chitinous exoskeletons gleaming as they brandished their jagged, serrated weapons. They surged forward, their powerful tails propelling them through the water with surprising agility.
Orm, standing beside Nereus, raised his hand, signaling the Atlantean and Xebelian forces to attack. "For the glory of Atlantis!" he cried, and his troops charged into the fray.
The two armies collided in a clash of steel and fury. Xebelian warriors wielding tridents clashed against the Brine's claw-like weapons, their graceful movements countering the brute force of their opponents. Atlantean soldiers, armed with advanced energy weapons, unleashed a barrage of projectiles, but the Brine's thick exoskeletons proved resistant to the onslaught.
Brine King, towering over his troops, swept aside Atlantean and Xebelian fighters with powerful swipes of his massive claws. His eyes burned with a fierce determination, unwilling to surrender the Brine kingdom to the invaders.
Orm, his expression twisted with frustration, directed his forces to target Kadmos directly. "Bring down the Brine King!" he commanded, his voice echoing through the underwater battlefield.
The Atlantean and Xebelian soldiers redoubled their efforts, their weapons striking at Kadmos with renewed vigor. The Brine King, unfazed by the onslaught, roared in defiance and lashed out with his powerful claws, crushing those who dared to approach him.
Nereus, observing the battle from a distance, frowned. He recognized the ferocity of the Brine warriors and the futility of Orm's direct assault. Quietly, he signaled his own Xebelian forces to flank the Brine army, seeking to outmaneuver them rather than engage in a head-on confrontation.
The battle raged on, the waters churning with the clash of Atlantean, Xebelian, and Brine forces. Neither side seemed willing to back down, their determination fueling the intensity of the conflict.
Orm surged forward, his trident poised to deliver the killing blow to the Brine King. But just as he was about to strike, a powerful figure emerged from the water, intercepting the attack with a resounding clash of steel.
"Orm, stand down!" a deep, commanding voice rang out.
Orm's eyes widened in shock as he recognized the regal figure before him - Aquaman, the true king of Atlantis.
"Arthur?" Orm breathed, his grip on the trident faltering momentarily.
Aquaman stood tall, his expression stern. "This ends now, Orm. Call off your attack on the Brine kingdom."
The Atlantean forces, sensing their rightful king's presence, hesitated, their momentum faltering.
Nereus, observing the unfolding events, signaled his Xebelian warriors to hold their position, recognizing the shift in the balance of power.
Orm's brow furrowed, his resolve hardening. "You have no claim to the throne, Arthur. Atlantis needs a strong ruler, not a weakling who cowers on the surface."
Aquaman's eyes narrowed. "I am the king, Orm, and I command you to stand down. This needless conflict serves no one."
The Atlantean soldiers, torn between their loyalty to Orm and their respect for Aquaman, remained silent, awaiting their leaders' next move.
"You cannot stop me, brother," Orm growled, his trident once again poised to strike. "Atlantis will be mine, and the surface world will bow before us."
Orm attacks Aquaman, creating whirlpools and unleashing blasts of lightning. Orm's face twists into a malicious grin as he declares, "I shall be Ocean Master!"
Aquaman braces himself, his muscular frame tensing as he faces his brother's onslaught.
The two Atlantean brothers clash, their limbs a blur as they exchange powerful blows. Orm's trident gives him a distinct advantage, the magical weapon amplifying his hydrokinetic abilities. Aquaman struggles to gain the upper hand, his fists and kicks meeting the unyielding resistance of the trident's prongs.
Suddenly, a familiar figure in sleek, aquatic armor joins the fray. Kamen Rider Abyss, Haruka's transformed state, unleashes a barrage of attacks, his Abyss Sabers clashing against Orm's trident. The addition of Abyss's skills and weaponry shifts the balance of the battle, forcing Orm to divide his attention between the two formidable opponents.
"Foolish Kamen Rider!" Orm snarls, his voice laced with contempt. "You dare interfere with the rightful ruler of Atlantis?"
Abyss responds with a flurry of slashes, his agility and precision putting Orm on the defensive. "I will not allow you to plunge Atlantis and the surface world into war, Orm," Haruka declares, his voice amplified by the Abyss armor.
Aquaman seizes the opportunity, landing a powerful blow to Orm's midsection. Orm howls in pain and rage, his eyes burning with a murderous intent.
"I will not lose, Arthur!" Orm shouts, his voice echoing through the underwater battlefield. "I will become the Ocean Master, and Atlantis will be mine!"
Orm summoned powerful whirlpools, the swirling currents so strong that they threatened the nearby armies of Atlantis and Xebel. The soldiers were forced to retreat, lest they be dragged into the vortex and torn apart.
Haruka, in his Kamen Rider Abyss armor, clung desperately to a rock formation, his enhanced grip the only thing preventing him from being swept away. Beside him, Aquaman struggled against the relentless pull of the whirlpool, his muscular frame straining with the effort.
"Aquaman!" Haruka shouted, his voice distorted by the roar of the churning waters. "Can you summon any sea creatures to help us?"
Aquaman shook his head, his expression grim. "The whirlpool is too powerful," he replied. "Any creatures I call would be torn apart."
As they fought to maintain their precarious hold, Haruka noticed something strange about Orm. The Ocean Master's skin was beginning to blister, and blood seeped from his eyes. Aquaman seemed to recognize the signs as well, his brow furrowing with a mixture of concern and realization.
"The Trident..." Aquaman murmured, his voice barely audible over the roar of the whirlpool. "It's rejecting him. If Orm continues to wield it, it will kill him."
Haruka's eyes widened behind his helmet. "Then we have to stop him, before it's too late," he said, his determination unwavering.
Aquaman met Haruka's gaze, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "I... I don't want to kill my own brother," he admitted, his voice tinged with sorrow.
Haruka understood the weight of Aquaman's words. He knew the king's desire to save his sibling, even in the face of Orm's treachery. With a resolute nod, Haruka made a decision.
"Then let me try," he said, his voice firm. Closing his eyes, Haruka summoned the power he had been entrusted with, the power of the gods.
"SHAZAM!" he cried, and a bolt of lightning struck his Abyss armor, causing it to shimmer and transform.
The lightning emblem on Haruka's chest glowed brightly, and golden accents appeared on his armor, infusing it with the power of Shazam.
Harnessing the combined might of the Kamen Rider and Shazam powers, Haruka surged forward, his Abyss Sabers glowing with a golden energy.
Haruka, empowered by the combined might of Kamen Rider and Shazam, surged forward. With his Abyss Sabers glowing with golden energy, he slashed through the raging whirlpool, slicing it in half. The powerful currents parted, revealing Orm, the Ocean Master, at the center of the vortex.
Seizing the opportunity, Haruka unleashed a flurry of punches, his enhanced strength and speed pummeling Orm's blistering skin. The Ocean Master howled in pain as Haruka's blows relentlessly struck his midsection and face.
Orm, struggling against the onslaught, tried to retaliate with his trident, but Haruka's agility allowed him to evade the attacks. With a final, devastating punch, Haruka broke through Orm's defenses, sending the Ocean Master hurtling towards the surface.
Leaping higher than Orm, Haruka positioned himself above the falling villain. Gathering his power, he executed a powerful Rider Kick, slamming into Orm's midsection with tremendous force. The impact sent the Ocean Master crashing into the waters below, rendering him unconscious.
Aquaman, witnessing Haruka's decisive victory, quickly retrieved his trident. Standing tall, he addressed the gathered armies of Atlantis and Xebel, his voice commanding their attention.
"The fight is over," Aquaman declared, his gaze sweeping across the subdued troops. "Orm will be taken into custody for his crimes of treason and war against the kingdoms of the sea."
The Atlantean and Xebelian soldiers, their earlier fervor subdued, remained silent, their eyes fixed on their king. Aquaman's presence and authority had shifted the balance of power, and the threat of Orm's ambitions had been quelled.
Hila, Mera, and Atlanna, who had observed the confrontation from a distance, swam forward, their expressions a mix of relief and concern. They gathered around Aquaman, their attention shifting to the unconscious form of Orm.
Atlanna swam forward, her expression somber. As a mother, she felt responsible for Orm's actions. "Orm, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice laced with regret. "I never wanted this for you."
Arthur placed a comforting hand on Atlanna's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Mother. Orm made his own choices." He pulled her into a gentle embrace, offering solace.
The armies of Atlantis and Xebel began to disperse, returning to their respective kingdoms. The threat of war had been averted, at least for now. Aquaman and Kamen Rider Abyss watched as the soldiers departed, both men weighing the events that had just unfolded.
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