"This armor feels so much lighter than the one back home," Raine murmured, adjusting his straps around his leaner than normal appearance.

The Amethyst Palace was unusually quiet. Guards where posted at the entrances but the servants seemed to have gone into hiding. Almost as if some were to happen soon.

"You there!"

Rubyn tensed, his hands slowly drifting towards the knife that was wrapped around his bicep. He saw a single guard swim towards them, his silver ear piercings glinting in the light.

I could take him out easily, he thought.

"What are you doing out of your posts!?"

Posts?

Raine chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, "Sorry bout that Sir. We got a little stressed and decided to take a little drink."

Right, Rubyn thought, remembering he had stolen the armor from the two guards they had taken down.

The guard curled his lip, "Well have at it then. Go back before the Captain finds out you left the favorite son unattended."

The two comrades glanced at each other, their lips curling at the opportunity that had been handed to them on a silver platter.

Rubyn grinned, "Aye sir," he said, "You wouldn't happen to know if he still in his room, do you?"

The merman gave them an odd glance, "He's at the library last time I heard," he muttered before swimming away. Without hesitating the two quickly swam in search for the library. They didn't have to look for long when they found the massive room filled with dozens off books, a table in the center scattered with dozens of half drawn maps.

And behind the piles of maps and scattered books was a woman. Long white locks, a pair of purple ear fins peaking though.

Just as they were about to leave the mer turned, nearly making the two stop. While from the back, it appeared to be a mermaid, in reality it was a young merman. Wide purple eyes, a pert nose and full lips, jewels draped over his shoulders and across his neck. A crown rested on his head, seven gems signifying his status as the seventh son.

"What are you two doing here? I thought I told you to leave me be," the mer said,

Rubyn's gaze slitted towards Raine, a smirk on their lips. Without hesitation they swam towards the youngest prince, their ill intent in their gazes.

The prince's purple gaze widened, "Intru-" his mouth suddenly muffled by their hands and Rubyn's blade at the seventh prince's neck.

"I'd be quiet if I were you, "Rubyn murmured, pressing the blade against his creamy skin, "And when I tell my friend over here to release you, you will tell me we're you've hidden the ruby gem."

The prince could only tremble for a moment before finally nodding in agreement.

Raine finally let go, but keeping his burly hands around his wrists. The Amethyst prince grimaced, "We don't have it."

Rubyn curled his lip,  grabbing the prince's jaw and squeezing it between his fingers, "What do you mean you don't have it?"

The prince winced, "When your mother passed," Rubyn growled but the young prince bravely continued, "She left the ruby gem behind. My father used it as a peace treaty with your father to end the war."

Rubyn glanced at Raine, who only shook his head, "I detect no lie. It must be why His Majesty was so insistent to stop your crusades."

Rubyn glanced at he prince, "What's your name boy?"

The prince scrunched his nose at being called 'boy', "First of all," the prince spoke, "I'm 210 years old and second, why do you need to know my name?"

Rubyn smirked, "What me to call you boy?" He glanced at Raine, "Tie him up. We're taking him with us."

The prince's eyes widen as he attempted to free himself from Raine's grasp, but rarely did a prisoner ever escape the burly man.

******

Atlantis could only stay still as Scarlet slowly swam around him, her eerie red eyes unsettling him.

"It's been too long," she murmured, her voice not entirely her own, deeper and almost sensual, bringing warmth to his cold veins.

The host reached out, pulling a single lock of white hair. The same hair that had appear barely a few hours before.

A solemn expression fell on her features, "I'm sorry."

Atlantis brows furrowed in confusion but they widened when Scarlett tore aways Atlantis' chest plate, revealing to everyone in the room at what laid at the center of his chest. The markings had grown, stretching around his torso, and blending into his back.

He could hear Morgan's gasp, the disappointment of keeping the secret filtering through the currents, "Morgan," Atlantis began, "I didnt want to worry you."

"Oh Atlantis," Morgan whispered, his green orbs glistening before pulling the lord into an embrace, "When did this happen?"

Atlantis pulled away, "When I arrived here. But the markings started showing up this morning."

Morgan glanced at Scarlet, "What is your name?"

Red orbs fixated on the young witch, fascination glittering in her irises, "Themis. Goddess of Justice. And you must be the witch to awaken us all."

Morgan's cheeks flushed, "Tis only my duty," he murmured, "But I must ask, what do you know of this?"

Atlantis squirmed under theor gazes as they glanced at the stangle glow that pulsed at the center of his chest, "It's Vasillos. The Lost Gem. The bigger piece of the two. The one I carry is the gem Sangria, meaning bloodstone. As for Vasillos, there is little knowledge of it. It has been lost since the First War."

"The war between the gods and Poisoden," Morgan murmured, "Why wpuld the gem surface now, and why does Atlantis have it?"

"Because he is supposed to give it to me," a voice said behind them.

They whirled around, coming face to face with someone Morgan had grown to despise.

No longer was she as beautiful as she once was. Now, her appearance had grown horrid.

Snakes had replaced her dreadlocks, her eyes serpent like with another one growing inbetween them. Two tusks protruded from her lips along with a pair of horns, one growing at the center and the other from the back of her head. Her mocha skin had turned pale barnacles now clinging to her flesh.

"Lilith," Morgan growled.

"Well hello old friend," the demon grinned.

A/N: I can safely say that I'm almost done with this book with maybe 1 or 2 chapters left.