Part 4, Chapter 12

It’s hard to fight a war when both your leaders have been taken captive

Ch 12

The water was vicious as it spun Jianyu tighter and tighter in its cyclone. As he was flung about the echoes of the Sea Witch’s screams tore at him. “Where is my daughter?” The same question over and over lashing at him. 

Every time he answered, “I don’t know, ask the Merfolk King!” and the wailing would start again as the water sucked him up for another cycle. 

Despite the chaos around him Jianyu worked at focusing his power to break through the Sea Witch’s spell, but every time he started to make progress the King of the Merfolk would appear, his trident aiming for Jianyu’s heart, forcing him to defend himself. If the fight progressed to the point where one combatant might overcome the other they were ripped apart by the current.

Jianyu lost track of time as he was spun around, worn down by the Sea Witch’s rage and the constant attacks of the King of the Merfolk. Forcing himself to focus for another effort to break free Jianyu began to formulate a plan.

Outside the waterspout the two armies at an impasse. As time wore on, days becoming months becoming years the army of the Merfolk began to slip back into the sea. Slowly at first and then in rapidly increasing numbers until only a few warriors, those fanatically devoted to their King remained.

The Heavenly Army stayed. Jiangou returned to the palace a few times to see his daughter, but was always driven out by the Dowager Empress. His daughter had become a hostage to his good behavior. Resentfully he would return to the sea, train with the troops, and wait for his brother’s return.