Unexpected Detour (Razgriz x Wingshadow)

"I think Poseidon will understand that I'm fulfilling my duties as a husband, wouldn't you agree?" he then replied in a slightly teasing, but perfectly honest tone; of course this came before Vivian decided to press her full, warm lips to his. Of course, a real husband wouldn't abandon his wife, especially not after impregnating her. He was a fool if he didn't think Vivian's belly would slowly swell with child after their first time; the fact was - even if he wasn't fully aware of it - that his seed had hundreds of times the potency and volume now than it possessed when he first arrived. The enhancements being owed to the unique conditions of the planet and well....lots of practice.

The tiny loincloth he'd managed to fashion from what remained of Talbor's father's robes did little to hide his growing arousal; his manhood grew as he made his way further into her house, a foot coming up to close the door behind him. Not that it really mattered, as the dome itself was made of a transparent glass-like substance, but any added protection against intrusion was much welcomed in his eyes. His hands slipped under her robes to fondle her sizable, pillow-like breasts; he couldn't help but wonder what cup size she was. At least an E, if not an F, but he couldn't say for certain; he wasn't an expert in breast size after all.
 
Vivian hung her arms around his neck, pressing herself against his hands caressed her chest and pulled heated moans from her lips. She was evidently enjoying his attention quite fervently, as she pulled him toward her cot with great enthusiasm and sat down on the edge before letting go of her grasp on him only long enough to strip herself down. Her large bishop hat was once again quickly discarded, allowing her long flowing hair to cascade over her shoulders while her hands worked to unfasten her robe and pull it over her head. Her wing-like fins once again unfurled and began to stir up the water around them as she reached down to the fastenings of his loincloth and let the garment fall from his waist. She took hold of his large, hardening member with one hand and helped guide his hips with the other, rubbing the tip across her moist folds as she sat on the edge of the cot before him.

"Darling... Darling," Vivian cooed softly, her soft features clearly conveying her desire to taste of his sweet embrace once again. She knew that his seed had already impregnated her from their earlier bout of lovemaking, but she wished to enjoy his presence for as long as she could hold onto him. Yes, a child would allow her to remember the sweet love she held for her husband, but it was a different matter entirely from when she could hold him while her lover stood before her.
 
Sam couldn't help but grin as he was pulled toward the cot; he helped her undress, shedding those oh-so-pesky articles of clothing that hid her beauty. The water being stirred around them by the 'flapping' of her wing fins only helped to invigorate him; he was curious for a moment about that worked, but soon lost the capacity to care once her hands shed the modest piece of clothing from his well-defined form. The softness of her hand felt incredible against his hardened manhood, and he shivered a little as she rubbed her now exposed folds against his tip.

"Quite the eager little thing, aren't you? Well, far be it from me to keep you from what you desire, my dear Vivian" he then said as she cooed to him; he then pulled her up and sank himself to the root inside her, feeling her moist, velvet-like walls wrap around his arousal. "Let's try it like this" he then said, referring to the fact that he was standing up with her body pressed against him. He spread his legs just a bit to give himself some balance before pumping his hips (and hers) against each other, thrusting his erect cock deep into her womanly passage.
 
Vivian sighed, her welling desire to feel him inside of herself being quickly satisfied as he buried himself within her hot, accepting channel which was already contracting and brushing his length from the moment he inserted himself into her. Her arms clung to his back with fervor, although she knew full well that he would not draw back from her until he had released himself as many times as he so desired. She closed her eyes and searched for his lips, planting kisses along his chest, neck, and cheeks until she nestled hers against his own, moaning sweetly into their tight and affectionate embrace. Matching his pace, she thrust her own hips forward to meet his while balancing herself on the edge of the cot and resting some of her weight on his shoulders. Her large breasts formed a soft cushion between them.
 
Sam moaned lightly as he felt his beautiful wife give heated, passion-filled kisses all over his upper body; he still found it amazing that she would be like this with him, but he was glad for it, truly he was. His lips vibrated pleasurably as her moans echoed into his mouth and rang in perfect harmony throughout his Adonis-like form. Her pillow-like breasts flattened against his hard, broad chest, her nipples being rubbed with vigor against his flesh as their heated coitus continued to escalate. "Vivian.......you feel so good, my lovely" he breathed out to her as their hips continued to press into each other over and over again to reach that glorious peak of pleasure.
 
"Darling..." Vivian's eyes fluttered, cheeks red with love and adoration of her husband as she felt her body tighten around his member, intensifying the sensations between them, "I love you, Darling."

Her fingertips pressed into his muscled back with insistence and perhaps a hint of embarrassment from speaking to Sam using the less-formal "you" as opposed to "thee" (although it was highly likely he wouldn't even pick up on her mistake as they both had other things on their mind at the time). Her body was already beginning to contract and clamp down on his length, wishing to hold him as deeply and closely as possible. If she had legs, they would have been tightly wrapped around him as well but as she possessed a mermaid-like lower-half, she had to made due with what was available to her. She tenderly kissed his neck, her tongue brushing across and caressing his skin as if to sample his taste.

As her lover continued to pound away, thrusting his long thick shaft into her moist and accepting channel, she felt her peak rapidly approaching. She squirmed within his embrace, as if attempting desperately to stave off her own orgasm until he too could match her timing. His body, moreover, seemed to recognize the tell-tale signs and throbbed eagerly in response.

"D-d-darling!" Vivian's body shivered as she came hard, her womanhood squeezing his cock and rhythmically contracting around him as if milking him for his cum.
 
The heat from their bodies passed quite well, warming the water that was being stirred by Vivian's ever-increasing 'flapping' of her 'wings'; both of their heads of hair, his long but hers longer, drifted about in the small currents being generated. He could feel her body responding quite nicely, in turn spurning him to increase his efforts. "And I love you, me beloved darling Vivian" he then replied; naturally, he was so caught up in what they were doing that he missed the fact she didn't use her normal formal speech. He let out a sensual groan as her nails dug into his flesh slightly and her warm tongue and lips gently trailed over the skin of his neck.

He could feel her squirming under his increased efforts; she seemed to be getting close to her end. Which was good, because he felt he wasn't going to last much longer either if things kept going the way they were. Her arms seemed to grip him tighter as her breaths became more labored, her soft breasts being pressed even more firmly against him as her walls began to contract around him. His own manhood began to throb within her as his own climax neared; when she called out her petname for him, he lost with her, his hands gripping her ample bottom and forcing their hips as close together as he could manage. He trembled as he came inside his lover; hot spurts of liquid were pumped into her womb, his shaft pulsing against her contracting walls and filling her with another impressive amount of his heavy sperm. Even after this powerful orgasm, she would find that he was still ready for more.
 
Vivan leaned heavily against Sam as she gradually cooled down from her peak, her womb feeling slightly stretched in order to accommodate the large mount of his release. Her wing-like fins hung only half-extended, mostly from fatigue but still able to perk back up should she be sufficiently stimulated. For the time being, she seemed content to bathe in the afterglow with her husband and affectionately rub her cheek against his. She gradually regained control of her breathing and relaxed, her fingers releasing him from her grasp.

"Darling," the sea bishop's hips rubbed against his as she adjusted her position on the cot slightly, "I... I must admit that I will dearly miss these feelings that I share with thee at this moment. No one other than thee will satisfy this craving that I feel deep within me. My heart flutters at the very thought of ye, and mine soul is disquieted within me when I consider thy presence being taken from me."

Little did she know, but this was a connection that she was hardly alone in feeling toward Sam...

For at that very moment there was another creature, equally devoted and loving, who was yet still searching for him. She knew that his chances of survival were near zero, but even so she still labored and searched for something, anything that would remind her of him. The dim glow issuing from her form shone forth like a star amid the stale, dank darkness of the ocean depths as her tentacles prodded the thick sludge which coated the floor like a giant mat of tar. Around her hung a multitude of smaller creatures, silently following their mother as she worked and remaining as still as possible so as to keep from drawing undue attention to themselves. She had already fought off several attackers successfully, but her weary form was showing clear signs of fatigue. At last, the tip of one of her tentacles touched something and with eagerness she drew it out from the diatomaceous earth in which it was buried... It was a fragment of the clothing that Sam had worn, and she tearfully embraced it. Her children huddled around her, planting soothing kisses upon her cheeks but the plaintive cry that welled up within her could not be held back. The low, echoing groan of agony resounded throughout the depths, sending the lantern-fish girls into another tizzy. Had they not sent a delegation to meet with Poseidon to address the cause of this awful racket?
 
(Awww........)

Sam grunted and panted as he came down from his ever-so-delightful high; his chest rose and fell in tandem with his lover, both well-drained of energy, but having enough to go on should they want to. For now, he just stood there, feeling Vivian press herself against him as her grip lessened on his body. Soon enough, his own breathing quelled to a less-strained level and he gazed upon his wife as she spoke to him. Her words cut at him deeply; he didn't want to leave her, but knew he had to. He didn't belong here, as much as he wanted to be.

"I will miss you as well, my beloved Vivian; I do not want to leave, but I must." He then paused for a moment, and added, "But, if there is a way for us to see each other again, know that I will make every effort available to do so." He then paused to kiss Vivian full on the lips, holding it for quite a while to emphasize how much he'd come to love her, even with the short time they'd been together. He then broke it, saying gently, "But for now, let's enjoy the pleasure of our company together. As a husband and wife should". At the mention of 'husband and wife', his mind traveled to Marina, Gnome and the others, and finally making its way back to Rachel. Rachel must have been feeling the worst; having him drop off the face of the universe like this probably hit her really hard. The same probably went for Marina and the others; it was all so complicated. But he took a deep mental breath and focused on the task at hand: Making sure Vivian knew he loved her.
 
"That is sufficient for me," Vivian nodded, resting her head against his shoulder. She knew that he had no actual choice in the matter, but it still did not quell her wish to stay with him for as long as she could. His heart was not hers alone, and as such she had to content herself with but a portion. Many of his past lovers felt very much the same way, if not stronger than she when it came to this subject. Yet, through all of this she knew that in the present he was holding no one but herself, and in that, if nothing else, she could be content.

She held him to herself for quite some time before releasing him and laying down into the cot, his semi-hard member which was still within her sliding out as she did so. Vivian reached toward him and guided him to lay down beside her, nestling herself comfortably alongside her husband. The tips of her long, soft hair gently swayed with the slight currents which wafted through the housed, her eyelids closing and a barely audible sigh escaping her lips. She kept herself ready and available should he wish to continue, but she appeared accepting of but one round should he stop there. Perhaps it was due to the fact that her body was already well filled with his seed, or perhaps it was her own fatigue which factored into her behavior, but in either case she was not nearly as insistent as before.
 
Sam held Vivian close to him, feeling her chin rest on his strong shoulder as they embraced each other. He wished this didn't have to be so complicated; but that was what came with being the most virile (and probably now only) male on the planet. He was sought out for his seed, that was something he'd come to accept and he'd embraced it in the hopes of being able to get back to Rachel. Along the way, he'd met several crea....er, women....who'd actually treated him with respect and love. Though he'd wondered what driven to become so accepting in the first place; it was here he realized his thinking was circular. He was accepting because he saw it as a means to get what he desired; the question was......What did he desire?

But he shoved those thoughts out of his head as Vivian guided him to lay next to her; he noticed her wings were starting to fold back behind her. He wondered if he should continue; his own energy was exceptionally drained, but not to the point of slumber. Plus, this was a time where he felt gentle cuddling would be more tasteful. "Vivian...my beloved, I love you so much" he breathed out as he pulled her in for a deep kiss, feeling those soft breasts of hers press against as his hands roamed over her back, loving how the wisps of hair seemed to billow around them and created a kind of cloak. He loved everything about her, and he wanted her to know that he was true to her when he said that.
 
Vivian returned the embrace and kiss, her fingers tracing along his back and holding him to herself. She softly, soothingly moaned while the warmth between them settled into a comfortable glow. She caressed him and accepted him with her whole being, wishing to savor this tender moment between them for as long as she could. She loved the feeling of his hands upon her body, enjoying her soft, unblemished skin.

"I love thee most dearly as well, my darling," Vivian smiled back at him sweetly, her hands reaching up and cupping the sides of his face, "Please get some rest... Tomorrow is an important day for the both of us. Let us not be late for our appointment."

She laid her head down on his shoulder and closed her eyes, intended to fall asleep there in his arms until the breaking of dawn. A dull, distant glow gleamed out from the darkening waters around them, perhaps the lights of the city below them, while the gently sloshing waves above them pulled in the tide. The townsfolk turned in for the night, both in small groups as well as individually, witch each bidding the others a courteous good-night.

---

Down in the main hall of the royal palace stood King Poseidon herself, each of her long eight suction-cup-tipped tentacles performing a variety of tasks. One held a pen and signed various documents while another sorted them. Another one of her arms searched files which were piled up around her in tall stacks, looking for forms to mail out to distant provinces. Two arms were stacking bags of coins to be spent on projects throughout the kingdom. Her human hands were folded in an attentive manner under her chin, her firm and contemplative eyes stared directly into the dull, silent eyes of a lantern-fish girl.

"So you are telling me the disruptions are continuing?" Poseidon inquired, "That is most unusual... I could have sworn I sent a delegation to address the issue. I would go myself, but due to the resources I must expend in order to provide relief to the coastal town that was damaged in the recent storm, I'm afraid I am spread out a bit thin at the moment."

The lantern-fish girl simply nodded in response.

"I'm afraid I cannot put much more thought to the matter, for my next appointment will be arriving soon," the king of the sea sighed, "I will see to it that it is dealt with as soon as I am able."

The lantern-fish did not seem particularly satisfied, but held her peace and swam to the side of the room to await the next person to enter the hall and make their request.
 
Sam wholeheartedly enjoyed this tender moment with Vivian, feeling her hands caressing his sculpted form and gladly rubbing her gently with his own. The gentle sway of the currents were acting like a rocking cradle to him, her moans like a sweet lullaby to soothe and calm a restless infant. His manhood finally shrank all the way, indicating that he was fairly drained. His heart ached knowing that he would have to leave her, but he knew that he had to go; if anything, part of him seemed to want to stop the Succubus, one way or another.

"Yes, tomorrow is a very important day. Sleep well, my darling" he muttered, feeling the sides of their faces nestle against one another and her chin on his shoulder. His arms would stay wrapped gently around her, keeping their tired bodies pressed close to each other throughout the night. Sam would sleep peacefully as the city fell into darkness, his newly-accustomed body quickly adjusting its bodily processes to account for the drop in temperature of the night. The pair's sounds were small normal breaths, two lovers entering the realm of dreams; however, before they knew it, morning was upon them, the brilliant sunlight piercing the water's surface and lighting up the underwater kingdom.

As the morning rays hit Sam's face, his eyes twitched before parting to reveal the golden hues he was born with. His eyes tilted up slightly to see his wife Vivian sleeping next to him; she looked so peaceful, it was a shame to have to wake her. But they had a 'date' with the Sea King, Poseidon herself. He noticed that Vivian still had that glow about her, one of someone who'd just been shown a good loving. He planted a kiss on Vivian's forehead and said, "Vivian, darling, wake up. Time to go see Poseidon". He was pretty sure he looked the same; however, this did trigger a slight thought in terms of appearance.

He looked down to see that all he had was the loincloth; would this be acceptable to see someone like the Sea King? The last thing he needed was to cause an incident because he lacked modesty. Still, his experiences showed that he was probably better off just wearing no clothes at all. He shook his head; no, she was the King here, a well-respected and obviously very powerful figure. A good reason for Sam to rationalize that he didn't want to be on her bad side. But, what would he wear? He couldn't just ask Vivian to give him her clothes, could he?
 
(I apologize for the lateness of my reply... I spent most of yesterday playing through MQ part 2)

Vivian sat up and looked up at Sam, her clear, half-opened eyes gazing into his while a pleased yet weary smile curled the edges of her mouth upward. She slipped out of the cot and swam close to the ground, picking up her clothes which they had strewn around the room the night before and placed them into a nearby basket. She then headed over to the dresser and pulled out another set of clothes and slipped into them, pulling her large fluffy hat onto her head after brushing her long hair. After dressing, she paused for a moment before taking out what appeared to be a formal robe, apparently designed for a human to wear, and presented to to Sam.

"Mine mother made this for me, in case I ever got married to a fine man... She intended it to be used during the marriage ceremony, but I believe it should be suitable for presenting yourself before the King as well, should it not?" she smiled and began to help dress her husband, "Please hurry, we do not have much time before our appointment."

It didn't take long to properly affix the robe around his shoulders and adjust it so that it fit him, after which she took his right arm in hers, pulling him close to herself into a tender embrace and placing a kiss upon his cheek before leading him over to the door. The city below them seemed to have already roused itself, the marketplace already busy with morning shoppers and stall-keepers who where hurrying about to put back up their wares. No one seemed to pay particular attention to Sam and Vivian, and there was no sign of her two friends from the day before. It was a good thing, too, for they would have probably not made their appointment had they stopped even for a short while to chat.

The royal palace stood imposingly toward the back of the city, towering above the rest like a giant mountain made of stone and large shells. Four thin towers stood at each of the corners of the complex, topped with what appeared to be giant glowing anemone girls, whose fronds reached out to comb the waters for small creatures to consume for an early morning snack. Below them stood the palace itself, with wide open doors and crowds of swordfish girls acting as guards which helped keep the visitors from causing unneeded (even if unintentional) unrest. The main hall was lined by giant, 50-foot-tall compound pillars which ran the length of the complex, allowing for a large number of people to walk about and reach each of the many government buildings which were contained within. It seemed like less of a fortress than the political center of the kingdom, as aside from the guards there was no sign of soldiers, fortifications, or war engines.

Far in the back, much larger than even the gigantic Leviathan from before, stood King Posiedon herself. She was quite apparently a Scylla, her human-like upper body wrapped in a toga-like robe which hung from golden clam-style clasps on each of her shoulders. Her concentrated, piercing eyes were filled with wisdom and intensity, but also care and concern, showing that she was strict yet caring toward her subjects. Her long tentacles flowed out from the bottom of her robe and dealt with several matters at once, as she beckoned in a dignified manner toward Vivian and Sam to approach.

"The good Sea Bishop Vivian has told me much about you, human," she began, studying Sam's form slowly from his feet all the way to the crown of his head, "You desire to obtain the power of the elementals to stand against the Succubus, do you not? That is an admirable goal, to say the least, but I fear that you are yet unready to confront the water elemental in your current state... I yet see the faded mark of an earth elemental on you, one known as Gnome. You will need her power, in the very least, to persuade Undie to join you, for she takes a dislike to males whom she perceives as being unfaithful or impure in the pursuit of their goals."
 
(No worries, my dear. We all have things outside of RPs)
Sam smiled as he looked into Vivian's eyes; he felt a slight twinge of guilt and despair that he wouldn't be able to look upon her radiant form anymore, but realized that this was necessary and had to be done. His eyes followed her as she swam about, picking up her discarded clothing before fetching something for her to wear. He drank in her beauty, her elegance; to be honest, he was surprised at how little her self-confidence was only yesterday. He remembered how she spoke of herself as unimportant; he couldn't help but feel guilty as her words about him being able to punish her rang in his ears. But at least she wasn't like that now; he could tell she was relatively happy, but the heaviness returned when he heard her telling him about how she'd miss him when he left.

His thoughts were interrupted when Vivian returned with a robe for him to wear; his cheeks flushed as she indirectly referred to him as a 'fine man'. "Yes, this would be far more appropriate than just a loincloth" he replied, working with her seamlessly to help affix the robes about his body. It covered everything that needed, looking somewhat like a hoodless monk's robe with shorter sleeves. It was predominately white, with light green accenting the cuffs of the sleeves, the hems of the robe itself and the neck. "Your mother must have been a master seamstress" Sam added, smiling as she pecked his cheek and took his arm with her own and led him towards Poseidon.

The building was quite impressive; it was quickly obvious to Sam that this is where Poseidon herself resided. "No surprise, considering she monitors the seas, but still......This place is huge!" Sam commented as large stone doors with Atlantian scripture were opened. He saw more of the swordfish girls; these ones were clad in silvery armor very different from the ones surrounding the market. Sam rationalized that this was her royal guard; though if she was as powerful as Vivian said, then he saw little reason for her to have a guard detail like this. As he was led to the main chamber, he noticed the other species working fervently, carrying thin stone slabs and stacks of what appeared to be paper, clearly forms that needed to go to a certain place.

As the doors to the main chamber were pushed open, Sam got his first look at Poseidon; he thought he was going to faint. She made the Leviathan seem like a puppy; no wonder Vivian stated her power in such a way. Each of tentacles was about as thick as an eight-passenger IPV, and her aura was clear one of which that said "Mess with me and die". He gulped and froze as she beckoned them towards him. While Vivian might have been at ease, Sam - this relatively weak little human - felt the dread forming a knot in his gut. She could easily crush him if he said the wrong thing; his golden hues, with pupils contracted to pinhead-size, gazed up at her as she spoke to him, feeling her gaze wash over his body. The mention of a mark from the Earth Elemental, however, snapped him out of his stupor, his eyes roaming his own body until he saw something on the palm of his right hand.

"Wha....?" he said, staring at the faded-out mark, his head cocked curiously; when did that get there? He then remembered seeing the mark when he got attacked by those bat-women in the cave, having used Gnome's power to try and escape, even if it turned out to be a somewhat failed effort. His mind went back to Gnome; she liked him a lot, and his insistence on breaking the contract must have broken her heart. "I'm such a jerk" he thought to himself; he'd broken her heart and he knew he was going to upset Vivian because he had to go. Obviously his attempts to get over monogamy still left him confused and torn, his hands clenching in frustration. His mind played back those he had been with: Rachel, Talbor, Ruby, Vivian, Gnome and....Marina!. "The Leviathan!" Sam thought to himself; then out of nowhere, Sam fell to his knees, his forehead bowed to touch the floor as a form of submission, speaking quite loudly and pleadingly, "Please, King of the Sea! I know I have no real power to be asking this, but.....There's a squid woman, by the name of Marina! The Leviathan......threatens the family she has! She threatened to let her young eat her family adn her! I beseech thee, King Poseidon, please protect her and her little ones!"
 
"Marina..." Poseidon blinked and brought her human arms up under her chin, her entire body pausing for half a second in mild shock as she recognized the name, "Where have I heard that name before... Oh, you must be referring to that quid creature that has been upsetting the lantern-fish girls for the past few days. She keeps making an awful racket, cursing herself and scouring the bottom of the ocean floor in search of any sign of her mate. The poor thing will probably die at this rate..."

"I have tried to send delegates to speak with her, but she has attacked every one in a blind rage, thinking that they are after her children. A emotionally distressed mother is a thing to be feared, indeed. She is part of the reason why I have increased my guard, lest panic break out. My subjects are peaceful and fear violence from creatures such as the Leviathan," she shook her head sadly, her immense aura only fading in intensity slightly, "I'm surprised you know about Marina, however... Would you happen to be the one she is looking for so desperately?"

The enormous Scylla smiled, "Allow me to offer you a proposal, that I am sure you will be glad to accept. Bring Marina here and I will care for her and her children, as well as provide you the location of Undie with whom you seek a contract. Normally, I would count your desire to destroy the Succubus who holds my planet captive in itself to be ample recompense for my favor, but I have something that I wish for you to perform for me, which I believe you alone are fit to accomplish."

She waved her hand through the water and a swirl of magical energy formed into a scroll, which she then handed to Sam, "I have an older sister, named The Goddess of the Air or The Goddess for short. She is more aggressive than I (who sought to merely live in peace) and much more courageous, and with some persuasion we waged war against the Succubus in an attempt to force her to surrender. However, as the war raged for many years, our forces seemed to be equally matched. We where betrayed by the Pharaoh, however, and my sister was captured, taken captive and bound within an unbreakable prison which our kind cannot so much as approach without being drawn in and bound as well. This scroll has directions to where you may find her. Please, free my sister and she can lend us her strength once again. With that, I will call us even."
 
Sam kept his bowed as Poseidon repeated her name; though it shot right up to look at her as she mentioned that Marina could die and that any form of negotiation and talking was met with violence. "Yes, I am; I'm sorry for causing so much trouble, I was only trying to do the right thing" was Sam's reply; he figured Vivian had reported to Poseidon and that she told her everything, including Sam's confession to Vivian about his confusion. She wouldn't have been able to guess that she was looking for her mate if she didn't know that already; plus her tone and calm demeanor of talking about it was another hint, but that could have been how she talked about things normally.

Sam lifted his head again as she offered to care for Marina and their children AND tell him where to find Undine. Though when she mentioned destroying the Succubus, Sam froze; what did she mean by that? That wasn't part of his plans, but then again, even he wasn't sure why he was going to see her. His mind then flashed back to Rachel; that was right, the Succubus had a means, supposedly, to get him off this planet. But would Rachel even want him back now? As this mess of a man who'd bedded with more humanoid creatures than most could even think about? Plus, if she found out that he'd actually impregnated some, if not all, of them......It was unlikely that she'd let that slide so easily.

However, this was pushed out as a scroll was handed to him; he took it and listened as Poseidon explained about her sister, and how she'd been captured by this 'Pharaoh'. He was also surprised to hear that there'd been a war between them; however, given what little he knew so far, it seemed a likely event to have taken place. Sam's eyes widened as she asked him to free her sister the Goddess; he felt so trapped. He wanted to help, but if this 'Pharaoh' had the strength to imprison someone like Poseidon's sister, could he really defeat something like that? But he had to try; if he got at least two Elementals to contract with him, he might have a chance. And besides, she was offering to protect Marina and his family from the Leviathan; he wasn't exactly in place to negotiate. He then stood up, feeling satisfied, "Very well, King Poseidon, I will liberate The Goddess, no matter what it takes. But if I may ask, why do you think I can overpower this 'Pharaoh'? I mean, if she has enough strength to overpower someone as strong as your sister, don't you think I might be a tad outclassed?" Sam of course was thinking about this in terms of strength and ability, so in his mind, he was perfectly reasonable in considering he might not stand a chance against the Pharaoh.
 
"Pharaoh has become weakened from her battle against my sister, with much of her energy being expended to keep her imprisoned. Also, she has become over-confident as of late, and will likely command her soldiers to take you in alive rather than killing you. The combined powers of Undie and Gnome are a force to be reckoned with, which will make you more than a match against normal monsters. However, you are right in your assessment that even in her weakened state, the Pharaoh is far beyond your power to subdue from sheer force. To that end, I will infuse into your mind a powerful sealing spell, which will be able to bind the Pharaoh once you infuse it with the Earth and Water elements," Posiedon held out her hand toward Sam and gently placed it on his forehead, a soothing sensation pulsed through his body before she withdrew her hand from him once again, "In order to seal a monster, you must use the elements which resonate with her soul, which in the Pharaoh's case are water and earth. I know that this is hard for you to understand, but trust in your contracted spirits to guide and train you. The path you have chosen will be a hard one, indeed... But there is some good news."

Posiedon smiled, the curve of her lips belying a mild hint of lust, "You can bed my sister as much as you like once you rescue her. She will be starved for energy as soon as you release her, so she will be quite willing to accept you."

The Sea King's laugh echoed throughout the hall, and ended as abruptly as it had begun, "In any case, I will also divulge to you Undie's location, but it is up to you to convince her to form a contract with you. She is currently in a pure, clean mountain spring known as Cleansing Embrace, so named since it is believed to possess the power to purify the very soul from corruption. Now go, and begin your quest as soon as you are ready. There is not much time, and there is much to do... Oh, and remember to bring Marina here before you forget to."

With that, Posiedon turned her attention back to the papers before her and began to mumble as she read them. Apparently this was his cue to leave, but if there was something more he wished to ask she would probably continue the conversation. Vivian merely smiled in a slightly uncomfortable manner and shrugged, not sure what to make of the situation.
 
If Poseidon's words were meant to comfort him, then she wasn't doing a very good job of it. But, given her demeanor and way she explained things to him, it seemed merely an intent to inform. But at least she had a potential weakness he could exploit; overconfidence was a dangerous thing that Sam learned early on to avoid. He froze as her human hand reached out to him and touched his forehead; though he couldn't see it, a strange set of Altantean symbols appeared in a circle on his forehead, followed by a hexagram circumscribed by a circle. The final step of the Seal showed a bright red symbol in the center of all this - unknown to him, this was roughly translated to 'Eternal Resonance Bind'- and all the while he felt soothing pulses and tremendous power rock his form. He felt incredibly alive, but the sensations went away as her hand left his forehead.

Sam just nodded as she explained to trust in the contracted spirits to train him in the art of using this technique; seemed like he just added a new power to his recently depleted arsenal. Sam froze as she smiled at him; thanks to his many encounters so far, he could tell pretty easily whenever even the smallest amount of lust was in someone's expression. Though he seemed to choke slightly as she bluntly told him he could bed her as much as he liked. "Uh..Uh..." was all he could say as her laugh shook him to his core; even when she spoke to him about it being in him to convince her to form a contract with her, he shook himself of the surprise. It seemed blunt honesty was a shared trait down here.

Sam just smiled and shook his head as she called his new objective a 'quest'; it was like he really was in a fantasy roleplaying game, with him being the playable character and no strategy guide to guide him through the quests he undertook. But, he indeed took Poseidon going back to her work as his cue to leave; he then turned to Vivian and asked, "So, do we know where Marina is at the moment?" He then sighed and rubbed the back of her head, "I have a slight feeling she's not going to let me go again, even if I tell her what I have to do." He started to think of ways to explain to her that what he was doing was necessary.
 
"I am certain that the lantern-fish girl would be glad to lead us to her," Vivian gestured toward the ready and waiting lantern-fish, whose empty gaze stared right through Sam. She didn't seem to be interested in him in the least, but the look she was giving him was still a bit chilling to say the least, "I'm sure ye will be able to find a way to convince her to stay behind. After all, her children need a constant supply of food, do they not? However much she loves you, she will cherish your children as well and will continue to care for them and protect them with her very life, if necessary. That is the way we monster women raise our children, so I am sure it applies to her as well."

The sea bishop took his hand in hers, gently leading him out of the court and following the lantern girl who slowly turned and swam out into the city and down a path leading toward the sea floor. As soon as they passed through the city outskirts, the water itself seemed to drop drastically in temperature, chilling them to the bone. Vivian paused, the lantern-fish noticing the change in her behavior and waited for her to finish.

"Sam... I can go no further with you on this journey," she said calmly, but even as she spoke it was clear that tears were beginning to form in the corners of her eyes, "I will cherish every moment we spent together, from the time I first saw you barely holding on to dear life itself to when I see you now before me. It was indeed a tragic thing that befell you, but even so I will bless our meeting to the end of my days. Thanks to you, I was able to experience a love I never thought I ever could, and..."

Her hand rested on her bosom, where their child was already beginning to grow, "...A child I thought I would never be able to bear. I wish to thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Please, let Marina and the others feel the same love that I have."

She bent forward over him and kissed him briefly before swimming back toward the city, casting one last backward glance before darting off into the dimly lit waters above. The lantern-fish looked over at Sam as if to ask if he was going to be alright and waited a short while before turning back toward the depths...

A dim glow was already visible below them, and if one looked especially closely one could pick out the silhouette of some large creature's appendages spread out into the water to snare prey. Tiny, glistening and darting forms flitted around the large body below, tempting its prey to draw close enough to the light to be snared by the open and ready arms... Of Marina. Her eyes were closed in concentration, while several of her arms were already holding captured fish which her children humbly feasted upon. She looked quite worn and hungry herself, her body much less clear and healthy than Sam would remember her being. Her tired eyelids slowly opened and peered into the darkness, catching the bright light from the lantern-fish girl's lantern and glancing upward toward where Sam floated, but as of yet she didn't seem to recognize him.
 
Sam nodded as Vivian indicated the lantern-fish girl would lead them to Marina. He was quite creeped out by the way she was staring at him; he tried smiling back, but got nothing. He then turned to Vivian as she revealed her confidence in him that he could convince her to stay with Poseidon. "Yes, she's a great mother......" he said, adding mentally "I just wish I was a better father" But, he resolved to be strong, for he knew that he would have to be, both in this challenge and the ones he would face in the future. Sam's fingers were soon intertwined with Vivian's, his departure a fairly swift one from the Atlantean governmental building.

It wasn't long before Sam began to feel the temperature drop and the pressure increase; his modified body could adapt to the pressure differences relatively easily, but the cold would be inescapable. He shivered, feeling the chills in his bones; the water was darker here, ominous almost, like it reeked of despair and desolation. He turned as Vivian explained she could go no further; guess this was where they parted ways. His eyes widened in surprise,then his head drooped and his heart felt so heavy as she praised the day she met him and what she'd given him. "Vivian....." was his start at a response; however, her kiss cut him off. He could only watch as she swam off, his heart feeling strained at her parting words, however sweet they were to hear.

But now, he had a task to focus in front of him: Marina. He pushed his arms up to force himself down, feeling the temperature drop even more before his feet touched the silty floor. The dim blue glow from her body cast a phantom-like glow on Sam's robed form; his golden hues had never left hers, but he just looked upon her, a deep expression of concern lining his features as he saw just how much less healthy she looked. "Marina......." was all he could say; where the hell did he start? Would she even believe it was him. The small currents made his now- shoulder length black locks sway slightly, the awkward silence following rather conducively.
 
"I must finally be going crazy, de geso," Marina's voice, worn raspy from the stress, issued from her lips with despair, "I'm sorry my little darlings, but it seems I'm drawing toward the end of my line... I'm seeing the dead, de geso."

Her little children looked between Marina and Sam, clearly confused as they recognized their father. They stopped eating and swam over to him, planting tender, affectionate kisses on his cheeks. Their little tentacles wrapped around his fingers and arms, keeping themselves from drifting away in the deep ocean currents. Marina's eyes slowly traced his form, finally resting on his eyes which she stared up at for what felt like hours.

"Sam?" Marina blinked.
 
Sam bowed his head; while he figured she thought he was dead, it kind of hurt to hear her say it. But, his frown turned into a slight smile as his younglings approached him, relishing in the kisses and squeaks they made. "Dad's sorry, little ones, for worrying you so much. And you, especially you, Marina" he thought to himself as his eyes stopped looking at his children and came back to rest on Marina.

When she finally said his name, he smiled even more and slowly made his towards her so as not to shake his children too much; he then knelt in front of her, staring at her for a brief moment before embracing her gently. His eyes remained closed as he said, soothingly into her ear, "Marina.......I really made you worry, didn't I? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry; but I couldn't stand the thought of that beast harming you or our children."
 
"Sam..." the life behind Marina's eyes gradually returned as she wrapped two of her tentacles as well as her human arms around him. Her grip was much weaker and more tender than before, but even so he could probably tell that she was overwhelmed with joy to have him once again beside her.

"I thought you were dead..." the squid-woman smiled, tears of joy clouding her eyes, "I thought that if I could at least give you a proper burial I could move on with my life, and forgive myself for being the cause of your death, de geso."

She eagerly pulled herself up and kissed him, her dim glow increasing until they could both see each other clearly. The little ones let go of their father and sat down on the floor a short distance away and watched them with silent curiosity, using their tentacles like anchors to hold themselves on the silty floor.

"Come to think of it... How are you still alive?" Marina pulled back from the kiss and looked up at him with confusion, "Humans can't breathe underwater, de geso!"
 
Sam felt the lack of strength in her grip, but felt no lack of love and joy to see him alive; if anything, it was even stronger than before. "Marina....You weren't the cause...." he started to say, but once again, the lips of a lover silenced him, feeling the light of her glow wash over him. The kiss continued until she pulled back and inquired about how it was he was still alive. Sam heaved a mental sigh; he wasn't sure how she would take this, but she needed to know.

Sam then took a deep breath and replied, "A Sea Bishop by the name Victoria Franscosta Germanitca Vermonia the Great performed a ceremony to adapt my body to be able to survive underwater. But she prefers Vivian as it's less cumbersome to remember and it's what her friends refer to her as, so there's that." But he felt that she would ask just what kind of ceremony it was, so he added, "The conditions of the ceremony involved us becoming married, a husband/wife pair....." He then trailed off, not really sure of what else to say. He then decided, "But before you go thinking I don't love you even after that, know that you'd be wrong. I still love you dearly, Marina". He then looked right into her eyes to help emphasize his point, to make sure that she knew it 100%.
 
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