Chapter 63: Of Blood & Water
[Maximus Westphall-Bennett]:
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Max takes a detour to "broaden his horizons" on the definition of magic, while Kol is exploring worlds of his own to learn more for the battles to come….
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Maximus floated on his back in the Moon Pool on Mako Island.
It was nighttime. The moon was out and full; not quite at the zenith yet, but Max could still feel its power causing the volcanic waters to bubble as it began building up its magic. He could even see parts of the moon as it approached the proper position.
"Just a little longer," Maximus murmured. "Just a little longer..."
He had been in the Makoverse for two and half weeks now, shifting through its countless timelines to view its histories from the source. He wasn't too surprised to find out the Makoverse is a multiverse, rather than simply a universe.
For Mako: Mermaids and H2O: Just Add Water had too many inconsistencies, differing facts and gaped open lores to take place in the same exact universes, even with the Rikki variant that showed up in the last episodes from Mako: Mermaids.
And it turns out the Makoverse multiverse was based on the plot of the two shows — Or rather, the Mako: Mermaids and H2O: Just Add Water series are the main plotpoints of the Makoverse multiverse.
Its kind of confusing, but at the same time, for Max, not so much.
Max decided to take a detour on his way to investigate the thread binding him to the CAOS verse. Mostly because the mermen of the universe were attractive, but also, because he wanted to broaden his horizons on the concept of magic and this particular reality would help him do that.
Plus, he wanted to experiment with his reality manipulation abilities. It probably helps that he had met with the almighty of this reality upon entrance and was given her blessing... So long as damage is minimum and the main two universes are untouched, Max was welcome to explore as a "Celestial Guest."
In essence, Max was basically a celestial on VISA, which was pretty cool.
He's been exploring her multiverse for 2 weeks now, noting how it consists of canon and fanon — A common occurrence, he's noted, across many realities.
He's seen many things.
The Mermaid/Merman War that resulted in mermen loss and separation. The sealing of the merman chamber and the hiding of the trident. He saw the merman pod banishment from Mako and their forced separation/disbandment — How their newborn boys were isolated in foster homes around the world, thinking they were the last of their kind.
Granted, there was more to the story and it was the mermen who started that war and forced the mermaids, for a time, off Mako Island — But that was roughly a thousand years ago, back in the year 1013.
Since then, any merman found by any of the 5 pods, were hunted relentlessly for over a thousand years by the mermaids. It was a law enforced by the Council and was the reason the pods thought the mermen had all died out by the time of Mako: Mermaids.
"Hunted for over all a thousand years and forced into hiding amongst humans..." Max muttered, as he watched the moon slowly creep towards the zenith. "How very Themysciran of the Five Pod Council... Fortunately, I am here now."
Max had already created a branching timeline of a merged reality of the two main verses — And, as per agreement, he won't destroy anything. But he will be changing the story of this branching timeline.
He had spent the first two weeks of this reality reading its countless verses and studying its magicks. Now he intended to experience it for himself by actually becoming a merman himself.
He was sure he could control any transformations he wouldn't want with his biokinesis and magic — And he's always wanted to experience the merman experience himself in his first life.
The Moon was now in place. The Moon Pool began to bubble as motes of light rose from the waters to meet the moon above. Its rays shined down upon the pool and the entire Moon Pool had begun to glow.
Max was still dressed in only a pair of black shorts but he already began to feel the changes done to himself — The transformation being undergone and he was observing its intricate changes in his body as the process proceeded.
[Maximus in Shorts Reference Images]:
When the transformation was done, Max observed the final output by looking down at himself through his mind's, and his physical, eyes.
His impressive physique from the waist up accentuated well with his long, black, curly hair. His hazel-green brown eyes really brought out his chocolate caramel skin. From the waist down, his blue merman tail flapped against the current. Easily 7 ft. 4 in. in length and surprisingly weighing a bit, the tail was beautiful — From its blue scales to its white-ish underbelly.
[Merman Form Reference Image]:
"There's only one prop left to really give the scene," Max grinned to himself as he summoned a trident, specifically Poseidon's trident from Percy Jackson movie merged with his trident from Wrath of the Titans.
[Reference Images]:
"I want to go swimming before I begin my plot correction experiment drive," Max murmured as he sunk beneath the Moon Pool waters, and disappeared in the waters beneath the surface.
Meanwhile, in a whole multiverse, Kol Mikaelson was exploring a whole new world...
[Kol Mikaelson]:
Thank god time was relative, because he has spent at least 300 years familiarizing and ingraining himself with this particular Earth.
SWISS!
Kol ducked a sword slash as fluidly as water under a bridge.
SWISS!
SWISS!
Two more slashes came at home at superspeed, the vampire behind them swinging his blade with enough strength to cause the air to ripple with arcs of golden-yellow. And though the young dhampir behind them was only half vampire, the force of the 14 year old's slashes were as good as any other in Dracula's war council, particularly a high-ranking general.
Of course, Kol The Kaiser, High General and Right Hand of Dracula, dodged Alucard's sword slash with a fluid-like grace that came with one of his status and power.
Unlike the rare enemies he let keep their lives, Kol didn't attack the young halfling. Instead, he advised, wooden training stick in-hand.
"Your footwork is getting better," Kol advised, circling the Dhampir. "You need, however, to flow with your blade. As you swing it, you aren't swinging a blade so much as using a limb. Once you understand that you will be almost as good a blademaster as... well, myself."
"You really think I could be as good of a blademaster as you?" Alucard asked.
"Half as good!" Kol chuckled. "No one is as good a blademaster. Not even your father, but I believe, with practice and proper guidance, you'll soon surpass him."
Alucard, wide-eyed, looked across the courtyard of Dracula's training yard, up a flight of stairs where his mother and father were watching the training session. His mother smiled and waved, her scholarly appearance stunning and true. His father merely smiled as he held her close, nodding at his son.
He returned his gaze to Kol, face fixed and determined. "Let's go again."
"As you wish, young lord," Kol got into stance again.
It's been roughly 300 years on the Earth from his memories and Kol has studied various branches of magic that weren't available or even possible on his home Earth.
Speaker Magic. Elemental magic used in ways not done so home. Various effects of Soul Magic inherent for the vampires of this world.
Devil Forgemastering — The human sub-type of Soul Magic.
Divine and Holy magic.
Ancestral and Cultural Sorcery.
Vampiric and Chaos Magic, or pact magic made from the chaotic manifestation of entropy itself.
In Kol's 300 years on this particular Earth, he's either practiced or studied everyone of these magicks. His unique biology allowed him the ability — Well, that and the Verbatim Stone mark etched into his torso.
He's practiced every form of this Earth's magic aside from Chaos magic, because he had no intentions making a pact with an unknown entity. Besides, him learning every other magick from this world more than made up for it.
He's made a name for himself on this Earth — Kol The Kaiser and Kol The Knavish are just two in a long list of well-earned titles he's been tagged with over the centuries.
He's trained under numerous teachers, Speaker magicians, human alchemists, forgemasters and even vampires. He learned much, has gained various perspectives and accomplished achievements that have earned mass recognition.
Yet...
"Are you sure you must go, Kol?" Dracula asked, furrowed brow in his study. "Alucard looks up to you. Lisa adores you. And I... you are a brother to me. Must you leave now? Truly?"
"I, of course, cannot deny how close I am to the family nor that you are like a brother to me..." Kol began slowly. "But there are worlds out there I wish to explore. I have for a while now."
"Don't worry for me. I will return... one day. I just —"
"You just want to learn?" Dracula finished, nodding. "Very well. You have always had an unearthly level of the desire. Just don't forget us."
"I won't, brother." Kol grasped the offered hand with his own.
By sunrise, he had vanished and the world he would end up in in his next step was one that would call him a "godslayer" , and would hunt him for as they would the others. Or they would try to.
Unfortunately for their Celestials, Kol Mikaelson was smart enough to remain subtle as he learned — And strong enough to defend himself should they come sniffing too closely...