"Arina."

Several of the mermen near Laaqueel spoke the name, and she assumed it belonged to the young woman with the whales.

The whales broke before Iakhovas, swimming under him, knocking the nearby warriors around in whirlwind currents that drew sand up from the ocean floor in massive clouds.

And after the whales passed, Laaqueel noticed that King Vhaemas's body was gone, evidently taken up by one or more of the great creatures. The morale of the mermen disappeared with the merman king, and they began disengaging where they could and falling back.

Iakhovas evidently wasn't going to give them an easy retreat. He issued orders at once to begin the pursuit. It was going to be a bitter death march back to Voalidru.

Tu'uua'col swam through the clutch of rocks and settled gently on the ocean floor behind Prince Mirol as he prayed to Eadro.

Built lean and angular, Mirol didn't look like a warrior, or the newly named heir to the throne of Eadraal. King Vhaemas had awakened only once after the whales and Princess Arina had transported him to Naulys, the merman city west of Voalidru. During that time he named Mirol as his successor, then slipped back into the coma that held him still.

Tu'uua'col hadn't accompanied King Vhaemas during the Battle of Voalidru. The prejudices the merman warriors had against him because he was shalarin ran too deep. Still, he had not allowed himself to be put on the sidelines as the Taker's army closed on Naulys. His place, for the moment, was at the prince's side. Quietly, the Green Dukar put his hand on Mirol's shoulder.

Unhurried, Mirol finished his prayer to Eadro, asking for deliverance in this time of need. He flipped his tail and turned to face his advisor.

"Our scouts have spotted the Taker's advance guard," Tu'uua'col said. "How soon will they be here?"

"Within minutes."

"And their numbers?"

"As at Voalidru," Tu'uua'col answered.

"Do you think we can hold them from Naulys?"

The Dukar hesitated. Mirol had remained very true to his calling as a priest until his father had handed him the reins of leadership. As a result, the boy didn't know much about the ways of war and warriors.

"No, my prince. Not without a miracle."

Mirol showed him a brave smile and said, "Exactly what I was praying for. Now let's see if Eadro can deliver."

He took up the trident that had been his father's and swam to the front of the line.

The land around Naulys was hilly, rife with coral reefs. They'd used those reefs to set up ballistae that had been salvaged from surface world ships. The Taker's army came on, the drowned ones at the lead.

Tu'uua'col watched as the first rows of warriors clashed. Priests of Eadro, summoned by Mirol, worked to turn the undead, chanting praises to Eadro. Many of the drowned ones were turned away, leaving the koalinth to bear the brunt of the first attack while their own ranks were broken by the zombies' retreat.

For a moment, confused by the retreating zombies, the koalinth gave ground in the face of the vengeful assault by the merman warriors of three conquered cities who'd managed to join Naulys's defenders. The sheer numbers of the koalinth turned the tide yet again. The merman warriors were slowly driven back.

Tu'uua'col watched, desperately seeking some way out of the situation though he knew there wasn't one. The Taker had planned too well, and the priests had not turned all of the drowned ones. He gazed at the Taker's flagship floating above and behind the koalinth, then noticed the fluttering movement that came in from the north.

The winged shapes sped through the water without warning, and they came by the thousands. They descended on the staggered line of koalinth without mercy.

"What is that?" Mirol asked. He peered into the deeper reaches of the sea.

"Ixitxachitl," Tu'uua'col answered, feeling somewhat better. "Apparently, they decided to join in and retaliate against the Taker."

"It's a miracle," Mirol said quietly.

Tu'uua'col didn't agree, thinking it was more like the demon rays taking advantage of the diversion the mermen provided. As he watched the ixitxachitls swoop in on the koalinth, the Dukar thought the real miracle would be if the demon rays didn't turn on them next.

The merman warriors pressed to the forefront, cutting down koalinth as chance presented itself

"Col," Mirol asked, "do you think there's a chance to form an alliance at Myth Nantar to stand against the Taker?"

"Yes," the Dukar replied quickly.

Excitement flared within him. The merman cities held the largest population in the immediate area around Myth Nan tar. If they took a step to form an alliance he was certain the other races would agree.

"I would like you to start on this immediately after this battle is finished," Mirol said. "Provided we both yet live. I will go with you."

"Of course, Prince Mirol."

Tu'uua'col turned to watch the battle as the koalinth continued to retreat before the savagery of the ixitxachitl. If Myth Nan tar rose again, as was alluded to in some of the legends, the Dukars would also rise once more.

Nine days later, Pacys stood close to the Great Barrier. Senior High Mage Reefglamor and the other High Mages of Sylkiir stood there with the others who agreed to the Nantarn Alliance. After nearly a tenday of hammering out the details, the old bard knew them all. While they'd bickered and argued among themselves, he'd written, adding their songs to the epic that came so readily now to his lips.

The Taker's army had been turned at Naulys, leaving the city intact, though Voalidru was still heavily occupied at the moment. Scouts had also determined that Iakhovas was pulling together reserves from the sahuagin raiding parties and guiding even more of the drowned ones that continued the occupation of the Whamite Isles.

With arms as thick as oak trees crossed over his huge chest, Qos faced the Great Barrier beside the old bard. When he'd first put in his appearance there had been many who had known him.

"Know you this," Qos said in his booming voice, "as we begin this alliance. If any of you who represent your nations and people are not truthful, the Great Barrier will know and it will not open. Only the true interest of saving all of Seros, of seeing Seros once again healthy and whole, will allow the barrier to unlock the City of Destinies."

The faces on the other side of the Great Barrier regarded him solemnly.

"Myth Nantar holds her secrets jealously these days," Qos went on. "She has been betrayed, the ideals she was founded on corrupted. Blood of those who were to make this city their home has run in her streets and scarred the mythal that surrounds it. The Weave will have to be honored and respected for now and for always." He paused. "Else we may lose great Myth Nantar forever."

The rulers and representatives of the world below, the High Mages, and Khlinat all stared through the barrier.

"We will begin," Qos said. "Step forward, place your hand against the Great Barrier, and speak your name."

The crowd hesitated for a moment, then Reefglamor strode forward and pushed his hand to the invisible wall.

"I am Senior High Mage Taranath Reefglamor of Sylkiir, and I am here to see that the City of Destinies is reopened."

Pacys closed his eyes, listening to the vibration the sea elf's voice started within the Great Barrier. The other High Mages followed suit and Pacys listened intently to the changes in the vibration.

"Princess Arina of Eadraal."

"Prince Mirol of Eadraal."

"Tribune Akkys of Vuuvax."

The triton Akkys stood aloof, as all his kind did. He was slightly built compared to the mermen, but everyone in Seros knew not to judge the tritons lightly. They were savage fighters. He wore his shoulder-length blue hair tied back and carried a tapal, the signature weapon of his race, which curved in the middle like a fishhook and seemed to be made of all sharp edges.