(2024-08-25) The Allies Arrive (S14 E8 - White Squad Log)

Details

Author:	inkie
Summary:	White Squad pitches in with the effort to signal for rescue, and then while they wait they kill some time with a final vision of the past in the ruins of the city of Vashj'ir. It's a real good news/bad news kind of day.
Rating:	M for Mature 17+

Arc: Season 14

Florande steps quietly over the sand to Ben's side. "Are you and Mizzy doing well?"

Ben looks up wearily. He shrugs at Florande and ventures a smile. "I dunno. Well as anyone, I guess? It is… hard not to be discouraged right now."

"They know we are still down here," Florande says. "That means they will keep looking for us. We just have to keep safe."

Ben glances toward Niksi at the fire. "She got her… SPURT thing goin'?"

"Sent the one message, short one," Florande nods. "Maybe the stable one is ready?" She raises her voice, looking over at Niksi. "Is the stable one ready?"

Estel doesn't get up from her rock.

Niksi perks up. "Oh, you mean the Small Proximity Undersea Receiver/Transmitter - Extended Range? Yes, it's functional! I tested it this morning and sent another signal, this time with a bounceback confirmation!"

Ben sits up a little. "Bounceback confirmation? That sounds… good?"

"It's very good. It means I know that the signal reached a receiver; and given the signal delay, I have good reason to believe that receiver is relatively close. I think they must have one aboard an approaching vessel."

"Assuming someone comes out here to rescue us," Almeiria says. "How do we know they will not just become that tentacled monstrosity's newest victims?"

Florande straightens. "Approaching? Is it coming down to us? Yes, is it a kraken victim?"

Ben practically hops up off the crate and half-jogs to drop down next to Niksi at the fire.

Estel bounces to her feet.

"An approachin' vessel? No shit. We should — do you think they gotta be warned?" Ben folds his arms.

"News? What?" Estel plops down on a woven mat by the fire.

Ben looks over at Estel. "Niksi got a bounceback confirmation."

"They've been warned about the kraken, so hopefully they'll have to sense to take precautions."

Florande moves over as well, to sit at Niksi's other side.

"Unfortunately, I can't send any further communication at this time," Niksi explains. "Engineer Hexascrub was very excited that the SPURTER is working, and he borrowed it for a plan of his own."

"… oh." Ben looks faintly wary.

Captain Taylor approaches the group and surveys them. He is near-colorless with exhaustion, but his expression is hard and determined. “Cobalt Company. Holding up?”

Florande nods. "Holding everything up."

Ben looks up. He neither rises to his feet nor salutes, but he nods. "Yessir. Holding."

Niksi beams up at Taylor. "We're fantastic, sir!"

Estel gives Niksi a look. "I'm okay," she says.

Niksi cannot fathom how anyone wouldn't be in the best of spirits.

We see you, Niksi.

Captain Taylor nods. “Good. I have a job for you all, if you’re willing.” He looks around the cave and lowers his voice. “We’re not likely to last much longer here. The naga are searching for us, and… well, you saw how many of them there were.”

Florande ducks her head sadly.

"We sure did," says Ben a little frostily.

"If you have a plan to keep us alive, I'm all for it," Almeiria says.

“I’m trying not to get everyone’s hopes up too much, but Jorlan and Hexascrub and I were putting our heads together over that scouting you did last week. When you were… naga?” The Captain looks around at the group.

"We were watching memories of naga," Florande corrects. "More like, we were watching from inside naga. But close enough."

“Yes, uh. That." Captain Taylor clears his throat. "The two of them pieced together some landmarks from your account with — Light only knows, some technowizardry of Hexascrub’s, something to do with bathymetric… isarithmic…. Look, I’ll be honest, I have no idea what he was saying, but Hexascrub has reason to believe from what you all described that we’re close to a trade lane. He and Jorlan headed up to that ridge to the southeast with the… SPURT? That you all developed?” Captain Taylor looks at Niksi.

Estel cracks her neck. She rises more slowly, reaching for her goggles. "Bathymetric is like topographic but underwater."

Niksi nods to Taylor. "The new iteration is the SPURTER, but yes."

Florande blinks at Taylor. "Did he bounceback a confirmation?"

Niksi grins at Florande.

"I… don't know. All I know is that they have a plan to raise it near the surface to… triangulate… broadcast… I have no idea. But I figured you might be able to back them up.”
Captain Taylor looks around at the group.

"Of course!" Niksi nods enthusiastically.

"To the surface?" Florande jumps to her feet. "Yes, yes."

"Yeah," says Ben, and rises as well. "We will see what we can do."

"Thank you, Cobalts. As I said, I'm trying to keep it… quiet, for now. But I hope… well. I really hope." Captain Taylor smiles tiredly and pushes himself to his feet.

Florande hastily blesses everyone with a Mark of the Wild. Maybe it'll help.

Estel secures her bag and puts her goggles on. "Yeah. Cheers." She waves a hand vaguely at Taylor. He gets a prayer of Fortitude.

"It's a shame the machine isn't alive," Almeiria says. "I would be interested in getting some eyes up there to see how close they might be, or if our tentacled friend is nearby."

"Maybe keepin' eyes out for tentacles is what they want us up there with 'em for." Ben shrugs, and double-checks his sword and pack.

"If we do make it to the surface, remember your training! You do not want to get the Bends."

Florande nods seriously at Niksi. She remembers that lecture.

"Yes'm." Ben nods at Niksi. He looks around at the others sternly. "Remember your trainin'. About the Bends."

"If we could talk to Nespirah, maybe she could send crabs to check," Florande says. "But… I think it would be hard to talk to her right now."

Ben glances down warily as they swim past a Horde banner below, but there's no sign of activity around it.

Florande murmurs at Ben as they pass the Horde banner. "They are near. I have seen them around, but no fighting."

They mount Biel'Aran Ridge, and Ben spots two small non-naga figures below.

"I see 'em," says Ben.

Engineer Hexascrub looks up from the SPURTER with which he is tinkering. He drops the device — it just drifts gently to the sea floor — and makes a soundless, slow-motion clapping gesture. “Impeccable timing! Like clockwork! Trouble comes? You come! Save the day. Like clockwork!”

"Oh, so there's trouble?" Estel swings off of her seahorse and gives it a pocket shrimp as incentive to hang around and not swim off.

"I am not clockwork," Almeiria says.

"I am! Well… sort of." Niksi giggles.

Florande smiles at Hexascrub. "I am more like a sea lion. But a sea lion with a good sense of timing."

Hexascrub winks at Niksi through the faceplate of his helmet.

“We’ve devised a brilliant plan. Gloriously simple, barring the local hostility. Simpler yet, with you available!” Hexascrub beams inside his helmet. “I’ll need you to get me a couple of things before we can execute the plan.”

"Name them. We're happy to help!" Niksi speaks for everyone, it seems.

Ben looks around alertly at the words 'local hostility,' but the gnome doesn't elaborate.

“I don’t like to approach a job unprepared, you know? It’s important to come prepared. Prepared with plans. Prepared with gear. Or at the very least, prepared with plans to get the gear for the plans," explains Hexascrub.

"Sensible." Niksi nods.

“All of the ships in the Alliance fleets stow a survival kit. A lot of the tools we have came from a survival kit. My balloon came from a survival kit! But now it’s gone. I need another survival kit!

“There’s a ship to the southeastish. Let’s hope that if there were survivors, they didn’t take their survival kit. Let’s not hope it for their sakes, naturally. But for our sakes, let’s hope! More survival kit for us!”

“Also, however — do you know what item does not come standard in an Alliance survival kit? Well, several items do not, in point of fact, but most relevant to our situation is… rope! Terribly impractical, if you ask me. Rope should be mandatory.

“I bet these kvaldir have rope. They’re always… riding around in boats, tying knots, dressing in nets. Ropey things. Go and collect some of their rope! I must have it for our plan to work. Absolutely must.”

"Wait, are you serious? They don't have rope?" Estel stares at Hexascrub.

Niksi tut-tuts. "No rope… goodness me."

Hexascrub draws himself up to his full three feet and regards Estel with grim dignity. "They do NOT. Appalling."

Florande nods in agreeable disapproval.

"Fuck," Estel mutters. "Someone must be trying to cut costs after the war in a really stupid way. I've got rope." She pauses. "In my bag, which I can't open here. And probably not as much as you need."

"We will see what the kvaldir got," Ben says.

"So now we will fight Kvaldir as us again, instead of naga," Florande says, looking past Hexascrub to the nearby ruins. "But we also have practice from Northrend. Or I do."

"Me too." Ben nods at Florande.

"I am obliged! Much obliged." Hexascrub nods at Estel and then again at the others.

"Maybe if we can't find enough rope, yours can tide over," Florande smiles at Estel.

Ben nods at Estel. "Good thinkin', yeah."

"I wanna keep mine," Estel says to Florande. But then, looking at her, Estel's expression softens, and she smiles. "Yeah, okay."

"Any rope is more than no rope," Hexascrub observes philosophically. "But any rope is also not necessarily enough rope. But I have faith in you, my friends!"

Hexascrub collects the SPURTER from the sand at his feet and shuffles a few steps away to resume his muttering and tinkering.

"The less kvaldir in the area the better. I don't mind killing extra," Almeiria says.

Florande nods at Almeiria. "They were terrible to the kalu'ak."

Jorlan waits until Hexascrub has resumed his distracted tinkering. He swims a couple of steps closer, nods at Almeiria, and speaks quietly. "Not just kvaldir, in fact."

“Hexascrub’s plan involves that… balloon you heard him mention. He retrieved it from one of our ships.

“When he tried to float it, though, some of those gill-goblins came out of nowhere and swarmed the thing. If you lot bring him a new survival kit so he can assemble his new… balloon-device, it won’t do us any good if the past repeats itself. I need you to kill off any gilblins you see out there to keep our staging area clear.”

"Gilgoblins, haven't seen much of them since the first caves… but no naga around here? They have not found us?" Florande asks.

Jorlan shakes his head. "No sign up here, at any rate. It seems like they got what they came for from the kvaldir when you… saw them before. To judge by the kvaldir, seems like it's been pretty naga-free since whenever that was. They've settled back in."

Ben surveys the ruins around them narrow-eyed. "We will take care of it. Clear the place up."

"Thanks." Jorlan nods and steps back to take up position near Hexascrub again, keeping a watchful eye on the waters around them.

"Kind of feel like he should get some armor or somethin' on if he is s'posed to protect that fellow," Ben observes of Jorlan as they move away.

Jorlan is, like so many of the Alliance soldiers down here, shirtless and barefoot.

"Might be worried about rust?" Almeiria suggests.

"Underwater? Enchantments cost money." Estel shrugs.

"Rust is constant fear," Florande nods. "Your armor is so nice, Ben."

Florande pats Kyris's sword.

"I'm rather impressed by the shamans' magic. We don't even need pressurized dive suits down here!" notes Niksi.

Ben looks down at his own armor. "Well. Ain't see me goin' shirtless out here."

"You should try it, Skipper," Niksi beams at Ben. "The cool water on bare skin feels wonderful!"

Estel gathers up a coil of rope.

"… yeah." Ben eyes Niksi.

Some kvaldir in need of murdering show up. White Squad obliges them.

Ben steps back from the kvaldir's seaweed-remains and studies the ruins. "It look like this when you seen it before? With the naga?"

"Gonna be honest," Estel says, "I kind of figured the naga killed all the kvaldir."

"I am a little worried about the naga. They got that crucible thing, and now they're off doing… crucible things?" Florande looks around the scene. "There were…. many more people here. Naga and kvaldir fighting."

Ben frowns. "Well. Pretty calm here for now. I mean, apart from us killin' 'em."

"The naga were very enthusiastic about killing the kvaldir," Florande says, looking around. "Weird of them to just leave. I also would've thought they kill all."

"The way they turn into seaweed is pretty creepy," Estel mutters.

Florande nods at Estel.

"And starfish… for some reason," Almeiria says.

"Creepy? I'm envious!" Niksi sighs wistfully.

"Yeah, uh. The seaweed thing — do you reckon they just come back?" Ben eyes another seaweed pile uneasily.

"Maybe they killed a ton of 'em and swam away and then the seaweed turned into people again?" Estel guesses.

Ben nods at Estel. "That is what I am thinkin'."

"This rope is… slimy." Ben grimaces as he slings a coil of it over one shoulder.

Estel steps in a pile of loose sand and a crab emerges from it and snaps at her ankle.

"What isn't slimy down here?" Almeiria asks.

"Maybe it's okay to be slimy underwater?" Florande tilts her head. "Many things in nature are slimy, also."

Florande stares worriedly at the place where the Crucible of Nazsharin once sat.

"See, I just am a little tired of everythin' bein' slimy, I guess," says Ben, and tries to wipe his hand on his tabard despite being underwater. "… not to be a grouch or nothin'. Sorry."

"If the SPURTER works well, maybe you can be non-slimy again!" Florande says, trying to cheer him up.

"I recommend sand for de-sliming." Niksi points to the ocean floor.

"Grouch all you like. I'm sick of endless optimism." Almeiria says.

Florande wilts a little.

"I did not realize we was doin' endless optimism before now, if I am honest," Ben tells Almeiria.

"Hey," Estel says to Almeiria. "Despair is worse. Sometimes folks gotta lean a little towards the optimism side to keep from falling into the despair side."

"There's an old gnomish saying: When life gives you malfunctions, manufacture the parts you need." Niksi nods sagaciously.

"That's a pretty good sayin'," Ben observes.

"Naturally."

And then Ben is attacked by a gilblin.

"… found the gilgoblins," he notes, and looks up, squinting ahead. "You reckon this is the wreck he meant?"

"It's worth looking into," says Niksi.

"Even if not, maybe they have the same supplies," Florande looks over the shipwreck resting in the sand.

"Holler if you see a survival crate," Ben says, peering into the darkness under an algae-covered deck.

Estel knocks on the side of a floating crate.

"Find something useful, Estel?" Niksi asks.

"Dunno. We could crack this open, or we could just haul it as-is." Estel begins floating the crate out of the boat.

Florande brandishes her claws, ready to go with either strategy.

Estel secures the crate into her seahorse's net.

Ben shifts the coil of rope on his shoulder. "Reckon we are all good, then. Let's get the stuff to 'em."

Engineer Hexascrub is waiting alone on the seabed, still tinkering with the SPURTER.

"Engineer!" Niksi waves excitedly. "We found so much rope!"

Hexascrub looks up and peers through his faceplate, then beams and does a little victory-shuffle in the sand. “Our rope! Our kit! Fantastic!"

"Crate's got an Alliance stamp on it," Estel reports. She frees it from the net and rolls it down to the sea floor.

Hexascrub begins rooting through the survival kit. “Let’s see what we’ve got. Flare gun, check! Balloon, checkity-check! Rope, nope! Terribly impractical. But that, my resourceful associates, is what this is for!”

Triumphantly, he holds up a length of the kvaldir rope. He blinks at it through his helmet. “Is this… braided with hair?” For a moment he looks aghast, and then he shrugs it cheerfully away. “Doesn’t matter! Should work great! Wash your hands later!"

Ben looks at his hands.

Florande shudders.

Estel looks at her gloves, then wiggles them around in the water.

"Is the ocean not doing that for us?" Almeiria asks.

Niksi nods at the suggestion to wash hands, saying softly, "Sand scrub."

"The ocean, madame, is chock-aswarm with microbiotic life!" Hexascrub beams at Almeiria. "As is hair."

Ben wipes his hands on his tabard again.

"But don't worry," Niksi reassures. "It's not all parasitic."

Hexascrub nods cheerful agreement with Niksi, and then turns away, humming tinnily, to resume puttering with the survival supplies and SPURTER. "This should be done in the twist of a rope!"

"Twist of a hair-rope," Florande mutters.

Engineer Hexascrub steps back from the peculiar contrivance he has rigged involving the SPURTER, a small waterproof box from the survival kit, and the heavily-patched balloon. “Watch this!”

He tugs at a rope, and the balloon bobs gently upright. It begins to ascend. After a moment it gathers speed, and vanishes up through the water, towing the box and the SPURTER with it.
Hexascrub does his happy sand-shuffle again. “Fantastic! And not a scrounger in sight to pop a hole in it this time! How fortuitous."

"Fortuitous," Ben agrees dryly, looking up after the contraption.

"Where is the other man who was here?" Almeiria asks, glancing around.

“Aha!" Hexascrub points at Almeiria. "Jorlan’s waiting near the surface to catch it. He said you’ll get the honors, though. Jorlan’s nice like that. Head on up there to meet him. The SPURTER should already be broadcasting our location.

“Collect the flare gun from the box and scan the horizon for Alliance ships. If you see any in range, fire the flare toward them. That’s it! Binary.” He steps back and salutes seriously. “Swim. Float. Flare. Rescue! That last part’s my favorite."

Florande nods earnestly. "Mine too."

"Okay," Estel says. "That's great and all, but… kraken?"

"Stupendous!"

"Maybe… Nespirah will influence somehow?" Florande says in concern. "Now that she is awake and free."

"To stop kraken from eating us, I mean," Florande continues to explain. "Also I left many pearls for Oacha'noa. That may help."

"Keep a sharp lookout," Ben tells her. He checks his sword again. "Let's head up."

"Slooowly," Florande murmurs.

Estel swims up slowly, as directed.

Ben shakes water from his hair and takes a deep breath. He gazes up at the sky, squinting in the suddenly-intense light.

Jorlan Trueblade is treading water steadily at the surface, holding the flotation balloon. He’s gazing toward the horizon. “I think we’ve got company in the area already. And trade lanes or no, those look like warships. Is the fleet already on the way? What an incredible stroke of luck! How did they know we were down here?”

Florande simply stares at the sky in wonder, breathing deeply.

"They — uh. What? Oh. I reckon Niksi's… thing? Might've?" Ben tries hazily to focus on the horizon.

"Outstanding! The SPURTER worked perfectly!" Niksi cheers.

"Oh, shit." Ben gapes at the sight of the sails against the sky.

Estel seems fully on edge. She squints at the boats, looking for people whose eyes she can jump to.

“Well, fire that flare and hope they see it!" says Jorlan.

Ben takes the flare gun from the crate, points it toward the ships, and mutters a prayer under his breath. He fires.

“Perfect! There’s no way they missed that.” Jorlan exhales. He looks suddenly jubilant with relief. “They’ll probably send a skiff over, which may take some time. I’ll stay here to make contact. You need to return to the cave immediately and let them know that rescue is on its way.”

Some of the light fades grimly from his expression. “We can only hope the naga haven’t found them yet. Swim fast, Cobalts.”

"But…." Florande stares longingly at the ships, and then notices the Horde ships in the distance.

"Someone help direct me?" Estel asks. "I've got eyes on the ships."

Ben peers at Estel.

Estel reaches blindly in the direction of her seahorse. She might need a little help.

"Right. Let's get kraken!" Niksi giggles softly.

"… let's not get kraken. C'mere, Buddy." Ben coaxes Estel's seahorse over.

"You see anyone? They see us?" Ben takes Estel's hand and guides her toward the seahorse's bridle. "Here we go."

"Flares definitely got noticed." Estel pulls herself on to the seahorse's back.

They head beneath the water once more.

"Who do you see?" Florande asks. "Is my mother there?"

"Mind the whale sharks!" Niksi says cheerfully.

"I don't know what your mom looks like. I'm searching." Estel is probably bouncing from individual to individual.

"Like me, but older and more sad," Florande explains, as if this will help.

Moms everywhere feel owned.

Cannons boom in the distance. It seems that at least some of the Horde and Alliance fleets have found one another, and they do not like sharing a parking lot.

"Is that Nespirah they're fighting over the top of? Isn't that dangerous for her?" Almeiria asks.

Florande looks over to Almeiria. "I think Nespirah there will be safe. She is strong."

Niksi waves to Nespirah as they descend past her.

"I think that blonde lady's one of Cobalt's warlocks," Estel mutters. "She's not wearing the tabard though…"

Ben's attention sharpens. "Blonde warlock? Lena?"

"That sounds right," Estel says to Ben.

They return to the cave.

Captain Taylor comes striding across the sand to meet them immediately.

Ben is still focused intently on Estel.

Estel remains on her seahorse in the water, eyes shut.

"If Lena is up there, does that mean —" Ben stands at the water's edge, waiting.

Captain Taylor halts to survey the group. "Cobalts? Is everything …?"

"We have found the rescue fleet!" Florande says to Taylor, so he can enjoy the good news.

The Captain laughs aloud. “That’s the best news I’ve heard in… eternity, it seems like."

"But… we also found a Horde fleet," Niksi adds the bad news.

Captain Taylor sobers at Niksi's words. "… well, that tempers it somewhat."

The Captain looks around the cave and then back at White Squad. "Still — ships! A rescue fleet! We’ll begin moving the survivors from the ridge to the surface as soon as possible. Perhaps they’ll be able to forget this whole nightmare even happened."

"Oh, I doubt that," Almeiria says.

"I'm trying to get eyes on Kyris," Estel mutters. "I think he's on a different ship." She is probably waiting for people to look in the right direction at other people to jump around correctly.

Ben looks distractedly between Estel and the Captain.

"The Horde have not been fighting us down here," Florande says. "I would guess they have also been fighting naga and kvaldir and things. Maybe up on the surface we can truce till we're all rescued."

Captain Taylor eyes Florande. "We'll have to see about that. Hopefully those savages have the sense to see it that way.

“I must ask one last favor of you. With the naga — and now the Horde — still about, will you wait here with the rearguard to cover the withdrawal of the survivors until we’re clear? It shouldn’t be long now.”

Ben looks from Estel to Captain Taylor, and then around at the group. "White Squad can, yeah. Rest of our people will go up with the survivors."

Captain Taylor nods. "That's fair. Thank you, Cobalt Company. I’m not sure there’s anything the Alliance can do to repay you for everything you’ve managed to accomplish in this ocean, but I will try to see it done."

Ben would observe they do not do it for pay, but that would be patently untrue.

Florande bows politely, not quite sure how to take the sudden gratitude.

Estel stays quiet. She's watching for Problems up above.

"Meet us at the ships as soon as you’ve ascertained the evacuation’s complete," Captain Taylor tells them. He straightens to salute, and then turns away.

Almeiria takes a deep breath, and glances back at the water. "I… don't think I'll be going. Back to the surface," she says.

Florande blinks and looks at Almeiria. "You hate it down here, though."

Ben turns to stare at Almeiria. "What? Why not?"

"The Cult is up to something down here. Leaving them to it would be… unwise," Almeiria says.

"We can come back," Estel points out.

Ben nods at Estel. "Also seem kind of unwise to hang around under an ocean by yourself with the Twilight’s Hammer. We can get reinforcements an' all, yeah?"

Wavespeaker Valoren approaches as Captain Taylor moves off across the sand. “Cobalt Company. I, too, will wait. What you told me of the naga before has been plaguing my mind.

“Who are these allies they’re summoning? Do they really think they can defeat the Tidehunter, ruler of an elemental plane? Escaping the cave brings a degree of relief, but our purpose here must remain. We cannot let the naga carry out whatever it is they ultimately plan. Are you willing to seek answers from the Battlemaiden one last time?”

Ben looks from Almeiria to Valoren.

Florande barely stops a groan, and then nods obediently.

Almeiria nods. "Yes."

Estel actually snarls. "Once these people are safely on board."

Valoren blinks a little and steps back.

"Last time I left 'em unattended and down a healer, they were attacked," Estel says. She doesn't glare because her eyes are shut, but she does not sound friendly.

Wavespeaker Valoren nods and looks around the cave. "This is fair. We will wait." She returns to her fire to sit.

Time Passes

Ben approaches Valoren. "Okay. We will see what you want us to see now."

She looks up and nods, relieved, then rises to her feet. “Thank you, friends. There is only one place I can think of where they would have taken the crucible: the temple atop the ruins. It’s sure to be well guarded. Proceed carefully.”

Estel steps onto the beach with her eyes open and nods to Valoren. "Cheers," she says, giving her a thumbs-up. She seems friendly again.

"Let's move," Ben says. He glances upward as though he can see the surface from here. "I would like my turn at gettin' up there an' rescued."

Florande nods.

They ride their seahorses back into the ruins of Vashj’ir, and up to the dome of the ruined temple that overlooks the city.

"This looks like the place…I assume?" Niksi peers around.

Florande looks at the crucible. "That's it, but there's no magic swirling inside anymore."

"Up here?" Ben peers at a strange shimmer in the water on a broken balcony.

Florande rises from the crucible to join Ben at the balcony.

Once again, Estel takes out the enchanted prong of the broken trident and begins to channel a vision.

The world seems to shift around them, and then the naga Lady Sira’kess is waiting before them. From outside the temple ring the sounds of battle.

"Ah, battlemaidens. The foolish Kvaldir think to take the city back from us. They will not succeed. It is time for me to commence the crucible’s ritual to summon our allies. Spread outside on the temple terrace, you will find my Tide Priestesses engaged in the battle. Summon them back to me, that we may begin. Fathom-Caller Azrajar will be needed as well; you will find him at the stairs to the north."

Five silently dutiful naga battlemaidens head out of the temple to collect priestesses. Outside the arched doorway, they find Lady Naz’jar. She calls out to them imperiously.

“Battlemaidens! Find my Honor Guard upon the field of battle, and relieve them of their foes. I require them here at the temple to guard the priestesses. I will hold the entrance until then. Be swift!”

White Squad heads out into the battle-vision.

Naz'jar Battlemaiden says: The Mistress of the Tides will need your defense back at the temple. Make your way there immediately.

Naz'jar Honor Guard says: Immediately, my lady.

Naz'jar Battlemaiden says: Fall back for the ritual. Our Lady awaits.

Sira'kess Tide Priestess says: For her grace, Lady Naz'jar.

Naz'jar Battlemaiden says: The priestesses will require your aid soon. The Lady requests your return.

Naz'jar Honor Guard says: By your order.

Naz'jar Battlemaiden says: You're relieved, Honor Guard. Return to the temple.

Naz'jar Honor Guard says: At once, my lady.

Naz'jar Battlemaiden says: Return to the temple immediately. The ritual will begin soon.

Sira'kess Tide Priestess says: The Tidehunter will fall.

Naz'jar Battlemaiden says: The Lady has sent word for your return to the temple. Do not delay.

Fathom-Caller Azrajar says: Of course. I will finish shortly and meet the Mistress at the temple. Thank you, Battlemaiden.

Florande swims through the water like someone who's getting used to being a naga after repeated missions.

Ben does not really seem like he's used to being a naga. Because he's not.

Lady Naz’jar and her returned Honor Guard are arrayed at the temple entrance.

“Well done, battlemaidens,” says Lady Naz’jar. “I will attend to the eastern bridge. I need you to attend to the temple itself. The ritual must not be interrupted.”

Within the temple, the Sira’kess Priestesses have taken up positions around the crucible, awaiting word from Lady Sira’kess on the balcony above. She calls down to the battlemaidens as they return.

“The kvaldir have proved a more obstinate threat than we anticipated, but our plans are not hindered in the least. As our allies arrive, we will have a force more than sufficient to usurp the Tidehunter. All that remains is to ensure that the ritual of summoning is completed.”

She looks the battlemaidens over coldly. “We will begin immediately, and you will see to it that we are not interrupted. Slaughter any kvaldir who enter the temple. My priestesses must live to see their task complete, no matter the cost.”

Sira’kess and her priestesses begin to channel power into the crucible. Suddenly — you guessed it! — the temple is breached by a kvaldir force. The battlemaidens swarm into action, and soon the waters are full of drifting seaweed detritus. The priestesses in their ritual trances are undisturbed.

From outside, a shout comes.

Fathom-Stalker Azjentus says: Kvaldir are pouring across the bridge! Battlemaidens, Lady Naz'jar calls for you!

From the balcony, Lady Sira’kess says, “Azjentus is to be taken at his word. Lady Naz’jar’s Honor Guard should be sufficient to see the rest of the ritual through. Go.”

The battlemaidens head for the eastern bridge.

Florande murmurs, "But who are their allies?"

No one has an answer for her. The naga aren’t telling.

At the eastern bridge, Lady Naz’jar, Fathom-Lord Zin’jatar, and a force of naga warriors are holding off what seem like ceaseless waves of kvaldir. We are underwater and the whole ruin is available to swim right up to so it isn’t clear why the kvaldir are politely being bottlenecked at the bridge, but maybe this is why the kvaldir never seem to win things in the end.

Kvaldir Bonesnapper says: I will crush the breath from your lungs!

Kvaldir Fearweaver says: Tides, give me strength!

Kvaldir Skinflayer says: You will never take these waters from us!

Fathom-Lord Zin'jatar yells: The only peace you shall find is in death, Kvaldir!

The battlemaidens fight fiercely, and the kvaldir tide seems to abate.

Lady Naz'jar says: Move forward! Hold the bridge!

Whoops, no, here’s a lot more kvaldir incoming.

Kvaldir Dreadbringer says: To the crushing depths with you!

Fathom-Lord Zin'jatar yells: Your march to your deaths! Azshara shall see you wiped from the seas!

Kvaldir Dreadbringer says: These waters will be your grave.

Fathom-Lord Zin'jatar yells: Slaughter them all! Show no mercy, brothers!

The kvaldir, who were again faltering, seem to rally. The reason is evident a moment later: One of their generals has entered the fray.

Hagrim Hopebreaker yells: You should have left this city to the waves.

Hagrim Hopebreaker yells: Your race is a disease upon the sea.

Hagrim Hopebreaker begins to channel what is clearly a massive spell, energy crackling in the water around him.

All of a sudden, the bridge seems to darken. There is strange movement in the new shadows, and suddenly the previously-empty waters teem with eldritch forms.

"Oh, fuck," gasps Ben in un-naga-like fashion.

Florande recoils as the swarming Faceless Ones enter the fray, and then looks on in confusion as they seem to be… assisting the battlemaidens?

Estel, as always, remains silent as she channels the vision from the prong of the trident.

Another shadow materializes, this one a massive, tentacled form. It envelops Hagrim Hopebreaker, and the kvaldir general is gone.

Ben gapes after the kraken.

Lady Naz'jar says: We are victorious. In Azshara's name!

Lady Naz'jar says: My battlemaidens, once again you have earned my respect, and the respect of all our people.

Lady Naz'jar says: You have surpassed your title. You are battlemaidens no longer. Take your new crown, Champions of Azshara!

Lady Naz'jar says: With the summoning complete and the armies of Azshara gathering for war, Neptulon the Tidehunter will soon fall.

Lady Naz'jar says: All the oceans shall be ours, and then we shall look beyond.

The vision breaks.

Almeiria shudders.

Niksi whispers, "Astonishing…."

Florande looks at Niksi. She is also thinking of a word, but not quite that one. She looks pale. "But there is no Yogg-Saron here."

"Well, shit," says Ben. "Shit. Those was n'raqis. They got faceless ones workin' with 'em."

"This is fascinating… but rather unfavorable." Niksi shakes her head.

"And that… is why we are not done here," Almeiria says.

"Fuck, okay," Estel says. "Great. Okay. Okay."

"I have heard no whispering, have you heard whispering?" Florande looks at the others, lingering on Almeiria in her shadowform.

Ben shakes his head, but he looks at Almeiria too.

"…Yes," Almeiria says. "It grows stronger the deeper we go."

Ben straightens and stares at Almeiria. "You was gonna tell us that? You okay?"

Florande curls up. She can do that underwater without sitting down.

"Well, fuck." Estel pats Florande gently on the head.

Florande pushes up against Estel's hand. Even distressed, maybe especially distressed, she likes head pats.

"It isn't enough to change my allegiances, if that's what you're asking," Almeiria says. "Ask me again when it's strong enough for you to hear too."

"… kind of hopin' it don't get that strong. Been there, done that." Ben looks around uneasily.

"I need to talk to my shan'do," Florande says quietly. "He knows about Old Gods. I stayed away from all that, mostly, in Northrend."

Ben moves over toward her. "Florande. Okay. Let's get back to Valoren."

Buddy the seahorse swims up to them, leading the herd of other seahorses.

"So which Old God is hanging out down here in this region?" Estel asks.

"I am not an Old God taxidermist." Ben looks at Almeiria again. (He means taxonomist.)

"I will not speak the name. It may call further attention," Almeiria says.

"Fine," says Ben. "Okay. Let's get back to the Wavespeaker."

Florande nods at Ben and uncurls, ready to head back.

Estel gives Almeiria a thumbs-up. "Okay. Old God Squiggles is hanging out here."

Niksi nods. "You can tell us when we're on the surface."

They mount up and return to the cave, where now only Wavespeaker Valoren waits, solitary on the sand.

Ben approaches the waiting Valoren grimly. "Ma'am. They summoned their allies. It was n'raqis." That is probably not the plural, Ben.

The color drains from Wavespeaker Valoren’s face. “Minions of the Old Gods? Their hope to defeat the Tidehunter may not be so foolish after all.”

She crosses her arms tightly across her chest, as if hugging herself. "Cobalt Company, we can’t let that happen. If Aszhara defeats the Tidehunter and takes his power over the seas for herself, I’m not sure any number of us could ever hope to oppose her."

Florande blinks. This is all suddenly so big.

"That kraken thing was there with 'em. Reckon it was on loan from the Old God and not just a naga friend," Ben says.

"And did it not look like Nespirah, a little?" Almeiria asks.

Wavespeaker Valoren stares at Almeiria. "Do you think it is… a corrupted child of the wild god, perhaps?" She shudders. "The great kraken are by nature abyssal creatures, not seen in waters like these."

"Nespirah is good," Florande whispers.

"Well, yes, dear, but I imagine the naga wanted her for more than pearls," Almeiria says. "Why not offspring? It was smaller than her."

"Nespirah is also more like a mollusk," observes Niksi. "The kraken more closely resembles a cephalopod."

Wavespeaker Valoren shakes her head. "Whatever the case, the first step is clear at least. We must hunt down the fiend that destroyed our ships. From what I hear of the rescue above, the navy was confident enough of our rescue and informed enough about the kraken and the naga threat — I am not certain how — to send in new ships. Perhaps they have a plan.”

Niksi rubs her chin, "Although, cephalopoda technically are molluscan…hmm…" she mumbles to herself.

Estel shifts restlessly from foot to foot. "Can we get up top with the others? We gotta tell folks."

“Yes, you should head for the surface yourselves and meet Captain Taylor and the others there," the Wavespeaker tells them.

Florande nods. "We should, yes."

Almeiria sighs. "Fine, but I will be coming back if I have to jump off the boat after to do it."

Estel pats Almeiria's arm. "Yeah, but we gotta let the kids know we're okay."

"Hexascrub left these behind for you," Valoren says. "They should speed your trip up a bit." She gestures to a row of strange-looking tangles of straps lying in the sand; they are each affixed with tiny tanks shaped ominously like rockets. “You strap them on your boots and then pull that cord there at the heel. They will propel you to the surface."

Florande looks at the boots carefully. Are they safe?

Niksi nods at the devices. "I'm now confident that the shamans' magic will protect us from decompression sickness."

Ben nods to Niksi; he was waiting for her seal of approval. "Okay, then. Let's get up there."

The air-rocket boots do indeed, uh, impel them rapidly upwards. They surface amid a forest of wood and canvas, Alliance ships arrayed around them in all directions.

"Okay, Buddy," Estel says to her seahorse. "We had fun." She feeds it the rest of her pocket shrimp, gives it a forehead kiss, and swims the rest of the way to the nearest ship’s ladder by herself.

Captain Taylor comes striding across the ship’s deck. His gauntness and pallor stand out starkly among the tanned sailors and marines around him, but he’s changed into a clean — and dry — Alliance uniform, and he’s grinning. The milling ship's crew pauses in their work to stare at the newest arrivals.

Florande drips seawater across the deck as she walks over to Captain Taylor.

"I have to admit, it feels good to have a deck below my feet again." Niksi taps the wooden floor with her boot.

Captain Taylor salutes. "You made it out! Good to see you, Cobalts. It's fantastic to be out of the water and have some resources at our disposal again. I'm sure many of the boys would give anything to turn around and head home, but we still have a grim task ahead."

Ben nods. "Yessir. We do."

"Killing the kraken," Florande nods. "And more, but you probably mean the kraken."

Estel sighs. "We've got news we need to get back to Cobalt Company. This ship got messenger birds?"

Captain Taylor nods at Florande. "The fleet has been briefed. They're sending out from Stormwind a piece of experimental technology that should help us. I'll let you know when it's ready. Feel free to send whatever messages you need — speak to Salty up there on the quarterdeck."

Ben mouths 'Salty' to himself. He nods.

Niksi perks up, "Experimental technology?"

Captain Taylor smiles at Niksi. He's in a great mood. "All hush-hush at the moment, it seems. But I'm told it'll knock our socks off. Or, more importantly, the naga's socks."

"Hmm… do naga wear socks? I suppose it would be just one sock…" Niksi muses.

"Seems more like a sleeping bag," Florande muses.

Niksi giggles.

Captain Taylor has been hailed by another uniformed officer and is already not listening to a treatise on naga socks.

Florande giggles back. Even if there is an Old God on the loose, it's good to be above water.

They head up the stairs to find Salty, of message-sending fame.

"I am gonna write to Sir Elo," says Ben. "An' then find Mizmainy. An' change my own fucken socks. … You reckon they got coffee up here?"

"They better." Estel laughs. "Ben, you'll do the report and stuff?"

Ben nods at her. "I sure will, yeah. Y'all get some rest."

"I should write people too," Florande says, looking around like maybe there's a stack of paper somewhere nearby. "My mother and my shan'do for sure."

"I should send a message to Vice-Admiral Fallon," says Niksi. "He'll be eager to hear all about… some things."

"Gotta write to my partner," Estel mutters. "And Alysson and Miranda… Wis'… Alynnra…" She ticks off letters on her fingers.

"I should get a message to Lena, too," Ben says, and looks around. "If she is here someplace?"

"That big one," Estel says, and points.

Ben turns and shades his eyes. "She's on that boat? You seen the name from here? Or… before?"

Salty McTavish follows their conversation. "That's the Lady Blanche," he offers helpfully.

Ben turns back toward him. "You can get a message over to her? What's the name of this here boat we're on?"

"I can," says Salty. "And this is the Voldrin's Hold."

Ben steps back. "Florande? We ought to find out what boat Kyris is on, too."

Florande nods, and reaches to touch the sword. "Let's find him."

Almeiria stares silently down at the water.

Florande steps over and hesitates, but reaches a hand out to pat where the shadowform on Almeiria ends. "We will go back down there. You will not be alone."

Almeiria nods to her. "Do as you like, little one. I could not blame anyone for staying above."