A soft whistle sounded through the air as a group of men and women started to stream out of the island, followed closely by the cacophonic sound of scales rubbing against a rock surface.

"The first wave is here!" Tiamat roared as he glances leisurely from the back of the mob.

"Get into gear you all, kill as many of the snakes as possible and incapacitate the scale-less ones to the best of your abilities, I don't want to overly antagonize the people that hold my people hostage!" Lorean called out sharply from the stern of his dingy boat.

'Not to forget that the more blood that is spilled the more likely that these fishes go rabid. The last thing I need is to have to deal with blood crazed sea kings hot on my a.s.s…'

Swiftly he jumped off it running into the center of the mob of humans that had streamed out of the cave and expertly smacking the sides of their temple with his dagger's pommel.

A courageous women jabbed at him with a spear, aiming for the center of his shoulder. With a quick turnaround he pulled one of his daggers close to his chest, using its sharp end to redirect the blow before quickly das.h.i.+ng into her chest ramming hard into her clavicle with his shoulder.

With a soundless swing he brought his hand down on the top of her head, using the b.u.t.t of his small blade to crumple his foe.

Instantly he turned around, running into the host of enemies. To his left another spear jabbed out with deft movements. With a barely concealed smirk he held onto the spear's neck pulling at its wielder before kicking out with his left leg catching the man in the chest.

With his stolen spear Lorean then proceeded to make short work of the disorderly militia, stabbing into a group here, and dislodging a group there.

As the thicket cleared, he shot a glance toward the sound of subdued roars and pained hisses. The prepared sea kings made short work of the Yuda, obviously the snakes had long been used to ambush and sneak tactics.

They had been completely dominated by the more violent sea critters. Further, their lack of naval mobility became painfully clear, most of the snakes had gotten in each other's way, more than anything else and had played the role of an internal saboteur better than anyone Lorean had ever seen.

With a simple nod in the direction of the blue sea king Lorean moved inward. The creature had obviously caught his drift as it swiftly followed him in, baying at its feasting companions to hasten their eating.

"The horned one is right, you can eat later!" Tiamat called out as he pulled his face from the carca.s.s of the biggest snake, immediately the other sea kings could be seen moving acting as if the food that they had been previously fawning over never existed…

***************

"Edda, enemies have crossed through the outer wall and have taken into the inner lake what must be done High priestess?!" Yura reported panicked.

"Calm yourself Yura, explain the situation properly!" The high priestess called out turning her back on the frothing spring in the center of the room.

Angella and Fawkes stared at each other from across the room, surprise evident in their eyes. Immediately they looked into the crowd almost instantly catching the eye of the equally alarmed Terrick.

"High Priestess, the sea kings have come to the doorstep of the hollow mountain, A whole Horde of them! They attacked the outer wall and sacked the pa.s.sageway that led into the inner lake they come for the island now! On their head is a black haired man riding what looks to be a broken boat!" Yura snapped all politeness disappearing from her tone in favor of panic and fear.

In the course of her decently long life, she had never once come across such a scene! For as long as she could remember she had been lead to believe that sea kings were merely dumb savage beasts that lived in the sea, only now that she had gotten wind of their presence just outside her home did she question her previous a.s.sumptions.

With a calming sigh the high priestess looked over at her, "Collect all able bodied members on the island, gather them in the outer circle! We must protect our home!" She said in her imperious voice, many would be fooled by her tone, only a select few hearing the odd tremor understood that even she had been shaken as Yura had.

"Balogna, Tyr! Awaken the nest and gather the Yuda!" She called out before turning back into the room. "At any other time, the ritual would have held the most importance, but seeing the current events, I am sure that the world eater shall allow it!

Acolytes, retreat to your dorms and pray for the island!" She called out, in her haste forgetting the prisoners that lay tied to the walls.

Rein could be seen perspiring his dilated eyes flitting right and left, fear evident in the way his body curled to the side.

"What of the world eater? Surely he will protect us! I say that we continue the ritual so that we may welcome him when he returns from smiting these foul trespa.s.sing bugs!" Merla called out in her first act of open defiance of her teacher.

A fanatical gleam could be seen in her eyes as she gazed contemptuously at the group of priests before her, open mockery at the fear that they displayed.

In her eyes, the world eater was strong, he would protect them. Among those that he protected she was the most important, after all she was the high priestess apparent.

The high priestess looked over at her sharply, "Regardless, we must protect our people! The world eater is a deity he can wait."

"Teacher are you implying that the world eater will not act in our protection? I am sure that he will protect us, this must be a test! And even if a few dogs of the outer circle perish he will come for us, and that is what is important!" She said before kneeling before the frothing pool and going silent.

Breta could not help but swallow the bile that rose in her throat. Had it not been for Terrick holding tightly to her hands she would have snapped at the kneeling figure. This was betrayal!

The high priestess took a deep and calming breath before looking at the soldier standing awkwardly at the gateway. "Go, protect our people!"

She knew that she had been pushed under the bus, with this one action she had doomed herself, for after this situation calmed down she would be charged for her insufficient faith, tried by her own disciple and probably fed to the dastardly snake that held her island captive!