1 Yperian "We need to evacuate the village. Today, before the monsters get a chance to stop us. Leynor, give the order. Take the men, go to every house and tavern, and scour the fields. Nobody stays behind."Yperian stared over at the lake from the hilltop, the lake he had seen swirling like a colossal whirlpool the very day before. It was becoming increasingly clear that the enemy was unbeatable. That undead horde couldn't be stopped, not even delayed. It was by their undead… grace… that the humans had survived even this long.But they had to leave."Sir, if we do that… Those things will notice. They control the weather, by the look of it, they'll definitely attack us. They don't wait for the rain, like we thought – they bring it.""I know. Our chances are slim. We may all die the very moment we try to leave. But I still think it's our best chance.""Sir knight commander! Knight commander, I bring a report—""Speak. Do not delay with formalities.""Sir… Roughly a third of our forward observers have abandoned their posts. We can't find them anywhere. They've deserted."Bad news. But not unexpected."Very well. Thank you, squire. Carry a message back to those that remain – tell them to start packing. They'll know what that means.""Yes, sir!" with a quick salute, the squire ran off."I'd rather not see that boy become a walking corpse," Yperian said to his adjutant. "I knew his father, in a previous war. But that was one in which we had a chance at victory. In this one, we don't. Give the order. Tell the people to ready as much food and water as they can carry on foot all the way to Terrena. We leave tonight. We take no breaks. If we make it there and King Raynardt takes my head for my cowardice, so be it.""Understood, commander," Leynor said. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that.""It's one of the better outcomes, really," he murmured."Hold your fire, archers! That's an ally!" called one of the watchmen on top of their guard tower.Yperian turned towards the entrance to the encampment, where the wooden gate had been blasted off its hinges the night before. The cursed lamia, Tiphaine, slithered into the camp, looking around at all the destruction. Though apparently unharmed, she was alone.He made his way over to her, noticing her snakes coiling above her head. He wondered which one of her emotional states they could be betraying. Could he dare to expect any good news?Almost certainly not."Knight commander," she said as she saw him approach. "I've returned a little sooner than my friends. What happened here? Were you attacked?""The situation has progressed unfavorably. The enemy has been in contact. You might care to hear about this – their ranks do indeed include a mermaid.""Is that so… Well, what did she say?""That we have three days to tell them of that girl from the rebellion, Imarah. Of course, we've already sent riders in the night, to Terrena. Hopefully, those sent there before them will have something to say. Still, since we must expect to receive bad news, we are planning an evacuation.""I see… I didn't think this would happen, I thought we had more time… But the villagers are unharmed?""Yes. For now, the monsters have not come for them. They haven't brought their real strength to bear against us yet, either – but it's become certain that we fight them. They could wipe us out at any moment.""Are there more of them now than there were before? I thought you were evenly matched… Listen, Emony and Aylard have also gone to Terrena, following the leads we've found. There's a chance they might find something there even if your soldiers don't. They're going to meet with the king. Maybe we can negotiate with the… um… the mermaid.""The mermaid is not the one in charge. She was an enemy, to be sure, but definitely not the one truly leading the undead army. She was afraid of her own men. There must be another. The "king" that everyone whispers about. Perhaps it really is the late Aulduyen."The snake nervously glanced at him for a moment before shaking her head. "Whoever he is, I'll talk to him. I'll buy you more time – but please, don't do anything rash. Trying to run might antagonize him.""You're right, of course, but we must do what we can to keep the people safe. We cannot live at the mercy of the undead!""I know… What should I do… Please, just give me today. You said they gave you three days, right? If the riders come back with nothing… I'll go and talk to the king. I'll convince him it's not worth hurting you or the villagers. Just… wait for me."There were no good options, but he still thought that trying to escape was the better choice. So why did his mind force him to obey the snake? Couldn't he refuse? 2 Tiphaine She'd been worried she might have forgotten where they were, but she found the steps carved into the lake easily, by following the path of destruction. Rows and rows of trees were collapsed in a straight line from the encampment to the water. The soldiers were running around all over, shouting, grabbing various kinds of equipment and taking it all with them to the encampment.She quickly slithered over to the lake, hoping that what she was doing was a good idea. The steps cut into the stone on the lakebed lay before her, sinking into the depths. Nervously, she dipped her head into the water to see if she could still breathe in it. Fighting all of her instincts, she opened her mouth and let it in.It was terrifying. The feeling of water slipping down between her vocal cords made her feel like she was about to drown. But she breathed out, and breathed in again. She wasn't drowning. Not really. Gathering her courage, she slithered forward into the lake, and opened her eyes in it.The bright water was full of life, just as it had been the last time she'd entered it, but there were more than just fish and crabs there now. She spotted the bodies of soldiers strewn all over the lake, floating in the water at various levels. They were watching her. Swallowing her spit along with plenty of water, she nodded towards them and moved forward along the path, towards the sunken palace.A while later, the algae-covered walls of Acu'enah stood before her, an army of corpses standing in the water just in front of them. She could hardly breathe, though that had nothing to do with her being underwater. The abyss she had just crossed over was spewing black magic into the water like a million evil sorcerers.Trying to catch her breath, she saw Verena swim gracefully over the walls of the palace to greet her."You're back," Verena said, coming back down to her level at the seabed. "It's so good to see you, Tiphaine! I wish it were under better circumstances. Do you bring any news? Please tell me you have something good."She shook her head nervously. "Nothing definitive. We've been to Gull's Landing and Levara, and the path led us to Terrena. I can't get in, so I came back – but it's okay – we've met up with Lenah. I'm sure they'll be able to find something soon.""The humans said they sent some men to Terrena, too. Divines, I hope they come up with something. Tiphaine, I'm afraid that, as time passes, our methods may become increasingly brutal. I didn't think our quest to bring back Imarah would look like this. I'm so sorry I got you involved.""It's okay. But, Verena, I have to talk with the king.""Aulduyen? Why? I'm… I'm not so sure that you should.""I really need to. It's the humans. The soldiers on the hill. They want to evacuate the villagers tonight – they're all terrified, I could see it on their faces."The mermaid nodded. "They have every right to be. My expedition… I'm not sure it helped. But if they leave, I fear Aulduyen might… He'd consider them all traitors. Wherever he looks, he sees only Imarah. Only his queen. Anything or anyone that might not want to help him get her back…""It's gotten worse, since we left? He stayed his hand, then. He promised he'd give us time.""I recall – but you've seen how much bigger the army has gotten. The towns and villages to the north – they are all gone. Except for Gull's Landing, as you said you would be going there, everything has been laid to waste."Tiphaine looked at her with horror. "Surely not! How?!""The compulsion has taken root in his heart, Tiphaine, I know it. It's as I said, the only thing that matters to him is his queen. She sang him a song ten years ago, I don't know how it's still affecting him after all this time, but that has to be it. It has to be, but I don't know how we can get rid of it! If we don't find Imarah quickly… I truly don't know what he might do."Verena shook her head before worryingly staring at her again."Coldbarrow might be lost if the people decide to run," she continued. "If you think you can stop that, then go. Talk to Aulduyen. But please, do nothing to offend him – say nothing about Imarah. He's in their tower, the tallest one in the palace. Wait for him at its base. He will come to you, don't enter without permission."Tiphaine slowly nodded before slithering past the statues of mermaids, into the palace.What could she possibly say to the man responsible for so much death? "So, the humans of Terrena barred your entry," murmured the king, sitting derisively on a chair on the opposite side of the marble table. He'd led her into the "war room", a smaller chamber within the palace, in which a stone table stood, a map of the world outside the lake carved in it, with pieces of rusty metal floating with the tide on the markings of cities. "They've made their choice, to stand in opposition to my love. A grave mistake.""My king… I'd like to ask you not to go to war with them. I don't mean not ever, just… not yet. Emony, Lenah and Aylard are all there, and they're doing their best to find your queen. It will be harder to do so if the people get ready for war.""Lies. You attempt to deceive me, snake," the king retorted. "In an attempt to protect your friends, no doubt. If an army lays claim to the fields around a city, demanding nothing but a girl, there is no doubt she will be given to them in exchange for the people's lives. Imarah would be returned to me with honors, if she were there. It makes things more difficult for your friends to find her. It would be easier, and I have nearly accumulated enough strength to go through with this. The only danger is that typical of war – death. Death and destruction. Which might fall upon those friends of yours in the chaos.""It may be that way," she stammered, bowing her head. "But… I beg you all the same. Please give them more time."He got up from his tall chair, walking through the water around the table towards her. He gazed into her eyes, a thin, pitying smile on his face. "It is such a fragile thing, isn't it? Life? It is truly the height of foolishness that love should be so strong in demanding it remain whole."Tiphaine looked away from his dark eyes, towards the stone floor."You understand me, I can see it, as can your companion. However, there is something you do not recognize. You are not the heroes of this love story. You are side characters. You are on the right side, but still, your desires matter ever so little when unaligned with the return of my queen."He slowly stepped away, walking back towards his chair."Do I really understand you, though?" she asked quietly."Hm? What do you mean? Speak your mind.""I'm not sure I understand you," she said, a slither of courage – or madness, probably – entering her mind. "I don't know if I would slaughter thousands of innocents for a chance at finding Emony. I know he'd never want me to, in the first place. Would your queen really want it of you?""No, of course not – but she will not bear witness to any of it. These sins are mine, and mine alone.""Are they?" she asked. "Are you sure she will see it that way? When it was she, a siren, that sang to you, to make you fall in love?"The king sprang out of his chair in an instant, the impenetrable stone table thrown against the wall like it was nothing, destroying half of the entire room with a resounding blast, and surging forward through the water."You dare make such accusations of my queen?! You dare believe, in my presence, that she would wound me so?!"Even the snakes on top of Tiphaine's head stood as still as statues, dead quiet, while she watched, paralyzed in fear herself. The king's rage boiled over, the water around him darkening to a pitch black. The dark magic emanating all around made her feel sick to her stomach, and it hadn't even touched her yet. Only a little more and she would vomit out even the blood in her veins. That would be the death of her, she knew. But ever so slowly, the nausea faded. The king suddenly calmed down and looked towards the destruction. He scratched his chin, thinking about something."Ah, no, I see, that wasn't an accusation. My apologies. I lost my composure for a moment. You have a point. Her blaming herself for the evils I commit is something that must absolutely be avoided. Your argument may have merit. So, what do you propose?"His strange, erratic manners somehow made Tiphaine even more fearful. There was no telling when he would next explode. The king sat down gracefully on the stone floor where his chair had stood before it had shattered."I'm sorry, I don't know. But perhaps until we figure something out, we should refrain from doing anything too cruel?""An obvious approach, but evils must be committed in order to retrieve her. So, should I restrain myself, or should I not? Should I break free from her song, to prove to her that my actions were my own? But that would be… indescribably horrible."Tiphaine gulped. "Maybe sometimes the hardest decisions are the right ones."The king sighed, running a hand through the curls of his hair. "You may be telling the truth, snake, but I suspect you only speak the words that would serve you. Without her song in my ears… how would I survive for even a moment? What would I live for, in the first place? This pain I feel… There is no way you could understand. The only thing that matters is her."Still sitting on the ground, he quietly wrapped his arms around his knees. "I suppose your friend, the siren, has sung to you once or twice since her… his… transformation? By accident, at least?"She quietly nodded."Then you know there can be nothing more beautiful than a siren's song. The way it can fill the world with color, even when everything in it is black… Imarah sang to me on plenty of occasions. I wouldn't be here if she hadn't."Tiphaine left her seat and made her way a little closer to the king. She curled up her tail and sat down on it across from him, on the floor."I haven't heard that much about her. The villagers said she was nice, but they didn't really know her.""Bah, no, they were never close. She told me she sang a song or two to them when she was young, that they should see her as a human even whilst witnessing her golden tail. She wanted to be their friend. But it didn't work as well as she'd wished it would. She only truly had her sister, Verena, until the two of us met. She was lonely. And me… I had no one at all. But then, we saw each other that day… And this whole, damned world made sense…""It must have been true love. You got married pretty quickly," Tiphaine smiled."Not quickly enough. Every moment I spent apart from her then was a complete and utter waste."The king shifted on the stone floor. Suddenly snapping out of his thoughts, his sharp gaze rushed towards the jewels covering Tiphaine's eyes."I'm well aware of your suspicions, and that Verena shares them. But you're wrong. Imarah never forced a song on me.""I'm… I'm sorry?""Do you think it wise to look at me as though I am a fool without equal?""No! I'm sorry, I never thought—""It's quite alright. I am a fool. But not for the reason you think. Embracing my queen that fateful day was the best decision I ever made – even though the path led me here."Tiphaine shook her head. "I don't understand.""Of course, you don't. You were born normal, and normal you remain, but I was not. My days were always full of nothing. Before I met her, I was an empty husk of a man, unwanted by everyone and of use to no one, least of all myself. But she… At my request, she simply sang a few words to me, and this whole beautiful world revealed itself to me. It had been gray, only gray, and all of a sudden, I saw it in countless different vibrant hues! There was no way I couldn't fall in love with her after I'd seen her face and she'd done me such a kindness. And far be it for that to be all. In time, the person she revealed herself to be…""I… I see…" Tiphaine stammered."Oh, you don't need to pretend to understand. Nobody does. Only know this, and tell Verena, should she be interested – normally, yes, a song will fade from your mind after a short time. But I clung to Imarah's melodies with all my might. I cling to them still, though the abyssal magic I've acquired is trying desperately to strip me of them. I choose to do so. It is my will that keeps her songs in my ears. It is because I can see the truth, that love is the only thing that matters. I'm afraid, snake, that I must deny your request. My love can be cruel, but it will conquer." 3 Emony Emony was just starting to regain a sense of normalcy – however much he… she could manage, closing her eyes, lying in the bathtub of the private chamber in the form of a mermaid.She was in the middle of convincing herself that she would not be a pervert if she rubbed soap all over her female chest – she had to do so to attend the king's banquet. She had no choice, and her mind was magically poisoned, anyway.But then someone annoying came in.Lenah entered the room just as she reached for the soap.Emony cleared her throat to let her presence be known."Oh, don't mind me," Lenah said, tossing her silk black dress onto a wooden stool. "I'm quite well acquainted with the female form. As, by now, are you."Emony looked away from her, refusing to be provoked, and reached for the towel she had earlier hung by the tub."Leaving so soon? But I think you'll need a while to dry yourself off. Especially with me throwing water at you so you don't manage it."Emony rolled her eyes and grimaced in her direction. The blue-haired witch was standing completely naked in front of the tub, smiling at her."You're going to expose me, now?" Emony asked."Ha! You know, if you were to crawl out of the bathhouse, using only your hands and dragging that tail across the floor, that would be an amusing sight! I swear I would ensure there would be no consequences to it."Emony frowned again. "Unfortunately, these arms are far too slim to manage it." She leaned back into the tub. "I miss my strength.""Yes, poor you, Emony. Becoming a frail little mermaid, another victim of Lenah, the evil witch... If only there was a single good thing about it…"Lenah came closer to the tub and dipped her toe into the water."There's not enough space for the both of us. Go away."Those blue sparks crackled around the witch again, catching the magic she had laced into the words. Lenah put her whole foot into the water and eventually sat down on the end of Emony's tail, facing her.Well with that, she had nowhere else to look."Would you pass the soap?" Lenah asked innocently.Emony did so with closed eyes, to spite her."I love seeing that embarrassed expression on your new face. Just the irony behind it is enough for me – the menacing werewolf, the scourge of Aeliah, sulking in the bathtub in the form of a girl, afraid to look at me. Ha! That is why we are friends.""Are you really that bored?""Yes, I am, and I have been for nearly a century now. But you can't be too surprised, you've known other witches.""Intimately."Lenah chuckled while smothering the soap onto her arms. "Oh? I hope it wasn't that tramp, Marietta. You could do so much better – oh – I know her. Would you mind if I told Tiphaine about that?""Get out of my head.""Haha, nah. It's an interesting place. While I poke around, would you like me to answer one of those questions swirling around in it? The reason you're having such an easy time looking at my face right now?""It's because I remembered your age, you old hag," he said."No, that's not it. You certainly didn't have it so easy this morning, and you knew how old I was then, too. I'm sorry, Emony, I'm afraid your suspicions are correct! My mermaid spell affects the mind, too!""Please shut up… But you know that I already know that.""Oh, Tiphaine will be devastated! Ah, no, never mind. I see your feelings for her haven't dimmed a bit. So, it's because Aylard told you.""He told me," he replied."And? Who have you chosen to hate? Tiphaine, for petrifying your parents? Yourself, for killing them? Or me, for making you forget?""Nobody. I've actually always wanted to be an orphan, so…""Ha…. Then aren't you lucky that she chose to slither through Westmire? Now that you know, are you going to tell her?""No, and neither will you. We continue the lie. I'm from Aeliah.""Whatever you say… Though I wonder how exactly your relationship will work out, built on that lie. Personally, I am most curious about the logistics. Her mother was a lamia while her father was human, so it's clearly possible, but how, precisely, that is the question—""I will murder you in your sleep.""Okay, okay," the witch shrugged, spinning a finger and making the soapy water in the tub swirl around them like a whirlpool. "Just don't come crying to me later asking me how it's done. Actually, please do. I'd be happy to explain, in vivid detail."With a final smug smile, Lenah got out of the tub, dripping water onto the stone floor for a moment before sending it flying back into the tub with a flick of her wrist. And just like that, she was dry. Emony so wished she could do that."I'll be taking my leave first, then. We still have the chamber reserved for another hour or so, so don't worry about any more interruptions.""Thank you."Lenah, still smiling for some reason, materialized clothes around her and left."You left your other dress here!" she called after her.She didn't come back. Emony leaned into the tub.Ignoring that, she finally started to clean herself, wondering if the soap and oils would really stay on after she transformed back into a man. Lenah had assured her they would.And then the door opened again."Ah, Lenah, you forgot—"It wasn't Lenah.It was Aylard."You—"The human stared at her, dumbfounded, from the open doorway. He was impossibly shocked, just as she was."G-get out!" Emony shrieked, throwing a barrage of magic his way. "Get out of this bathhouse!"Blue sparks crackled around Aylard, catching the words and protecting him. The human looked nervously around upon seeing them. He didn't seem to know Lenah had put the spell on him. Damned witch!"Get out, now," Emony growled again, suddenly irritated also by the fact that it was impossible for her to sound threatening with her current voice.Aylard turned around quickly and closed the door in front of himself, leaning his forehead against it. Did he not know how to use a door?!"I'm sorry," he exclaimed, "I didn't know the room was occupied. I apologize. A… friend… told me it wasn't.""Well, now you know that it is, so get out.""I will. I promise. I'm sorry about this. But before I leave… I want to say something to you. For modesty's sake, I promise not to turn around."Emony laid back further into the soapy water filling the tub, scowling. She couldn't do anything, she was downright teethless, stuck in the bathtub."Fine. Say it.""I… I wanted to thank you. For saving my life in that river. You pulled me out of the water.""I also killed a few people; would you like me to repeat the words to you?"Aylard shook his head, forcing his eyes shut while he faced the wooden door. "No. I beg you, do not. I promise not to threaten you in any way. I… I'm sorry – I'm just confused. Why did you save me? I'm human, and you're… not.""A friend asked me to. That's all there is to it. Now leave.""Which friend?""It doesn't matter.""Tiphaine would be the most obvious guess, but a witch, Lenah, put her to sleep. And it was clear when I returned to consciousness that she had no idea what had happened. Was it really Emony?""Stop thinking about it, it's done. Just leave.""Please, just tell me why you saved my life! I don't understand what's going on! We're supposed to be enemies! Sirens like you are what…"The damned human looked desperate. And worse – Lenah was more correct than even she knew. Her damned fishtail was affecting her mind. She cursed the damned thing as she spoke honestly."I saved you because I thought it was the right thing to do. Tiphaine wanted to keep you alive, and… Emony asked me to help you… but I would have done it anyway."A hundred moments passed in silence."You thought…" Aylard shook his head slowly against the door. "You thought it was the right thing to do…? I cannot even begin to understand. I'm sorry for disturbing you. I'll go. Just one more thing. If you ever need anything… At the very least, I pay my debts. May I have your name?""No. You may not. This is the last you'll ever see of me, anyway."At that, the door suddenly opened in front of Aylard, hitting him in the face and making him fall to the floor, dumbfounded. Startled, Emony leaned forward to see if Aylard had hurt himself. He was still injured, after all.Suddenly, he was irked again.Lenah was standing at the door, beaming a revolting smile."Don't be such a sourpuss, friend!" she announced. "Aylard, this here is Emm… Emm… Emma. I think you two will be seeing more of each other soon!""Lenah, I really will do it – I swear it, I will murder you in your sleep. Get out!"