The fishpeople poured from the corridor below like an unending tide—relentless, furious, and many. At first, Thalion had considered holding his ground, but as their numbers swelled past fifty in mere seconds, he knew there was no hope of victory here. They were coming fast, with blood in their eyes and vengeance in their hearts.

“There! Up there!” someone roared, pointing toward him with a trident.

Their voices were thick with rage, echoing through the water like war drums. Thalion wasted no time. With a flash of azure flame, he activated his bloodline skill and vanished in a pulse of energy, reappearing within the same corridor he had originally emerged from. There was simply no way forward. He could not carve a path through that many enemies, especially not when they fought like mad beasts, heedless of injury or death. The battle he'd won in the previous chamber had been a miracle. This was suicide.

Even if he ignored their overwhelming numbers, their suicidal fervor made them near impossible to manage. They didn’t care if they lived. They only cared that he died. If he’d taken the form of the Leviathan, perhaps he might’ve stood a chance, but the Tidecaller Serpent wasn’t built for this type of engagement. His body was swift, yes, but not meant to be a bulwark against a swarm.

Thalion shot forward, racing through the twisting, kelp-lined corridors with all the speed his serpentine form could muster. He couldn’t afford for these creatures to guess his true intent. If they realized he was fleeing toward the surface, they might pursue him and worse, they might turn on his allies above. That, more than anything, was a scenario he could not allow.

To mislead them, Thalion conjured trails of flickering blue fire, sending them slithering into alternate passageways. To any who followed, it would appear as though he’d taken a different route entirely. Navigating back through the maze-like water tunnels wasn’t easy. Even with a perfect memory, he had only moments at his current speed to choose the correct path.

Fortunately, the decoys seemed to confuse the enemy, buying him valuable seconds. He surged into the vast, open chamber where the Leviathan had once ruled. Without hesitation, he teleported across the room and slipped into the corridor where he’d once hidden and watched that fearsome battle unfold. As he moved, he extinguished every flicker of flame he created, leaving no trace of his passage. The vibrations in the water still tickled his senses, but they were distant now. If the fishpeople were still searching, they’d lost his trail.

He didn’t slow down.

Instead, Thalion propelled himself toward the place where he had first entered the water. It wasn’t the most glorious retreat but time was precious, and navigating deeper into the labyrinth on a hunch simply wasn’t worth the risk. Who knew how many more fishfolk lay in wait near the pillar? The last group he had faced had been far weaker than those who fought the Leviathan. If even twenty of those elites were guarding the pillar, he stood no chance in his current form.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from NovelBin. Please report it.

He had briefly hoped to teleport onto dry land using his bloodline ability, then fight with the crippled Eclipsari form or even as a human. He had also considered taking on the form of Eagly, using lightning to obliterate anything nearby. But the risk was too great. Even now, within the form of the Tidecaller Serpent, he could feel the crushing weight of the deep pressing against him. Transforming into Eagly here might spell instant death.

Still, the gains from this dive were immense. One of his key skills had evolved. He’d acquired a monstrously large mana crystal and the body of the Leviathan—engraved with runes he intended to study and replicate. Thalion knew he might be giving up a shortcut by retreating, but any alternative would require precious time and the impossible task of surviving another encounter like the last.

Better to regroup. Better to find a tunnel. Fighting beside Kael and the elves wasn’t his preferred outcome, but at this point, it might be the only realistic path forward. He would hear what the others had to say. After all, it had been hours since he’d seen them, and there might be only one day left before they needed to destroy the pillar. Worse. There was no guarantee that Ankhet wouldn’t awaken early.

His path back was uneventful. No more fishfolk appeared, and after nearly an hour of swimming, Thalion finally breached the surface. With a shimmer of magic, his form twisted back into that of a man. Without hesitation, he triggered Mistform, rocketing through the air toward the ledge where his people stood guard.

They stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“M-Master Thalion,” one stammered, bowing hurriedly, unsure of what to say or how to address the unexpected arrival.

“Hi,” Thalion said with a small, tired smirk. “Just tell me where Josh, Evelyn, and Kargul are, and I’m off. Oh—and bring a few more guards here. There might be some of those fishpeople coming.”

“Yes, sir! They’re in the next corridor,” the group barked in unison, almost like trained soldiers.

Thalion gave them an appreciative nod before activating Mistform once more, his body dissipating into shimmering vapor as he surged up the corridor. The air grew warmer as he ascended, and light from hanging lanterns shimmered softly against the smooth stone walls. This part of the hideout had taken on a surprisingly domestic atmosphere. Scattered among the makeshift furniture were his people—some seated in conversation, others resting or meditating. Their laughter and quiet murmurs created a momentary bubble of peace. That serenity would soon shatter, but for now, it was a welcome illusion.