The Art and Lore of

Art and Worldbuilding: Lina Cossette, David Forest

Writing: Tim Eisner, Ben Eisner, Lina Cossette, David Forest
Lead Developer: James Hudson
Editor: Ari Yarwood
Layout Artists: Lina Cossette, David Forest
Additional Layout: Kate Finch
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either
are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely
coincidental.

Copyright © 2019 by Skybound.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced
or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission
of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in China

First Printing, 2019

ISBN 978-0-578-61016-0

Published by Skybound Games

PO BOX 14, 9942 Culver Blvd,
Culver City, CA 90232-998, USA

www.skybound.com/tabletop
This book is our gift to all Tidal Blades fans around the world. We
can’t express how grateful we are for your enthusiasm.

James, Tim, and Ben, thank you for being wonderful people.

-- David and Lina (Mr. Cuddington)

 Note from the Creators

When we started working on Tidal Blades years ago, we weren’t
content with just creating a colorful water world. We longed for a
vast, breathing universe, and found ourselves restlessly diving down,
thinking about its smallest intricacies. It allowed us to paint a world
that felt complex and real, but we were well aware that most of it
would unlikely be used in the board game. Well, what do you know?
Thanks to all our Kickstarter backers, this game has turned into such
a success that we are now writing a foreword to a hundred-page art
and lore book! This is truly incredible.
also added several pages of history about the important locations
in the game and many short segments of lore to complement the
narrative chapters. We poured our hearts and souls into making
this book as beautiful as possible, filled with intricate, full-page
illustrations.
More than just a game, Tidal Blades is very much a world we wish we
could live in. With this book, we invite you all to come on a journey
with us to Naviri.

For those of you who followed the daily updates during the
Kickstarter campaign, a lot in this book will be familiar. Most of it is
composed of previously released stories that follow Axl, Dust, Eko,
and Caiman on their quest to become Tidal Blades. The original texts
were edited and trimmed down slightly for better readability. We
 contents

THE TIDAL BLADES 8

WELCOME TO NAVIRI 10
THE FOLD 12
THE CITADEL OF TIME 14
LAMARA STADIUM 16
THE CHRONOSSEUM 20
THE DROSKA RING 24
 CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO
THE TOURNAMENT SAGASHI

A NEW GENERATION OF HEROES 30 19 Traveler of the Fold 64

1 Eko’s Journal 32 20 Influence 66
2 Hunt Story 33 21 Entanglers’ Hideout 68
3 New to the Isles 34 22 Seize the Key 70
4 Never Second 35 23 Babs’ Favorite Contestant 72
5 Daigon’s Puzzle 36 24 King of the Underworld 74
6 Temporal Treasures 38 25 Mystic Training 76
7 Horn Eyes 40 26 The Battle Pit 78
8 Racing Reflexes 42 27 Love of Heights 80
9 Swarm Challenge 44 28 Pulling a Few Strings 82
10 Battle Tales 46 29 Axl’s Dad 83
11 The Hazards of Time 48 30 Angler’s Wrath 84
12 Greatest Competitor 50
13 Grido the Tooth 51 CHAPTER THREE
14 Unexpected Adversary 52
FINAL CHALLENGE
15 A Most Perilous Endeavor 53
16 Sword and Claw 54
31 Myriad Maze 88
17 The Footsteps of Legends 56
18 The Storm 58
 Every Navirian remembers the gigantic cloud, black as cuttlebeard’s
ink, as it started forming on the horizon. It cast an unusual stain on
the pristine sky—after all, storm season wasn’t expected for another
few months. Before long, wind unleashed its fury like a battle cry,
THE TIDAL BLADES rain started hammering the floating docks, and drifters had to
moor their houses in haste before the first waves flooded the bay.
It was by all accounts a most fantastic storm, one which would be
remembered as the Great Battle.

8
As all were running for safety, a few heroes remained, standing
strong against the thundering sky. They were known as the Tidal
Blades, elite guardians of the Floating Islands. Commander Braze,
Master Takaro, Masinki Bubba—they and so many others were
known by name and adored. For two hundred years, generations
upon generations of Tidal Blades kept the city safe and prosperous.
Wielding the most sophisticated weapons designed by the Engineers
of the Citadel, they patrolled the reef barrier day and night, keeping
all horrors from the ocean at bay.
But this storm was like nothing the city had ever encountered.
Despite their incredible skills, the Tidal Blades were no match for the
endless hordes of sea monsters invading the reef on that day. The
Higher Council was summoned. There was one desperate measure
that could save the city, but it came at a terrible price. As the
Arcanists sent the Tidal Blades away with the precious Hyperloom,
their hearts grew heavy with sorrow. For as they watched the Fold
successfully deploy in a blinding spark of light, they knew that the
city was saved, but the Tidal Blades were no more.
9
 It has been fifteen years since the storm. The air is warm, and the
sky is sparingly painted with immaculate clouds. Laughs and cheers
erupt from local restaurants and racing tracks. The city of Naviri has
never been so beautiful and vibrant. A magnificent floating statue
has been erected near the Citadel of Time to commemorate the
Welcome to Naviri Tidal Blades’ sacrifice. The protective barrier known as the Fold is still
standing, and has made the lagoon as safe as it could ever be.

Naviri is a city like no other. Officially founded 300 years ago on a

day remembered as the Unification, it is now home to a wide variety

10
of species who live and work together, sharing a common culture.
Despite their differences, species like turtles, nag’i, salamanders,
and fish-folk have found a way to ensure a comfortable, meaningful
existence to all inhabitants. The very creation of Naviri would not
have been possible without this cooperative spirit, and as strange as
it appears to desert traders reaching the city shore for the first time,
it is an essential piece of city life.
One particularity of Naviri is the trade system. People have
historically bartered in fruit—many still do today—but over time,
they have been replaced by shells as the universal unit of currency.
These small portable devices manufactured by the Citadel also
serve as a standard for energy transportation, used notably to
power watercrafts.
Most Navirians live on floating houses and choose to moor
permanently in one of the official docks, joining a collective where
they can work with their chosen community. Some others prefer the
life of a drifter, endlessly floating between Trawl and Vines, offering
their services as traders, craftsmen, or mercenaries for hire.
11
 Stretching 100 kilometers wide from the Scattered Reefs to the
Wayward Sea, the Fold is a strange sight to behold. Deployed by
the Arcanists years ago, this jewel of time-altering technology is
the product of years of research, only made possible by harnessing
the power to fold space and time onto itself. Now the barrier blocks
The Fold the horizon like a huge, glitching glacier. To Navirians, the Fold is
both a gift and a curse. It provides a sense of security, effectively
blocking all sea monsters from invading the city, but it was also
activated hastily and without extensive testing. For this reason, it is

12
highly unstable and prone to unpredictable time hazards. As of late,
more and more monsters have started to break through, sometimes
weirdly mutated or possessing abilities never seen before. The Coral
Guards are there to ensure protection within the city borders, but
they don’t have the effectiveness of the ancient Tidal Blades. Many
Navirians living closer to the Fold are now resorting to hiring croc
mercenaries to ensure safety during their travels.
However dangerous, though, this strange wilderness is still worth
exploring for the daring adventurer. Shellers, the small creatures
that provide the building materials needed to manufacture valuable
shells, are most commonly found in the reefs bordering the Fold, and
the Citadel will pay handsomely for them. Because of the increasing
anomalies, there is even a rumor that the Arcanists are considering
resurrecting the lost Order of the Tidal Blades. For anyone dreaming
of joining this new generation of heroes, there are few better ways
to hone their survival skills than venturing to the edge of the Fold.
13
14
 THE CITADEL OF TIME

Built as a gigantic fortress in the very heart of Naviri, the Citadel

of Time supervises the manufacture of shells and pumps out
technological innovations throughout the city. While the industrious
tasks are matters for the Engineers, important decisions fall in the
hands of the Arcanists. With hundreds of bureaucrats devoted to
city management and productivity, the Citadel is, in every sense of
the word, the cerebral center of the Floating Islands.

The Citadel of Time is composed of six levels, starting with the

Meditation Spring at the very bottom. The communal hot baths
are accessible to everyone, and provide calming waterfalls and a
chance to restock in freshwater supplies, thanks to one of the few
desalination units in Naviri. It is followed by the Collective Center,
which handles city affairs, permits, and disputes. The remaining
floors, which include the Shell Factory, Research and Development
Facilities, and the Arcanist Chambers, have highly restricted access.

In the unlikely event to be granted a visit, one who climbed all the
way to the top would find the Betalod Sanctuary. The cave-dwelling
pink creatures known as betalods might not look like much to a
foreigner, but they have affected the history of Naviri since they
were first discovered by hunting parties centuries ago. The reason
has much to do with their incredible intellect: when in a sleep state,
betalods can think collectively, an ability they use with the High
Engineers and Arcanists to compute complex calculations. Betalods
are genetically programmed to be trusting of others; however, this
naivety can be easily exploited. In the past, this led to the horrifying
events that launched the Scatter Years. Nowadays, all betalods are
secluded and kept under close protection by the Coral Guards. They
are considered mystical and nearly god-like by Navirians, and the
only accessible betalod to the general populace is Master Wu. He
can generally be found in the Guild of Time, right next to the Temple
of the Breaking Wave, the legendary martial arts academy that trains
all future Coral Guards.

15
 LAMARA STADIUM

Every year, crowds of enthusiastic drifters start flowing in from all

corners of Naviri for a huge week-long festival called the Tournament
of Heroes. Organised by the Citadel to commemorate the fallen
Tidal Blades, it is traditionally launched by setting the giant statue
of Takaro adrift on a four-day journey to Trawl. Aspiring champions
must first sign up at the Citadel to compete, and must acquire official
challenge cards to participate in the various competitions.

One key location of this long-awaited tournament is the legendary

Lamara Stadium. It can be accessed via multiple entrances, the
most popular being the arched way leading directly to Palm Plaza.
A popular tourist spot, it is known for its good restaurants, hotels,
and large party boats circling the bay. It is a vibrant, eclectic place,
always full of color and music. Many people like to come here on
their off days to have fun and spend their hard-earned shells.

As the name suggests, the stadium is owned by none other than

the Lamara family. As founders of Lam Collective, the Lamaras built
their fortune a long time ago by rejecting the old, archaic ways of
the Travelers’ Guild and being the first to successfully manufacture
small, lightweight watercrafts created specifically for high speed
and maneuverability. Featuring new stylish hulls entirely made of
minglass, the first Lam-K watercrafts were powered by a novel source
of energy developed in close collaboration with the Engineers. Huge
and cumbersome at first, these “shells” were constantly reimagined
over the centuries until they became the small, nautilus-shaped
devices now omnipresent in every home. As for the watercrafts,
they have also been much refined over time, although a beautifully
preserved model of the Lam-K can still be admired in the Lamara
Museum. Today, the legacy of the Lamaras rests in the hands of the
remaining members of the family, two respected and influential
nag’i sisters named Mae and Barbaree.

16
17
 KING OF THE SPIRE
Shining brightly in the center of the water stadium, the two red
towers known as the Spires pit contestants against each other in a
climbing race to the clouds. Featuring disc-shaped levels of varying
size stacked on a very tall pole, the Spires are dangerous to ascend
and definitely not for the faint of heart. Many variants exist, including
diving from the highest platform or sliding down as fast as possible
along intersecting trails of ropes.

Interestingly, the towers were directly inspired by an old fishing

technique developed by ancient frogs. Scanning the waters from a
high vantage point such as a cliff, they would jump at the very last
moment using their springy, muscular legs and fall on their prey by
surprise, piercing them with their spears. With time, more efficient
hunting platforms were built in the open sea. While few people still
catch food like this, the fishing towers still found a way into modern
culture by inspiring the famous Lamara Spires.

WATERCRAFT RACES
Lamara Stadium is famed for its thrilling races and high-speed water
jousts. Aspiring racers are encouraged to spend some time in Racers‘
Bay and hone their skills before signing up for official contests. Fame
and riches await the best pilots, as well as occasional brutal deaths!
For those who survive, many small repair shops have opened around
the bay to patch up or boost their watercrafts.

Among favorite challenges is the ever-impressive Turbo Wreck,

where pilots are pitted against each other in an all-rules-lifted battle
of demolishing intensity. Catch the White Eel’s Tail is another popular
challenge where racers must use any means necessary to catch a
tiny, elusive white fish. However, nothing can match the excitement
of an upcoming Race Against the Wildconger. Only one participant
is selected each year to participate—the chance of a lifetime to
enter the book of legends by outrunning the only specimen of a
wildconger ever captured.

RUMBLE WITH THE FROG PACK

To spice up the games, nothing beats unleashing the Frog Pack. The squad made a name
for itself a few years ago by defeating every consecutive challenger during an off-season
Total Brawl competition. Since then, the superstars have made regular surprise appearances,
much to the delight of spectators who excitedly await the next moment “TOAD TIME” will
resonate in the stadium. Imagine the madness of trying to climb your way up the Spires
with frogs clinging to your feet, or piling up in your way as you attempt to Escape the
18 Sinking Cell! Rule of thumb, always prepare for the worst when facing the frog frenzy.
FIGHTING STYLE: THE BATTLESTAFF
From crude fishing spear to modern martial weapon, the staff has always played an important role in Naviri and is the
recommended fighting style in Lamara. Whether to throw your opponents off-balance in water jousts, or simply to keep
your own balance on the unstable floating platforms, mastering the staff is a good way to make your mark in the water
stadium and a definite bonus for any aspiring Tidal Blade. Indeed, it is a swift, versatile, and deadly weapon in the hands
of an expert, and is particularly effective against fast-moving predators such as seahounds and guaracudas. Masinki
Bubba is a famous figure who first got known as a staff champion before later joining the ranks of the Tidal Blades.
19
 THE CHRONOSSEUM

Originally constructed as a fort to protect citizens from the crab-

infested Mudflats, the Chronosseum has since been repurposed into
a stadium open year-round. In contrast with Lamara Stadium, which
is known for a more exuberant type of entertainment, this arena is
imbued with a deep respect for ancient military traditions. As such,
it is very popular amongst turtles, who form a vast majority of the
Coral Guards in the city.

Except for the great coral farms of New Mingu, most of Naviri’s food
is grown in the regions surrounding the Chronosseum. There exist
many types of wild fruit in Naviri; however, when people say “fruit,”
they generally mean the common, domesticated, bright orange fruit
anciently known as the gob fruit. Domesticated by turtles a long
time ago, and now grown in mass quantities by the Orchardians’
Guild in the Floating Gardens, the gob fruit is renowned in its ability
to sharply increase concentration and cut hunger. Because of these
qualities, it has become an important part of the Navirian diet.

Of all the fascinating structures surrounding the Chronosseum, one

of the most spectacular is certainly the Atoll of the Crab Mystics.
This huge farm produces thousands of jellyfish a year, one of Naviri’s
most sought-after delicacies. The view from the atoll is particularly
hypnotizing at night, with the swarms of pink jellies glowing lightly
in unison across the silent, dark waters. The farm was founded by
a group of golfins who chose to go back to the spiritual roots of
the tribal Mig’i fish-folk. They wear strange crab-shaped masks, and
share the belief that spirits are among us and must be appeased to
prevent impending doom. The sect of the Crab Mystics is the only
faith competing with Neo Betalodism, essentially the belief that if
there is anything to figure out, the Betalods will.

20
21
 MILITARY CHALLENGES
True to the stadium’s ancient roots, hook battles and obstacle
courses are some of the most common types of challenges found
in the Chronosseum. Contestants with no prior military experience
should not get discouraged, however, as many blade advisors
have opened private training arenas on the nearby docks to help
challengers improve their skills. Some of these obstacle courses
are direct replicas of traditional Coral Guard training exercises, as
can be seen in the case of the Broken Bridge Challenge, devised to
teach young initiates how to improvise when all common strategies
fail.However, not all challenges boast such didactic qualities. Case
in point, one of the most difficult in the Chronosseum is also the
simplest: withstand the weight of the biggest waterfall for a timed
period while holding a huge flat rock over your shoulders. Ol’ Ruk, a
female croc owner of a wrestling arena near Racers’ Bay, is the only
non-turtle to have ever beat it.

TIME PUZZLES

One look at the sumptuous hourglass-shaped columns and giant

artificial waterfalls, and it is clear to see how important the concept
of time is for Navirians. Indeed, it is only thanks to the dedicated
research of the Engineers in time-altering weaponry that the Order
of the Tidal Blades could ensure protection of the Floating Islands
for so long. Without the Citadel’s many scientific breakthroughs,
most notably the discovery of michronic manipulation, shells would
have never been invented. In line with this legacy, the Chronosseum
floor has been constructed as a complex field of michronically-
interconnected plates that can elevate and flip at will, giving way to
infinite permutations of mind-bending puzzles.

CAPTURE THE CRAB

Crabs are Navirians’ most ancient foes. Mudcrabs in particular used to roam the entire
lagoon and make life impossible for settlers until they were progressively beaten back
by organised hunting parties. They have now relocated in the soaked wilderness known
as the Mudflats. Young mudcrabs are rather inoffensive but get quite dangerous as they
grow in size. Ironback crabs, on the other hand, are slower and thicker, with carapaces
nearly impossible to pierce, but can be rendered helpless by knocking them on their backs.
22 Both types of crabs are regularly captured to be part of Chronosseum challenges.
FIGHTING STYLE: THE HOOK
Hooks were invented a long time ago by Navirian hunters as they provided a solid grip to flip crabs onto their backs.
Mounted with a flux-coated tip of impedium, they provided the best weapon against the dangerous decapods,
giving access to a steady source of lime and meat. Since then, the hook has stood the test of time, remaining
the Coral Guards’ weapon of choice and the Chronosseum’s official fighting style. Unsurprisingly, a tool of such
historical significance is bound to make its way into many aspects of culture. Various types of hooks are used for
simple daily tasks, and they have even made their way into sports: the ever-popular Ultimate Hook.
23
 The last of the three main arenas, the Droska Ring is a venue like no
other, flanked with the Glassforgers’ Guild on one side and the desert
market on the other. It is a scorching, dry place, popular among
fish-folk and lizards but especially with humans. Most of them are
traders originating from Stoen, a distant city in the mountains. Their
THE DROSKA RING ancestors crossed the desert a long time ago to establish a trading
route with the Floating Islands, and have continued making the
voyage twice a year ever since. Thanks to them, Naviri has become
not only synonymous with vigorous technology and culture, but
also flourishing commerce.

24
Even though humans are not native to the Floating Islands, some
have decided to settle permanently as drifters and even form
families with nag’i. While this interspecies mingling can be surprising,
there’s an easy explanation: the Nag’i were once human themselves.
Indeed, ancient human seafarers found their way to the Fury Isles
and were rescued by a tribe of Mig’i fish-folk. From there, they slowly
mutated into a different species because of their unbridled handling
of shellers. In Yunai, the ancient fish-folk language, Nag’i means
“those who came from afar.” Mig’i means “the ones that were here.”
To access the market or the Droska Ring, nothing is easier than to
head directly to the docks near the desert caravans, but beware of
the many thieves that prey in the shade! Many prefer to dock their
watercraft at Drifters’ Dock which, unlike the unrulier market, is
under the safeguarding of a Coral Tower. Many trusted Navirians can
be found there who make a living ferrying passengers to and from
the desert market.
25
 STAND THE HEAT
The coastal dunes near the desert weren’t always so active. Before
the arrival of humans, the only lasting structures for centuries were
the quarries and forges built by the turtles. One of these immemorial
institutions still exists today in the form of the Glassforgers’ Guild.
Sitting on a small island near the Droska Ring, the forge has made
it tradition to collaborate with the arena during the Tournament of
Heroes by including a variety of molten-glass-themed challenges.

As one of the most ancient and respected discipline, the forging of

glass is an essential part of Navirian life. It is used to make buoys,
windows, and countless everyday objects. Even watercraft hulls
are cast using minglass, a resistant material made by mixing glass
fibers with Vinian resin. It should however be noted that most so-
called glass weapons are actually made of trinite, a transparent non-
rusting metal which can be cast and forged into precise, elaborate
shapes.

DEFEND THE CARAVAN

Stoenian caravans face many challenges during their perilous

journey through the desert. Pulled by droskas, giant domesticated
beetles humans employ as beasts of burden, the large convoy must
sustain the unforgiving sun and be constantly defended against
bandits and hordes of desert fiends. Upon reaching the beach,
human traders took the habit of settling inside Turtle Rock, a huge
formation which they could lock up with wooden fences and use
to keep droskas in the shade while trading with Navirians. In time,
Turtle Rock was transformed into a full-blown arena where people
can watch traditional Stoenian competitions inspired by the
hardships of the desert.

WRESTLE THE SANDACONDA

Among the mighty creatures one can encounter in the desert, the sandaconda certainly
takes the throne. The giant snake can hide for weeks under the sand, waiting for a caravan
to prey on. Luckily, traders have learned to discern the particular sand patterns that a
hidden sandaconda leaves in the dunes and how to go round it safely. It is tradition to have
one brave contestant wrestle a sandaconda during the closing day of the tournament, a
heroic feat which is certain to solidify any challenger’s standing in the competition.
26
FIGHTING STYLE: THE SWORD
A traditional Stoenian weapon, the sword is the most effective defense against desert creatures and is the
recommended fighting style in the Droska Ring. Most of the slimy-looking sea monsters, such as the spinesquid
and slobfish, are also particularly vulnerable to a sharp blade. Although humans most often use swords,
the best-made specimens can be found in the Navirian Glassforgers’ Guild, where they create the legendary
trinite blades, well-known to be the sturdiest weapons available. Yokaranite, the crystalline ore used to
make trinite, is mined by humans in the Dragor Spine, creating a mutually beneficial trade relationship.
27
28
 CHAPTER ONE

THE TOURNAMENT

29
 A New Generation of Heroes
A new Tournament of Heroes is just around the corner, and drifters from all corners of the
Floating Island are rushing to the Citadel to reserve their seats. As tradition dictates, the old
turtle warrior Krobaak, the last Tidal Blade alive, will be acting as special judge. This year’s
iteration has everyone buzzing with excitement, as the Citadel has launched the new season
with an incredible announcement. For the first time in fifteen years, the Order of the Tidal Blades
will be reborn! The Fold has been getting increasingly dangerous and it is clear that the reefs
need protection once more. A new generation of guardians will be chosen amongst the best
competitors. Who will rise to the top?

Eko the Betalod

Eko is a betalod, a fact that in itself which makes her a very
unusual contestant. Betalods generally stay in their sanctuary,
well protected inside the Citadel of Time, where they use their
incredible intellect to make complex calculations for the High
Engineers. But Eko is not like her peers; she’s fascinated by the
monsters and the outside world, and dreams of studying the Fold
and its mysteries. What she lacks in strength and experience, she
more than compensates with her outstanding mastery of shells
and michronic manipulation.

Axl, Son of Braze

Axl is the son of Braze, a famous Tidal Blade who disappeared

fifteen years ago when the Fold was deployed. As a half-nag’i
with a human father, living under the shadow of his legendary
mother wasn’t always easy. Axl found his calling when he started
racing at a young age, and has now become a local star at Lamara
Stadium. Known for his showmanship and wild stunts, he’ll need
to turn inwards and confront his past if he truly wants to follow
in his mother’s footsteps and embrace his path as a Tidal Blade.

30
 Caiman the Mercenary

Caiman is a trained mercenary who hunts dangerous creatures for a

living. His entire family was killed by a guaracuda years ago, and on
that day, he swore to become the greatest monster hunter that ever
lived. Joining the Tidal Blades would be an honor, and a chance for
him to avenge his loved ones and make the world a better place.
He is a resourceful and tough competitor, but like most crocs in
Naviri, he’s treated as an outcast by the turtle guards. With such
a recognizable stature, he’ll need to be especially careful when
visiting his friend Horn Eyes in the Black Market.

Dust the Desert Traveler

Dust has just arrived in Naviri and has much to learn about its
customs, but she knows how to make the most out of every
opportunity. It had always been her childhood dream to join the
traders caravan and come to the Blue City. Her leader Nyrock
wouldn’t let her come along, so she trained harder and harder,
challenging him to a sword fight every year. He beat her every time.
One day, she had enough of watching the caravan leave without
her and decided to prove him wrong. She simply started walking.
She crossed the entire Droskani desert on foot, a thirty-day voyage
few could endure. Nyrock was impressed by her tenaciousness and
let her join his seat for the final mile.

31
 1 Eko’s Journal

My fellow betalods think I have slipped my skin for leaving the Citadel.
And the average Navirians are no better; they looked at me as if I was
some exotic animal, which in all fairness I suppose I am. But how could
I resist leaving the Citadel after hearing about the emergence of new
monsters from the Fold? It has been stable my whole life, but now
things are changing.

Any young betalod loves monster stories. My fascination has only

grown the longer I studied them. Where do they come from, how have
they mutated from their standard form, and why did they seek out our
city? With the Fold intact, I never thought I would see one in real life.

The Barrier is even more impressive up close than it is from a distance.

I went back whenever I wasn’t training. It was fascinating. It has an
almost hypnotic appeal. The way it shimmers and fades, you can almost
see the bending of time. But more enchanting than that were the forms
that lay within. Strange abnormalities that writhed and shook.

Last night after my training, while the rest of the contestants were
celebrating, I made my way there for some solitude. In the distant
moonlight, I saw a claw poke above the water—a claw almost as
large as a giant mudcrab. It seemed to crackle with energy, and filled
the night with an unearthly hum. Slowly the rest of the creature arose,
revealing an enormous lobster the size of a house. This thing seems
new and different. Much different. I immediately returned to report to
the Elders: this was something that would take a team to investigate.

LOBOBSTER
The lobobster is a new monster the likes of which have never before been reported in any
of the Citadel encyclopedias. Much different than other decapods such as the mudcrab and
karakeen, it radiates a strange aura that acts as an impenetrable barrier. Insufficient data makes
it difficult to explain the phenomena at this time, but it is perhaps another side effect of the
hazardous Fold. In any event, reports have shown that the warded foe must be temporarily
diffused with bursts of michronic energy before it can be hurt with standard attacks.
32
 2 Hunt Story

“I’ve been hunting razor eels all my life. True they can slice right
through the hardest crocodile armor, but I’ve never had a problem,
so when I heard this Vinian drifter going on about the price he could
fetch for a crate of them, well, ‘course I took the job. Now eels have
always been a tricky catch, what not being able to hold ‘em without
a cage, but they’ve moved further and further out, and since most
folks don’t like to go near the Fold, I guess that’s what raised the
price.

“So there I was, waiting for the razors to dance and taking potshots
at some little shellers, since those always fetch a decent price. My
trusty crab-bone crossbow had locked in on one—seems like it’s got
a mind of its own—when all of a sudden it gets real still and quiet
and this electrical hum fills the air.

“I’m thinking this must be a big pod of razors, when all of a sudden
the surface explodes and I see the biggest thunder eel I’ve ever laid
eyes on. I’m talking taller than me and crackling all around with
electricity and looking ‘bout fit to chomp down. I’m so surprised I
fire the crossbow, and what do you know, it hooks a sheller. Bad time
for it, because the eel is coming straight my way.

“I hop on my watercraft, aiming to make a timely departure, when

I feel that dark tingling sensation and another thunder eel rises
behind me. Now one, I might have been able to take, but two of
them is two too many. I put on some speed, the sheller bouncing
along behind me (why waste a good sheller, you know), and they
start sparking electrical charges like a couple of betalods with a new
toy.

“I unhook the sheller, reload, and rev my watercraft towards the eel in
front. At the last possible minute, I loose the bolt from my crossbow.
I hear an unearthly scream, and barely hold on as the second eel
slaps near my watercraft with its tail. The echoing boom rolls across
the waves, nearly throwing me, but I hold on and manage to hit
the open ocean. It wasn’t ‘til later I realized the slap had shattered
my crossbow, and my watercraft has been acting erratic ever since.
Well, as us mercs say, as long as you’re swimming, it could have been
worse.”

THUNDER EELS
Unlike the razor eel, a common creature that appears in larger swarms,
the giant thunder eels are as romantic as they are deadly. Once they find
a mating partner, they are bound for life, uniting their powers to release
fatal bursts of electricity. Usually found in the deeper ocean, some can
end up in the shallower waters of the Inner Reef. Anyone spotting a pair
of thunder eels should contact their nearest Coral Tower immediately.
33
 3 Never Second

Axl’s jaw dropped in surprise as he saw the names appear on the

leaderboard. He was somewhere he’d never been before—second
place. Not waiting to hear the rest of the speech, he raced to his
watercraft and disappeared out of the harbor in a cascade of spray.
Second might be okay for others, but not for him! He had one choice:
a Judge challenge.

It was rare, but a contestant could approach the Judge in an

attempt to get extra points. Some had succeeded by asking for
extra training—Axl dismissed that immediately. He could provoke
the Judge into a fight—he certainly knew how to make the Masters
angry—or challenge him to a hook duel, but Axl had studied with
the Elder Tidal Blade, and he doubted he could prevail.

As he leapt onto the Lamara Arena platforms, he knew what to do.

He raised his arms, and the crowd began chanting his name, waiting
for him to declare who he was challenging to a duel. A collective
gasp went up as his arm swung past the waiting contestants to
point straight at the Judge. Alright, he thought, you may be older and
stronger, but if there’s one thing I know, it’s how to impress the crowd.

KROBAAK
As the last surviving Tidal Blade, Krobaak is best known today as the Judge.
Since the tragic battle fifteen years ago, he secluded himself in the Citadel,
only coming out to preside the Tournament of Heroes every year. Some clever
contestants have found a way to boost their ranking by challenging him to a
duel. While it can be difficult to get his attention, openly calling him by the
nickname Turtle Beast has been observed to be a good way to set off his wrath.
34
 4 New to the Isles

Dust bounded from her watercraft and almost lost her footing
as the dock rolled awkwardly under her. To the drifts with all this
floating! She glanced around, but no one seemed to have noticed.
Well, it wasn’t going to make her look like any more of an outsider.
She turned and headed toward the cheers emanating from Lamara
Stadium. Something was happening inside that was really whipping
up a frenzy.

The disgruntled stadium attendant took a long time peering at her

face beneath the folds of her shawl. Finally, he grunted and waved
her in. Sorry, she thought, but where I come from, if you don’t stay in
the shade, you’re as good as gone. She hurried into the contestants’
area, eager to see what the commotion was about. She sighed when
she saw Axl—of course it was about Axl.

Interestingly, though, he seemed to be going head-to-head with

the Judge himself! Suddenly, cheers erupted around her. “He did it! I
can’t believe he did it!” someone shouted.

“Did he win?” she asked.

“Well, not technically—no one wins against the Judge. But he won
the crowd vote!” Someone else pressed a piece of fruit in her hand.
Quietly, she slipped it into her pouch. She might need it later. Of all
the strange things these people did, eating for no reason was the
strangest to her.

Okay, enough watching. That crowd’s still excited, but it won’t last
forever. She shouldered her way through the other contestants,
slapped her challenge card on the Judge’s table, and leapt across
the narrow channel. This time she landed perfectly on the floating
platform, spinning her battle staff toward her opponents in one
fluid motion. Let’s see how this crowd likes something with a little more
edge.

CHASE THE CROWD

The stadiums are packed and chanting, the Judge is watching closely, and with a sea
of challengers more determined than ever, no strategy should be neglected. As any
good blade advisor will tell, nothing gets the blood pumping like a fired-up crowd.
So watch the other contestants closely: timing your entrance just after an electrifying
performance might just be the kick that you need to maximize your potential.

35
 5 Daigon’s Puzzle

Hopping down the steps of the Citadel, Eko couldn’t help but smile.
Since her first monster sighting two days ago, she had been working
closely with the Elders, bringing them daily updates on what was
transpiring at the Barrier’s edge. While her peers were busy finding
new formulations of Cloak’s Shell Theorem or studying the basics
of michronic manipulation, she was out in the world, making a
difference and getting her hands dirty.
The trumpets blared from the Chronosseum, signalling the start
of the tournament day. “Broken shells!” Eko gasped. “I’ve been
so caught up investigating the barrier, it’s been two days since I
competed.”
I’ve got to make up for lost time, she thought. Looking over the
tournament schedule, she saw an event that was sure to raise her in
the standings. No one had signed up for it, which wasn’t surprising,
as it was universally regarded as nearly unbeatable. This would place
her back in the running, but she wanted to make sure Naviri knew
she was a competitor. She scanned further. Ahh, Water Columns,
perfect! I can get two fish with one spear. She took both entry cards
and hurried off.
The crowd in the Chronosseum grew quiet as the new challenge was
unveiled. Daigon’s Puzzle was one of the most dreaded challenges
in the whole competition. The intricate locks began to spin and
the tiles of the floor slanted, while the orb at the center emitted a
keening buzz and the air shimmered. The excitement was palpable
as the crowd waited expectantly to see which competitor was brave
enough to attempt the Puzzle. When a tiny betalod stepped into the
arena, they erupted in a frenzy. This was madness! The poor thing
must have lost her fins if she thought she could complete Daigon’s
Puzzle.
Eko heard the hoots and hisses of the crowd, and as she saw the
doubt in their faces, she smiled. Betalods aren’t all books and
binary rhythms. They think they’re in for a show, but they don’t know
the tadpole’s tail of it, she thought, and tilted her head towards the
judging table. The judges’ faces changed from amused to impressed
to concerned as they read the second challenge card she had
submitted. When nothing happened, she placed her fingers on her
fins, motioning them to start. Reluctantly, a judge pulled the lever.
Water columns spouted all around the central arena, adding to the
madness of Daigon’s Puzzle. The Chronosseum was in chaos as the
crowd surged to their feet, not wanting to miss what was sure to be
one of the grandest spectacles of the tournament.
Eko moved in a slow rhythm, picking up speed, and shifting her staff
for leverage. She leapt from wall to wall, avoiding the water columns
as she made her way around the center, drawing inward in a slow
spiral. By her third rotation she had discerned the protections in
place on the orb, and how she could pass the slanted floor. Ignoring
the bedlam in the stands, she picked up speed, moving quickly, and
to the crowd’s amazement, jumped straight into one of the water
columns. She was vaulted up, landing in the central dias next to the
orb. With three quick gestures, she flipped the orb, rotated it twice,
and brought it back to its base. The lights in the arena went dark,
and the crowd roared.

WATER COLUMNS
“Columns are fool’s bait,” goes an old turtle saying. Who would purposely make any
Chronosseum challenge harder than they already are? Well, sometimes a little craziness
is needed to stand out from the crowd, and a sure way to make a lasting impression is
to request for activation of the legendary Water Columns. Just make sure to memorize
the eruption patterns first—an unexpected geyser can easily ruin an otherwise
perfect execution. You wouldn’t be the first fool to send all the turtles laughing.
36
37
 6 Temporal Treasures

The Droska Ring was dry. Dry and dead, thought Axl. Sure, a few
contestants were doing smaller challenges, but the Judge was
nowhere to be seen, and the sun was relentless. “You coming?”
asked the gate attendant.

“I’d rather be hooked,” replied Axl, giving a wry smile, to no response.

Can’t win ‘em all, and why try? thought Axl as he turned to go. He
didn’t want to miss the next droska wagon and be stuck out here.

“Headed to the shore?” Axl asked the driver.

“Nah, the market. You can catch a wagon there to Drifters’ Dock.” Axl
sighed and hopped on—anything to get him closer to the water. He
watched the dunes roll by as the wagon bumped along. Why would
people live in such a place? Instead of waves, dusty dunes, in place
of whales, the lumbering droska, and instead of fruit trees, spiny
cactus. No wonder that strange girl had crossed the desert to get
to the Floating Islands. He was surprised more people didn’t. You’d
never catch him stuck in a place like this.

Voices and music snapped him out of his reverie as the wagon pulled
to a dusty stop. Axl swung to the ground, scanning for other wagons
going his way. None. Ah well. He had a couple of fruit burning a
hole in his pocket, and besides, he liked the market. His father had
brought him here on special occasions and festival days since before
he could remember, yet it still seemed like there were new wonders
to find, new treasures to behold.

Suddenly, he felt a tug at his fruit purse. Without looking, he snatched

the would-be thief’s hand and hauled the culprit in front of him.

“Not your finest work, Kase,” he said to the purple-scaled street

urchin. “You should know better than to try that on me, anyhow.”

The young chameleon, not more than half Axl’s age, looked up at
him with wide eyes, ready to burst into tears at a moment’s notice.
Axl laughed out loud.

“Nice,” he said. “That’s quite the look. Now why don’t you stop play-
acting and take me to see what’s new around here.”

Kase’s usual sly smile spread across his face as the color of his scales
shifted back to their normal green. Axl liked the little lizard, and was
glad of his company, despite his nimble fingers. Kase motioned for
him to follow, and sped off through the crowd. It was all Axl could do
to keep up, as they ducked through back alleys and under wagons,
along fences and over rooftops, Kase’s scales shifting each time to

38
 match his surroundings. This kid could make quite a contestant one “No!” she said sharply. “Entangled!”
day, Axl thought.
“But only the Betalods have the tools to…” he trailed off. After all, it
Kase caught a clothesline and swung down to land in front of a wasn’t like he hadn’t bought stolen goods before. And he wanted
small tent, almost hidden among the larger merchant pavilions that that card!
flanked it. Axl landed behind him and they ducked inside. Incense
stung his eyes and his gills itched from the smoke. When his vision
adjusted, he saw a woman smiling a toothless smile and beckoning
“Wait, wait!” Axl shouted as the day’s last wagon pulled out onto
him forward. Axl looked at Kase, who nodded. As he approached,
the road to Drifters’ Dock. The haggling had taken longer than he
he noticed that none of the normal clutter of the market tents filled
thought, and he’d barely made it back in time. Thankfully, the wagon
the room—no stolen challenge cards, no shellers, just three peculiar
ground to a halt. “Drifters’ Dock?” asked Axl as he reached for his
items arrayed on a velvet cloth in front of the woman. Axl crouched
purse.
and pointed towards a peculiar fruit, pulsing with a strange aura.
“What’s this do?” “Yup,” said the driver, watching Axl searching himself.
When the woman spoke, it was in the particular rasp that came from “Uh, I seem to have misplaced my purse,” said Axl, ruefully. He put
years of working in the yokaranite mines. “A Meron fruit,” she said. on his best Kase impression. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to—”
“No matter how tired you are, it will revive you.”
“Nope,” called back the driver, already pulling away.
Interesting. “And that?”
Tides! thought Axl, as he started the long, dry walk toward Drifters’
“A ticket for the Mistress of Lamara’s yacht.” Dock. Next time, I’m not taking my eyes off that kid.
“You need a ticket?” asked Axl. He’d always gotten on for free. Heck,
half the time, Babs wanted him to drive the immense yacht. Babs
was strange like that.

His eyes fell on the last item. So she did have challenge cards! “Is that
for the Chronosseum?” he asked. He had a hunch that’s where the
Judge was, and he could probably make it before sundown.

“No,” said the woman. “No and yes and no.” He watched, confused, as
she picked it up. “This is for every arena. For any challenge. Lamara,
Droska, Chronosseum.” As she spoke the names, the ticket changed
before his eyes.

“A counterfeit?!” he exclaimed.

KASE THE SMUGGLER

Of the many thieves operating in the desert market, Kase is without a doubt the
most mysterious. Don’t let the cute look fool you, he has ties with smugglers
all the way to Remo’s Dock, and there are very few special requests he cannot
handle as long as you can pay the price. Just as illegal entangled cards are
starting to circulate, he has been spotted making a lot of travels to Angler’s Cove.
Coincidence? Probably not, but good luck catching the chameleon red-handed.
39
 7 Horn Eyes

“Huah, huah, ha… I’d have to be blind to pay that much!”
Caiman’s laugh was intimidating to say the least, and the small
bearded fish-folk glanced up at him nervously. “No… no disrespect,
sir, but I—”
“Huah! Save your sirs and your sweet talk for the turtles. They
like having their fins tickled, but I ain’t no fancy shell guard.” The
merchant’s body relaxed as the giant croc merc stormed out of his
shop, almost knocking the small structure over.
The dusty streets of the market were full of noise as fish-folk and
lizards, humans and crocs bustled about, purchasing and hawking
their wares. Caiman spied a young chameleon eyeing his purse and
gave the kid a toothy snarl, sending him scuttling. Normally, the din
of the market was soothing to Caiman’s ears, but he was still rattled
from his encounter with the thunder eels and his malfunctioning
watercraft had put him in a foul temper.
Two big croc mercs scowled at him as he approached. “You got
business here?” The larger one spoke in what any croc would
recognize as a condescending cadence.
“My business be my own. If you know what’s good for you, you won’t
be keeping old Horn Eyes waiting,” Caiman replied, matching the
other’s insulting tone perfectly. The two hulking guards bristled and
stood to block the way. “Look fellas, I ain’t wanting no problems. Just
tell her Caiman’s out here and I’ll have a deal she don’t want to be
missing.”
The folds of the tent rustled, and a low, silky voice emanated out.
“Arshhh, if it isn’t the proudest croc merc who ever worked for me.”
A huge mass of fins and scales shambled out of the tent: Horn Eyes.
Caiman resisted the urge to look away—as many times as he had
seen her, he never got used to it. “Must be on some hard times, you
come back here begging my help, Cai.”
Caiman stood his ground as the enormous creature looked him
over top to bottom with her mass of gangly eyes. Horn Eyes was the
product of playing with the shellers outside of the Citadel, a mutant.
Her many years of tampering with powers in unstable ways had
made her one of the most feared creatures in Naviri. “Still planning
on joining the Blades, Cai? Or did you realize you’d have an easier
time teaching a turtle to fly?”
“Pleased ta see you as well, Horns, but I haven’t come for the good
company. I was thinking you might be wanting this.” Caiman pulled
the still-living sheller out of his pack, keeping it low to avoid prying
eyes.
“Oi, oi, indeed, you always did bring the best to me. Come in, lad,
come in, I can’t resist a deal.” A terrifying smile, full of razor sharp
teeth, invited Caiman into the darkness of the tent.
When Caiman emerged, his pack was conspicuously full. Shellers
were only supposed to be sold to the Citadel, but they always bought
at a fixed rate and he didn’t have time to take any odd jobs—he
had a tournament to win. Striding back towards the Droska Ring,
he regained his usual confidence and swagger. Sure, enhancements
from rogue Engineers were off-limits in the tourney, but those were
turtle rules. Truth be told, there wasn’t much difference between the
turtles’ fancy Citadel-built devices and what he’d just procured from
Horn Eyes. A weapon doesn’t make a warrior, a warrior makes the
weapon.

CRAB-BONE CROSSBOW
When the odd fetch job comes up, Caiman likes to rely on his trusty crab-bone
crossbow. Its hook-and-reel device is especially useful for catching small shellers
and razor eels. However, when intense action is expected, a good old quildion-shaft
harpoon should always be preferred. Using a crab-bone weapon on anything larger
is just fishing for problems and the best way to end up with a shattered mess.

40
41
 8 Racing Reflexes

“How about now, Korg?” Axl called. “Just a sec!” yelled back the
turtle from the cockpit. Then, in a sudden jolt, the engine went from
a steady hum to a roar, the central shell nearly breaking out of its
containment field. Axl’s watercraft bucked and jumped, straining
against its line. “Whoa! Turn it off! Turn it off!” shouted Axl. “Sorry,”
said Korg, killing the engine and sticking his head out from his shell
where it had receded. “I must have left it in gear. Did the field hold?”

“Yeah, for just long enough, I think. Check it out.” Axl reached into
the cockpit and flipped a switch, and the glowing containment field
expanded. “There, see. When I hit the booster switch, the shell has
more room to spin, so…”

“More energy states—sudden acceleration,” finished Korg. “But

won’t you blow your engine?”

“Sure, if I leave it going too long,” said Axl. Korg laughed nervously.
“Don’t worry! I’ve got perfect timing, remember? C’mon, I want to
test it out!”

They arrived at the bay just as a race was ending. “Your registration
is already paid for,” croaked the scaly fish-folk registrar. Axl looked
across the bay. Sure enough, Babs’ yacht was floating near the south
docks. “How did she know when I’d be here?” he asked, mostly to
himself. The registrar sighed and held up the book. Axl’s name was
written in every time slot. “She didn’t,” croaked the registrar. Axl
chuckled to himself. Well, leave it to Babs to go overboard like that.
She loved watching him race, and she loved showing her guests a
good time.

Axl found his marker on the outermost lane. Tides, he was a ways
back. Babs must have entered him with a disadvantage to make him
put on a show. Well, time to see what his engine could do. The gong
sounded and the water at the line became a swirling, churning mass
as twelve watercraft jolted forward at once. Axl, behind the others,
found his craft struggling to make a straight path amidst the tumult.
He veered further outside, hit a patch of flat water, and cranked the
throttle back. His craft burst forward, and he shouted in exaltation as
his speed kept climbing. This was racing!

He waved at the other racers as he passed them one by one, still

on the outside. Just one more and he’d be first! Slipping inside, he
positioned himself slightly behind and to the right of the leader’s
wake. He recognized the craft and driver, a skilled but ill-tempered
golfin named Zazz. This was going to be fun!

42
 Just before the turn, Axl flipped the booster switch and turned hard,
hitting Zazz’s wake and launching into the air to land just inside the
other craft. He killed the booster as his craft plunged deep into the
water, launching him forward, and well into the lead. How do you
like that, Babs? he thought, spying her boat right in front of them.
He couldn’t help it—holding on with just one hand, he leaned out
until he was low over the water, and gave a mock salute. Let them
talk about that!
Just in time, he heard Korg’s shouts from the docks and turned to
see Zazz barreling toward him. Axl pulled himself back onto his seat,
and used his momentum to lean the craft up on its side—Zazz shot
past him, engine smoking. Seconds later, Axl saw the blue and yellow
head of the stocky golfin disappear into the water as he abandoned
his still-speeding craft. Axl turned and raced in pursuit.
He gritted his teeth and crouched low in the cockpit. Zazz’s craft
was twenty feet in front of him, barreling straight into the crowded
cruising area of the bay, right towards a small sailboat. He had to
catch up—Axl braced himself and hit the booster switch. Let’s see
how long you hold, he thought as he gained on the other craft.
C’mon… c’mon… there! He leapt just as his engine erupted in a
shower of sparks and shell shards. His foot landed on the edge of
Zazz’s craft… and slipped! Desperately, he grasped for anything to
hold onto—and found the sharp end of a harpoon gun. He pulled
himself up, the exposed tip digging into his hand.
He wrenched on the controls, barely missing the sailboat. “Okay,
where is it, where—aha!” He yanked down on the kill switch. Nothing
happened. “Crabdung! What did Zazz do to this engine?” He heard a
cry and glanced up. The driver of another craft, trying to avoid him,
had turned too sharply, and was tipping, her watercraft threatening
to topple over on her. Axl leaned out, his wounded hand screaming
in pain, and reached for the girl as her craft went over. “Hold on!”
he shouted, pulling her in behind him. I’ve got to stop this thing! he
thought. He looked up. Babs’ yacht was the only thing between him
and the crowded docks beyond. He flipped the kill switch frantically.
Nothing. If the engine won’t stop… he needed… an anchor!
watching over the railing, ducked just in time, and he heard surprised
gasps as the harpoon sent splinters flying. Quickly, he wedged the
gun between the controls. C’mon, please hold! he thought. The rope
went taut and the craft reared up. Axl held on for a moment more,
then flung himself backwards and let go. Zazz’s craft splashed into
the water upside down, its propellers spinning harmlessly in the air.
Axl popped up beside the nag’i girl. “Not a bad rescue, huh?”
Her eyes flashed with anger as she swam up to him. “You need to
learn to drive! You almost killed me!” Axl began to protest. “That
wasn’t even my—” She silenced him with a fierce look. “But you are
cute, and that was very brave.” The girl kissed him on the cheek.
“Good luck in the tournament.” Axl gaped as she swam off, warmth
spreading through him, as he heard a long slow clap from above
him. He looked up to see an older nag’i woman, her posture relaxed
yet regal, standing high above him on the railing of her yacht.
“Hi, Babs,” he said with a grin. “Don’t suppose you saw me save the
day?”
“As a matter of fact, I did. And I’m not the only one. Come on up
here—there are some people who would very much like to shake
your hand.”
“I’d love to, but I’ve got to get my craft fixed so I can pick up some
challenge cards before tomorrow.” Axl looked ruefully at his smoking
craft in the distance.
“I’m sure we can take you wherever you need to go, my dear. And
perhaps help you with the other thing as well,” she added, glancing
at a judge who had appeared by her side. “After you fix this wretched
hole in the side of my boat, of course.”

He snatched the harpoon gun from its holster. “Hold tight!” he

called behind him. You’ve got one shot, he thought. Make it count! He
steadied the harpoon and fired, right at Babs’ boat. Her passengers,

BABS' BOAT
Barbaree Lamara, “Babs” to insiders, is the undisputed queen of Radiant Bay. You’ll see her circle
Palm Plaza in the luxurious family yacht, throwing night-long parties and fraternizing with the city
elite. Those who had the chance to get invited on the famous boat know it is a fruitful place to meet
influential citizens, and that they are often prone to give an advantage to their favorite contestants
in the way of gifts and advice. Babs has championed many young racers herself over the years,
including the famous Axl, son of Braze, famed for winning the latest race of the Nine Cups.
43
 9 Swarm Challenge

This is more like it, thought Dust, enjoying the warm sand beneath
her feet. She looked around at the other contestants in the Droska
Ring, each hoping to catch the eye of the Judge. She recognized
Miskie, the fish-folk, Abel, a young turtle, and Caiman, the large,
intimidating croc among the twenty or so competitors. She’d only
learned a few of their names—she didn’t imagine they really wanted
to spend much time on an outsider like her. That’s fine. They can
ignore me. I’ll just keep looking out for myself.

A gong interrupted her thoughts and all the contestants snapped

to attention. One by one, they presented their challenge cards and
retrieved a sword from the weapons rack. Dust skipped the swords—
they were a huge improvement from the awkward hooks of the
Chronosseum and the battle staffs of Lamara, but they couldn’t
compare to her own trinite sword. She knew all three fighting styles
were important for a Tidal Blade to learn; each had been developed
over long years to be effective against different types of monsters.
But there was something right about a sword.

The gate to the arena, its brass etchings worn smooth from wind
and sand, creaked open slowly. The contestants spread out into
the arena, their attention focused on a gate on the far side. Dust
positioned herself near the front of the group. The Judge was
here, after all, and she wanted to prove what she was capable of.
Maybe then they’d take her seriously. She glanced to her left, and
saw Caiman lumbering into position about twenty feet from her.
The croc cursed, even more ill-tempered than usual, his huge bulk
making it difficult to move across the shifting sands.

The gong struck again and the gate opened. From the shadows
streamed a slithering horde of creatures, and Dust saw the other
contestants shrink back. They were right to be frightened. These
were dune creepers, a strange, vicious cross between a centipede
and serpent that had been a constant threat during her desert
journey. She steeled herself for the onslaught.

Two headed toward her, their leglike claws tucked behind them
as they slithered across the sand. Another pair split off toward
Caiman and she saw him fall into a defensive posture. That was a
mistake—she charged towards hers at a full sprint. She caught them
unprepared, and they shifted away, trying to avoid her blade. She
leapt towards one, slashing quickly, drawing blood and an angry
hiss. Without pause, she lunged toward the other, trying to keep it
off-balance. She had to stop them from getting their feet beneath
them.

44
She danced between the two, dodging and sinking blows where she
could. A slight misstep exposed her to one of the creature’s fangs,
and blood began to flow from her arm. By the time she recovered
her stance, their feet were digging into the sand as they began to
raise themselves up to their full height.

Thinking quickly, she fell to her knees, grasping her arm, as if in great
pain. It did hurt, after all. She let her head droop. The dune creepers
couldn’t resist a helpless victim. They abandoned their defensive
posture and dove towards her, fangs bared. At the last second, she
rolled to the side, trinite sword snapping downwards, severing the
head of one. With two quick steps, she vaulted onto the back of the
second, and plunged her sword deep between its scales.

Her eyes swept the arena. Most of the other contestants had only
fought a single foe. Even so, several had fled, or signaled for help. A
flash of motion drew her gaze to Caiman. The croc was on one knee,
a dune creeper wrapped around his standing leg, fangs buried deep
in his back, while a second was climbing to its full height in front
of him. The Coral Guards had been dispatched to assist, but they’d
never reach him in time. Dust began to run.

The raised dune creeper hummed in anticipation. Just as it bared its

fangs, Dust leapt to intercept it, meeting it mid-strike, the crystal in
her sword flashing in the sun. Its severed head landed in the sand a
few feet away, jaws still opening and closing. Dust glanced back to
see Caiman, spared from the oncoming blow, turn his full strength
and rage against the one wrapped around him. He wrestled it to
the sand, his hands around its neck until the thing ceased thrashing.

Dust began to walk towards the Judge’s table when she heard
Caiman call from behind her. “Hey, desert girl.”

“It’s Dust,” she said, turning. “And I’m sorry if I ruined your challenge.”

“I’ve fought too many fights to begrudge help like that. So I owe ya
one, kid. Now, how about a hand up?”

It was good to be back on the sand.

45
 10 Battle Tales

“‘Twas mighty impressive how you slaughtered them creepers,”
Caiman said as he and Dust made their way to the Judge’s table.
“Huah, you just charged right at them like they were the ones to be
afraid.” Dust smiled, happy to have her skill acknowledged by one of
the most fearsome contestants in the Tournament.
Seeing she had his attention, Dust continued, getting carried away
with her story. She began striking a battle stance in the middle of
the road. “The sand underneath my tent was being sucked down,
and me with it. The dry, rusty hiss of the beast matched the scraping
sound its scales made as it crossed the sand.”

“You either pick up a lot of tricks like that crossing the desert, or you
die,” she replied.
They reached the front of the line and handed their cards to the
Droska Ring attendants. “Huah, huah, isn’t that the truth. Land or
sea, it’s the same. Lots of folks think being a warrior is all strength
and swordplay, forgetting that knowing where to strike an enemy
is almost as important as what you hit ‘em with.” Caiman cleaned
the borrowed sword and hung it on the weapon rack. “All these fine
swords are worthless if you don’t know what yer swinging at.”
Dust carefully cleaned her trinite sword and nodded as she listened
to Caiman. “Swords are the traditional weapons of the desert, perfect
for keeping the beasts of the sands at bay. I even fought off…” She
trailed off, not wanting to brag to the croc merc.
“Killed a what? Can’t end a story halfway, girl. That thing looks like it
could split a slobfish down the middle.”
“A sandaconda. It came in the night—luckily I heard the bells from
the caravan or I would have made the beast a tidy supper. The entire
dune was rumbling from its weight. The great snake circled and the
sand underfoot was shifting.” Caiman grunted at the description.
The loose footing of the sand already made him irritable.
Caiman watched as the young warrior’s feet glided from one battle
pose to the next, unable to imagine what a stance would do against
such a beast. “They say their eyes are the only part that can be
pierced, so I waited, watching its mass encircle me, its head drawing
ever closer.” She noticed the strange glances from the market folk.
Suddenly embarrassed, she cut off the story and resumed walking.
Caiman huffed impatiently. “Well, let’s just say that if it’s still alive,
that sandaconda can’t see too well,” she finished.
“Huah, huah, if I hadn’t seen the way you battled those creepers,
I would think you were telling fables.” Caiman picked up his pace.
“The last wagon will be leaving soon. Might be fine for you walking
across a desert, but I’m feeling knackered after that challenge.”
When he saw that Dust was keeping up, Caiman spoke. “Like I said,
I owe you one, for the help back there in the ring, and in my line
of work being in debt ain’t a place you want to be.” He continued
quickly before she could protest. “And some of thems would say I
shouldn’t go helping the competition, but then you already helped
me, and there’s the fact you’re one of the finest fighters I’ve seen
in a long time.” He huffed to himself a moment, trying to find the
words. “Well’n so I don’t go talking ‘til sundown—I think there’s a lot
of points to be earned in this tournament helping the Coral Guard
with those monsters from the Fold. I’m thinking about heading out
to fight one, you might think of doing the same.”

Dust was taken aback by the croc merc’s earnest friendliness. “I had
noticed those signs and appreciate the advice…”

“Not just advice, my blade mistress. That ain’t enough to repay you. If
yer up for it, I’d like to give you a few pointers on facing the creatures
from the sea.”

FORGED BY THE SANDS

There were many dangers Dust faced when crossing the desert, but perhaps
the most feared was the sudden and violent sandstorm known as the Wind of
Knives. Caught unawares, Dust took shelter against a rock outcropping. To her
surprise, she found stairs leading down to an ancient crypt. Amidst the offerings
on the tomb was an exquisite scarab-shell compass. Ever the pragmatist, Dust
decided that she needed the compass more than the long-dead prince.
46
Dust’s expression was unreadable but she quickly replied, “I’d be
honored, Caiman. I’ve never fought on the water before and don’t
much relish the thought.”

They caught the next wagon to the docks, and at the end of a lonely
pier, Caiman began his lesson. Describing the various dangers and
monstrosities one was most likely to encounter, he soon became
animated and began acting out the parts of various beasts. “Now
you want to wait until they come at you, as your craft is your only
advantage. You get in the water you’re sunk, so hold, hold…” His
mighty tail swooped up out of the water, snaking around Dust’s
foot. His bulky frame moved quicker than expected.

Dust, against her instincts, waited until he had nearly dragged her
down and then brought the pommel of her sword down on his
head. “Youch! Yes, that’s how you do it!” His tail released and he
slipped back into the water. She caught her breath in quick gasps,
attempting to calm the racing sensation in her heart.

“Well, thanks for the lesson. It was nice to have someone to talk to.”
Dust moved towards her watercraft and then paused. “You know
what, I’ve got something for you, too, before I leave. I got stuck with
an extra card for the Chronosseum tomorrow. Perhaps we can face
off again!”

47
 11 The Hazards of Time

The morning bell at the Guild of Time hit its final note and Master
Wu looked at the young betalod with pride. “The brain can lay many
angles, but the heart is what brings us home.” Eko was only half
listening as she took two steps forward, lifted her staff, and spun.

“The brain can lay many angles, but the heart is what brings us
home.” Eko took two steps forward and felt a dizziness rush over her.
She leaned against her staff and shook her head, trying to clear the
fog. “Dancing through time comes with a cost, my young champion.”
Master Wu’s wizened red face broke into a grin as he motioned Eko
towards the cushions.

“A smaller exercise might serve us better,” he said, pulling a heavy

box from the ornate dais. The box was elaborately carved coral, still
showing the original patterns created by the tide and the small
creatures that made the reef their home. Eko peered intently at the
lid, eager to be shown more of the Guild of Time’s mysteries. The box
lid did not move. Eko sat expectantly, waiting, until finally it was too
much. “Master Wu, not to be impolite, but the Loop Hole Challenge
is this afternoon and I need…”

“Patience, patience my fierce betalod. To truly compete, you must

already know the outcome; to know the outcome, you must know
the past.”

It took all of Eko’s restraint to keep from rolling her eyes. She valued
the elderly betalod’s instruction, but sometimes the riddles he
spoke in were too much. “Do you see what is inside the box?” his
voice rasped. She nodded, even though she had no idea what lay
inside. “Good, now remember what is inside.” Master Wu swiftly
flipped open the lid, revealing the contents. Eko gasped, and before
she could say anything, the lid was closed. “Remember,” Master Wu
intoned as he lifted his shell pendant and spun it. “Do you see what
is inside the box?”

“Do you see what is inside the box?” It was the fifth time he had
asked, or maybe the tenth, or the hundredth. Eko had lost count and
was feeling slightly nauseous. But she was sure of one thing. “The
box is full of black sand and three silver pearls, as large as my eyes.”

MASTER WU
Rare are the betalods who ever venture outside the safety of the Citadel, which is why Eko
is making such a sensation. In recent years, the only other betalod who people have been
familiar with is Master Wu. The old master can be found at the Guild of Time training young
Initiates of the Trigon. He’s been critiqued for his unconventional teaching methods in the
past, but as he’s always swift to reply, anyone wishing to enhance their synergy and alter
the flow of time is bound to stray away from the linearity of existence on a few occasions.
48
 Master Wu smiled. “Quite right, quite right, Eko. That was only seven
jumps. Much quicker than the average pupil sees through the veil
of time.”
The cheers from the crowd at the Chronosseum were genuine this
time. The anticipation was high as the small betalod moved to the
entrance of the water chute. Eko could feel the difference; they were
on her side this time, they knew she was capable and they wanted her
to succeed. She relished the feeling, happy to be given the respect
she knew she deserved. Her smugness disappeared as she stared at
the sickening spiral of stairs and walls all placed at unnatural angles.
A glass key lay at the center of a circular pedestal, but the pedestal’s
image was reflected on five sides. She stared intently, searching for
any clue as to which key was real, but the pedestals flickered and
changed, the stairs seemed to shuffle about. Eko’s mind snapped
back to the present as she heard the Chronosseum bell.
Hefting her staff towards the crowd, Eko buried her fear and ran
down the nearest staircase, racing towards the central dais. She
skittered to a halt as the stairs ended and a sheer drop blocked
her path. Looking around, she saw the pedestals were behind her.
The stairs had taken her up instead of down. Retracing her steps
more slowly, she returned to her starting place, and spun her staff,
drawing herself into a time loop.
Watching herself run up a set of stairs, Eko could barely pull her eyes
away. This time she purposefully took a set of stairs that seemed to
lead away from the dais. It circled back, making an uncanny spiral
and giving Eko fish pimples as she looked up at the floor above her.
She stood directly above the pedestals, but they were reflected
onto the ceiling. She twirled her staff again and chose another set
of stairs.
Panic filled her as she saw that all five keys were now hefted by her
same form, each one lifting and examining, determining whether to
it was the right one to smash. To win, she had to break the correct
key. She relaxed her mind, giving into the tug of time. She felt the
space around her expand furiously and then crash as it contracted
back on her. She twirled her shell staff a final time and pointed to one
of the mirror images. Eko’s reflection met her eyes and immediately
her consciousness fled to that timeline. She smashed the key down
and broke it to a million splintered pieces with her staff.
She watched in a daze as her other selves disappeared, feeling the
rush of the counter-timelines disappearing as they collapsed to form
the present. A loud echoing sound filled her ears, frightening her
until she realized it was the thunderous applause from the crowd.
As she made her weary way up the large steps, Eko saw a wizened
betalod with unusual red skin approach her with a grin. Another
curious fan, she thought, putting on her best smile. “Outstanding
use of time jumps, Eko. You showed true mastery.” Eko’s smile was
replaced by surprise and embarrassment. “I’m sorry, good sir, have
we met?”
The elder betalod looked at her with sadness. “Ahh, indeed we have,
but as I have said, the heart must guide you home.” The strange
betalod smiled at her knowingly, spinning a shell pendant as he
started walking away. Eko’s mind began to whirl as she heard his
voice echo all around her. “What’s inside the box, Eko?” She closed
her eyes to make the nauseating feeling stop and there it flashed, so
clear she could almost touch it: three silvery pearls shining like the
moon against jet black sand. She gasped and opened her eyes, but
the red betalod had already disappeared into the crowd.

Seven copies of the young betalod scoured across the stairs and the
strain began to pull at Eko’s brain. She had split her focus in time too
many times, and her mind was drawn and tight. She brushed the
sensation aside, gritted her teeth, and jumped onto the closest dais.
She reached for the glass key and at the same time saw her mirror
image do the same on the opposite dais.

HAZARDOUS CHALLENGES
It is a common fact that competing in Lamara Stadium is the fastest way to get hurt—
Radiants just crave that high-risk entertainment! Although the floating arena offers the largest
selection of Hazardous challenges, from the spectacular Isles of Sparks to the deadly Nullon’s
Charge, one should not forget the infamous Loop Hole Challenge in the Chronosseum. The
puzzle can only be solved by venturing in several depths of time loops, a feat few but the most
experienced can accomplish, and fewer yet can pull through without serious memory loss.
49
 12 Greatest Competitor

“Really, I couldn’t eat any more,” said Axl, refusing what must have Axl flashed his irresistible grin, and the crowded yacht erupted with
been his tenth plate of fruit from the bespectacled Professor Flish. laughter.

Flish, his long whiskers shaking in excitement, downed the fruit “But when are you going to fight the monsters, Axl?” Crabin asked in
himself. “Arxle,” he managed to say between chews, “who wourld his high-pitched, needling voice. Axl’s heart sank. He’d been hoping
you shay is your greatest compeshtitor?” to avoid this question.

Axl leaned closer, “Sorry, what was that last word?”
“Competitor!” shouted Flish, spraying fruit bits. “Your greatest
competitor!”
Immediately, Axl felt the attention of the entire yacht on him. Babs’
guests began whispering and tittering, each speculating about
their own favorite. “Caiman is so strong…”“But Miskie—”“Are you all
forgetting about the betalod?”
“Isn’t one’s greatest competitor one’s self?” said Babs, sweeping
down the staircase from the upper deck. “After all, Crabin, you’re the
only one who can keep yourself from gambling away all your fruit
to Flish, and Flish, you’re the only one who can stop yourself from
cheating at Sharkbone.”
“Well, now, Barbaree—” protested Flish. Axl knew what she was
doing—Babs could be ruthless when she thought he needed
protecting. He cleared his throat.
“Dust,” he said. “I think it’s Dust.”
“The desert girl?” asked Crabin, clacking his claws. “You think she has
a chance to place? Even with the Special Announcement?”
“Special Announcement?” asked Axl.
“You don’t know?” said Crabin, and Axl could see his gambler’s mind
turning. “They’re offering extra consideration to any contestant who
helps fight the increased monster threat.”
“Oh, that,” he said coolly, but inside, Axl’s mind raced. He changed
the subject. “It doesn’t matter. I hope she does place. She may be an
outsider, and she may not come from a line of Tidal Blades, but I do,
and I can tell you, we need warriors like her. So, will she place highly?
Yeah, she will. As highly as me—well, what do you think?”
“Just as soon as I finish these challenges you fine folk gave me,” he
said, patting the challenge cards and grinning again. He had to stop
relying on that grin!
That seemed to satisfy them, though, and Axl drifted away from the
conversation and toward the railing. As he looked out, a memory
came to him unbidden. He was young, very young, playing with his
mother’s Shell Shield. He remembered being fascinated by the way
it reflected his image in its opalescent surface. Then his mother was
there, holding him, smiling. She gently took the shield. “You’ll have
your own one day, my dear.” He had not wanted to let go, knowing
that when it left, so would she. She had given him her positioner;
something to distract him. She had kissed him. And then she had
left.
“Looking for your girl from the bay, Axl?”
“You’re my girl, Babs.”
“Ha! You know how to flatter an old lady.” He grinned, and tried to
slip his mother’s positioner into his pocket. He hadn’t even realized
he’d been holding it. Babs eyed him, her gaze piercing yet full of
warmth. “We all miss her, Axl. We do.”
“I just—it just reminds me, that’s all—thinking about the Fold,
hunting monsters. When I’m racing, doing challenges, I can forget.”
“But do you?” asked Babs.
Axl thought for a minute. “No, I guess not. I guess in the back of my
mind, I’m always imagining her in the stands, watching me.”
“You can stay here as long as you want. You don’t have to fight ‘til
you’re ready, Axl.”
“Thanks, Babs.” She laid a comforting hand across his, and together
they watched the sun dip into the darkening sea.

BRAZE’S POSITIONER
Axl’s most prized possession is his mother’s positioner, a map inscribed into the surface of a powerful
shell device. The positioner allows Axl to navigate the islands in ways normally impossible by bending
space and distances. He spent most of his life unsure how to activate it—his mom disappeared
before she could teach him—until Babs showed him the trick. The ancient Tidal Blade relic can be
used to complete challenges at any arena directly from Lamara, his favorite tournament grounds, by
projecting his presence. If only all the space-time jumping didn’t cause such long-lasting headaches...
50
 13 Grido the Tooth
A commotion awoke Dust from her dream. She brought her arms up
protectively, a warrior’s instinct, but relaxed when she heard a group
of people chuckling nearby. Let them try sleeping under a droska
shell, thought Dust. She looked around the Meditation Spring. This
place was a favorite of contestants to relax and heal after strenuous
challenges. Most of the other contestants from the Droska Ring
Swarm Challenge had come straight here—but she didn’t see
Caiman. I should probably be prepping for our duel, thought Dust. It
was so nice here, though, and she had until tomorrow.
The commotion was coming nearer. A very small, very old fish-folk
was moving between the groups of contestants sunning themselves
on rocks or wading in the spring. He was gesticulating, holding his
hands apart, every now and then losing his balance in his agitation.
“Why are they laughing at him?” she asked Miskie, sunning herself
on a rock several paces away. “He seems to be really upset.”
Miskie leaned her head up, looking bothered to be disturbed.
“Who? Oh, old Grido the Tooth? He’s mad as a shell eater. Always
making up stories. He once got a whole group of us out to his place
to investigate a firemander. Turns out, he’d put a leap engine in his
oven and forgotten about it!” She glanced around and spied the old
fish, coming straight towards them. “Quick, pretend you’re sleeping.”
The subterfuge didn’t seem to stop Grido, who, on approaching
Miskie, launched into his tale with gusto. “A fish, larger than a whale,
with evil eyes, and teeth so big they don’t fit in ‘is mouth, attacked
me on my craft, I tell you!” As he demonstrated with his hands,
he lost balance again, and fell forward, on Miskie’s arm. She drew
herself up, shaking him off.
“Leave me alone, you slimy old eel!” He fell to his knees, grasping her
hand, but she shook him off and paced away angrily. The old fish
burst into tears.
“I’ll help you,” Dust heard herself say, almost instantly regretting it
as Grido came barreling towards her, his one tooth dancing in his
agape mouth. She could feel the eyes of the entire spring watching.
Well, let them see a champion at work, she thought. He might be
telling the truth, after all.
By the time they reached Grido’s craft, she was having second
thoughts. It was falling apart, all right, but whether from a monster
attack or simple neglect was hard to tell. “Let’s take mine,” she said,
as Grido tried to start it for the fifth time. As they sped out of the
harbor, Grido continued his story, although whether it was the same
one was hard to tell. In fact, he had not stopped talking since they
had left the spring, but half the time it was to himself, too quiet to
hear.
An hour later, they pulled up to his house, a rambling, haphazard
structure made of several floating buildings on rafts lashed
awkwardly together. “I know, I know,” said Grido. “Looks good on the
outside—but that beast is here somewhere.” Dust had been pretty
sure she should have listened to Miskie, but the fish-man’s sudden
fear and unexpected silence gave her pause.
She scanned the water, but it was deep and dark, like all the water
this close to the Fold. Anything could be hiding down there. A cloud
passed in front of the sun and she shivered. “Let’s get inside,” she
said. They docked and Grido lead her on a narrow walkway around
the largest structure. He paused by the door.
“It could be in here,” he said, his eyes intense.
“I thought you said it was a fish,” said Dust.
“There are all kinds of monsters this close to the Fold,” he replied.
Dust unstrapped her sword. “Let me go first.” She flung open the
door, blade ready.
She breathed a sigh of relief, which turned quickly to annoyance.
It was clear there was no monster, unless it was hiding among the
mounds of junk that filled Grido’s home. Shell devices of every kind
covered the house, their insides exposed and wires intertwined. It
reminded her of the bizarre time-bending challenges that relied
on shell engineering. Clearly, the mad old fish was working with
technology he didn’t quite understand—probably what was
making him imagine monsters. “I don’t think there’s anything here,”
said Dust, trying not to sound exasperated.
“No, no, probably not,” agreed Grido, almost sadly.
Dust reached for her sword straps. “I should get going—”
“Wait, wait!” Grido began digging frantically amidst the junk that
lay on top of a large table. “Here!” he cried triumphantly, pulling
something out of the pile. “This is for your help.” It almost glowed in
the dimly lit cabin, its surface impossibly smooth: a Shell Shield. “I’ve
made some special modifications,” said Grido proudly, pointing at a
glowing spiral conch set in the center.
Suddenly, there was an incredible crash, and the house shook
violently. Dust struggled to keep her feet as Grido was thrown off the
table and against a wall. “It’s here!” he cried, cowering. Dust gripped
her sword and flung open the door. Outside, the sea churned and
writhed, something massive agitating the dark waters. “Wait! Take
this.” Grido had crawled near, holding his Shell Shield. “You may
need it.” She reached down and took it. Then she turned to face the
menace.
51
 14 Unexpected Adversary

“What do you mean, Dust ain’t competin’?” Caiman slammed his guaracuda, that tore flesh from bone and left carnage in their wake.
challenge card down on the table. He let out a guttural roar.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” asked the attendant.
“Give it to ‘im!” shouted Caiman, pointing at a scared-looking golfin.
“I… I don’t want to fight Dust,” squeaked the golfin.
“You won’t,” said Caiman. “Cause she ain’t here!”
Caiman strode out of the entrance gate and across the plaza,
paying no heed to the ornately carved statues of heroes past. He
knew something wasn’t right. The turtle warriors at the guard tower
moved to block his path, but reconsidered when they saw the look
on his face. Caiman bounded up the steps, five at a time. He was
panting when he pushed himself onto the uppermost platform, an
open circle where one could see the inner isles of Naviri laid out
almost as far as the eye could see.
He quickly scanned the waters around the Chronosseum. Nothing
caught his gaze and he began to doubt himself. You’re getting old,
Cai, just jumpy from all them turtles, he thought to himself. As a croc
merc, his instincts had kept him alive more often than he could recall,
but this tournament was a different fight altogether. Suddenly, a
familiar watercraft, far below, caught his eye.
It was Dust, alright, and she was heading toward the Fold. Thatta girl,
way to go after them monsters, he thought. But a chill passed over
him a moment later when he spied a strange shadow in the water
behind her. Caiman tugged off his backpack, yanked it open, and
drew out a large harpoon. He hoisted it to his shoulder and eyed
down the side, where a powerful telescope was fastened to the hilt.
“Queen of the nine storms!” Caiman cursed. He recognized the
dark shape under Dust’s boat well—it was the deadly silhouette
of a guaracuda. A darkness settled over Caiman as images from his
past swirled in his mind. The sharp fangs and vicious claws of the
His claws clattered on the marble steps as he raced down the tower
steps. “Stop!” yelled a guard. Caiman glanced up, just in time to see
the wall of spears pointed at him. He slowed as much as he could
but the polished marble was smooth and slick. Caiman barreled
forward, unable to fully stop, and he slipped and crashed to the floor.
He rose up, seething. “What are you working at, turtles? Out of
my way, ‘afor I…” Caiman paused, catching the steely gaze of the
lieutenant. With a deep breath, Caiman regained his composure.
“My apologies for the running and the racket, gents, but I got places
to be.” The lieutenant stepped forward, a look of disgust on his face.
“Contestant Caiman, you are under arrest. You are to come with us.”
Caiman scowled. The sense of superiority in the turtle’s tone was
palpable. “Aw, how I’d love to, yer excellency, but time’s pretty short
right now. There’s someone I need to help, like quick.” He moved
towards the exit, but the guards hefted their spears.
“You’re right, people are in danger,” said the lieutenant. “A large croc
is tearing through the Chronosseum wielding an illicit harpoon!”
“This old thing? Couldn’t harm a shrimp.” The lieutenant sniffed.
“You’re lucky you weren’t using it in a challenge or you would be
expelled immediately.” Caiman opened his mouth to argue, but he
could tell by the lieutenant’s expression that it was a lost cause. A
shame there were too many of them to fight.
They marched him across the square to a low, squat building that he
had to duck to get into. Once inside, Caiman paced the cell, turning
in tight circles. Gahh, it’s me own fault, he thought. Barnacles but I’ll
haggle harder next time I’m low on fruit. Won’t be given them smug
turtles the chance to mess with me again. Just then his eyes settled on
the window and he noticed a small familiar shape crisscrossing the
plaza outside. “Oi, you, yeah you, betalod!”
The betalod’s large eyes blinked up at Caiman from under her hood.
Well, wasn’t it a peculiar sight, the giant suddenly seeking help after
ignoring her all tournament. She put on her nicest smile. “How may
I help you, Crocodilius monseurian?”

ANCIENT RIVALRY
If there’s one area where the legendary cooperative spirit of Navirians breaks down, it’s the
relationship between crocs and turtles. The feud goes back a long way, to a troubled era known as
the Scatter Years. Food was becoming scarce and the traditional large unified hunting parties were
becoming increasingly divided. The crocs, who generally operated as the brute force of the hunts,
felt they could thrive better on their own and abandoned the others. The turtles, who previously
played a more defensive role, were forced to take the crocs’ place as the first line of attack. This
52 left a scar that never totally healed, even after the Citadel of Time was founded centuries later.
 15 A Most Perilous Endeavor

Eko scanned the crowded circle of Lamara Stadium. Racers were
lining up to compete, the stands were full, and boats and watercraft
of all shapes and sizes filled the outer ring. She had to find Axl.
That’s what that giant Crocodilius had told her, and she knew he was
right. A guaracuda was no trifling sea snake, no innocent mudcrab.
A guaracuda! The thought excited her more than the tournament
itself, but she knew she couldn’t face it alone.
they keep asking.” He spoke in a friendly manner and motioned for
Eko to join him on the bow. The other guests moved to follow them,
but a tall, elderly nag’i shooed them away.
“Axl, son of Braze,” Eko spoke in a rush of words. “I come asking your
aid in a most perilous endeavor. The croc mercenary has enlisted me
in a dire rescue mission of one of the other Tidal Blade contestants.”

Eko’s eyes lit up when she saw the giant yacht. She blinked, noticing “Whoa, whoa, slow down, salamander. I may be a racer, but what’s
the harpoon stuck through the stern. She had already guessed that this all about?”
was where Axl would be, but the harpoon off the side made it a sure
“Dust the desert dweller is in danger. The croc spotted her being
bet. She revved her watercraft and zoomed across to the side of the
trailed by a guaracuda, one of the most dangerous and vile…”
yacht. The curious faces of the party attendees greeted Eko as she
tied her watercraft onto the back of the vessel and hopped aboard. Axl cut her off. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard plenty about those beasts.”
Axl’s cool demeanor had broken at the mention of the guaracuda.
“My, my, Babs, you do know how to throw a party! We seem to have
“But what’s this got to do with me? I’ve got boats to repair and a
two of the top competitors on board,” a flushed fish-folk stammered.
tournament to win.”
All around her, Eko saw Naviri’s elite, dressed in finery and doing
their best to hide their surprise. Babs, listening from the bow, smiled and chimed in. “Pardon me for
interrupting, but I asked the golfins to assist Korg and your vessel is
Eko spoke in a formal tone. “Axl, of blue hair and gills, a nag’ian son
fully restored.”
of Braze, is who I seek, good madams and sirs.”
Axl sighed and rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Babs.”
The guests erupted into laughter. “Greetings, young champion,”
an elderly human smiled down at her. “Have you come to duel the Ignoring the interruption, Eko spoke in a serious tone. “According to
nag’i?” Lore of the Tidal Blades Vol. 7, sharpness of blade and wit alone does
not merit membership in these ranks. A true Blade answers the call
Before she could respond, an official-looking golfin chimed in. “My
of all those in need, and does not hesitate to risk oneself for the sake
word, Crabin, who comes to Lamara to duel? She’s here to compete
of all.”
in the afternoon race, aren’t you, my dear?” she asked.
When she saw the dubious look on his face she changed tactics. “You
“I’m afraid there are more pressing matters I must attend to,
really want to let me get all the glory from defeating a guaracuda?”
Golphineus dorsila,” Eko replied.
Axl scowled, turning away and waving his hands as if to drive off
The disappointment of the golfin’s normally placid face startled
dark thoughts. Then he turned and his dazzling grin emerged as he
Eko. “More’s the pity. Everyone’s been talking about you.” The golfin
reached out his hand. “Alright, my betalod buddy, let’s go show that
pulled a challenge card from her pocket and handed it to Eko.
guaracuda whose islands these are.”
“Please do come back soon. You’re a real ticket seller, and we’d love
to have you!” she said with a wink.

At that moment, Axl appeared on the bow, flashing his annoying

smile. “Eko,” he called down. “So nice of you to seek me out—I’ve
heard you’re my greatest competition. ‘Can you beat the Betalod?’

GUARACUDA
Between its lightning speed and tough hide, a guaracuda is incredibly difficult to
defeat. Ask any isolated farmer and you’ll understand why it’s often referred to as
the most fearsome predator of the sea. Caiman lost his whole family to a guaracuda
attack many years ago, and has been looking for its lair ever since. For no guaracuda
acts alone; females hunt, but there is always a male behind it all, the king of the
pride hiding in the shadows. And Caiman won’t sleep until he has its head.
53
54
 16 Sword and Claw

Dust advanced slowly out of the house onto the surrounding raft,
shield held high. She chose her footing carefully on the still-rocking
structure, keeping her eyes on the swirling water. There! A large
shadow darted towards the platform from her left, and then the
thing was on her—rising out of the water, claws bared. She turned
to meet it and a flurry of blows rained down on her shield, driving
her back. She heard Grido whimper from behind the doorway where
he crouched, but she couldn’t spare him any time.
Summoning her strength, she pivoted quickly, lashing out with her
sword. It connected and she heard a snarl as it retreated and she
finally got a good look at it. Large as two droskas, it perched near
the edge of the raft on its hind legs, its other four legs rending the
air in its rage. Bright orange and black fins ran like a mane along its
sinewy, feline shape, and ended atop a demonic head: half lion, half
eel.
It snarled at her again, and then suddenly shifted its weight onto the
very end of the raft, plunging the entire side down into the water.
Dust was lifted and thrown forward, and it was waiting, four razor-
sharp claws poised to strike. She flailed, barely raising her shield up
in time. One claw sank into her thigh as she struggled to bring her
sword to bear. Another caught her shield, and she found herself
being dragged towards it. She struggled to break free, but it was too
fast, too strong.
“The shield!” cried Grido behind her, and suddenly she realized
that it was glowing and had become hot to the touch. She reached
forward with her fingers, found a small lever, and pulled it. Energy
erupted from the front of the Shell Shield, blasting her backwards,
away from the creature and into the air. She felt the same energy
coursing through her, almost guiding her. She tucked, turning her
body, and landed on the raft. The beast had disappeared into the
water.
“You need to get to my craft,” she said to Grido. “I don’t know how
long I can hold this thing off.”
“What about you?” asked Grido.
She grimaced, glancing at her bleeding leg. “I don’t think I can beat
it, but I might be able to drive it away. Especially if it doesn’t think it’s
going to get twice the meal.” A large claw splashed out of the water,
and onto the wood. She tensed to charge, then relaxed, hearing
Caiman’s voice in her head. “You want to wait ‘til they come at you…
so hold, hold…”
The thing heaved itself onto the raft, its head singed from the shield,
an evil, angry look in its eyes. She held. The thing lunged downward,
again tipping the raft, but this time, she was ready. As it reached
its high point, she leapt forward, her shield out front, knocking it
backward.
Advancing quickly, her blade began to dance, forcing the creature
to defend. She kept up the attack, slicing with long arcs designed to
put it off balance. It countered with its claws, but she didn’t give it
the space. “Now, Grido!” she shouted over her shoulder, launching
another flurry of blows. The cat-like creature twisted and dodged,
incredibly fast for its enormous bulk. But not fast enough. Dust found
an opening and struck. Her sword plunged into its exposed chest—
and stopped. The thick hide turned her blade like armor, and Dust
felt the jolt from the impact wrench her shoulder. The beast’s eyes lit
and its mouth opened hungrily. Dust raised her shield, anticipating
the attack, but in an instant the thing was gone, back into the water.
In dismay, she saw its body racing around the raft towards where
Grido was trying desperately to start her craft. Dust threw down her
shield and ran. The creature cut across the surface of the water like
a knife. She was losing ground. Her watercraft burst to life in front of
her but she knew Grido would never get away in time.
“Go!” she shouted to him as she changed course, leaping from the
raft and landing on the creature’s back. With one hand she gripped
the mane-like fins, and with the other raised her sword-arm high.
Let’s see if you can withstand this, she thought, thrusting her sword
downward with all her might. This time she felt the skin give, and
the creature screamed and dove. Dust threw herself off, and swam
to the raft. She tossed her sword up first, then grabbed the edge and
heaved. She had one foot up on the raft when she felt a clawed grip
close on her leg. It pulled hard, and her head slammed on the dock
as she was dragged backward into the water. Her fingers scrabbled
on wood, and then darkness engulfed her.

SHELL SHIELD
Shell Shields were one of the first michronic devices developed specifically for the Tidal Blades. They
allowed the legendary guardians to protect the city more effectively by micro-correcting any small fighting
mistakes on their part as they were battling monsters. Shell Shields nowadays are rare and hard to come
by. One of the best ways to try one is signing up for the Tournament of Heroes, where each contestant is
loaned a special Shell Shield for the duration of the competition. The device can be activated using any
standard shell, but as it only allows the user to go back a few seconds in the past, it should be used wisely.
55
 17 The Footsteps of Legends

The nearer they got to the Fold, the more Axl could feel the fear
worming in at the back of his mind. He shook his head, trying to clear
his thoughts, and focused on the water in front of him. Eko, keeping
pace with him about twenty feet to the left, called out, pointing at
a small floating house up ahead. Axl checked his battlestaff for the
tenth time—it was there. Why were his fingers shaking?
Axl cursed himself for leaving his watercraft. That’s where he was a
champion! Not here, crouched in a doorway, hoping to somehow
survive. He didn’t belong here—he belonged on the racing track.
To the depths with everyone who had told him otherwise! “You look
just like your mother.” “Braze would be so proud of you.” “She really
was quite amazing.”

“No sign of Dust!” he shouted, as the two neared the floating house.
Suddenly, a mere twenty yards away, Axl spied a great, dark shadow
slicing through the water to intercept them. The guaracuda.
“Look!” cried Eko.
“I see it,” began Axl, and then realized the betalod was pointing in
a different direction. Two other shapes were also approaching. Axl
and Eko raced for the platform. “Are there three of them?” shouted
Axl.
“Doubtful,” Eko replied. “The female guaracuda always hunts alone.”
They leapt off their crafts onto the platform and their hearts fell—
Dust’s shield and sword lay abandoned on the blood-spattered raft.
There was hardly time to take in the gruesome scene before their
attention was wrenched away by a bone-chilling howl. “They’re
seahounds! Take cover!” cried Eko, a strange thrill in her voice, as
one, and then another seahound leapt out of the water to land on
the platform. Axl shared none of her excitement. His adrenaline had
worn off, and he felt the fear return in a rush as they ducked inside
the doorway of the small house.
Well, I never knew her! he thought. If she was so amazing, how come
she never came back? I’m not her, and I never will be. I shouldn’t be here
holding this battlestaff. She should! I should be racing, like I was born
to do. Axl suddenly felt very small, and very inadequate, and terribly
alone. He was here now, and she was not, and the thought that he
could ever live up to her deeds seemed foolish.
“Axl,” said Eko, pulling him backwards, just as the hounds opened
their mouths and black, noxious liquid sprayed out. The door frame
around them hissed and smoked. Then, incredibly, the betalod
advanced out of the doorway. “Quick!” she called. “The Carchadon
lupusi glands must rest a few minutes before spraying more acid!”
Eko moved forward, spinning her staff, even as the guaracuda
pulled itself up onto the other side of the raft. She didn’t stand a
chance, and yet she kept going. The bravery of the small creature
awoke something in Axl.
A vision came to him: his mother’s face in the reflection of her Shell
Shield, and behind her, his grandmother, and his great-grandfather,
all Tidal Blades. In front of them all, his face—last in the line. His
fear broke. He charged forward, past Eko, toward the hounds, his
bladed battlestaff singing as it spun. They moved to surround him,
but he was too fast. His blows rained down on them, and in a flash
it was over. The body of one of the beasts lay at his feet, as the other
slipped off the platform into the water. He turned to see Eko facing
down the guaracuda, still as brave as ever, a minnow against an
approaching typhoon. A shout erupted from him that carried the
full force of his power—his lineage, his ancestry, his destiny. The
guaracuda paused its advance. Its eyes met his and he didn’t flinch.
It turned and slipped back into the water, and was gone.

SEAHOUNDS
The howls of a pack of seahounds piercing the night can be a terrifying thing.
Anyone’s natural reaction would be to flee. This might well be their last mistake.
As described in great detail in Lore of the Tidal Blades Vol. 3, seahounds thrive
at a distance. They can outrun anyone on land, are especially fast swimmers,
and the acid they spit can reach several meters. The proven strategy against
them is always to go on the offensive. Run up to them before they can
56 surround you, and knock them on the skull with a swing of your staff.
57
 18 The Storm

The pounding in her head was like nothing she’d ever known. She
tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn’t respond. Sand pressed
against her cheek—wet and coarse, so different from the sand of her
home. A wave crashed somewhere behind her, and the water rushed
in. She tasted the salt and her stomach rolled. Enough strength
returned for her to lift herself off of the sand, spitting saltwater. She
opened her eyes and looked around.

She was on an atoll, the beach curving away to either side and
forming a ring that held a placid bay. In the center of the crystalline
water was a large pink circle, surrounded by floats. Looking closer,
she saw they were jellyfish, and on the far edge she could just make
out a figure in a small craft, scooping them up with a net. It must be
a farm of some type! She spied one of the pink creatures that had
washed up near her—disgusting. I’ll stick to fruit, she thought.

Suddenly, her neck prickled, and she had the feeling of being
watched. She glanced over her shoulder, and startled. Three
strange creatures stood a short distance away, observing her. She
recognized their bodies as those of golfins—the plumper goldfish-
folk—but their heads were covered by crab-shaped masks of
carven carapaces, bleached white by the sun. They did not speak,
but tapped their ornately carved staves in unison on the sand. She
stood.

As soon as Dust gained her feet, they spoke in turn. “You have
awakened,” said one.

“The water is troubled, but it knows,” another continued. “You will be

tested soon. Look for the patterns.”

The third joined in, “But not now. Not now. Something is approaching.
You must go back to the Fold!”

“I can’t fight. I can hardly stand,” protested Dust. Suddenly, in a rush,

memories returned. The cold depths shocking her awake. Twisting
against the vise-like claws that dragged her ever downward.
A howling, and a terrible commotion. And then she was free,
swimming, struggling to find the surface, not knowing which way
was up. And after that, nothing at all.

The creatures huddled, mumbling to each other. Then they turned,

and one held a strange fruit in their hand. She took it gratefully,
feeling the sudden pangs of incredible hunger. As soon as the sweet
bitterness of the fruit hit her tongue, the mist lifted from her mind,
and energy flowed back into her in a wave. With each successive
bite she felt the pain leaving her body, the strength return to her
muscles, and the resolve to her mind. By the time she finished the
fruit, she was standing tall, a warrior once more.

58
“You must go,” they said in unison, and one pointed with their staff.
She turned, and saw her watercraft tied to a dock at the far end of
the beach. “There is one in danger,” they continued, a grave note in
their voices. Dust hesitated no longer. She ran to her craft, leapt on,
and sped out of the bay. As soon as she reached open water, she
could see her destination. An unnatural cloud hung in the distance,
dark menacing winds and rains whipping up a frenzy beneath it.
She turned her craft towards it. Her trinite sword was back at Grido’s
house, or lost, but she had other swords.

She gritted her teeth and steeled herself against the elements as she
neared the epicenter of the storm. The winds buffeted her from all
sides, and she barely retained control of her craft. She gasped as she
reached the center and looked up. For a second her heart froze—
was she underwater again? What appeared to be a giant manta
ray floated above her. But as she watched, its very form shifted and
changed with the storm—a being of pure energy. It’s not causing the
storm, thought Dust. It is the storm.

The whipping wind and turbulent waters rocked her slender craft,
but Eko paid it no heed, as she stared intensely into the distance.
Something was coming from the Fold, something old as the islands
themselves. Suddenly, a lightning bolt streaked out of the sky—
in her excitement, Eko had completely forgotten about the storm
creature floating above. The bolt flung her off her craft and she
landed in the water. This was no good! She couldn’t even see her
way back through the enormous waves. An unfamiliar feeling rose
in her: panic.

Then a hand was on her cloak, pulling her up. “I’ve got you,” said a
familiar voice.

Eko looked up, surprised. It was Dust! “Let’s get out of here!” the
desert warrior shouted, depositing Eko back on her watercraft.

Eko shook her head and gestured at the surging patterns of the Fold.
“Something ancient has awoken.”

Dust clung to her watercraft. “We can’t stay here, Eko, this storm
beast is as angry as any I’ve seen.”

Eko nodded. “Then we will have to fight it. We must be ready for the
new threat that is growing within the Fold.”

“How? These winds slip through my blades,” Dust said as she drew
her bone sword out of its scabbard.

59
 Eko’s face lit up. “My bestiary!” she exclaimed. Pulling the book from
its protective satchel and huddling under her cloak, she flipped
wildly through the pages. “Dust, you will not believe it, but what flies
above us at this very moment is a Whirlpool Weaver. It really is quite
amazing, and odd, as these—”
“Eko! I need some help here!” Dust shouted as she narrowly avoided
another crackling bolt. At that moment, they heard the whir of
engines, and looked up to see Axl speeding towards them, followed
closely by Caiman. The croc launched his harpoon upward at the
ghostly manta. It soared through the creature with no effect and
splashed into the tumultuous water.
“Snapfish and crabdung, how are we supposed to fight this thing?”
Caiman cursed.
“I might know a way,” Eko said hastily, her nose still buried in the
pages of the old bestiary. “From what I can decipher, the Weaver
draws its strength from the link between the storm and the sea. If
we could somehow sever the connection…” She turned her gaze
towards the storm, squinting under the heavy wind. “There!” she
exclaimed as she gestured to the tendrils of blue light that trailed
from the manta’s wings into the water. “Strike those blue filaments!”
She raised her staff as she spoke and brought it down on the manta’s
wake, successfully breaking one of the connections.
The Whirlpool Weaver changed course and the intensity of the storm
grew. The waves became immense, splashing over their watercrafts
and threatening to pull them under. The four heroes, competitors
in the arenas, now gathered their strength, unified in their battle
against the storm.
With a loud cry, Caiman loosed his harpoon once more. This time
the shot struck true, cutting two of the ghostly tendrils. Axl deftly
maneuvered his craft through the waves, launching himself at the
manta with his bladed staff in hand, and sliced cleanly through three
of the lines. Dust, soaked and shivering from the storm’s onslaught,
hefted her bone sword, as the Whirlpool Weaver, attempting to
dodge further blows from Axl’s staff, flew within reach. She brought
the vicious blade down as the manta passed, severing the final
connection.
A loud crack of thunder filled the air and bright flashes of lightning
shot across the sky above them. And then it was calm. The waters
below them gentled, the wind and rain slowed. “You’re alive!” Axl
exclaimed to Dust. “We thought… well, it didn’t look pretty.” Dust
nodded, not knowing what to say.
“I have your sword and shield,” continued Axl, retrieving them.
“How did you know to look for me?” asked Dust.
“I knew ye were in trouble when ye didn’t show up fer our duel,” said
Caiman. “But the turtles got to me before I could—”
“Quiet!” Eko hissed. “Listen.” They all heard it then. A rumbling in
the distance, which grew quickly to an overwhelming, deafening
tumult, as if the bones of the land itself were creaking and twisting.
A massive form took shape in the Fold. It grew until at last it seemed
to fill the entire horizon. It was an island, a volcano at the center,
moving towards them with alarming speed. Suddenly, the island
seemed to rise out of the water, revealing the angry maw of a giant
turtle-shaped beast. The volcanic rocks covered in coursing lava
were in fact its shell.

WHIRLPOOL WEAVER
Many monsters are common in Naviri and people are accustomed to fighting
against them. Others have only been seen a handful of times in recorded history.
This includes the Tide Terror, the legendary Fire Mountain known as Akora, and the
mythical Whirlpool Weaver. Because of their rarity, there isn’t always a clear, winning
strategy to defeat them. When possible, refer to the official Tidal Blades Bestiary
before engaging with these monsters. They come from the far depths of the ocean…
60 who knows how many new horrors still lurk in the darkness waiting to invade?
61
 Then, through the tumult, they heard a loud keening sound and
saw a sight almost as strange as the living island. Flying across the
water right in front of the behemoth was a small shape hanging
on to what seemed like a portable glider. It turned sharply, barely
avoiding the giant maw snapping at its heels.

“HANG ON, DRUUUUU!!!” the shape cried, clutching a small isopod

to its head. The four heroes all stood in astonishment.

Dust leaned closer to the betalod. “Eko... who is that?”

“I really don’t know,” she replied, gripping her staff firmly. “But
we’ll find out soon enough.”

62
CHAPTER two

SAGASHI

63
 19 Traveler of the Fold

Sagashi sat in the large circular room, rolling the pads of his
chameleon fingers on and off the smooth marble table. Above him,
the ceiling vault spiraled to an intricate dome, high enough to house
the lush plants and trees growing around the tranquil chamber. Only
the occasional brushing of feathers and the soft lapping of water
broke the deep, awe-inspiring stillness. So this is the Citadel of Time,
thought Sagashi. “If only they knew how loud and chaotic time can
be, eh, Dru?” he finished out loud to his companion, and the small
isopod purred.

Sagashi heard a tittering from behind him, and turned to see a small
gaggle of young Engineers passing by, the tall piles of books they
carried wobbling dangerously as they peered in, trying to get a
look at him. They were hustled on their way by the fully armored
contingent of turtle warriors who stood at the door. Sagashi watched
them disappear into an elevator behind a large waterfall.

“Ahem.”

Sagashi turned to see the stern-looking salamander clearing

his throat. “Thank you for your patience. I am Iran Toru, the 27th
Arcanist, Inquirer of the Unknown. Master Goro has just brought me
up to speed with the Fire Mountain incident. Luckily for all involved,
our Coral Guards had been aware of its presence, and were nearby
monitoring the situation. I am thankful they arrived in time to help
you escape. Now, I think we’re ready to find out who you are and
address the reason why you’re all here.”

Sagashi leaned forward intently as the small, green-eyed isopod

crawled across his head and ran down his arm. It didn’t seem to
bother the tall chameleon in the least. He stretched his limbs out
lazily and flashed a smile at the four contestants who had helped
him escape the island monster.

“My name,” he said, “is Sagashi. You might say I’m a traveler of the
world.”

“How did you end up here?” asked Iran Toru.

“I can bend space-time. Found a tunnel that led me here, simple as

that.” Iran Toru blinked at the casual way in which he rattled this off.

“With this?” Master Goro, the master of the Coral Guard, pointed at
the broken armor on Sagashi’s chest.

“Yes,” answered Sagashi, “but it’s broken now. Which reminds me,
I’m guessing you have a workshop here where I can fix this? I need
precise tooling. The loop seq on my Timesplitter is out of sync—
that’ll happen when you get a little lava on it.”

64
 “I’m afraid the tools of the Citadel of Time cannot be entrusted to The Arcanist cast an uncomfortable glance at Axl. “Yes. We knew,”
just anyone,” said Iran Toru. admitted Iran Toru slowly.

Sagashi frowned, and Dru, sensing his thoughts, frowned as well. “You knew? You knew?” shouted Axl, rising from his seat, his chair
At least, to the extent an isopod could frown. “Ahh, but you see, my toppling on the stone behind him as he jumped up. “My mother
friend, I am not just anyone.” might be in there!”

“Still, it requires great experience to—” began the Arcanist.
“Let me ask you, Mr. Toru, has anyone in this room ever ventured into
the Fold? Has anyone in these isles endured the cold nothingness of
that passage, as if the very universe had fled into its own heat-death,
leaving you clinging to your meager existence? I have. I have sailed
the waves of the rise and fall of entire civilizations, split time in half
with my devices, seen people frozen in battle with terrible monsters,
distorted and twisted by the dimensional perversion that you call
the Fold. I’ve—”
“Wait, what did you say?” asked Axl, with a sudden intensity.
“Fine, fine,” cut in Iran Toru quickly. “We understand that you have
traveled where few have gone, and we thank you for the information
and notes you have shared with us, but the Citadel has rules that
transcend us all, and for very good reason. Now, I think that it’s time
we called this meeting to a close. Sagashi, we may call on you again
if we have—”
“Axl…” started Iran Toru, but Axl was already bursting out of the
chamber, slamming open the doors and shouldering his way
through the Turtle Guards. He ignored the voice of Master Goro
calling for him to wait. The others followed him, concerned. “Are you
alright?” Dust asked him, catching up. Axl quickened his pace, head
down, heedless of the Coral Guard recruits who cast envious looks
in his direction. The others watched as he mounted his watercraft
and sped away.
“Now wait a second, don’t everyone rush off without me!” said
Sagashi, from behind them. “I could use some help getting back in
there so I can fix my gear.”
“Oh, I’m afraid none of us will be able to go back in,” supplied Eko
helpfully. “Entrance is strictly forbidden if one does not work and
live in the Citadel. What happened today was a very strange and
exciting exception.”
“Well, you look like an Engineer—can’t you help me?”

“No, I want to hear him. What did you say about people trapped “I can’t, but I know of a place,” said Eko, and her voice grew hushed.
in the Fold?” Axl insisted. Iran Toru began to protest again, but fell “It’s known as Angler’s Cove. It is not without risks, however.”
silent as Sagashi spoke.
“Story of our life, right, Dru?” sighed Sagashi to his strange
“I didn’t realize it at first. I went in for my own reasons, not knowing companion.
what to expect. And at first there wasn’t much, just monsters—some
I knew of, like the guaracuda, and others that had been made into
monsters by the twisted energies of the Fold, like that island I was
running from. But once I went deeper, I found that there are people
too—still alive. You see, it’s not just sealed off from this realm. In
there, time is frozen. Some parts of it, anyhow. But you must have
known that,” he finished, turning to Iran Toru. “I mean, you created
it, didn’t you?“

THE ARCANISTS
Arcanists are equal parts philosophers, theoreticians, and strategists. They form a lineage in which
the newest member is attributed leadership of the city. The older Arcanists, known as the Elders,
go on thinking about undiscovered esoteric principles of the universe or spend their time teaching
the Betalods about the outside world. One must spend a life rising in the ranks of the Engineers
before having the chance to being nominated new Arcanist. Iran Toru, 27th Arcanist, is the current
leader of Naviri and is the direct chief of command of Master Goro, the Head of the Coral Guard.
65
 20 Influence

The crystal waters of the inner bay were sparkling in the afternoon
sun. Eko’s small watercraft cut through the gentle waves with
Sagashi, the stranger, perched atop the back, his isopod curled
around his arm. They were headed away from the Citadel and
toward the remote outer islands, and though her companion
seemed happy to hum contentedly to himself, Eko was dying for
more details from beyond the Fold.
“If you are planning to stay awhile in Naviri, you should consider
obtaining one of these vessels,” she said, hoping to get the
chameleon talking. “The islands are difficult to navigate without a
watercraft.”
To her surprise, Sagashi let out a croaking laugh. “Oh, I already got
means of transport, friend,” and quickly detached a strange triangular
device from his back, letting out a loud cry and jumping into the
air. Eko, almost losing control of the watercraft, was astonished to
see the small triangle transform into a glider and catch the wind.
Sagashi maneuvered deftly, rising higher and higher, before cutting
back to the surface and skimming the water so closely that his feet
almost touched the surface.
“As long as there’s even a touch of wind, I can manage pretty well,”
Sagashi said as he landed gracefully on the back of the craft and
pulled his glider shut in one fluid motion. “Though I truly appreciate
you helping me out by showing me around.”
“It is my pleasure to welcome such
an esteemed and strange visitor
to Naviri,” Eko said. “And to be
honest, I am quite curious about
your travels and what brings you
to our isles.”
Sagashi’s eyes got a faraway look in them, and he drew in a long
breath before answering. “I’m searching for my wife.”
Eko was quite surprised by this and answered before giving it much
thought. “Is she a contestant? I know we have many visitors from
afar. If so, we could consult the registry.”
A sad smile spread across his face as Sagashi answered, “No, no,
though she would have been a worthy competitor… sadly, she
disappeared.”
Eko was taken aback by the grief in the voice of the previously jovial
chameleon. She could barely contain the urge to ask for more details
when Sagashi spoke again. “I’ve been traveling for years to find her.”
With an affectionate pat on the isopod’s back, he added, “Dru tells
me where to go.”
Eko considered this for a moment, watching as the black-shelled
isopod climbed down onto Sagashi’s shoulders. “Fascinating. How
does Dru know where to go?”
Eko looked at the creature with renewed interest, and Dru met her
gaze with flashing green eyes. “Ah, the eternal question! How does
anyone know one’s path. Dru was her familiar when she vanished.
Their bond has been my guide ever since.”
The Coral Mines loomed suddenly on the horizon and prevented
Eko from asking more about the unusual isopod and what kind
of bond it could possibly form. Instead of questioning Sagashi,
she said, ”We’re almost to Angler’s Cove. Unfortunately I won’t be
coming with you, as it is out of Naviri’s limits and only outcasts come
here. Mostly crocs, as you might imagine.”
Sagashi gazed at the Coral Mines, which were spread in a fantastic
array of colors over the horizon. “Righto, so you say this Angler
character ought to be able to help me with my gear?”

Eko nodded. “He’s your best bet outside of the Citadel,” she continued
with an earnest intensity. “But be careful with Angler. He’s not just
anyone, he’s the only turtle to be ex—”

Sagashi waved the betalod’s worry away with his hands. “Exiled,
yes, understood, he’s a big bad turtle, don’t you worry about me. I’ll

SAGASHI’S GLIDER
Chameleons are quite a mystery, even to Navirians. Much like humans, they weren’t part of the
founding species. There are very few of them in Naviri, and little is known about their origin
other than that the first ones arrived in desert caravans about 150 years ago. Some possess
advanced shell devices similar to the technology used in the Citadel, such as Sagashi’s glider.
Many suspect that chameleons come from an advanced city on the other side of the continent,
but since they are so secretive, this largely remains a matter of conjecture at this point.
66
just charm him like I did them other turtles up at that fancy Citadel,”
Sagashi said with a grin.

Pulling her watercraft to a stop aside a small outcropping of reef, Eko

said, “Well, please do be careful, and I’ll keep a lookout for your wife.”

Sagashi, unfurling his glider and preparing to jump, replied in a

wistful tone, “I ‘preciate that, Eko, but you won’t be finding her. Not
anywhere in these lower dimensions, at least.”And with that, he leaped
high in the air once more and sailed onward toward the Coral Mines.

Eko’s mind was racing as she piloted her craft to the Droska Ring.
What a very strange person, and that isopod, quite unusual. It
seemed to contain a hidden strength inside its small segmented
body. Contemplating the possible existence of higher dimensions,
she reluctantly made her way to the Glassforgers’ Guild, hoping
to replenish her shell supply. Still dreaming of what secrets were
hidden within the Fold, she was startled to see a large muscular
human approach as she completed her shell order.

“Greetings, Betalod.”

Eko replied, “Salutations, human traveler. A caravan guide, are you

not?”

With a short laugh, the man spoke. “That obvious, eh? Must be the
aroma of droska on me. But listen, I know you’ve got training to do
and challenges to complete, so I’ll be quick. There’s quite a demand
in the desert for them fancy shells you be getting.” Unsure of what
to say to the hulking human, Eko just nodded. “Well seeing as we be
wanting them shells and you be wanting to win the tournament, I
was thinking we could make a little deal, eh?” Increasingly skeptical
but not wanting to anger the man, Eko agreed with a nod. “If you
bring me any extra shells that you aren’t using, I’ll put in a good
word for Nyrock, our leader. He’s on the judging committee here at
Droska.”

Unable to hide her disdain, Eko spoke brashly. “That sounds quite
like bribery, good sir!”

The human gave a toothy smile. “Just a trade, young betalod. It’s
what we traders do. Think on it. The offer’s open.”

Falling back on formality, Eko answered, “Your help is appreciated,

but I must decline. I intend to use every one of these shells to win
the tournament fair and square.” And grasping her newly bought
shells, she made her way to her watercraft, eager to return to the
Guild of Time and train with Master Wu before the final challenge.

67
68
 21 Entanglers’ Hideout
“Angler, eh?” The two crocs eyed Sagashi warily, their hands resting
on their coral hammers. Their eyes followed Dru as he skittered up
the chameleon’s leg and onto his shoulder.
“Well, you’re askin’ the wrong pair o’ reptiles, I’d say,” said the larger
one. He brushed some of the purple coral dust off his brow, and
continued. “It’s above our fish haul, if you catch my drift.”
“Yeah,” chimed in the other, in a surprisingly squeaky voice, “above
our fish haul to tell you where the boss is.” The larger one looked
annoyed, and changed the subject. “Ya know, we could use a hand
from a tall, gangly feller like yourself, if you’re up for a bit o’ work.
Found a sheller nest near here.”
“Work, huh?” said Sagashi, unenthused. “And then you’ll tell me
where to find this Angler?”
“Nah, told ya already, we can’t do it. But we can pay ya a card.”
“A card?” asked Sagashi.
“Sure, you know, a challenge card.” The large croc looked a bit
suspiciously at Sagashi. “They’re like money—use ‘em in the pit,
gamble ‘em. Very valuable since the tournament began.”
The smaller one piped up. “Yeah, ‘specially with the Entanglers
makin’ new—”
“Niki, you newt! You know we ain’t supposed to—” shouted the
larger croc, then cut himself off.
“Sorry Garros, I… well, you know, just tryin’ to help.”
“It’s okay, big fella,” Sagashi said, in a placating voice. “I know all
about the Entanglers.”
“You do? Well, that’s a relief,” sighed Garros. “You could have had us
in a heap o’ trouble!”
“No, no,” said Sagashi. “In fact, I’m here to help them get set up in
their new location on the beach. Kind of a waveform specialist.”
Sagashi tapped his gear convincingly then pointed down the beach.
“The beach?” asked Garros confused. “No, no, they’re still at the cliff.
I just put an order in there this morning.” He glanced at a strangely
shaped cliff across the bay.
“Right! Thanks, chap! I get distracted pretty easily,” said Sagashi.
Then, before the croc could realize his mistake, Sagashi tossed
his glider into the air and leapt after it, grabbing the handles and
zipping off across the water, Dru clinging to his back.
It was growing dark by the time Sagashi crested the stairs carved
into the steep cliff. It took him a moment to locate the small door
hidden in the stone face. He knocked, and a narrow slot slid open to
reveal a pair of eyes. “Yes?”
“I’m here to check on some stuff for Garros. He said he came by this
morning.”
The wide fish-folk eyes blinked and looked him up and down.
“Garros sent you, huh?” Sagashi nodded back and smiled in what
he hoped was a convincing manner. “Okay, give me a sec.” The slot
slapped shut, leaving Sagashi in the dark, listening to the creature’s
footsteps recede. A minute later, the footsteps returned, and the
door opened. The fish-folk spoke in a low tone that sounded almost
melancholy to Sagashi. “Alright, there is an order for Garros, straight
from the market. You gotta follow me, though—no unaccompanied
strangers. A lot of thieves around lately.”
Sagashi stepped into the dark, busy chamber. All kinds of creatures
were at work, crouching at low tables, their faces illuminated by
the bright blue lamps at the center. In front of each figure, Sagashi
could see what must be challenge cards, their interiors exposed and
wired to glowing devices. “Anything I can purchase while I’m here?”
Sagashi asked, and the fish-folk sniffed.
“Heading to the Pit?” Sagashi nodded, leaning over to inspect one
of the bare challenge cards while the fish-folk droned on in his
monotone. “Of course you are. They’re all heading to the Pit. Big
riches to be made right now.”
He gestured to a shelf on the far wall, filled with challenge cards
of every conceivable type. “Let me know if anything interests you.
It’s all going to the desert market anyhow if you change your mind.
Kase here is our errand boy.”
On hearing his name, a young, purple-hued chameleon looked up
at them. “Just find him if you need anything. Keep an eye on this one
for a minute, Kase, while I track down Garros’ market stuff.”
Sagashi smiled down at the boy but tightened his grip on his gear.
He knew what sticky fingers looked like when he saw them.
69
 22 Seize the Key

“Wait, huah, hold on, I need to do this challenge,” Caiman huffed as

he lumbered into the Droska Ring gate.

The attendant, startled by the appearance of the frantic croc merc,

spoke with a friendly smile. “Of course, sir, no rush, haven’t you
heard? The challenge hours have been extended for the final days
of the Tournament.”

“Awhurg, wish someone had told me ‘fore I came racing across those
sands like a lizard in a frying pan!” Caiman muttered. “Well, good to
know, kid, sign me up, and get ready for one doozy of a challenge.”

The attendant’s eyes lit up as he saw the Seize the Key challenge card
that Caiman dropped on the table. “A most difficult and impressive
challenge. Best of luck, sir.”

It had better be impressive, Caiman thought. I need to gain some

momentum on all them young contestants. All good working together
to battle monsters, but I ain’t planning on losing this tournament.

A bruised turtle with a battered shell walked stiffly from the arena.
“Looks like the previous contestant has just finished. The ring is all
yours, sir,” the attendant said.

Before he could think better of it, Caiman pulled another card from
his shirt pocket. “Throw in some Rolling Boulders while you’re at it?
I’m fixing to give all these chaps a show.” Caiman had been feeling
reckless since the guaracuda sighting. He had a score to settle with
that beast, and with it being so close to the Fold, he had to become
a Tidal Blade. Seemed like the whole barrier was breaking down and
this might be his only chance.

Caiman crossed the sandy arena in the dark. Reaching the center, he
focused on his breath, clearing the Fold and the guaracuda from his
mind. A loud gong brought him back to the present, and torches lit
up around the ring in a burst of light. A herd of droskas sectioned
off in one corner scurried about on their segmented legs. The
audience erupted in cheers upon spotting the hulking croc, their
cheers growing to a fever pitch when it was announced that Rolling
Boulders had been added to the challenge.

He glanced quickly up at the glass key, suspended by a wire high

above the arena, then quickly scanned the arena. Chutes in the walls
opened and poured forth paths of lava that began spreading slowly
around the ring, forcing Caiman into action. The longer it took him to

70
 grab the key, the less ground there would be in the arena. Through
the labyrinthine paths, a lone droska caught his eye. That must be
a part of this puzzle, Caiman thought. How else could anyone reach
that key? He darted into action as the ground trembled from the
onslaught of huge boulders rolling from the upper part of the arena.
Leaping over a boulder and jumping a thin stream of lava, Caiman
came face-to-face with the lumbering droska. The large insect,
unnerved by Caiman’s rapid approach, scampered to the side,
wandering towards the largest lava pool.
the center of the ring. With lava encroaching on all sides, he jumped
to the droska’s back and leaped high into the air, reaching out and
pulling the key from the hanging wire.
A devilish grin broke out on Caiman’s face as he landed. Victory!
Huah, huah, I’ll win this tourney yet, he thought. As he turned to
bow to the crowd, the torches suddenly went dark. Then he heard
through his loud ragged breathing the cries and panic of the crowd,
followed closely by a deathly stench. A cold wind was blowing up
from the beach, carrying a dark and dank odor from the depths.

“Not so fast, old beastie, I’m needing your help to be getting that
key,” Caiman called out amiably as he hopped on the droska’s back.
His weight was too much and the poor insect crumpled under the
croc, its thin legs sinking into the sandy ground. “Yah, you useless,
musty desert crawler, up, get up!” It was no use; the droska couldn’t
lift Caiman’s bulk.
Caiman knew instinctively that a monster had come to the shore.
A beast of the sea bringing with it terror and madness and death.
Ignoring his wounds and burning muscles, Caiman, wiping the sand
from his fingers and grabbing his harpoon from the weapon rack,
turned to face the sea.

The sizzle of lava grew closer and a boulder rolled across the path,
splashing magma over the sand. Only half of the arena remained
free of the heat. Caiman cursed under his breath, knowing he had
no time to spare. “One way or ‘nother, you’ll be a-helping, my little
bug friend.” With that, he hoisted the giant bulk of the droska and
began dragging it to the center of the ring. The crowd grew quiet,
staring at the croc as he pulled the full weight of the droska.

Ignoring the agony of a splash of lava, Caiman grunted and heaved

on. He was panting furiously and his eyes grew dizzy. He thought of
his family, thought of the guaracuda, and the honor he would bring
to the Crocs, and he heaved once more, setting his burden down at

ROLLING BOULDERS
Rolling Boulders are the desert equivalent of the Water Columns. Like all Circuit
challenges, they can be voluntarily added to any standard challenge to increase its
difficulty. They are slower and easier to see coming than their Chronosseum counterpart,
but also much more destructive. A few creative contestants have tried stopping the
boulders in their path and using them to their advantage, with varied results.

71
72
 23 Babs’ Favorite Contestant

Axl stared up at the stars, his mind ablaze. He hadn’t been sleeping
well, and tonight seemed like it was going to be no exception,
despite the fact that the party had quieted down early, leaving only
the gentle rocking of the yacht. Usually that was enough—Axl was
not the type to count his worries.
He noticed a movement and saw Babs step from the stairs to the
upper deck where he lay. She moved softly, not wanting to wake
him, but laughed gently when she saw he was still awake. She sat
beside him. “Bed not comfortable?” she asked.
“No, it’s great. Much better than my craft, that’s for sure,” he answered
in with a forced nonchalance.
She lay down near him, and together they looked up at the stars, the
silence comfortable and long. Finally, Axl spoke. “I tried to go, you
know. To the Fold. But I couldn’t even get close, let alone get across.
And if I had, could I even do anything?” Axl spat the words out as if
they were on fire.
“I just can’t believe she’s still alive. Or might be,” said Axl. Babs didn’t
say a word, just listened.
After a few moments, Axl continued. “The worst part is that they
lied! When I think about the statue, that long speech about the
honorable Tidal Blades’ sacrifice, I just want to…” he stopped, slowly
relaxing his fists, which he had clenched in his anger. “All this time
they knew. And they did nothing.”
“Oh, I wanted to tell you, there was a new Special Announcement
today. My sister, pulling strings, up to her tricks again.”
“What is it?” asked Axl, intrigued in spite of himself.
“A bonus for the most challenges on Lamara. She convinced them
that contestants were neglecting their staff training.”
“And I suppose that had nothing to do with me?” said Axl.
“Hey, if it happens to help out our favorite contestant, and bring
a little extra cheer to our lovely island, more’s the better. But as a
matter of fact, Miskie passed you by one challenge today.”
“So she’s your favorite, now, I suppose?” Axl joked.
“Well, she does have extraordinary taste in wine,” said Babs. “It makes
her very relatable.”
“Great. I should start drinking wine. I’ll keep that in mind,” Axl said
sarcastically, but Babs could tell that the competitor in him had
awoken.
Babs said goodnight and left him turning over his challenge cards
in his mind. Finally, thankfully, his eyes slowly closed, shutting out
the image of the Fold, glimmering faintly on the horizon under the
bright moon.

Babs let the silence linger a bit longer, then broke it. “What does
your father think?”

Axl blinked. “My father? You know we don’t speak anymore.”

“I know, but I thought maybe you’d reach out to him. You know he’s
in town. I’m sure he’d like to know.”

Axl shook his head as if warding off a bee. Babs sighed and changed
the subject.

BRAZE, FALLEN TIDAL BLADE

Braze and her sister Leean formed the perfect battle team. Watching the two nag’i fight was
like staring into the eye of a storm: Leean defending all fronts like a spiral of clouds, Braze
striking head-first like a peal of thunder. Appropriate, then, that they went first into the riotous
storm that threatened Naviri. A born leader, Braze was always in the forefront of the most
dangerous Tidal Blades operations. It was her who took the Hyperloom to the center of the
storm against all odds, and who activated the Fold in an ultimate sacrifice. She left behind a
baby and widowed father, a human who would go on to raise their son Axl by himself. 73
 23 King of the Underworld

Caiman looked down at the cold glass key in his hand, hard won
through a near impossible challenge. All that work and for what?
The crowd and judges were too distracted fleeing for their lives to
notice his triumph. Pocketing the key and clutching his harpoon, he
raced through the gates of the Droska Ring. The foul stench that had
wafted into the arena hit his nose with renewed force as he drew
near the beach.
Stretched out along the shore, an enormous creature with dark
bluish skin and red scales had flung its enormous tentacles across
the beach. Collapsed docks and watercraft lay under the monster’s
filth. Shouts filled the air as traders and customers ran for safety.
Caiman eyed them enviously, wishing he could turn and run as well.
Oh, to be a bystander...
But even though the rulers of these islands could care less for a croc,
even though the majority of his kin were downtrodden outcasts,
Caiman had no choice but to fight. It had taken only a single monster
to ruin his life, to wreck his peaceful days of farming and transform
the once gentle croc into a hardened mercenary. It was not this
beast that had robbed him of his wife and children, but it came from
the same dark place, and Caiman would not let it destroy these lives.
Racing toward the shore, he jumped over fallen carts and abandoned
wagons, doing his best to not inhale the stench. As Caiman drew
close to the creature, the mass of tentacles and scales shifted and
the massive head of the dragonslime turned toward him, letting out
a ferocious roar accompanied by a burst of green slime. Darting to
the left, Caiman narrowly avoided the slime, but one of the beast’s
outstretched tentacles caught his foot, bringing him to the ground.
Feeling the tentacle begin to tighten around his leg, Caiman lashed
out with his harpoon, using the jagged edge to saw through the
oozing appendage.
Freed from the beast’s grip, Caiman sprang to his feet, dodging a
second spout of slime. The great maw of the dragonslime bore
down on him, teeth flashing in the moonlight. Caiman, resisting the
urge to flee, shouldered his harpoon and yelled, “Come for me, ya
demon of the depths, I ain’t afraid!” At the last moment, with the
monster’s teeth almost upon him, Caiman’s harpoon flashed from
his hand, flying straight and true, piercing the great beast’s left eye.
The dragonslime reeled back, tentacles contracting as it screamed
in agony. That be me cue to make waves, Caiman thought as he
loosed the harpoon’s rope and ran headlong back up the beach,
dodging the tentacles of the enraged beast that lashed furiously at
everything within reach.
Safely inland, Caiman watched as the injured beast drew its tentacles
around itself protectively. Its anger spent, it retreated to the depths.
Coming to the gates of the empty arena, Caiman entered and called
out, “Hoollo, where are ya, turtles? Come out now the danger’s
passed.” When no one emerged, he took the key out. “Look, I got the
key, someone’s got to mark the challenge complete. Eh, where y’all
at? I don’t think I could pull that off again.”

This was just his luck, to be robbed of his success by a sea monster.
Seething, he was about to leave the ring when he saw the lone
droska, helplessly wriggling on its back. He walked up to the insect,
and leaning hard, pushed the creature up and over, righting it.
“Guess we both be having bad days, eh, bug? Well, always got to get
back on yer feet, can’t let nothing keep ya down.”

DRAGONSLIME
King of the underworld, the dragonslime thrives in the deep sea where it uses its long sticky
appendages to strangle monsters to death and consume them slowly with its burning slime. The
strange body shape of the beast makes it difficult for it to manoeuver in shallower waters. This
might explain why dragonslimes are rarely seen much further than the Vinian Ridge. The ones
that approach have been observed to be older, perhaps even sick and dying. They crawl up the
beach at night and attack unsuspecting prey, often preceded by a foul, unmistakable stench.
74
75
 25 Mystic Training

Dust watched the sun dip beneath the sea from her perch at the
restaurant counter. Outside, a group of revelers was passing by,
singing and shouting. The festivities never seemed to stop on
Lamara. I wonder if they know what’s out there? thought Dust. Or
maybe this was how they dealt with the knowledge.

Dust turned her attention back to her bowl. She eyed the tiny pink
jellyfish in her soup suspiciously. The place was dimly lit by a few
aquariums in which bioluminescent creatures swam, making it
difficult to tell if the thing in her soup had actually just moved. You
should eat more, she thought to herself, glancing at the rinds of the
few small pieces of fruit that had come with the meal. There! This
time she was sure it moved. She pushed the bowl away from her,
and nodded to the golfin next to her who had been hungrily eyeing
it. His eyes nearly popped out of his head in joy as the contents of
the bowl disappeared in one gulp. Yuck!

She sighed. She’d come here to distract herself, but she couldn’t stop
thinking about the strange golfins in crab masks that had found
her washed up on the beach. Every time her mind wandered off, it
always came back to them. What did they mean by “the water knows”?
And how will I be tested? They sent me away before I could ask.

And then there were the voices that she’d heard when she had
been floating, unconscious. “You are chosen. You must follow your
destiny.” Had that been the golfins talking, or just fever dreams on the
brink of death?

She stood up, grabbing her stuff and heading to her watercraft. She
had intended to go back to the contestants’ quarters outside the
Citadel to get some sleep, but the star-filled sky reflected on the
dark water was mesmerizing. She let her mind drift, enjoying the
way her craft cut through the water.

A while later—how long was hard to say—a warm glow from

ahead caught her eye, and she realized where she was. In front of
her floated thousands of pink, glowing jellyfish, their light pulsing
slowly in unison and making elaborate patterns on the water. She
had come, without meaning to, back to the atoll. In the middle of
the bay, standing on the deck of a large boat, stood the three Crab
Mystics, waiting for her. They raised their hands as she neared them.

“You have come. It is good. The tides flow true.”

“I have some questions…” Dust trailed off, not knowing where to

start.

“All will be revealed. But now, we must prepare you for the dangers
that await. Time is short. You must be ready.”

76
As if in a dream, Dust saw herself climbing aboard their boat. It
moved silently, seemingly without motors or sails, around the
island, towards the Chronosseum. The mystics led her off the boats
and into the great arena, the gates parting for them as they raised
their staves. Dust still had the strange feeling that she was outside
of her body, watching herself as she prepared for a challenge. There
was no crowd and no judging panel, but at the other end of the
arena stood the Elder Tidal Blade. He raised his hand.

A sudden wind began to whip, and Dust watched herself leap to a

platform, and draw her sword. The strange storm manta, the thing
Eko had called a Whirlpool Weaver, appeared in the air above her,
and then another, and another, and another, until she couldn’t count
them anymore. They swirled around her, changing shape and size,
and she watched herself trying to fend them off.

From outside her body, she could see every mistake she was making
and spot the opportunities she was missing. Suddenly, she was back
in herself, swirling among the creatures, blade dancing, perfect and
unstoppable.

Dust awoke in a sweat. She reached out and touched the wall, the
cool stone of the contestants’ quarters calming her. She breathed
deeply. It had all been so strange, so unreal. I must have been
dreaming, she thought, as she finished dressing.

She strapped her sword to her back, and then pulled it from its
scabbard, intending to test its edge. As soon as the blade was in her
hand, a sudden great strength flooded through her. Dream or no,
something had changed her. She was ready for the final challenge.

77
 26 The Battle Pit

Sagashi peered over the railing into the huge, underground arena,
where several crocs were wrestling down a very unpleasant looking
constrictor. “You here to enter?” asked a reptilian attendant standing
nearby. “No Citadel rules, here!” he said, as one of the contestants
found himself on the wrong end of the massive sandaconda’s bite.

“It doesn’t count for the Tournament, though? You just do it for fun?”
asked Sagashi.

“Oh, it counts. It sure counts. The Entanglers saw to that.” He pointed

to the board where the list of upcoming challenges was. “You do
any of those, it disappears from the Citadel system, shows back up
with your name on it. Those turtles ain’t the only ones that can do
quantum.”

Sagashi stifled a chuckle. He couldn’t restrain himself from needling

the attendant, though. “Do quantum, huh?”

“Look, do you want to enter or not?”

“Not particularly,” answered Sagashi, watching another croc get

devoured by the serpent. But then a figure from across the arena
caught his eye. A large turtle, one eye covered with a patch of some
type, stood chatting and laughing with a group of well-armored
crocs. He was the only turtle in the place. Found ya, Angler, he
thought. Now I just have to get to you. Sagashi grabbed the young
attendant just as he was wandering away. “How do I get to that
section?”

“Angler’s section? You can’t. Not without his say-so.” Just at that
moment, the challenge gong rang, and Sagashi saw Angler rise
to his feet to cheer for the three remaining crocs who had finally
brought down the sandaconda.

“I’ll sign up,” said Sagashi.

The attendant responded incredulously. “Okay, what do you want?

Obstacle Course? Timed Leaps? Poetry challenge?” He snickered.

“How about Total Brawl?” said Sagashi. Before the rude little lizard
could respond, he leapt into the arena, floating on his glider down
to the platform that was rising into the center. The gong sounded
again, and several contestants hopped onto the platform to
compete. Sagashi grabbed his battlestaff, and after a brief tussle,
quickly knocked the frog next to him off of the platform. He looked
up to see that he was surrounded by the three mean-looking crocs
from earlier. They had easily dispatched the rest of the contestants
and were now focused on him.

78
 Well, let’s show Angler something that will get his attention, thought
Sagashi. His Timesplitter might be broken, but he still had a few
tricks up his sleeve. He flipped a switch on his goggles, and readouts
filled the edges of his vision. Two of the crocs rushed him, and his
goggles quickly discarded several timelines, narrowing down the
possible outcomes. By the time they reached him, he knew almost
exactly what they were going to do.
Lofted by his glider, he leapt up and over the first, bringing his
legs down on their back and propelling them forward and off the
platform. One down, he thought. He landed just to the left of where
he knew the second would be, bringing his staff down with a crack!
The croc fell hard, motionless. Sagashi spun to see the remaining
croc approaching him. He raised his staff, and then heard Dru chitter
next to him, as the isopod leveled his formidable telepathic powers.
The croc kept advancing, swinging their sword, right past Sagashi
and off the platform.
The gong sounded, but this time there were no cheers. No clapping.
Apparently, they weren’t so excited to see their champions lose to
a stranger. Then a loud slow clap began. Sagashi looked up to see
Angler rising to his feet. Others reluctantly began to clap along.
Angler gestured to an attendant and a rope ladder unfurled into the
arena.
When Sagashi reached the top, Angler was waiting. He grasped him
by the arm, and congratulated him. “That’s some very impressive
gear you have,” said Angler, admiring the glider.
“That’s exactly what I was hoping to talk to you about,” said Sagashi.
“My name’s Sagashi. I heard you used to be an Engineer.”
“High Engineer,” said Angler, pride mixed with resentment. “Those
goggles—I assume you used some type of inverse state-function
collapser?”
“Good eye! I run it through an eventuality transform, and then back
through the timeline plotter.”
Angler whistled in appreciation. “That’s brilliant! Why haven’t I heard
of you before, Sagashi? And what are you doing here? People don’t
come here unless they’re looking for something.”
Sagashi’s eyes saddened. “I’m not from here. At least not from this
timeline. I arrived through the thing you call The Fold.”
Angler’s eyes widened. “You traveled through the Fold? Alone?”
“Not alone. I had Dru with me. And before that, my wife. If you like
my work, you should have seen hers. She was the real genius; she
had the theories, the understanding. Compared to her, I’m just a
simple mechanic. We traveled together, exploring the mysteries of
space and time. I was happy just to be with her, but she was always
pushing, always looking for the final boundary. And she found it.
During a particularly risky time jump, a gravitational well opened. I
held on to her for as long as I could, but…”
Angler nodded, his deep blue eyes sharing in Sagashi’s sadness.
“I tried to jump back to the time before we left to warn her, but
she wasn’t there. She had disappeared from all timelines, created
too many paradoxes, and the gravitational well was the universe
correcting itself. The only place she existed, it seemed,” concluded
Sagashi, “was in my memories.”
“So you are looking for something that cannot be found?” asked
Angler.
“For a long time that’s what I thought, but then I discovered
something. Dru here,” he motioned to the isopod, “is bonded to her.
He can sense her. So I follow his instincts, and he led me here.”
Angler nodded. He looked at Sagashi’s broken Timesplitter and
seemed to come to a conclusion. “Come with me,” he said. “I want to
show you my laboratory. I think I can help you fix your equipment.”

TRUE-SIGHT GOGGLES
Sagashi’s goggles are another one of his mysterious devices. Unlike the Shell Shields,
which let you loop back in time to correct a mistake, the goggles allow Sagashi to
calculate multiple possible outcomes before anything even happens. Used alongside
Dru’s telepathic powers, they provide a formidable edge against any opponent. This
technology is quite advanced even for the Citadel, and the High Engineers would
undoubtedly be ready to make many concessions to be able to study it up close.
79
 27 Love of Heights
Axl awoke to the gentle lapping of waves in the bay. A cool breeze
was blowing across the deck of the yacht, cool and refreshing.
He bounded out of bed, energized. It’s time to get back to doing
what I’m best at, he thought. A challenge on Lamara. He dug
around in his bag—there were a whole array of challenges there.
“Droska, Chronosseum, Droska, Droska, Droska… c’mon…” He dug
deeper, and pulled another challenge out of the bag’s recesses.
“C’mon, Lamara…” He glanced at the card. The blue symbol of the
Chronosseum was printed clearly on the card. He sighed. At least
it was an easy challenge. But then, an instant later, a swell caught
the boat, and the challenge slipped out of Axl’s hand and clattered
on the deck. As it did, the graphic rippled and changed, replaced
with Lamara. That’s odd! thought Axl. He picked up the challenge
and shook it. The image of the Chronosseum faded in. He shook it
again. That’s more like it, he thought, as the familiar Spires of Lamara
appeared. Sure, the challenge at Lamara was harder, much harder,
but that’s what he was looking for today anyway.
He admired the card for a second more. He was sure he hadn’t
chosen it—it must have been a gift from one of Babs’ guests. Maybe
it was another one of those Entangled cards, or maybe the Citadel
was getting more clever, trying to discourage the counterfeiters.
Well, that didn’t concern him.
He reached the stadium just as another challenge was ending.
Other contestants were stretching and warming up, some clutching
their challenge cards nervously, all trying to psych themselves up
for their big moment. Axl shared none of their hesitation. Striding to
the front, he noticed the new front-runner, Miskie, reclining among
a group of admirers.
“Playing catch-up, Axl? Must be a new sensation to be in someone
else’s wake,” she said.
Axl grinned. “Catch-up?” he asked innocently. “I’m not sure what
you’re talking about.”
Miskie gave a condescending smile. “Uh-huh, you didn’t hear about
the announcement. Give it a rest, Axl.”
“You seem like you’ve got the resting covered. I, on the other hand,
am here to do a little challenge.” He flashed his card, and Miskie and
some of the other contestants laughed out loud.
“You flounder, that’s a Chronosseum challenge!”
Axl feigned surprise and disappointment as he looked down at
the card. “Oh, I… uh… I was sure that it…” The laughter grew as
he continued, “Hold on…” He shook the card vigorously, and now
everyone in the warm-up area was laughing at him. “There!” he said,
80
holding up the card, and immediately the laughter died. “How did
you…” “The Spire Challenge!”
He relished their surprise, especially Miskie. She was annoying, but
awfully cute for a fish-folk, especially when she was frustrated. He
basked in their astonishment a second longer, and then strode to
the table and presented his card.
The registrar blinked, but set the controls as Axl strapped a hook to
his back and began climbing one of the tall Spires that rose from the
waters of the arena. The crowd was on their feet already, the crocs
chanting, the fish-folk clapping, and most of the nag’i covering their
eyes—most nag’i had an almost paralyzing fear of heights.
But not Axl—he loved the thrill. He climbed on to the apex of the
Spire and braced himself. What had been a refreshing breeze below
was a fearsome wind up here, threatening to send him flying off with
one wrong move. Step by step, he made his way to the center, where
a thick rope was tied. He sighted down it to where it connected to
the next lower Spire. Flags floated in the air near the rope, attached
by a small line.
Some contestants burned the midnight oil in bars and restaurants,
trying to plot the best route to touch all the flags, but that wasn’t for
him. Almost casually, he whipped his hook off his back, threw it over
the rope, and leapt. He shot down the rope like a rocket, swinging
from side to side as he went, timing it perfectly to touch each flag
in his free hand.
He hit the second pillar and used the direction change to propel him
upside down and completely around the rope, grabbing a hard-to-
reach flag above him. Many contestants stopped at the top of each
Spire, but not him. The faster he went, the better he was.
He hit the final Spire at a breakneck speed, holding his hook with
both hands, banking around the turn and plummeting towards the
final flag. At just the right time, he swung himself up, let go, and
somersaulted through the air, hands closing on the flag as he pulled
it from its line. He turned his somersault into a dive, went deep into
the water, and made a beeline for the jury.
When he finally popped up in front of their table, the crowd
exploded. He pulled himself up, and made his way to the exit amid
congratulations from the other contestants. He looked around for
Miskie, but she was nowhere to be seen. He kept searching, and his
eyes fell on a too-familiar face. He tried to look away, but it was too
late. Axl tried to keep smiling as the distance between him and the
man closed, but he could feel his shoulders slumping. The bearded
human man put a warm hand on Axl’s shoulder. “Hello, son.”
81
 28 Pulling a Few Strings

Caiman could sense her presence in the dark room. The hissing,
scrabbling sound of her breathing, and an indescribable menace.
Clenching his jaw, he spoke calmly. “Horn Eyes, ahem, huah, sorry
to bother you at this hour.” She hissed loudly, coming fully awake.
Caiman heard her claws extend in the darkness, and spoke in a rapid
whisper. “Not here for trouble, Horn Eyes, just needing some help
on the sly.”

“Skulking in the shadows like a true Tidal Blade,” she hissed. “Didn’t
think I’d have the pleasure of your company after your turtle friends
busted you.” Caiman breathed a sigh of relief, sensing that the danger
had passed and that Horn Eyes was angry, but not aggressive. A light
flicked on in the corner, bluish flames emanating from a forged glass
dome. In the flickering light, Caiman saw the writhing mass of eyes
that made up Horn Eyes’ face.

“Wouldn’t be here if I could help it, Horns, but my luck ain’t holding,”
Caiman said. He pulled out a challenge card and placed it on the
table in front of Horn Eyes. “Just want to make things right. Earned
them points fair and square.” Setting payment next to the card, he
whispered a final plea.

A dazzlingly horrid smile broke across Horn Eyes’ face. “Ye still are
me favorite, Cai, and ye are right that ye deserve to win. And what
seeing as ye can pay, I’m happy of any help I can give ye.” Plucking
the card off the table, Horn Eyes shouted, “Reever!” A moment later,
a sleepy-looking frog emerged from an alcove in the back of the
room. Hopping up on the table, he grabbed the card and stared at
it, his left eye rolling lazily in a gentle unfocused arc.

The heavy coral desk in the Citadel of Time was adorned with the
blazing emblem of the Tournament. Sitting at the table, two young
attendants took turns slotting challenge cards into a large device.

“Caiman: Seize the Key,” the frog attendant called out.

The young salamander at his side looked up from sorting. “Hold it,
wasn’t that the challenge that was cancelled due to the attack?”

“Comes from higher up,” the frog said, inserting the card into the
machine.

“Weird. Well, if you say so,” the salamander replied, sliding the next
set of challenges across the table.

The frog picked up the cards, looking at them closely, his left eye
staring lazily into the distance.

82
 29 Axl’s Dad
Axl stared out over the water, frustrated with himself. What was he
doing back here, on his father’s drifting repair station? He kicked at
the edge near where he sat and a piece of the dock crumbled into
the water. It felt like everything here was just rotting away, waiting
to sink into the ocean and be done with it. That’s why he’d left—the
aura of loss his father projected was too stifling for him.
“‘Twas impressive,” said his father, emerging from the low doorway
of the repair shop office, carrying a drink in each hand. “Your
performance back there. People love you. I’m glad.” Axl waited. “You
know who it reminds me of?” There it was. It always came back to
her. “You remind me of me.” Axl looked up, surprised. “You?”
“My little nag’i ain’t afraid of heights. Might be the one good thing
I gave you.” He smiled, a warm, gentle smile, and Axl felt himself
relax. Suddenly, he couldn’t remember why he was always so eager
to avoid his father. “Oh, Axl, the cliffs I would climb! It’s a wonder I
didn’t break my neck. Did you know that’s how I met your mother?”
“Breaking your neck?” asked Axl.
It was a bad joke, but his father laughed uproariously. “Practically!
It would have been worth it. We used to go out to the cliffs, some
of us humans and a few crocs too, climb up and jump off. Well, one
day, there were some nag’i there, fishing, watching us. And your
mother got into it with one of the croc lasses. She was quite fiery,
your mother. The croc dared her to see how high she could climb,
and she didn’t hesitate a second. Lit out up the cliff, seemed just as
good at climbing as she was at everything else. Of course, halfway
up, she made the mistake of looking down. Brave as she was, being
that far above the water froze her blood. Well, lucky for her—and
me, I suppose—I happened to be climbing at the same time, and I
made my way down to her.”
Axl’s father sipped his drink, and Axl did the same. The sweet and
tart hibiscus tea seemed to contain all of his childhood in it. His
father took another drink. Axl prodded him impatiently, “So?”
“So I got down there, and I could see she was scared to death, but I
could also see she was willing to stay there ‘til she proved the croc
wrong or her arms gave out, whichever came first. So I told her a
little lie. I told her to take my hand, but when she reached for it, I
let myself slip a little. Being who she was, she reached out to save
me, and we both went tumbling through the air and landed on our
behinds down in the water.”
“Well, she was spitting mad, but we got to talking and she forgave
me soon enough. She never did want to climb again, though. And
she didn’t learn her lesson about making waves with croc bullies,
either. In fact, thinking about it reminds me of how you dealt with
those stupid nag’i kids who used to give you a hard time.”
“You mean the time I stole your craft and crashed it into their house?”
“Never been so proud. My son. Owning his lineage.”
“That’s not how I remember it. If I recall, you made me clean engine
pipes for a month.”
“Of course I did. That’s what parents do. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t
rooting for you.” He sighed. “I guess I wasn’t always the best father…
but I was trying.” Axl’s father forced a laugh, but his eyes were wet
and his voice held a deep sadness. He shook his head, as if trying to
shake a weight that had been pulling on him for a long time. “I just
want to say, I don’t blame you for leaving. I get it.”
“It wasn’t anything you did, Dad.” Axl had a hard time getting the
words out. He’d always resented his dad for showing his emotions
so openly, but now he felt strangely protective. “It’s just… I needed
some space… from you, and everything. Needed to find my own
path.”
“I know it was hard for you. Son of Braze. Half-nag’i. It’s a lot of stuff
to put on a kid. And I wasn’t really in the best place to help you…
navigate everything. I know I wasn’t. So I’m thankful you met Mae,
and Babs. I really am.”
The mention of Babs snapped Axl back into the present. “I have to
tell you something, Dad.”
“It’s okay, son. We’ve said enough apologies for one day.”
“No, it’s about Mom. She’s—”
His father stood up suddenly, interrupting Axl. “Hold on. Do you
hear that?”
Axl fell quiet. Then he heard it, a great hissing sound. They both saw
it at the same time. Slithering through the water were two great
reptilian heads, swimming straight for the neighbor’s raft. “Get
down, Dad!” Axl shouted as he raced towards his watercraft. There
were shouts from the neighboring raft as people spotted the beasts.
Axl gunned his craft, pulling his sword from its sheath. It wasn’t his
preferred weapon, but he’d trained enough in the Droska Ring to
know that it would be the most effective against the two serpentine
foes. He shouted as he sped across the water, hoping to distract the
83
 creatures from their intended target. The two heads swung to look
in his direction, and began to rise out of the water as he approached.
He veered to the left, hoping to put one of them behind the other,
confusing their attack. Too late, he realized his mistake. As the heads
cleared the water, he saw that they were connected to the same
body. There would be no confusing this enemy.
ocean, and Axl had a tense moment when he thought it might drag
his watercraft down with it. But instead, the coils loosened, and the
great beast slid into the water, dead.
“Holy tides, Dad! Where did you learn to shoot like that?!” Axl
exclaimed when he reached the dock.

Quick as lightning, the two heads attacked. Axl made a sharp
turn with his craft to avoid them and saw his opening. He swung
his sword, slicing through scales to land a shallow blow. The head
recoiled, pulling back towards the body. Axl looked for the other
head, fearing an attack. Then, before he could react, it erupted from
the water and coiled around his craft. It lifted him out of the water
as the first head turned to strike. Axl prepared to let go, but he knew
his chances were slim.
Suddenly, a whistling split the air and a harpoon sunk into one of
the hydra’s eyes. The creature screamed and Axl looked back in
astonishment. There, standing on the edge of the dock, stood his
father, a giant harpoon gun hoisted over his shoulder. A large chest
lay open on the dock. It had been there all through his childhood,
and he’d often wondered what was in it. “Lost the key years ago,” his
father would say when he asked.
Another whistle, and a second harpoon followed the first. Axl
wasted no more time. Climbing atop his watercraft, he slashed twice
at the neck of the great hydra, nearly severing it. It slid back into the
“Hah! I guess climbing wasn’t the only thing your mom loved about
me.” His father flashed a big grin. Axl knew that grin. It was his
grin. His father carefully laid the harpoon gun back in its chest and
returned to where Axl was sitting.
“How come you never showed me what was in there before?” asked
Axl.
“Never had cause to,” replied his father. “Besides, I figured you’d get
it open one day or another. Clever rascal that you were.” There was a
pause. “So what did you want to tell me about your mother?”
“Nothing, really, I guess,” Axl lied, not wanting to spoil the mood just
yet. “I… I saw a picture of her at the Citadel the other day. After I
fought the guaracuda.”
“What?” his father exclaimed. “Did they just call the tournament and
make you a Blade already? Not that I’d blame them. A guaracuda,
though?”
Axl smiled. They had a lot of catching up to do.

TWO-HEADED HYDRA
Hydras are common monsters in Naviri, although they are most usually spotted in the
further regions of Trawl, in the Howling Sea. They are thought to have evolved their
multiple heads because of rapid mutations, similar to how the Nag’i underwent a radical
transformation by handling dangerous shellers. While some specimens have been
found with three and even four heads, hydras are more focused and dangerous with
two. They are known to be erratic and often attack drifters for no apparent reason.
84
 30 Angler’s Wrath
The cavernous halls of Angler’s laboratory stretched ahead of them,
and Sagashi was amazed at the size of the place. “A very impressive
structure. It must have been quite a feat to build.”
Angler disregarded the compliment. “I didn’t build it; it’s been here
almost as long as the Citadel. I did add my own touches, though.”
Turning a corner, they entered a large tunnel paneled with coral
walls. “I’m always improving things, a born tinkerer. They said I
should’ve been a betalod for all my strange ideas.”
Sagashi nodded appreciatively. “I’d say you’re too productive for a
betalod. Seems they just come up with fancy ideas.”
Angler smiled. “All the stories you hear about the old Tidal Blades
are true, you know,” Angler said, eyeing the chameleon’s gear.
“They were great fighters before, but with my new tech, they were
unstoppable.” He spat, his words taking on an icy tone. “And what do
the Betalods do, the mighty Iran Toru? They go and freeze time with
their Hyperloom.”
Sagashi was surprised by the vehemence in the old turtle’s voice,
the rage in his eyes. Everyone else he’d met in Naviri seemed to
think the Hyperloom was the only reason they had survived. “Wasn’t
the monster invasion imminent? It sounded like the threat was too
great,” Sagashi said, hoping to draw out more of the story from
Angler.
“Bah!” Angler cursed. “The Citadel is nigh impregnable, and with all
of my custom enhancements, the old Tidal Blades would’ve kept the
monsters at bay.” He slowed, considering. “Some would have died,
true. Most, probably,” he said with a sigh. “The Citadel can’t hold
everyone, but those were the muck eaters, the weak, the feeble-
minded. Not a great loss.
“But no, they sacrifice our best, leaving the meek in their wake. It’ll
be their own fault when the dam breaks. These new so-called Tidal
Blades won’t stand a chance.” Angler was so caught up in his speech,
he seemed to have almost forgotten Sagashi’s presence.
As they ducked to enter a small laboratory covered with intricate
shell devices, Sagashi’s sense of foreboding grew. “It is always a
tough call when sacrifices must be made. I don’t envy anyone in that
position,” he said evenly.
Sagashi’s breath caught as he saw a mysterious creature in the
back of the room, housed in a large vat made of reinforced forged
glass. “Aha, my newest beauty. Quite enchanting, isn’t she?” Angler
pointed at the strange creature. Its body was shaped like a seahorse,
but behind it spread large webbed wings. Its iridescent skin shone
as it moved, drawing the eye.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Sagashi said, approaching the glass.
“It’s beautiful!” As Sagashi drew close, the creature lashed out, the
sharp talons on the end of each wing striking the glass. Sagashi
jumped back.
“Huah!” Angler laughed. “Nothing to worry about, my time-jumping
friend. My boys caught her out by the Fold yesterday, and this forged
glass will keep her harmless until we can learn her secrets.”
His eyes twinkled with a menacing light. “We can learn much from
these beasts, and turn their strengths to serve our purposes. But
nobody would listen. Nobody! ‘Testing monsters is too dangerous,’
they said.” Turning, he pointed to the large gash running down his
back. His shell was split almost clean in two, the dark scar twisted
and ugly. “See this? A gift from Krobaak, everyone’s favorite judge,”
he spat. “When they kicked me out of the Citadel.”
Sagashi, stunned by the scar and caught speechless, was relieved
when he spied his Timesplitter on the table. Hoping to change the
subject, he asked, “Any luck with my tech? Right kind of you to help
a traveler out.”
Picking up the Timesplitter, Angler quickly adjusted a few of the
nobs, installed a new casing, and then handed it to Sagashi. “Good
as new, my friend.”
“Thank you,” Sagashi said earnestly, as Dru curled protectively
around his neck. Hooking the device onto his belt, Sagashi said with
as much cheer as he could muster, “I hope I can repay you somehow.”
Angler flashed a twisted smile. “Consider it a favor. I like you. Strong
minds must swim together.”
“Of course, of course,” Sagashi said halfheartedly. Putting on his best
smile, he looked around for the nearest exit. He had made up his
mind to leave at once, but his eyes stopped upon spying a strange-
looking device on a nearby table.
“Marvelous creation after marvelous creation,” Sagashi spoke
enthusiastically as he moved to the table.
“Oh, this?” Angler said, carefully picking up the device. “You do have
an eye for the exciting.” Angler paused, seeming unsure if he should
continue, then grinned. “Just a little surprise for the final challenge.
Something my good friend Krobaak will certainly appreciate.”
Leaning closer, Sagashi’s unease changed to fear.
85
86
 CHAPTER THREE

THE FINAL CHALLENGE

87
 THE MYRIAD MAZE
The buzzing excitement of the crowd was overwhelming. The vast
seats of the Chronosseum were overfull and the arena was rippling
with anticipation. On a small circular dais set midway up the stands,
a pair of fish-folk announcers sat. Speaking into large conch-shaped
devices, their voices were amplified throughout the stands.
“Well, Gills, this is the final show of what has been no doubt the
finest tournament in years,” the younger of the two said.
“Indeed, indeed, Rolly, not surprising as this year they are using it to
recruit the new Tidal Blades. But needless to say, it has been a treat
to watch all of these contenders,” the grey-gilled elder replied. “Not
only have they dazzled with their prowess, but every one could be
a Tidal Blade!”
“Too true, Gills, but only one will be the leader of the Blades, and
that’s what this crowd is here to find out!”
“Here comes our first contender, a dark horse competitor if there
ever was one. Many said it could never happen, folks, but we just
might be looking at the first ever desert-dwelling, full human Tidal
Blade. Fish-folk and crocs, put your fins together for Dust!”
With incredible calm and grace, Dust strolled to the center of the
arena, bowed to the crowd and took her place at the start line.
Glancing at the Champion Board, she saw her name on top and grew
even more confident. She had known that she was born to cross the
desert, and arriving here in this strange island city confirmed that
she was meant to be a Tidal Blade.
“And now, golfins and nag’i, make some noise for another surprise
competitor! The smallest contender to ever compete has made up
for her short stature with an abundance of brains and more than
her share of bravery. Please welcome Eko, everyone’s favorite time-
jumping betalod!”
Eko entered the ring, her staff held aloft and a proud look upon
her face. She had been hard at work studying with Master Wu. The
timelines were hard to read, but she felt sure she would prevail and
become the first betalod to enter the Barrier they had created.
“There are competitors with brains and competitors with brawn,
Gills, and this next fella sure brings his bulk to bear. A vicious fighter
and rough-and-tumble warrior, I’d surely appreciate having him on
my side if a monster were attacking.”
“Rolly, one of the great things about this tourney, is not only how
we’ve seen feats of daring and strength, but we’ve seen a growing
respect for the crocs. I’ll be a bottom feeder if Caiman isn’t worthy of
88
the name of Tidal Blade.”
Caiman strode proudly into the ring, holding his harpoon high. The
crocs in the stands let out bellowing cries of approval. A couple of
young turtles shouted boos. Horn Eyes, filling two full seats and
cheering wildly—“Cai-man Cai-man!”—heard the boos, sprung
from her seat, ran down the aisle, and smashed one of the young
turtles on the head. The surrounding fish-folk got in between them
quickly, preventing a full-on brawl from breaking out.
“Woo-ee, Gills, but I haven’t seen a crowd this excited since Krobaak
battled the Fish Lord in the Year of Rains!” Rolly exclaimed.
“True indeed, Rolly, but I don’t think we’ve heard anything yet. The
next one up is the famed racer, youngest ever winner of the Nine
Cups, son of Braze, the one, the only: Axl!”
The arena erupted. Everyone was on their feet, hoping to catch a
view of the blue-haired youth. Axl raced into the arena, running a
full lap around the ring, clapping and giving high fives to the closest
fans. He felt the crowd’s energy and knew he wouldn’t let them
down. He caught his father’s eyes in the stands and smiled warmly,
feeling the strength of both of his parents flowing through him.
“Well, Rolly, if you had asked me two days ago who would be
competing in this final challenge, I’d have only named these four,”
Gills chortled. “But what is a tournament without some late game
excitement, and who better to give these contenders a run for their
money than Sagashi, the time-traveling chameleon, who hails from
inside the great Fold!”
“Indeed, Gills, beyond bizarre! This wild contender, using his time-
traveling tricks, has racked up enough points in two days to earn a
spot in this final contest.” The crowd, watching the entrance gate,
was astonished when Sagashi came flying into the arena, did a flip
on his glider, and landed perfectly in the center with a bow.
Sagashi smiled in greeting at the four other contenders. “Greetings,
mates! No hard feelings if I win, eh? You all win in most of the other
timelines.” Then, glancing up to the judge’s station, he saw Krobaak
take a seat in the massive judge’s chair. Dru nervously hopped from
one shoulder to the other.
“Now without further ado, my fellow Navirians! Let the final contest
begin!”
With a nod from Krobaak, a very young and excited turtle girl walked
up to the ornate gong hanging on the Judge’s dais. With a serious
look on her face, she swung a stick as large as herself, striking the
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 gong. As the deep loud sound resonated through the arena, the five
contestants raced toward the first obstacle.

The Myriad Maze was a challenge that combined all of the

Chronosseum’s puzzles, traps, and obstacles in a terrifically difficult
first-to-finish format. The first contestant to run the circle of the
arena and end in front of the judging platform would win. Speed
was needed, but strength, wits, and time manipulation were also
essential. As the gong resounded, the floor of the Chronosseum
shifted and parted, revealing various pits, twisting stairs, locks, and
multi-faceted reflections.

All five of the contestants were in peak form. They raced expertly
through the arena, dodging obstacles, hopping hidden traps, and
solving the puzzles quickly. As they neared the halfway point, Dust
was in the lead, sprinting onto a ledge and launching herself across
a pit with jagged spikes lining the bottom. Axl picked up speed,
buoyed by the cheers of the crowd. Caiman, letting out a ferocious
growl, barreled directly through a wall and continued at full tilt. Eko,
staff spinning, disappeared and then suddenly reappeared in the
lead.

Entering the final turn, Eko was startled to see Sagashi land in front of
her to take first position. Leaving his glider to float off into the stands,
the chameleon hit the ground running, but Caiman and Axl raced
up to him, matching his speed. Dust, letting out an uncharacteristic
shout, charged forward, her lithe form taking the lead momentarily.
Eko, with another twirl of her staff, appeared directly in front of her.

The crowd watched in rapt silence as the five competitors charged

furiously forward in lock step. Suddenly, an explosion rang out,
shaking the arena. The contestants stopped, turning and dropping
into battle positions. Staring up at the platform, they gasped as they
saw a gaping hole where the Judge’s chair had previously stood.

Pandemonium erupted in the arena as smoke poured from the Elder

Tidal Blade’s podium, obscuring the platform completely. The voice
of Gills, the announcer, cut in, adding to the mayhem. “There seems
to have been a… malfunction… I.. uh…” As most of the occupants
of the arena ran for the exits, or stared in dismay at where the Judge
should be, Sagashi slipped into the shadows near the edge of the
arena, where a young chameleon waited.

“Did you get him in time?” Sagashi asked. Kase nodded, and Sagashi
handed him something wrapped in cloth. “Be careful with it,

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sometimes it…” he started, but trailed off when he realized Kase was
already gone. Wow, that kid was good at blending.

Before Sagashi had time to look for him, he felt powerful arms grab
him from behind, roughly pinning his limbs to him. “You’ve got
some explaining to do, frogman!” growled Caiman, as Axl came
running up.

“What happened? Did the Judge just—”

“First off,” said Sagashi, “I’m a chameleon—check the tail, ya alligator.

Second, the Judge is fine. I—”

The loudspeakers interrupted him. “I’m pleased to inform you that

the Judge is safe. He had an urgent matter to attend to in the Droska
Ring, and had to leave shortly after the beginning of the challenge.
We’re very lucky that no one was hurt during this incident.”

“You see?” said Sagashi. “He’s fine, just like I said.”

Caiman didn’t relax his grip. “Sure. Maybe your plot was foiled. Eko
told me she dropped you off at Angler’s Cove.”

Sagashi glanced at the betalod, who gazed back at him with a

serious expression.

“Look, Eko, you were right. Angler was a big bad turtle.”

“I don’t recall saying that, exactly…” she said, deep concern in her
eyes.

“Okay, fine, but listen. I met Angler. I learned what he was planning.
But I’m not that kind of reptile. Luckily, I was able to track down this
kid I’d met at the Entanglers’ Hideout. He seemed like he had a few
tricks up his sleeve—and luckily, he did. Like getting the Judge to
move very quickly.”

Caiman finally relaxed his grip, and everyone looked relieved. “How
did Kase do it?” asked Axl, realizing immediately who Sagashi was
talking about.

“No idea. That boy doesn’t share his secrets—and he doesn’t work
for free, either. But luckily, I had a gadget that may be able to help
him out of a little jam he’s in.” Sagashi smoothed his rumpled clothes.

Gills’ voice crackled out over the stadium once again. “All right, the
remaining jury have decided that even though the challenge was
interrupted, they have seen enough to make a decision. If everyone
would gather in the center of the stadium, the winner of the
tournament will be announced shortly.”

91
 THE WINNERS
The green and blue pennants of the Chronosseum flapped in the
warm breeze. A chorus of trumpets announced the arrival of the
official tournament delegation. Iran Toru, resplendent in the purple
robes of the High Arcanists, led the Engineers, followed by Master
Goro and a full contingent of Coral Guards. The crowds cheered in
eager anticipation of the closing ceremony.
Iran Toru stepped to the center of the arena, where a huge dais had
been assembled, raised his hands for silence, and began to speak.
His voice echoed out over the Chronosseum.
“Greetings to all Navirians, and to travelers from distant lands!”
His old voice was smooth and warm. “Many thanks to all who
have attended and all of the contestants. We have seen amazing
feats of skill and strength, of wit and bravery.” Gesturing to a table
of dignitaries, he continued. “And many thanks as well to all who
helped organize the tournament. Mae Lamara, Nyrock of the desert
traders, and many others. A special thank you to the Glassforgers’
Guild for a most impressive lava display in the Droska Ring.” The
crowd cheered appreciatively.
The wizened salamander continued, “Our utmost gratitude as well
to Master Goro and the Coral Guard for all of their work keeping
Naviri safe from the most worrisome creatures that emerged from
the Fold.”
Smiling warmly at the contestants, he added, “On that note, I would
like to extend our thanks to each of you for rising to the occasion and
taking on the role of protectors of Naviri. That was not what you had
signed up for, and you have made this city safer with your bravery
and demonstrated immense force of character.” The cheering from
the crowd grew as the contestants bowed.
Clapping abruptly for silence, the High Arcanist spoke again. “On a
more serious note, I as High Arcanist owe each and every one of you
an apology and an explanation. We at the Citadel have not shared
the entire truth of the formation of the Barrier.”
His voice solemn, he continued, “Fifteen years ago, when the great
Barrier was constructed, we made a most painful and difficult choice.
With a host of sea monsters encroaching on our city, we resorted to
the only defense that would keep our city safe.” He paused looking
around at the surprised faces in the crowd. “We froze time, bending
it back on itself, trapping the monsters in an event horizon. To us, a
92
single instant. Alas, the Tidal Blades, all save Krobaak, were caught
in the same fold, and were lost.” The crowd sighed with sadness,
remembering the tragedy.
“Since then, we have spoken of the fallen heroes as dead, but this
is not true.” Gasps and shouts of confusion rippled through the
crowd. “Just as the monsters were not killed, only trapped, so with
our Tidal Blades.” A look of sadness spreading across his face, Iran
Toru continued, “As we have seen only too clearly in recent days, the
Barrier is breaking down, and we must prepare for the next chapter
in our battle.”
“The tournament was called before we knew of the instability of the
Barrier. It was called to herald the coming of a new set of heroes, for
in the fifteen years since the Barrier was created, we have not been
idle.” Spreading his hands expansively, the old Arcanist spoke with
renewed vigor. “We have just finished experimental work on the
Nexus, a device which will allow us to enter and move through the
Barrier. Those that are named as the new Tidal Blades,” he paused,
motioning towards the assembled contestants, “will be the first to
enter, and with luck, will rescue the Tidal Blades trapped within.”
The crowd grew excited, chanting the names of their favored
contestants.
Motioning for silence, Iran Toru gestured towards the tall chameleon.
“Sagashi, our newest contestant and the first friendly creature to
emerge from the Barrier, has not only provided us with valuable
information from beyond the Barrier, but he has helped us prevent
a tragedy.” Sagashi waved and bowed. “The Coral Guards will be
investigating Angler’s Cove and all associated with it will be brought
to justice. But today is not a day to dwell on dark things. Today is a
day for joy and celebration.”
Pausing dramatically, his voice picked up energy. “Today is a day
of victory, today is the day when we announce our newest Tidal
Blades!”
Enormous applause rang from all corners of the stadium. The awe
and surprise of the strange news washed away by the excitement of
seeing the new heroes named.
“The results of all the challenges have been tabulated, the battles
with monsters recorded, and demonstrations of bravery noted, and
the winner of the tournament is…”
93
 At that moment, through the hush of the crowd’s anxious
anticipation, a high-pitched scream was heard.

“Heeeeeelp! Heeeeeeeelp! The island has awoken! It followed

me here!” Grido the Tooth, the elderly fish-folk, came huffing and
panting into the arena.

Iran Toru, recovering from the interruption, quickly gathered his

wits. Looking to Master Goro, he spoke. “Akora advancing on the
Citadel? Indeed, this threat is serious. Goro, what is to be done?”

As Master Goro huddled with his Coral Guard, the contestants did
not wait for instructions.

“Axl, grab your staff, you and I will guard the Inner Reef,” Dust spoke
quickly. “Eko, any idea of how we can harm the island?”

Caiman, hoisting his harpoon, growled, “I will hold the center. Let’s
go.”

They raced out of the Chronosseum towards the Fold.

Looking around in astonishment, Iran Toru spoke. “Where’s Sagashi?”

“He left with the others,” Master Goro replied.

With a wry smile, Iran Toru said, “Well, my friend, it seems our
presence here is superfluous. All of our tabulating and calculating
is unneeded.”

His eyes twinkling, he ripped up the score sheets and spread them
to the wind.

“We have found our new Tidal Blades.”

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95
 To be continued

96