What began as a trickle, soon became a river of blood, attracting the attention of the Western Guardian. Turning his gaze towards the Valassan Sea, he watched with mild curiosity as Azatlani rained down deadly magics upon the fleets that dared pass their lands.

A presence he had not felt in centuries stirred suddenly within a lone Caspiite citadel. Rising to his feet, he made his way to the top of the Sapphire Sea, determined to reclaim the white hippocampus. The pain of losing the creature that had been placed under his watch by the Lord of the Sea seared through his mind once more as he surged towards the vessels.

Even as the Caspiites sang the praises of the long dead Caspian, and cursed Sefyr as a traitor to his Father, the spirit called upon the animals of the deep to silence them. With a casual turn of his hand, he sent the Kashari, whom he had always considered a nuisance, into the cold embrace of the ocean. All that remained now were two citadels, one Phocian and the other hailing from Caspia.

Just as he reached the citadel carrying his lost creature, a storm rebuffed him. Even before she taunted him with crackling laughter, he knew it was his insidious sister, Notia. Her visage full of malice, she sent the Phocian citadel tumbling into the Sea of Screamed Prayers, giving her brother a choice: retrieve the hippocampus or save the girl that floundered beneath the tide.

What he did next, he would perhaps never understand; reaching into the waters, he sent the flailing human through the waters of the Sefyric Ocean before leaving her at the harbour of Thraasi. His prize had slipped away once more, this much was clear. Anger welled up inside him, and he dove back into the sea.

- - -

Shouts rang out from the floating tower, and for a moment the spirit was roused from her slumbering state and quietly listened.

Caspian Reborn... How she tired of the prattling Caspiites in their foolish quest to return the old King to the realms. Just beyond her waters, she could feel the tempestuous battle between her siblings wrecking havoc across the Tears of Sarapis. Surely not worth her time, she slipped back into a deep sleep.

Sacrificed at the hands of a priest of Caspia, the white hippocampus was offered to the dead God, but the ritual instead awakened another. The floor of the Cnidian Gates rumbled and tore open as creatures never meant to see the skies of Achaea again, once more rose to the surface. These korathoi quickly surveyed their surroundings before spreading across the dark crevasses of the Oceans, leaving behind their commander, Thymos, Ravager of Coasts.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Summary: Seeking to summon Lord Caspian, the tritons of Caspia sacrificed the white hippocampus with the Tower of the Blue Abyss. What came instead were dreadful monsters sealed away years ago, the korathoi.

Penned by My hand on the 25th of Mayan, in the year 774 AF.