Leviathan One hovered outside Coral Camp's largest exit, its enormous body scattering the fish in the area.
Veylin stood on the command platform, studying the three-dimensional nautical chart below him.
[Leviathan, begin charging.]
The command was relayed through the Hive Matrix.
The normally dim energy circuits on Leviathan One's hull lit up section by section, their eerie blue glow looking especially sinister in the deep sea.
Deep within the vessel, the Thunderbolt Jewel serving as its Energy Core began to spin.
Waves of energy spread outward, churning the currents. In the darkness outside the main exit, a mass of light slowly gathered.
Every Many-Armed Folk warrior trapped in the "cage" felt threatened by the fluctuations of that power.
Glash felt the vibrations.
He raised his head, the increasingly dazzling light outside the exit reflected in his horizontal pupils.
"Do you see that, Kolsh?" Glash pointed a tentacle at the light. "Judging by those energy fluctuations, that's at least Fifth-Circle Magic. Once it finishes charging, we're all done for!"
Kolsh watched the light too, but unease stirred within him. He could not shake the feeling that there was more to this.
"General, this could be a trap."
"There's no time to worry about traps!" Glash's roar drowned out the groans inside the camp. "This is our only chance to survive! Anyone who can still move, follow me!"
"Attack that knot! Now!"
Twelve level-five warriors followed him. They were the last force in the camp still at full fighting strength.
They charged toward the knot, where several old ship's ropes had been spliced together.
"Together!" Glash bellowed.
Battle aura erupted from the twelve warriors in different colors, trailing distorted ribbons of light through the water.
They aimed their weapons at the same point and unleashed their strongest attacks.
Bone Blades, claws, and