The Tide Has Turned

The underwater realm of TranSea is under threat from the barren realm of Deserta, and the warring factions within must join forces to foil a common enemy. Can Kote Drala re-unite his people in time?

As the effervescent light fed in through the angular crystalline architecture that protected the Sonicorium from the ever- changing tides, Kote Drala stood inside protected, yet vulnerable as he had ever been.

His mind urgently scanned his memory banks, searching for a time when he had seen this many Dralan, Wylph, and Sauran Guild Members collected together in the same place at the same time. Every one of TranSea's species sat before him in equal representation, and their patterned formation around the Guild table strangely soothed him in a moment of rising turmoil.

Looking through the translucent walls that circled the Guild of Order building, Kote could see that thousands of citizens had gathered to watch, in growing confusion, the events unfolding in front of them.

Being a Realm of Truth and Order, the political debates that occurred every month in the Guild of Order were openly available for all to view, regardless of their class, species or gender. The Sonicorium had been situated in the center of the Realm for just this reason, and the concave glass-like walls offered even those a thousands clicks away a clear view of the proceedings, with the sonic chatter broadcast by crystal relay to the very edges of the Realm.

Kote Drala’s mind moved onto his forefather now as he cleared the cavity at the base of his skull and prepared to make a statement that would fundamentally alter the foundations of the Realm. When Sen Drala had designed and built this vast and orderly community, conflict and chaos were unknown states of being, but now it was necessary for them to be introduced in the right quantities to know peace and harmony once again.

Holding his tail above his head in a known Dralan signal of strength, Kote slowly turned to address the congregation for the last time that day.

“It is time for us to let the world of TranSea know that we are not only a peaceful nation, but a powerful nation. Our lifetime of tranquillity has sent a message to the other Realms that we are weak, and we must now show they’re mistaken. The trespassers that are currently trying to enter our realm do so under false pretenses and expectations, and imagine we will allow them to remove our Shards and bring down our society. Their naiveté will cost them a price, and that price is defeat. I remind you of what Sen Drala said during his last speech at this very altar”.

“TranSea was created from the seeds of Order, Faith, Love and Truth, and what flourished from these seeds still remains a dream to every other Realm in existence today. What they have failed to realize is that dreams like ours cannot be captured, stolen or borrowed, but grown as ours was from solid foundations and nurtured each day by every individual as if they were his own.”

Observing the reaction to his speech, Kote Drala paused to let its effects reach the outer edges of the Realm before continuing. As his final word returned to him via resonance from the Sonicorium walls, he concluded.

“I ask you now to come together in a different Order. An Order of defiance, resolute and strength to keep our Dreams alive, and protect our Realm from Hate and Chaos. Let us use all our learned knowledge, and save ourselves from their dreamless fate”.

With a swish of his tail to mark the end of his speech, Kote Drala awaited reaction before leaving his post. Slowly it came in the form of shrill clicks of agreement, and the cries of defiance he had hoped for As it filled and echoed around the Sonicorium he turned and swam away, flanked by his peers in their show of support.

A new era had beset TranSea, and as terrified as he was, Kote Drala felt secure and satisfied. The fate of TranSea had found its way into his lap, but he had answered the call in typical Dralan resolute. Sen Drala, he believed, would be proud of his actions.

Swell

As the crowd watched their revered leader leave the foray alongside his fellow Guild of Order members, they began to gather and chatter amongst themselves. Their fear rising prominently as they discussed and debated the speech they had just witnessed.

Besides the geosite pillar of Truth, (one of the four tall round pillars that signaled the four shards of Reality, Order, Faith and Truth), 3 creatures, a Dralan, Wylph and Sauran conferred. The Dralan, Neyr Drala, a young brash creature with a silky mane of tentacle like hair, soon took charge of the discussion.

“The Guild of Order has never asked anything of us in all our years of living in TranSea. I say we owe it to them as well as ourselves to head out and find this group of trespassers that threaten to steal our shards”. Neyr Drala waited for reply from the other two, his mane bristling with the tides ebb and flow.

“All Our Years?” scoffed Saltik, the lean and muscular water Sauran among the group. He was twice the age of Neyr Drala and he found this remark of age amusing.

“What Kote Drala forgets is that for us creatures living in VoidLight, challenges are present in every day life. We may not have faced outside threats before, but every day when swimming the crevasse we face the challenges of the dark and cold. Adversity isn’t new to us. You PureLighter’s are cocooned in amongst these beautiful buildings, and constant sunlight, and you ignore our plight until you need our help”.

Saltik’s own body showed animation now as his webbed feet treaded water, and his claws waved wildly in Neyr Drala’s face.

Rylph No’lo had been listening to the pair bicker with one ear, as the other picked up bits of chatter from the conversation of other groups like their own discussing and arguing the challenge that had been laid down before them. The smallest of the group, and arguably the most intelligent, Rylph No’Lo was a water elf with an acute sense of hearing, and a taught slim frame. His skin color changed tone with the emotions flowing through his blood, offering a sign of his thoughts before he even spoke. As his skin turned a bright shade of orange, the other two stopped silent. The Wylphs’ fiery shades plenty bold enough to cut his two larger companions chatter dead.

“Stop!” Rylph’s loud monosyllabic click underlined his pre-warned anger. “No sooner has Kote Drala left the stand, and the Realm is already losing Order. If this is the sign of things to come, then we may as well open the portal for them, and gift them with the Shards. Save us all the time and energy”.

The Sauran and the Dralan remained silent as they watched him, slowly regaining his regular passive green hue.

“We must forget our different backgrounds, and once again unite the boundaries of PureLight, MidLight and VoidLight. We all know of the imperfections of our own environments, but this is a time to remember the wonders of our collective Realm. I suggest we spread word of these events to our families, and then prepare for a long journey out to the Rekanlich crevasses in the morrow.”

It was Rylph’s turn to fall silent, as his skin ushered in a bluish tinge, signaling his desire to hear the thoughts of Neyr Drala and Saltik. Looking up at the pillar that towered overhead, its deep blue crystals reflecting the sunlight in a million different directions equally, Neyr Drala was the first to offer his.

“Once again Rylph speaks the truth”. He glanced sideways at the Wylph, and rippled his mane in a show of respect for his continued wisdom. “We can waste time here debating the value of our home in TranSea, or we can go stop these thieves and show the value of ourselves to TranSea. I vote for the latter”.

For sake of his pride being admonished in his silence, Saltik soon followed Neyr Drala with sentiments of his own.

“I say we meet at dawn by my place in VoidLight, it gives us the best tidal channel to chase, and the cover of darkness to leave before we’re missed.”

Saltik lowered the pitch and volume of his sonar before finishing his thoughts. He knew that if the group were overheard they would be reported to the Guild and brought before them for seemingly abandoning a united front.

“As much as Kote Drala called upon us for assistance, you know as well as I that an isolated group like ours will be abandoned in favor of a regimented militia, but by the time that is in place I fear it will be too late for all of us. We must keep this to ourselves”.

Both Neyr Drala, then Rylph No’Lo acknowledged the truth to this statement. All TranSea’s able bodied citizens would soon receive a call to arms and then days of training as per the Guild of Order mantra, scribed at the beginning of the Realms existence at the same time as the four pillars that surrounded them had been erected.

The three exchanged a nod before turning and heading in three separate directions, back to the respective zones of TranSea that they called home.