Melora and I played cards for a while on top of the sled. Melora eventually got bored and yawned. "I'm gonna take a nap Ave."

"I thought MerPeople went days without sleeping?" I said.

Melora shrugged. "Well, that's never been the case for me. I normally need to sleep every 24 hours or so. But I did inherit the trait of needing to sleep as soon as I feel tired."

"Well, that's a bit odd. Hey, I've been meaning to ask, how come you had legs instead of a tail when we first met?"

Melora paused. "I've never been able to switch between a tail and legs. The doctor can't explain it, my mom blames my pop."

Melora had very clearly implied that her father had left her, so I didn't press that matter. Melora shut her eyes and laid her head on my shoulder.

I wasn't really sure how to respond so I stayed silent for a moment. "Melora?"

Melora frowned, her eyes still shut. "What is it now?"

"What are you doing?" That woke her up. She shot away like a rod, her eyes wide and her face blue.

"Um, nothing Avian." Melora sputtered.

I wasn't stupid. At least not completely stupid. "Melora, I think you're a great friend but I don't think of you that way."

Melora tried playing it off like she wasn't trying to be flirtatious. "Look Avian, that's not what I was trying to do, really."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? Then I guess it's perfectly normal to lay your head on somebody like a pillow in Wurterence.

"Oh, shut up!"

The sun had set over the horizon by the time we finally reached the Glacial Outpost.

We didn't waste any time and ran through the outpost to the teleporter. Oritz set the destination and before long we were at the Pearl Trench.

The teleporter took us to one of the large metal battleships above the water. Wurterence and Earth had a deal that Earth would provide multiple battleships and submarines in return for Wurterence providing rare ocean minerals.

We navigated to the command deck where a Captain was hunched over a table. "These creatures are immune to all of our firepower. The best we can do is topple them." He said to another man.

"Perhaps if we use the molten guns, that will pierce their shells." The man said, he looked up at us. "Captain, the Soulwielder has arrived!"

The captain turned to us, relief spreading across his face. "Thank goodness! Soulwielder, I am Captain Nock." He extended his hand.

"I'm Avian, it's a pleasure to meet you." I shook his hand.

"If you could not tell, we have been attacked early. Coral Crabs are bombarding our forces. Normally they never venture out of the Deep Sandfields, but here they are. Our artillery is not strong enough to pierce their shells. We were hoping you would have some sort of fire spell to destroy them." Captain Nock hastily explained.

Melora shook her head. "There's no spell powerful enough to breach their shells. But you might be able to get in between the gaps."

"Are we against blocking off the trench?" I asked I needed to know as a backup plan.

Captain Nock shook his head. "The monarchy would prefer if we did not simply to make getting forces to the remote outposts easier but they are fine with it in case of emergencies."

Oritz peered at the map. "What if we increased fire on the side entrances. They seem to be using it as a back door and for cover."

The other man nodded. "That's a good idea, yes. I'll report that right away."

"Captain, have a sniper ready to close the trench on my signal. I'll throw a small white vial and have him fire at it when it's in the center of the two trenches." I told the captain.

Melora put her hands on her hips. "How do you suggest we get down there?"

"I can provide a fleet of submarines, we're about to send them out anyways." Captain Nock informed us. I nodded and we hurried down to the bottom deck where we boarded a submarine.

The ships deployed and we saw the madness happening underwater. Snipers were firing at the Coral Crabs from towers while fleets of submarines launched volleys of missiles at the crabs.

Just then a giant blue beam obliterated part of the trench. Coral Crabs fell from the walls and landed on the ground where ground forces tried piercing them with weapons only to get snapped in half.

The crabs themselves were gigantic. Most of them were walking along the wall protecting their soft pink bodies. Little Pirsnaps swam inside of their giant shells constructed of coral.

The Pirsnaps were extremely small silver fish with gigantic mouths and sharp teeth. They help defend the crab when it falls under attack by firing pressurized coral missiles at the attacker.

The Coral Crabs also had massive claws that were surprisingly fast and extremely deadly. The multicolored coral shell was almost impossible to destroy due to how it was constructed.

The trench itself was quite beautiful. The walls were very high and filled with coral and sea life. Above the ravine on either side was a massive valley of volcanic activity where lava was constantly spewing out of the ground.

The floor was like a constantly changing staircase of pink sand, Mer Warriors used large boulders as cover while they fired small coral bullets at the army of crabs.

The trench itself had three entrances. The main entrance which led directly out into the open waters, and two side entrances that lead to various caverns underneath the Volcanic Valley.

Suddenly a coral missile flew towards us and slammed into the side of the submarine. The lights went out and the ship rapidly began to fall to the ground.

Oritz broke the door open using all four of his arms and we jumped out along with the pilot, who swam off to join the other ground troops.

"Great, we lost our ship in a matter of minutes." I sighed.

Oritz jumped in front of me with his swords ready. "No time to mope, we've got trouble." A Coral Crab crawled towards us. The giant blue eyes gazed at us as it snapped its claws.

The creature was even larger up close, the coral was a disgusting combination of green and orange.

"Let's try this one! Melora, I need to get up high!" I told her and in no time a current lifted me into the air.

Two kelp plants sprouted next to Melora while she controlled the orb, they seemed to be ready to serve as bodyguards.

"Flaming scattershot!" I pointed my staff directly at the crab's shell and various small bolts of fire flew at it in all directions. A few made it into the crab's shell but it didn't acknowledge that anything had happened.

Oritz was giving it everything he had to avoid both of the claws. Using his swords as shields more than actual weapons.

Melora kept trying to topple the crab but the currents she created weren't strong enough to knock the beast over.

"Melora, push again with me this time. I'll knock him over for sure!" I told her, swimming to the Coral Crab's side. "Battering Ram, fire element!" My staff expanded and grew and then blazed with fire.

A powerful current threw me forward and I barreled into the crab, the force of the battering ram knocked it onto its side. A swarm of Pirsnaps rushed to defend the beast and attack me.

Oritz froze them solid with his ice breath and Melora summoned another current to whisk them away.

"Alright Oritz, let's finish the job! Flaming Cutter!" The spell activated and Oritz leaped off the ground. Together our weapons slammed into the crab's soft underbelly and it disintegrated.

Feeling confident, I looked around the trench. Dozens of crabs were moving along the trench, there was no way we'd be able to stop them all. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small vial of white liquid Dustin had given me.

"Are you sure it's the best idea to seal off the pass?" Melora questioned.

I shook my head. "It's probably not the best idea, but it's the only thing we can do right now. We have to stop these crabs while we can."

Oritz gave me a thumbs up. "I think you should do it. These things are too strong to fight."

I wound up my arm and tossed the vial out into the ravine. A coral bullet flew by and hit the vial, shattering the glass and activating the permafrost. In seconds an entire ice wall was built completely blocking off any entry from the other side.

The only way the crabs could get past the ravine would be if they climbed over onto the Volcanic Valley where they'd most certainly be destroyed.

A submarine came and picked us up, taking us back to the boats on the surface where Captain Nock awaited us.

"Thank you for your help, Soulwielder. You have stopped the attack and saved hundreds of lives. If there's ever anything I can do for you just let me know." The Captain said.

"Thank you very much, sir. We better be on our way, we've got an Expedition after all." I said.

We walked to the transporter and I stepped in, setting the location to Earth.

"We'll meet you in Fiorione," Oritz told me.

"Don't take too long Avian, you know how much Mer People hate fire," Melora added. I nodded and pressed the button, getting transported back to Earth.

When I arrived I immediately went to the front desk where Lily was working. "Hey, Lily! Long time no see!"

Lily glanced at me and her face lit up. "Thank goodness you're ok, you haven't talked to me in days I was worried something happened! I just got the report about what happened down in the Pearl Trench. Great job on stopping the crabs."

I chuckled at her energy. "So do you know where the leaders are? I need to get their permission so my friends and I can go stop Lycitor."

Lily typed something into the computer. "They should be open right now, head over to their office. But before you go I got another report saying you went on an Expedition with Captain Dustin, did you really?"

I nodded and told her what had happened with Dustin. I wondered what he was doing now, maybe looking into taming Dragons.

Lily was completely in awe. "Wow, that's amazing! You'll have to tell me more about your adventures when you get back, Alright?"

"Definitely! See you real soon." I told her and I made my way to the back of the Corporation before me was the staircase leading to the leader's office. I climbed up the stairs and opened the door.

All three of the leaders were arguing over something but they stopped as soon as I came in so I couldn't catch the subject.

"Oh hello child, we caught word of everything you've been doing in the past few days. It's been quite impressive. Keep up the good work and you could end up being promoted." Zucker told me, he had this condescending tone to him.

I kept my composure as best as I could. "Actually, I was here to get permission to go on the expedition I requested three days ago."

Zucker's smile wavered and Seltzer frowned. Mageire remained blank-faced however.

"Child, I don't think you're ready for an Expedition, you just started and you are only 13," Zucker said.

"You told me that if I went and helped out in the Pearl Trench I could go."

Mageire scribbled something down on a piece of paper. Zucker's face slowly devolved into a snarl. "I don't recall that ever being on the table."

"Now Zucker, if this child was promised that he could go on the Expedition then he may go on the Expedition. I wasn't aware that this deal was made but I'm more inclined to believe what he says than you especially after hearing your plan to extract energy from Dragon Scales." Seltzer slammed his fist on the table.

Wait a second, but Dustin told me the Dragon hunting was to help expand territory. I just stood there speechless.

Mageire showed everyone what he'd written on the paper: Zucker did indeed promise that if the child were to assist in defending of the Pearl Trench that he would be permitted to lead an Expedition. However, I swayed him from this position as upon further research this Expedition was to journey deep into Fiorione to stop the ancient demon Lycitor. The very same beast that was destroyed in the Shadow Wars.

"Wait, Lycitor was in the Shadow Wars?" I couldn't believe it. That was 100 years ago.

Zucker took a deep breath. "Indeed. He was a Lizolis who was exposed to Dark Energy and was transformed into a Corrupt. He was a General in the Wars and was last seen along the coast of the Atlantic when his fleet was obliterated."

I paused for a moment to take it all in. "Then that's just all the more reason why I have to stop him. He killed my friends and he's using their souls for energy, I need to avenge them and defeat him before he kills others."

Seltzer remained silent, it was clear he hadn't been aware of the return of Lycitor. "We agree that Lycitor must be stopped but I refuse to allow a child to do it. We will send a proper team once we have a plan formulated." Zucker spoke sharply.

I clenched my fists. "I have to do this! I have to for my friends! You can't just stop me from saving them because you think I can't handle it! I've battled more monsters in days than you have in years! If you think I'm the one unfit to do this then you're kidding yourselves!"

Zucker grit his teeth. "You clearly aren't ready for the responsibility of being a Soulwielder. I hereby revoke your assignment. You are to remain in contempt until we decide what level your infraction is."

"You can't just lock me away because I'm calling you out!" I shouted. There was no way they'd get away with this. Then I felt a sharp needle prick my neck, I turned just in time to see a security guard looming behind me before my mind faded to black.

Thanks so much for reading today's chapter! I promise I'm going to do my darndest to release a chapter on Friday next week. Not Saturday. Not a month later. This upcoming Friday.

Today's question of the day is: What was your favorite TV show as a child?

That's all for now, I hope you enjoyed and have a great day! Bye!