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Hunised Humans here … with Shalake

His heart sank He knehat usually came next

‘Mahalar,’ Shalake said ‘We found this one outside the reef We await your wisdoh ‘Wisdom’ is not often needed to sentence terrified humans to death All the sahtened breath, the salt on his skin, heard the quaver in his voice

‘Your name?’ he asked

‘S-Sebast,’ the huaol--’

‘Sebast,’ Mahalar repeated ‘What is it you’ve co?’

‘Our m- They diseo But our crew … dead … slaughtered And now, , unfinished, in the air, clearly hoping for a denial, a shake of Mahalar’s scaly, wrinkled head, anything that est he would walk away from this

Mahalar si a few deep, long puffs

‘Where were you to meet them?’ Mahalar asked

‘T-Teji, sir It’s supposed to be a trading post not far from--’

‘We knohat Teji is, human,’ Shalake hissed ‘But apparently you do not These waters are forbidden to humans’

‘We didn’t know!’ Sebast squealed ‘We didn’t know, I swear! Let o and I’ll take my men away from here and never return’

Mahalar looked to Shalake ‘His men?’

‘Dead,’ Shalake answered

‘W-what?’ Sebast stammered

‘It is our way, unfortunately,’ Mahalar said ‘We stand atop sacred ground, Sebast Our charge sleeps deeply, and we take care that no one disturbs her’

‘Your charge?’

‘It takes a long tier ti, long tie These are our oaths’ He shook his head ‘We break thelanced to Shalake, nodded He felt the wind break as the great Shen’s club rose into the air He felt the air stand silent as the great Shen’s voice followed

‘SHENKO-SA!’