Chapter 82. Linopha

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Zubeia dropped Linopha, Bait, Soren, Callum, Ezran, Zym, and Rayla off at what looked like a giant tidepool.

Zubeia: Archmage Akiyu lives beyond the tidepools. I'm going back to the Storm Spire to gather my strength but I will return to this exact spot at sundown.

Zubeia flew away.

Ezran: This is so great. It's a tidepool, but everything's giant.

There were large birds flying overhead. The birds noticed them.

Rayla: Those are some big carrion gulls. They're here for a snack, and I think we might just be snack-sized.

Soren: Oh! I have an idea.

They all grabbed large shells and hid under them. The birds attacked them, trying to break through the shells.

From inside her shell, Linopha heard an unfamiliar voice.

Unfamiliar voice: Get! Go on! Shoo!

When the birds were gone, Linopha and the others emerged from their shells. The unfamiliar voice belonged to an old tidebound elf.

Tideboud elf: Ah. You must be the strangest family of talking hermit crabs I ever saw.

Ezran: Oh, hi. Are you the legendary Archmage Akiyu?

Tidebound elf: Akiyu?

The tidebound elf laughed long and hard.

Tidebound elf: Do I look like a legendary archmage?

Ezran: I try not to judge, but, uh, no.

Tina, the tidebound elf: Folks call me Tidebound Tina.

Ezran: Can you help us find Akiyu? We need her help.

Tina cleared her throat and held a conch to her ear.

Tina: Oh, wise and very dangerous archmage, master of the briny deep. Some people are here to see you.

Tina lowered the conch to ask them a question.

Tina: Who should I tell her you are?

Soren: A ragtag squad of bold adventurers.

Tina spoke into the conch again.

Tina: Some ragtag weirdos. Mm-hmm. Right. That's what I thought.

Tina lowered the conch again and looked back at them.

Tina: No chance.

Ezran: Wait, can I talk a second?

Tina: No, no, no-no. It's my conch.

Ezran: Please. Tell the archmage the world is in peril. A long time ago, an evil startouch elf was imprisoned.

Callum: You shouldn't be telling her this. We need to tell the archmage. We're going to see her, and you're not stopping us.

Tina: Mistake. She'll probably kill you, and if not, she'll kill me. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Tina led them through the tidepools to an area that went deep underwater.

Tina: This next part is underwater, so those of you who can't breathe underwater, which is all of you, feel free to give up and turn back. And incoming.

Tina jumped into the water.

Bait, Soren, Zym, and Ezran all jumped into the water. Rayla hesitated. Linopha knew why. It was because of her fear of water.

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