The Kraken is on the move!

  Dhaga could sense the ocean currents changing, as though the Kraken was redirecting them at its will. The power made him tremble but he quickly calmed himself. He could see Kraken forces approaching them and noticed a couple of new foes on the flanks.

  Are those swordfish?

  Dhaga has heard of the creature in stories only. The fast moving creatures boasted a long, flat and pointed bill capable of injuring those who took the creatures too lightly. They were smaller and much lighter than orcas but the naga knew better than underestimating Kraken followers. They were given incredible abilities by the Kraken for their loyalty. At the speed they were swimming, it was clear they were confident in themselves.

  Here they come!

  Cridror became the vanguard as it charged head first into the flotilla of swordfish. As the orca closed in on them, the swordfish dispersed with ease, leaving Cridror behind. Dhaga raised his spear towards an incoming swordfish but it evaded him easily with its speed. The naga then sensed another presence above him and tried to intercept.

  Damn it! I’m too slow!

  Despite moving his spear to intercept, Dhaga knew he reacted too slowly. His powers had increased his reaction time but his body had yet to adjust to it. Therefore, his senses could react to things much faster than his body could move. He watched as the swordfish looked to impale him when a shield formed around him. Cracks showed up the shield but it held. The swordfish quickly withdrew, giving Dhaga a chance to regain his composure. He wanted to check on the other orcas but he wasn’t given any opportunities to look away given the swordfish's attacks.

  How are they so fast and coordinated?

  The naga evaded the attacks as he avoided any commitments to attacks like the one he did earlier. Any openings he presented could spell his end. The swordfish were relentless as they took turns charging at the naga with the killing blow possible at any moment. As he had learned from the orcas, Dhaga minimized his movement while he dodged his foes. Too much movement meant he couldn’t respond properly to the next attack if his opponent anticipated his movement. The mind game went on for a long time before he found a chance.

  Take this!

  A swordfish came too near so Dhaga only needed to angle his spearpoint in the path of the fish. Unable to dodge the weapon, the swordfish created a long nasty gash along its belly as it swam through the spearpoint. The naga didn’t have time to ponder on the dying fish because the other swordfish weren’t letting up. Bit by bit, Dhaga found the openings and succeeded in dispatching the swordfish around him. When he looked around after defeating all his opponents, the orcas had also dealt with their foes too.

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  The Kraken is definitely more serious now…

  Now isn’t the time to rest.

  Dhaga watched the orcas swim towards the actual battle and quickly realized the intent of the Kraken. The swordfish’s primary objective was to distract them. Because the Kraken forces boasted more numbers, they could afford to assign followers to fight Dhaga and the orcas without weakening their flanks. While Dhaga fought his foes, the Kraken forces had devastated the naga flanks and were in the process of a full encirclement. If encircled, it would be a matter of time before the naga forces were wiped out.

  Curses!

  Dhaga and the orcas did their best but their strength didn’t lie in stopping enemy encirclements. They were far better at picking off foes to prevent them from winning the flank decisively. Past that point, he and the orcas were merely small splinters. They might annoy the Kraken forces but they couldn’t do much beyond that. Soon, the encirclement was complete, resulting in Dhaga lacking a clear line of sight as to what was happening inside the encirclement. As they tried to come up with a new strategy, the naga turned to Ray.

  Why didn’t you use curses on those swordfish?

  I tried but they were immune. I think the Kraken anticipated this and made preparations beforehand.

  Dhaga was frustrated that they were losing on all fronts. He and the orcas were unable to contribute to the battle resulting in the collapse of their flank. The other orb owners stood strong in the center but they were now encircled. Even the best sorceresses had blindspots as he learned from Seiluxr. A perfect spell didn’t exist for all cases so sorceresses had to often rely on other nagas to cover their weak spots. The naga forces would have more weak spots now that they had no place to withdraw to and had more fronts to deal with. Even if they didn’t fall, it was a matter of time before they run out of air to breathe.

  We need the Leviathan, don’t we? There’s no way the five orbs are enough to turn this thing around, right?

  The naga hoped the orcas could tell him that he was wrong and, with the orb owners, they could turn the battle around. He hoped they could reassure him that he was giving up too easily and there was still hope. The dragged out silence said otherwise. It was a minute later before Cridror spoke up.

  The Leviathan did fear this would happen. It and the Kraken had many clashes in the past so, with its absence, it comes as no surprise that the edge is in favor of the Kraken. It doesn’t help that the orbs are weaker when the Leviathan isn’t present. You are sadly right about how the odds were stacked against the nagas from the very start. To anyone with a rough idea of the strength of both sides, this battle was decided before it had even begun.

  Now what?

  Do you intend on giving up now?

  My time is already running out! I would rather fight to my last breath than hide like a coward in my final days. Might as well die a warrior as I dreamed of when I was a young naga.

  Good! Let’s see if we can create an opening for the nagas to withdraw from.