"We're almost to the pyramid, Lady Sophie."
"Are the fliers ready for the assault?"
"Yes Lady Sophie."
"Good. Make sure they stay as far above the surface as possible. We've already taken heavy losses."
"Yes Lady Sophie."
"Is that all Nix?"
"Yes Lady Sophie."
"You really don't need to call me Lady every time."
"Yes La- Sophie. I'm sorry Sophie."
"Order the fliers to begin. Take the men and wolves into the pyramid and leave nothing alive."
Nix bowed. His image in the portal shimmered and disappeared. But I knew something was wrong.
It wasn't the Guardians that were the problem. We had fought them off dozens, maybe hundreds, of times in our quest to end their domination of the sea. Nor was it the complete lack of light around him that not even my squid night vision could adjust to.
I couldn't put a name to what I felt. It was like we were being watched by something ancient and terrible, a cold deadly presence looming over me. I was in an entirely different dimension than Nix! How could it feel so close to me?
I ran my hand through my light blue hair and stood up just as someone knocked on my door.
"Come in," I called.
My maid Anna came in. Her usual plain blue dress was replaced by shimmering ceremonial armor and a flowing cloak. "My lady, are you ready to meet with the player delegation?"
"Notch damn it." I had completely forgotten. "Make my excuses to Father, I'll be there in just a moment."
Anna looked at me with a mix of amusement and resignation. "I seem to be doing that a lot lately," she said. "You're going to be doing all the talking. Keep that in mind." With that, she left me to prepare.
I quickly stripped off my simple gown and replaced it with armor and a cloak like Anna's, only mine was far less functional and much more formal. The dark blue metal shone with the purple light of the Derpiness X enchantment and the cloak was embroidered with the squid army insignia, a golden ink sac and two crossed squid swords. I strapped my sword to my waist and ran as quickly and quietly as I could to the main hall of the castle. In the doorway, I stopped to smooth my hair and compose myself. We were about to make an alliance with our mortal enemies in order to confront a much greater evil. Despite my worry for Nix and the forces I had sent with him, this was even worse. The last time I had seen these people, they had slaughtered thousands of us in our sleep, including my mother. Father had retaliated, and utter devastation had followed. Years of aggression and vengeance had to be wiped away for this to succeed. Was it possible? I breathed deeply and stepped regally into the room.
"The Lady Sophie, daughter of King Aegis, Emperor of the Sea, first of his name."
I nodded at the herald who had announced my presence and walked over to stand on Father's right. Anna smiled approvingly to me from the far corner of the room.
Ten shadowy figures stood in a dry area that took up half the hall. Prismarine lanterns threw a soft light over part of the space, but all of them seemed to shy away from it. The light was too bright for my night vision to function properly, but they all looked different and frightening.
"Now that we're all here," one of them said, "perhaps we should introduce ourselves so they don't question our intentions."
"Why would we do that?" I asked.
The man who had spoken stepped forward into the light. He was of medium height and broad-shouldered, with curly brown hair, a heavy brow, and a strong jaw. His clothing was strange- a black and grey tunic with grey pants, kneepads for some odd reason, and dark red shoes. Around his neck hung a golden amulet set with a gleaming purple gem. Two black eye patches covered his eyes and I wondered if he was blind.
"I'm Sky," he said. "And I killed your mother three years ago."