The Maelstrom (part 4)

It was the Naga's turn to laugh. Since he had so much more experience with water-speech, he allowed the flow of water to run freely through his throat and tickle his vocal chords easily. A simple fire spell and a serious face was enough to shut him up. The flicker of the flames within my palm lit up my face with an intimidating flair. And my slithery friend was silent. Somewhere around this time Frost Nova broke. But the Naga was smart enough not to leave until I allowed him to.

"The Well of Eternity was destroyed millennia ago, land-man," he finally said.

"A never-ending storm rages at the surface, magic is more powerful here than anywhere I have experienced and the Burning Legion still tries to invade Azeroth from the Outlands. The Well was made by the Titans to be the heart of all magic on this world and yet... this world still uses magic. It should not, could not be so easily destroyed. Perhaps it doesn't exist in the same form as it once did, but I cannot believe it was completely wiped out until I see the site with my own eyes."

The reptilian face of the Naga before me looked defeated and fallen, but somehow still scheming. "I can take you as far as the palace," he said, "but even I don't have access to enter."

As if "even I" was something significant.

"Very well," I answered, "What is your name?"

"Sharaniss. What is yours?"

I paused momentarily, unaware of how much the Naga knew of my story. "Just call me the Prophet."

Sharaniss whistled and out of the darkness of the ocean came three sea turtles. They were obviously meant for him and his friends. His friends will no longer need them.

"I will need to bind your hands," he said. I looked skeptical, but understood. He explained anyway. "Only one other land-man has ventured into our world. And he didn't stay long."

"Brann Bronzebeard. His explorations are well known to me."

"Yes. We did not take kindly to his intrusion. If you are also intruding, the only reason we would possibly keep you alive is as a prisoner. Even then there must be some amount of value to you. But you won't even tell me your name."

"Which means my true name holds more value than I care to divulge at the moment. Tie me up, but know that at any moment I can break free and crush you should you do anything of which I disapprove."

Sharaniss nodded, took a green, seaweed-woven rope and wrapped it around my hands behind my back. It was the simplest thing ever to get out of. And perhaps he knew that. But it would suffice to fool any on-looker into my position as a prisoner.

We mounted the sea turtles. Sharaniss took the reigns of the third one in his hand and lead them all toward the center of the storm. We were headed deep beneath the eye of the Maelstrom to the ancient city of the Naga: Nazjatar.

The deep will consume you.

"I beg your pardon?" I said to my slithery companion.

"What?" he answered.

Slightly confused, I looked around for the source of a voice I was sure I heard say "The deep will consume you." I even briefly considered my sea-turtle. "I-... Never mind. Continue."