Ethan punched Desmond on the shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?" Desmond demanded, nursing the area.

"Pick something better, idiot!" Ethan hissed.

"What's wrong with what I said?"

"Yeah, E, what is wrong with it? I think it's cute," Kayla said earnestly.

"That's what's wrong with it! Ships aren't supposed to be 'cute.' This is the vessel that's going to lead us on a treacherous journey across the sea! That may end up leading us to war! The name needs to be fierce, imposing, not cute," he said scathingly.

"I like the name," Arrluk said mildly. "Besides, isn't the whole point of this trip to prevent disasters like wars?"

Ethan opened his mouth to retort, paused, seemed to do some quick thinking, then changed his mind. "Whatever." He shrugged. "So, about this ship —"

"Oh, well, I'm glad you asked," Hatak said, smiling. "Come along."

A plank suddenly fell towards them, landing at the base of the deck, made of thickly woven seaweed.

"I had it installed recently," Hatak explained. "When it became clear that you would be bringing human passengers."

He and Arrluk swam up to the ship's deck, while Kayla, Ethan, and Desmond hurried up the plank towards them. The plank rolled back inwards like a grassy carpet as they emerged onto the deck. They looked around.

The ship was magnificent. The hull was two storeys tall, made of luminescent, multicoloured coral, with a bubble-like substance extending around the base, much like that surrounding Tethyia. At the Bow stood a massive cement steering wheel, and several large holes were made on either side, clearly for the purpose of launching projectiles. Huge, fin-like contraptions were positioned at the back, to aid with propulsion, and the masthead was a gigantic stone statue of a crowned Tethyian holding a trident.

"Designed with the best that the most talented minds of magic and mechanics could provide!" Hatak said proudly. "The ship is practically alive; the magic imbued in it allows it to respond automatically to any command that you will issue."

"What's that sound?" Kayla asked suddenly. An odd clopping noise was coming from below, as though people were moving around below deck. Hatak let out a low, guttural cry and several small, horned, sickly-green creatures came darting up to the surface at once to form a line, gazing around with their bulbous blue eyes.

Kayla screamed, launching herself behind Desmond, who looked mildly curious. Ethan shouted, "What the hell are those?"

"Grindylows." Arrluk spoke calmly. "Water demons. Though tamed, of course?" He looked at his father.

"Of course. It was very short notice, but I think we did a good enough job with what little time we had. I can almost guarantee that they will not try to eat your friends," Hatak said happily. "Er — though I would advise you to lock your doors at night all the same," he added to the humans, looking uncomfortable.

"I don't know what to say," Arrluk said, looking around at the wondrous vessel again.

Hatak pulled his son into a firm hug, and murmured, "Say you'll be careful, that you'll return alive, and successful."

They broke apart and Arrluk looked up at his father. He smiled and nodded. "We will."

Hatak drew himself up, his features now adorning the look of regality that Arrluk was used to. "Very well then, Prince Arrluk," he said in his characteristic kingly tone. "You may start preparing as soon as possible. The seas await their saviours." He looked around at the visitors from the mortal realm. "It has been lovely meeting you all," he said. "I wish you luck on your journey, but if you don't mind, I will also be sending Duat along as well. I'd feel better knowing he was with you." He swept out of the room, pausing at the doorway just long enough to glance at them all again. Then he was gone.

Arrluk looked around at them too. "Well," he said, clapping his hands together. "Shall we get started?"

They were ready within two hours; their equipment was packed, they had settled into the rooms below, and Ethan and Kayla had returned to the surface-world where they left notes explaining to their families that they would be gone for a short while, then returned to the Neptune's Treasure.

All of Tethyia seemed to emerge from their houses, caves, or huts to watch as the heavenly vessel hummed through the water as they waved goodbye to the palace members, moving with incredible speed. Within minutes the palace, and everyone who had gathered to see them off, had been lost to view. At this point, Desmond, Kayla, Ethan, Arrluk, Jino (whom Arrluk had invited), and Duat (the guard that Hatak had sent to escort Arrluk to the Oracle) all turned to gaze out from the deck, observing the sights sliding past and waving at the Tethyians below.

They were hovering quite a distance above the city, but they could still make out their faces quite clearly, for many of them had decided to swim farther upwards to get a better look at the ship and its crew. Many of their visages were adorned with expressions of shock and bewilderment. Others looked awed, pointing at the Prince, who rarely left the castle, and his light-skinned, bipedal companions.

After a few more minutes, they moved away from the rails and gathered instead on the Bow. Among the many supplies that Hatak had supplied was a map, which Arrluk now took to reading. Their first destination out of Tethyia was a small settlement called Baikuana, a rather essential stop on their journey.

It was quite a distance away, but Arrluk was sure that the Neptune's Treasure would be able to make the distance in good time.

"Sounds good," Desmond said, when Arrluk had relayed this information. "For now, I'm going to lie down, wake me when something exciting happens, will you."

The humans retired to bed, but Arrluk stayed where he was, looking solemnly out at the velvety blackness swimming by. Then Jino appeared, dressed in his tin armour.

"Prince Arrluk, it is getting quite late. The others have already gone down. If you would like, Duat and I will remain here to guide the ship while you rest as well."

"Very well," Arrluk said, realizing suddenly how tired he really was. "You're right. Good luck, Jino."

He swam past Jino and down the staircase, towards the rooms below. The door of his own was carved with a series of neat strokes that spelled his name, which the ship had made itself when they had declared which rooms they had chosen. It swung open as he approached and closed behind him as he entered, looking around. The room, while still handsome, was not as superb as the one reserved for him in the palace. There was a single bed made of fluffed sea foam, with small, dark wood appliances upon which he had stocked the items he had brought for the trip.

He had organized them a little haphazardly in his haste to settle in earlier, and now decided to rearrange them with a touch more delicacy. He had thought the others might have drifted off by now, but while he was marshaling his possessions, however, Desmond knocked on the door and called out to him.

"Come in," Arrluk called back, and he entered. He looked more serious than Arrluk had ever seen him, and the sight unnerved him slightly; Desmond had always appeared cheery, sarcastic. What could have caused the appearance of this grim demeanour?

"Hey. Can we talk?"

"Aren't we already?" Arrluk said, with genuine sincerity. Desmond looked as though he was about to roll his eyes, but instead continued, "About this trip . . . Look, I need to know what our chances of getting through this really are. Because Kayla and Ethan — they're my best friends, and I want to know if I pulled them along for a suicide mission. Because when I said I'd help you, I'd pictured all of us getting off this ship at the end."

Arrluk was silent for a moment, pondering. "I cannot answer that," he said at last, with his earlier earnestness. "Like you, I want to believe that this journey will bode well for us . . . but I'm not entirely sure, and pretending that I am would, I think, be worse."

Desmond nodded, though he still looked unsatisfied. "I thought you might say that. . . . They don't have much to do with this — or anything, really. But these people — this prophecy — they do concern me. So, I need your word, that if anything goes wrong, and something happens to me, you'll get them out of here. Immediately."

Arrluk looked at him and saw the determination in his dark brown eyes. Another silence stretched on, then he said, "I give you my word."

Desmond relaxed. "Thank you. I just hope it never has to come to that." He waved goodnight and disappeared.

"So do I," Arrluk muttered. He flung himself onto the sea foam bed, closed his eyes, and drifted off.

He awoke at dawn, at the sound of the ship's trumpet blaring throughout the vessel, signaling breakfast. Tossing back the covers, he heaved himself out of bed and squinted out through the lone, circular window framed in his wall. The scene outside invoked a feeling of surprise, which in itself caused him to be even more surprised. He had awoken to find the same vision every day for the past three years, the same round, domed houses of Kumari and the great stretch of caves that loomed beyond the capital, and though he had obviously expected the sights to be different now, it was still strange to see the immense stretch of dark water trailing past them, littered here and there with forests of wild, overgrown weeds, huge dark rocks, and fleets of animals he had only ever seen as domestic pets in certain parts of the country, or served on his dinner plate.

It was going to take some time getting used to this new nomadic lifestyle, he thought as he made his way outside. He passed the locked doors of his fellow crew members, and along the corridors the little horned Grindylows bowed respectfully before bustling along, grunting and chattering, carrying plates of food and drink.

Arrluk found Ethan, Kayla, and Duat dining on the deck, while Jino manned the steering wheel.

"Desmond isn't hungry?" he said, a little disbelievingly. He could not imagine Desmond refusing food now after nearly emptying the vast cupboards in the palace kitchen in the mere two days he had been their guest.

"Nah, he's still asleep," Ethan said, tearing a piece of fish between his teeth. "Don't worry, unlike most bears he only hibernates for a few days at a time. He'll be up in no time, at which point he'll probably slurp down all your food, though."

Kayla giggled, then her eyes flickered onto Arrluk and she cleared her throat and hastily turned away. Pretending he had not noticed this, Arrluk addressed Jino.

"Where are we now?"

"Nearing Amdiopis, Your Highness," Jino said, pointing at the village visible ahead in the distance. "We should be there in a matter of minutes. Would you like to stop there for a —?"

"No, go around it," Arrluk said. "I never liked that city. Impossible to tell who the pets are there, them or the jellyfish."

At that precise moment Desmond came striding up the steps, yawning widely.

"What's going on?" he said, taking a seat at the table and immediately pulling Ethan's plate of food towards him.

"I was just about to say," Arrluk said, ignoring Ethan's disgruntled reply of "Dude, there's more in the kitchen, just go pick up a tray," which Desmond also ignored.

"What do you mean?" he asked Arrluk.

"According to that prophecy earlier, not only are we setting out in search of the mythical Ophiotaurus, but we're also headed towards a rather special location. One of the lines was, 'the fairest of all natural lights.' This could only be a reference to Amphitrite's Star, the brightest body of light in all the Seven Seas. This we actually do know where it can be found: in Myopia, the City of Crystals."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Kayla said.

"It isn't, from what I've heard," Duat said. "I rather think you'll like it."

"The problem is, we are on a deadline," Arrluk said. "Amphitrite's Star will vanish from Myopia in the space of a few weeks, and will not reappear for almost an entire year."

"Do you think we can make that time limit?" Desmond asked.

"If all goes well, with time to spare. But it is still quite a distance away. Though fortunately, I do know some shortcuts," he added brightly.

"Wonderful," Ethan said, still glaring at Desmond as he ate the last of his meal, "a journey across the deep on a strict time limit while a group of monsters is chasing us. Sounds dandy."