Clyde and the Roundtable Knights were in a carriage, heading for the Monster Kingdom. Clyde sought to strike an alliance with the Monster King and obtain the body part which he had. Time was of the essence, for if they were not quick enough, Maurum would certainly be there already, taking the body part and succeeding in his mission.

  Clyde sighed and went to front of the carriage, sitting beside the man steering the horses pulling it along. Suddenly, a loud scream echoed throughout the empty wetlands that surrounded the current path it took to go to the Monster Kingdom from Dilapi. Suddenly, from atop a rock emerged a figure.

  Humanoid in shape, yet with that tail of a fish, and the head of a piranha. It's eyes a yellow color, sharp teeth in its mouth. It's fingers and toes were webbed, along with some spines along the back. It was dressed in a garb adorned with shells, bones, and dried out guts. Clenching a ritual spear in its right hand, it let out another identical yell to the one before.

  Soon, many identical creatures emerged from pools of water in the soggy wetlands. Though, they had less decorations on them. Clyde looked on, he exclaimed loudly, "Who are you!?" The one on the rock leapt down, infront of the carriage and cutting the reigns that kept the horses around. It's tail swishing behind it.

  "I am Chieftain Klímaka! We are the Mercine! Loyal followers o' the Deep Sunken One, the Eldritch Sleeper! Cthulhu!" The fishman exclaimed. Mercine? Clyde thought, the name was familiar. He had studied on them when he was a few years younger. The Mercine were a tribal people, worshipping various gods. And here stood a tribe, worshipping the Primordial Dreamer Cthulhu.

  Clyde parted his lips, "Cthulhu? How can you worship one whose very magic destroys minds. That few can comprehend?" Klímaka let out a visceral laugh, his toothy gnashers moving with his jaws as he boomed heartily. "Yes, Paidí Gis, Cthulhu's magic is insanity inducing, but I am a chosen of Cthulhu! I can wield his magics to an extent no other but the Sunken Lord can!" Klímaka stated.

  The Roundtable Knights exited the carriage. Heinrich stepped forwards, approaching Klímaka. "Tell me, why are you here Thálassa Aderfé." The elf said. Klímaka looked surprised, "You speak our tongue, Myterá Aftiá. Impressive." A smirk then appeared on Klímaka's piranha esque face. "If you must know, me and my Thálassa Aderfé are here because Lord Cthulhu's voice brought me here. Clyde Monar, our lord wishes for us to bring you aid, for Marlixus is a nuisance with which he wants not to deal." Klímaka told the prince, ignoring Heinrich.

  Clyde's eyes widened, before a cautious expression took him. He opened his mouth and loosed his thoughts, "Cthulhu wants to ally with Monar..." Klímaka approached, before Gadius pressed his left hand on Klímaka's chest to halt him. "Yes, Paidí Gis, our lord wishes we ally. So, let us ally shall we." Klímaka said, holding out a palm that Cthulhu's maddening eldritch magics ran through, to strike the alliance.

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  "Young Prince, while allegiance with the forces of an incomprehensible entity may sound appealing, you must be cautious in dealings." Gadius said while looking at Clyde. Clyde nodded, looking to Klímaka. "No need for the shake...simply fight by our side should we fail...yes?" Clyde offered. The Mercine Chieftain rubbed his scaled chin. His response was simple, "Very well, Paidí Gis, on day of battle we shall battle by your side."

  Klímaka raised his spear, the other Mercine looking up and yelling in their native tongue. "We celebrate a beautiful allegiance with the ánthropoi! Clyde Monar, celebrate with us in Cthulhu's name!" Klímaka yelled loudly. Clyde nervously began to sputter out, "S-sorry...but w-we are in a t-tad bit of a rush-" Yet, he was cut off by the Chieftain, "Nonsense! You can spare some! Celebration can happen anytime!"

  That night, instead of travel like he wanted, Clyde was sat in a Mercine village with the Roundtable Knights within the Cthulhu worshippers' wetland home. The Mercine sang songs in a language only one such as Heinrich, who had learned the language over his last century of existence, understood. Clyde watched and several danced, many dueled. And they all would feed.

  "Such a peculiar place, but the folks know how to have a good time!" said Ogrin, somewhat enjoying himself. Before long after that, Klímaka grabbed Clyde and brought him before an alter. "This, Paidí Gis, is where lord Cthulhu sings to me." Klímaka told Clyde. The young prince gazed upon it. A sense of curiosity in him. It was a crude alter, not really refined or divine in look.

  Klímaka parted his jaws to loose more words, "It was here I learned where to seek you from Lord Cthulhu. Now, where are you heading for next, Paidí Gis?" Clyde looked away from the alter and back to the Mercine Chieftain. His green eyes locking with Klímaka's fisheyed yellow. "Me and my knights are on route for the Monster Kingdom, Chieftain. We are behind due to your interruption however." Clyde answered.

  The Mercine nodded, before letting out a loud call, suddenly from a pool in the wetlands surrounding them, two horse like animals sprung up, but they had fish features similar to the Mercine. "These are Hippocampus. The stallions of the seas with which my Thálassa Aderfé and I ride to foreign land, travel across the gi. They will pull the carriage that we severed your steeds from. Much faster too." Klímaka announced. Clyde looked surprised, but grateful.

  "Thank you Chieftain Klímaka. I am glad we shall be allies in the repellent of Marlixus' influence." Clyde said, Klímaka nodding in response. The two walked back to the large gathering of Mercine and the Roundtable Knights. The festivities once again upon them.

  The next morning, the Hippocampus were put on the reigns and handed to the man who steered the carriage. Clyde waved farewell to Klímaka and the Mercine. Alicia was last to get onto the carriage, looking back and letting words come from her mouth, "Thank you for thine hospitality!" Klímaka simply held up his spear and the Mercine let out yells of "hospitality" as they dubbed it. And thus, back on the path they were.

  To reach the Monster Kingdom, to retrieve the body part held by the Monster King before Maurum Vex. But, at least Clyde's mind rested a tad easier, having new allies should things go awry.