The Fireball Gazette

A Suspicious Welcome
Fearing the anchor might snag or break in the reefs below, the party instructed Marina to keep the ship hovering in place while they descended. Merlin, Tiyana, and Ainz chewed down the last of their water-breathing algae and dove overboard. Though clearly not combat-ready after their previous celebrations, Selah and Mad Matt insisted on joining – if only to observe from the rear.
The city streets were deserted. Coral archways and smooth stone roads hinted at ancient craftsmanship, but the people had vanished from public view. From behind coloured-glass windows, curious eyes peeked out. It was clear that the citizens had been warned of dangerous intruders.

Hospitality, More or Less
Not one to pass up cultural diplomacy, Merlin approached a nearby home. His knock triggered hushed panic behind the door. After some time, a terrified resident cracked it open. Merlin, undeterred, offered five gold coins in exchange for food. Language barriers muddled things quickly, but pantomimes and sweets seemed to help. He gestured “fish” and handed over some Haribó. The host – still unsure – offered him a bowl of bubbling fish stew, brewed on a small underwater stove. Merlin briefly questioned the physics of underwater cooking before happily devouring it, offering a courteous bow before returning to the party.

The Palace and the Seeing Stone
The royal palace dominated the city’s skyline, a cathedral-sized structure crowned with shells and towers. Its gates were open, yet no guards stood watch. Inside, coral mosaics lined the halls. Tiyana scanned for magical residue, but Ainz stepped forward with a confident wave, analysing footprints and magical threads with precision. He noted that the left staircase had been used 94 times recently, the right 96. He and Tiyana ascended the left stairs to balance the residual energy. Merlin, impatient, vaulted directly to the upper landing.
At the door, a large circular rune was carved into the ground – the counterpart of the communication device they had damaged in Tripoint. Ainz recognised the design immediately: an advanced scrying circle, likely used to stay in contact with the southern observation post. Tempted to disrupt or activate it, the group ultimately chose restraint. Instead, they turned to the door, which opened easily with a single push from Merlin.

The King’s Lament
The final chamber was vast and quiet. Fish glided between floating lanterns, and at the far end, a throne rested atop a coral platform. There stood King Valili, tall and commanding, with azure skin and a long trident whose centre prong extended like a spear. His voice, though calm, carried the weight of centuries.
He accused the party of destroying the settlements in Manamele and Camborne’s Rest, slaughtering his scientists, and leaving no survivors in Tripoint. He recalled the Great War, 500 years past, when the surface world forced the Nalua beneath the sea. There, they discovered the Flux Crystals, which sustained their lives – but not their peace. Valili had long prepared his revenge.
Before he could strike, Ainz attempted to charm the king. Valili sensed the spell, snarled in fury, and hurled his trident. The fight began.

The Battle for the Deep
The trident slammed into the ground, but the adventurers dodged away. Valili summoned the power of the Flux, slowing the flow of time around the room. Every movement from the party became sluggish and laboured. Merlin charged forward and closed the distance but was quickly impaled by Valili’s weapon. Tiyana, undeterred, cast a barrage of Magic Missiles from afar.
Ainz summoned a spectral dragon made of acidic water – its form unstable in the currents. The team dubbed it Draco Malformed. It slithered through the water towards the throne.
Merlin danced around Valili to stay in Draco’s way, but Valili mocked him for abandoning the others. He leapt off the platform towards Tiyana, braving a storm of conjured icicles. She narrowly dodged and vanished with a quick Invisibility spell, reappearing at a safer angle to launch spells from cover.
Angered by the king’s taunts, Merlin leapt down after him but failed to land his strike. Valili summoned a pressurised pillar of water that nearly crushed Merlin into the coral below. Gritting his teeth, Merlin stood through the pain.
Ainz directed Draco Malformed to attack, sending acidic claws and poisonous breath towards the king. Merlin stabbed Valili’s shoulder twice, drawing blood and staggering him. From invisibility, Tiyana delivered the final volley of Magic Missiles. Valili collapsed.
In his last breath, he begged the adventurers to spare his people – ordinary Nalua citizens uninvolved in his crusade.

The Star Devourer Revealed
Before the party could answer, a dark flash erupted from the throne room entrance. Nalzagoth, the Star Devourer, tore free from Mad Matt’s body. Matt, left hollow and shocked, collapsed as the entity floated into the chamber. He mocked Matt’s weakness, who was unable to participate in the fight, then turned to Valili, praising his ambition. Without hesitation, Nalzagoth entered Valili’s wounded body.
A storm of black stars consumed the throne. Merlin, still holding Valili, felt pain surge through his arms. With great effort, he hurled the king away. Valili's body didn’t fall into the depths below, instead rising above their heads.
Out of the blackness emerged a titanic new form: Valili reborn as a Great Water Dragon, with glowing eyes and coiling waves swirling around him.

The coral beneath their feet began to crack.