Looking heartily glad that her part was done, Pearl turned back into her little tower of water, as the barge was carried under the surface in the sphere.<br/><br/>"Please....don't anger him." whispered Kersinta. "If he withdraws his protection from Hacre....there will be untold suffering. If you have to choose....choose the city."<br/><br/>Around the sphere, the light was fading as it descended into the Azure Sea, the sunlight little more than a glimmer overhead. Shapes moved in the darkness, and it was hard to tell if it was the movements of the water, or something large moving just out of sight. Minutes passed, and another glow became visible, this one from underneath. Slowly, the sea bed became visible, and the palace of light below.<br/><br/><div align="center">(https://i.imgur.com/g6vRgGM.png)</div><br/>And indeed, the building seemed to shine with a phosporescence of it's own. Glowing trees and floating spheres of light iluminated the palace, one held aloft by the heroic statue of Maur-Azur that surmounted the palace. Meanwhile, a soothing blue-green radiance seemed to come from within the great gateway of the palace itself. Sea creatures swam around it, seeming to be attracted to the light, and gardens of sculpted coral and kelp surrounded it.<br/><br/>The bubble containing the barge descended to the circular stone platform in front of the palace. It was possible to make out another enclosure of air, one which seemed to form a "tunnel" leading from the platform into the palace. And as the barge came down to join it, it was possible to make out more of the snail-soldiers there, flanking a woman who had the same features as Lady Pearl, but who looked a bit younger and was less elaborately dressed, save for the flowers--land-based flowers--in her hair. She seemed to be waiting for them.<br/><br/><div align="center">(https://i.imgur.com/RG90j8d.jpg)</div>