After a moment of consideration, Orion decided against destroying the elemental whirlpool.
Half an hour later, its pull began to weaken before dissipating completely.
The body of the Tritail Dreadturtle was long gone.
In its place, bobbing on the surface not far from Orion, was a vessel the size of a washbasin, shaped like a turtle's shell.
Inside rested three shimmering, aquamarine turtle eggs.
Seeing them, Orion understood immediately what had happened. The Tritail Dreadturtle had sacrificed every last drop of its life force to incubate these three eggs. It had chosen its offspring over its own survival.
Then again, Orion thought, it wouldn't have survived anyway. Once you were dragged into this war, willingly or not, defeat meant your fate was sealed.
"Smart old turtle," Orion murmured, carefully collecting the three eggs before turning back toward the Leonidas palace.
In a way, the Tritail Dreadturtle had secured a powerful master for its descendants, a strong protector.
