"And so end my songs, friends. I have finished the course I set out to sail. You have now heard the true story of how Ren was able to use the Lost Thirteen Treasures of Rul to destroy the Dark Dweller once and for all."

The old storyteller basked for a moment in the thunderous applause of the gathered crowd in the common room of the Mermaid's Tale tavern. Then she donned once more her magic ring and slowly walked off the stage, throwing the occasional wave to the citizens of Kinja as she did so. Once she had left the room, the audience began to break up and slowly head for their homes and some long overdue sleep. But even as their beds called, they continued to talk about the stories of the Reef Runner and her crew. The children especially could not contain their excitement on the stories they had just heard.

"I want to be just like Yamalla and sail around the world on my own ship!"
"Triangle was the bestest! He just took down those pirates barehanded - left, right, bam, bam!"
"I think Selkie was the bravest. She faced down ghosts and pirates and tamed giant sharks and stuff."
"It was so cool the way Kalaban swung over the heads of the Pirates and kicked Bloth right in the face!"
"I'm hungry. Who wants pasta?"
"See, I told you I don't talk too much. Lori talked a lot and she got to talk to kings and princes and ghosts and lizards and people and they all liked her speeches 'cause talking is a good thing when first meeting people 'cause that way they know that you're a friend."
"Jeannie was the greatest. Her dragon bow could just turn those nasty pirates into pincushions."
"The Korb helped to save the world? I guess he's not that icky after all."

Pinagore slowly made his way out of the tavern, one of the last people to leave. He lingered not only because of his age, but also because of the course his thoughts steered. This had indeed been the best Story Night that he could remember. But something still bothered him about it. There was something about the storyteller that made him wonder if this wouldn't be the last time he would experience one of these events - not because of his advanced age, but hers. Being the oldest man on the island, Pinagore had a good sense for the age and health of others since his was an indulgence from the gods. He saw the paleness of her face, caught the faint tremors of hand and voice, and knew the signs of suppressed muscle spasms. He hoped he was wrong, but just in case, the old fisherman said a quick prayer to the gods of Mer to watch over the old rawun and keep her spirit safe.

The old rawun sat on the end of the long dock behind the tavern, staring at the sun coming up over the waves of the ocean. A heavy sigh escaped her lips. She had done what she wanted - no, needed - to do, but she still feared the task ahead of her. Why? It had waited a long time in coming, and there was no sense in running what was inevitable. Such is the way of things. A quiet voice from behind then broke the silence.

"Grandmother Lori? Are you okay?"

Turning around, she saw her grandson, Dar, on the docks behind her. She gave him a sad smile. "No, I'm not. I'm very old, Dar. Too old. I've sung my last songs this night. It is time for me to go back to sea. It's time for someone else to tell the tales I've told all these years, and the new ones from tonight as well. You're the rawun now, Dar."

Dar fought back the tears. He knew that this day would come. But he wasn't ready for it yet. He needed her to stay, even if for just a short time longer. "Grandma Lori, what happened to the crew of the Reef Runner - your friends - after the battle?"

"We sailed together for a time, and then went our separate ways. They lived full lives and passed peacefully into the ocean's embrace. If I remember correctly..."

"Yamalla eventually accepted a position in Ren's kingdom as the Royal Shipbuilder. Many of the fine ships you see these days were either built by his hands or used his designs in their creation. However, his greatest accomplishment came after he retired from the king's service. Yamalla is the one who designed and built the great floating city of Bandar al-Zartan. Actually, I don't know if the sha'ir is dead. He disappeared. Yamalla had built one last ship and left with the intention of sailing the elemental planes, the land of the genies. I have not seen or heard from him since he sailed."

"The Sergeant Triangle also found a new home in Octopon. With the revival of the city and the rebuilding of the kingdom, a new royal guard was needed. Ren asked if the brave Triangle would accept a position as the captain of his guard. The men and women he trained became the foundation of what is now the Royal Marines of Mer - that elite unit which sees to it that the scourge of the pirate lords never returns."

"Selkie matured into a fine woman and learned how to fully use her talents as an ecomancer. She worked with Tula to rebuild the school that now trains all the ecomancers of Mer. After honing her talents, Selkie left to explore Mer on her own quest - to find her mother. I am fairly certain she accomplished this for she eventually retired back to her home island of Pandowa and helped the monkey-birds to finally become the respected race they are today."

"Unfortunately, the Korb a very short-lived race. Krick, who had become Tik'sed, did not live more than a decade after the battle. But he did manage to find a tribe of Korb that had survived the Dark Water and became the honored elder of his people. I think it is due to the heroic Tik'sed that the Korb today are the honorable warriors that they are, able to sail the seas and deal peaceably with the other races."

"As for Kalaban... well, he found being a known hero a bit too confining. He soon returned to his thieving, if kind-hearted, ways. However, this time he seemed intent on making sure that everyone knew exactly whom the real king of thieves was. Apparently there was someone else out there who was laying some claim to that title. However, he left that behind and retired to raise a large family. I am not certain - as he had to change his identity upon retiring - but I believe he married Selkie."

"I know that Armondo and Jeannie traveled with Kalaban for a time, but parted ways once Armondo found out that they couldn't keep any treasure long enough for him to bury it. I'm not sure what they did once they sailed their separate ways, but he did find the time to open a chain of Pasta and Sail shops. I think eventually they settled down somewhere that Armondo didn't have any family and proceeded to fix that problem. I do know that he never returned here to Kinja and his first wife."

"As for me, you know my tale. I spent some years sailing the twenty seas telling my tales, and then came here. I bought this tavern, then settled down and married, resulting in the large family you're part of Dar."

The old rawun smiled one last time. "Well done, Dar. You've gotten me to tell one last tale." She paused, and then took the ring off her finger, letting her legs turn back into her natural mermaid's tail one last time. "Here, take this ring. Keep it in memory of my stories and me. Your stories, now. Good bye, Dar." With that, she slipped off the dock and swam into the depths of the oceans.

The young Dar stood on the end of the dock, tears streaming down his face. He would remember the stories that had been told here tonight. Quietly, he began to recite what he had heard, in memory of his grandmother.

"Sit back and listen now to my words as I sing of the voyages of the Reef Runner and her crew..."