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Chapter 27: The Tide's Judgment
The three warriors stood in stunned silence, gazing over the vast underground city of Aqualorn. It defied logic. The sea wasn't a sea—not in the way they understood it. Water floated like mist in some places, while in others it swirled through the air, forming rivers suspended in space. Bioluminescent coral grew across cavern walls, casting glowing ripples of blues and greens over the city below.
Larren Rohn led them across floating platforms, each step guided by ancient magic that responded to his presence. Sea warriors moved aside, giving wary glances, their expressions mixed—some with awe, others with suspicion.
They passed children with webbed fingers playing with translucent fish in floating bubbles of water. They passed scholars scribing runes with pens that wrote using water ink. Yet, beneath the peace, there was a lingering tension. Every face bore the same mark of unease—something was wrong.
"Why are they staring?" Marcus murmured.
"They know something we don't," Valen replied.
Alexander walked silently, though the closer they got to the heart of Aqualorn, the more the water responded to him. Streams curved around his feet. Tiny orbs of ocean-blue floated toward him, pulsing faintly. It was as though the sea itself knew him.
Finally, they reached the center—an elevated platform shaped like a seashell, where the Elders of the Sea Warrior Clan awaited. Nine of them sat on coral thrones arranged in a crescent, each wearing long robes interwoven with threads of pearl and kelp.
The central throne was empty.
Larren stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Honored Elders, I bring guests—warriors of the surface, and one bearing Poseidon's mark."
Gasps echoed through the chamber. One of the elders stood immediately—an aged woman with sea-green eyes and a staff shaped like a nautilus shell. "Are you sure of this, Larren?"
"I saw it with my own eyes, Elder Neressa. The sea bent to his presence."
Valen, Marcus, and Alexander stepped forward as instructed. The stares bore down on them like ocean pressure. Whispers danced around the chamber.
One of the male elders scoffed, rising from his seat. "And we are to simply trust this? Poseidon's apostle returns from the surface, unannounced, without trial, and we welcome him with open arms?"
Another elder nodded. "He could be a trick. A ploy. The surface world has never respected the sea."
Neressa silenced them with a gesture. "The signs are real. The waters react. But we must tread carefully."
Then another voice—a younger man, robed in indigo—rose in clear opposition. "This is folly! We've lost warriors—our people vanish during the night, our patrols are attacked, and now strangers arrive the same week? It cannot be coincidence."
Valen stepped forward, voice calm yet commanding. "We came here chasing those behind the disappearances. We fought cultists performing rituals with kidnapped civilians from the surface. Whatever is plaguing you… is linked to what's happening above."
The room grew still.
Alexander then spoke, voice steady yet carrying a depth that seemed to echo beyond words. "I didn't ask for this blessing. But I won't ignore it. If your people are in danger, let us help."
An older, bearded elder turned to Larren. "Where is your father? The clan leader must decide."
"He is not here," Larren said. "He left days ago to investigate strange shifts in the outer currents—dark whirlpools, corrupted marine beasts, and unnatural storms. He hasn't returned."
Another silence. Deeper. More fearful.
Marcus crossed his arms. "So your leader is missing, your people are vanishing, and you're arguing whether to accept help? We're already involved whether you like it or not."
Neressa studied them carefully. "What is your true goal?"
"We seek truth," Valen said firmly. "About our empire. About the ancient war. About the corruption that infects both land and sea. And if helping your people brings us closer to that truth, then we won't hesitate."
The elders murmured among themselves. One leaned toward Neressa and whispered, "If they are lying, it could doom us."
Neressa nodded slowly and then stood.
"We do not grant you full trust. Not yet," she said. "But your presence here is unprecedented. Your strength is proven, and the sea itself seems to recognize Poseidon's mark. We will allow you to remain… and investigate. Find who is behind the disappearances. Protect our people. If your actions speak as clearly as your words, we may reconsider."
Larren stepped beside them. "I will guide them."
Several elders protested, but Neressa raised her hand.
"Let the son of our leader walk with them. He has the most to gain—or lose—from this decision."
The trio bowed respectfully.
As they exited the chamber, Marcus whispered to Valen, "They're scared."
"They have a right to be," Valen replied. "Something's coming. And it started long before we got here."
Alexander lagged slightly behind, staring at his hand as faint ripples of water danced along his skin.
"Do you feel it too?" Larren asked him quietly.
Alexander met his gaze. "It's not just the sea reacting. It's like… something deep within me is awakening. I don't understand it yet."
Larren gave a faint smile. "You will. If you are truly Poseidon's chosen, the sea will teach you."
That night, the trio stayed in one of the guest halls—built into a large coral bloom that pulsed with warmth and gentle currents. Despite the alien nature of Aqualorn, there was comfort in its rhythm—like sleeping with the heartbeat of the sea itself.
As they lay in their chambers, Valen stared at the ceiling, thoughts racing.
This wasn't just another mission. This was a turning point.
Somewhere deep in the ocean, beneath empires and kingdoms, another war was brewing. And they had just stepped into the eye of it.