Chapter 48 – Into the Deep Abyss

Aboard the Nautilus

The Nautilus sinks deeper.

Metal groans softly as pressure builds, a low, constant creak that sounds disturbingly like the hull is breathing. Blue runes pulse faintly along the interior walls, struggling against the weight of the abyss pressing in from all sides.

I stare at the instruments.

Old dials. Arcane gauges. And at the center of it all—

A compass.

Not just any compass.

Drake Stroud’s compass.

Its needle doesn’t point north.

It points down.

“…Seems like we’re on the right path,” I mutter, watching the needle twitch.
“But…”

The needle trembles—then steadies, locking toward the darkness below.

Eira grips the controls beside me, steady and focused, guiding the Nautilus through unseen currents like she’s done this her whole life.

It gets darker.

Too dark.

I flip a switch.

Light explodes outward.

Twin beams slice through the abyss, illuminating the ocean floor below—and for a moment, everyone freezes.

“Shiver me timbers!” Eira blurts out.
“We’ve got eyes like a barnacle now, matey! Cuttiin’ through the blackness like a ghost ship in the dead o’ night—even in these abyssal depths!”

“High-output alchemical lights,” I say.
“Strong enough to pierce the deep sea darkness.”

Outside the reinforced glass—

Nothing but emptiness.

A vast, barren stretch of pale sand and stone, stretching endlessly in all directions.

Luna presses closer to the window.

“…It’s like a wasteland,” she murmurs.

“Yeah,” Seraphina adds.
“Like the desert of Khazar. Only instead of heat—this place feels dead.”

Harmonia tilts her head, eyes wide.
“Wow… you really have traveled a lot, haven’t you?”

Riven folds his arms, shoulders tense.

“Aye… this place be cursed, matey,” he mutters.
“The dark o’ the deep presses down on me like a barnacle on a hull… givin’ me the chills.”

Ravenna snorts.
“Be ye afeared already, ye scurvy twin?”

Riven sighs.
“Aye, sister… the waters above be dancin’ with beauty—reefs, colors, life. But down here…”
He gestures at the emptiness beyond the glass.
“This be where secrets rot.”

Ravenna nods slowly.
“The shadowy underbelly of the seven seas. Where monsters wait.”

I keep staring at the seabed.

It looks… familiar.

Not comforting—just known.

I’ve dived before. With my uncle. Shallow waters. Coral reefs. Sunlight dancing through blue waves.

But this?

This is something else.

Luna’s gaze stays fixed outside.

I clear my throat.

“Hey, Luna,” I say.
“Wanna know why the ocean floor looks like this?”

She blinks.
“…Yeah?”

Seraphina smirks.
“Didn’t think you’d turn into a lecturer down here.”

Harmonia leans in eagerly.
“Ooooh, explain! Explain!”

Even Lockbolt and the twins quiet down.

“…Alright,” I say.
“Eira—there are coral reefs up above, right?”

“Aye,” Eira nods.

“The reef be a wondrous sight!” Ravenna adds.
“Like a treasure chest o’ color and life!”

“Exactly,” I say.
“Coral reefs act like trees.”

Silence.

“…Trees?” Luna echoes.

“Arr, lad,” Lockbolt squints.
“Ye be blowin’ smoke again?”

“Okay—remember forests?” I continue.
“Trees provide air. Oxygen.”

Blank stares.

“…Air?” Seraphina repeats slowly.

“Right. Corals do something similar underwater. They support life. They recycle energy. They make it possible for ecosystems to exist.”

I gesture outside.

“But down here… there’s nothing.”

No reefs.

No fish.

No movement.

“This place,” I say quietly,
“is beyond where life can sustain itself naturally.”

The Nautilus hums.

Something thumps faintly against the hull.

Everyone stiffens.

“…Huh,” I mutter.
“I wonder if Kline would even understand what I’m saying.”

The compass needle twitches again.

Pointing deeper.

Toward the abyss.

And somewhere far below—

Something is listening.

I remember my uncle’s voice.

Back when I was a kid, staring at grainy documentaries instead of doing homework.

Submarine commanders don’t rely on sight, he’d said.
They listen.

Sonar.

That’s how they hunt the dark.

Unfortunately… I never installed one on the Nautilus.

Meaning—

We’re basically blind.

…Wait.

I turn slowly.

“Luna?”

She looks up from the window.
“Yes…?”

“Can you conjure a spell for me,” I say, tapping a small arcane receiver mounted near the console,
“and embed it into this device?”

She blinks.
“…What kind of spell?”

“A ringing spell,” I explain quickly.
“A mix of wind, water, and sound. Something that can echo. Bounce. Come back.”

Luna frowns, tail swaying thoughtfully.

“…That’s oddly specific.”

“Yeah, welcome to my brain.”

She sighs, then closes her eyes.

Mana gathers around her fingertips—gentle at first, then sharper, vibrating like a tuning fork.

“…Maybe,” she murmurs,
“…this will work.”

She presses her palm to the device.

For a heartbeat—

Nothing.

Then—

PING!

A clean, resonant tone ripples outward.

The console lights up.

Lines bloom across the display—curving arcs, returning echoes, shapes forming out of nothing.

I freeze.

Then—

“EUREKA!!!”

Everyone jumps.

“Uh—what happened?!” Luna yelps.
“Is it okay?!”

“It’s perfect!” I grin like an idiot.
“Absolutely perfect!”

The darkness outside changes.

Not visually—but conceptually.

The abyss now has shape.

Distance.

Depth.

“Well blow me down!” Eira laughs.
“A peculiar doohickey ye are, with a right strange bellow!”

Seraphina leans closer.
“What’s going on, darling?”

“This,” I say, tapping the screen,
“is basically my eyesight now.”

I gesture outward.

“The lights only show what’s right in front of us. But this—this lets me see farther. Shapes. Movement. Terrain.”

Seraphina squints.
“…Sounds complicated.”

“It is,” I nod.
“And I love it.”

Luna tilts her head.
“Is this something from your world?”

“Yeah,” I say.
“We use it to find fish, sunken ships, map the ocean floor—submarines rely on it to navigate without ever opening a window.”

Eira chuckles.
“Harrr! Sounds like yer world be one grand adventure after another.”

Riven grins.
“Ahoy, matey! That be a clever trick for a contraption like that!”

Ravenna elbows Luna lightly.
“Arrr, Miss Luna—this lad Randy… be he always this sharp?”

Luna exhales.
“…Yeah. When he gets excited, he forgets the world exists.”

Seraphina suddenly wraps her arms around me.
“That’s Randy!”

Harmonia joins in immediately.
“Wow!! This is amazing!!”

“Hey—!” I protest—

Luna’s tail snaps upright, bristling like an angry cat.

“Oi.”

Everyone freezes.

…She really is a cat.

The Nautilus glides forward, slow and steady now.

With sonar guiding us, the abyss unfolds.

Then—

A shape appears on the screen.

Large.

Immobile.

Ancient.

My breath catches.

We’ve arrived.

Lockbolt grips the railing.

“Avast ye,” he says quietly.
“This be the place.”

The sonar pulses again.

Ping.

And something answers.

Not an echo.

A response.

“…They be here,” Lockbolt mutters, his voice dropping an octave.

My console flickers—new signals bloom across the screen.

Multiple.

Too many.

Luna leans in, ears twitching.
“…What’s that dot?”

I swallow.

“Something’s outside the ship,” I say slowly.
“…No—scratch that. We’re surrounded.”

The dots tighten into a ring.

Eira grips the helm.
“Arrr, matey… we’d best be keepin’ a sharp eye. This one smells like trouble.”

Riven and Ravenna draw closer together, hands already resting on hilts and spell foci.

Lockbolt exhales sharply.
“Lad. This be the spot. Either we be where we need ta be… or we find a way ta be.”

Before I can reply—

Tap.

A soft knock.

Right on the reinforced glass.

Everyone freezes.

Floating outside the window—

A mermaid.

Long hair drifting like silk in the current, eyes bright, curious… smiling.

She raises a hand and waves.

Then another appears.

And another.

Soon the Nautilus is encircled by them—dozens of mermaids, all female, moving gracefully through the dark water like living jewels.

Harmonia presses her face to the glass.
“…Pretty.”

Seraphina stiffens.
“…Dangerous.”

Luna studies them carefully.
“So these are the mermaid pirates… but—”
Her brow furrows.
“Where are the mermen?”

Lockbolt’s jaw tightens.
“Harrr… they be a crew o’ lasses only.”

He spits to the side.

“So how do they grow their numbers, ye ask?”
A pause.
“…By takin’ our men.”

Silence crashes over the cabin.

“…That’s creepy,” I mutter.
“And deeply disturbing.”

Seraphina folds her arms.
“Well then. How exactly are we supposed to deal with this?”

“Yeah!” Harmonia protests.
“We’re not fish!”

Luna shakes her head slowly.
“My magic has limits underwater… especially at this depth. I can’t guarantee protection.”

Riven clicks his tongue.
“Arrr, I’ll not be meetin’ ’em face to face. That be like sailin’ into a storm naked.”

“…Or walkin’ the plank,” Ravenna adds grimly.

“And we can’t just swim out,” I say.
“The pressure down here is insane. It’s like having a stone castle dropped on your head.”

Luna looks at me.
“Then… what do we do?”

I glance behind me.

At the wall.

Mounted there—

A sleek, arcane-pressure suit. Reinforced joints. Mana seals. Breathing runes.

Everyone follows my gaze.

“…What’s that?” Harmonia asks.

“That looks like armor,” Seraphina says slowly.

“Outfit?” Luna’s eyes narrow dangerously.
“…Since when?”

“…Uh,” I scratch my cheek.
“Since I built the ship.”

She stares.

“Uh huh,” Luna says flatly.
Her tail sways—slow, sharp, dangerous.

Eira whistles.
“Arrr… so this be the strange getup, eh?”

I shake my head.
“Nope. You’re not wearing it.”

Everyone blinks.

“I am.”

Luna’s eyes widen.
“Randy—!”

“Before anyone panics,” I say quickly, stepping toward the console,
“let me try something.”

I activate the external mic.

My voice echoes faintly through the water.

“…Uh. Can you understand what I’m saying?”

“RANDY!!!” Luna nearly explodes.

Outside—

The mermaid tilts her head.

Then nods.

She smiles wider and points—not at us—

But toward the ruins below.

The altar.

Seraphina squints.

“…They’re armed.”

Sure enough—behind the smiles, behind the beauty—

Steel glints.

Tridents. Blades. Barbed harpoons.

The song begins again.

Closer.

Inviting.

And I suddenly realize—

We weren’t surrounded to be attacked.

We were surrounded…

To be guided.

Slowly, we are escorted forward.

Not guided.

Escorted.

The mermaids swim in tight formation around the Nautilus, weapons clearly visible—barbed tridents, curved blades, rune-etched harpoons. Even their outfits scream one message loud and clear:

Don’t mess with us.

Ahead, past the graveyard of sunken ships and broken masts, something massive looms in the darkness.

Then—

The lights catch it.

A dome.

A colossal, shimmering sphere rises from the ocean floor, enclosing an entire city. Magic ripples across its surface like liquid glass, deflecting pressure and darkness alike.

I stare.

“…You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

I turn to Luna, pointing through the viewport.
“A city… underwater… with a barrier like that? Luna, do you know anything about this?”

She shakes her head slowly, eyes wide.
“…No. But this feels less like magic… and more like your technology.”

Eira’s jaw drops.
“Shiver me timbers… a city beneath the waves. That be a sight this old salt never thought he’d see.”

The design makes my skin prickle.

Sleek towers. Flowing structures. Light paths weaving between buildings like veins of energy.

It’s not just advanced.

It’s ahead of my world.

“…This is sci-fi,” I whisper.
“Straight outta Star Wars. Like a Gungan city. A full-scale force field…”

“Randy,” Luna snaps, glaring.
“You’re talking nonsense again.”

“No, I’m serious!” I say, already pacing.
“We’ve got lasers back home, but we don’t have an impregnable shield like this! Not at city scale! This—this breaks physics!”

Harmonia presses her hands to the glass.
“…This place…”

The Nautilus suddenly lurches.

“—Whoa.”

The ship is pulled forward smoothly, effortlessly.

“A tractor beam?!” I shout.
“That’s literally Star Wars!”

“Randy,” Luna sighs.
“…Explain. Slowly.”

“This kind of tech?” I say, stunned.
“We theorized it. Never built it. Too complex. Too unstable.”

The pull stops.

The Nautilus docks seamlessly.

And then—

The hatch opens.

Air rushes in.

Warm.

Breathable.

Inside the dome, the space is enormous—large enough to hold an entire metropolis. Towers of coral-metal rise into artificial skies, glowing streets hum softly beneath our feet.

A city.

A living, breathing city.

Harmonia gasps.
“Wow… even Argentum isn’t like this!”

Eira turns in a slow circle.
“Shiver me timbers… what strange land have I wandered into?”

The mermaids surrounding us shimmer—

And transform.

Legs replace tails. Armor reshapes, blending modern lines with medieval design—elegant, lethal, efficient.

Lockbolt lets out a low whistle.
“Shiver me timbers… they be beauties.”

As we take it all in, one figure steps forward.

A male kobold.

Lockbolt freezes.

“Well I’ll be damned…”
He steps closer.
“Angril?! Ye’re alive?!”

The man grins.
“Well, blow me down! Didn’t think I’d be clappin’ eyes on ye again, Lockbolt, old mate.”

Before questions can fly, another figure approaches—calm, authoritative.

“Welcome to the city of the mermaids,” she says.
“Marinus.”

She places a hand over her chest.

“I am Lucida, Lord-Captain of the Border Guard.”

I glance at Lockbolt and whisper,
“…You sure these guys are thieves?”

Lockbolt scratches his beard.
“…Arrr. Me memory be a bit foggy on that one, matey.”

Luna steps forward, composed, regal.

“I am Luna. These are my companions—Randy, Seraphina, Harmonia. Riven and Ravenna of the Silverfangs. Lockbolt of the Seawolves. And Eira of the Blackwood clan.”

Lucida’s gaze sharpens—then flickers to the Nautilus.

“…Your vessel,” she says slowly.
“…Even we are surprised by such technology.”

Luna inclines her head.
“We came not with ill intent.”

She meets Lucida’s eyes steadily.

“But with diplomacy… and interaction.”

The mermaid city hums around us.

And for the first time since entering the abyss—

I feel it.

This place isn’t just a destination.

It’s a turning point.

I look toward the horizon of Marinus.

The glowing towers curve like crystal spires, light flowing through them as if the city itself is breathing. Streets arc upward, bridges float without supports, and distant silhouettes drift through the air like sprites.

…Yeah.

This hits me.

Hard.

“This really feels like that game I played…” I mutter.
“The old PlayStation RPG… yeah—Zanarkand.”

I can almost hear the music.

Wait till Elowen sees this. Kline too. Hell, Nyx would absolutely lose her mind. They’d be flipping, screaming, probably trying to reverse-engineer the whole city within five minutes.

Behind me, Luna is still speaking calmly with Lucida, diplomacy mode fully activated. Regal posture. Polite tone. The full noble package.

And then—

Someone steps into my personal space.

I turn.

A mermaid knight—no, a merwoman now in humanoid form—tilts her head, eyes sharp, curious, almost playful.

“You look… strange,” she says bluntly.
“And you smell different from the other men here.”

“…Wow,” I say. “Straight to the point, huh?”

Before I can even process that, Seraphina and Harmonia slide in from either side like bodyguards on instinct.

“Yep. He is special,” Seraphina says flatly, cracking her knuckles just enough to make the point clear.
“So please back off.”

“Yeah! Bleh!” Harmonia adds, sticking her tongue out.
“He’s special. Like—really special.”

The mermaid blinks.

Then giggles.

“Hehehe… indeed.”

She doesn’t look offended. If anything, she looks amused.

“I am Misha,” she says, offering her hand.
“One of the knights of Marinus.”

…A handshake?

That’s not normal here.

That’s Earth.

My heart skips.

“Uh… okay,” I say carefully, shaking her hand.

Seraphina and Harmonia stare very closely, like they’re waiting for me to explode or betray them mid-handshake.

I decide to test something.

I switch languages.

“Do you understand what I’m saying right now?” I ask—in English.

Misha’s eyes widen.

“…Indeed,” she replies, also in English.
“You know this language?”

Bingo.

Someone from my world has been here.

I lean forward instantly.
“Is there anyone else who understands this language? Someone who taught it to you?”

She thinks for a moment.
“Drake Stroud taught us much of it. But… there was another man. He stayed in the library for a long time.”

My pulse spikes.

She turns to another knight.
“Do you remember his name? The one from the library?”

The knight scratches her chin.
“Umm… I think he called himself Professor Conrad Wright. He claimed he was from… MIT?”

My brain hard-stops.

“…What?”

Before I even realize it, I grab Misha’s hand.

“Please,” I say, way too fast.
“You have to take me to him. Right now. I need to meet him.”

That name.

Uncle told me about him.

A prodigy. Five years older than me. Graduated high school at thirteen. A straight-up monster genius.

“…Uh—okay 😅” Misha says, clearly startled by my intensity.

And then—

I feel it.

Three presences behind me.

Cold. Heavy. Murderously calm.

I slowly turn my head.

Seraphina is smiling—but not happily.
Harmonia’s aura crackles.
Luna’s tail flicks once, sharply.

A silent message presses into my spine:

Don’t. Do. Anything. Stupid.

…Yeah.

Elowen’s warning echoes in my head now.

Good luck and good speed… I hope you come back in one piece.

I swallow.

“Uh… let’s all go together?” I say quickly.

Because somehow, the deep abyss just got way more dangerous.

I walk forward—but my thoughts lag behind.

Something about this place feels… wrong.

Too calm.

Too safe.

My instincts keep whispering that danger should be here—pressure, monsters, traps, something—but instead there’s order. Light. Structure. Life moving forward without fear.

Strangely enough…
This place feels safer than the surface.

And that alone makes my stomach twist.

There has to be a reason.

Lucida notices our silence and speaks as we move, her voice echoing gently through the illuminated avenue.

“This city,” she says, “was built many years ago… by a man from your world.”

She looks at me briefly before continuing.

“Professor Conrad Wright. With his guidance, we reshaped our lives. Technology. Infrastructure. Governance. He taught us how to build without pillaging… how to survive without bloodshed.”

I slow my steps.

“With his help,” Lucida continues, “Marinus reached a point where we no longer needed to raid the surface. We hid ourselves from the world… and remained unseen.”

I stop.

“…Then why kidnap men?” I ask bluntly.

Immediately—
Pinch.

“OW—!” I yelp.

“Dumbass!!” Luna hisses, tail flicking sharply. “That’s not how diplomacy works!”

Lucida laughs softly, unbothered.

“Well… that,” she says calmly, “was Conrad’s request.”

All of us freeze.

“He believed that for a city to thrive,” Lucida continues, “there must be balance. He insisted that our isolation would eventually stagnate us—genetically, culturally, emotionally.”

My chest tightens.

“So the men…” I say slowly.

“They were not slaves,” Lucida replies.
“They were… contributors. Some stayed willingly. Some left. Some… formed families here.”

That doesn’t fully ease my discomfort.

As we continue walking, I finally notice it.

The road beneath our feet is smooth—refined, layered. Lines of light pulse faintly along the sides.

Vehicles pass us.

Not carts.

Not beasts.

Cars.

Sleek, silent, hovering just slightly above the ground, powered by glowing cores.

“…No way,” I whisper.

Even Luna stares.

“Is that… one of your machines?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I say slowly.
“We call it a car. A vehicle so we don’t have to walk everywhere.”

She tilts her head, ears twitching.
“…You humans really hate using your legs.”

“But not as fast as the Skybreaker!” Harmonia declares proudly.

“Yes!” Seraphina adds instantly.
“Airships are far superior. Faster. Safer. Much more stylish.”

I sigh.
“Yeah, yeah. Until you hit turbulence.”

But inside, my mind is racing.

Cars. Energy grids. Shields. Urban planning.

This isn’t just influence.

This is legacy.

Conrad Wright didn’t just visit this place.

He changed it.

And if my gut is right—

Whatever he’s doing now…

Might be even bigger than Marinus itself.

Luna breaks the silence first, her voice calm but cautious.

“May I know who rules this city?” she asks Lucida.

Lucida smiles, the kind of smile that carries pride—and a hint of reverence.
“Our leader is Lady Garnet. She is not only our ruler, but our eldest… and,” she adds with a soft chuckle, “one of the most beautiful among us.”

Seraphina raises an eyebrow.
“…That sounded suspiciously subjective.”

“Uh huh,” Luna replies evenly. “Lady Garnet, then. Are we going to meet her soon?”

“Yes,” Lucida answers. “She is waiting.”

That single sentence makes my spine stiffen.

As we walk deeper into Marinus, the city grows quieter—not empty, just… controlled. The hum of energy runs beneath the streets like a steady heartbeat. Light flows along the buildings in elegant patterns. No guards shout. No alarms ring. Everything functions with eerie efficiency.

Too efficient.

I can’t help thinking it again.

This place is too perfect.

Even Riven and Ravenna fall silent, their usual pirate banter gone. Eira stares openly now, her hardened sailor’s expression softened by awe.

“This ain’t just civilization,” she mutters. “This be somethin’ else.”

We finally reach the heart of the city.

A towering citadel rises before us—smooth, curved, impossibly tall. Its surface reflects the surrounding light like polished crystal, lines of mana and technology woven together seamlessly.

Luna stops.

“…Hey,” she says quietly. “Doesn’t this look like our home base?”

“Yeah,” I answer instinctively—then immediately shake my head at her, hard.

Don’t say it. Don’t think it.

Seraphina leans closer, whispering near my ear.
“We need to stay sharp. Places like this don’t exist without a price.”

“I know,” I murmur. “That’s what worries me.”

Lucida turns back toward us and gestures to the massive entrance.
“Welcome to the Grand Palace. Lady Garnet awaits.”

“Already?” I mutter. “So we were expected.”

Seraphina clicks her tongue softly.
“Called it.”

“This is getting risky,” Luna says, tail swaying low—a clear sign she’s on edge.
“We proceed carefully.”

The doors slide open without a sound.

Not pushed.
Not pulled.

They sense us.

I swallow.

We step inside.

The central chamber opens up like a cathedral of glass and light. Mana flows visibly along the walls, forming slow-moving constellations. The air feels… heavy. Not oppressive—watchful.

Five figures stand ahead of us, arranged in a crescent formation.

All women.

All mermaids.

Each one radiates presence—knights, elites, commanders. Their gazes are sharp, calculating, unreadable.

And then—

The one at the center steps forward.

She doesn’t wear a crown.

She doesn’t need one.

Her appearance is deceptively young—brunette hair falling neatly down her back, sapphire-blue eyes that seem to see straight through me. Her skin is pale, flawless, but there’s no softness mistaken for weakness here.

Calm.

Fierce.

Ancient.

The room bends subtly around her presence, as if acknowledging authority.

That’s her.

Lady Garnet.

Every instinct in my body screams one thing:

This woman is not just a ruler.
She is a pillar holding this entire city together.

And if she decides we’re a threat—

Marinus won’t need weapons to erase us.

Somewhere in the Borders of the Kingdom of Mana

the earth lies scarred and blackened, trampled flat by tens of thousands of boots.

Achilles’ army is encamped—
and for the first time since their march began, they are stalled.

A vast, translucent barrier of light stretches across the land like an invisible wall of the heavens themselves. Runes flicker across its surface, mana surging in steady pulses. Every spear thrust, every spell hurled at it dissolves into sparks.

Achilles stands at the front line, arms crossed, golden eyes narrowed.

“So,” he mutters, lips curling into a sharp grin,
“this is the hard part.”

Behind him, the Myrmidons wait in disciplined silence—Dark Elves with bows at the ready, High Orcs gripping shields, hobgoblins restless and snarling. Even they can feel it.

This is no ordinary defense.

“This is a tug of war,” Achilles continues, voice carrying effortlessly across the camp.
“And the rope has just been pulled tight.”

High above the battlefield—

A blur of motion cuts through the sky.

Nyx hovers midair, wings of shadow folding behind her as she grips Ula by the collar. The dark elf general is battered, unconscious, her once-pristine armor cracked and scorched.

Nyx glances down at her with a lazy smile.

“Lesson’s over.”

She throws her.

Not gently.

Not mercifully.

Ula’s body becomes a streak of light, hurtling across the sky like a shooting star.

“WAIT—!!”

Too late.

She vanishes beyond the horizon, a distant flash marking where she finally crashes—far, far away from the battlefield.

Nyx claps her hands once, dusting them off.

“Good enough.”

She looks south, eyes narrowing with purpose.

“Well then,” she says lightly,
“time to check on my student.”

With a single beat of her wings, Nyx launches herself forward, cutting through the clouds as she heads straight toward Kline’s position.

The battlefield shifts.

The lines are drawn.

To the west, Morwenna and Thorgrim stand atop a ruined ridge, cloaked in shadow and anticipation. Morwenna leans casually on her massive scythe, crimson eyes glinting with amusement.

“They’re holding,” she observes.
“Interesting.”

Thorgrim studies his map, fingers tracing the glowing markers.
“Only for now.”

To the east, Achilles’ army waits—unbroken, unshaken, restrained only by the barrier that defies them.

Achilles laughs softly.

“Excellent,” he says.
“A worthy delay.”

And to the north—

The ground begins to tremble.

Metal grinds against stone.

A low, mechanical hum rolls across the plains like distant thunder.

Nikola Tesla’s forces advance—armored machines gleaming beneath crackling arcs of lightning, engines growling with barely contained power.

Tesla himself watches from atop his command platform, eyes alight with curiosity.

“Fascinating,” he murmurs.
“A shield that resists divinity and science alike.”

Three fronts.

Three monsters of war.

And at the center of it all—

Mana holds its breath.

The storm has not yet broken.

But it is coming.

To be continued.