Chapter 5

"It's proper," someone remarked.

"She has the markings," anyone else said.

Arin's face darkened, and her naive eyes narrowed. "This doesn't show something."

"It proves the whole thing," Tharros responded. "She is the only."

"the only for what?" Sophia demanded, her voice rising. She became indifferent in being pointed out, as if she were not there. "What does this mean?"

Tharros paused, his gaze softening. "In a way, you are the bridge between worlds." "The only one who can bring us together."

Sophia shook her head, her heart racing. "I didn't join up for this."

"No one did," Tharros replied calmly. "but fate doesn't ask for permission."

Before she could react, the ground underneath them began to shake. The light in the courtyard faded, and a low, resonant hum permeated the air. The gang scattered, their whispers becoming yells of terror.

"What's occurring?" Sophia asked, her panic rising.

Tharros' expression stiffened. "It's right here."

"What's here?" she asked.

"The Leviathan," Kael said coldly, placing his hand to the sword at his side. "It's discovered us."

The hum became louder, and the floor shook more forcefully. Sophia's heart quickened as she appeared round, attempting to make sense of the turmoil. The shadows began to shift from one side of the courtyard to the other. Something massive and ancient appeared, its shape veiled but its presence clear.

Tharros moved forward, his physique exuding strength. "Live at the back of me," he said, his tone harsh.

"No," Sophia answered, surprising herself with the energy in her voice. "I'm now not hiding."

Tharros turned to her, his golden eyes flashing. "This isn't your fight."

"Sure, it's miles," she responded, meeting his eyes. "You mentioned that I am the bridge. Allow me to prove it.

He paused, his jaw stiffening. Then he nodded. "live close."

Sophia nodded, her anxiety replaced by a steely purpose. She was not going to run, no matter what happened. She could confront it head on. This time, she refused to back down.

Shadows in the Court

The courtyard fell still now, but for the distant murmur of the sea's everlasting symphony. The leviathan's departure had left a gaping dread in its wake. Sophia stood inside the center, her heart beating and her bright insignia flickering as the strength she didn't quite comprehend faded.

"You shouldn't be here," someone screamed from the shadows of the crowd.

Sophia's gaze fixed on a group of figures near the courtyard's edge. They were dressed in sleek, dark robes, their expressions a mix of distrust and disapproval.

"This isn't the time," Tharros hissed, standing in front of her. His demeanor transformed to forceful, leaving little space for debate.

"It's precisely the time," responded one of the robed figures, a towering man with sharp abilities and cold, glittering eyes. He advanced, his posture tight and belligerent. "The presence of a floor dweller here goes against all we stand for. You brought her into our sacred town and paraded her before our humans, for what? "A prophecy?"

Sophia scowled, her fists clenched. "I'm right here, you understand. "If you have anything to say, say it to me."

The individual's lip twisted in disgust. "ambitious words for an interloper."

"That's enough, Veylor," Kael said, his tone strong. He walked to face Tharros, his attention fixed on the man. "Sophia has verified herself."

"demonstrated what?" Veylor sneered. "Is she a hazard? That she brings the Leviathan to our doorstep?"

"She is the one," Tharros replied, his tone steady yet cautious. "The markings don't lie."

"The markings," Veylor snarled, his hatred evident. "You area your religion in symbols and riddles even as our human beings suffer."

Sophia's chest tightened. She didn't know these people, didn't understand their background, but she felt the weight of their judgment weighing down on her. She glanced at Tharros, looking for some reassurance, but his eyes was fixed on Veylor.

"We're done right here," Tharros said, his tone quite final. "The council will meet tomorrow." Any objections can then be raised.

Veylor paused, his silver eyes narrowing. Then he bowed his head, though the gesture had changed to something more respectful. "Very well, my king." However, know this: many people share my concerns."

He strode away, his fans trailing behind him. The group began to disperse, and their whispers filled the courtyard like a rising tide.

Sophia exhaled, the tension she hadn't realized she was carrying leaving her body. "Who become that?"

"Veylor," Kael said, his face grim. "Leader of the Conservative Faction." He has been a thorn in Tharros' side for years."

"Why does he hate me a lot?" She requested, her voice quieter.

"It's no longer just you," Tharros replied, his gaze remaining where Veylor had stood. "He opposes something that threatens the vintage ways."

"And I'm a risk," Sophia said, the conviction settling deep in her chest.

"You're extra than that," Tharros stated, turning to her. His eyes softened, however simplest slightly. "You're a symbol of exchange. And trade terrifies them."

Sophia nodded, though the burden of his words didn't make the situation any less complicated to bear. "What now?"

"Now," Kael stated, "we rest. day after today may be... complex."

Sophia didn't sleep an awful lot that night time. The visitor quarters Tharros had led her to have been lovely-walls of shimmering coral, a mattress that seemed to flow on currents of water-however her thoughts refused to quiet. each time she closed her eyes, she saw the leviathan, felt the weight of the court docket's judgment, heard Veylor's venomous words.

She subsequently gave up and wandered to a balcony overlooking the metropolis. The view was breathtaking. Aquaria turned into alive, its sparkling systems pulsating with a rhythm that felt nearly like a heartbeat. yet the splendor best deepened her unease. She turned into an interloper here, no matter what Tharros stated.

"You're up early," a voice said, startling her.

She became to look Kael leaning towards the entrance, his fingers crossed. He regarded more cozy than she'd ever visible him, although his sharp gaze hadn't lost its part.

"Couldn't sleep," she admitted. "an excessive amount of on my thoughts."

Kael nodded, stepping out onto the balcony. "It's plenty to soak up."

"That's setting it mildly," she said with a wry smile. "I didn't exactly plan on becoming the face of a prophecy."

"You're dealing with it higher than maximum could," he said, sudden her.

"Am I?" she asked, her voice tinged with doubt.

Kael studied her for a second, his expression considerate. "You're still here, aren't you?"

Sophia laughed softly, even though there wasn't a lot humor in it. "I bet I don't have a choice."

"There's continually a preference," Kael stated, his tone critical. "and also you've chosen to live. that says some thing."

She looked at him, looking his face for any sign of the hostility she'd felt from others. but there has been none. most effective a quiet intensity that made her experience, for the primary time because she'd arrived, that she wasn't completely by myself.

"thanks," she stated softly.

Kael nodded, his gaze drifting lower back to the town. "Get some rest. day after today can be... thrilling."

The council chamber become not like anything Sophia had ever seen. It become good sized, its walls coated with shimmering crystals that contemplated the bioluminescent mild of the city. on the middle turned into a circular platform surrounded through degrees of seats, each occupied through a member of the council.

Sophia stood beside Tharros and Kael, her palms damp with nerves. Arin turned into there too, although she lingered at the threshold of the chamber, her inexperienced eyes looking everything with a calculating sharpness.

The council members murmured amongst themselves as Tharros improved. His presence silenced them right away.

"we face a crisis," he began, his voice strong and clean. "The leviathan has woke up. The hunters grow bolder. Our humans are in chance."

"and also you accept as true with she is the solution?" one of the council individuals asked, gesturing closer to Sophia.

"I do," Tharros stated firmly. "The markings have regarded. The prophecy is unfolding."

"The prophecy is vague," any other council member argued. "It speaks of a bridge, however it does now not call her."

Sophia felt the load in their skepticism pressing down on her. She desired to talk, to defend herself, however the words stuck in her throat.

"She has shown her electricity," Kael stated, stepping ahead. "She fought alongside us against the hunters. She held them returned while we'd had been crushed."

"And what of the leviathan?" Veylor's voice reduce through the chamber like a blade. He stood inside the shadows, his silver eyes sparkling. "Did she stop that too? Or did she draw it here?"

"sufficient," Tharros snapped, his golden eyes blazing. "This isn't approximately blame. It's approximately survival. The prophecy speaks of harmony. If we're to face towards what's coming, we need to embrace it."

"And what in case you're wrong?" Veylor challenged. "What if she brings our destruction in preference to our salvation?"

The chamber erupted in a cacophony of voices, council participants arguing heatedly. Sophia stood frozen, her pulse pounding in her ears. She felt out of area, like a chess piece on the incorrect board.

"enough!" a new voice boomed.