Chapter 8

"We want to talk," Kael remarked as he stepped inside. "about Sophia."

Tharros stiffened but did not say anything.

Kael crossed his hands with a solemn gaze. "We both get it, Tharros. The pull; the bond. Ignoring it does not make it go away."

Tharros clinched his jaw. "And what do you advocate?"

Kael sighed. "We work together." For her and Aquaria. This is not about us. "It is about the prophecy."

Tharros looked at him for a long moment, his golden eyes glowing with an intensity that made Kael nervous. But then, to Kael's surprise, Tharros nodded.

"You're right," Tharros said quietly. "For as soon as, you're proper."

Kael's lips curved into a slight smile. "Don't get used to it."

Tharros let himself a tiny snicker, and the tension between them subsided slightly. However, when the laughing faded, the gravity of their position reappeared.

"We'll face this together," Tharros stated, his voice firm. "irrespective of what it takes."

Kael nodded, his face determined. "Agreed."

As they stood in silence, the city below seemed to shine brighter, as if it were emitting a spark of yearning. However, in the distance, a shadow moved, reminding them that their efforts were far from done.

Threads of the Deep

Sophia peered over the scrolls on the coral table in the palace library, her brow wrinkled with concentration. The delicate calligraphy, written in an Aquarian language she barely understood, flowed across the parchment like ocean currents. A stack of her old research notes was beside her, added from the Genesis at Tharros' suggestion.

"I don't see the relationship," she said to herself, going through her notes and scrolls.

The library fell silent, but for the gentle buzz of magical energy that seemed to permeate every corner of Aquaria. Sophia's frustration grew as she tried to make sense of the symbols, her scientific mind struggling with the enigmatic nature of magic.

"Speaking to yourself will not make it any clearer," Arin said, performing from the back of one of the tall coral shelves. Her voice was characteristically amusing and incisive.

Sophia jumped barely but quickly, concealing her amazement. "What are you doing right here?"

"I could ask you the equal," Arin said, moving closer. "but i've a sense you're chasing solutions."

"I'm," Sophia admitted. "though I'm starting to suppose I won't find them."

Arin leaned in opposite to the desk, her emerald eyes studying the scrolls. "What exactly are you looking for?"

Sophia hesitated before responding. "I've been comparing Aquaria's magic to the heat signatures and strength readings we took with the Genesis. Something about them seems... linked."

Arin raised an eyebrow, fascinated. "connected how?"

Sophia ran a hand through her hair, attempting to organize her thoughts. "The power we detected came to life. It did not act like anything we had found on the surface. The styles, the fluctuations-they had been too precise, too deliberate."

"And you observed it's related to Aquaria's magic?" Arin inquired, her tone serious.

"I don't think," Sophia said, her voice steely. "I know."

Arin's smile faded, replaced by genuine interest. "Then show me."

Sophia took Arin to the mirrored image Chamber, her fingers full with notes and technology salvaged from the Genesis. The familiar hum of the chamber greeted them as they entered, its quiet waters shimmering slightly in the bioluminescent light.

"This," Sophia began, placing her notes on a nearby stone pedestal. These power readings were recorded along the same ditch where Tharros moved location."

Arin's brow furrowed slightly as she studied the graphs and figures. "And?"

"And," Sophia went on, "the strength readings fit the patterns in Aquaria's magic."

Arin scowled and appeared suspicious. "That's an ambitious declare."

Sophia approached the pool, her markings slightly gleaming as she reached out to touch the surface. The water rippled beneath her hand, reacting to her presence.

"I'll show it," she stated with resolve in her voice.

She closed her eyes and focused on the electricity surrounding her. The currents in the chamber pulsed in sync with her heartbeat, and the light of her tattoos became brighter. She reached deeper, allowing the magic to guide her.

The water began to whirl, with faint images appearing in its depths. They were hazy at first, but then shapes appeared-styles that matched the graphs on her notes. Arin's sudden intake of breath revealed what Sophia already knew.

"It's identical," Arin muttered, her tone tinged with wonder. "How is that possible?"

Sophia opened her eyes, her chest rising and falling with effort. "because the charm of Aquaria and the strength we detected are equal. The sea is alive, Arin. It isn't just water; it's a living, breathing entity."

Arin glanced at her, a rare expression of uncertainty on her face. "If that's genuine... it changes everything."

The news of Sophia's finding spread swiftly, and by the next morning, the council had met to discuss its consequences. Tharros, Kael, and Arin stood with Sophia's facet, creating a tense atmosphere in the chamber.

Sophia improved, but her nerves threatened to betray her. She took a long breath to prepare herself before addressing the council.

"I've located a connection among Aquaria's magic and the strength my team detected at the floor," she started to explain. "The patterns are equivalent. "This is not a coincidence."

The council mumbled to itself, their emotions a combination of cynicism and interest. Veylor, sat at the far end of the chamber, leaned forward, his silver eyes narrowing.

"What are you suggesting, surface dweller?" He inquired, his tone oozing with contempt.

Sophia met his stare and refused to back down. "I propose that the balance of Aquaria's magic is tied to the health of the sea itself. If the magic fails, it is because the water represents the death of life."

A ripple of surprise swept across the council, their whispers becoming louder. Tharros lifted a hand to silence them.

"Give an explanation for," he said calmly but commandingly.

Sophia nodded, grateful for his support. "My research revealed rising temperatures and unusual electrical spikes near the ditch. It's as if the water is crying out. And now, with the Leviathan stirring, it is clear that something is extremely wrong."

"And you think you could restore it?" Veylor asked in a sarcastic tone.

"I don't understand," Sophia said, her tone unwavering. "but I believe I'm part of the answer."

Tharros advanced, his golden gaze fixed on the council. "We will not overlook this. If Sophia is correct, then the fate of Aquaria-and the ocean itself-depends on us."

The council remained silent, their discomfort evident. Veylor sat back into his chair, his countenance unreadable. Finally, he spoke.

"If she fails, it will likely be on your head, Tharros."

Tharros didn't hesitate. "If we do not anything, failure is guaranteed."

Tharros pulled Sophia aside as the council disbanded, his countenance softer than she had expected.

"You did nicely," he replied quietly.

Sophia sighed as fatigue settled over her. "I don't experience like I did."

"You stood on your floor," Tharros remarked. "That's extra than most might've completed."

Sophia mustered a faint smile, but her thoughts remained somber. "What if I'm wrong?"

"You are no longer," Tharros declared forcefully. "I believe you."

Sophia gazed up at him, her chest straining from the earnestness in his eyes. Before she could respond, Kael approached, interrupting the moment.

"We have a problem," Kael explained, his tone somber.

"What now?" Tharros asked, his expression darkening.

Kael's jaws constricted. "They're hunters. They are at the circulate."

Sophia's stomach fell, and the weight of her discoveries was immediately forgotten. Something came, and she realized they'd been going for walks out of time.

The Burden of Destiny

The council chamber became filled. Every seat was taken, and Aquarians from all factions crowded the upper balconies, their golden eyes fixed on the main platform, where Tharros stood with Kael, Arin, and Sophia. The air was filled with tension, expectation thick enough to taste.

Sophia's pulse quickened. The weight of so many gazes pushed down on her, and the odd whispers in Aquaria's historical language just added to her anxiety.

"This collecting is exceptional," Veylor commented, breaking the stillness. He stood in his customary spot, his silver eyes blazing as they scanned the gang. "We are here no longer to act, but to discuss the means of prophesy. Is this what our once-proud council has been reduced to?"

Tharros' golden stare penetrated Veylor. "We're right here because the stakes require it. If you choose lack of expertise, I urge you go."

The chamber was filled with murmuring, and Veylor's lip twisted, but he did not respond. Tharros indicated for the room to be silent, his dominating presence acting as an anchor.

"Sophia's arrival has sparked the awakening of ancient forces," Tharros stated, his voice resonating throughout the chamber. "The prophesy speaks of a bridge-of someone who can bring together what has long been separated. Whether you believe in it or not, her presence is not an accident."

"And yet, we still don't understand this bridge," another councilor said, her tone tinged with uncertainty. "What is she supposed to unite for?" The surface or the ocean? "Or something more dangerous?"

Sophia took a step forward before she should have, her want to speak overpowering her anxiety. "The prophesy does not explain everything in detail, but isn't that the point? Prophecies manual-they do not give you all of the solutions. What we do know is that something is threatening the global, and it is related to me. Ignoring that will not change that."

Her words hung in the air, and the silence that followed was almost oppressive. Then, to her surprise, Arin said.

"The girl is proper," Arin said, her green eyes keen. "The prophecy is not designed to soothe us, but to prepare us. Whether you embrace her or not, the truth remains: trade is coming, and none of us are prepared.

The debate heated up as council members disagreed on what the prophecy meant. Some welcomed Sophia's arrival as a sign of hope, while others saw it as a portent of disaster. As the hours passed, the voices faded into a cacophony of discord, leaving Sophia to battle with her own uncertainties.

Kael leaned closer, his voice low so she could hear. "If we let them, they'll keep talking in circles until the tide turns. Don't let their noise to distract you."

Sophia gave a slight nod, grateful for his steadying presence. Even with his help, she couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness. She became into no bridge and no savior. She was merely a scientist who had strayed into a world she did not understand.

"sufficient," Tharros' voice bellowed, piercing through the confusion. The chamber grew silent, and all eyes turned to him. "We are losing time. The prophecy refers to togetherness rather than departments. If we continue to debate over interpretations, we will doom ourselves before the opportunity even arises."

"And what's this threat?" Veylor challenged with a bloodless voice. "The Leviathan?" What about the hunters? Or maybe it's her? He pointed directly at Sophia, his words like a knife struck at her heart.

Sophia's stomach knotted as the murmuring increased again. However, before she could communicate, Arin moved forward, her gaze fixed on Veylor.

"Be careful, Veylor," she advised with an icy tone. "Blaming the woman is simple, but it won't help when the darkness comes. We have all seen the signs and symptoms. You cannot deny them."

Veylor's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.