Chapter 208
After the coronation, we gather in one of the palace chambers, the weight of the moment settling over us. The grandeur of Khale’s ascension still lingers in the water, but we don’t have the luxury of basking in it. There is too much work to be done.
The future is uncertain, and every decision we make now will shape what is to come. The ocean feels both endless and constricting at this moment, stretching in all directions yet pressing in with the weight of all that must be done.
I turn to Khale, offering a sincere smile. "You did a wonderful job today. Ao is lucky to have you."
Khale dips his head in appreciation, though there is an exhaustion beneath his golden gaze that wasn’t there before. "Thank you, Phoebe. I only hope I can live up to my promises. The road ahead won’t be easy."
Wake, ever the pragmatist, crosses his arms and leans against a carved column. "It won’t be easy for any of us, but when your people are ready to join the fight, I’ll make sure more allies are waiting."
Khale grins at him, though there is an edge to it—like a warrior preparing for the next battle before the first has even ended. "I would expect nothing less from the Trench Dweller."
Then his gaze shifts to me. "And where will you go from here?"
A heavy silence settles over us before Cora clears her throat and steps forward. "We need to go to the Enigma South Pacific facility."
Even though I suspected this was where we were heading, hearing it aloud makes the finality of it sink in. The room feels smaller, the weight of our responsibilities pressing down like the deep ocean above us. I don’t miss the disappointment that flickers in Khale’s expression, nor the quiet sigh from my grandmother. It makes my heart ache, but we all knew this moment was coming.
I place a reassuring hand on Cora’s shoulder. "Are you sure? Wake and I can take care of freeing Delphinium ourselves if you feel you’re needed here."
Cora shakes her head, her expression resolute. "With Leviathan on the brink of waking, there isn’t a crevice in this ocean where we aren’t needed. We have to determine our priorities."
Khale nods, his expression dark with understanding. "And in a very real sense, you will be aiding Ao by finding out who is behind this Darklite mining and what they’re doing with it."
Cora’s jaw tightens. "The fact that Enigma was able to set up this entire operation under Nereid’s nose is highly disturbing."
I sigh. "It always feels like we’re three steps behind Enigma."
Wake’s voice is like steel. "Wherever they’re getting their information, I plan to find it and eradicate it."
Khale raises a brow. "That’s a tall order."
"That’s why we need to get to it sooner rather than later," I reply firmly. "We can’t afford to lose any more ground."
Khale glances between us, his expression dark with concern. "There’s only three of you against all of Enigma and whatever allies they’ve gathered in the shadows. I know you’re capable, but those odds are damn near insurmountable."
Cora smirks. "We won’t be alone. I’ve already mobilized Nereid."
I blink. "As backup?"
Wake nods approvingly. "A wise choice. The battlefield has changed since we left the island. It would be foolish to swim in blindly."
Cora confirms, "Exactly. That’s why Nereid will ferry us a few miles off the island. We’ll spend a night or two conducting reconnaissance before making our move. We need to know what we’re dealing with before we act."
The thought of stepping onto solid ground after so much time underwater sends a ripple of anticipation through me. The idea of breathing air again, of walking instead of swimming, is both tantalizing and strangely daunting. The ocean has become my home, my world, and yet, the land still calls to something deep within me.
Khale nods. "It’s a solid plan, but I’d like to make it foolproof. Follow me."
Curious, we trail behind him as he leads us through the palace, winding through a series of corridors. The palace is a labyrinth of secrets, the walls whispering with histories long buried. The glow of bioluminescent sconces flickers against the stone, casting eerie shadows along the hall. I wonder how many rulers before Khale walked these same halls, carrying the same burdens of power and responsibility.
Eventually, we reach a thick set of double doors covered in ancient Enkian carvings. The symbols pulse faintly in the dim light, whispering of old magic and forgotten power. I feel a strange sensation crawl over my skin, like something waking up, sensing our presence. The weight of history presses down on me, and I realize that whatever is behind these doors is something that has been hidden for a reason.
Khale places his hand on the door, and the carvings begin to glow, a deep, humming energy building beneath his touch. The symbols brighten, pulsing in an intricate sequence that looks almost alive. With a low rumble, the doors slowly swing open on their own, revealing a space unlike any I’ve ever seen.
The chamber is vast, its ceiling lost in darkness, its walls lined with relics of a forgotten time. Weapons, armor, scrolls—artifacts of kings and warriors who came before. The floor is embedded with a massive, glowing map of the ocean, swirling lines of light tracing currents and hidden pathways long lost to history. I can’t tell if it is a physical map or a projection of living energy, but it shifts and moves, as if reacting to our presence.
At the center of the chamber, on an elevated pedestal, rests something even more remarkable.
A weapon. A trident unlike any I have ever seen.
It hums with power, its surface pulsing with the same energy as the doors, as if it recognizes Khale—or is waiting for him. The craftsmanship is beyond anything I have encountered, its three prongs etched with symbols that glow softly in the dim chamber. It doesn’t look like a weapon designed for ordinary battle—it looks like something made to shape the course of history itself.
I gasp, staring into the chamber beyond, my mind struggling to comprehend what I’m seeing. What secrets lie within this room? And more importantly—why is Khale showing us this now?
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