The sound of the carriage wheels against the stone road set the rhythm of our advance toward the coast. Through the window, I watched the gradual transition from the continental vegetation to the salty hills that heralded our arrival at the ocean.
Inside the vehicle, the atmosphere was one of restrained anticipation. Liriel kept a hydrographic map open across her lap, tracing with her fingertips the invisible currents that cut across the coast, while her assistant, seated directly in front of her, frantically checked the vials of reagents and blank scrolls.
"The magical density in this coastal region fluctuates according to the tide," Liriel explained, breaking the silence as she looked at me. "To create a stable hydrostatic barrier that surrounds the entire group without exhausting our reserves, we will need to anchor the spell right at the surf."
Lyannis, who was leaning against the seat beside me, let out a low laugh and blew away a strand of hair that had fallen over her eyes. "As long as that barrier of yours doesn't make my hair smell like seaweed on the very first day, I trust your judgment, mage. The sea has this irritating habit of permeating everything."
Sitting across from us, Scarlett cleaned the guard of her sword with a cloth, her gaze fixed on the gleaming metal. "The resistance of the water will slow the weight of the blade. I'm more concerned with adjusting my muscles' reaction time than with aesthetics, Lyannis. If a marine predator decides to test us, vanity won't cut through scales."
Vespera, who kept her eyes fixed on the road through the gap in the curtain, merely moved her hand to touch the hilt of her dagger, silently agreeing with Scarlett's defensive stance. "The coastal perimeter is clear of demonic scouts, but we cannot lower our guard once we enter the water. Their territory ends where the wet sand begins."
Elara, always practical, closed her notebook with a firm snap. "All of our heavy luggage and surface supplies have already been sealed with vacuum runes. There will be no infiltration or loss of supplies. We are perfectly prepared for isolation."
Rai'kanna, who until then had been watching the horizon through the other window, leaned toward me, resting her arm on my shoulder with her usual physical closeness. "The wind has changed, Takumi. I can smell the sea air and the heavy humidity. We're almost there."
Shortly afterward, the carriage came to an abrupt stop on the firm sand of a deserted beach, surrounded by gray stone cliffs. As soon as we got down, the impact of the sea wind struck our faces. Before us, the ocean stretched as far as the eye could see, with heavy waves crashing forcefully against the rocks.
We walked together to the edge of the water. Liriel stepped forward, raising her crystal staff. Her eyes glowed with a deep blue hue as she began chanting the transition spell. A translucent and malleable mist began to emerge from the tip of the staff, slowly expanding until it formed a perfect dome that enveloped me and all the girls.
"The barrier is attuned to the biological signature of each one of us," Liriel explained, maintaining control over the magical flow. "It will repel the hydrostatic pressure and extract oxygen directly from the water molecules. You can breathe and walk normally."
I looked at the group, receiving firm nods from Scarlett, Vespera, and Elara. I took the first step toward the ocean, feeling the water rise over my knees, then my chest, until the surface completely disappeared above our heads.
The transition was immediate. As soon as we sank completely, the deafening roar of the waves on the surface gave way to a deep and imposing underwater silence. The sunlight, filtered through the column of saltwater, cast golden, shifting beams that illuminated the sand and rock formations below us.
"This is... absolutely fascinating," Liriel's assistant whispered, her voice slightly muffled by the acoustics of the dome, as she began scribbling quick notes on her floating scroll.
As we descended deeper, walking along the natural slope of the ocean floor, the landscape around us began to change. Dense forests of giant seaweed, moving lazily according to the invisible currents, rose like emerald towers around us. Small schools of silver-scaled and bioluminescent fish crossed our path, veering away from Liriel's barrier as if we were an unknown predator.
Lyannis extended her hand, observing a small glowing crustacean walking through a crack in the rock. "I admit that the lack of total gravity in here makes movement curiously light. It's like walking in a dream."
Rai'kanna walked beside me, keeping her golden eyes fixed on the shadows of the more distant coral formations. "The fauna here has a different rhythm. There is no malice in them, only pure survival. It's a temporary relief from the chaos of the surface."
The descent continued for several hours, and the sunlight was gradually replaced by the darkness of the abyss, interrupted only by the natural bioluminescence of the marine ecosystem itself. Coral gardens that emitted gentle pulses of blue and violet light covered the floor, providing shelter for creatures that had never seen the sky.
Scarlett tested a few quick movements with her arms, assessing the space. "The barrier isolates the pressure well, but the displacement of the air in here still requires a firmer stance. It's a good warm-up."
Vespera remained silent at the rear, but her tactical gaze inspected every new elevation in the terrain, ensuring that the group's advance remained safe and free of surprises. Elara, meanwhile, kept track of the time and the azimuthal direction with a magical compass, ensuring that we did not stray from the planned course.
Suddenly, the slope of the ground ended, opening into an immense underwater valley. In the distance, breaking through the dimness of the depths, an immense dome of golden light began to materialize before our eyes. Imposing structures of white stone and coral spirals, architected with perfect geometric precision, rose proudly from the seafloor.
The group stopped simultaneously, contemplating the grandeur of the scene. Before us, protected by its own ancient defenses and bathed in a serene mystical energy, the capital of the Fish-Man Kingdom emerged once again on the horizon, ready to welcome us.