(POV Aileen)
We're wrapped once more in that familiar blue glow, inside a vast hall where every sound feels muted.
A few stray bubbles drift lazily through the water.
The ceilings rise impossibly high.
The walls are so transparent they seem to dissolve into the ocean beyond.
And at the far end—
I've never seen a throne like this.
Two enormous oysters stand open, each cradling a bed of soft cushions.
Seated upon them are the Sovereigns: King Nèilos and Queen Selìna.
Their features are so refined, so impossibly beautiful, they barely seem real.
It's impossible to guess their age.
They look young—
but they might be ancient.
The King's long, wavy hair shimmers in shades of sky-blue, his eyes a deep topaz. His torso is powerful, sculpted, crowned by a circlet of white gold set with brilliant sapphires.
The Queen's form is ethereal, framed by a cascade of silver hair and luminous sea-green eyes. A delicate white-gold diadem rests upon her head, adorned with living marine patterns.
Like the tritons, her torso is bare, save for an ornate shell-crafted bodice.
Their tails gleam in silvery green, fading into flashes of vivid electric blue.
I move toward the throne, spellbound by the sight—
but when the guard advances, I stop halfway across the hall.
Dorcha and Grogher flank me.
Our companions remain behind us.
Queen Selìna curves her lips into a faint smile and gestures almost imperceptibly.
"Come closer," she says. "Do not be afraid. You are welcome."
That should be a good sign.
We advance. As soon as we stand before the Sovereigns, the guard steps aside, returning to the ranks.
"So," King Nèilos says, "you are the Princess of Cloudland."
His voice is utterly devoid of emotion.
It makes my skin prickle.
The Queen's gaze snaps toward my companions.
"Servants do not accompany their masters," she says coldly.
"Who are these?"
Servants?!
How dare she—
I need to stay calm.
Aileen. Calm.
"They are not my servants, Your Majesty," I reply evenly.
"They are my companions—my finest knights and the most gifted winged mounts that could escort me."
"The fact that your animals have wings is quite useless down here."
"That may be so," I answer, "but we will soon return to the surface."
"That remains to be seen," the King says sharply.
"Guards!"
Every triton in the hall breaks formation, aligning themselves before the throne.
"Yes!" they answer in unison.
What is happening?
Dorcha, Grogher, Raertha, Sidae, and Hercules immediately close ranks around me.
Sidae even roars—his fur bristling, every instinct on edge.
He's so massive that, save for one paw, I can't see anything else.
Please… maybe this isn't necessary—
or maybe it is.
The Sovereigns' laughter cuts through the water.
High.
Piercing.
Wrong.
"Take the flying beasts away," Queen Selìna orders casually.
"In our circus, they'll be worth a fortune."
"No!" we shout together.
Dorcha and Grogher throw themselves over Hercules and Sidae.
I grab Raertha, clinging to her with all my strength.
No one will hurt them!
Damn it—how do you fight without solid ground?!
We're at a complete disadvantage.
I can barely control my spear—it's too light, I'm not used to this!
Dorcha and Grogher are struggling too.
We can't win like this.
We can't—
As I desperately try to hold onto my unicorn, I catch a flick of fin out of the corner of my eye.
A dull thud behind me.
Raertha collapses, unconscious.
Sidae.
Hercules.
All down.
What—?
Where did they go?
I turn toward the throne in shock.
The Queen is pointing at us, speaking rapidly to the guards in her own language—
a cascade of shrill sounds, bubbles spilling from her lips.
I don't understand a single word.
But I know it's nothing good.
I don't understand.
I swear—I don't understand.
Dorcha and Grogher look lost. Furious. Ready to fight, yet completely powerless.
None of us are in our element.
What are we supposed to do?!
(POV Queen Selìna)
"Guards, attend to my orders.
The half-Troll goes to the Hall of Amusements.
The Orc Prince—to the cell with no return.
Show them no mercy.
If they resist, you know what to do.
Make them suffer in the most exquisite ways—but do not kill them. Not yet.
Their insolence deserves a long punishment."
She pauses.
"As for the girl… bind her."
Poor, foolish creatures.
So naïve. Almost touching, in their attempt to resist.
The Princess screams, kicks, thrashes—
how can she not see how pointless it is?
A triton gags her. Another seizes her and shackles her to a pillar of the hall.
So easy.
The two knights are laughable.
Look at them, trying to protect her.
It might even be entertaining—
if it didn't bore me so.
Enough.
I turn a finger, and my beloved chains bloom into existence.
Done.
Bound.
They will never break free.
(POV Grogher)
I can't do it.
Why can't I do it?!
I feel my strrrength draining with every movement.
Wait—
maybe… maybe I've got it—!
Ah!
(POV Dorcha)
"Grogher!"
Damn triton! He smashed a rock against his head—he's bleeding!
He's out. I have to help him!
"Winds and storms of the North, turn upon these chains and those who wield them!
Free us all, and grant us better days!"
I screamed it with everything I had.
It's one of Urchoicha's most powerful spells—
why isn't it working?!
And now—
ah—!
The pain—
I have to hold on.
I have to.
(POV Aileen)
"Mmmh! Mmmmmmmmmmhhh!!!"
The Sovereigns hurl rods through the water—
they streak like lightning toward Dorcha!
They're tearing his clothes apart.
Dorcha!
Mother—his skin is bruised, torn, smeared with blood!
What do I do?
What do I do?!
"Mmmh—mmmmmhhh—mmmmmmhhh!!!"
I can't move!
What are they doing—no!
Dorcha, no!
Cursed tritons!
He has no strength left. He's bound. Wounded.
Why are they shoving him with their tridents—
like he's nothing more than a ball being passed around?!
Dorcha—
no—
It's like the Trial with the Elves…
but this time—
this time it's real.
Dorcha!
I can't give up.
I won't.
I have to find a way to help him.
No matter the cost.
The Elves taught me the right magic. I know they did.
If I can't speak it—
I can think it.
Alright.
Calm down. Think.
...
…..
…
Nothing.
Nothing comes.
How is that possible?
I can't remember the movements.
Not a single one.
Something is blocking me.
That much is obvious.
And if that's true—
then I have no chance.
But—
no.
No, this can't be it.
I have to make these half-fish understand that this is not a game.
The fate of the Great Universal Realm is at stake!
And Dorcha.
Grogher.
The others.
They have to free them.
A team doesn't split apart.
It wins together.
I lift my head to face the Queen.
She's standing right in front of me.
Watching.
Her eyes are glassy—almost unhinged.
She wants to frighten me.
I won't let her.
She has to listen.
Whatever it takes.
I shake my head sharply.
She'll understand—I need to speak.
"Remove her gag," she orders the guards still present.
Finally.
A triton steps forward and frees my mouth.
"Speak."
This is it.
I can't mess this up.
"Your Majesties, I beg you—listen to me. We are not your enemies. Quite the opposite.
We are here to save our planet. All of us."
She looks at her husband.
Her expression is strange—
almost a grin.
Did she not understand what I said?
"And what," she asks at last, "would we have to do with this so-called Great Universal Realm?"
What does that mean?
Is she mad?
"Are you not part of it?" I snap back.
"Do you not live in it, like the rest of us?
The fact that you dwell beneath the sea does not make you nonexistent!"
The King moves beside her.
"So?" he says.
"What is it you want from us?"
I have to say it plainly.
Whatever happens.
"Your Secret."
Silence.
They look at each other again—
and then they burst out laughing.
What is so funny?
"Our… Secret?" she scoffs.
"Amusing, isn't it, my dear?"
"Very," the King agrees.
They turn back to me.
My throat tightens.
They're serious now—
there's a depth in their eyes so dark they seem almost pupil-less.
"And why," the King asks,
"should we ever give it to you?
What use would it be to you?"
A reasonable question.
Maybe—
maybe I can convince them.
"Let me tell you—"
And I do.
I tell them everything.
The destruction of the Parchment.
The petrification of my Realm.
The mission I've been chosen to carry out.
The two Secrets already claimed.
They listen.
…
"That's all," I finish softly.
"Do you understand now?
That's why your help is essential."
(POV Selìna)
So… if what the Princess says is true…
Cloudland no longer exists.
Now that the Sigillum Maximum has been destroyed, its dominance is nothing more than a memory.
Which means that we, the Sovereigns of the Deep Abyss, finally have a concrete chance to seize control of the entire Sevenfold World.
Save it?
Why would we ever want to?
And save it from what, exactly?
I am more than certain she has fabricated everything.
If the Sigillum truly shattered into a thousand pieces, Eloria and Eadwig must have gone into hiding out of shame—
petrified? Hardly.
They simply sent their daughter ahead, wrapped in a carefully orchestrated excuse, hoping to restore Cloudland and place the crown back where it once sat.
If they expect us not to take advantage of this…
then they are even more naïve than I thought.
Now that the heir to Cloudland is in our hands, the opportunity is far too tempting.
We must bring her over to our side.
If we succeed—and we take command—
no one will ever come to reclaim her.
Not even her timid parents.
And besides…
Still…
at this point…
cunning will serve us better than brute force.
"My dear, now we understand," I say gently.
"You should have told us sooner."
Let's hope she takes the bait.
Nèilos looks at me.
He understands.
"You may consider our Secret already yours, my love," he adds.
Not so fast, husband. This requires finesse.
I step in.
"Of course," I say warmly.
"But first, allow us to host you for a while. We would love for you to truly experience our Realm."
She looks uncertain.
No matter. I will make her believe.
"And my friends?" she asks—
in what she probably imagines is a threatening tone.
How adorable.
"Oh, your friends will be freed immediately, of course. With our apologies," I assure her.
"I trust you will forgive us—after all, we are suspicious by nature.
They will be given appropriate lodgings, and you may reunite with them when it is time to depart."
"Are you sincere, my Queen?" she asks.
How could you doubt it…
"But of course, my dear. Varsos!"
My favorite General enters, lavishly adorned, and bows deeply.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Release Princess Aileen and escort her to the royal quarters.
Prepare the chamber adjacent to ours.
For the next few days, she will be our guest."
"I wouldn't wish to be a burden…" the girl says hesitantly.
She believes us.
"No burden at all, dear. Go and rest. We shall expect you at dinner."
The Princess is escorted away.
Nèilos and I exchange a knowing smile.
I am truly pleased.
I pull him close, embracing him tightly,
and kiss him—deeply, possessively.