Chapter 54: Currents in the Deep
The masked man led them deeper into Fontarin City, his silver-threaded robes swaying with each step. The soft splash of water against stone echoed through the canals, the sound oddly rhythmic, almost purposeful, like a hidden heartbeat beneath the city's surface.
Waker walked a half-step behind, keeping Ravi's sword loose in his grip, unease prickling him. Every canal they passed carried faint ripples, shifting as though following their movements, though no breeze stirred the water. He noticed ordinary life unfolding — children laughing on a bridge, merchants carrying baskets, pedestrians strolling past — yet it all felt distant, like a painted backdrop against the unnatural silence hanging over the streets.
Nyra walked quietly beside him. Her gaze darted across rooftops and shadowed arches, then to the dark mouths of the water channels. Once, she tilted her head as though listening to something only she could hear.
The masked man finally stopped before a wide square. In the center, a fountain rose like a twisting column of glass, its water spraying into arcs that shimmered with strange light. Around it, narrow streets spiraled away in perfect symmetry.
"This is the Tide Plaza," the man said. "From here, you can reach any of the six districts."
Waker glanced at him. "And where exactly are you taking us?"
"To the Harbormaster's Hall," the man replied. "Every traveler entering Fontarin must register."
After a pause, the man's masked face tilted toward him. "Let's just say the water here carries whispers. And today, it whispered about you."
Before Waker could press him, a sudden tremor rippled under his feet — faint, but enough to make the fountain's spray shiver. From one of the side canals, bubbles churned up, breaking the mirror-like surface.
The masked man stiffened. "Stay here."
He strode toward the edge, motioning sharply to two guards who had appeared seemingly from nowhere. They leaned over the water — just in time for a sleek, scaled head to break the surface. Its black eyes were unblinking, its gills flaring.
Waker's grip on the sword tightened. "That's the same as before—"
"No," Nyra murmured. "It's Different."
She stepped forward, and Waker noticed something strange — her pupils had changed, they turned a deep, violet hue with a single white dot glowing at the center ... Exactly like Ravi's. The water-dweller hissed softly, but instead of lunging, Its black eyes locked onto Nyra's glowing gaze. Then, as if compelled, it sank back beneath the surface and vanished.
The masked man returned, his voice clipped. "I've to move quickly. Please Register yourself at Harbormaster's Hall." He gestured toward a jade-like structure on the far side of the plaza." I've to report immediately that something is stirring beneath the deep channels — and it's not part of our defenses."
Nyra tilted her head slightly, and her eyes turned back to onyx-black.
Waker caught the faintest flicker in Nyra's blank expression — something like recognition, which quickly buried.
Three more guards arrived out of nowhere. These five Fontarin Warriors emanated a dignified air, they wore coordinated black uniforms with sky-blue trimmings, each carrying both rapier and dagger. Their bearing radiated disciplined strength.
The masked man inclined his head slightly. "It is polite to introduce myself before I leave. My name is Asud. I have the feeling we will meet again — the tides always return." His silver eyes lingered on Nyra for a moment too long. Then, with a rustle of robes, he and his warriors melted back into the city streets, leaving only silence behind.
As they left, the air started to feel heavier. The banners above fluttered, but no voices came from the balconies. Even the water's rhythm had changed — slower, and weightier.
"Nyra," Waker whispered. "What just happened back there?"
She shook her head. "I don't know."
But Waker had seen the flicker in her eyes, and the way the creature had yielded to her. She knew more than she admitted or maybe her amnesia was worse than he expected.
He sighed and turned toward the jade hall. Together, they stepped inside.
The Harbormaster's Hall was vast and echoing, lit by orbs of pale blue light that swayed gently like buoys. Waker's thoughts drifted uneasily to the guards — they were disciplined, precise, and dangerous. They were not to be underestimated.
"Waker!"
The familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts. He spun, eyes widening. Across the hall, three figures stood — two of them wrapped in bandages.
"Dorn? Kiran?"
Relief broke across Waker's face. He ran to them, joy and disbelief tangled in his chest. The last time he had seen the brothers, they had fallen from the cliff while he himself was swallowed by the pit alongside Reydon. He had thought them lost along with the members of the Great Claws.
Both Dorn and Kiran wore simple brown robes, their injuries visible but their spirits unbroken. Standing just behind them was a girl about their age, her presence striking.
Waker skidded to a stop before Dorn, his words tumbling out. "It's good to see you alive! How did you survive that fall?"
Dorn exhaled heavily, then pointed to the girl. "It's thanks to her. She saved us. Honestly … I still don't remember how we made it out. I don't remember anything after I fell down from that cliff."
Waker turned his attention to their rescuer. She wore dark indigo robes lined with silver stary patterns, and her sky-blue hair matched her eyes. A pointed hat shadowed her face, but the spectacles perched on her nose glimmered in the light. In her hands, she carried a metallic staff crowned with a sphere of swirling blue light.
Waker bowed slightly. "Assalam u Alaikum. My name's Waker … and thank you. You saved my friends' lives."
The girl blinked, adjusting her spectacles. A faint blush touched her cheeks. "Y-You're welcome," she murmured, voice shy but clear.
Waker straightened, smiling.