The Elements of Zion: the Vine, the Branch, and the Thorn

Murky Depths

Prince Liamaris sat in disbelief, his face a light shade of green now in the dim light of our ship. "I don't... I can't... Why?" He stammered, eyes fixed on the murky waters we had just escaped. "Why has the Thorn King left his dominion?"

I took a deep breath, knowing I had to make him understand. "It all went down at the Hall of Souls," I began, my voice echoing slightly in the confined space of the submersible. "Trose and I just got out of there, when it happened - Briah pulls a fast one and ambushes us. Trose tried to get us outta there flying, but those two dragons... they weren't just obstacles, they were the whole damn show. They were the path, the sky, the storm itself." My words hung in the damp air of the vessel as I watched the Prince absorb the gravity of the situation.

"My father, he spoke of those two dragons, mate. Back when the Azurian Capitol, Sapphires' Edge, was still standing tall in the First Age. He used to sit me on his knee and spin tales of their power and loyalty. Bloody fantastic creatures they were. But now it seems that scoundrel king has gotten his hands on 'em for his own wicked schemes."

Liamaris slowly turned away from the porthole, his gaze falling on the scattered crew bustling about the vessel. He studied their faces, each etched with a mix of determination and fear, then returned his attention to me. His eyes, a deep turquoise mirroring the sea around us, held a heavy question. "And the old Guardian of Zion?". 

I removed my helmet slowly, my heart heavy in my chest. I ran my hands over the engraved emblem of Zion, then placed it in Liamaris's hands. He traced the insignia with his fingers, his expression unchanging. Understanding dawned in his eyes, replacing any hope that had lingered there. "Trose...". I could only nod in response, the weight of our loss pressing down on us like the fathoms of water above.

Suddenly, a voice broke the silent mourning of our loss as a tiny Azurian rushed into the chamber, her tiny tail fluttering as she spoke in excited chirps. "Your Highness," she began, her voice steady, yet filled with a hint of urgency. "I mean not to intrude, but we must relay this news to King Triton immediately."

"You're right, Maridel, send a detachment to my father at once. He needs to be informed of these recent events".

"Aye Sir".  She saluted before darting off, her tail propelling her through the hatch and into the waters outside.

Liamaris whipped around to face me, a blazing determination in his eyes. "We need to make haste towards Heaven's Landing and deliver this news to the Ceaseless Wind. We must reach it before the Thorn King lays his grubby hands on it."

We pressed on through the murky depths, the rhythmic hum of our vessel a comforting constant amidst the unknown. Time seemed to lose meaning as the underwater landscape stretched on in an unending expanse. The dim light of the vessel illuminated the path ahead, the flickering glow casting eerie shadows on the ocean floor. An array of creatures, the likes of which I had never seen, darted in and out of the darkness, their glowing eyes shimmering like stars in the night sky. The silence of the deep was broken only by the occasional creak of our vessel adjusting to the pressure and the soft murmurs of the crew.

As the days stretched on, I couldn't help but be reminded of the naval officer tales I had heard of submarines. I imagined this was how their crew must have felt – cocooned in a shell of steel, surrounded by the infinite expanse of the ocean, with only their faith to keep them afloat. As an Azurian crew member, I was now acquainted with the marvels of the deep. However, there was an indescribable essence to this expedition - an air of urgency, an aura of danger, and a profound sense of purpose that set it apart.

The thought was interrupted by a sudden brightening of the waters ahead. A murmur ran through the crew as the silhouette of Heaven's Landing came into view, the Azurian fleet emerging from the depths to greet us, their radiant forms shimmering in the ocean light. We had arrived.

As we neared the brightening waters I watched the azurian fleet ahead, their forms growing larger as we closed the distance. Our vessels broke the water's surface together, the cold ocean spray splashing against our hulls. The transformation that followed was nothing short of magical.

With the grace of a ballet dancer and the precision of a master sculptor, each vessel began to morph. Transforming their bodies, extending, and reshaping to form the majestic hulls and majestic masts of ships. The sea spray glistened on their forms as they completed their transformation, now a fleet of ships bobbing gently on the water's surface.

The miracle of our arrival was met with cheers from Heaven's Landing. As the sun set, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple, the fleet headed toward the shore. I couldn't help but feel a tinge of excitement amidst the anxiety, the sight of Heaven's Landing shimmering in the distance a welcome respite from the oppressive darkness of the depths.

With an air of anticipation, Prince Liamaris pulled out a glistening, bronze scope from his belt, extending it to its full length. He peered into the eyepiece, his sharp eyes scanning the distant shore. "There," he declared, a note of recognition in his voice. He handed the scope to me, his gaze never leaving the shoreline.

I accepted the scope bringing it up to my eye. The lens brought the shoreline into sharp focus, and I saw what had caught his attention. Three figures stood just at the edge of the water, their forms illuminated by the dying light of the sunset.

On one side, the massive Oak of Truth loomed, its gnarled branches reaching out as if to welcome us home. To the other side was Rose, her amber locks a blaze of color in the waning light, her posture radiating a fiery determination that matched her hair. And in the middle, flanked by both the Oak and Rose, stood Dove. His serene presence was a balm to the chaos of our journey, a beacon of purity amidst the turmoil we had just escaped.