Chapter 310 — Sparks Beneath the Waves
Kael's departure was quiet. No fanfare, no grand procession—only a few guards and a horse, his plans rolled tightly in a leather case strapped across his back. Lyria and Azhara had pressed him to be cautious; Rogan had insisted he take more men. But Kael refused. This was not a show of power. It was a step toward something greater.
The journey to the Ocean Kingdom was swift and uneventful. The closer he drew to Thalren's domain, the air grew salt-heavy, and gulls wheeled above the coast. The city itself rose from the cliffs and bays like a jewel carved by the sea—arched bridges of coral-white stone, towers that gleamed with polished pearl, and streets that sloped gently toward the water where ships docked like loyal hounds.
Kael dismounted at the gates, greeted not by guards' suspicion but by their respect. His name carried weight here now. He was led directly to the heart of the city, to a hall built into the cliffs themselves, its windows opening to the endless waves.
Thalren awaited him, draped in deep-blue silks, a circlet of shell and steel on his brow. His sharp features broke into a grin as Kael approached. "The Dragon of the Hollow walks into my hall without so much as an escort of banners. Either you are fearless, or you're mad."
Kael returned a half-smile. "Maybe both. But I didn't come for ceremony. I came for progress."
He set the case on the long table between them and unrolled the parchment. The sketches sprawled across the table—small armbands inscribed with runes, thin channels for mana lines, and the idea of linked cores to transmit words.
Thalren leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "What am I looking at?"
"A thought," Kael replied, voice steady. "Nothing more. A communication device, small enough to wear on the wrist. Powered by mana. Connected to others like it. I don't know if it's possible. But if it is, I want it kept between our kingdoms—for now."
Thalren's grin faded into something more thoughtful. "You're asking me to sit on the edge of the world and whisper into its future."
From the side of the hall, a man stepped forward. Thin, gray-haired, his robes were plain save for the dozens of ink stains across the fabric. His eyes burned with curiosity.
"This," the man said, running long fingers across the parchment, "is not just a thought. This is revolutionary. If refined, if it functions… entire nations could be bound by invisible threads. Armies could fight as one, merchants could trade across borders in an instant. Kings would kill for this."
Kael crossed his arms. "Which is why it must stay with us. For now."
The man looked at Thalren, then back at Kael. "It's too groundbreaking not to try."
Thalren's chuckle echoed against the stone walls. "Then we try. Tell me what you need."
The scholar's expression sharpened. "Stable iron for casing and frame. Mana crystals—refined and uncut both. And… a touch of magisteel, if you can spare it. Not much. Just enough to see if it can bear the mana strain without shattering."
Kael gave a firm nod. "The Hollow can provide iron and crystals. And magisteel, though sparingly. You'll provide production and testing."
Thalren leaned back in his chair, watching Kael with amusement and respect. "Always the negotiator, even when you hand me the keys to the future. Done. My kingdom will commit to production and testing. But Kael…" His smile returned, sharp and knowing. "If this works, you and I will be tied together tighter than any oath."
"That's the point," Kael said. His hand brushed the parchment, the rough lines of ink and vision. "We build something stronger than walls. Something no blade can cut."
The sea wind rushed through the hall's open windows, filling the silence that followed. Three men—one dragon, one king, and one scholar—looked down at the plans that could reshape the world.
And for the first time since the Church's armies had marched on the Hollow, Kael felt as though he was not just surviving, but shaping the future.