Power of Runes Chapter 452: Heart of the Ocean (2)

From the abyss, another congregation emerged. Their immense forms were encased in dense, segmented carapaces, appearing ancient, akin to sculpted stone rather than living tissue. Subtle markings and lines etched upon them hinted at antiquity and resilience. Their advance was unhurried, measured, yet each footfall emanated a quiet power that commanded attention, as though the very ocean yielded to their passage.

They were the Tidal Colossi. Though few in number, their mere presence imbued the atmosphere with a palpable gravity.

At their vanguard, one colossal figure bore a shell marked by fissures, within which faint luminous lines pulsed, suggesting ancient scars that had deepened with the passage of time rather than faded.

A slow exhalation escaped him as his gaze swept over the assembled beings and then to the island. "Sigh.....Sirens, Ocean Elves, and even the Shark Kin.....along with hundreds more races.....and the count continues.....," he intoned, his voice a deep, resonant cadence, laced with a hint of recognition. "It appears this is no mere ripple, no trifling matter to be overlooked."

The Shark Kin chieftain tilted his head infinitesimally. "Your acknowledgement alone tells me this warrants our attention."

The Ocean Elf Princess offered a subtle inclination of her head. "When he declares something is not simple, it typically implies it is far worse than anticipated, or at the very least, more intricate than we would prefer."

A low growl rumbled from the Colossus, perhaps a subdued chuckle. "Or perhaps more intriguing, depending on one's perspective."

Seris, her focus unwavering on the island, finally broke her silence. "The waves are not being disrupted."

Her pronouncement drew all eyes back to her.

"They are being guided," she added, her voice maintaining a steady certainty, leaving little room for ambiguity.

The Shark Kin leader's brow furrowed, not in confusion, but in intense concentration. "Guided by what?" he inquired, his tone shifting to one of greater seriousness, his earlier casual demeanor receding.

Seris offered no immediate reply.

She appeared to be listening intently to something beyond the audible spectrum.

Then, she spoke.

"A Heart is about to beat.....for the very first time..."

This single utterance did not dissipate quietly. It reverberated through the gathering, an anomaly utterly out of place, leaving a subtle tension in its wake.

For a fleeting moment, the ocean itself seemed to hold its breath, but the expressions of those present transformed in an instant.

The Shark Kin leader's frown deepened, his gaze fixed upon Seris, as if attempting to discern the sincerity of her words. "A heart...?" he echoed, but this time, distinct disbelief, mingled with annoyance, colored his tone. "What are you even suggesting? How could such a thing possibly occur?"

The Ocean Elf Princess turned her full attention towards Seris, her prior composure replaced by sharp focus. "This is hardly the moment for cryptic statements," she stated, her voice firm yet weighted with significance. "If you have perceived something, elucidate it properly. Do not leave your meaning half-formed."

Even the Tidal Colossus diverted his massive gaze towards Seris, his imposing presence intensifying, not with aggression, but with a palpable demand for answers. "We are not here for riddles, Seris," he added, his deep voice measured and resolute. "What precisely did you sense? Articulate it clearly."

They understood that the Sirens possessed an exceptional sensitivity to the melodies and rhythms of the ocean, and thus, they did not dismiss her words, even if comprehension eluded them.

Seris did not react instantly to their queries.

Her gaze remained steadfastly fixed on the island, as if all else around her had ceased to exist.

"I am not entirely certain," she replied after a brief pause, her tone unaltered, which only amplified the growing frustration. "But the waves..."

She tilted her head slightly, as if straining to hear more keenly.

"They lack randomness."

The Shark Kin leader clicked his tongue softly. "We've already established that much," he retorted, his patience visibly waning. "You mentioned something about a heart. What exactly does that signify? Provide a clear explanation."

"...they feel familiar," she stated slowly, as though carefully selecting each word, her thoughts unhurried.

The Ocean Elf Princess narrowed her eyes. "Familiar... In what manner?"

Seris remained silent for another second before responding.

"Like a pulse, or a rhythm."

That word landed with a resonance that surpassed all previous pronouncements.

The Shark Kin leader's expression hardened subtly, though his instincts compelled him to lower his gaze to the water beneath him. Initially, he perceived nothing out of the ordinary, beyond what they had already noted.

But then, he froze.

His focus intensified.

The water's movement... it was not chaotic.

It rose.

Then it fell.

A brief Lull.

Then it repeated.

His brows drew together.

"...no," he murmured under his breath, his eyes still fixed on the water, as if unwilling to acknowledge what was beginning to dawn on him.

The Ocean Elf Princess followed his gaze, extending her own senses outward, attempting to grasp the subtle phenomenon he had just detected.

A few moments elapsed.

Then, her own expression underwent a visible change.

"...this rhythm..." she whispered, her voice losing some of its earlier control, "this is not just flow... it repeats too precisely..."

"...it resembles a Heart beat, but its impossible right...."

The Shark Kin leader let out a sharp breath, frustration still present, but now mixed with something else. "So you are telling me..." he said, his voice low, "...that the entire ocean is moving like a heart, beating in a pattern?"

Seris did not answer directly.

She simply looked at the island again.

"I do not know what it is," she said quietly, and for the first time there was a slight crease in her calm expression, "but whatever is there...it has only begun...."

Before they could continue further, another presence arrived.

An elderly woman stepped onto the surface, supported by several glowing fish that circled around her gently, their movement calm, almost soothing against the tension in the air, their faint light adding a soft glow around her.

The Koi Ancients.

She looked at the gathered figures, her expression peaceful, as if she had expected to see all of them here.

"You all gathered faster than I thought," she said softly, her voice carrying a quiet warmth, "it seems the ocean truly did not hide this well, or perhaps it wanted to be found."

The Shark Kin leader crossed his arms loosely. "You usually stay away from things like this unless they are worth it."

She smiled faintly. "And yet you are always drawn toward them, even when they are not, as if you cannot resist it."

The Shark kin leader flexed his muscles as he said, "That’s because I like challenges and fighting to death.....and this feels like it might be worth it."

Her gaze shifted toward the island, lingering there.

"This is not something you can understand by rushing forward," she said gently, "not everything that calls attention is meant to be approached, some things are meant to be observed first."

The Ocean Elf Princess inclined her head slightly. "Elder Lian, if even you came, then this is no small matter. Do you also think....this is the same thing from the Myths? The Heart of the Ocean...??"

Elder Lian’s smile remained, but her eyes turned a little more serious as she heard that question.

"The Heart of the Ocean..." she said softly, repeating the words as if thinking about them carefully, "that is not something we should jump to so quickly."

The Shark Kin leader gave a faint scoff, though it was not as confident as before.

"Myths stay myths for a reason," he said, but his gaze was still fixed on the island, as if he did not fully believe his own words.

The Ocean Elf Princess did not look away from Elder Lian. "But this is not normal either," she said calmly, her voice steady but a little heavier now, "the waves, the rhythm... everything feels too precise."

Elder Lian looked toward the sea, her expression thoughtful. "In the old stories, they did not speak of a thing you could see or hold," she said simply, "they spoke of a presence, something that could move the Oceans at will. But it is just that, a Myth."

The Tidal Colossus looked toward the waters below. "A pulse like this?" he asked.

Elder Lian did not confirm it directly. "What we are feeling now... is similar," she replied, "but similarity does not mean it is the same thing."

"So, what should we do now, Elder Lian, what’s the Stand of Alliance on this?"

The Ocean Elf Princess asked.

But Elder Liam just stayed silent, not responding to her, before she said, "We wait....for now..."

For a brief moment, no one responded.

More figures continued to gather one by one and the Ocean around the Island started to get crowded, and within just few minutes, miles of area around the island was surrounded from all sides, but no one made the first move towards the island, the tension only continuing to build as more eyes turned toward the same point.

They all wanted the piece of the pie and because of the Ocean Alliance they can’t fight with each other, but after Seeing Elder Lian there, they all stopped, watching her and waiting for her to give directions as of how to proceed, holding back their instincts for now.

But as Elder Lian opened her mouth to speak, a deafening boom resounded from the island.

-BOOOM!!!!!

-RUMBLEE!!!!!!

***