Chapter 346: Impossible!

Jax held the translucent orb between two fingers, turning it slowly as the imprisoned creature continued hurling itself against the inside of its prison.

Every impact produced tiny ripples across the inner surface of the sphere.

Not the outer one. The barrier Jax had constructed possessed dozens of independent layers. The creature was only reaching the first.

"Persistent," Jax said as he observed the creature inside the translucent prison.

Inside the orb, thousands of tiny blue eyes glared back at him with unmistakable hatred.

Its rotating jaws continued turning, producing miniature clicking sounds that somehow still carried the same unsettling rhythm they had possessed when the creature had been large enough to blot out underwater mountains.

Astra stared for another several seconds before shaking her head and sighing, "I’m never getting used to watching you do things like this."

Jax smiled as he heard that, "I hear people say that every few weeks."

"Because every few weeks you somehow become even more ridiculous," Astra said as she pointed weakly toward the orb, "That thing was destroying dimensions an hour ago."

"It was," Jax said.

"And now," She leaned forward, "It’s the size of a kitten."

Jax looked down at the furious little monster, cracking a joke, "It has excellent anger management issues."

Despite everything, Astra laughed.

The laugh quickly turned into a wince as several healing wounds reminded her she probably shouldn’t be laughing, "Oww,"

"I told you be careful," Jax muttered.

"I know, I know," Astra muttered.

Jax crouched beside the golden barrier. The protective sphere continued quietly drawing ambient mana from the surrounding ocean.

Now that the artificial dimension had disappeared, the Western Varoza Ocean itself had begun calming. The oppressive pressure that had blanketed this section of the sea for untold ages was gone.

Ancient currents resumed flowing naturally. Schools of ordinary fish cautiously returned from distant waters. Tiny glowing organisms drifted through the trench once more. Life was already reclaiming what had once been imprisoned beneath the false realm.

Jax looked around silently as he saw all of this, "It feels different."

Astra followed his gaze, "It does, the ocean’s breathing again."

Neither of them spoke for a little while. The enormous trench no longer felt cursed. Only ancient. As though an infection had finally been removed.

Eventually Astra looked back toward him, "So, now I guess you’re gonna hand that off to her?"

Jax nodded once, "I need answers, and also her help meeting the Merfolk don’t forget, this was just what I needed to do,"

He lifted the orb slightly, "But also, this thing shouldn’t exist. This creature, whatever it is, is far too strange,"

"You think she knows what it is?" Astra asked.

"If anyone does," Jax’s expression became thoughtful, "It’s probably the Primordial Goddess of the Oceans."

Astra slowly nodded, "Fair enough."

She leaned back against the marble fragment inside her barrier, "I wish I could come."

"I know," Jax’s voice remained gentle, "But you’re injured. You pushed yourself too hard in that fight, remember what I told you, always trust me,"

"I know," Astra said with a sigh of frustration.

"You did well," Jax praised.

Astra blinked for a moment and then smiled, "Thanks."

She looked down for a moment, "I wasn’t sure I’d actually manage to buy enough time."

"You bought more than enough," His answer came immediately and then Jax gestured toward the now peaceful trench surrounding them.

"We won, that’s all that matters," Jax said, and golden mana quietly spread beneath his feet.

Several familiar runes illuminated around Astra’s protective sphere. She recognized the spell almost immediately.

"Teleportation?" Astra asked.

Jax nodded, "I’m sending you back."

"Straight to the palace?" She asked.

"The medical wing," Jax responded.

Astra groaned dramatically, "I knew there was a catch."

"You’ll survive," Jax said.

"Barely," Astra responded.

"I’ll let Orianna know you were very brave," Jax teased.

Astra immediately looked horrified, "No, she’ll probably give me some extra work as a ’reward’ for helping you,"

Jax actually laughed when he heard that,"I’ll think about it."

"Please don’t," Astra pleaded and the teleportation circle brightened. Soft golden light surrounded Astra together with the barrier protecting her.

She looked up one last time, "Don’t take too long."

"I won’t," Jax responded.

"And," She hesitated, "Be careful."

Jax lifted the orb containing the imprisoned monster, "I think the dangerous part is already over."

Inside the sphere,

~THUNK!~

The tiny creature slammed itself against the barrier again.

Astra looked at it, "It disagrees."

"It can continue disagreeing, it’s gonna be trapped here for as long as I like," Jax said.

She smiled, "See you soon."

Golden light enveloped both Astra and the barrier completely. Space folded and a heartbeat later, she was gone, silence returning around Jax.

Only Jax remained within the immense trench. He looked around one final time at the collapsed mountains and ancient crystal forests, the ruins of a civilization that had abandoned its home long ago.

His eyes lingered on the distant remains of white marble structures, "I’ll have to come back."

There were still countless unanswered questions.

Who had built the hidden city? Why had they chosen to imprison that creature instead of killing it? Where had they gone? Why had the creature remained asleep until now?

He suspected Meridia might know, or perhaps, he glanced toward the orb.

"You’ll tell me eventually."

The miniature monster answered by baring every tiny rotating tooth it possessed and Jax smiled, "I’ll take that as a maybe."

Golden mana expanded beneath him. Unlike ordinary teleportation, this spell stretched far beyond continental distances.

It reached directly toward a divine sanctuary. The ocean around him shimmered and then, reality quietly folded.

The scent of salt remained, but everything else changed.

Warm light filtered through the water, beaconing from the nearby temple. Brilliant coral gardens stretched across the seafloor in every direction.

Thousands of fish of every imaginable color swam peacefully between living reefs.

Great sea turtles drifted lazily overhead. Mana here felt completely different, influenced by Meridia’s temple.

Jax looked up.

Above him stood the immense sanctuary of the Primordial Goddess of the Oceans, Meridia’s Temple.

Unlike the last time Jax arrived at the temple, this time, the environment was so much different.

Maybe its because the temple had become active after so long, but that warm mana had swept through the environment, bringing back a massive sense of vibrancy that was missing the first time Jax had arrived at the temple.

Usually, this deep into the ocean, color begins to fade away into dull nothingness, creatures become far rarer and more powerful and big in scale, and there is an eerie quietness.

Now, various schools of fish swam around vibrantly, enjoying the new fresh environment, and fresh plants had already became blooming underwater.

Meridia’s influence was so grand, that just her temple awakening for the first time in so long had such a massive influence.

Jax entered the temple, and unlike before, there were a pair of enormous gates that opened without anything or anyone touching them, waiting for him.

Ancient coral shifted silently aside while arm divine mana flowed outward.

Jax entered calmly, and the temple interior looked even more breathtaking than he remembered.

Sunlight refracted through massive crystal domes overhead. The entire sanctuary glowed with tranquil blue light. Schools of tiny fish swam freely through open halls.

Massive pillars supported vaulted ceilings decorated with murals depicting the birth of oceans, ancient civilizations, forgotten leviathans and the Primordial Goddess herself.

Every step Jax took echoed gently across polished pearl floors.

Jax saw various murals lit up, displaying various historical events related to Meridia, the Ocean and the Merfolk.

Jax looked at them for a moment before heading to the central sanctuary. The enormous doors were already open. Soft blue light spilled outward.

He entered and at the center of the chamber was an orb, tapping on the orb, Jax immediately felt himself pulled into Meridia’s divine domain.

At the center of this domain, Meridia waited.

She stood before the great fountain at the heart of the temple.

Her long azure hair floated gracefully through the water. Her gown shimmered like the surface of a tranquil sea beneath moonlight.

Around her, countless streams of water orbited silently, each carrying tiny stars within. She turned before Jax spoke.

Golden eyes met sapphire ones. For several long moments, neither said anything, but then Meridia smiled.

"You succeeded so quickly, how impressive, I knew I could trust you," Meridia said, "It’s seems those 3 girls really chose you correctly,"

Jax returned the smile, "They definitely did."

Her gaze shifted. It landed upon the translucent sphere and her smile slowly disappeared.

"..."

She took one slow step forward. Then another. The closer she came... The more serious her expression became.

Finally she stopped directly before the floating orb.

Inside, the imprisoned creature stared back at her. Meridia’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Impossible. This is the Beast?" Meridia asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Yes, and it seems like you know its story,"