Chapter 371: She's Safe!

The guards froze as they watched the small orb Meridia had given Jax, that glowed with a tranquil radiance.

One of them slowly lowered his spear, another did the same and then, "Lower your weapons!"

The commanding voice echoed through the water. Every spear immediately moved away from Jax. The guard standing at the front, apparently the captain of the group, stared at the pendant for another moment before looking toward Jax's face.

His expression had changed completely. The suspicion remained. Any competent royal guard would naturally be suspicious of an unknown man who had somehow appeared directly within the borders of their hidden kingdom.

But now another emotion had appeared beneath it, confusion, because the artifact before them belonged to a legend.

"Where," the captain finally asked, "did you obtain that?"

Jax casually touched the pendant, "This?"

The captain's eyes narrowed with a dangerous glint, "Do not pretend ignorance. That pendant carries the mana of the Primordial Goddess Meridia."

Several of the guards looked toward Jax again. They had clearly felt it as well andJax smiled faintly, "Good."

The captain blinked,"...Good?"

"At least I don't have to spend the next hour convincing everyone I'm allowed to be here," Jax said looked around at the weapons that had only moments earlier been pointed at him, "That would have been annoying."

The captain's expression tightened, "You have not answered my question."

"True," Jax folded his arms, "I received it from Meridia herself."

Jax's answer was met with silence Even the distant sounds of the city somehow seemed quieter.

The captain stared. One of the younger guards behind him nearly dropped his spear as he heard that, "...What?"

Jax repeated himself, "Meridia gave it to me."

The guard continued staring. Then another one of the Royal Guards whispered quietly, "He just said the Primordial Goddess personally gave it to him."

"I heard him," The other guard snarkily said.

"You think he's lying?" One asked.

"Silence," The captain's voice immediately became sharp.

The other guards straightened once more and Jax chuckled. The captain looked at him once more, "You expect us to believe that you met the Primordial Goddess?"

"No," Jax answered immediately.

The captain paused and Jax smiled, "I don't particularly care whether you believe me or not."

"..."

"You recognized the pendant. You recognized her mana. That's enough." Jax said.

The captain's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't like the answer, Jax could tell, but he also couldn't deny the truth.

The pendant had been examined and the mana signature was unmistakable, and there was something else.

The ancient defensive formation that protected the Merfolk Kingdom had allowed Jax inside. That formation had existed for longer than most of the current Merfolk civilization could remember.

It was designed to detect invaders. Things like assassins, spies, and hostile divine entities looking to infiltrate the Kingdom.

Yet Jax had crossed directly through its outer defensive boundary. The formation had inspected him, and then, it had accepted him.

The captain glanced toward the pendant.

Only one explanation made sense.The Primordial Goddess herself had authorized his presence.

He slowly released his spear, "My apologies."

Jax raised an eyebrow, "That was quick."

The captain's expression remained serious, "You entered the Kingdom without prior warning. We responded as required."

"Fair enough."

The captain bowed his head.

"However, anyone carrying the direct blessing of the Primordial Goddess is not an enemy of the Merfolk Kingdom unless they prove otherwise."

Jax smiled, "That's a reasonable policy."

The captain straightened, "I am Captain Vaelor of the Royal Tide Guard."

Jax nodded, "Jax."

"Very well," The Captain gestured behind himself, "Jax."

"Yes?" Jax responded.

"His Majesty and Her Majesty will need to be informed immediately."

Jax's smile faded slightly.

"That works for me."

Vaelor paused.

Something about the way Jax said those words made the captain study him more carefully.

"Is there a particular reason you came seeking the Royal Family?"

"Yes."

Jax's golden eyes became slightly more serious.

"I have something important to tell them."

Vaelor looked toward his guards.

Several of them exchanged uncertain glances.

Jax noticed, "You don't have to worry."

Vaelor turned back toward him, "I assure you, that is not why, "

"I wasn't accusing you."

The captain stopped.

Jax smiled again.

"I can tell you're curious."

Vaelor remained silent.

Jax began floating forward.

"So let's go."

The captain stared for a moment. Then, "Escort him to the Royal Palace."

Immediately, the guards moved. Two took the lead. Another two positioned themselves behind Jax.

Vaelor remained near his right side. Jax noticed the formation and he smiled, "Still escorting me like I'm dangerous?"

Vaelor answered honestly,"You are an unknown individual carrying the blessing of a Primordial Goddess and an amount of mana I cannot properly evaluate."

Jax looked toward him.

"That's a surprisingly good answer."

"I am not paid to give bad ones."

Jax laughed.

"Fair enough."

And together, they began moving through the Merfolk Kingdom.

Jax had already been impressed when he first arrived.

Actually traveling through the kingdom made him realize that he had underestimated it.

The Merfolk Kingdom was enormous, much larger than it had appeared from the outer entrance. From the distant valley walls to the center of the kingdom, civilization stretched farther than his vision could comfortably measure.

Everywhere Jax looked, there was movement.

Life and activity.

Merfolk traveled through the wide underwater avenues.

Merchants moved between districts while accompanied by enormous aquatic beasts.

Children swam through the currents while laughing loudly before their parents inevitably called after them.

Jax watched one young Merfolk boy dart between two large coral structures.

"Come back here!"

A woman shouted.

The boy continued swimming.

"No!"

"KAEL!"

Jax laughed quietly.

The boy suddenly stopped.

Slowly turned. Then immediately disappeared behind another building. The woman sighed.

Jax continued moving after seeing that. The buildings themselves were remarkable.

The Merfolk had clearly learned to build with their environment rather than attempting to dominate it. Living coral formed enormous natural structures.

Some had been carefully guided over centuries into elegant spiraling towers. Others had been carved from ancient stone found along the ocean floor. Blue and white crystal formations had been incorporated into buildings, naturally illuminating entire districts.

Mana flowed through carefully designed channels. Jax could feel the magical infrastructure beneath everything.

Defensive formations, water current regulators, transportation arrays, communication networks, environmental control systems, and more.

His golden eyes carefully examined each of them with deep interest.

Jax had expected the Merfolk Kingdom to possess powerful magic, but this civilization was more sophisticated than he expected. Perhaps one of the most sophisticated he had encountered in Terra.

A massive creature passed above them.

Jax looked upward. It was a sea turtle. An enormous one. Its shell was covered in structures. Actual structures.

Several Merfolk stood atop it while securing crates.

The creature slowly moved toward another district.

Jax watched.

"...That's one way to handle transportation."

Vaelor followed his gaze.

"A Royal Merchant Turtle."

"A what?"

"The Tidal Carriers breed them."

Jax looked back toward the massive turtle.

"You've got specialized turtles for commerce?"

Vaelor stared at him.

"...You don't have commerce creatures?"

Jax paused, then laughed.

"No."

The captain looked genuinely confused.

"You should."

"I'll consider it."

The guards nearby glanced at each other.

It was becoming increasingly difficult for them to understand this strange visitor. He carried Meridia's blessing. He possessed an absurd amount of mana. He had somehow entered their hidden kingdom.

Yet, he was casually discussing commercial turtles.

Jax noticed their expressions, "What?"

Nobody answered.

He smiled.

"Nothing?"

Vaelor cleared his throat.

"The Royal Palace is ahead."

Jax looked forward, and stopped.

For several second, he simply observed it. The palace was magnificent.

Aeternum Noctis possessed enormous castles of black stone.

The Dragon Territory contained mountain-sized structures carved into volcanic cliffs.

The Faerie Realm possessed architecture that seemed impossible, living structures shaped by ancient magic and nature.

But this was something entirely different.

It rose from the center of the kingdom like an underwater mountain.

White crystal formed the foundation.

Immense towers stretched upward through the ocean, each wrapped in spiraling ribbons of living coral.

Blue crystal domes reflected the surrounding water.

Massive glowing formations rotated slowly around the highest towers.

Great bridges connected sections of the palace.

Enormous statues stood around the exterior.

Merfolk.

Leviathans.

Ancient sea creatures.

And at the highest point was a statue of Meridia.

The Primordial Goddess stood with both hands extended.

Water appeared to flow eternally around her stone form.

Jax slowly smiled.

"They really like her."

Vaelor immediately looked offended.

"She is our Primordial Goddess."

"I noticed."

The captain frowned.

Jax chuckled.

"I'm not insulting her."

His gaze traveled toward the statue.

"If anything, I'm starting to understand why the kingdom considers her so important."

Vaelor studied him.

"You met her."

"I did."

"And yet you speak so casually about her."

Jax looked toward him.

"Should I start trembling every time I say her name?"

"No."

"Then we're good."

The captain didn't answer.

Jax began moving again.

The guards escorted him toward the palace.