To establish a hold, I can accept. To carve out a mountain, I can understand. To quarry gashes into the world so great that it is akin to terraforming entire landscapes, even that I can comprehend. There is something there which simply allows me to gaze upon such grand feats of engineering and bathe in awe at them.

I do not bathe in awe at the Highway network. I am baffled by its existence. I have seen dwarven mineshafts that are so small even humans struggle to fit inside. Yet I am expected to believe that this race of men which struggles to reach up to my knees has carved out tunnels so grand that entire fortresses can easily be transplanted into them?

If the dwarves wanted logistical tunnels, then that is understandable. Have them be wide, have them be tall enough for a Divine even, but do not bother to waste so much energy on something so… wasteful? Even if we assume that the dwarves bred dragons once, and used the Highway for training the beasts in flight… Well, it sounds farcical as I write it. Why bother?

That is something that no one knows and the dwarves refuse to share. Many people gloss over the answer, or write it down as pride or hubris. I understand pride and hubris, Arascus chose me as his eight daughter after all. I am filled with both pride and hubris. Yet pride can explain the wealth and the greed of the holds. Pride does not explain these tunnels. They should not be so needlessly large. They should not follow the leylines up above so closely. They should not be structurally sound.

But most of all: why does the highway network even exist at all?

– Excerpt from “The Empire Underneath”, written by Goddess Kassandora, of War.

Sometimes, there were meetings where nothing happened, and sometimes, there were meetings when everything happened. Arascus leaned back into his chair on the sandy beach as he waited for Tasaidien, God of Alanktyda and Ruler of the ocean that had the same name as the kingdom within it. He had chosen an island close to the shores of Arika. A coast thick with jungle and small fishing boats was visible in the distance, along with three great warships of the Imperial Navy.

Huge floating fortresses, even though they were little more than the ships that Ausa had given to Arascus when he took them under his wing. With two turrets in front of the huge command tower that sat in the centre of the ship, and then pads for helicopters to land on in the rear, they were magnificent vessel. The red, black and white tricolour of his Empire fluttered in the gentle breeze as the sun rose overhead.

There was no one else on the island, Arascus had specifically chosen such an uninhabited place, and he specifically chosen no reinforcements or guards. For one, it set a bad image. For two, did Arascus really need guards? Sometimes, he was just confident enough in his own abilities that he would be able to go ahead and destroy whatever or whoever tried to fell him.

Tasaidien was strong, there was no doubt in that. But the God of Alanktyda was the God of a Nation at the end of a day. He was no God of the Oceans, that monster had been long killed to make smaller incarnations of the Deeps, of the Waves, of Saltwaters and so on. Arascus sat and waited on the island, a small thing with cliffs and beaches and tall trees which sprouted out of thick undergrowth. Birds squawked overhead and a whole host of animals were curiously peeking out of the water to see the Divine which disturbed their idyllic peace. Six-legged crabs and four-legged turtles and two-legged storks.

Arascus checked the time and sighed. Normally, he would arrive on the dot but this was his meeting, so he supposed he had to come at least a little early to set up the table and chairs. They were heavy wooden things he was planning to just leave here, Tasaidien could have them or the bug could devour them, Arascus did not care much. He sighed, at least he would get a tan. After a few moments of standing on that island, he pulled out his phone and started to read reports coming out of Ausa. Banditry, as predicted, was starting to spread throughout the newly reclaimed territories. Generals Sokolowski and Zalewski under Imperial jurisdiction and General Domkat serving under the Ausan had their work cut out for them. It was going exactly as Arascus had planned, now, no one would even bat an eye at the fact that Ausa was allowing Imperial troops to operate within their borders.

A week from now, the final White Pantheon Guardian and Paladin would leave Epa. Allasaria’s Seekers were still holding certain locations, but those could be cleared out quickly once they lost the numbers due to Fortia’s retreat. A location had been chosen for a new research facility deep in the Kirinyaan Central Mountains. Excavations were beginning, assisted by mages. A road and a rail-line were being laid from CR in that general direction.

A party of diplomats had arrived in Kirinyaa from Lubska, apparently Olonia was wanting to go ahead with the trade deal plan. That was good, more Epan reliance on raw Imperial materials could only be a positive. At the end of the day, there was no greater way to tie someone to yourself than to be the foundation they stand on. Several of the great east-west railways were nearing completion too. They were great steel veins that would serve to pump the nation’s lifeblood which was troops to the newly annexed western lands and raw materials to the eastern ports.

Eventually, the sea bubbling stopped Arascus’ ruminations on the news. The God of Pride turned and saw the God of Alanktyda slowly rise towards the surface. He came unarmed, unlike Arascus who always carried the sword on his hip. Tasaidien wore a plate mail of red coral, each tiny shell shaking and glinting in the sun. “Greetings God of Pride. I see you.” Tasaidien called out. It was an old greeting, very formal, Arascus did not particularly care much for it.

“Greeting Tasaidien of Alanktyda.” Arascus replied and extended his hand for Tasaidien to sit. “Sit, I brought no drink but two men as old as us, I am sure have had our fair share of drink.”

Tasaidien chuckled as he approached the table. Arascus had little information to get out of the man. Alanktyda was elusive, but it wasn’t particularly secretive either. It was simply that its position made it difficult to scout out. “What have you come to discuss?”

“I want you to end the blockade of Allia.” Arascus said as Tasaidien shook his head.

“That’s simply not going to happen.”

“You will conserve your forces, you have nothing to gain from this war, you will simply be losing men, eventually, something will come which can strike you and humans pay their debts. It is not my place to judge whether you should fight a surface war or not, however all I know is that a surface war will end badly for you.” The words weren’t meant to work, Arascus said them because he knew they wouldn’t. He just wanted to wipe the slate clean and not worry about such trivialities about who can gain and so on. Launching a lightning fast verbal assault was that exactly.

“I see you want something.”

“I want you out of the war.”

“I said it before, I’ll say it again, that is just not going to happen. I made a promise to Allasaria.” Tasaidien said and Arascus didn’t care took much frankly. He had not expected the man to mention the Goddess of Light. It was simply a bad defence to make.

“I just listed out the benefits of leaving this war. I know that even if you leave the White Pantheon, you will rejoin once Allasaria returns with Paradeisius’ armies. I am not asking that, I am asking for a ceasefire and a cessation of the blockade around Allia.” Tasaidien’s sea-green eyes stared directly at Arascus. The God of Pride did not know what the man expected, for him to come and bow? For him to bring gifts? What exactly did Tasaidien want exactly? Because he wouldn’t get whatever it was he thought he deserved. Frankly, the man deserved nothing, the fact he was getting anything was already a huge gesture of good will.

“I appreciate you so casually saying I would go back on my own word.” Tasaidien said and Arascus realised the man felt his honour had been insulted. Frankly, what should even be done about that? This man was supposed to be the ruler of an entire underwater Kingdom. Frankly, he expected thicker skin.

But then, if anyone wanted anything in this world, then they had to smile and pretend to be friendly every now and then. “Tasaidien.” Arascus began. “I am not saying you are would go back on your word just like that.” The God of Pride snapped his fingers. “I did not call you a liar, but I would the same in your situation. The only person who is honest to such a fault is Maisara. Neither of us are Maisara.”

And once again, Tasaidien held the silence for a few moments. “Neither of us are Maisara, that is true. But there is one issue.” Oh? Really?

“What is that?” Arascus was honestly curious. What issue could there be raised with the terms Arascus had provided, they were more than generous frankly.

“Why should Alanktyda leave the war now only to rejoin later?” Tasaidien asked as he stroked that beard of his. Outside, some of the warriors that had come with him and the mermaids once again resurfaced as they listened in. Their God must have felt their presence, because Tasaidien immediately raised his posture, sat back and crossed his arms. “It will only bring shame upon myself and everyone around me Arascus. You too are a ruler, you know how these things work.”

Arascus did indeed know how these things worked. Sometimes, a ruler had to set aside their ego for the sake of the nation. Sometimes, it was either a ruler humiliated themselves and carried the blame, or the entire land paid the price many times over in blood. “Because if you do not, then you will be destroyed.” Arascus said it slowly and directly. He was not threatening here, he was simply doing negotiations. Nothing less and nothing more than that.

“Me?” Tasaidien asked with a smirk. “I don’t think so. And if you’re talking about my kingdom, there is even less of a chance of that happening.” The God from the depths turned and made a theatrical show of gazing at the ships in the distance. “If you think that machines like that are enough, then I have to apologize. We have sunk several of your convoy when it was returning from the UNN, we would have sank it all were it not for the sorcerers onboard.”

Arascus cared little for those ships. He simply hadn’t wanted to lose them because it would cause diplomatic troubles with Ausa. Frankly, he was in the same boat as Kassie on this matter. There was no reason to give the man even the smallest taste of any courage or power or strength in himself. “I am talking about you and about your entire land.”

“Both of us?!” Tasaidien exclaimed. His smirk grew even more annoying, the man was no Anassa. He simply did not have the natural energy and charisma to pull it off. Yet he agued still: “Arascus, even during the Great War when you had far greater numbers and far greater monsters by your side, you could not touch Alanktyda. I apologize, I simply don’t see what position you are negotiating from.”

“The position is simple.” Arascus said. “Allia will become an Imperial Province and you will then be at war with us. I am giving you a way out for now. You will stop the blockade or we will stop your existence.”

Tasaidien smirked at Arascus’ tone. “I apologize Arascus. I know you’re not one to play around with words and thrown vain threats around, but I will not believe that the sun will not rise tomorrow just because Arascus says it.”

Arascus looked into his phone and opened a stream from a drone on the other side of the world. It was the early morning hours, the sun was only beginning to colour in the sky and there was no ground below. It was all dark oceans. In the middle of the shot, where the drone was focusing its camera, there were two women in the air. One in black and blue, one in black and purple. Both standing on a barrier of air, neither saying a word.

Arascus rang Elassa as he put the phone down on the table for Tasaidien to see. It was a good to see the delay on the drone. It was only a few seconds behind. They watched Elassa pull her phone out of her pocket and bring it to her ear. Her voice came through the speaker. “Elassa speaking. Do we have the green light on Seabreaker?”

“You are free to go.” Arascus replied and dropped the call, he slid the phone even further towards Tasaidien. “This is how we bring a stop to the blockade or to your people. I have enough grace to allow you to decide.”

Tasaidien did not reply. He simply started to watch the feed on the camera.

Elassa had cracked a continent.

What was pulling back an ocean for her?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep