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Chapter 30 - Tides Of truth

**Chapter 30: Tides of Truth**

The sea cavern echoed with a silence more intense than any battlefield. Valen, Marcus, Alexander, and Larren sat cross-legged in a sacred chamber carved from glowing coral and smooth stone. The walls shimmered faintly with ancient runes—scripts from a time before empires, before gods had chosen their apostles. Before them stood the Sea Warrior leader, Dadyon Rohn The Apostle of the sea.

Tall, with ocean-blue hair flowing like crashing waves and eyes as deep as the abyss, Arkan carried a presence that demanded silence. He observed the four young warriors who had risked their lives against the hellhound—a feat that even seasoned warriors would tremble before.

"You have proven yourselves," Daryon began, his voice deep and resonant. "And for that, I will tell you the truth… the real reason why the tides have grown restless."

The flickering runes on the walls brightened as he stepped forward.

"The gods of the underworld have begun to stir once more. Hades… has chosen two emperors—those who rule the southern and eastern empires—as his apostles. Their minds are no longer their own. They are puppets wrapped in divine corruption."

The revelation landed like a thunderclap.

Valen's eyes narrowed. "So the chaos… the war drums echoing across the continent… it isn't natural."

"No," Daryon confirmed. "It's orchestrated. These emperors—once noble rulers—now bear the brand of Hades. And their armies prepare to raze Kiel to the ground."

Alexander clenched his fists. He had always sensed something was wrong about the surrounding nations, how quickly they had turned against Kiel. Now it made sense.

"But why Kiel?" Marcus asked. "Why target us?"

Daryon walked toward the edge of the room, gazing into a small pool of glowing seawater.

"Because Kiel remains untouched by Hades' influence. It stands as the last beacon of uncorrupted divinity. If Kiel falls, there will be no resistance left. Hades will ascend from the depths and claim the world."

The group fell silent, processing the weight of their mission. The battle they were training for wasn't just another skirmish—it was the final wall between the world and the abyss.

Daryon turned back. "You've awakened your Sea Resonance. That much is impressive. But to survive the coming storm, you must master it."

He raised his hand. Water spiraled around it, forming complex patterns before exploding into vapor with a flash of light.

"You've only skimmed the surface. Now, I will train you myself."

With that declaration, the group felt the air shift. Training under Daryon Rohn, one of the last surviving high warriors of the Abyssal Depths, was no small matter. Each of them nodded, ready to push themselves beyond their limits.

---

The next morning, training began under a sky hidden by layers of oceanic mist. The cavern's open fields allowed controlled environments using magic-enhanced chambers that simulated pressure, speed, and elemental combat.

Daryon took a personal interest in Alexander. The blessing of Poseidon within him was growing, and it needed refinement.

"Your water affinity is strong," Daryon said, standing beside him as waves crashed in a conjured pool nearby. "But brute strength is meaningless if it's unshaped."

Alexander stood still, his breathing calm. His hands danced through a pattern Daryon had shown—Water Form: Flowing Crescent. A whip of seawater curved from his arm and launched into the pool, slicing a summoned stone creature in two.

Still not fast enough.

Daryon's voice boomed, "Again!"

Alexander repeated the form, again and again. His skin glowed faintly blue. His eyes shimmered like the ocean surface under the sun. For hours, he trained until his breath was ragged.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Valen sparred under Daryon lieutenants. Their mastery of sea techniques had grown quickly. Larren acted as both training partner and bridge to the culture they were still learning to navigate.

Valen combined his deadly sword strikes with water-enhanced bursts, using the flow to curve his normally linear attacks.

Marcus, steady as ever, shaped water into razor-sharp shields and blades, adapting to every new motion.

Larren grinned after being disarmed in a sparring match. "You guys fight like sea storms now. Guess I'm not the only prodigy anymore."

---

By the sixth day, Daryon called them together. They stood in a circle beneath the ancient shrine of the Tides.

He looked to each of them with solemn eyes. "You are no longer outsiders. You are part of the sea's legacy now. The war is not far. And your bond with each other may be the key to turning the tide."

Valen looked toward the carved symbols of his family and Marcus'. They were both connected to the sea more than they'd known.

"Tomorrow," Daryon said, "we begin the final stage of your awakening."

With that, Chapter 30 ends as the sea warriors prepare their chosen ones for the war that will decide the fate of their world.

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