The reception hall slowly filled with a calm, welcoming warmth that contrasted sharply with the violent chaos of the Midnight Trench only hours earlier.
The golden doors closed behind them with a soft echo, sealing away the distant sounds of palace activity. Within the chamber, the atmosphere was tranquil and refined, almost sacred in its quiet elegance.
Soft light filtered through the massive crystal windows lining the far wall.
Beyond them, the endless ocean stretched outward in every direction, a vast sapphire world illuminated by drifting schools of glowing fish and distant coral forests swaying in slow underwater currents.
The room itself had been designed for honored guests. Every detail radiated wealth, comfort, and ancient Atlantean craftsmanship at the highest level.
The circular table dominating the center of the chamber had clearly been grown rather than carved, its surface formed from polished living coral whose veins glowed faintly with embedded mana crystals.
