The sea lay broad and gentle, its waters clear and deep blue. Yet as the colossal metal construct advanced, the roar of its engines tore apart that stillness. Birds in the sky and marine life beneath the waves scattered in panic, fleeing in all directions.
"This is Hestia Island. A [Starlight] beacon has been erected there as a stable light source to guide ships safely home. However, it's a military watchport. Much like my aunt's temperament, the island itself is quiet and rather desolate, with nothing particularly entertaining…
"If you're looking for liveliness, that would be Thetis Island along the central axis over there. Every year, thousands of river gods and ocean current gods gather there. You outsiders don't know the rules, so it's best not to barge in carelessly…
"Following this route forward, you'll reach Hecate Island. It serves a nighttime defense function. Oh? It seems your ship carries two followers of the Nether Moon Goddess. If you wish, you may pay your respects at Hecate's temple. Though honestly, the truly interesting part of that island is its armory…"
Holding a wine glass, Triton stood beside the transparent hull wall, pointing at the islands scattered like stars across the sea as he spoke at length, introducing them one by one as though he were genuinely acting as a tour guide for his guests.
Samael rose with clear interest and stepped closer, asking curiously,
"Your Highness, what could possibly be interesting inside a cold, lifeless armory?"
This sea royal known as Triton, tracing his lineage through Greek myth, was the trueborn son of Poseidon, God of the Sea, and Amphitrite, Queen of the Sea. A genuine merfolk prince. He was also the divine messenger of the seas and the guiding god of long-distance ocean voyages. Among the sea gods, his status was unquestionably exalted, so addressing him as "Your Highness" was entirely appropriate.
Triton raised his hand and tapped the ship's wall, a material that seemed both metallic and transparent like glass. He then gestured casually toward the Naga serpent women guarding the flagship, as well as the sea serpents outside, each bearing three, five, seven, or nine heads.
"Look. The warship beneath our feet, and all of those out there, are products of the armory. They are completely different from what the Greeks conventionally understand. They'll definitely satisfy your curiosity."
So Hecate Island was effectively a weapons foundry, one that had mastered an extraordinary form of metal construct technology.
A faint, chilling light flickered deep within Samael's eyes. Seeing the metallic luster that seemed to permeate the bodies of the serpent women and sea serpents, he asked instinctively,
"Your Highness, such an incredible armory must have a name, doesn't it?"
"Mm. It's called [Echidna], named after the monstrous consort of Typhon, the progenitor who gave birth to many powerful offspring."
Triton proved quite talkative, casually explaining the origin of the name.
Back then, during the battle against Typhon that nearly flattened Olympus, even Poseidon was defeated. It was only through the combined efforts of the three goddesses of War God Mountain, along with Typhon's offspring from the Arima caves, that the monstrous tide was finally halted.
After witnessing the might of Typhon's progeny, the gods inevitably turned their attention to Echidna, the Mother of Serpents.
What astonished them was that Echidna herself was not particularly powerful. Yet through a unique divine trait, she was able to give birth to offspring far stronger than herself. She was nothing short of a miraculous womb.
Perhaps inspired by that very expectation, the armory that produced vast numbers of divine constructs was given her name.
And much like the prolific Serpent Mother, the divine weapons produced by the armory came in an astonishing variety. Many of them were even modeled after the forms of Typhon's offspring.
Aside from the Naga serpent women accompanying the fleet and the multi-headed sea serpents modeled after Hydra, the island also housed replicas of Cerberus, the three-headed hound of the underworld, as well as composite beasts like Chimera, among many other "creations."
Samael slowly savored the information revealed by this merfolk guide, the look in his eyes growing increasingly profound.
"We're almost there. Pass through here, and this is Atlantis."
During their casual conversation, the Deep Sea Fleet had already arrived before a defensive island-arc barrier formed by ten interconnected islands. Triton casually patted the traveler on the shoulder, reining in his chatter as he offered a calm reminder.
With a faint tremor, the flagship of the Deep Sea Fleet passed smoothly through the silver-white curtain of light that descended from the boundary of a colossal magecraft array stretching across the sky. Most of the remaining ships split off, returning to different islands and ports to rest and refit. Only a small number continued to follow behind.
"Your Highness, the ship trailing at the rear isn't listed in the sequence registry. The barrier is denying it passage. Should we—"
An Atlantis royal guard descended the spiral steps from the bridge and approached the merfolk prince Triton. He glanced at Samael, the outsider, and asked hesitantly.
"Then grant it authorization. Are you suggesting we drive away my guest?"
Triton cast him a sharp, sideways glance, his gaze cold and severe, as though genuinely offended on behalf of his visitor.
With the lesson of his colleague's misstep still fresh in mind, the Atlantis guard did not dare say another word. He nodded quickly and moved to relay orders to the sentry ports on both sides of the light barrier, adding a passage code for the Argo.
After a brief delay, the Argo, a wooden vessel utterly out of place among the surrounding steel leviathans, broke through the light curtain and sailed toward the harbor of the mysterious continent.
Having finally brought his guests into his domain, Triton stood upon the flagship's deck, bathed in the sea breeze. He spread his arms and stepped aside slightly, his tone filled with pride as he presented this hidden land to Samael.
"Look. This is Atlantis. The Age of Light. My kingdom."
Samael and the crew of the Argo looked up in unison, the awe in their eyes beyond words.
Upon each of the ten islands stood a bronze statue nearly a hundred meters tall, trident in hand, like colossal giants guarding the gates of Atlantis. Beyond them lay the vast interior of the continent, its architecture arranged in concentric rings. Ships and metal gates separated each layer, with access growing increasingly restricted the closer one drew to the center.
The innermost ring housed the most important temples and protected sanctuaries. Moving outward, modular city districts were laid out in an orderly yet varied pattern. Intersecting streets displayed a precise, disciplined beauty, while gilded domes produced harmonious tones as wind and temperature shifts passed over them.
Even more astonishing was what lay above the inner ring of Atlantis itself.
Suspended amid drifting clouds and radiant starlight was a towering mountain. The city upon it appeared and disappeared like a mirage, its interwoven corridors resplendent and elegant, exuding a distinctly metallic sheen.
"That is…"
"Poseidonia. You can simply call it the Sea God City. My father summoned the gods of the Oceanus Sea and personally oversaw its construction, wielding his divine authority. It is the very essence of Atlantis, and the highest expression of our culture, art, and craftsmanship."
"Incredible… It's like the mountain is floating among clouds and stars."
"Exactly. Which is why it also bears another name."
Triton lifted his gaze toward that miraculous structure, pride evident in his expression.
"The Interstellar City-Mountain Range. Olympus."
The ten royal islands named after the gods lay on the outer perimeter of Atlantis, serving as its guardians.
Echidna, the perfect Mother Goddess who carried on the mighty bloodline of Typhon, lent her name to the armory that gave birth to countless divine constructs.
And now, Olympus, once the symbol of supreme Greek divine authority, had become a star-bound city-mountain devoted to the worship of Poseidon.
Interesting.
Truly interesting.
The corner of Samael's lips lifted slightly, a trace of mockery and amusement glinting in his eyes.
...
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