The journey south seemed longer than usual, even with the carriage moving at a constant speed along the roads that cut through fields and forests. I watched through the window as the wind gently entered through the opening, touching my face with a cold sensation that seemed to announce something different from the usual. Since we left the mansion, the group's silence was broken only by small conversations between the girls, each one trying to hide their curiosity about what we would find ahead.
Lyannis looked ahead with her arms crossed, as if evaluating every detail of the road. Liriel was more relaxed than usual, but her eyes revealed that she was analyzing everything carefully. Rai'kanna maintained a firm posture, always attentive to the surroundings, while Scarlet seemed more restless, as if she was already imagining the next battle. Vespera, on the other hand, watched everything in silence, as if storing every piece of information inside herself without needing to comment.
Liriel's assistant followed right behind, curious about everything she was seeing for the first time outside of magical records. It was easy to tell that this journey was also a discovery for her. The fish-man mage accompanying us traveled ahead of the carriage, guiding us precisely toward the point where the ocean would finally begin to dominate the horizon.
After hours of travel, the smell of the air began to change. It was different, more humid, heavier, as if the world were slowly approaching something unknown. When we finally crossed the last hill, the sea appeared before us. An immense blue body stretched as far as the eyes could see, shining beneath the sunlight as if it were made of living glass. For a moment, no one said anything.
I got out of the carriage and stood there observing that vastness. It was the first time I had seen the ocean up close in that world. In my previous world, I had already seen images, videos, and descriptions, but nothing compared to the real sensation of standing before it. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore seemed like a constant, deep breath, as if the world itself were alive.
Scarlet was the first to break the silence.
"So this is the sea," she said with a slight smile, but there was something of respect in her voice.
Rai'kanna approached the edge a little more, looking at the water with a curious expression.
"It's bigger than I imagined."
"And more dangerous too," Lyannis added.
Liriel walked a few steps forward, sensing the energy of the place.
"There's a lot of mana here… different from the land. More fluid."
The fish-man mage then approached us.
"This is only the beginning. The real world is beneath the surface."
He slowly raised his hands and began chanting words in a language I did not know. The air around him began to vibrate slightly, and magical symbols appeared like small luminous particles spinning around the group. It was a large-scale spell, but it did not seem aggressive. It was more like an adaptation.
I felt something strange in my body. A slight pressure in my chest, as if my lungs were adjusting to something new. The sensation lasted only a few seconds, and soon afterward everything became lighter. The air seemed to remain the same, but there was a subtle difference, as if my body had learned to accept something that would previously have been impossible.
"Now you will be able to breathe underwater without difficulty," the mage said calmly.
I looked at my hands and then at the sea. It was difficult to believe that it would really work. But before I could think about it any further, he raised another hand, and the ground near the coast began to open with magical energy. From that opening emerged a metallic structure, like a small elongated vehicle, resembling an old submarine, but clearly built with magic.
"Get inside," he said.
The group entered little by little. The interior was more spacious than it appeared from the outside. There were symbols glowing on the walls and a kind of magical core in the center that pulsed slowly. When everyone was inside, the mage entered last and closed the structure with a simple gesture.
The vehicle began moving on its own toward the sea. First, it slid across the sand, then entered the water without resistance. The moment we submerged, I felt slight pressure on my body, but it was not uncomfortable. It was as if the world were embracing us.
The view through the window changed completely. The sunlight began to distort as we descended. Unknown fish quickly passed around us, some glowing as if they had light of their own. The blue became darker as we advanced, but at the same time there was a strange beauty in that depth.
"This is incredible," Liriel's assistant murmured, pressed against the window.
Rai'kanna watched in silence, but it was easy to tell that she was impressed.
Scarlet crossed her arms.
"I don't like places this enclosed… but I admit this is different."
I continued looking outside. The sensation of descending into a completely unknown world was intense. It was not merely a journey. It was like crossing a border between two worlds.
After some time, something began to appear in the distance. At first, only indistinct shapes, then enormous structures. Towers made of coral, buildings shining with gold and luminous stones. An entire city emerged at the bottom of the ocean.
I remained silent for a few seconds.
The capital of the fish-men was larger than I had imagined. There were entire streets built between natural formations of the sea, bridges connecting enormous structures, and creatures swimming freely among the buildings as if they were part of the city itself.
The vehicle began to slow down until it stopped on a platform near the main castle. When the door opened, the pressure of the water was no longer a problem. The spell really worked.
We got out one by one and stepped onto the seafloor as if we were standing on solid ground. The sensation was strange, but natural at the same time. The city around us was alive and bustling, filled with guards and civilians who watched our arrival with curiosity.
I took a step forward, observing everything around me.
"So this is the fish-men kingdom," I murmured.
The mage smiled slightly.
"Welcome to our world."