Cold marble.
That was the very first thing that registered in Corelia's body. The palace floor of Oceania had always been smooth—polished to a mirror-like finish, calm and controlled, like it reminded you that even royalty must kneel before something greater.
But today— It felt colder and heavier like it already knew what was about to be said.
Corelia knelt first then Mishell followed a second later. They both knelt without saying a word, the silence in the air was really defeaning that alone was unsettling. They had both transformed Into their real Identity, their tails long and beautiful.
The throne room stretched endlessly in layered blues and silver tones. Sea crystals hung from the domed ceiling like frozen lightning, glowing faintly with each pulse of energy in the room. Behind the throne, living currents moved like a wall of breathing glass—schools of glowing fish weaving through one another, casting soft rippling light across the pillars, beautiful but tense.
Queen Shellina sat at the center of it all effortless and powerful. She didn't need to raise her voice, even the ocean itself listened when she breathed.
"Rise."
The word echoed through the chamber like a tide striking stone.
Corelia stood slowly, Mishell stood too—but her shoulders were tighter than usual.
"Greetings, My Queen," Corelia said, bowing her head.
The Queen's gaze lingered longer than usual but there was warmth in it like concern, she was a ruler but before all that she was a mother.
"Corelia. Mishell," she said softly. "It has been two weeks since you departed from Oceania." She paused then continue "How has it been living among humans?"
Time moved differently here compared to the human world.
Mishell exhaled through her nose.
"If I'm being honest?" she said flatly. "Complicated. Loud. Dramatic. Also emotionally exhausting for absolutely no reason."
Corelia nudged her slightly.
"It has been… eventful, Your Highness,"
she corrected gently. "But manageable."
The Queen's lips almost curved, almost.
"And your identities?"
"Still concealed," Mishell replied quickly. "No exposure, no suspicion, no one suspects we're not human."
"…Except Lydia," Corelia added quietly.
Mishell rolled her eyes. "She doesn't count. She suspects everything."
The Queen nodded.
"A human knows your secrets?."
"I swear It's not my fault, all thanks to Corelia". Mishell said so fast she hardly missed a beat.
"Really". Corelia responded giving her a shocking look.
"This Isn't betrayal, you refused to wipe away her memories". Mishell answered.
"Cause she seems useful".
"All she knows is Q4".
"Ladies enough". The Queen said but her voice echoed through the whole room.
"You trust this human enough?". She asked.
"Yes my Queen". Corelia responded Immediately.
"Mishell...." The Queen called out, noticing she wasn't responding.
"Yes Mother, we trust her briefly". Mishell reluctantly replied.
"Alright". Then her expression change, subtle but enough for even the currents behind her throne dimmed slightly.
"I did not intend to summon you this soon," she said. "But the Nine Elders uncovered something we could not ignore."
Corelia felt her stomach tighten instantly.
Mishell's arms folded.
"Of course they did," she muttered. "Because things weren't stressful enough already."
"The reason Araxie remains bound as a spirit in the human realm…" the Queen continued slowly, "…is not weakness."
She paused. "She is using it."
The light in the room dimmed further.
"She is feeding on instability, on fear, on disruption."
Corelia's fingers curled slightly.
"She's getting stronger," she said softly.
The Queen nodded once.
"Yes so you two must capture her before the Lunar Eclipse"
The word Lunar Eclipse hung in the air, Mishell and Corelia glanced over at each other then back to the queen.
Mishell raised a hand.
"Yes!." The Queen
"Quick question before this gets worse," she said. "When exactly is this lunar eclipse we're suddenly worried about?"
The Queen turned her gaze toward her totally
"Minus today…" She pause. "…ninety-three days remain."
Corelia felt the number hit her chest hard.
"Ninety-three…"
Mishell leaned her head back.
"Oh, fantastic," she said dryly. "I love deadlines tied to potential world destruction. Really keeps things exciting."
Corelia almost laughed, almost.
"You must capture her before then." The Queen said.
"Capture?" Mishell echoed. "Not destroy?"
"She cannot be destroyed in her current state."
Corelia stepped forward slightly.
"Then how do we stop her?"
"Destory her scales and that would make her human, you already have the death shell to do the job"
"Wow you said It so easily". Mishell said.
"My Queen, we currently have a problem". Corelia pointed out.
"Go on". She responded.
"Few days ago I was attacked by a Noctyra and now a Ruin Wraith Is on the loose currently hunting Its victim". Corelia explained.
The Queen's expression grew more serious.
"To capture a Ruin Wraith," she said slowly, "you must get close to its target."
Both girls froze.
"The Wraith does not attack randomly," she continued. "It binds itself to a victim—someone it intends to break. It feeds through proximity."
Mishell's eyes narrowed.
"…So we stay close to whoever it's trying to kill."
"Yes."
Corelia's voice dropped.
"…That means we put ourselves in its path."
The Queen didn't deny it.
"More reasons for you to go on a date with Jax". Corelia whispered.
"Not necessarily". Mishell responded
"Additionally," The Queen continued, "Araxie's scales must be recovered with Immediate effect."
Mishell frowned. "Why?"
"They are fragments of her original form," the Queen explained. "Scattered when she was bound."
Corelia's mind raced.
"If she regains them she will accelerate her return and if you do not retrieve them first…"
The Queen's voice lowered.
"…more creatures will come."
Mishell let out a slow breath.
"Of course they will," she muttered. "Because one supernatural problem wasn't enough. Let's add a full invasion."
Corelia gave her a look.
Mishell shrugged. "I'm just saying—it's a lot."
"You must locate the scales," the Queen said. "And capture Araxie before the eclipse."
Silence settled heavily around them.
Mishell suddenly spoke again.
"Can the Nine Elders increase our power?" she asked. "Amplify us? Give us something extra? A boost? A miracle?"
"No."
The answer was immediate and firm.
"You already possess what is required."
Mishell's jaw tightened.
"Then why does this feel impossible?"
The Queen didn't hesitate.
"Because you are afraid."
The words landed clean and direct making the room stilled completely.
"You are not failing," the Queen continued. "You are doubting."
Mishell looked away.
"…When did my life become this complicated?" she muttered. "I was supposed to rule one day. Not chase dangerous spirits in another world."
Corelia stepped closer.
"You chose this because you would one day become a great leader," she said softly. "No one forced you, you took on the responsibility."
Mishell didn't respond but she didn't argue either.
The Queen's voice softened again.
"I trust you both," she said.
Corelia swallowed.
"And if we fail?"
The Queen didn't pause.
"On the night of the eclipse," she said, "Araxie will take full form."
The currents behind her darkened completely.
"She will return here and Oceania will fall."
Mishell exhaled slowly.
"…Okay" she said. "That's enough apocalypse for one day." She turned away. "I'm going to my room. I need a few things before we go back to chaos."
And just like that— She vanished in a streak of blue light, the room felt quieter without her.
The Queen turned to Corelia.
"She has not been difficult, has she?"
Corelia smiled faintly.
"She complains," she said. "But she protects."
The Queen nodded.
"Take care of her."
Corelia bowed slightly.
"You can trust me your majesty."