The sea flows.
Within that flow, water binds together and becomes one.
Located in the midst of the endless blue deep, Nereis was a city that seemed to live and breathe upon the sea.
Unlike Ignis, Nereis was not a city built upon fixed land.
It was built upon flow and change.
Not only Nereis, but the structures of the Aqua Empire as a whole shared one major characteristic.
Their walls were made of condensed crystals of water.
Aqua’s buildings floated upon the sea, and at times sank beneath the surface.
They were like a part of the sea itself, moving with its currents.
Because of that, whenever sunlight reflected off the water’s surface, a gentle blue glow flowed throughout the city.
Thus, Nereis was always filled with rippling light.
Each time the currents moved, the color of the light also changed—to silver, turquoise, deep blue, and more.
Those lights were so vivid that they were almost indistinguishable from the blue of the sky.
The citadel where Nereia’s throne was located stood at the center of Nereis.
Her citadel, too, emitted a variegated radiance.
It was as though it were displaying the beauty of change and flow.
Citizens born within the territory of the Aqua Empire sometimes called Nereis the “Blue Cradle.”
Nereis, like the very heart of the Aqua Empire, maintained an atmosphere that was both dynamic and serene.
Nereis was not fixed in a single form.
Powerful currents naturally formed and became roads, and the citizens of Nereis used these flows to move about within the city.
They traveled upon the currents and lived according to the streams.
Due to changes in the currents, the city’s buildings would sometimes shift positions.
That did not mean they drifted away entirely, but because of it, finding the location of one’s destination each day became a part of daily life’s charm for the citizens.
“Where did the market go today?”
“It’s moving along the northern current right now. We’ll have to hurry if we want to catch up.”
“Good. Then we’ll have to take the fast current.”
At Nereis’s Current Market, all manner of goods were traded.
Thread made by weaving seaweed, jewels dug from the depths of the seabed, fragments of water crystals that made up buildings, and more.
There, goods were rarely exchanged directly by hand.
Usually, sellers and buyers floated their goods upon the currents, and exchanges were made that way.
No one coveted goods or monopolized them; instead, they shared their possessions through the currents.
In the gardens within the city, luminescent seaweed and coral grew, giving off a blue light.
And the natural music created by the currents could be heard throughout the city.
At times, when a powerful current pierced through the city, the citizens would ride it and dance as though a festival had begun.
The citizens of the Aqua Empire also enjoyed games upon the sea’s surface.
The sea does not merely flow.
At regular intervals, waves rise, scattering droplets of water in every direction.
The citizens, too, follow those waves and launch themselves from their crests.
This soon developed into a kind of sport unique to them, and they would compete to see who could fly higher and farther.
“Now, it’s my turn! Watch me!”
A citizen shouted as he waited for the next wave to surge in.
He had to entrust his body to the force of the wave at just the right moment and throw himself far away.
“Here I go… whoops!”
Swaaaash…
The citizen, having missed the precise timing, was swept up by the wave and was buried pointlessly beneath the surface.
Another citizen burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! This time, I’ll do it! You’d better watch me closely!”
His face was full of confidence.
The wave approaching just then looked enormous even from afar.
The onlookers nearby began to murmur.
“Hey, this one looks serious.”
“It’s no joke.”
Soon, the wave reached the citizen.
He shouted.
“Now! Here I gooo!!”
Splaash!!
“Hyaaah!!”
Matching the wave, he threw his body with all his might.
But perhaps he had overdone it.
He vanished from the citizens’ sight.
“What? Where did he go?”
The citizens looked around blankly.
He was nowhere to be found.
However, the citizens were not particularly worried about him.
“He’ll find his way back on his own.”
“We’re meant to go round and round, after all.”
Only after a long time had passed since he was launched away by that enormous wave did he return to his original spot.
“Whew, that was fun.”
In this way, the citizens of the Aqua Empire lived each day within the flow.
Meanwhile, inside the citadel of Nereis, Nereia’s voice rang out.
“We must be strong within the flow. Our sea is vast, and its currents change without end.”
From the heart of the sea, Nereia looked down upon her empire.
“Our strengths lie in condensation and flow. We exert our power when we gather together and move as one. But is that alone enough? We need those who will protect our Aqua Empire.”
For the Aqua Empire to grow stably, it needed defensive power.
Without an army capable of governing tides and currents, it would be vulnerable to outside threats.
Nereia summoned the Current Architects responsible for the construction of the Aqua Empire.
She ordered them.
“The empire is complete, so now we need an army. I will distribute several Wave Cores to you, so build barracks.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We will obey your command.”
Thus, the Wave Cores were transformed by the Current Architects into barracks for the Aqua Empire.
Like all other buildings, the barracks were also constructed from water crystals and moved along the streams. They were designed so that, when powerful currents formed, the barracks could sink beneath the sea’s surface and avoid external attacks.
“Your Majesty, the barracks have been completed.”
The Current Architects bowed their heads above the surging currents.
Nereia said,
“Good. Now let us train soldiers. Our soldiers will not remain mere defenders. They must become soldiers who govern the flow of this sea.”
At the training grounds of the barracks, citizens were in the midst of undergoing training to become soldiers.
They learned how to maintain their balance upon the tides without being swept away, and how to perceive the flow.
They also condensed water on their own to create solid swords and shields.
And upon the currents, they fought one another, honing their combat skills.
Even when they fought, they did not suffer injury.
Only the swords and shields they had made shattered.
Soldiers could not exert their strength if they lost the weapons and barriers meant to protect their bodies.
Therefore, in addition to their protective equipment, they needed skillful movement to defend themselves.
The soldiers who completed their training in the barracks in this way came to be called the “Current Infantry.”
Levean, the Guardian of the Tides who oversaw the army, appeared before the soldiers with a satisfied smile.
“You have all worked hard to come this far.”
The Current Infantry looked up at Levean.
Levean was examining them one by one.
Having completed training in the barracks, they possessed deep, sharp gazes unlike those of ordinary citizens of the Aqua Empire.
“You are Aqua’s shield. Guardians who will protect Aqua together with this sea.”
Levean clenched his hand tightly, then opened it again.
Droplets of water condensed in his palm and fell in a patter.
“We are beings made of this water. The more we gather together, the greater the power we exert. That is why, if we ride this flow together and move as one, we have nothing to fear. You must always remember the training you have undergone until now and let it become ingrained in your bodies. We are flexible. But we must prove that what is flexible is the strongest of all. Do you understand?”
“Yes! We will keep it in mind!”
The Current Infantry shouted in reply.
Back inside the citadel of Aqua.
Waves were surging around Nereia’s throne.
Nereia summoned her vassals into the citadel to hold a discussion.
Levean, the Guardian of the Tides; Naus, the Ocean Tactician; and Scyane, the representative of the Current Architects.
Nereia’s voice vibrated through the citadel.
“Our Aqua Empire is extremely sturdy. I can declare with confidence that it will be resilient against attacks from outside. However, if our sea stops moving, it will dry up and become polluted. We must continue to flow. Therefore, we must consider Aqua’s development.”
Naus spoke first.
“We have obtained information that, beyond this land, an empire called Ignis is expanding. It is an empire of blazing fire. However, they will not pose any threat to us at all. That is because our sea can cool their heat in an instant. Even so, we must strengthen our defensive posture even further. Even at this very moment, they are expanding their territory. They are the sort who may commit any deed in the future.”
Levean spoke next.
“We are still training Current Infantry. Many citizens hope to become soldiers, and a considerable number among them have completed training safely. However, if I may cautiously offer my opinion, we must reinforce our military. Our soldiers still cannot properly exert their strength outside the sea. While increasing our troops, we must also train soldiers of a higher caliber.”
And Scyane also spoke.
“We may be weak outside the sea, but within the sea, we can become stronger than anyone. Therefore, if we turn the battlefield into our sea, we will hold an overwhelming advantage. We must lure them into our territory. If we first construct defensive facilities and gradually expand our domain, no one will dare invade this sea.”
Nereia nodded quietly.
“I will accept your opinions. This sea that embraces our Aqua is our greatest strength. This sea itself protects us. Ignis may be a flame that spreads quickly, but what will swallow that flame is none other than our sea—and ourselves. Each of you, fulfill your roles faithfully. Naus, thoroughly monitor outside powers, including Ignis. Scyane, consume Wave Cores and construct more barracks. And Levean, once Scyane’s role is complete, train additional soldiers in the barracks. I will prepare as many Wave Cores as necessary.”
“Yes, understood.”
“We will follow Your Majesty’s will.”
“We will move according to your command.”
Nereia smiled and rose from her throne.
Waves continued to spread from the tips of her feet.
From the edge of the citadel, she looked down upon the sea stretching in all directions.
“Our path has been decided. Soon, our sea will gradually widen.”
But they were not the only ones who flowed.
The tides of the sea rode the wind and rose onto the land, and the water that climbed upon the land soon seeped into the earth.
And upon that earth, new life was being born.