Alma 116 A Sea Full Of Stars

More than a dozen lifetimes ago, it'd been called something else by those who had actually built the city — Ametzcalli. The Ancient Mulians thought that they'd created something that approached the unique, sublime beauty that only nature's creations seemed to be endowed with…

As far as Reed was concerned, they had been right about their judgment. He'd almost immediately come to the conclusion that the only thing that could surpass it in beauty was Citlai, which was saying a lot.

The Shining Nexus, the enchanting capital of the East, couldn't compare to the ancient city by the sea in the slightest. To Reed, it was clear as day that the Ancient Mulians had created something truly special, worthy of praise. They had created an astonishing work of art — a cultural and technical achievement of the highest degree.

An entire city had been built into the southern coast of Mulia. The Ancient Mulians, in the pursuit of creating a natural city — a city that blended into nature itself — had created Ametzcalli in a way that respected the environment and did not defile it.

The region was referred to as the Golden Coast, not because of the golden beaches it possessed, contrary to popular belief.

It'd received its iconic name because… the coast really was golden. The Ancient Mulians had placed a special enhancement upon the coast that Ametzcalli had been built into in order to preserve their work.

After all, they'd built the city into the cliff face of a coast. Erosion was a factor they had to account for when it came to a project as ambitious as building a literal city by the sea. A part of the city itself even existed underneath the water — beneath the sea — given they'd used the entire coast, not just the upper portion that was above sea level…

"Beautiful, isn't it? This was once where the noble class used to reside before the Great War. Back then, only sacred families who possessed pureblood had the right to live and own land in Citlai. Nowadays, though…"

"Do you… miss home? It has been a while since we've last visited… If you'd like we could, you know, take a trip to—"

A small smile formed on Lu'um's lips when she heard Reed's suggestion.

"No, it's okay," whispered Lu'um, "I'll be juuust fine as long as you… properly take care of me, dear."

She was currently running low on Reedium, a supposedly critical energy source for her survival and desperately needed a resupply. If not for the fact that Reed had been focusing on driving, she would have smothered him until she completely had her fill.

Reed suddenly shuddered for a variety of well-founded reasons and his life flashed before his eyes for a split second out of fear and excitement. He recognized that an apex predator had set her sights on him and wondered what would happen in the very imminent future.

"H-Hey, not right now, okay? At least let me find a place to park before you…! Stop! Nooooot in the car! I'm driv—"

A swerving, bobbing hovercraft flew toward Mardeimus and disappeared into the chaotic traffic above the city, inspiring dread in everyone that encountered it on their daily commute…

In the end, Reed and Lu'um had come out of their hovercraft looking a little more messed up than when they'd first entered it. More than anything, one of them looked far more fatigued than the other, almost suspiciously so…

Reed weakly stumbled out of the hovercraft — looking about a decade older than his usual self — with a tired, defeated expression on his face. He felt so exhausted that he couldn't even muster the energy to fix his disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes.

His unkempt appearance made him look like a homeless vagrant or some sleazy deadbeat that was up to no good, much to his dismay…

Lu'um, on the other hand, had fared much better, it seemed. She looked nothing like her defeated counterpart, who was probably on his last legs at the moment. If anything, she appeared happy as a clam and full of life as slowly combed her hair back into order.

Goddammit… that was so fucking close! I nearly totaled the hovercraft because of…! Ahh, my poor back!

I really, really hate it when she loses control of her strength…!

It was then and there that Reed decided he would have to start working out, again. He'd come to the conclusion that he would probably have to pick up weightlifting once they went back home. His physique had become a detriment to his daily life or rather his health, nowadays…

Thankfully, there was more than enough to do and see in Mardeimus to preoccupy his better half for a while, or at least until he recovered.

There was a good reason Ametzcalli was once called the abode of romance by the Ancient Mulians. It was a city that possessed a wide variety of beautiful, scenic places for people to spend time their loved ones.

What else could beat the sight of the sun setting over the horizon, especially in a city that'd been built on a coast? Every evening was as romantic as the last in the city that'd been specifically designed to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Once the sun set below the horizon, something special always happened every night below in the underwater sub-levels of Mardeimus.

The sea would come to life for all to behold on full display.

Exotic, foreign sea creatures would arise from the depths of the ocean and an incredible show would commence, unlike anything that could be imagined.

An innumerable amount of jellyfish had floated up from the depths of the abyss like miniature stars. They were called little lanterns by the locals because of the distinctive glow they possessed.

The little lanterns were an immortal species of jellyfish that'd been created by the Ancient Mulians themselves as a form of art and a love letter to nature itself.

They lived off of the Anima in the sea and nothing else, existing only to purify the oceans of any Infested corruption with the special light they emitted, a byproduct of the Anima they processed within themselves.

Each one of them was unique and therefore, processed Anima differently from one another. As a result, each little lantern gave off its own unique light — none were the same. They all had their own special hue and level of intensity depending on their size and shape.

As such, they created a light show that was always different every time they came up from the depths. A myriad of lights filled the black canvas of the sea at night in a way that always took the viewer by heart.

The stars filled the night sky beneath the sea every night in Mardeimus. It was unbelievably enchanting seeing how a literal sea of stars would arise from seemingly nowhere and fill the void.

Reed nearly stopped breathing when he first laid eyes on the light show. It was as if his heart had suddenly stopped beating out of pure astonishment.

It's always one surprise after another when it came to the wonders that the Ancient Mulians created, huh?

Naturally, he couldn't help but feel like the mood had subtly changed when the little fellows had appeared out of the abyss. The viewing platform that he and Lu'um were in had suddenly gone completely quiet the moment the little lanterns appeared…

He suddenly felt someone grab one of his hands. It startled him a bit, but then he smiled and squeezed her hand.

There was no need to say anything, nor did he want to. It'd ruin the moment. Her action had said more than enough, he thought.

A part of him wanted to laugh simply because he figured out why she'd been so adamant about getting him to come down to the sub-levels with her when the sun had set.

Naturally, he couldn't help but feel like the mood had subtly changed when the little fellows had appeared out of the abyss. The viewing platform that he and Lu'um were in had suddenly gone completely quiet the moment the little lanterns appeared…

He suddenly felt someone grab one of his hands. It startled him a bit, but then he smiled and squeezed her hand.

There was no need to say anything, nor did he want to. It'd ruin the moment. Her action had said more than enough, he thought.

A part of him wanted to laugh simply because he figured out why she'd been so adamant about getting him to come down to the sub-levels with her when the sun had set. when the sun had set

.

lly, he couldn't help but feel like the mood had subtly changed when the little fellows had appeared out of the abyss. The viewing platform that he and Lu'um were in had suddenly gone completely quiet the moment the little lanterns appeared…

He suddenly felt someone grab one of his hands. It startled him a bit, but then he smiled and squeezed her hand.

There was no need to say anything, nor did he want to. It'd ruin the moment. Her action had said more than enough, he thought.

A part of him wanted to laugh simply because he figured out why she'd been so adamant about getting him to come down to the sub-levels with her when the sun had set. when the sun had set.

Chapter end