Chrysalis

A bubble generator, as it turns out, is pretty much what it sounds like. Each creates a thick layer of protection over the open topside of the ship, which all of a sudden is now fully submersible. The brathian are absolute masters of their craft, I have to say.

Marzban explains the process to me as it happens. First the ships take on a bit of water, making them heavier, and we start sinking. Normally, this would be terrible, the ships are literally sinking, except these ships are designed to do it. As we get lower to the water level, I watch as the shimmering ‘bubble’ forms, shortly before we sink far enough that the water begins to foam up the sides of the ship.

[When it’s just us aboard, we don’t even need the bubble, so long as we keep enough air below decks to prevent us from dropping too fast,] Marzban says.

Indeed, not every ship is deploying a bubble, only the ones with the Colony and our allies on board.

It’s a wondrous thing to see as the fleet slips beneath the waves, although it’s immediately overtaken by something else I spot.

An underwater mountain, its peak terminating just a few metres under the water’s surface. Obviously, this is the ‘spire’ part of the ‘Lakespire’. It’s a pointy ol’ thing too, resembling a spear more than a mountain. The further we descend, the more of it is revealed, and the more impressive the view becomes.

The brathian seem to have a way with coral. They use it for their buildings, some of them anyway, growing and shaping it into whatever dimensions they want. The spire is absolutely covered in the stuff, all of it glowing bright beneath the waves, and teaming with brathians. There are glowing docks extending out from the mountain, and I see hundreds and hundreds of ships, some with bubbles, some without, all tethered and hawking their wares.

my senses, I try to get a sense of the mana in the area, and sure enough, I feel like I detect several of the reclusive Shulk, extending

as the brathian capital city, but it isn’t. It’s much more

much worship the art of commerce, and this is the largest market their people have created on Pangera. It’s less like a capital and more like

points off the side of the ship and I

to

been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on

[Yeah?]

We’ll be docking there and inviting traders in to meet you and see your

I sigh.

I’m going to be ogled like

to happen. They’ll want to see you, talk to you even, though you can expect more of those protocols you seem to hate. Traders are risk averse, but they also know the greatest profit comes from taking the right risks. If they’re going to buy into your goods, they need to know that you are stable, a

can’t really argue with that. Except for the wiping out part.

enough, I’ll

to accommodate me underwater here. There’s no chance Smithant, Cobalt and the others don’t go absolutely crazy out there, though. I know for a fact the Colony sent them with a significant amount of wealth in the form of cores. It’s their job to purchase samples for us to break