The Challenge of the Masters

⊱⊰ 58: Accords ⊱⊰

"We've been here only for a few minutes and this place is already packed," said Thelma, her tone amazed. "It really looks like the whole city will be here. Even if they won't be close to the scene, they'll make sure to be here."

Arisa noticed that Thelma was examining the crowd behind them. Arisa turned around. Her brows raised seeing that a lot of beings had gathered behind them. She could barely see part of the colorful tall buildings, which she realized had their lights lit up as the environment was darkening.

"You don't see a Guardian giving up their powers every day," said Garoh, his tone calm. "I guess everyone wants to witness this historic moment."

"Just to be disappointed in the end," said Kazuya. "Pisces won't give up her powers."

Garoh gazed at him. "Of course."

Despite her companions being optimistic about what would soon happen, Arisa still had a bit of worry flowing in her veins. Deep inside she knew that Caris wouldn't abandon her powers easily, but with her people's freedom at stake, Arisa doubted that the little Oceanian would keep them.

Loud cheers washed away Arisa's thoughts. Arisa gazed around, seeing the excitement in the merpeople that stood beside and behind her. Most of the crowd was cheering in a language she couldn't recognize, but she could understand others that hailed the Royal Family, with some shouting that the family was finally here.

Arisa focused her view to the front. Not far from the improvised barrier, she saw two carriages. One of them had golden details while the other had silver features. Arisa could see a large symbol garnishing the carriages' door. The silhouettes in the drawing that were gazing at a glowing crown, had a figure of a merman and a mermaid.

As the carriages floated closer to the plaza's decoration, which contained countless large corals, Arisa thought that the creatures moving the carriages looked like those scarlet dolphin-like creatures with long soft dorsal fins she saw in the small town on her way to the city.

Sounds of trumpets filled the atmosphere as the carriages stopped in front of the plaza's main attraction. Arisa saw a small number of mermen with white helmets, plates and a shield that had the same symbol as the one drawn on the carriages' doors. The soldiers quickly approached the carriages.

"People of Maré," said a slim merman standing close to the golden carriage, "please welcome His Majesty King Netu and his wife, Queen Sara."

The crowd clapped and cheered at the mention of their leaders. Soon after the merman introduced the Queen and King, Arisa saw someone leaving the carriage. It didn't take long for her to see a merman with a long silvery blue tail, holding a golden trident. Despite being underwater, the crown stuck on his silvery blond hair that had signs of threads of gray.

The Queen, holding a long golden stick that had a small number of corals garnishing it, followed the King as he swam a bit forward. She really looked small standing by his side. Arisa could barely see the Queen's tiara on her short white hair as she shook her silvery white tail and nodded at the cheering crowd with a smile.

"And now People of Maré, please welcome the bright future of our country," said the slim merman as another being opened the silver carriage. "Crown Prince Atlas and his younger sister Lena."

Not long after the slim merman announced those names, Arisa saw a well-built merman leave the silver carriage, moving his silvery-blue tail with pride spreading across his face. By the dark-haired prince, who looked to be in his early twenties, swam a young woman with long white hair and a silvery blue tail that had multiple caudal fins. The crowd cheered at the sight of the siblings who waved at them and smiled.