Chapter 260: 260:Blood Ocean.
The councillor of magic consulted another page.
"Corruption density near the reported emergence sites is elevated... Significantly elevated."
Atheline asked quietly, "Enough to sustain new outbreaks?"
The Manipulator looked uncomfortable.
"Potentially."
The chamber fell silent. Atheline stared at the map. Everything being said was slowly connecting itself in this weird convoluted way.
The Blood Ocean incident, corrupted clusters, and the coordinated attacks, something was linking them together, or several unrelated problems appearing at exactly the wrong time. Neither possibility was comforting.
Lilith turned slightly toward him.
"You have a theory," she said as though she was completely sure he would respond.
Atheline hesitated. Every eye in the chamber shifted toward him, he disliked that feeling. Especially when he wasn’t sure his assumptions were correct.
Atheline took a breath.
"I have a concern."
Lilith nodded.
"Speak."
He looked at the map.
"At the Storm ruin, I’m sure the advanced corrupt we left behind wasn’t destroyed by the following groups."
Silence settled immediately. Several councillors looked confused while others remembered the reports that had been brought back.
He continued.
"The island collapsed into the ocean and everything in it."
The councillor of Magic frowned.
"You think the Blood Ocean incidents are contamination from the ruin?"
Atheline shook his head.
"Not exactly," he paused before continuing, "I’m not sure."
This was honest uncertainty. He didn’t want to reassure them, then when something happens he would most definitely be blamed fully or partially.
Atheline continued carefully.
"The corrupts we fought weren’t normal corrupted."
Several people nodded reluctantly. The reports had made it clear but most of them had basically ignored it, it sounded absurd at that time. Lilith had also never brought it up and there had never been a pressing matter to revisit the reports.
He looked toward the map again.
"They had abilities and were organized. They also seemed to have a sense of coordination as though something was directing them. I’m not sure about the last part since each corrupted could already be self-aware and just moving as a group. "
The room grew quieter. He tapped one of the coastal markers.
"The current outbreaks are ordinary corrupted, mostly... But the coordination feels familiar."
No one interrupted. Atheline continued.
"I’m not saying they all survived," he said while looking directly at the council, "I don’t believe they did."
That part mattered more than most of them realised. Panic helped nobody.
Atheline went on.
"But if fragments of the corruption entered the Blood Ocean..."
He let the implication hang. The Councillor of Magic finished it.
"...then the ocean itself may be acting as a distribution network."
Silence filled the room.
General Thulem swore softly under his breath. Lilith remained expressionless. Atheline wasn’t sure whether that was better or worse.
The councillor of Magic began pacing slowly.
"Corruption usually remains localized."
He gestured toward the map.
"An ocean changes the equation," he said then stopped for a moment. "If contaminated material reached marine ecosystems... Migration patterns could spread it."
The room collectively decided that the possibility was unacceptable.
The Noble elder spoke immediately.
"What do we know for certain?"
That was a good question since the room needed facts. The councillor of Magic began listing them.
"Fact one: corrupted incidents have increased."
"Fact two: several outbreaks show coordinated behavior."
"Fact three: Beastkin reports confirm corrupted emerging from the Blood Ocean."
"Fact four: Aether signatures remain broadly consistent with known corruption."
He looked around.
"Everything else is theory."
Lilith nodded.
"Correct."
That helped, a little. The discussion shifted toward responses. Increase and distribution of border reinforcements, early-warning networks, coordination with Beastkin coastal clans, containment protocols, and research funding.
Atheline listened while rubbing one shoulder carefully. Lilith noticed his increasing discomfort. Without looking at him, she slid a folded report across the table.
He opened it. It was a brief handwritten note. He stared at the note then slowly looked toward her.
She continued discussing military logistics as if nothing had happened.
He wrote beneath the note. A moment later the paper slid back.
She took the paper but did not write anything. She folded it once and placed it under the report stack where no one else could see.
The meeting continued for another hour, by the end, several decisions had been made.
Frontier garrisons would receive additional support but remain in a defensive posture.
Imperial scouts would investigate the affected border regions personally rather than relying solely on local reports.
A diplomatic message would be sent to the Beastkin coastal clans requesting direct intelligence sharing.
Research teams would begin studying whether ocean-borne corruption behaved differently from land-based outbreaks.
The public would not be informed about the Blood Ocean connection until more evidence existed.
Lilith summarized the chamber’s mood with brutal accuracy.
"We are treating this as a contained threat until proven otherwise."
Everyone understood the unspoken second half: ’And preparing for the possibility that it is not’
The council adjourned. Councillors departed in groups, already discussing troop movements and supply routes.
Atheline remained seated for a moment longer while Lilith waited beside him. When the chamber finally emptied, she spoke quietly.
"How certain are you?"
He looked toward the now-dark map table.
"Not enough."
She nodded once.
"Same."
A rare admission. She had first dismissed his worry when he brought the possibility up. He was also to blame, he should have at least pushed harder instead of folding the moment she reassured him.
"Let’s go."
She nodded. They slowly walked out of the chamber. It was then that Atheline noticed that night had fully settled over the Court. The meeting had been longer than he had anticipated and it seemed time passed without him noticing.
The palace was slightly quiet which he appreciated, especially today. His body hurt.
The mountain training session had seemed like a wonderful idea at the time. Now he was suffering the consequences. Every movement reminded him that challenging Lilith to a serious fight had been an exceptionally poor decision. It was a worthwhile one but still poor.
The doors to their private chambers closed behind them. Immediately the atmosphere changed and became just home.
Atheline released a long breath then immediately regretted it because stretching his ribs hurt.
Lilith noticed his discomfort.
"Next when you challenge me," she quietly said," pick a time when there is no meeting afterwards."
Atheline slowly removed his coat.
"Will night do?"
She rolled her eyes.
"You won’t be able to wake up."
Atheline smiled. Some battles simply could not be won.
A servant entered briefly to inform them that dinner would be ready shortly then left. The room grew quiet once more.
