Chapter 1154: Anthony On Tour pt 6

Chapter 1154: Anthony On Tour pt 6

I've got a ship to myself, pretty much. A wide, flat-topped barge with enough room for me to lie down and stretch my legs, allowing the fresh, watery breeze kicking off the surface of the lake to run through my antennae and over my carapace. It's not a bad life.

Flatteringly, they've plopped me in the middle of the fleet, surrounded on all sides by the majestic vessels of the Island Conglomerate. There are worse ways to travel, I guess is what I'm saying.

I did offer to fly myself there with gravity magic, but my fellow ants decided we should just accept the hospitality of our trading partners and do things their way. Fine by me, I suppose. It's just a shame they miss out on such a wondrous sight as the great flying Anthony!

"How are you, Eldest?"

Every now and again, other ants are brought aboard to catch up with me. Thankfully, the brathian haven't allowed the more enthusiastic humans travelling with us to board my ship. I can still hear them from where I am, shouting and praising away on another boat further back while I flop about on mine.

Today, Cobalt has popped over and I'm glad for the company of the little ant. Not having my three closest friends and closest companions around has left me feeling lonelier than I'd expected.

"I'm fine, Cobalt. Just watching the world go by."

It really is something. I haven't been in the fourth stratum long enough to get a good look at everything, but it's like the place was designed for eye-candy. Everywhere you look, there are stunning views. Even with near three-sixty degree vision and thousands of lenses, I'm still not able to drink it all in.

The waters of the Lake are bright, almost crystalline, filled to the brim with life and water mana. A whole ecosystem of monsters live down there, fish, sharks, squids, giant fish, giant sharks, giant squids. Every once in a while, something breaks the surface, showering the surrounds in drops of water that shine like jewels.

Beyond that are the mountains. Rising from well below the water line, they tower up into the sky beyond the level I can see, meeting the bottom of the third stratum somewhere kilometres overhead, obscured by mist and cloud. Each one is an absolute titan, and whenever we pass close enough by one, they are absolutely bursting with life. Monsters, plants, plant monsters, oversized and filled with vigour, they shake the ground with their steps as we drift by, spectators to the struggle.

"I never really expected to see so many settlements. It's kind of weird to see people just hanging around," I say.

"They aren't really 'hanging', are they, Eldest?" Cobalt asks, confused. "They're just walking right?"Read latest chapters at nov(e)lbin.com Only

"Yes," I sigh, wishing I could roll my eyes. So particular. "I was just pointing out that we didn't see anything like this around our mountain."

[Greetings.]

[Hello, again, Olivis.]

I try not to sound immensely weary with this whole facade. I fail.

[It's simply protocol,] the Dungeon Seer sniffs. [Even if you were a golgari, or human dignitary, you would be subject to the exact same restrictions.]

[I get it, I get it.]

As if I would try and melt their minds while aboard their ship. Where's the trust? Eventually, I'm connected to Marzban via the mage.

[Hey there, Marzban. Come to flex and work on your tan?]

Theraz claps a hand to his mouth and tries to contain a laugh. I guess I was connected to him as well?

[No,] the brathian replies humourlessly. [I came to inform you of our imminent descent.]

[Yes, Cobalt mentioned we were getting close. I was starting to wonder how we were all getting down there.]

[Bubble generators,] he tells me.

[Bubble generators?] I ask.

[Bubble generators,] he nods.