by Alphya Cing
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The two squeezed into the tiny room. The roots lifted the capsule gently into the water.
Tendrils from the waves enveloped the capsule and pulled it swiftly under the waves.
The men inside were jostled about during the short trip.
They felt a soft thud. Marlin tried the door. It swung open into clean air. They got out cautiously and looked around.
King Avarice was seated on his throne. He was idly gazing at the prism.
“About my tools,” Marlin said loudly.
Avarice jumped in his seat. “How did you get here?”
“By way of your very own sea lackeys. Guess the Tree of Pondish has more pull than you do.” He laughed.
“What do you want? And who’s your friend?”
“This is Corbon of Carast. Corbon I’d like you to meet King Avarice.” The two nodded at each other.
“What do you want,” Avarice repeated.
“I want tools and facilities to build a containment unit for a dragon.”
“What?”
“From just being here I can tell that your scientists have the necessary technology to allow me to build what I need.”
“What if they do? What do I get out of it?”
“King,” Marlin said as he took Avarice by the shoulders, “Let me tell you about a little thing called tourism. And all the money it can bring.”
Avarice’s eyes lit up. “Tell me more.”
Marlin explained the concept of having King Avarice’s treasures on display. He talked about establishing a shuttle between the surface and the sunken city.
“And the main attraction will be your very own dragon,” Marlin concluded.
“Dragon? Here? How are you going to pull that off?”
“Give me the tools and equipment that I need and I’ll show you.”
“Done,” said Avarice.
Avarice led the two down a couple of corridors and around a couple of corners to the city’s laboratory.
“Give him anything he asks for,” he told the head scientist. “But make note of it.”
“You go back to the surface and tell Syngrine what’s going on.” Marlin told Corbon.
“Right,” replied Corbon. “I can give her a hand looking after Zin-Garr.”
“Where are Athon and Kyra?” Marlin asked the king.
“In their ancestral home across the courtyard from the castle proper.”
“I’d like to visit them.”
“Do as you please.” Avarice went back to his throne.
Marlin turned to Corbon. “Come and meet Athon and Kyra.”
“They used to run the inn in Niraba, didn’t they?”
“That’s the pair. Oh yeah, Athon helped out at the inn, too.”
Marlin and Corbon left the castle and meandered across the courtyard to the siblings' house.