Dom tapped his finger on the flat of the table. “Our industries are flourishing. The fishes we caught are being bred and we have made workers of the people born eighteen years ago. We needed more hands on the island. The problem here is this,” he shoved a piece of paper. “Perlshaw has set up a place of governance in the air itself. Our old admirals are now the politicians and the new admirals our leaders. There is great comfort in Arkshelled more than the boats and ships. Who’d want to live in a home that always rolls?”

Gabrio settled down. His tired eyes on the piece of paper. “Most of them are eager to be part of the island.”

The rest of the island has become an underground city. The topside has most of the residents while the innards of the giant turtle has become a strange place where the important facilities are made. Vertical farms and gardens. Hospitals and research laboratories that continue to innovate and upgrade the state of the ship.

Gabrio’s eyes went to the lamp with a small compartment below the glass. They call it the electric lamp. A lamp that shone brighter than the oil lamps and has been placed in the body of the island itself.

“How’s the electrical stations doing?”

“We are putting them into good use. They said the heartbeat of the island produces electricity. We believe the ability of the island before is its innate power to release electricity from an organ. It is an organ that generates electricity. Hmm, have you not visited the innards of the island?”

“Not much. When I I went there I believe they were trying to poke a hole through the bone for electricity to pass by. I do love the bioluminescence light, it feels natural, but there is a great use for the electricity. We can use this electricity to move things and not rely on firwood.”

“Heating up the wires using electrical heating. I didn’t think it would be possible, though I heard the first wire metal got melted?”

“It actually flew off. We have our people forge it.”

“The Sentinels are doing work. I guess the Elven-kin also has no choice now other than work with us.”

They live long lives and because of this they hold command. Dom, who has grown old, looked him up.

“A lot of people question your bloodline. I do suspect you find something in that place, Doctor. Then again, one would think that you are immortal.”

“Long-lived, not immortal,” Gabrio said forcibly. “I still die. I know myself better than anything.”

Dom swallowed. “I heard Madam Ristina opened you up.”

“She did. She did it while I was under a sleeping spell. They were testing the healing factor of my body and its vitality.”

“How was it?”

“Hmm, you are an Elder Scholar now, so you can ask them in the library in Arkshelled for the data. But you already heard it, Dom. Without the blessing of mother nature, it cannot be done.”

People easily notice.

They saw that he did not and those who were afraid of death wanted the same lifespan given to Gabrio. Unfortunately, even though a fallen elven-kin had tried it on a great warrior. The great warrior died. His soul did not respond to the heart and his body did not connect properly. There is great power that is needed to bind the heart and soul together.

It cannot be done. And the requirements for doing so requires the sacrifice of the Elven-kin, who are great warriors and are tenders of the Arkshelled Island. To use them without cause is almost a sin. They are of great use and the people think of them as refined people. Wise and unaging that the thought of touching them has become taboo.

War brings people closer and in the fields of battle they are reliable. Humans saved the Elven-kin and the Kin saved the humans. Through the battle they bond together, creating a mutual respect for one another. And in this fleet, there are only a few places to go. It was not hard to unite.

Something was broken inherently when they saw the world ended. It came to Gabrio that the world does not easily bow down to the end. It didn’t matter if the world ended, because even so one would have to live through the end.

If the world had ended then the truth of it remains. They might as well be the last people in this world.

Life continues on without you asking for it. No matter how battered you are. How much the world tries to end you. One would have to struggle. Life is a constant struggle and Gabrio has come to understand this.

He was old. He felt old and yet there was no grand wisdom that came with age. He remained stubborn and foolish. Who you are doesn’t change as much as people tend to pretend they do.

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He remained the same. His desire for research and to help people triumph over everything else. Gabrio had finally concluded that the reason he became a Doctor was to see the relieved sights of the people around him. Gabrio was not a fighter, he had enough fighting when young and after Fort Rava. He only wanted to heal and stitch wounds. To care for those who are sick and then improve the lives of people.

And even though it is a task that a Doctor should not take. It was also for the good of the people. Gabrio knew it better how he inherently linked he had come after bearing a treeheart inside his chest. His blood is pumped by the heart of the elven-kin who has given him a chance to live. He owed half of his life to them and it was hard not to help them when they needed it.

Although bonds have been formed. The treeheart beating inside his chest was proof that the mother of nature treated him as a guest of their Kin.

After the meeting with Dom he came to the innards of Arkshelled Island. It resembled an underground city with twisted pillars of rock-like bones that have become the support of the whole shell. One would think the inside of the beast is shallow, however, it was said that they are stronger than steel.

Gabrio had made extensive research of the beast himself. When he had time he would collect his own sample, and test said samples. The density of bones itself was a wonder.

He moves through the city with precision and focus, studying the infrastructure and parts that keep the city running. Inspecting the power source in the form of the beating heart and organ of the interior of the ship, water supply, and the transportation systems to ensure they are functioning properly. Gabrio also made a visit to hospitals and other public facilities to check on the health and welfare of the people living underneath the city.

As he went through the city, he also also took note of any areas that appear to be in disrepair or in need of maintenance. Gabrio made small recommendations for repairs or upgrades to improve this part of the city.

The work is crucial to the well-being and survival of the inhabitants of this unique and complicated environment. Without their expertise and attention to detail, the city and its inhabitants would be at risk. He went deeper into the interior.

The doctor was dressed in a coat and was carrying a small lamp and several instruments. He was making his way through the city, studying the infrastructure and systems that keep the underground city running. Inspecting the water supply, ventilation and electric wires, as well as talking to the citizens, checking on their health and welfare. The doctor was also taking samples.

Gabrio met up with the merchant-tradesman of the underground city. The doctor is standing in a bustling marketplace in the underground city. The merchants have been selling exotic goods from all over the place, from odd gemstones to herbs and spices bred in the innards of the city. The merchant, an older man with a long white beard and twinkling eyes. Was dressed in a colorful robe and had a small cart filled with various concoctions.

Asking the merchant about his products and how they are used by the inhabitants of the underground city. The merchant explains that concoctions are used to treat various ailments, from headaches to more serious illnesses. He also mentions that some of the herbs and spices in his cart are used in cooking to add flavor and nutritional value to the food.

Impressed by the merchant's knowledge and expertise. He asked him where he sources his ingredients and how he ensures that they are safe to use. The merchant explains that he deals with the elven-kin manning the innards of the creature, visiting the caves and vertical farms to find the best ingredients. The merchant also explained how the elven-kin has a strict process for testing and purifying the ingredients before using them in his concoctions.

Realizing the Elven-kin is involved, Gabrio nods approvingly and thanks the merchant for his time. And made a note to check back with him in the future to learn more about the traditional medicine of the underground city.

He still needed to visit another merchant.

Gabrio was sitting in a dimly lit room, surrounded by maps and charts detailing the structure of the underground city. Across the table from them sits a representative of the merchant guild, a middle-aged man dressed in fine robes and adorned with gold jewelry. The representative was one of the leaders of the group of merchants in the underground city, tasked with representing their needs and interests to the city's authorities.

Gabrio begins by asking the representative about the current state of the underground city, and how the merchants are faring. The representative explains that business has been good, but there are a few areas of concern. He mentions that the city's population has been steadily growing, leading to an increase in demand for goods and services. This has put a strain on the merchants, who are struggling to keep up with the demand and have been quite nervous in dealing with the Elvin-kin who are quite protective of their goods.

Gabrio nods, and makes a note to investigate the population growth further. He then asks the representative about specific needs or problems that the merchants are facing. The representative explains that there is a shortage of certain resources, such as raw materials and labor, which is making it difficult for the merchants to produce and barter their goods. He also mentions that there are issues with transportation and logistics, as the underground city is vast and difficult to navigate and there were only a few entrances permitted, making the transport of goods terrible.

The doctor listens attentively and takes notes on the representative's concerns. He had assured the representative that he would send someone to investigate these issues and make recommendations to the city's Kin to address the merchant's needs.

The doctor nods, taking in this information. He then asked the representative, "What steps do you think we should take to ensure the long-term sustainability of the innards?"

The representative of the merchant guild thinks for a moment before responding, "We must be diligent in our resource management and conservation efforts. We need to also look for ways to increase our productivity and efficiency, so we can meet the needs of our growing population. Additionally, we should explore new technologies and innovations that can help us better utilize the resources available to us."

Gabrio nods, appreciating the representative's insight. He made a note to investigate these suggestions further and sent someone to work with the city's authorities to try and implement them. The long-term sustainability of the inside of the island, and the importance of proactive measures to ensure its survival must be done before they would regret it.

A city on the back of a gigantic creature that has an interior. Relying solely on what the sea gives and what they can cultivate. If they wish to survive then they need to be better and efficient.