"Wait." Seraphina went towards the dead Ancient Crab and said, "It's a waste if we leave it here to rot. Its meat is delicious, and its carapace is sought after as materials for forging. We should definitely take these with us."
Ryu was still hanging over at Theodore's sudden death while Seraphina was already smiling from ear to ear. He couldn't understand if she couldn't feel anything but positivity, or was she deliberately repelling all the negativity that came her way?
Seraphina looked like a compassionate person, but in truth, she was rather cold. Ryu thought as he cracked the Ancient Crab's shells and harvested its meat and carapace.
Ryu and Seraphina left something for Kai and Jane before they headed into the newly opened cave. Like before, the cave didn't contain anything except gold and precious stones and a chest atop a pedestal.
Since the Ancient Crab wasn't that strong, the rewards were just mediocre at best. But still, they divided it between the five of them. They'll give Theodore's share to Jane later.
The important thing was securing the final piece of the tablet. Opening the chest, Ryu took a glimpse of the tablet was really inside and sighed a breath of relief when he found it lying there. He took out the other two tablets from his traveler's ring and pieced it together while Seraphina locked the last piece of the table with the others.
The tablet glowed and became one. It hovered midair, and the carved runes on its stone sparkled before radiating a blinding light.
WhooOosSh!
Ryu and Seraphina shaded their eyes with their arms, but they refused to blink even if the sudden gust of wind poked their sight.
Droplet twirled around the tablet until it turned into waves and swallowed Ryu and Seraphina into its deep.
Then the water stopped and disappeared as it crushed against the walls while the light slowly dimmed and the tablet turned gray and dull. It cracked and burst into particles, and silence descended once more.
.. .
.. .
When Ryu came to, he found himself inside another huge cave with small falls and lagoons. Colorful corals and crystals were coating the walls, and rocky floors and fishes swam to and fro at the clear waters. Light burst from the holes above, and so much foliage breathed the area to life.
It wasn't damp nor stale. The exact opposite, the smell was refreshing, and the air was cold.
Ryu looked over at Seraphina but found her unconscious on the ground.
"Seraphina." Ryu was about to go and check her when, out of the blue, droplets of water formed together and created a giant torrent of waves.
Ryu couldn't take his eyes off when a massive woman emerged from the waters as it burst. The woman's face was ethereal, with crystal blue dilated eyes without pupils. Her hair cascaded in torrents of water that looked like it was rippling with her mood. Her breasts were gorgeously bare and abundant but without the nipples, as four gills lined down her ribcage. Its mermaid tail was coated with colorful scales and multiple fins.
She was beautiful but not ordinarily beautiful. She made Ryu dream of being enveloped in her loving arms and warm smiles.
"I am Nereid, the Princess of the Sea Spirits," she said, voice like a melody echoing underwater.
Ryu took a step back and swallowed his gasped when she leaned closer. His reflection glazed over her blue crystal eyes.
"Hmm. . ."
Ryu flinched, and he jumped back with a snarl. He didn't know what was going on, but it reminded him of his dream about Tethyt. Was she a God-like her?
If this was a boss that they have to fight then. . .
Ryu cut a short glance at Seraphina. .. Even the two of them. .. He didn't know if they could defeat it. Should they escape? But he didn't know where the exit was!
Ryu's eyes turned to slit. They were trapped!
Nereid's face skewed to the side. "This is. .. unexpected. . ." Waters carried her left and right, and her hair turned to waves like she was feeling overwhelmed.
"This should be the time where I slaughter every one of you. . ."
Ryu's fangs itched from his gums and his claws extended from his hands and feet in a fighting stance.
Looking at Ryu, Nereid stopped pacing, and her hair returned to locks of gentle currents. "But. .. I sensed my Master within you. . ."
".. ." Ryu's lips were pressed tight over a serious face. But guessing that Nereid wasn't going to attack anytime soon, he asked, "Master?"
Nereid nodded her head. "Tethyt. I sensed her within you. .. along with Yuu. .. But my Master is long dead and her soul. . ."
Nereid smiled. Her eyes were squinting in delight. "Are you perhaps. . ."
Nereid giggled, and bubbles erupted from all around.
"Do you know me?" Ryu asked.
"Just a little. . ."
"Then," Ryu's face brightened, but Nereid's following words made his excitement drop.
"I can't tell you. .. it's not mine to tell. . ."
That again?! A low grumble of discontent pushed through from Ryu's throat. "Then just tell me one thing. . ."
If Nereid sensed Tethyt, then Ryu wasn't dreaming when he met Tethyt! He removed his clothes and showed his bareback at Nereid.
"Do you see anything? Tethyt carved something on my back, and I want to know what it is?" He felt the symbols burned from his skin, and if it wasn't a dream, there might be a trace of whatever it was on his back.
Nereid chuckled. "It might be. .. faster if I show you."
A flicker of her hand and a small stream of water fell in front of Ryu. It turned to Crystal and showed the hidden secret of what he wanted to know.
----
A/N
For fast updates, please vote with PS or Golden Ticket. Bonus chapter is every Sunday/Monday when Goals are achieved.