Chapter XVII : Kraken's Egg
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So, let's rewind a bit, shall we...
It was like this, two weeks ago, Reed finally ventured her first exciting adventure.
But because of her super problematic sense of direction, not only did the waters have to led her back to the right path, she also brought them all over the place for a detour along their way to Rainbow Bridge.
Her excused — She's here to find her someone not to go on touring the entire ocean. So, it's fine, they're might fine some clues from this detour.
But what she was showing in her face expressed the contrary.
Her big aquamarine eyes, sparkles like there's many stars glittering in them as she wonder all around. Her head constantly turning, looking everywhere with marvel in her eyes.
She met many local fishes, they were very kind. She even manage to met a group of large built sharks. They're cute and very friendly, despite their mascular, big and scary features. Reed can describe them all as big babies, such contrast is very lovely!
And throughout her travels, Reed was going from island to islands.
Another excuse — She needed food and resting place for her long travels.
If only the balls of water have eyes, they may have roll them by now. If they have mouths and tongues, they might have already complained, saying Reed gets distracted easily.
What about her disposition of focusing only at the same thing one at a time?!
Realizing how scary her focused really is, they felt speechless.
She did, she can only focused on one thing, however. However! Once her attention was snatch by something else, her mind could only focused on that.
And from those adventures. Reed only have one insight– they can't say her name!
Everytime she met locals, she tried introducing "Reed" as her name. But they either can't hear it or hear as though she speaks murmurs and can't understand it. Reed tried finding answers inside her memory library, and guess what.
She found what she was looking for, but...
It was f*cking locked! She can't access it. So, now she didn't know why everyone hear her name as though it was censored.
And because of that conclusion, she didn't try speaking out her name again. She was sure she have another name. But she didn't know what it was.
So, when Reed arrived in an isolated island, somewhere in the midst of her usual 'lost in the sea' routine, masked as an exploration.
Her name that was shrouded by mysteries, was told to her just like that!
However, before we proceed with that present, let's walked through Reed's nightlife first, before the day she reunited with her beloved teacher.
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As the matter of fact, Reed actually didn't remember it, just like what Ursala thought. But it's seems that stumbling at her Island awaken some of Reed's old memories.
Reed arrived at the Witch's Island by night. And from days of nonstop travels and all nighters. Reed's mental exhaustion finally reach it's peak.
And she fell asleep fast.
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Blob. Blob. Blob.
Bubbles. Bubbles.
Stage lights lite up, one by one.
Click. Click. Click.
Revealing a stage decorated for stage play– an infinite seascape that looked realistically well done. Waves greet the ocean breeze as flying fishes welcomed them with a dive. Birds quietly slide through the wind as they eye the sea for their prey. It was just like the usual scenery you can come across when you see the sea.
Except for one thing though.
Below the stage, Reed thrashed her fin tail to the floor, because of her extreme frustrations. She gritted her teeth forcing herself to endure seeing the friggin stage in front.
She really wanted to throw a huge water bubble to wash off the whole stage, just so, that stage will be forever gone and can't be seen by her eyes anymore.
But she can't.
Doing that, is the same as attacking my own brain. So, Reed could only endure.
Glaring angrily at the stage, Reed thrashed her fin tail hard as her eyes followed the dangling big sun tied by a rope at the ceiling.
It was this freakish sun that ruined the beautiful seascape!
It was swinging back and forth because of the wind effect cause by the sea breeze. Not only that, Reed shifted her eyes looking at those blue clouds that were swinging in unison with the sun as well.
She squinted her eyes, and she saw those clouds were f*cking made by a preschooler. It was cut unevenly, and it was definitely colored by a crayon. Some clouds were crumpled and was just hanged there by a rope.
And what's more infuriating is that! That!
Those birds! They were drawn! And it was a freaking stick figure!! A stick figure that was pasted on a stick!
When it comes to art, Reed was really a perfectionist. Like how she meticulously sculpted the sand castle at the beach. Reed became like an OCD person when it comes to art.
So, Reed raise her hand and wave them. Sharp stream of water, gathered targeting the birds from the stage.
Ching!
Slicing the three sticks in half, the three birds fell to the sea with a plop.
Seeing those birds were gone, Reed felt a little bit better. But she still can't help but lamented how low quality her dreams have become.
Right, this is a dream. Unless, she jump up from her sit to the stage, the dream won't start.
She can choose not to see them, but she will wake up immediately. Downside is, as long as she don't perform the dream, this dream will repeatedly visit her when she sleeps. Choosing not to see the dream could only make her develop an insomnia.
And Reed was really tired right now. She needed sleep. She's been tortured by a particular nightmare for an entire week, which led her to feel this tired and exhausted.
Let's add up the long travels from her adventures. She really needed sleep.
Thankfully, she didn't have to pull an all nighters again because of that nightmare. And Reed guess that, this dream was triggered when she step foot– no, when she dragged her tail to the shore of the island.
So, even if she was angry with this low quality dream, Reed still jumped through the stage.
Splash!
Diving down the sea, Reed could taste the salt water and her eyes with filled with blue.
And with that, her dream now begins.
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Swoosh. Splash!
Jumping up to the sky, then diving down, Reed happy played by the surface of the water in the middle of the afternoon.
The sun strikingly gleam it's strongest light at this time. The air was hot, but the water is cold. With this combination, it was enough to call it refreshing. That's why Reed choose to play at this time.
Bubbles. Bubbles. Bubbles.
Blop. Blop. Blop.
Reed swim and swim till her hearts content. She felt free and contented.
She jumped again, spreading her arms, as she welcomed the wind blowing down her face. She laughed, feeling the joy of the moment.
"This is lif– wah!"
Splash!
"Bull's eye!"
Reed fell down with a hard momentum into the water, after being hit by a huge water canon. Then, she heard a satisfied laugh, a very loud laugh.
Hearing that annoying laugh, Reed frown. She was having a delightful time just now. This is the only time she was free from her lessons, now this pee brain was here too?
Gritting her teeth, feeling annoyed. Reed move her hand in swirling manner, like drawing a circle in the water. After she determined the exact position of the newcomer, she smirked. Her eyes sparkled in mischief.
'Just try escaping this one!'
Swoosh~
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At the surface of the water, a cute small Nereid was still laughing happily. Just the taught that her attack successful hit the target made her heart rejoice.
This is the first time she had won! That stupid princess was playing idiotically that she forgot to remain vigilant to her surroundings.
As the most beautiful and magnificent Nereid, will she let this chance go? Of course not!
"Let this be your lesson! Ah! If only you see your expression when you got hit by my water canon!! It was really hilarious! Hahaha!" She continue to laugh, unaware of impending danger down her feet.
Below, water gathered and swirling little by little. Then, a huge whirlpool appeared, swallowing everything from its proximity.
The small Nereid– of course, were included.
Her smile froze as she felt strong suction pulling her from underneath. Her eyes widen in disbelief, seeing a whirlpool being created with her as the center. This is... unbelievable!
"Ahhhh! I can't believe you! You can't do this to meeeee–" the small Nereid shouted as she was pull down by the whirlpool.
With her small body, she was easily carried by the strong current, and was thrashed here and there. She rotated and revolved in fast speed.
And Reed, who was now hovering inside a huge water bubble, watched this scene with huge bright smile while clapping above the whirlpool.
"Hahaha! This is what you get by messing with me!" Reed shouted. She was being proud. This pee brain Nereid always messes with her despite always losing in the end.
She was happy again. It was really good seeing others misfortune. She was about to laugh loud and hard again, when suddenly her water bubble pop.
Shocked, Reed didn't get to prepare herself from falling. More importantly, she will fall into the whirlpool!
If she fall in and get pull into that, then that will surely be humiliating!
No, no, no. She can't fall. In a matter of seconds, Reed will fall. Stunned by the series of events that befall her, Reed even forgot to mobilize her own power.
She did not expected that karma will bite her back this quick.
So...
Closing her eyes, Reed braced herself– falling!
Falling!
She's falling...
Falling...
...?
Huh?
Looking at the scared little Mermaid in his arms, Levi chuckled.
"...happy?"
When Reed heard this familiar cold baritone, her closed eyes immediately opened up. A surprise aquamarine eyes revealed themselves, her stiff body quickly relaxes and her hands instinctively went over Levi's neck.
"What are you doing here? I thought you won't be able to play with me today."
Although, Reed casually blurted out those words because of Levi sudden appearance, Levi could still hear a bit of sad and regret from the tone of her voice.
He smiled, then nodded as Levi gathered Reed more closer and tightens his embrace over her.
"...I have a task. Want to come?"
Reed eyes brightens when she heard what Levi had said. "Yeah!" She exclaimed, while she coiled her arms around his neck.
Reed already forgotten the whirlpool and the stupid little Nereid currently being tormented inside. And knowing that, Levi just shook his head helplessly.
With a snap of his fingers, the whirlpool disappeared. Reed didn't care though, but her ear fins flaps themselves and you can see how excited she is.
"Let's go?"
"Come on. Let's go. Let's go!"
Securing the excited Reed within his arms, so that she won't fall off, Levi reminded Reed. "I'm here for work, remember. So, behave."
"Yes. Yes. Levi, let's go!"
Sighing, Levi let themselves fall down the water.
Splash!
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"By the way, where are we going?" Reed asked curiously.
Levi did not respond, but Reed didn't mind. He loosened his hold over Reed and hold her waist instead. Then, with a zoom, the couple swim in fast speed towards their destination.
"Gaia. We're going to Gaia." Levi answered after a while. At the same time, his body exploded into tiny bits of artic colored scale. Crispy sounds of scales sounded together with water burbling bubbles.
On the other hand, Reed celebrated the fact that they were going to the surface. It's the first time she will going to any land under Gaia's rule. Islands, big and small, despite being a land mass were under the protection of Oceanus' reign. And Reed, for the first time ever will now be able to see two legged races!
Levi went back to his original form. Gigantic, mighty Sea Serpent emerged from numerous artic scales. And Reed cling onto Levi's largest horn.
With Levi's gigantic body and Reed's small Mermaid body, hugging the Sea Serpent's horn is like hugging a huge pillar that supported a huge coliseum.
Flapping his huge fins like wings, Levi speed up making their way faster than speed of sounds.
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"Woah~ Where are we now?" Reed asked in wonder. She was now walking in her humanoid form inside a forest of red.
Yup, red. Within Reed's eyes reflected a red forest. Red leaves fluttering with the wind as they free fall to the ground, even ground was also covered in red, it's like...
'Ummm?' Reed halted her steps and stopped beside a tree as she thought of the word that best describe what she was currently seeing.
It was already at the tip of her tongue, but she just couldn't gasped the right wording. She was tapping her cheek in contemplation, when Levi walked beside her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"...it's like autumn." Reed heard Levi mumbled, and looked at him with questioning eyes.
"Autumn? What's that?"
"It's a season. After Spring comes the Autumn. And before winter, is Autumn."
"Oh. What's a season?"
"It's the division of the year, marked by changes of weather, light and temperature."
"Is that season the same season with the sea's high and low tide?"
"Close enough, but no." Reed became confused again. Levi sometimes says confusing things that were hard to understand. No, its not that hard to understand. What he was describing rarely or impossible to happen, as the matter of fact.
It was the same reason as why Leviathan was ostracized by the whole Sea Serpent race, despite being the strongest. They all think he was weird and delusional. His thought process were not the same with everyone, and he did not try to fit in either.
But Reed thinks it was interesting. That's what she likes about Levi. Unconsciously, her lips lifted forming a sweet smile.
"Happy? What are you thinking?"
"Nothing much!" Reed then pounce on Levi, hugging him like a Kuala. "Levi, continue. I'm curious. Why is it close enough, yet still a no? What is a season exactly?"
Placing a hand under her butt and another at her back, Levi proceed walking through the forest as if he didn't heard Reed's mountain of inquiry.
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Hiding behind a huge tree bark, Reed seriously trying to peek over. But everytime, a huge hand will cover her face and will be pull back.
With a pouting lips, Reed just gave up peeking and decided to just speak out her curiosity. Of course, she did it stealthy– by telephathy.
["Where are we now, Levi?"]
["We're inside a Terran village, at Fiery Red Forest"]
["Right, you still haven't told me the task those geezer threw at you yet."]
Levi looked at Reed, then he smile mischievously. ["Retrieving the Kraken's eggs."]
Hearing the word 'kraken'. Reed felt goosebumps raising all over her body. She didn't know why, but every since she was a kid, tentacles were a no no for her.
She's still trying to get used to it, because the ocean was full of them.
And thinking of what they have to retrieve right now, Reed kind of regretted going with Levi today.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Reed notice Levi frowning.
["What's wrong?"]
Hearing Reed's worried tone, Levi smile assuring everything's fine. However, Levi shrugged his shoulders, looking annoyed as hell.
"... we're too late. They're dead."
Levi then, pull Reed towards him and came out of hiding. Leisurely, the walked towards the small village.
"In total, the Terran stole 12 unhatched eggs. And the real tasks is to retrieved the eggs, before these Terran eat them."
Reed was looking around, when Levi spoke. She didn't see anything special in this village, and she wanted to see this race called Terran. However, when Reed heard Levi saying something about eating the eggs. Her face pale and she can't help but turned to looked at a certain house.
Bang!
A man with chocolate skin and cream colored hair walked out of the house in panicked. He was holding his throat and stomach. He seems to be in pain and has trouble walking. He fell after he loses his balance.
Reed actually wanted to go and help the man, but Levi stop her. Then what happened next horrified Reed greatly.
"My task is not to save the eggs. You know how tough those eggs were. In fact, I'm here to prevent a massacre."
The man writhe on the ground in pain. He groaned, he kick and kick his feet enduring the pain. Then from his stomach, something seems to be moving, trying to get out of that constricted place.
"Aaaaa!!!" With a loud scream, wiggling bloody tentacles forced their way out of the man's body. Ripping his guts out and even coming out of his mouth.
Blood splattered everywhere, the Terran struggled. He tried pulling the tentacles out of his body. He tried to scream but a tentacle block his wind pipe. And the moment before the man's death, he saw Reed and Levi. He reached out his hand, asking for help.
However, in the end, with their figures reflecting the Terran's terrified eyes. He died.
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Author's Note :
Sigh~ the net's still down...
Thankfully I downloaded a bit enough of webnovel. Hehehe. Guys, try reading 'The Destined Encounter'. I found this gem accidentally when I downloaded a bunch of novels in WebNovel. I binged read it in one day! I didn't sleep, cause I couldn't sleep until I finished all available chapters.
The good news is, its free!
And what's more, it was a fellow countryman that wrote that series.
It's really good. I promise. So, try it!