Trees swayed lightly in the nighttime breeze. Carrying occasional bird chirps and songs of critters in its path. The thick foliage gave way to grass patches neither abundant nor sparse, leading down a slope. By the side lay striped and patterned cliffs, formed by sedimentary rocks. Decades and millenniums shown bare. The royal blue night twinkling with stars were reflected by a smooth mirror like sheen. Amidst the peace, relaxing sounds of distant waves crashing and desperate cries of a pig could be heard.
Huh.
Kayson stared at the subdued giant boarvado being dragged like a sack of potatoes by Joseph. His eye twitched.
"Why are we at sea?"
Indeed, their current location was at a small cove west of the town.
"Pearil Cove." The man specified, moving the beast without so much as breaking a sweat.
"Yeah I get that, but why are we here?"
"Practice."
"Oh ok. Why couldn't we do it back at the den? In the first place, why are you carrying my target?" Kayson was a bit piqued. After having been caught by the man, they were forced to make a brief explanation excluding the other world stuff. Instead opting for how he accidentally ate a dragmire stem (a plant that can stunt and block a person's magic temporarily) in the past. But even after he healed, he somehow became unable to use magic (Thanks to the absence of magic while the poison was in effect). Embarrassed to tell his family, they're now trying to forcefully unblock it.
The man looked at them as though they were stupid, but at least it worked. Neither of them knew how the old veteran had believed such a hastily crafted excuse. The holes in it could trigger someone's trypophobia!
"Do you think this pig will be a challenge for a Nevoid?" Joseph's tone was deeply unimpressed. Kayson gaped, and Huey cleverly decided to not partake in the conversation.
Forcefully, Kayson spoke, "...Then why'd you bring it..?"
"Bait."
"Oh."
The trio walked closer to the waters. To the point that if it climbed up the beach any further, it could touch their shoes. Joseph took a deep long breath of the salty seaside air.
"Do you want to know why this place is called Pearil Cove?"
"Uhhh." Kayson and Huey furrowed their brows. The pink haired boy in confusion, and the other in ponder.
Pearil Cove.. Huey heard of it before. With an ecosystem of unique oysters and clams, the pearls harvested here glisten like crystals while still retaining an opaque luster. The colours range from creamy, gold, vermillion, celeste, and multiple shades in violet. With them only existing in such a minuscule area, and in such high demand, the jewels garnered a heavy price. The coast where they're formed partly belongs to the duchy, so his family had a part of the ownership. Naturally they had sponsored and partnered up with a merchant group to sell the local wares. It was one of their biggest wealth incomes.
That was all basic information, but isn't there something missing? Joseph didn't give them much time to think.
"Because of this place's abundant pearl reserve. In the water and underground are rare oysters and clams. It's a local specialty that only exists along this coast." He explains. Huey blinked, perplexed. Kayson voicing out his thoughts perfectly.
"But if that's true how is this place not.. you know, under constant surveillance? We just waltzed in here like nothing! Why is there no security measure?! Did we trespass? Did you make us trespass?!" He wildly looked around, expecting to spot a security guard or a magic equivalent of a security camera.
Joseph shook his head. "That's where the other reason for the name comes in. This place is famous for its resources, but infamous for theâ"
'Oh! I remember now!'
"The channicaenth!" Huey interrupted. A lightbulb lighting up above him.
"...Right. Don't interrupt me again." Joseph coughed. The boy pursed his lips and went silent.
"As I was saying, channicaenths are aquatic creatures capable of walking on land. They have jellyfish like tentacles behind their front fins, but don't worry they won't sting. They're just incredibly sticky." He looked at the pink haired male who was turning paler little by little. "They use it to latch onto their prey, so it's quite a hassle. Oh, and they love pork." Joseph patted the boarvado that had stopped screeching. Accepting its fate.
"So," Kayson gulped. "I'm supposed to fight that thing?"
"Yes."
"And," He pointed at the boarvado. "The monster I'm supposed to fight is being used as bait, for another monster?!"
"Yes."
"What the fuck!"
"Wait Mr. Joseph isn't this too much? Kayson hasn't even awakened his magic yet." Huey cut in. Although he doubted the stern man would listen.
"That's the point. It was your idea to send him into a desperate situation to force a reawakening. I'm merely offering help."
"More like offering our deaths.." Kayson grumbled and kicked a dried up stick away. Knocking up sand which then blew in his direction from the wind. "Ack!"
Joseph sighed and crossed his arms. "Even if it doesn't work, it'll be a worthy experience. All you need to do to win is to pop the sacs behind their gills, it allows them to stay above water for prolonged periods of time so break those and it'll run."
Ignoring the pink haired boy's enquiries of how to pop it, he ordered, "Less talking, more moving. Help me set the bait."
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"Um, Mr. Joseph?" Huey bit his lips as he grabbed onto the boarvado. Looking uneasy at the middle aged man's direction. Said man cracked open an eye in response. "Why am I here too?"
The boy was currently stationed by the beast. Both of them trapped on one of the rocks tall enough to barely poke itself above the water. Fortunately it was quite wide.
'Why the hell am I stuck with the bait?!'
Huey wanted to scream.
"We need someone to make sure that pig doesn't run." Joseph said as if it was an obvious fact. The boy internally sobbed. Why is his new teacher like this?
'I'm pretty sure with you there the pig wouldn't dare run..whether I'm here or not..' He thought bitterly.
"It also might be more motivation for the Nevoid kid." Kayson snapped back to reality at that. Still in disbelief. He gestured at where his friend was while looking at the older man. Shouting.
"You're using Huey as bait too?!" More stress quickly built up inside.
"Of course not, he's just there to make sure it won't run."
"It's the same thing in this case!" The male yelled. Joseph sighed, annoyed and disappointed. As if he just didn't put the young master of the Astaseul Duchy on a rock, in the ocean, stranded, and as monster bait number two.
"Don't worry, I'll step in if things get too rough. Enough so neither of you would die, but any injuries are on you." Kayson shivered. He could see those cold eyes gleam evilly like cartoon villains.
'Demon gorilla! Crazy gorilla!' Feeling like he could die not from whatever monster he was gonna fight, but from high blood pressure instead.
While both boys fretted, the ex-admiral took out a glass vial containing oozy crimson liquid. The blood of the boarvado. He poured it into the water, and from the moment the first droplet touched the clear blue sea. From the moment the ripples dissolved into murky red. The bait was set. It was only a matter of time.
Huey and Kayson anticipated the grim arrival of whatever creature would come out. The pink haired boy had never fought an animal before, let alone a sea monster. Sweat dripped down his chin.
Tense minutes passed without any commotion, and Kayson had begun wondering if this attempt would be a fail. That the bait didn't manage to lure a channicaenth whatever, and they could go home, sleep, and try again when they were more prepared. But could it be that easy?
The wind whistled.
Joseph looked into the distant waters with a solemnity belonging to a veteran. Two words. Two words that marked the start of the battle, came out of his mouth. "It's here."
He didn't think so.
Instantly the apprehensive peace was broken when
thin transparent tentacles broke through the water at alarming speed. Glistening lavender blue with tints of yellow under the sun. It hovered in the air and began detecting the air for their prey. It didn't take long until it noticed the boarvado on the rock platform. Served up on a platter. Slowly, it retreated back into the depths.
Hidden behind the trees with a relatively big stick, Kayson watched the action anxiously. That... wasn't that too big?! Why were the tentacles so big?! Then doesn't that mean the main body is also big?! He shot a worried glance at Huey who was hidden behind the boarvado, before looking towards Joseph.
The man whispered, "Lucky you, it's an adolescent."
What.
Huey stared at the ground. He probably wouldn't die, but he was probably gonna get injured. How would he explain the injury? Especially if it's something major.. wait no why is he even thinking about that when he might become monster snack soon?! Fortunately the Channicaenth have a similar digestive system as a jellyfish. Meaning he won't get chewed up and die, but rather get digested and die (not that he will). Basically he'll still have a while to stay alive, so Mr. Joseph should be able to save him. If worse comes to worse he'll just bust out of there with his own magic.
Although.. why did the pig start squealing again?
He heard water dripping.
Freezing, he slowly turned his head up into the sky... where it was blocked, or rather, towered over by a gigantic purple, rhino looking, beady eyed, animal. The channicaenth tilted its head to the side, much like a puppy.
'Huh it's kinda cute.'
Before tentacles instantly wrapped around the boarvado, lifting it high into the sky (while it squealed) for the creature to inspect.
'Nevermind.'
Considering how Joseph's poor excuse of using him as bait number two was so he could keep the pig in check, now that said pig was being dangled in the air about to be monster dinner, he can leave... right? Taking the chance Huey bolted to the other end of the rock platform, he was still a good couple feet away from mainland so swimming was most likely the only option.
Squeeaaaallll
The boy flinched at the loud sound and made the mistake of looking back. Where the boarvado was no more. Not even a single trace left of it except for the discarded rope pieces scattered around. Huey silently lit a prayer for the poor soul, and along the way, lit himself one too as the channicaenth's dark beady eyes trained onto him. The thing that was definitely around the length of a blue whale. Eyes. Trained. On him.
'Oh shit.'
"Hii boy, girl, thing, you uh. Don't eat me. I don't taste good." His smile was a crooked nervous one as he kept eye contact with the monster. Slowly backing away he contemplated on just jumping into the water and making a swim for it. No no that thing has tentacles and is a sea monster, swimming would never work. Rather, he called out at the cliffs surrounding the cove, "Kayson! Where the fuck, are you!"
Perhaps yelling like that was not a very good idea, because right afterwards the tentacles shot towards him. A high-pitched scream came out.
"AHHHHHHH!!"
Ducked and falling forwards into a roll, Huey managed to dodge the first wave of attack. The process repeated a couple times, with him showcasing all sorts of weird maneuvers that somehow worked, and an incessant amount of screams.
"KAYSON AHH GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW! AHHHH!" Huey was shrieking his head off. Somehow managing to dodge every single tentacle aiming for him. Unless he was somehow very skilled with dodging, it was probably thanks to adrenaline and muscle memory from a decade ago.
Kayson clenched his fists. Whipping his head, he glared at the ex-admiral. "Can I go yet?! What if it eats him?! What if he gets eaten?!?" He knows the man had said neither of them would die, but paranoia, fear, and worries still gnawed at him. His attention snapped back down,
The channicaenth had finally gotten the best of the boy. A tentacle wrapping around his ankle and hauling him up. Dangling in the air by his foot. Huey would rather face Owen than deal with this bullshit. "Kayson, now would be a good time to come out and do some magic! Agh!" Yelping when he was shook around like a toy.
Joseph glanced at the other boy, who looked as if he was barely restraining himself from jumping in. Finally, he gave an ok signal and the pink haired male leapt into the fray. Wielding a stick he had randomly pulled from a tree valiantly.
How cool!
He drove the stick into the beast's back, but with it being dull, was unable to penetrate skin. The channicaenth screeched and dropped the black haired boy into the waters. Returning the assault, it whipped the tentacles at Kayson. He swung, to the sides, up, down, and spun when necessary. Sharply slapping away the appendages. He advanced. Side stepping away from sneak attacks. Jabbing at the ends. The monster howled and the attacks got faster. Fiercer. Kayson stumbled a bit, but used the momentum to deliver a spin kick mid-fall. Crouched, he rolled to the side and delivered an upper jab.
Strange. He's still scared, and he definitely has never fought a monster before, Kayden or Kayson. But everything feels so natural. Like walking. He can clearly see every movement. When his brain reacts his body moves faster. Sharper. Stronger. The precise movements flowing from his limbs and into the weapon. Becoming one. At this point, could he defeat it without magic?
The creature roared and raised its eel-like tail, water dripping off of it abundantly, slapped down. Kayson sprint jumped to the side. Narrowly avoiding the attack. His heart thumped. The gills are on its neck, so if it won't come down he just needs to go up. He moved to get on the monster's back.
"Kayson!" A drenched Huey yelled, "Watch out!"
Kayson's foot landed on algae, and slipped.
'Fuck.'
The boy yelped and fell in the water, submerged. The moment was short. Some tentacles wrapped around his torso dragged him back into the air. A good couple feet high. The motion forced him to swallow a mouthful of water. Coughing, before being abruptly thrown back into the sea. With a sickening splash, everything stung upon contact. Kayson choked on the air in his own lungs. The burning sensation spread through his back. His blood was boiling. Invisible bruises blooming on his body. The next morning they'd definitely be a ghastly array of blues and purples.
He sank. Still in pain. The light rippling through the waters felt extra bright within the haze. The sun had long gone down, the waters cold and weighed on his tired limbs despite it being summer. Swimming back up he breached through the waves, wheezing and clawing in air. He had hardly begun recovering when the reprise was cut short. He felt something cold and slimy coil itself around his leg, and pulled him under.
Kayson kicked against the appendage, but his foot never managed to land a proper hit with the water restraining him. High strung panic bleeding in as a feeling of desperation worsened. Scanning his surroundings all he could see was blue. Blue, blue, blue. There was nothing to free himself with, aside from his own body which proved to be useless.
The stick had been lost during his fall. Not that it could've been of much use underwater. Eelia, how he longed for a sword. To grasp that familiar hilt and see the blade shine with each strike. Cutting through all obstacles. It'd be so easy to break free of this predicament. It was a part of him, like a limb. Kayson tried tugging his leg in again, but grew confused. Why does he feel that way? Sure his new memories made him know, use, and like swords, but a part of him? He doesn't even know what that means. Something incorporeal was sticking itself over him, like a cocoon. It felt unfamiliar-familiar, not unwelcomed but not accepted either.
What was going on?
Everything was going dark. He thought he could hear muffled yelling, but there's no way he could hear it from all the way down there right? Auditory hallucinations before death? The water clogged up his senses. The muted pain spasmed. Sky blue eyes smarted and burned.
'Ah.. I still wanted to get Opal back for that stunt she pulled..."
He didn't have many major regrets in life. Aside from not saying goodbyes again, he hated how familiar this feeling was. He's died once as Kayden, and not even three months later he's dying again as Kayson. Is fate cruel or what?
He's sure to have stopped sinking by now, kept in a stagnant position in the waters. The light trickling in from above seemed so meek. Was the tentacle still there? Could he just swim back up and save himself? Wasn't that gorilla gonna come save him? Or was he too preoccupied with preventing Huey from getting eaten? Everything was so fuzzy. His limbs didn't cooperate and he could only hold his breath for so long. Drowning hurts right? He closed his eyes.
'I don't.. want to die.'
He never wanted to die this early. Not as Kayden, and never as Kayson. If this is what the heavens and stars ordained for him, he didn't want it. He'd cry. He'd bargain. He'd curse.
'I.. want to live.'
The waters bubbled.
'I don't.. want this fate.'
And he defied.
From above the surface, Huey called out distressingly, "Kayson?! Kayson!?" Perhaps because of the blood rushing into his head, his feelings were even more amplified. Fear overtook him in almost every aspect. Every bone. Every cell. Every fiber of his being. "M-Mr. Joseph, Kayson, he isn't coming up! Save him!"
Joseph frowned, was this a failure? Well, he supposed he had time to save the Astaseul kid after the Nevoid one. He moved to accelerate himself with wind magic when he stopped in his tracks. The wind, dispersing.
Something was going on under water, and albeit small, the mana branches were rippling. It was barely noticeable before the murky blue parted to reveal something white. Fizzling underwater, quickly growing in intensity. Just a little more and it'd breach the surface.
"This.." He smiled, showing teeth.
"Hurry up you old man EEEK!" Huey was now hanging directly above the channicaenth with its mouth stretched open. His heart beat like crazy from horror. The mouth was like an eel's. Muscles drooping inwards to form a pitch black hole surrounded by small razor sharp teeth. Although channicaenths don't use their teeth to chew up food, it was still intimidating. Huey felt like crying again. Never in his three lives did he think he'd get eaten alive by a sea monsterâwho also might've drowned his friend.
That's it.
'I don't give two shits anymore. I'm electrocuting this bitch.'
Huey was about to release a shock with as much power he could muster, when from the corner of his eye he saw something shoot forwards. Before his brain could follow there was a harsh sound similar to a waterfall and he was spinning. Spinning? Was he thrown?! A gust threw him in another direction, his fall softened by repeated surges of wind. Just enough so he wouldn't get anything bigger than a bruise. Mr. Joseph used his magic and plopped Huey roughly down on the ground. The boy hissed and rubbed his behind. His vision spun, discombobulated. People are definitely not built for being chucked around in the air.
Hair now a complete mess from the thrashing and being thrown around, Huey would've complained, but that was the least of his worries. Immediately looking at the channicaenth's direction (ignoring the head rush) he could see the creature being bombarded by strong blasts of.. water?
"..Hydro cannon?" He huffed amusingly. Lingering dizziness still overtaking him.
"Hm?" Mr. Joseph stood beside him. Watching the scene unraveling in front with apt interest and attention.
"Nothing."
'It just sort of reminded me of those pocket monsters...'
The monster shrieked, its fins outstretched. The tail slapped the water generating turbulent waves and currents, but those served to tie it down too. The attacks pelted against it mercilessly. Knocking the beast around like a dummy. As the flailing intensified, the ocean formed a cord. Twining around the creature tightly. It struggled ferociously, kicking up more undulating waves. With a flick the ocean sent it crashing into the far side cliffs, rocks breaking off and pebbling it. The restrained beast thrashed violently. Beady eyes glowering down on someone.
Kayson rose from the sea. Stepping on stairs formed by water, unending droplets trickling down. Falling like rain on a tranquil morning, its source germinated a path for
its master. With each step he took, the beast got more violent, unable to escape from its restraints. Kayson stared straight ahead at his target. He stretched out his arm, hand opened, and beckoned.
Water beads instantly came together, merged, and catalyzed into a rod. The shape wasn't very defined, practically crude. Resembling a thick sabre rather than the straight sword he was used to. Strong spurts of water rushed throughout with vigour and strength. Like Kayson had just forced a raging torrent into a single line.
Above the channicaenth, he eyed those shaking beady eyes. Staring into those dark pools his mind wondered. An adolescent huh... it wasn't actually the creature's fault for thinking of them as food. They had lured it with its prey after all. A bit of the fog slightly diffused. Kayson shook his head and raised an arm, blue gold eyes glowing ominously. The channicaenth watched as the currents worsened and the violent thrashing came back. Kayson stumbled a bit, his mana was being pulled far too taut. It hurt, he felt like he might keel over soon. He needed to end it, now.
Sparing one last glance, he struck down.
The blade colliding with the abdomen, upon first touch, scattered.
As if the caged torrent finally broke free. Gushing out in powerful streams to the point it'd burn. Pressure surged and knocked the channicaenth out. Crashing mightily against the cove dousing everything wet.
Rippling chaos cleared out after the final wave. Trickling back into serenity. The water returned to the mirror smooth from before this whole ordeal. Peaceful, and serene. Kayson stood amongst it all on top of the still alive, but very much incapacitated channicaenth. Drenched, and silent.
His friend, however, was not.
"THAT WAS SO OP WHAT THE FUCK!" Huey burst out from behind a bush. Rushing over to the part of the beach closest to his friend. He cheered and jumped on the sand. "I KNEW THIS METHOD WOULD WORK WOOO!"
Kayson turned to look curiously at the boy. Narrowing his eyes somewhat. With the adrenaline wearing off the pain quickly made itself known. He could feel a sharp headache building at the back of his head. Wincing, he uttered.
"Who are you?"
...
A foreboding feeling pooled in Huey's guts. There's... no way.. right? He wanted to say something. Ask why, what, how. Utter anything. A single huh a single eh, but nothing came out. His vocal cords clamped up like it was being crushed. Strangled by whatever cruel suspicions rising to life. His throat felt parched and ached. What did Kayson mean? He's Huey, and Elijah of course. Why would he ask that? Is it a joke? What ifâ
Kayson looked confused, his brows were creased, and his eyes scrunched further up. Just as he was about to say something, blue gold eyes rolled back and the boy fell, unconscious, into the waters. Slipping down the monster's slippery abdomen. Huey yelped and dove into the waters. Whatever worries could be pushed to later, saving his friend was the priority.
~ð©ðª ⧠â¦~
Kayson seems to have forgotten about life guard Mr. Joseph ð¤ª
Fun fact it's my birthday tmrw so...
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