Not many things can truly catch me off guard. Of course I can be shocked. But off guard is rare. I had researched much about the world since being in Verst.The Country of Aliana of course was a piece I had gotten from a myth. A legend. It was once a famous country. Powerful, beautiful, and worshipped the G.o.ds of Water. It took centuries to rise from the dust. Yet for some reason it had vanished from the world without a sound. Even though it had sat in the dead center of all the continents. That was all the books said. Not a trace was left of it. But here the G.o.ddess of water was telling me it had been underwater the whole time.It took a moment before it completely sunk in. "So you"re telling me that you made my sister... your champion... in a city that has essentially become a myth... What the €&!" I shouted out. Vara"s face showed a look of amus.e.m.e.nt as my mind went berserk with questions. ( Why my sister? My sister is Naiad? Why!?!?") My thoughts raged. to be honest it took me a few moments to cool off so I didn"t try killing the G.o.ddess in front of me. "I have one question for you... Why did you pick my sister?" My haze was leveled at her face. My eyes still filled with my fury at the woman in front of me.
Vara shrugged her shoulders. "I chose her a century or two ago. Long before you came along. She has a backbone and fighting spirit. But she also likes to protect and heal those she values. But the main reason I chose her is for me to know and for you to never find out." She waggled her finger at me as she turned and started walking away. "Wait!" I shouted after her. But it was too late. She dissapeared into a hazy mist and I woke with a start.
Legions eyes glowed as they stared at me. Sweat coated my body from head to toe as I sat up in bed. "Seems like you were having an uncomfortable dream." Legions voice echoed out as I sat there. I ran my hands across my scaled scalp. (I"m back in my body again. Good.) I looked at Legion. "We"re going on a trip." Their eyebrows rose.
?
Thee morning came all too quickly. The sun rose like a hazy orange giant on the horizon. The light shined through the window as I was sharpening Dragons Cry with a bluish whetstone. Light glanced off the base and into my eyes causing me to squint. I set down the blade and rose from my seat. After the dream I hadn"t been able to sleep. So I prepared to travel and made sure my equipment could take the journey. I approached my door as a knock thudded through it. "Ignis! You up?" I opened the door to find a gold dwarf standing there. "If I wasn"t I would"ve been with how loud you knock." I grinned at him as he scowled at me. "Puppet there told me what happened. You truly heading to Aliana? You know that place has never been found in all the years adventurers have hunted for it?" I looked him in the eyes. "True but when the G.o.ddess who owns it tells you where it is I bet you would be able to get there pretty easily." His eyebrows rose a little at the mention of a G.o.ddess. " And which G.o.ddess would that be lad? The G.o.ddess of madness? We have hunted for that d.a.m.ned city with the help of G.o.ds before and it never turned up and many still never returned from the endeavor." He said as he started pacing back and forth nervously.
I looked up at him with a light smile on my lips. "That"s because Aliana is an underwater city that moves." The dwarf spun around as his jaw hit the floor. " You have to take me with you! I need to know how that works. Technology that can survive underwater conditions would be an incredible discovery and should be shared with the world!" I smirked slightly as I laid my hand on his shoulder. " My friend... I"m going alone. I can handle most things that would give people nightmares. And Sam needs someone looking after her since she can"t come. Od"s crystal should be able to power the cannons on the city walls for decades and there is the rail gun I designed and attached to the wall as well. Here she will be protected till I return. I am entrusting that to you." My eyes had locked with his as I grasped his shoulder nervously.
"I need to know she"s safe. And that"s why Legion is staying here as well. I trust you all not to let me down." Hargo"s eyes softened a little as he came to understand what I was saying. "Her family is dead and she has nowhere else to go. I"m afraid that Weremar will attempt something again. But I"m hoping a little dwarven stubbornness will go the distance."
I released his shoulder and grabbed my knapsack and slung it onto my back along with my weapon before heading to the door.
I stopped at the door as I grabbed the handle and turned my head. "I"ll be seeing you around my friend." Hargo"s back was still facing me.
"Aye... May the earth ever make you a home and the hearth ever warm you my precious disciple." A smile flickered across his face as he turned to look at me. I nodded as I opened the door and walked down the halls and out the castle doors. I got to the courtyard and spread my wings wide. The air felt good against them and seemed to dance in the courtyard. I flapped once and rocketed into the sky. When I peaked my alt.i.tude from the initial flap I hovered there. I was able to see a good chunk of the continent from that height. I could see the mountain that marked the city of Crystal and even the settlement we pa.s.sed through with the guild in it. I started flying east till I saw a glimmer in the distance. A speck of blue that slowly grew into a ever larger expanse that soon covered the horizon.
I set down on a beach close to the water as a gust of wind picked up the sand in great billowing clouds. The sound of the waves was loud but calming. The rushing water was so familiar and yet so foreign. I hadn"t heard it in months after all. I stepped forward and set my feet in the shallow water. It was cold. Freezing even. But I felt alive as I entered it. The system chimed at me.
/ You are entering the domain of water. All other elemental attributes will be hindered greatly due to domain effects. You have been warned./
I nodded as I entered the water. I was up to my knees, then my hips, ribs, shoulders and finally my neck where my gills were. Almost immediately they started fluctuating. Pulling and pushing water through them to oxygenate my bloodstream. It felt strange but refreshing all the same. I put my head below the waves and found a murky, watery expanse waiting for me. ( Probably best if I fish for a bit and get underwater vision.) I stepped back out and coughed out a lung full of water. I breathed in the air. "d.a.m.n I hope that doesn"t happen every time." I groaned out. I looked for some vines and found a rat made of rocks. I caught and killed the rat. Its meat was then hung in a small chunk on the end of the vine.
Needless to say it didnt take long to catch a fish. It was a strange puffy fish covered in little needles and had a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. I grabbed it"s tail fin and slapped it on a rock. Once was all it took to kill it. I took my blade and sc.r.a.ped off the needles and soon I had a fish cooking on a stick by a fire. I ate the fish but I had to catch a few more before I got anything. All the same kind of fish and they kinda tasted like pike from earth. Soon the system started chiming off things.
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.
/ You have eaten a cannon belly spike fish. You acquired the following skills.
Pa.s.sive Spike Growth... Not much to say here.
Underwater Vision has been combined with shadow vision and night vision skills.
Gills have been improved for better oxygenation of the blood.
Oceanic Poison has been acquired but has been neutralized by superior poison you possess. That is all./
I felt a p.r.i.c.kling sensation spread over my chest, arms, and back as little needle-like spikes grew from between my scales. I raised an arm and examined it. ( These look dangerous.) I thought as I looked back to the fire. I thought for a moment about catching more but I had already gotten what I needed. I headed back to the water and dove in. I slowly began to sink till I was standing on he ocean floor. I felt an uncomfortable sensation in my chest. I opened my mouth and a bubble the size of a softball came out.
( Well that"s new.) I thought as I raised an eyebrow. ( I should probably try to swim...) I started moving my arms in the motions of a normal paddle that a swimmer would normally. Cupping the water as far I could reach as I moved. My wings had tucked tight to my back so I wouldn"t be hindered in my progress. My muscles began to burn as my arms and tail worked to move me through the water. I had been at it for almost an hour before I once again settled on the sandy ocean floor. Power slowly moved through me to soothe the now sore muscles.
I sat on a rock close by and thought about things. ( This is taking too long... If I keep going at my current pace I won"t ever reach Aliana. Maybe I should try water magic? Could it work to boost my speed?) I got up and held out my hands like Ironman and tried to push he water. But it came to no avail. It just churned up sand and startled fish. (Back to the drawing board.) I hummed which came out sounding like a bubbly growl due to the water. I pulled Dragons Cry from my back and examined it closer. I could possibly force air and water through the pipe to force me forward. I unhooked the blade and stowed it at my belt. I got on he pipe like a witch riding a broom and as much as I"m embarra.s.sed to admit it I looked like an idiot. But it worked. The air gem and my water magice combined into a torrent that shot me forward. Though I soon discovered that it was uncomfortable and attempted to stand on it like a surf board with my tail wrapped around it. I felt the water against my face like wind when I was flying. It was cool and glorious as I flew through the water.
It was soon cut short as I noticed I had a pursuer. It was a shadow in the distance behind me but I knew I was being followed. I shot around a coral reef and hid in an outcropping to wait. Soon my pursuer appeared. It was a merwoman. Her tail was covered with silver and blue scaed and she had a large shark-like tail. Her face was a pale white but her eyes were red like rubies which I had heard was a common trait considering there were only females among the merfolk.
I tried speaking but all that came out was bubbles. The female was startled and spun around to face me. Thankfully in comparison to the lore she had a cloth top on. It was a bandage wrap around her chest that had sh.e.l.ls and scales sewn to it. I crossed my arms as she held up hers and held out a strange blue orb pointing at her mouth and making gestures. I scrunched my eyes at her and slowly took the orb from her hand. She made gestures about eating it and I tossed it into my mouth after a couple seconds of her coaxing. / Host has consumed telepathic bead. Infusing telepathic communication abilities into your brain now./ I heard the system chime. {Can you hear me now upworlder?} My eyes widened as a vibrant and cheery voice echoed through my head. I had not thought that merfolk would need telepathy to talk but I guess I was wrong. I nodded and she smiled. Her teeth were sharp like a shark"s which diminished it"s charm a bit but all the same it was a friendly sign. I tried to talk back through telepathy. It was a bit rough but I managed. {I am... thankful... for the gift... But why would you... give it to me?} I felt like an idiot. Telepathy took alot of focus and will to send out things. Sam was an easy case for sending messages because my intent was there to help. This was something else.
{You may call she Shanti. Lady Vara asked me to help a hapless, land legged upworlder to our home. If you would please follow me.} My cheeks flushed as I hung me head a little and followed with the water and air magic on low.