So, I'm stuck in a tentacle of the Kraken. Life can not get any more bleak. Then I feel a water tendril wrap around my tail and draw me out from the tentacle. I hang upside down in front of the Queen. She leans back, laughing.
"Oh my sweet child, you should have seen the look on your face. That is so sweet of you to try to save me, and even attempt to headbutt the deep-sea giant."
Blood rushes to my head. I am so confused right now.
"Uh, Your Majesty? What just happened?!"
She releases her power, glancing up at the legendary sea monster.
It starts laughing and gently puts its tentacle towards me.
"Ling Yue, meet the Kraken. Go on, place your head as a gentle greeting to him."
I gently place my head against the tentacle. I have no idea what is going on, but I'm not going to argue. I'd rather have the legendary sea monster as my friend than my foe.
"So, are we all good now?"
"Of course, my dear. We've always been good."
"But he grabbed you, I saw with my two little eyes. You were banging your fists at him, it looked like you were in trouble. And you told me to flee."
"Yes, we thought we'd prank you. It was his idea," she says, pointing at the ancient Leviathan. "We wanted to see how you'd fare. Didn't think you'd try to fight; most just flee. The Elder wasn't kidding when he said you went up against a sea monster on your first day. I had my doubts, but he was right. He also said I could use any means to test you."
My face burns up. I don't know if I should be upset or glad.
"So this was all a test? Are you serious? So there's no treasure?"
I prefer how my Master teaches so much more than Her Majesty's. At least he tells me it's a test before he gives me one. He would give me hints to pass the test. And I can trust that he has my back. I miss him already. I better level up quickly so that he comes back soon. I don't know if my tiny heart can handle any more of her so-called "pranks" disguised as tests.
"Oh, there are treasures. The deep-sea giant guards it. Come along."
We swim past the legendary sea monster and he lifts his tentacles, revealing a ruin underneath him. He gives an unnerving grin, that sends a chill down my spine. The water is even warmer here. It's probably the heat emanating from the enormous beast. This treasure better be worth it.
We arrive at the entrance to the ruins. The Queen bites her thumb, making it bleed. Then she places it on a pad. It glows, scans her thumb, and the door slides open.
"That's something you don't see every day. Is this how ruins in the Ocean Realm usually work? It has a different vibe. Like a cold, metallic vibe."
Her Majesty pauses, then gestures for me to head in first. I gingerly swim in, just in case there's a trap or another prank.
"Oh my sweet child, you don't have to worry here. In these ruins, there should be nothing living here. This place is the only technologically advanced ruin in the Ocean Realm. Everywhere else is ancient by comparison. There are artifacts here that the world is not ready to see."
The room was filled with machinery and gadgets. I haven't been in this world for long. But I can tell that some of these don't belong in this world as I can't even describe it.
I follow Her Majesty to a glass tube that has a scroll floating inside. She presses some buttons and the tube disappears.
"You would have to touch it yourself, my sweet child. It's booby-trapped for anyone else."
"What is this?"
"It pretty much details everything about you, what to expect. A manual to your evolution."
"That sounds like more reading to me. That's not my forte. I'll give it to my master when he comes back."
I slowly move toward the glowing scroll, and don't feel anything out of the ordinary. There's a subtle buzzing sound, and as I tap it with my nose, it changes color. How am I going to do this? Well, given that I already touched it... Oh, what the heck. I open my jaw and use my teeth to hold it.
"Careful now. It's quite delicate. Make sure you don't clench your teeth too hard. It's one of a kind. I don't even know the contents. It was passed on from monarch to monarch that when the guardian arrives we are to pass that message and not to touch it. So remember, only you can touch this. I don't know what happens if somebody else does."
"Should I ask the Kraken to give it a go? Maybe it might tickle him."
"Please don't. He's my good friend."
"Is there, like, a case I can put this in? Not exactly safe to swim around with this in my mouth". I mumble, the scroll in my mouth.
The Queen perks up, hurrying to another room. Then she comes back with a cylinder with a rope attached. She untwists the top and holds it out. I gently and carefully put the scroll in the cylinder. She closes the cylinder and ties it around my neck.
"Are there other treasures we're supposed to collect? The King sent me on a quest to fix the door I broke."
"Oh, right, I almost forgot. I'll be back in a moment." She swims off again to another room. I wait patiently, not in the mood to explore this highly advanced ruin with a precious artifact around my neck. Plus, I don't want to pay for the damages here. I wouldn't know how to pay for damages for things not meant to be in this world.
Suddenly, water tendrils wrap around my body. "What the...?" I turn around, and I see a trunk of treasure flying towards me, then it lands on top of my back, and the water tendrils secure the treasure on my back.
The Queen returns to the room, brushing her hands off. "Now, we're good to go."
***
Back in the throne room, I wait in front of the King with the treasure on my back. He easily unravels the water tendrils and lifts the treasure off my back. It lands on the floor with a thud.
"Should that be enough for the damage?"
"Of course, it will pay for the damage and your living cost for a century."
"Don't tell me it would take a century for me to evolve."
"No, of course not."
The King waves his hand, and a portal opens up, and an image of Long Fei appears.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. Ling Yue."
"Master!"
I dart toward him to hug him, but to my surprise, I went straight through his image and crashed through the wall, leaving another crack. I got off the wall, noticing him covering his face with his hand and shaking his head.
The King chuckles.
"Don't worry Elder, she went and got some treasure for us, so she's already covered the costs."
Long Fei takes a deep breath.
"I'm glad she's not just causing trouble and is being helpful."
I swim cautiously back and stick my head through the portal, back and forth, and realize it's just a mirage. My master clears his throat. That's my cue to get back to where I was originally standing.
The King raises his hand and sends water ripples through me. Then he nods, announcing:
"Courage: Level 20
Elemental Power: Level 11
Physical Power: Level 15
Strategy: Level 10
Agility: Level 14
Speed: Level 16."
"Yes, fighting the Kraken was worth it."
I beam as I puff out my chest.
"It may have boosted your courage, but fighting the deep-sea giant is not the best strategy, especially at your level. That's probably why your strategy level did not increase."
I look at my master for approval, but his face remains impassive.
"Ling Yue, I expected you would increase your elemental water level. It's good that you're leveling up everything else this time, but the focus should be your elemental water. I hope you didn't try to use an air blast on the Kraken, because it wouldn't have worked."
I look to the floor, deflated. How did he know when he was so far away?
"Elder, the results are a little surprising for her first day here. She already maxed the courage level. I'll continue to update you tomorrow."
They both nod to each other.
The King waves his hand, and the image disappears. Then he turns to me, with tender eyes.
"Chin up. We will work on your water elemental tomorrow."
"You're not gonna prank me like the Queen, will you?"
He tips his head back and lets out a boisterous laugh, echoing off the coral walls.
"No one in this realm can beat her with pranks."
I laugh nervously. I sure hope not. My tiny heart can only take so much.