Realm Wars

"The Jewel of Tethyt." Ryu went on his feet.

Faux's hand went still.

"It could grant immortality." Or so Ryu heard.

Faux was silent for a moment. Hmm. .. she then faced Ryu and said with a serious face and voice, "Nobody knows what the Jewel of Tethyt could do. But it couldn't bring her soul back to her body. There is a chance that without her original soul, Ferris would just turn into an immortal corpse. Is that what you want?"

Gurgh. .. Ryu closed his eyes tight for a brief second. "I. .. I don't want her to disappear."

".. ." Faux looked to the other side and sighed. It seemed that it was the first time that Ryu lost someone he truly cared about.

"Listen to me, little pup." Faux went to Ryu and looked into his amber eyes, "The only way for you to accept reality is by moving forward and make sure that you become strong to protect those you care about in the future."

"And besides," Faux crossed her arms, "I'm sure little Ferris wouldn't want to see you mope like this."

".. ." Ryu bit his lips, tasting the metal blood on his tongue while drawing strength from his balled fists.

Accept? No. .. He'd make sure to find the Jewel and waked Ferris's mortal body.

A streak of madness briefly crossed Ryu's eyes, and Faux wanted to shake her head.

She then changed the topic. It was pointless to talk Ryu out of it. Faux knew he already made his mind, and no amount of talking could change his decision.

"So, do you still want to wake her? Knowing that her mortal body would disappear?"

No. .. Ryu would make sure to return everything as it was. He'd find the Jewel so that Ferris's mortal body could live forever. The souls inhibiting her body would nourish her even without her original soul. 

Yes. .. that might happen. 

No. . .

Ryu would make it happen.

----

A day passed, and Mother Skull's ship continued its course. There were still fifteen more days before they reached the area of the Scavenger Hunt, while Lucian and the other's destination was a little farther from that.

The mercenaries and the nobles could start their quest and hunt for treasures once they reached the scavenger hunt area. They could also go deeper into the Nightmare Sea, though a few chose these options for the dangers and close proximity to the other realms.

The Nightmare Sea was divided by the north and south, and only ten percent of its waters were explored. Lucian and the others chose the southern route since it was the easiest and shortest path into the Beat Realm.

A small ship enough to house them was waiting for them once they disembarked in Imoana Islet since a large ship couldn't pass the narrow rocks and reefs going into Gibombo Island.

And from Gibombo Island, a small boat would sneak them into the Beast Realm. Lucian counted the days in his hands. At the speed that they were going and the delays they faced in the past, Lucian estimated that they would reach the Beast Realm within the end of the first month of the three moons if .. . there was no longer any delay.

While Lucian, Rosa, and Cecily were busy planning their next course of action in Lucian's room, Kai and Ryu were on deck with Fifi.

Kai was constantly peeking at Ryu at the side of his eyes. He didn't know if it was a good or bad thing that Ryu was just calmly looking over the ocean. Like the problem with Ferris was gone at just one night.

Kai didn't know if he should bring up the problem about Ferris or just forget about it. But Ryu's nonchalant face and silence were bothering him. If he just bottled it inside and avoided the issue, he would never move on.

Kai opened his mouth but almost slipped from the railing of the boat when Fifi screamed in excitement.

"Oh look, a swarm of Sea Bees!"

Fifi pointed to a group of floating transparent ball-like creatures. They seemed to fish with only their tiny fins at the side. Their eyes were round and blank and protruding while small sharp teeth slipped from their upper lips.

(Pic)

"Whoa!" Fifi twirled in the air, and Kai forgot all about Ryu when Fifi was being cute. "How in the world are they flying? Are they made of air?"

Ryu snapped a piece of wood and casually flicked it towards the Sea Bees. 

Pop!

Pop!

The Sea Bees burst one after the other like balloons made up of water, and Ryu said in a casual tone, "They're made of water."

".. ."

".. ."

Fifi's eyes watered, and she cried in silence for the poor cute little creatures who were just minding their business of floating above the ocean.

This is bad. Kai thought. At this rate, Ryu would kill a person if that unfortunate person just happened to look at him.

Ryu appeared calm, but Kai felt the anger and frustration radiating from him from time to time, and Kai was afraid that one of these days, he would burst!

"H-hey Ryu," Kai started but didn't know what to say next. 

.. .

.. .

There was an awkward silence that hung between them, and Kai scratched the back of his neck. "A-about what I told you before?" About wanting to find a cure for Ferris.

"What?"

"You know."

"I don't."

Kai grumbled. Ryu was being difficult. Rather, isn't he a bit cold now? His face became stoic, and his eyes became sharper. 

Rather, did he mature overnight?

The usual youthfulness in him and that palpable air of curiosity he always had was gone. Before, he would always point at everything he saw like a little pup but now. .. it felt like nothing was interesting to him. It was like he was a changed person overnight. 

Did Ferris' death impact him so much?

----

A/N

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