Elric and the three princesses looked at the proud turtle in curiosity. With the little turtle's cocky smile, Elric had an urge to smack it good. However, the little bastard is now a Lord of the water realm and he has to respect the latter's new authority.
"I will be honest." Dash tottered in between Elric and the three mermaid princesses. "Becoming the new Lord of the water realm is a great honor, but, I do not know what to do. I don't even know where to start..." the little turtle said in a weak, hesitant voice and added:
"And I also have a mission to accompany Elric on his journey to obtaining all the Elemental Authorities across the Elemental Realm. As much as I want to-"
"Dash." Elric suddenly intervened kneeling closer to the little turtle. Dash looked up at Elric in resignation. Its small black beady eyes shouting for help.
Seeing the helpless stare of the turtle, Elric sighed. "I know how much you wanted to accompany me for this journey. It was because of you that I manage to became where I am right now and I owe you a lot."
Elric's gentle smile and words washed over the little turtle's face like a freshwater clearing out the sand of burden. A little glimmer of light and tear came out of its beady eyes. The three little princesses listened intently with warmth surging out in their hearts as they looked at the intimate bond shared by Elric and the little turtle.
Elric gently knocked the little turtle's scaly head and continued. "Don't forget, it was you who saved me back in the human realm. Without you, I must be dead right now. You see-"
Elric proceeded to gently lift the little turtle who is currently in the size of a newly hatched turtle. He slowly placed Dash on the wide palace window to face the wide expanse of the water realm beholding the beautiful scene of the water realm.
From their view at one of the windows in the Golden palace, they could see the vibrant colors of the water realm despite its current messy state. Before them, they could see the hopeful faces of the water realm beings trying to recover from the catastrophe that had destroyed them.
They could see the determined eyes of those who are digging for their buried friends or families and the unstoppable efforts of the survivors to rebuild themselves. Some people are mourning but there are more who are working to survive and save what they can.
"As you see, the water realm may have been destroyed but not the hope of its people. And right now," Elric slowly faced Dash's teary face. "They need the power of the most powerful being called the Mr. Overwhelming Mighty Grand Dash..."
"..." The three beautiful princesses were lost in words at Dash's unexpected title. Dash, on the other hand, felt incredibly proud of his self-made title as it felt it that way.
"The water realm is currently at the chaos and as the most powerful being in the whole realm, it is the time when they need your help and presence the most," Elric added.
"But I was assigned to guide you to the different Elemental realms by the great Seer Mhata herself! How are you going to survive without me?"
"If I survive or not is up to me. I have this power now to protect myself and don't forget that you once tossed me back at the Fire realm where I almost died, guess what? I am stronger than you thought." Elric said as he summoned a small ball of fire to convince the little turtle.
"after all, I can always come back here to ask for your help right?"
Dash looked at Elric's summoned fire and a glint of relief calmed him down.
"Yeah, you are right.."
Now facing the wide world of the water realm, Dash added, "I am now indeed the Lord. Since the holy providence has chosen me, then, I should probably step up and take hold of my responsibility. As for you." Dash scanned Elric's tall and handsome body, "Don't you ever die on your journey. When everything here in the water realm is fixed, I will probably catch after you just to make sure I don't renegade on my promise to the Great Seer Mhata. We are short on time after all."
"Yeah." Elric smiled back with a contented smile. And with that, Elric is set to journey alone towards his next destination in a different Elemental realm.
Dash was about to say his farewell to Elric when suddenly, his eyes jumped in a realization and immediately looked at Elric with a guilty tone.
"By...the way... Elric." said the turtle in a child-like tone.
"Yeah?"
"Do you know how long have you been here in the Elemental Realm?"
"Hmmm" Elric, pondered for a moment.
Knowing that there is no day and night cycle in the Elemenal Realm since the five different planets remained still in the hazy violet sky, thus he was unable to exactly tell how long has it been.
"I don't have a watch with me but ever since you brought me here in this realm, I felt like it has been more than a week ever since I came. Why do you ask though?"
"You see. I forgot to tell you that..." The little turtle has an unexpected guilty tone in his voice.
"That what?~" Elric had an unpleasant suspicion.
"You see, if we compare it to an earth's perspective, a day in the Elemental Realm is one month in the Human Realm."