"Thank you for saving the young human, my lord." A little turtle floated beside a red-tailed merman. His eyes emanated with wisdom. It was the same turtle that the young boy had been taking care of.
"I am afraid I cannot save the bigger human. His retribution was fated already." The red-tailed merman told the young turtle in a gentle but authoritative manner. His voice seems to vibrate with grandness, and his aura brought unexplainable holiness.
The little turtle nodded in response.
"Now, as we have discussed, you promise to serve me to the rest of your life if I save that human is that correct?" The red-tailed merman said.
"Yes my lord. It is my great honor for me to serve you." The little turtle agreed with the utmost respect in its young voice.
"I have spared the young man and he has been taken back to the land of the humans. Now we should go."
"Yes, my lord.
Just when they were about to move, the red-tailed merman suddenly asked the little turtle.
"By the way, what is your name?" The red-tailed merman asked.
"You can name me as you want my Lord." The young turtle humbly replied.
"Uhhhm. I don't like naming things since I hate thinking too much. If you are given a chance, how would you like me to name you?" the merman insisted.
"Uhhhm." The little turtle took some time and a small light of happiness flashed in his beady eyes.
"Dash. You can call me Dash my lord." The little turtle answered with a hint of happiness.
"Dash... hmm, don't you think that is too... human-like?" The red-tailed merman inquired.
"May I know what makes it bad?"
"Because it's a human name. Heartless creatures who abuse the sea, the other lower lives, basically, the world. You probably have seen how that adult human have treated the young one." The red-tailed merman tried to change the little turtle's mind.
"I know that my lord. But not all humans are the same. With all due respect, I truly believe that there are also those humans who really care for the world, especially to the sea. It is just we tend to focus on the harsh ones since they are easily noticed compared to those who do the good deeds." The little turtle tried to defend the humans.
Not because he was in favor of them, but rather because he has seen with his own eyes how the young human and some few neighboring people come and feed the fishes, clean their trashes and even protect endangered species just like him.
Not all humans are heartless. Some are just really desperate to live, others are ignorant while most are just plain bad people.
"Hmm... For a young turtle, you sound like a thousand year old one." The red-tailed merman said in clear awe.
"Thank you for the compliment, my lord. And if you don't really mind, I would like to be called Dash." the little turtle added.
It took a little moment before the red-tailed merman finally approved of his pleading.
"For a small turtle, I must say that you are indeed one of a kind. Your courage and loyalty are remarkable. Which makes me like you very much to become my servant. What do you think?"
"I am honored to serve you, my lord."
"All right then, I shall call you Dash in honor of your wish. I'm telling you, If not because of your plead to the Lord of the water realm to save that human, I would have never spare that little child. Now that everything is settled, you shall serve me and follow me wherever to the world of the water realm."
"Water realm?" the little turtle asked in confusion. "Is it far north? Or south?"
The red-tailed merman smiled,
"It is everywhere and somewhere. Kind of difficult to explain. But trust me, young turtle, if you follow me, it won't be long until your name becomes a legend across the water realm. Unlike in this human world where you would probably end up dead by tomorrow because of the bigger fishes or the big birds that feed on you, not to mention some stupid humans; if you come with me, you will become big, powerful, and fast like the wind!"
"Really? Will I be fast? And strong like Bruno?"
The little turtle gave the red-tailed merman an exciting look. Scenes of him becoming bigger and stronger and faster than he is currently is just a dream he could only go.
"You will. Trust my little turtle." The merman assured.
"However..." After a little hesitation, the merman added.
"However?" the little turtle waited patiently.
"You see, once you come with me, you will have to leave all your memories behind." The merman slowly murmured.
"Leave memories behind?" confused, the little turtle asked.
"Sigh. Simply speaking my young turtle, you will forget any memories from this world." He glanced at the sleeping child and added. "Including your memories of that little child..."
"I will forget everything?"
"Yes. Everything that happened here, pop. gone." the red-tailed merman flicked a little bubble floating in the water and popped it with his finger.
"This is in exchange for you coming with me to the water realm, getting stronger and also, if you come with me, I can assure you that my loyal dolphins will take care of that child until he reaches the shore and gets rescued. Since he is still young, it should be long before he forgets about you as well. What do you say? It's just all a win-win for both of you right?"
"Forget him..." The little turtle struggled to make a quick decision for this.
He was just too used to being with the young man. He slept just beside his bed. Hed fed him, saved him from an early death, and protected him from danger.
Now he is being challenged to forget everything in exchange for the young man's life and his own secured future. Those precious memories that made him who he is right now. A bond that made his shells stronger by love every single day.
The turtle knew, how important the human to him. But now that he has grown a little matured and has a complete idea about how the world works. He must be wise in making the right decision. He must not be selfish.
He knows he must do what is right. For the sake of the young man and the sake of his future. Brothers they are, and forever in the spirit, they will be.
It took the little turtle a while before he finally managed to voice a faint answer.
"...Okay."
The little turtle gave a little nod and quickly turned into the boy's direction. A look of longing and sadness sprouted in his little heart.
"How about him? How will he be saved?" the little turtle asked. He was referring to the boy who is unconsciously lying on top of floating wooden debris.
"Rest assured he will be safe. The sea and the dolphins will take care of him. Until he reaches the human shore, no other creatures can harm him."
"That is good to hear." the eyes of the little turtle still glued on the sleeping face of the boy. His long eyelashes and the brown skin hid very well at the setting sun.
guzuzuzuzuzu~
"Good. Now let's go." The red-tailed merman energetically said as he created a vortex that seems to be a portal to a different dimension. Just when he was about to step in, he looked back and saw the turtle still on the spot. Eyes looking straight at the small body of his now former-master.
Seeing the little turtle still hesitating despite his generous offer to take accompany him in the water realm, the red-tailed merman stepped back and decided to give him a little more space.
The sun has already sunked in the west, but the orange light of the sun still reflected on the surface, creating an orange and dark view layering the entire sea.
SSSSH~
The wind blew with an even colder touch as the clouds quickly drained their orange bright to that of purple and dark.
"Do you know?" Suddenly the little turtle asked. The merman just stared at the turtle in response. Seemingly enjoying the unexplainable beauty in the eyes of the young sea creature.
"When I hatched from the egg, I was very very very small." The little turtle said in a soft and low voice.
"I struggled to push my self out of the sand, and just when I have managed to go out to venture on the sea; that boy came picked me."
A slight frown appeared on the face of the red-tailed merman but he let the little turtle continue his story.
"I am not sure it was fate, but with my small and weak body; surviving long in the ocean should have been impossible for me."
The frown dissapeared in the face of the merman as he continued to listen.
"That young human saved my life. He fed me, took care of me and even protected me when I was about to be hit by his father."
With yearning in his eyes, little turtle slowly swam his way towards the unconscious child. The dolphins surrounding the little child for protection gave way to the turtle as well.
Softly, the little turtle bumped his head the soft hands of the child. He slowly moved his head to rub the little hands and closed his eyes tightly in deep longing. Small drops of tears slid out of his beady black eyes.
In the little turtle's heart, he made up his mind. That his love for his master will never be forgotten wherever he goes and no matter how old he would get.
A little turtle almost the size of a small palm, remained still in the hands of the unconscious boy. It was a scene that brought tears even to the red-tailed merman.
The sky had almost completely turned to dark brought by the setting sun when the little turtle finally let go.
"Goodbye and take care. My Friend."
And with these parting words, the little turtle slowly made its way into the dimensional vortex created by the red-tailed merman.
Their shadows were immediately devoured by the water dimensional vortex and their bodies twirled in a blurring manner until they completely vanished.
Not a single ripple of their traces left.
***
Back on the present, Dash was still covered under his sand shell fortress. Blue blood kept on trecking on his body as he desperately stalls the enemies for a time.
He opened his weary eyes with glints of longing for someone who was there for him. But for some reason, he was unable to recall that specific someone. What he could only bring back are blurred sihuote of a certain kid.
It was memories from a thousand years ago in the human realm. If that kid is still alive by today, he should be more than 3000 years old now depending on the time fluctuation during his absence. And the way he could figure it out is if he could ask King Mahar itself. Unfortunately, the old man is already gone.
Heaving a deep sigh, Dash still hoped for Elric to arrive. His injuries are getting worse and the internal injuries inside him are quickly draining him of his remaining strength. Little did he know, that he is losing his hope as time goes by.
"Hugon kid... help me." He muttered weakly.