SIEL
Blurdfhadh, blurrgh, lurp.
I clumsily swayed my legs and arms trying to get a feel for swimming. Unlike my tail, I had no idea what to do.
Bubbles covered my sight and I felt heavier every minute.
I was counting on my gills to find a way, but I really could not breathe underwater.
'Help, someone....'
Just as I was about to say my prayers, something covered me from above and embraced my body. It pulled me up and kept me floated in the air.
Cough, cough! Cough!
I coughed heavily upon reaching the air.
"Sai!" I exclaimed.
He was now in front me, he floated me in front of the sharp cliff where he kept his place.
For a moment I got dizzy from flying abruptly and shooting from the water to above, but a warm aura wafted around me.
Sai dried me with magic and I felt thw yellow mana warming me up. I slowly stepped on the cliff at that moment.
"Don't look at me like that. I just saved your ass." He said defensively innocent.
I glared at him, "You could have warned me that I'll drown!"
He shrugged. "I've never transitioned from a mermaid to human, how should I know?"
'Did he really not know?' I glared at his nonchalant expression suspiciously.
Anyway, I hugged myself with the fabric wrapped around me. This was also the same one that pulled me from the water.
When I inspected it, it was a black cloak. Just right on my size too.
'It's pretty...'
"Is this a magic cloak?" I asked my brother.
He nodded.
"I had my mana imbued in it to save you for a bit."
"Here." Sai threw me a pile of clothes. They look comfortable and...fancy?
I looked at him asking.
"Wear that." He said.
He turned around and let me do my thing. I also turned my back on him and started putting the clothes.
I was also roaming my eyes at Cape Island. This place is deserted. Just rocks and cliffs, moss and few greens of plants--mostly growing in the creaks of the rocks.
Sigh.
I should hurry. The sun is setting fast.
'Let's see, is this how you wear this?'
I tried my best to understand the mechanism of human clothes.
...
....
...
SIGH.
With impatience, Sai snapped his fingers and violet rays of mana gave life to the clothes I was investigating. They suddenly started moving, putting themselves on place.
I wore layers of fabrics.
The result was a beautiful gown, ankle-length tunics belted on the waist. It has delicate needle work designs as well.
Sai knelled over and left a pair of shoes with high shafts. They were multiple layers of leather stitched together decorated with small jewels.
"Wear this, so we could go."
Honestly, "These seems fancy..."
He looked back at me and pointed at himself with chin up high,
"I'm rich." Then he added, "I can't have you looking like a beggar. We're going to my Magic Tower after all."
While he said all of that, all I could think of was that, 'I wanna say that too.'
Oh, to be rich. Sigh.
I obediently did what he asked.
"I'm done." I said after putting on the shoes.
He walked over, fixed the hood of the black cloak on me again and patted my head.
"Look at that, you look prettier with your face covered." Sai ridiculed.
I just grimace at him unto which he poke fun off.
"Chill out, sis. You look like a beast. You're scaring me,"
I internally growled at him.
A magic circle suddenly enclosed upon us. It was very intricate filled with specific shapes inside circles after circles and it shone a bright light.
I looked at Sai, confused.
"Oh, it's the teleportation circle. Don't worry about it." He grinned.
'Don't worry?!'
"Hey! Warn me earlier nex-----" before I could finish speaking, the surrounding turned all too bright and I felt nausea all over my body.
When I opened my eyes, I felt like vomiting.
'Ugh...this little sh..' Before I cussed at Sai, I felt my head spinning.
Sai quickly dragged me to stand properly.
I turned my head to him and he smiled sheepishly.
"I like surprising you a lot, it seems."
"No, you're just mocking me." I countered still feeling amiss.
He tapped his chest, feeling dramatic.
"How could you misunderstand my good heart like that?" He exclaimed.
I looked at him exasperatedly. The thing about him as my brother, is that, I'm now getting used to his pranks. And that thought alone scares me.
'Please, no.'
At the same time, he then burst into a fit of laughter.
"pfft, hahahAHAHAH! Oh," he wiped his tears. He messed my hair and pulled my hood up to cover my face again.
"I'm sorry, my mana is too erratic right now. I made you feel nauseous unnecessarily."
With that, I shut my mouth. I was reminded of his situation.
'This guy has been looking for the stone to fix his mana problems.'
"I'll find the stone for you. Definitely. You can't die." I declared.
I clenched my fist. 'You can't die on me, Sai.'
He smiled, but it strangely looks untroubled.
I subconsciously voiced out, "You've been looking for the stone for the past five years. Don't give up now!"
Taken aback, "Huh? Oh, yeah. I was looking for the stone." He reminded himself.
I starred at him worried.
Sigh.
"I wish there were two stones. If I had one, I'll give it to you. Since unlike you, I don't have overflowing mana to contain."
"..." He only starred at me. At first it was a zoned out stare but then he started looking at me like I'm stupid.
"What?" I asked.
"..."
"???"
"...For a midget. You talk to much." He walked away.
..."Hey I'm not small--" I stopped.
'T-that...!'
I was speechless. What was in front of me was a big tower.
I was speechless at how grand and august it is.
No. It isn't made of silver, not of gold too, and these are not gems but...
"Magic stones..." I blurted, astonished.
"Huh? Wait that's..." I noticed the tall tower divided in half. Half of it was sliced by a magic circle, making the half of the tower nowhere to be found.
"The other half isn't here. It's in another country if you are wondering."
"...What?" I asked jaw dropped.
He tilted his head, "The upper floors has all the most annoying wizards, so I left it to where it was. I only took the half with me to Veldorra." He said nonchalantly.
"Can...you do that?" I asked, again, astonished.
"Huh? I already did." He answered innocently.
"M----ASSTERRRR!!!" A crowd of wizards started running from the front doors of the tower.
Numerous magic circles appeared around us and wizards and mages started appearing one by one.
Dumbstruck, Sai plastered a proud face in front of me.
"Sailzaer Yulian de Archmage of Eumadory, guardian of Veldorra, welcomes you to the Magician's Tower, sister."
He greeted all too proudly, with the huge half of the tower embedded with countless magic stones at his background.