CHAPTER 8—THERE ARE NO FISHES IN THE SEA
I had to wave my hand through the thin air to test if I was seeing things right. There was a mermaid with a silver-blue fishtail swimming (?) away from the metamorphosed feline in the sky. I thought maybe we were underwater and I suddenly had the capability to breathe, but this wasn't the case.
The merman was fluid in the skies like he was in his natural habitat. Despite soaring like an eagle, he was at disadvantage against the jet plane pursuing him equipped with engines meowing bloody-murder.
"Help me! Lord Bergelmir I'm too pretty to be some cat's sardines!"
The forest guardian had to stand and look closely at the figures that resembled hovering flies.
"Seagar?"
Vines shot out from the forest grounds, seizing the feline that grew hostile from the sudden incapacity. Seagar, who I thought was actually named after a stick of nicotine, sluggishly descended with dropped shoulders. He was sweating the ocean, yet he glistened beautifully from the sun.
"My Lord, I apologize for overstaying. This was the safest place in the entire Gibborim."
The merman took the luxury to dip himself into the pool of water where we entered from. There were two long and flowy ivory fins attached behind his shoulder blades like wings. His skin was tanned and glowy and his hair was bluish to greenish.
"What of Atlarei and the other territories?"
"Aren't you going to ask how a fish like me could fly like a bee? It's revolting, next time you'll see me producing honey."
Burg tried to be patient within those seconds of maintaining a dead stare.
"That's unlikely, if you do, your honey will smell like shrimp paste," he rebutted, not having a pinch of pity in his bones.
Seagar teared up. "How can you say that my Lord? I have gone through so much!"
"Haven't we all? Are all Atlareis like you?"
"Extremely charming?"
"Extremely pungent. No more dilly-dallying, time for business. Tell me what you know."
"I was trying to save Milady Tethys but it was too late! There were fifty crab warriors chasing after me! I managed to get away when—"
"Skip that part. Next."
I thought I saw Burg roll his eyes. He was so good at keeping a stern face even when the urge of tying him with seaweed was strong.
Smoyashi had to keep Aki in check after he was released. The merman was anxious while he reported the events since there was a cat ready to scoop a goldfish from the bowl.
"After taking you down, Goddess Duvessa wrecked the habitats. She drowned windy Homra city into the ocean, submerging the birds in our precious sea water. She hauled the hidden Atlarei city into the sky, aiming to turn us into dried seafood. Lady Tethys and Lord Icarus are now wandering 'derelicts'— no dignity and the face of blasphemy— just guardians who had fallen corrupt."
"Smoy smoy..." the sprout trailed with a concerned face.
Burg fell silent. He was thinking deeply about the situation at hand and I was having a bad feeling about this.
"We have to return the bijou of Tethys and Icarus. It's the only way to bring them back."
"Count me in! I must bring back Milady's prestige," Seagar volunteered.
The forest guardian turned to us, bowing at his waist. "He can't do this alone. Please, help save Gibborim."
"Smoy!"
"Meow!'
"No."
There was no way I would risk my life again. Not a chance.
Burg turned to me with pleading eyes. "Please Ori. I know this is a difficult task but even without trying we are all in danger."
I frowned, my head heating up like a kettle. "Why are you relying on me? Why don't you do it yourself?!"
Seagar scoffed. "Who is this child, my Lord? We don't need a scaredy-cat. We can save Tethys with or without him."
The merman's glare was sharp and mocking. I bit my tongue back to prevent any more arguments from transpiring. They could give me names all they want but I will not change my mind.
Burg sighed in defeat. "You are right, I cannot rely the fate of Gibborim to a child. Forgive me."
He placed his heavy hand on my head. He could pick me up right there like a pickle jar with how huge his hand was.
"Let us prepare for tomorrow. I know everyone is tired from the series of misfortunes."
Hammocks rolled down from the ceiling of the shrine. Each of us took our spots. My joints popped the moment I sprawled over the net. My eyes were lowered to the ground. I didn't want to look at those two. I guessed I did feel slightly ashamed for not accepting their request.
Night took over. Seagar was snoring like a 400 pound man drinking ten bottles of beer per day. Smoyashi was lying on top of Aki with its arms and legs thrown out like a starfish. The sound of crickets was comforting but I couldn't sleep well like the rest of them.
"Ori?" Burg softly called. Green glitters formed beside me. I sat up, dangling my legs to greet him.
"Hey."
"I apologize for dragging you into this mess. I know that...you're not from this world. You're a visitor, a stray as what we call here."
"A stray?"
He nodded.
"How do I get back then? To where I'm from?"
"We could send you back but as you can see...there is no we, there is only I," he reminded me and lifted his arms to emphasize that the other guardians were still not themselves. I raked my fingers through my hair.
"Why am I here?"
"You are not purely from your world. I can still feel half of you connected to Gibborim and the same goes for your friend there," he said and pointed his eyes at Aki.
"So I'm a half breed?"
He stared up in thought. "You could say that. I cannot explain it well because I don't know what exactly is happening here. But once the guardians are rescued, we will try to send you back."
He turned around, the wind blew him away into little sparkles of green glitter again.
"Oh and there is a banshee watching over you. I don't think she wants to hurt you but I would advise that you still watch yourself."
I plopped back down on the hammock, rubbing my face in frustration. "The banshee probably killed the guardian angel assigned to me."
It must be the reason why these things keep happening. I eventually fell asleep. I still felt tired from running ever since I woke up in that forest. We had our breakfast in silence. Seagar wasn't a morning merman. He appeared to be washed off during a red tide but a good seaweed soup brought him back to life.
The meal consisted of rice porridge and boiled eggs for the rest of us. The porridge was warm and filling, it was also comforting. My eyes watered from the feeling of nostalgia. Another boiled egg was dropped into my bowl that startled me from my trance. I looked to my side, finding Smoyashi grinning at me.
Do you honestly think that boiled eggs would bribe me into this suicide mission?
"I pray to Metis that you have a safe journey."
"Smoy smoy!"
"Thank you my Lord, we must be going then."
Seagar dove into the pool. Smoyashi followed but waved goodbye at me first. My hand raised to wave back yet my fingers curled on second thought. I didn't want to get attached. I had to stay firm on my decision. This wasn't my fight to begin with. They should understand that much.
Aki gave me a blank look as if he was waiting for me to change my mind. When I didn't seem to budge, he dove, leaving me in an awkward position with the forest guardian. Now that they were again, I felt like some deadweight living off someone else's hard work.
"Do you think I disappointed them?"
Burg tilted his head before giving a wave of disapproval.
"I can tell you one thing, Ori: they trust you more than you trust yourself."
That was stupidly obvious. Those two were idiots for trusting me too much. But I couldn't blame Burg for my next actions. I was a pushover and a gullible idiot.
"Wait for me!"
I broke through the barrier of the water in the well. Their voices outside bounced against the wall. They were in the middle of deciding which direction to go. Seagar was having a hellish time comprehending them.
"I'm coming with you guys, pull me up!"
Heads popped in to peek at me. Smoyashi brightened up, tossing a rope inside. I climbed out of the well; Smoyashi hugged my leg, Aki offered his paw for me to bump my fist with, and the mermaid rolled his eyes.
"I don't mind a coward joining as long as I can understand you." He seemed to have given up trying to make up what they were trying to say already.
Weak tuna.
The flight to Atlarei was long and taxing, especially with how short-tempered our feline was. Seagar's continuous blabbering irked Aki while Smoyashi and I tried to respond to our guide pretending to be interested. He was flying right beside us, twirling gracefully like he would in the ocean.
"So you're both flightless and powerless. You can swim but you can't live underwater. Why did Mighty Metis make you so useless?"
"Uhuh..." I replied, my face was red. My eyebrows twitched.
"And what of you? I have never seen a creature like you. Did Mighty Metis create talking livestock to elicit pity from overeaters?"
"Smoy," the sprout spoke but lacked the high tone of cheerfulness it usually had. It pointed at the merman with narrowed eyes, like an angry squirrel prepared to declare a nut war. "Smoyded."
White light sparked from its palm, zapping the obnoxious merman. He let out a high pitched scream of an offended dolphin. He stopped his snarky remarks after that.
We took breaks from the sky. The vegetable prepared us meals from its unending supplies. It even had seaweed for Seagar and bottled sparkling water with no brand. Smoy and I took turns in taking naps. Eating too much always makes me sleepy. The very moment my head bobbed down, I was awakened with a shake on my shoulders. I yelped when an eel swam past us. My eyes widened, lips went ajar from the scenery.
Red and blue jellyfishes illuminated under the dark blue skies that mimicked the ocean at night. They were like parachutes that defied the law of gravity. Fishes of all kinds swam alone or in schools. Sting rays acted like curtains blown by the gentle night breeze. It was like a festival with the sea creatures as decorations and with the full moon as the main event.
"I hope a shark doesn't appear," I said.
"Summon Duvessa and she shall come," Seagar jokes. It wasn't humor meant to be laughed about.
"Where is Tethys?"
The moon's light was obstructed, not by a cloud but by something else. Aki stopped moving and Smoyashi stood; it was lost for words that it never had to begin with.
A whale that resembled a tattered airship came into view. It was putrescent; its smell reached out to our senses. It relinquished a wail that caused vibrations into our bodies. A stream of contaminated water erupted from the whale's blowhole and those that were hit by the liquid melted and sizzled.
This festival turned out to be a horrific boat ride.