Celina's training under the water was similar to torture. She didn't understand how learning to breathe underwater was supposed to help her get revenge on humans.
The moment she was thrown into the portal, she found herself underwater. She had taken a huge gulp of water before covering her nose.
Calypso had warned her to inhale deeply, but she hadn't understood why. She regretted it.
Calypso entered after her and waved at her as she effortlessly glided through the water. She was in her true form. Her beautiful long blue tail and her fin-like ear that twitched slightly There was even a crown on her head, which was screaming elegance.
"Come this way, darling," she said.
Celina still couldn't breathe properly. She felt like she was going to pass out. No, she was already passing out. Calypso had swum some distance ahead before noticing that Celina wasn't following.
She looked behind and saw her sinking.
"Oh my, I forgot she's a puny human!" Calypso gasped.
.
.
After a few hours, Celina opened her eyes again. She found herself on a hard bed surrounded by a few fish, no, merfolk.
She sat up and tried to speak but winced. Her throat felt so sore. One of the merfolk noticed she had woken up and swam towards her.
"You're finally awake, human"
"Oh, hi," she said, with her croaked voice.
"Well, the potion worked. She's able to breathe and talk underwater. Report it to the queen immediately" the lady that looked just like Calypso spoke, helping Celina up.
She bowed to her, slightly.
"Welcome to our kingdom, though, it's not our original home, but make sure to feel comfortable"
"Uh... How am I able to breathe underwater?"
"The queen gave you a potion made with her blood. You should feel honoured"
"Ah... Thank you. That's a relief" she was excited to hear that.
"However, it only lasts for twenty-four hours. Seven hours, thirty-five minutes and thirteen seconds have passed since you were given the potion, so you have seventeen hours, twenty-five minutes and forty-seven seconds till the potion fades, and that's when you'll begin your training with me," she explained.
The excitement on her face instantly faded after that long explanation.
'You should have just started with that. I got my hopes up for nothing'
"I'm just five years old; I hope you'll go easy on me" Celina blinked repeatedly, trying to bring out her baby charm but she failed. She's already well-known in the Lost City. They even know how she was able to manifest aura at a young age.
"Since you're able to wield the sword, breathing underwater should be easy for you. Please rest more and begin your training later. I'll return once the potion has faded. Excuse me, Celina" she swam out of the room, leaving Celina alone.
Celina covered her face with her small hands and sighed deeply.
"Hey, blue box, I'm going to die, right?"
{...}
There was no response from the system. Celina raised her head, thinking the system had abandoned her.
"System?" She called.
{What do you need, unlucky host?}
"Can't you call my name like normal people do?"
'Isn't unlucky host too harsh?'
{No}
'How mean!'
She gave up arguing with the system and sat in silence till her seventeen hours elapsed and her training started.
It was hellish, but she managed to scale through.
Her one week of training underwater, without eating anything apart from fruit, fruits and more fruits, finally ended.
Calypso came to congratulate her and escorted her back to the elf village.
"Congratulations on finally learning how to breathe underwater, Celina"
"Thank you!"
"Of course, you should be thankful. It's time to head back now, darling. Once you're able to leave the lost city, make sure you bring back my people. Then, I'll accept you as our own"
"What happened to your people?"
"You'll know when it's time, darling. Come, come, it's time to leave now"
Calypso excitedly made a similar portal and held onto Celina's shoulder from behind. She bent her back and whispered into her ear.
"You should be careful while training with the others. Remember, you have less than five years to finish all of this training"
"Thank you, Calypso," she said.
"Yeah, I'm tired of hearing that already. I wish all humans were like you. Then, the world would have been a peaceful place. Here, take this"
She slipped something into Celina's palm.
"Use it whenever you want to. It'll make your wish come true. But, be careful what you wish for. So it won't come back to haunt you"
Without giving her time to check what was in her palm, she pushed Celina into the portal. She fell on the hard, familiar floor and groaned in pain. The portal vanished behind her and she sat up.
She scanned her surrounding and saw it was Clyde's room. It was the exact place where she was abducted by Calypso for her next training.
"I've been gone for a week and Clyde isn't back yet. I hope he's alright wherever he is. He was in pain" she mumbled and sat up. She finally opened her hand to check Calypso had slipped into her palm.
Her eyes widened when she saw a crystal marble stone with different colours inside. She held it up to the light and was mesmerized by it. It was small, yet beautiful.
"This is so pretty. I could sell it once I leave here. Oh wait, Calypso told me to make a wish. But, I don't have any wish now. Maybe later. But, where do I keep it"
"Blue... System"
{Yes, unlucky host?}
"Can you swallow this and give it to me when I need it?"
{I'm not able to do that}
"But, I have nowhere to keep it"
{Inventory: Empty}
{Inventory: Empty}
{Inventory: Empty}
{Inventory: Empty}
{Inventory: Empty}
Celina's eyes widened.
She didn't know she had this. She had five free slots to keep anything she wanted. The more she levelled up, the more slots she unlocked in her inventory. She filled up one of the spaces in the inventory and exhaled deeply.
Her stomach grumbled as she looked outside the window. She was waiting for the next person to come and abduct her to teach her the next lesson.
At the same time, she felt she was already strong enough to attack those humans. She gazed at her palm as she opened and closed it repeatedly.
'Stats'
The blue screen appeared...
Name: Celina Sawyer
Level: Level 16
Title: Enemy of humans
Race: Human
HP: 100/100
MP: 100/100
Job Class: None
Sub Class: None
Aura: 62
Strength: 39 (+4) (+3)
Agility: 34 (+5) (+5)
Vitality: 19 (+4) (+5)
Intelligence: 53 (+3) (+6)
Sense: 80 (+1) (+1)
Skills: None
[Affinity]
Earth: High
Fire: High (+)
Water: High (+)
Wind: High
[Elements]
Dark: (low) (cursed)
Light: Locked
Magic:
Spatial (rare)
{Inventory: Wish Stone} Usage: 1
Unlucky points: Max
.
A grin appeared on her face as she admired her stats. They had skyrocketed after training with Kali and also, the mermaid.
She stretched her small hands and yawned. Her stomach grumbled repeatedly.
"I better eat before getting dragged away for my next training" She turned to leave but found someone at the entrance.
"Eira?" She called as a smile blossomed on her face.
"Come here, dear" Eira went on her knees and stretched her hand.
Celina's eyes widened. She never expected this warm welcome. It was something she never experienced in her past life, except being snuggled by her dogs.
Hot tears streamed down her cheek. As she walked towards Eira, she wrapped her hands around her.
"Welcome back home, Celina," she said.
"I'm back, Eira"
.
After Celina cried for almost ten minutes on Eira's shoulder, they went to Eira's treehouse where she ate her fill.
"Calypso had informed me that you were back, I couldn't believe you finished training in just a week"
"Ha! I'm also surprised" she said, looking at Eira. She looked tired with dark circles under her eyes. She had even gotten leaner than before, yet she wasn't showing that she was tired in front of Celina.
Celina wished to ask, but she was sure that she would be restricted from hearing the information, so she just kept quiet as she held the cup of hot green tea in her small hand.
"Where is Clyde? He isn't back yet," she asked, and Eira flinched. She lowered her head, averting her gaze from Celina.
"Am I not allowed to hear about Clyde?" She lowered her gaze, sadly.
"No! Clyde is fine. I'm sure of it. He's not back yet. I'm just worried because he was injured before he left"
"Why didn't he get it healed?" Celina asked.
"We tried, Celina. But, it wouldn't heal. The more we tried, the worse it got. I also tried to help him, but I wasn't able to. If anything happens to Clyde, I won't forgive myself"
She hunched over, crying into her palms.
She was really concerned about Clyde. She doesn't know how they are related, but she sees Clyde as her son.
"Will I be able to heal him if I try?" She asked.
"Elves have stronger healing magic, Celina. I've even tried to heal Aetherius, but it's no use. Our powers are limited here"
"Then, teach me!" Celina sprung up from the chair. Eira stared at her with her wet cheek.
"What?" She looked up, startled.
"Teach me how to use healing magic. Since I'm a human and my magic isn't limited here, I should be able to heal Clyde and also... Lord Aetherius. I also don't want anything to happen to Clyde" she said.
"Pfft. Haha"
Eira burst into laughter as she wiped the tears off her cheek. She stretched her hand over Celina's head and touched her.
"Of course, it's you, Celina. You're our hope. You should be able to heal Clyde and Aetherius. But, if it doesn't work, don't feel bad" she said and also stood up.
Her expression suddenly changed into an evil smile that was similar to Lyra's.
"Let's get busy now, shall we?"
"Huh? Eira?"
"Don't call me Eira, Celina! From now on, I'm your teacher and you'll have to call me master. Understood?"
"Y...yes master!"
"Good. Let's start our training" she
said.
Celina gulped the emptiness in her mouth. Eira and her new Master seemed like different people entirely. But it doesn't matter to her, as long as she learns healing magic. That's the most important thing to her at that moment.